Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
Poetry that breathes. Through invented definitions and raw spoken-word energy, the book explores racism, mental health, and the beauty of human resilience. This isn’t your textbook’s poetry; it’s a contemporary lifeline for older teens looking to find their own voice in a world that often feels wordless.
In a world where you can hike through fairy rings but must never wake the human dead, seventeen-year-old Ellie uses her Apache heritage to solve her cousin’s murder. Featuring an asexual heroine and her loyal ghost dog.
The glass slipper has shattered. 200 years after Cinderella, the kingdom of Mersailles is a nightmare for women. Sophia refuses to be “chosen” at the royal ball. Choosing her own heart over a Prince’s decree, she teams up with a forgotten rebel to expose the lie of the fairy tale.
When the stars look like snacks, the hunger might be deeper than you think. Comic-buff Brett navigates the fallout of his mother’s death through a world of intergalactic fantasies and a secret battle with bulimia.
The trees have secrets, and so does Yona. A young woman raised in the wilderness becomes the ultimate lifeline for Jewish refugees escaping the Nazis. A gripping tale of resilience, “green” resistance, and the power of human connection, this story moves beyond the typical Holocaust narrative to explore the brave souls who found light in the darkest woods.