On Fragile Waves

When their parents decide to leave war-torn Afghanistan and seek asylum abroad, Firuzeh and her brother, Nour, imagine their destination, Australia, as a magical place of safety and opportunity. But once they arrive in Melbourne, Firuzeh finds her fantastic vision shattered, as her family’s immigration status remains in constant jeopardy. This moving novel offers another perspective into the refugee crisis that affects so many people around the world.

The Black Friend

As a black student in a mostly white high school, Frederick Joseph grew accustomed to racial comments, even if they weren’t intended to offend. As an adult, he realized those incidents could have been teachable moments. In The Black Friend, Joseph recounts his experiences and offers advice for people who want to be better about race. Each chapter features an interview with an artist or activist, including sports journalist Jemele Hill and author Angie Thomas.

American Dirt

Lydia Quixano Pérez lived a comfortable middle-class life in Acapulco, Mexico, until her journalist husband published an exposé on the local drug cartel's jefe. In retaliation, the cartel murders her family, forcing Lydia and her son to flee toward the American border. But reaching their destination means traversing the country by la bestia, the infamous train system used by migrants trying to reach el norte. Aware of the danger, Lydia presses on, determined to keep her son safe.

No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference

In 2018, Greta Thunberg, then fifteen years old, made headlines when she skipped school to protest the climate crisis outside the Swedish parliament. Soon after, millions of students around the world joined her strike, asking governments to take action against climate change. This book compiles eleven of Thunberg’s speeches, including her famous speech “Our House Is on Fire,” first presented at the 2019 World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Libertie: A Novel

In Reconstruction-era Brooklyn, Libertie Sampson, a free-born black woman, seems destined to follow in her mother’s footsteps and become a physician. But Libertie yearns to choose another path. After accepting a proposal from a young man from Haiti, Libertie moves to the island in hopes that she will be treated as an equal in society. However, Libertie finds that even in her new home, she lacks the freedom she desires. This historical novel addresses issues such as colorism, racism, and sexism with lyrical prose and unforgettable characters.

The Battle of Jericho

At first, sixteen-year-old Jericho Prescott is excited to pledge for the Warriors of Distinction, the most exclusive club in school. But as the initiation process becomes increasingly degrading, Jericho questions whether he should push back against some of the club’s demands, even if he risks losing his place in the group. The first book in a trilogy, The Battle of Jericho explores the dangers and consequences of peer pressure and hazing.

Love Is a Revolution

After attending her cousin’s open mic night, Nala Robertson falls for the MC, Tye Brown. But unlike Nala, who would rather keep to herself, Tye is an activist with an interest in helping his community. To win him over, Nala begins telling little lies about herself but quickly realizes she can’t pretend to be somebody else. As they follow Nala’s character growth, students will appreciate the book’s message on the importance of self-confidence.

The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm

Set in Zimbabwe in the year 2194, this Newbery Honor book will take students on a riveting, futuristic journey. Tired of their father’s strict rules, Tendai Matsika and his siblings escape from their family’s estate and head into the capital city, only to disappear. Determined to save them, General Matsika enlists the help of three unusual detectives: the Ear, the Eye, and the Arm. With their superhuman powers, the trio must track down the kids within the city’s dark underbelly before they’re lost forever.

The Silver Arrow

A grand adventure awaits in this novel for middle-grade readers! Siblings Kate and Tom find their ordinary lives turned upside down after their mysterious Uncle Herbert gives Kate an incredible birthday present: a steam locomotive called the Silver Arrow. Aboard the magical train, Kate and Tom travel around the world, helping their fellow passengers—who happen to be talking exotic animals—safely reach their destinations.

Pride: A Pride and Prejudice Remix

This modern reimagining of Pride and Prejudice blends a story of first love with social commentary on class, identity, and gentrification. When the wealthy Darcy family moves across the street, Zuri Benitez fears change is coming to her working-class Brooklyn neighborhood. Even as her sisters fawn over the Darcy brothers, Zuri dislikes them, especially the arrogant Darius. But as the summer progresses and Zuri gets to know Darius, she realizes she may have judged him too soon.

Wish

This charming book for middle-grade readers explores themes of family and friendship through the eyes of eleven-year-old Charlie. Every day, Charlie wishes that her broken family will be put back together. But after moving to Colby, North Carolina, to live with an aunt and uncle she barely knows, Charlie doesn’t think her wish will come true. It’s not until she meets Wishbone, a stray dog, and Howard, a local boy, that Charlie starts to realize her wish might not be what she wants after all.

The Night Diary

In 1947, after decades of British rule, India was divided into two countries: Pakistan and India. It’s during this time that Nisha, a half-Muslim, half-Hindu girl finds herself fleeing the newly-formed Pakistan with her father. Traveling first by train, then by foot, Nisha and her father face danger and difficulties as they search for a new home. Told as a series of letters by Nisha to her deceased mother, this moving tale of identity and hope will introduce middle-grade readers to a pivotal moment in world history.