Tani Adewumi didn’t know what Boko Haram was or why they had threatened his family. All he knew was that when his parents told the family was going to America, Tani thought it was the start of a great adventure rather than an escape.
On a spring morning in 1986, neighbors Valentina Kaplan and Oksana Savchenko wake up to an angry red sky. A reactor at the nuclear power plant where their fathers work–Chernobyl–has exploded. Before they know it, the two girls, who’ve always been enemies, find themselves on a train bound for Leningrad to stay with Valentina’s estranged grandmother, Rita Grigorievna.
Different like me. When Addie learns about her town’s dark past, she fights to honor those once silenced—while finding her own voice. A Kind of Spark is a powerful, heartfelt story of justice, identity, and being heard.
The Spirit Bear Series is a powerful duology exploring the impact of violence and the long road to redemption. Protagonist Cole Matthews’ journey, from isolation in Alaska to confronting his past in high school, is a great read for teens, emphasizing accountability and the profound connection between self-healing and changing one’s community.