The Year I Flew Away

The Year I Flew Away
Author: Marie Arnold
Publisher: Versify
Total Pages: 259
Release: 2021
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0358272750

After moving from her home in Haiti to her uncle's home in Brooklyn, ten-year-old Gabrielle, feeling bullied and out of place, makes a misguided deal with a witch.

The Magical Reality of Nadia (The Magical Reality of Nadia #1)

The Magical Reality of Nadia (The Magical Reality of Nadia #1)
Author: Bassem Youssef
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 134
Release: 2021-02-02
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1338674811

From Bassem Youssef, aka the Jon Stewart of the Arab World, and author Catherine R. Daly comes a hilarious and heartfelt story about prejudice, friendship, empathy, and courage. Nadia loves fun facts. Here are a few about her:• She collects bobbleheads -- she has 77 so far.• She moved from Egypt to America when she was six years old.• The hippo amulet she wears is ancient... as in it's literally from ancient Egypt.• She's going to win the contest to design a new exhibit at the local museum. Because how cool would that be?!(Okay, so that last one isn't a fact just yet, but Nadia has plans to make it one.)But then a new kid shows up and teases Nadia about her Egyptian heritage. It's totally unexpected, and totally throws her off her game.And something else happens that Nadia can't explain: Her amulet starts glowing! She soon discovers that the hippo is holding a helpful -- and hilarious -- secret. Can she use it to confront the new kid and win the contest?From The Daily Show comedian Bassem Youssef and author Catherine R. Daly comes a humorous and heartfelt story about prejudice, friendship, empathy, and courage.Includes sections of black-and-white comics as well as lively black-and-white illustrations throughout.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone

Daughter of Smoke & Bone
Author: Laini Taylor
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Total Pages: 356
Release: 2011-09-27
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0316192147

The first book in the New York Times bestselling epic fantasy trilogy by award-winning author Laini Taylor Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky. In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low. And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherworldly war. Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out. When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

We'll Fly Away

We'll Fly Away
Author: Bryan Bliss
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 317
Release: 2018-05-08
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0062494295

National Book Award Longlist Title * Booklist Editors’ Choice * CYBILS Young Adult Fiction Finalist * Nerdy Book Club Award for Best Young Adult Fiction * Paste Magazine Best Book * YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults “A compelling and raw story.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review) “[Bliss dares] his readers not only to see the depths of human complexity, but to care.”—Booklist (starred review) Luke and Toby have always had each other’s backs. But then one choice—or maybe it is a series of choices—sets them down an irrevocable path.We’ll Fly Awayweaves together Luke and Toby’s senior year of high school with letters Luke writes to Toby later—from death row. Best friends since childhood, Luke and Toby have dreamed of one thing: getting out of their dead-end town. Soon they finally will, riding the tails of Luke’s wrestling scholarship, never looking back. If they don’t drift apart first. If Toby’s abusive dad, or Luke’s unreliable mom, or anything else their complicated lives throw at them doesn’t get in the way. Tense and emotional, this hard-hitting novel explores family abuse, sex, love, and friendship, and how far people will go to protect those they love. For fans of Jason Reynolds, Marieke Nijkamp, and NPR’s Serial podcast. Praise for We’ll Fly Away: "Bryan Bliss has written an empathetic and stirring novel about what it means to fight for the outcasts, the forgotten, and even the hated, reminding us that we all have worth. That we are all valuable."—Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking “A poignant story of loyalty, abuse, and poverty. . . . This compassionate and beautifully rendered novel packs an emotional punch.”—KirkusReviews (starred review) “A smart, rugged, all-too-true story of friendship under fire. Believable characters and page-turning tension.”—Chris Crutcher, author of Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes “This fast-paced read will have teens tearing through chapters to find out why Luke is in jail. . . . The conclusion will leave them devastated. This is [a] touching book about male friendship for fans of Jason Reynolds.”—School Library Journal “The unshakable and unconditional bond between the young men is tested and proves true, a ray of light in the darkness of their stories.”—VOYA

I Rise

I Rise
Author: Marie Arnold
Publisher: HarperCollins
Total Pages: 254
Release: 2022-08-02
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 0358448956

“A love letter to Harlem and hope. I Rise is smart and funny and full of heart.*” Fourteen-year-old Ayo who has to decide whether to take on her mother’s activist role when her mom is shot by police. As she tries to find answers, Ayo looks to the wisdom of her ancestors and her Harlem community for guidance. Ayo's mother founded the biggest civil rights movement to hit New York City in decades. It’s called ‘See Us’ and it tackles police brutality and racial profiling in Harlem. Ayo has spent her entire life being an activist and now, she wants out. She wants to get her first real kiss, have a boyfriend, and just be a normal teen. When her mom is put into a coma after a riot breaks out between protesters and police, protestors want Ayo to become the face of See Us and fight for justice for her mother who can no longer fight for herself. While she deals with her grief and anger, Ayo must also discover if she has the strength to take over where her mother left off. This impactful and unforgettable novel takes on the important issues of inequality, systemic racism, police violence, and social justice. *Kwame Alexander, New York Times bestselling author

