Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
Sweet, heartfelt, and beautifully illustrated, Memory Jars explores the challenge of holding onto special moments while learning to enjoy life as it happens. Through Freda’s creative attempt to preserve everything she loves, readers discover that some of life’s most precious treasures are best kept in memory. A wonderful choice for discussions about family, gratitude, and growing up.
Turn up the heat on post-grad anxiety! Jarrett Melendez’s Chef’s Kiss is an absolute triumph that masterfully blends the high-stakes stress of entering the workforce with a beautifully wholesome queer rom-com. Complete with a dreamy workplace crush and an adorable taste-testing pig, this graphic novel is the perfect, feel-good read for graduating seniors discovering their own path.
Unpack an unforgettable story of belonging! Costantia Manoli’s Tomatoes in My Lunchbox is an outstanding, masterpiece that fiercely champions identity, diverse cultures, and the monumental power of properly pronouncing a child’s name.
Khadijah VanBrakle’s Fatima Tate Takes the Cake is a powerful, intersectional coming-of-age story that gives a necessary voice to young Black Muslim women. Balancing the joy of baking with a serious look at relationship manipulation, agency, and community expectations, this engaging novel is an essential recommendation for high school librarians and educators aiming to expand their contemporary realistic fiction collections with authentic, deeply relatable diverse narratives.
A lunchroom connection turns a stranger into a friend! Navigating the isolation of a new country and a frequently mispronounced name, a young immigrant girl finds a beautiful sense of belonging when her classmates embrace her unique heritage—and her favorite lunch food.