English YA Historical Figures WWII Spy French Resistance Disability Feminism Heather Demetrios summary Okay so uhh Virginia Hall is the most badass person I’ve ever read about. Not only is being a spy pretty much the coolest (& most dangerous) job I could think of having, but Virginia accidentally shot her own ding dang foot…
Tag: young adult
The Wild Ones & a Love of Dessert
English YA Feminism Sci-Fi Fantasy BIPOC Narratives Anger Chosen Family Magic Love CW: Mentions of assault Nafiza Azad summary This. Book. Is. Everything. When a publicist got in touch and told me about The Wild Ones, I was instantly hooked. A roving band of girls that weaponize their screams in retaliation for the times they’ve…
Blood Like Magic
English YA Fantasy Magic Witches Black Culture & Identity Community CW: Blood, Sacrifice, Violence Liselle Sambury summary When you see this title, know that blood is very prevalent within the book. It’s the root of all magic, and used with intent for spells. It also denotes when a witch can be Called by ancestors and…
Made in Korea
English & Korean YA Korean-American Identity Small Business Family Responsibility Social-Emotional Learning Relationships Sarah Suk summary Valerie Kwon and her cousin Charlie run an incredibly successful student business selling Korean beauty products. Valerie is desperate to prove to her family that she’s just as capable and business-savvy as her older sister, and take her grandmother…
While I Was Away
English & Japanese MG & Up Asian-American Experience Japanese-American Own Voices Growing Up Family Language Learning SEL Waka T. Brown summary Waka is a Japanese-American sixth grader in rural Kansas in the 1980’s. At home, her family speaks Japanese almost exclusively, but Waka is behind in reading and writing in kanji. After a few incidents…
Antiracism: An Introduction
English YA & Up Politics History White Supremacy Antiracism Alex Zamalin Summary: I bought this book a few months ago, for a very specific reason. You see, last summer, when all the protests were taking place, I was thrilled. Beyond elated that people seemed to finally care what I had devoted my academic career to….
Beetle & The Hollowbones
Written & Illustrated by: Aliza Layne For Ages: MG & YA (graphic novel) Language: English Topics Covered: Witchcraft, Non-Binary Identity, Graphic Novels, Friendship, LGBTQ, Magic. Summary: Spooky fantasy graphic novel with LGBTQ representation for middle grades? Sign me up! Beetle is a goblin being homeschooled by her grandmother in magic. Beetle’s best friend is Blob…
Gross Science Experiments: 60 Smelly, Scary, Silly Tests to Disgust Your Friends and Family
Written By: Emma Vanstone For Ages: 6 years and up Language: English Topics Covered: STEM, Science Experiments, Pint-Sized Professor, Scientific Method, Own Voices. Summary: This book is a really cool volume of experiments with goals to teach and gross you out at the same time! Broken down into 9 gross parts, topics like stinky smells,…
On These Magic Shores
Written By: Yamile Saied Méndez Cover Art by: Sarah Coleman For Ages: MG & YA Language: English, some Spanish. Topics Covered: Immigration, Missing Persons, Family, Siblings, Magic, Fairies, Argentinian Culture & Traditions, Sickness, Theatre, Own Voices. Summary: Minerva is the oldest of 3 girls, and her younger sisters Dakota “Kota” and Avalon “Avi” are her…
M is for Movement: aka Humans can’t Eat Golf Balls
Written & Illustrated by: Innosanto Nagara For ages: Middle grades Language: English, Indonesian places, phrases, references. Topics Covered: Social Justice, Social Change, Protest, Activism, Young Adult, Growing Up, Military Action, Family, Own Voices. Summary: For our next installment of #sweetsandsocialjustice we have a middle grade book by one of our favorite social justice authors, Innosanto Nagara. Because I am a…