Survival Lessons

Survival Lessons
Author: Alice Hoffman
Publisher: Open Road Media
Total Pages: 75
Release: 2020-08-18
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 1504064542

The New York Times–bestselling author and cancer survivor tells how to hold on to joy in times of sorrow in this “absolutely beautiful book” (Sue Monk Kidd). The prize-winning author of such modern literary classics as Practical Magic, The World That We Knew, and The Marriage of Opposites, Alice Hoffman is also a cancer survivor. In Survival Lessons, she shares her transformative journey, showing us how to re-envision our own lives and relationships with our friends and family, and the significance of the everyday choices we make. Sorrow and joy are both part of the human experience, and the beauty of the world is easy to overlook during periods of crisis, illness, or loss. Here, Hoffman offers wit, wisdom, and comfort in “an optimistic instruction manual [for] anyone struggling with self-care in a time of trouble” (Story Circle Book Reviews). “In this gem of a book, Alice Hoffman acknowledges the sorrows of life, while reminding us of its joys. Survival Lessons is filled with love, insight, and lots of practical advice—including a crazy-good brownie recipe.” —Will Schwalbe, New York Times–bestselling author of The End of Your Life Book Club “Hoffman’s storytelling artistry enlivens each intimate, thoughtfully distilled, charming, and nurturing lesson in living.” —Booklist “[Survival Lessons] is not about [Hoffman’s] breast cancer per se but about making choices that will improve readers’ lives and relationships and remind them ‘of the beauty of life.’” —Library Journal “Full of smart intentions and kind reminders . . . Uplifting advice we’ll gladly take.” —Better Homes & Gardens

Serafina's Promise

Serafina's Promise
Author: Ann E. Burg
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Total Pages: 306
Release: 2013-09-24
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0545549949

A luminous novel in verse from the author of the Jefferson Cup award winner ALL THE BROKEN PIECES. Serafina hasa secret dream. She wants to go to schooland become a doctorwith her best friend, Julie Marie. But in their rural villageoutside Port-au-Prince, Haiti,many obstaclesstand in Serafina’s way--little money,never-ending chores,and Manman’s worries. More powerful eventhan all of theseare the heavy rainsand the shaking earththat test Serafina’s resolvein ways she never dreamed. At once heartbreaking and hopeful,this exquisitely crafted storywill leave a lasting impressionon your heart.

Little Bee

Little Bee
Author: Chris Cleave
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2010-02-16
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1416589643

Millions of people have read, discussed, debated, cried, and cheered with Little Bee, a Nigerian refugee girl whose violent and courageous journey​ puts a stunning face on the worldwide refugee crisis​. “Little Bee will blow you away.” —The Washington Post The lives of a sixteen-year-old Nigerian orphan and a well-off British woman collide in this page-turning #1 New York Times bestseller, book club favorite, and “affecting story of human triumph” (The New York Times Book Review) from Chris Cleave, author of Gold and Everyone Brave Is Forgiven. We don’t want to tell you too much about this book. It is a truly special story and we don’t want to spoil it. Nevertheless, you need to know something, so we will just say this: It is extremely funny, but the African beach scene is horrific. The story starts there, but the book doesn’t. And it’s what happens afterward that is most important. Once you have read it, you’ll want to tell everyone about it. When you do, please don’t tell them what happens either. The magic is in how it unfolds.

Fly Already

Fly Already
Author: Etgar Keret
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 226
Release: 2019-09-03
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0698166116

From a "genius" (New York Times) storyteller: a new, subversive, hilarious, heart-breaking collection. "There is sweetheartedness and wisdom and eloquence and transcendence in his stories because these virtues exist in abundance in Etgar himself... I am very happy that Etgar and his work are in the world, making things better." --George Saunders There's no one like Etgar Keret. His stories take place at the crossroads of the fantastical, searing, and hilarious. His characters grapple with parenthood and family, war and games, marijuana and cake, memory and love. These stories never go to the expected place, but always surprise, entertain, and move... In "Arctic Lizard," a young boy narrates a post-apocalyptic version of the world where a youth army wages an unending war, rewarded by collecting prizes. A father tries to shield his son from the inevitable in "Fly Already." In "One Gram Short," a guy just wants to get a joint to impress a girl and ends up down a rabbit hole of chaos and heartache. And in the masterpiece "Pineapple Crush," two unlikely people connect through an evening smoke down by the beach, only to have one of them imagine a much deeper relationship. The thread that weaves these pieces together is our inability to communicate, to see so little of the world around us and to understand each other even less. Yet somehow, in these pages, through Etgar's deep love for humanity and our hapless existence, a bright light shines through and our universal connection to each other sparks alive.