Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
One single word, endless comic possibilities! Written almost entirely using a single repeated word, this surf adventure following a platypus, a beaver, and a surprising shark relies completely on oral expression. It is an exceptional, lightweight tool for teaching early readers about vocal tone, punctuation cues, and visual storytelling context.
A brutal critique of corporate incarceration. Centering on two queer gladiators fighting for freedom in a privatized prison death match, the novel acts as a fierce indictment of the American carceral system.
Rare-book dealer Ashlyn Greer’s affinity for books extends beyond the intoxicating scent of old paper, ink, and leather. She can feel the echoes of the books’ previous owners—an emotional fingerprint only she can read. When Ashlyn discovers a pair of beautifully bound volumes that appear to have never been published, her gift quickly becomes an obsession. Not only is each inscribed with a startling incrimination, but the authors, Hemi and Belle, tell conflicting sides of a tragic romance.
An unforgettable epic of survival. Serving as both a prequel and sequel to There There, this multigenerational novel traces the legacy of institutional violence from the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre to modern-day Oakland.
Finding wonder amid the injustice. Utilizing an inventive dual-journal format, the story follows fierce activist Zayneb and artistic, quietly grieving Adam as their paths cross in Doha, Qatar. Balancing heavy themes of institutional Islamophobia and chronic illness with ordinary magic, it is an exceptional, empathy-building resource for modern high school classrooms.