The main character in The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré, Adunni, is on a personal journey to give herself the best life she can despite insurmountably hard circumstances. Her mother dies prematurely and her father needs to pay the bills in Nigeria, so Adunni is sold to a man as his third...
If we all trace our lineage back generation by generation, you will almost always find a fearless woman at the forefront of care, kindness, and the ability to multitask just about everything. Women are strong. We’ve fought for our right to vote, own our own property, and we are still fighting for...
Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood is a memoir by Trevor Noah about his upbringing in South Africa and how he became a popular comedian in America as host of The Daily Show.
Tokyo Ever After: A Novel by Emiko Jean has been climbing the charts as one of the most popular books right now for young adults. With Netflix’s “The Crown” and Katharine McGee’s American Royals being the rage, this book has emerged among them successfully.
Adi Alsaid has released many young adult books since his first title, Let’s Get Lost, but I can promise you, this one blazes through as just as good, if not better than the rest. A new beginning can start at any time, declared by the person who needs one. In this story, the main character, Leila,...
Many students endure the (not-so-fun) ritual of moving schools mid-year. In Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan, this is the reality of one of the two main characters, Morgan, as she is forced to transfer schools. Morgan is an elite track star at her Catholic private high school, but is kicked out...
The most beautiful part of January isn’t the snow or the magical lighted displays around town, but instead it’s the chance for a new beginning. January is a refresh button and a new starting line. And as an educator, I feel the need to begin again around this time of year with a clear mind and some...
The way authors structure their books is sometimes jaw-dropping. So impressive that by the end you hug it tight, knowing it taught you something, or touched your life in some way. The Removed by Brandon Hobson is one of those books.
Many lessons ran through my mind while reading There There by Tommy Orange. We could talk about the parallel plot text structure; we could talk about the characterization of Native Americans; we could talk about mental health and addiction. So really, however you use this book with your students,...
The words are never right. The time is never perfect. And life keeps piling stress after stress onto the people we love. What do we say to someone who might be struggling with a mental illness? I usually ask if I can help in any way or send them their favorite junk food with a heart-felt note. But...
