Written by: Akwaeke Emezi Cover Art by: Shyama Golden For ages: YA (CW: child abuse. Mention of bruises and insinuation of pedophilia) Language: English, some French Creole. Topics Covered: Black Culture & Identity, BIPOC Narratives, Sci-Fi, LGBTQ Lives, Growing Up, Friendship, Social-Emotional Learning, Transgender Youth, Family, Art. Summary: This book is phenomenal. Jam is a teenage girl living in a town…
Tag: ya literature
Northwest Resistance [A Girl Called Echo Vol 3]
Written by: Katherena Vermette Illustrated by: Scott B. Henderson, color by Donovan Yaciuk For ages: 12 years and up Language: English, minor French. Topics Covered: History, First Nations, Military Action, Growing Up, Family, Fantasy, Time Travel, Métis History. Summary: This is the third installment about the time-traveling adventures of Echo Desjardins, a Métis teenager learning about her own history. Echo…
The Hero Next Door
Written by: Each short story is written by someone different! Edited by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich. Covert Art by: Michelle Cunningham For ages: YA middle grades Language: English. Some Spanish, some Arabic. Topics Covered: Growing Up, Neurodiversity, Domestic Violence, POC-Centric Narratives, Own Voices, Sports, Supernatural, Adoption, Friendship, Family, Love. Summary: This book is awesome! Each story takes a unique viewpoint and has a hero in it,…
Becoming RBG
Written by: Debbie Levy Illustrated by: Whitney Gardner For ages: 10 years and up Language: English Topics Covered: History, Legislation, Women in Leadership, Trailblazers, Historical Figure, Historical Events, Activism, Graphic Novel. Summary: This is an AWESOME graphic novel! Something we like about it very much is that while it very closely follows the life of the one and only powerhouse Ruth…
Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists
Written by: Mikki Kendall Illustrated by: A. D’Amico For ages: YA older teens (mature topics-violence, assault, enslavement, death) Language: English Topics Covered: Activism, Historic Figures, Historical Fiction, Enslavement, Women’s Rights, Suffrage, Women in Politics, Women in Leadership, Assault, Death, Indigenous Voices, POC-Centric Narratives, Marginalized Populations, Modern Black Freedom Struggle, LGBTQ, Black Feminist Thought. Summary: Triple A, how much do I love you?…
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me
Written by: Mariko Tamaki Illustrated by: Rosemary Valero-O’Connell For ages: YA graphic novel Language: English Topics Covered: LGBTQ Relationships, Love, Friendship, Social-Emotional Development. Summary: Super quick read, I read this in about an hour! The story is told from the perspective of Freddy, a biracial Asian teenage girl. Freddy is hopelessly in love with Laura Dean, her on-again off-again unfaithful girlfriend. …
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…