Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
Being thirteen is hard. Being the Prime Minister’s daughter is harder. Elle McNicoll, autistic teenager Aeriel Sharpe is forced into the spotlight when her mom takes office. Expected to be a spokesperson for all neurodivergent youth, Aeriel must learn to drown out the noise of social media to find her own voice.
Secrets in the sand! Blood in the Water takes readers to the prestigious shores of Martha’s Vineyard, where a summer vacation turns into a high-stakes murder mystery. Follow Kaylani as she uses her mock-trial skills to find a killer and save her family. This fast-paced mystery is a powerful look at class, injustice, and the lengths a daughter will go to for the truth.
Cannons, scabs, and “numbskulls”! Follow thirteen-year-old Elsbeth as she navigates a war-torn Boston plagued by a terrifying smallpox epidemic. This fast-paced survival story tackles the fascinating history of early medicine and the grit of a girl determined to find her father while avoiding the orphanage. It’s a powerful, period-accurate look at our nation’s chaotic birth.
Can a Muslim girl play Mary in a Catholic Nativity play? Sixth-grader Mariam navigates the “ambassador’s burden” at her new school while dealing with a family health crisis and the awkwardness of puberty. This sweet, Judy Blume-esque story is a groundbreaking look at interfaith connection, identity, and the discovery that faith is more about common ground than rigid lines.
Survival is just the beginning. Eighth-grader Bea must navigate life with cerebral palsy and the heavy trauma of a school shooting. Through the healing power of equine therapy, Bea finds the strength to move from helplessness to advocacy.