Valora Luck worked as a servant for the crotchety Mrs. Sloane. Mrs. Sloane purchased tickets for them both on the maiden voyage of the Titanic, but died before it could leave port. When Valora attempts to take their first class room alone, she is turned away for being Chinese. But Valora needs to get on that ship. Her last living relative, her twin brother, is a passenger in third class on his way to a job in Cuba. Valora knows that if she can get on board and find him, they can convince the circus magnate on board to hire them as acrobats and start a new life in America together. But fate has other plans, and there's more danger aboard the Titanic than Valora could have ever dreamed.

I should perhaps confess that I never saw the famous movie, but even if I had I'm sure this would still be my favorite fictionalized account of the Titanic. With a large cast of characters, constant schemes, layers of deception, and stunning fashions this is a story I can get behind. Inspired by the eight Chinese passengers of the Titanic who really existed and about whom so little is known due to the racism of the era. A not-to-be-missed historical drama.

Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee 

Erica's Picks 
6th - 8th
​tags:  family life, fast-paced, historical fiction, People of Color, survival, tear-jerker

Louisa wants nothing more than to spend the summer rehearsing with her violin for her big audition with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. But her environmentalist parents have other ideas. They went off on an expedition observing toads and sent Louisa to stay with her uncle in the wilds of the Tasmanian jungle in Australia. At first Louisa is scared stiff of the spiders and snakes that could be lurking in any corner, but soon she learns that even more fantastic creatures may be lurking in the jungle. Creatures like the widely-believed to be extinct Tasmanian Tiger. As she learns more about the history of Tasmania and her family she becomes determined to find and save the enigmatic creature that is drawn to her music. But with her uncle's home set to be bulldozed, will she be able to find it before it's too late?

This is an excellent read for music and animal lovers everywhere. The book completely transported me to Tasmania and made me fall in love with its native fauna. Even tasmanian devils are cute as babies. Louisa is a great character who grows immensely over the course of the book and watching her friendship bloom with Colin was a delight. Highly recommended.

Music for Tigers by Michelle Kadarusman

Erica's Picks
4th - 7th
​tags: animals, character driven, contemporary fiction, disability, friendship, global perspectives, SEL, social justice, summer vacation

20% of Americans have a least one disability. Many innovations aimed at adapting the environment to their needs have had wide-reaching benefits from closed captioning to curb cuts. How can we further understand the disability experience past, present, and future? What stereotypes exist that hurt all of us? How can we better understand each other and celebrate the diversity that exists in the world? To find the answers to these questions and more, check out The Disability Experience!

This is a great overview of the many varied experiences of people with disabilities presented in a fun, accessible way for teens. Because it covers such a wide range of topics from sensory to physical to intellectual disabilities the book doesn't go too far in depth to any one. This would be a great, eye-opening introduction that will hopefully inspire more reading and dialogue.

The Disability Experience: Working Toward Belonging by Hannalora Leavitt

Erica's Picks
5th - 8th
​tags: disability, nonfiction, SEL, social justice

Some kids crave popularity, but Ross just wants to be ignored. He hates the spotlight and would rather just doodle comics quietly while his peers look past him. This is hard when he becomes "cancer kid." At first the whispers around him at least contain fake sympathy, but when his treatment leaves him with a permanent squint, dripping eye goo, and a ridiculous protective hat, the whispers turn to outright disgust and cruel memes about him start circulating. Luckily he has one friend who has stuck by him and a new-found love for music. Will Ross's performance at the talent show be epic? Or will it be another mortifying moment he'd rather forget?

This book, based on the author's own experiences, has a lot of heart and a surprising amount of humor. An excellent choice for anyone looking for a realistic fiction book. Highly recommended.

Wink by Rob Harrell

Erica's Picks
4th - 7th
​tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, friendship, humor, school stories, SEL

In Chilmark, everyone knows sign language. Even hearing people use it to communicate regularly, which comes in handy when neighbors can talk across distances with the use of a telescope. Most families on the island are a blend of deaf and hearing. Mary has never left her island and sees all this as normal, so she is shocked when a scientist arrives and says it's rare to be deaf. She starts to understand how deaf people are treated on the mainland by observing how this outsider treats them. But nothing could prepare her for the shock of leaving her island and seeing for herself.

I absolutely adored this historical fiction novel. It blends together so many fascinating aspects of history from the prevalence of deaf people on Martha's Vineyard and the sign language they created, to the history of the native Wampanog people. Mary is a great protagonist and I eagerly followed her adventures and was grateful for her insight. Highly recommended for fans of history or those want to learn about Deaf culture.

Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte

Erica's Picks
4th - 7th
​tags: disability, family life, historical fiction, mystery

 When a villager gets injured and needs money for a doctor, Chaya knows just where to get it. She sneaks into the Queen's chambers while everyone is distracted with a party and steals her jewels. But when her best friend gets blamed for the crime, she knows she has to save him. Soon she's fleeing through the jungle on the King's own elephant. With the King's guard hot on her heels and the dangers of the jungles all around her, Chaya plots to save herself and the rest of the villagers under the King's cruel reign.

I loved the adventures of this young Robin Hood and the Sri Lankan setting was like a character to itself. This fast-paced novel provides plenty of excitement and animal lovers will love the story too. Great for children looking for an adventure or as a read-aloud.

The Girl Who Stole An Elephant by Nizrana Farook
Erica's Picks
3rd - 5th
​tags: adventure, animals, fast-paced, friendship, global perspectives, People of Color, social justice

Ziva creates weapons imbued with magical properties that are coveted across the kingdoms. But she's not a fighter, and even talking to people other than her sister can send her into an anxiety spiral. So when she makes a blade that uncovers a deadly secret, she has no choice but to flee. Soon Ziva, her sister, a scholar, and a mercenary are running for their lives with an entire army hunting them down. How will Ziva ever find safety again, and what other secrets will the blade reveal?

This is a creative premise for a novel that makes me wonder what stories are happening behind the scenes when legendary weapons are created. The way Levenseller portrays Ziva's anxiety really resonated with me and I loved the way the relationships between the characters grew and changed over the course of the novel. A great read for fans of fantasy adventure.

Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller

Erica's Picks
8th +
​tags: adventure, family life, fantasy, fast-paced, mental illness, romance

Meera longs to learn how to read and write, but when her father sees her spying on the boys' lessons, she is punished. Meera's life has been focused on learning how to be a good wife. Her thirteenth birthday is approaching, and when it arrives she will move out of her parents' house and into her husband's. She dreads the day, but when it finally comes something even worse happens, and she is forced to flee for her life. She finds work in the house of a British officer. She is safe, but his contempt for her people is clear. When she gets a chance to join the revolution will she risk that safety to fight for her people, or will her husband's family find her before she even gets the chance?

Meera is a strong and resourceful heroine fighting her way out of impossible situations. A lot of fascinating historical detail is included but it's revealed naturally. The plot is both fast-paced and thought-provoking as Meera is faced with difficult decisions. Highly recommended. 

Strong as Fire, Fierce as Flame by Supriya Kelkar 

Erica's Picks
5th - 8th
​tags: ​fast-paced, global perspectives, historical fiction, issues fiction, People of Color, social justice

Bree's life comes crashing down when her mother dies in a car accident. Her sense of reality is shattered when she goes to a party and witnesses a demon feeding off human energy fought off by a boy who calls himself a Merlin. When she realizes the two might be connected, she decides to infiltrate the secret society dedicated to keeping magic and demons secret from the outside world. Not only do they have magic practitioners called Merlins, they claim to have descendants of King Arthur and all the knights of the roundtable. Bree discovers a magic of her own, but will it be enough to keep her safe in this elite and hostile new world?

I absolutely love the way this novel takes the Arthurian legend and infuses it with modern themes. This critique of our legends as well as our history examines the stories we tell ourselves and who is left out of the narrative. Powerful, engrossing, flawless. 

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
8th +
​tags: adventure, fantasy, fast-paced, issues fiction, LGBTQ, People of Color, social justice, supernatural

The Queendom of Myre was created in blood when Queen Raina massacred the natives of the land and her own sister. Ever since, the indigenous people have been forced to live in prison camps and every queen must prove her strength by winning a battle to the death with her own sister. As Eva's 17th birthday approaches, so does the day she must face her older sister for the crown. If she has any hope of winning, she must find someone to teach her the form of magic she was born with. A rare and feared magic of blood and marrow that hasn't been seen since Queen Raina herself. Eva finds unlikely allies in a powerful fey godling and an enemy prince. But with an assassin hot on her tail, she may die even before the long-awaited battle on her birthday.

This novel, set in a North African inspired fantasy world, completely swept me away and left me engrossed in its characters and history. The world building and plotting are superb as Eva is faced with impossible choices and continues on in spite of it, finding her own path. If you like fantasy adventure stories, you will love this one.

A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy

Erica's Picks
8th +
​Tags: adventure, fantasy, People of Color, romance