Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
Part mystery, part psychological study, Happiness Falls explores the disappearance of a father through the eyes of his biracial Korean-American family. With a heavy focus on Angelman Syndrome and nonverbal communication, Angie Kim challenges our perceptions of intelligence and disability. Though dense with scientific footnotes, this 3-star novel is a profound inquiry into how we understand those who cannot speak, making it a must-read for psychology and special education enthusiasts.
Get ready for a “heady” and serpentine mystery with the K Team! In Good Dog, Bad Cop, Corey Douglas and his K-9 partner Simon Garfunkel take on a cold case to clear a mentor’s name. This 4-star procedural is witty, complex, and skillfully woven. While the human characters take center stage, the canine hero Simon Garfunkel is the true star of this Paterson, NJ investigation. Perfect for fans of complex puzzles.
In Robin Gow’s Dear Mothman, a young trans boy navigates the heavy silence of grief by writing letters to a local legend. This 4-star novel in verse breaks the mold of LGBTQ+ fiction by focusing on healing and friendship rather than just hardship. It’s a gentle, paranormal-tinged journey through the Poconos woods that reminds us that even when we feel misunderstood, we are never truly alone.
KB Brookins’s Pretty is a raw, 4-star exploration of Black trans-masculinity and the journey to self-definition. Part memoir, part cultural critique, it navigates the “messy and painful” realities of living between governmental labels and personal truth. For educators and GSA facilitators, it’s a powerful tool for empathy, highlighting the resilience required to survive in a world that insists on defining you before you can define yourself.
Return to Marsyas Island in this powerful, 5-star sequel to The House in the Cerulean Sea. Somewhere Beyond the Sea is a moving story of resistance and found family, following Arthur and Linus as they fight to protect magical children from a society that fears them. Rich with emotional honesty, it explores what it means to create true sanctuary and the courage required to stand against systemic oppression. A must-read for fans of character-driven fantasy.