Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
Four orphaned children flee a harsh boarding school and set off on a daring journey down a Minnesota river during the Great Depression. Facing danger, mystery, and unforgettable characters along the way, they search for freedom, family, and a place to call home. Heartfelt, adventurous, and beautifully written, this is a story that will stay with readers long after the final page.
Chloe Green has spent four years surviving a school where she never quite fit in, all while battling her biggest rival, the flawless Shara Wheeler, for valedictorian. Then, just weeks before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe… and disappears without a trace. Funny, romantic, and full of twists, this is a thrilling story about taking risks, breaking rules, and discovering who you really are.
Told through the vulnerable eyes of a nine-year-old boy, Javier Zamora’s Solito is a gripping, deeply emotional memoir chronicling a perilous 3,000-mile immigration journey from El Salvador to the United States. Exploring themes of identity, profound resilience, and the beauty of found families, this powerful narrative serves as an invaluable tool for educators seeking to foster deep cultural empathy and critical global awareness in high school students.
Lost in the stars, found in each other. When three distinct 16-year-olds wake up on a hostile spaceship with zero memories, they must piece together their identities while navigating high-stakes survival. Anchored by a beautiful, identity-affirming queer romance, this bittersweet sci-fi mystery delivers unexpected twists that keep readers hooked.
Tea by day, blood by night. The story blends a high-stakes heist with a sharp critique of colonialism. Follow criminal mastermind Arthie Casimir as she fights to save her illegal bloodhouse from a ruthless empire. It’s a fast-paced story of found family and revenge that challenges readers to look beneath the glittering surface of the “civilized” world to see the cost of its tea.