Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
Jared Reck delivers a 5-star masterpiece of humor and heart. Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love follows Oscar, a teen navigating grief and the pressures of fitting in, while running a Swedish food truck with his grandfather. A perfect pick for middle and high schoolers, this story explores the many ways we express love when words fail us. It’s an essential tool for counselors and educators looking to support emotional literacy and empathy.
Step behind the white picket fence of the 1950s in The Mad Wife. Meagan Church delivers a haunting look at medical gaslighting and the suffocating pressure of domestic perfection. While it moves at a slow, psychological burn, this 3-star thriller is a deep dive into maternal mental health and the dark side of history. It’s a provocative choice for book clubs and mature readers interested in the messy reality behind “perfect” vintage ads.
M.S. RedCherries’ Mother is a 5-star multimorphic masterpiece that maps the emotional landscape of Indigenous identity and adoption. Through a “patchwork” of poetry and prose, it explores the deep-seated trauma of being separated from one’s tribe and the slow, courageous journey toward cultural reclamation. A vital resource for counselors and educators, this collection provides a hauntingly beautiful vocabulary for the complex search for belonging and home.
Born on Independence Day in the heart of Tegucigalpa, Libertad Morazán is a young poet searching for her own freedom. Set against the real-world 2017 Honduran election crisis, this powerful queer coming-of-age novel explores the heavy intersection of family loyalty, political activism, and the heart-wrenching choice between staying to fight or migrating for safety. A moving and authentic look at how national unrest shapes individual identity.
Darcie Little Badger returns with a powerful prequel to Elatsoe. In Sheine Lende, traditional Lipan Apache knowledge is the key to a supernatural rescue mission. By blending ghost-raising and fairy rings with real-world issues of Indigenous sovereignty and displacement, this 4-star fantasy offers a unique, compelling look at cultural preservation. It’s a must-read for anyone who loves high-stakes adventure and mythology grounded in authentic Indigenous perspectives.