Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef

After the mysterious and grisly murder of her father, Marjan, an Iranian American teen, struggles to manage his struggling veterinary practice. When a stranger delivers a plane ticket to London and claims Marjan must tend to a mythical animal, she is thrust into a hidden world where griffons, unicorns, and other legendary creatures exist. A

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Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang

Ash, a nonbinary teen struggling to find their place in the world, decides to escape society’s noise and expectations by living off the grid in the California wilderness. Inspired by their late grandfather’s dream of building a hidden cabin, Ash sets out alone with their dog, hoping to reconnect with nature and find purpose.

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Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson’s Before the Ever After is a powerful novel in verse that explores the unseen costs of sports through the eyes of a young boy watching his father fade from repeated head injuries. Told with honesty and hope, it invites readers to reflect on family, memory, and resilience.

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A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll

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.

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