Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
Mason and Ty were inseparable, until one disastrous fight over a new girl shattered their friendship forever. Years later, Mason would do anything to change what happened. Then the impossible occurs: after a freak accident, he wakes up back in seventh grade. Suddenly, his family is whole, his beloved dog is alive, and his friendship with Ty is still intact. Armed with a second chance, Mason is determined to rewrite the future.
In A Soft Place to Land, Janae Marks delivers a deeply moving, relatable story of resilience that upper elementary and pre-teen readers will truly root for. Facing sudden financial struggles and family tension, Joy Taylor must redefine her meaning of home while navigating a secret neighborhood mystery.
Looking for a breathless, action-packed survival story that your high school readers won’t be able to put down? Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves delivers a fierce, modernized, and feminized twist on classic adventure tales like The Call of the Wild.
Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous is a lyrical, epistolary novel that masterfully blends fiction and memoir. Written as a letter from a queer Vietnamese-American son to his illiterate mother, this deeply moving text tackles the haunting legacy of the Vietnam War, systemic racism, and intergenerational trauma. It is an exquisite, poetic masterpiece recommended for high school juniors, seniors, and educators exploring identity and equity.
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.