Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
Bunny Baxter had a plan. If she could just get expelled, she could go back to her old school and her best friend. But plans have a funny way of changing. Between embarrassing moments, new friends, and a few unexpected lessons, Bunny discovers that sometimes the only way to grow wings is to stay exactly where you are.
Sharon Draper’s Out of My Dreams continues Melody’s inspiring journey with warmth and honesty. As Melody travels to London to speak about disability advocacy, she finds courage, friendship, and purpose. A powerful read for classrooms exploring empathy and inclusion.
Cassandra Calin’s The New Girl is a funny, heartfelt graphic novel about friendship, change, and finding yourself in a new place. Lia’s story of moving from Romania to Montreal captures the awkward yet empowering journey of growing up and belonging.
B. B. Alston’s Amari series blends magic, mystery, and heart. In The Great Game and The Despicable Wonders, Amari grows into a courageous young heroine facing moral choices and real-world parallels of prejudice and leadership. A must-read for middle grade fantasy fans.
In this companion to Marshfield Dreams, Ralph Fletcher returns with more heartfelt reflections on his childhood in Marshfield, Massachusetts. As the oldest of nine children, he captures the “in-between” years of adolescence—balancing responsibility, curiosity, and the chaos of growing up in a large family during the 1950s and 60s.