Written by: Amy Spalding Cover Photo by: Robyn Van Swank Cover Design: Kate Gartner For ages: YA (underage alcohol use) Language: English Topics Covered: LGBTQ, Growing Up, Art, Jobs, Relationships, Family Dynamics, Weight, Body Positivity, Fashion, Underage Alcohol Use. Summary: This is a fantastic book with both a queer and fat main character interested in fashion. Abby scores an amazing summer…
Tag: family dynamics
Around the Table that Grandad Built
Written by: Melanie Heuiser Hill Illustrated by: Jaime Kim For ages: 3-8 years Language: English Topics Covered: Family, Cooking, Cultural Identity, Traditions. Summary: This is a very sweet book about the preparations of a large family dinner. Each piece of the meal, starting with the table that grandad built, tells a story of significance and family meaning. The kids busily set…
Ho’onani Hula Warrior
Written by: Heather Gale Illustrated by: Mika Song For ages: 4 years and up Language: English and Hawaiian Topics Covered: Gender Identity, Hawaiian Culture & Traditions, Hula, Indigenous Voices, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, Trailblazer, History, Historical Figure, Biographical, Self-Esteem, Family, Acceptance. Summary: This is an incredible book based on a real person! Ho’onani is a young girl that feels in the middle of…
Maisie’s Scrapbook
Written by: Samuel Narh Illustrated by: Jo Loring-Fisher For ages: 3-7 years Language: English and some Ghanian Topics Covered: POC-Centric Narratives, Family, Biracial Family, Love, Imagination. Summary: This is a really cute story about a young girl named Maisie and her parents. Her father is African, and while the ethnicity of her mother is not specifically mentioned, she appears to be of…
When Aidan Became a Brother
Written by: Kyle Lukoff Illustrated by: Kaylani Juanita For ages: 4 years and up Language: English Topics Covered: BIPOC Protagonists, Gender Identity, Family, LGBTQ Youth, Trans Experience, Gender Stereotypes, Growing Up, Pregnancy, Siblings, Social-Emotional Learning, Empathy. Summary: Since it’s Corrie’s birthday, she wanted to post a book that she’s currently loving and can’t stop talking about. This book is SO cute, we’re…
Barely Missing Everything
Written by: Matt Mendez Cover Art by: Dana Ledl For ages: Young Adults Language: English Topics Covered: Growing Up, Latinx Identities, Racism, Sports, Alcohol & Marijuana Use, Family, Incarceration, Filmmaking, Friendship, Police Brutality, Pregnancy. Summary: This book was one of those stories that everything I anticipated to happen did not happen, I was constantly surprised at the deft storytelling of Mendez’s…
Patina
Written by: Jason Reynolds Cover Art by: Vanessa Brantley-Newton For ages: YA Middle Grades Language: English Topics Covered: POC-Centric Narratives, Family, Grief, Death, Social-Emotional Growth, Sports, Women in Sports, Growing Up, Coping, Friendship, Black Culture & Identity. Summary: Patina is just trying to do her best at a new school and on a new elite track team that she is now a part…
Juliet Takes A Breath
Written by: Gabby Rivera Cover Art by: Cristy C. Road For ages: YA Book Language: English Topics Covered: LGBTQ, Queer Theory, Racism, White Feminism, Growing Up, Relationships, Family, Love. Summary: Ya’all this book is SO IMPORTANT. Juliet is a young Puerto Rican woman on her way to the internship of her dreams. All she has to do is come out to…
Front Desk
Written by: Kelly Yang Cover Art by: Maike Plenzke For ages: Middle Grades YA Book Language: English, slight Mandarin. Topics Covered: Immigration, Racism, Friendship, Family, Growing Up. Summary: Mia Tang and her parents emigrated from China two years before the book begins. When the book begins, it is summertime in California and the family is living in their car. Soon, a…
The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali
Written by: Sabina Khan Cover Art by: For ages: YA book Language: English Topics Covered: LGBTQ, Family, Marriage, Independence, Love, Acceptance, LGBTQ Violence, Homophobia, Bangladeshi Culture & Traditions. Summary: I could NOT put this book down. I was instantly hooked. Warning: you will feel ALL the emotions during this read. Rukhsana is a teenager, just a few months away from…