First impressions can be deceiving. When Zuri first met the wealthy family that moved into the new mini-mansion across the street in her gentrifying neighborhood, she instantly hated the stuck-up Darius. Her sisters and mother fell all over themselves swooning over the handsome boys, but she knew they were nothing but trouble that her family and her neighborhood did not need. But when fate throws them together Zuri starts to question if she judged Darius fairly.

Even if you've never heard of Pride and Prejudice, you can enjoy this modern romance that tackles issues of identity, authenticity, and gentrification. But if you are an Austen fan, there's even more to delight in. The parallels Zoboi creates makes me appreciate both even more and she adds such rich details to this new setting while deftly weaving in more modern issues alongside the timeless themes. Strongly recommended.

Pride  by Ibi Zoboi
Erica's Picks
7th & 8th grade
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After three years of traveling in a wagon, Hanna is excited when they pull up to the frontier town of LaForge. She hopes that she and her father can finally settle down and open a dress shop. She even dares to dream that she can fulfill her mother's dying wish of graduating from school. But when she shows up to the one-room school house, the town is scandalized. Most of them have never met an Asian person before and don't want their children going to school with one. Will Hanna's dreams finally come true? Or will she never find a place that will accept her?

This novel is Park's answer to Little House on the Prairie and set in the same time and place. Fans of the series will recognize much and think about the series in a new light. I particularly enjoyed reading about Hanna's dress-making and designing. Hanna is a strong heroine and easy to root for with her sense of humor and determination to fight for what is right. 

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park
5th - 7th grades
​tags: character driven, family life, historical fiction, People of Color, SEL, social justice

Gene was never interested in sports, but when he suffers from writer's block and everyone at school is talking about the basketball team, he senses a story. By the time he is done he's immersed himself in the history of basketball as a sport and the specifics of its history at his school. His school really does have a remarkable team with players destined for greatness. Gene was always interested in superheroes and comics, but he never imagined the epic stories of heroes right under his nose and how big a fan he'd become.

This is a great comic for basketball fans and the sports-shy alike. The human stories explored in the comic are universal and I feel lucky that Gene recorded their story to share with all of us. Especially considering its local setting. I'm a fan of Gene's work so I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes glimpse I got into his life as a comics creator. 

Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang
7th & 8th grades
​tags:

When a plane crashes on its way from New York to the Dominican Republic, the lives of two girls are changed forever. They live in the same time zone but worlds apart. Yahaira is a chess champion who lives in an urban apartment with her mother and is dating the girl next door. Camino lives in a rural house with her aunt who is a healer and dreams of going to America to study medicine one day. When tragedy strikes, they are forced to question everything they thought they knew as they cope with loss and unexpected gains.

This novel in verse is a quick, impactful read. The alternating chapters explore each girl's point of view and paint two very different but equally compelling pictures.

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
Erica's Picks
8th grade
​tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, family life, global perspectives, issues fiction, LGBTQ, novels in verse, People of Color, SEL, summer vacation, tear-jerker

Muiriel was left at the John Muir Medical Center as a baby. She has taken her namesake as a role model and has spent her life bouncing from one foster home to another, only feeling truly at home when she can go for a walk outside. She is prepared to age out of the foster system without any attachments, until she moves to a small island in Washington for her Senior year. There she meets people who seem to truly understand her and she starts to break her rules and open her heart to them. But her eighteenth birthday is fast approaching and she knows that soon she'll be on her own. What will happen when she has to leave the island, and everyone on it, behind?

This book was inspired by the author's daughter who lived in three different foster homes before being adopted. It works hard to portray a balanced picture even as it points out the inequities inherit in the system. Seeing how foster care as affected Muir is heartbreaking but watching her slowly come out of her shell and bloom warms your heart back up and puts it together again.

What I Carry by Jennifer Longo
7th & 8th grades
​tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, friendship, issues fiction, romance, school stories, SEL, social justice, tear jerker

 When the Great Depression hits, Ellie and her family are forced to sell their house full of all their nice things and make a life for themselves in the woods on Echo Mountain. They build their own house and learn to hunt and grow their own food. Ellie, her younger brother, and her father thrive in their new environment but her mother and older sister are reluctant transplants and miss their fine city ways. Then, tragedy strikes and Father ends up in a coma. Without him to hunt, they struggle to feed themselves. Ellie tries everything to wake her father, even venturing to the top of the mountain where the old hag lives. The mountain has always provided for her before, but will it be able to give her the cure she seeks?

I loved this lyrical novel about the wonders of nature and the strength required to follow your own path. Ellie's voice is wise and wonderful. Even as she faces gruesome situations, she describes them in ways that are somehow both matter-of-fact and beautifully embellished. Ellie is a tender-hearted animal lover, but she is also capable to doing hard things if she has to. I particularly enjoyed reading about her relationships to her family and how her understanding of them changes over time. The old hag is one of my favorite characters and a great lesson in first impressions. This story is great for animal lovers too with dogs playing a big role. 

Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk
4th - 8th grades
​Tags: animals, character driven, family life, historical fiction, SEL

Ware is the type of kid who would much rather spend time on his own creating a model medieval village and learning about the knight's code of chivalry than playing a game in a loud group of kids. Which is why he hates it when his parents decide to sign him up to spend his whole summer at the community rec center. But one day he escapes from the noisy, crowded building and jumps the fence to the partially demolished church next door. There he meets Jolene who is planting her own secret garden. Ware decides to join her, and transform the church into a castle. The abandoned lot becomes their secret oasis until the real world comes crashing in.

This is such a tender, moving novel. Introverted and imaginative kids will see themselves in this book and extroverts will perhaps gain some empathy for their quieter peers. The ingenuity of the kids and their maker's ethic is admirable. This magical summer story of growing up and coming into yourself is meant to be shared and treasured.

Erica's Picks
4th - 6th grade
​tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, family life, friendship, makers, summer vacation

As a baby, April was left at a fire station with a key and a note: "This is my baby, April. Keep her safe. I'll be back soon." Years have passed and April has acquired many talents that help her sneak around and investigate, but she still hasn't solved the mystery of the key. Then one day, she attends an exhibit on the famous Winterbornes. The wealthy family tragically died except for a young son who was raised alone before mysteriously disappearing. After an accident that turns out to be a lucky break, April is living with other orphans in the Winterborne Mansion. Sure, living in a mansion has its perks and it's far better than the previous group home she was in, but the best part is that the design on her key turns out to be the Winterborne family crest. That means she's closer than ever to unraveling the mystery of her past and no figure lurking in the shadows is going to stop her.

This is a fun mystery and adventure with a full cast of unique characters from the always tinkering Sadie to the fiercely protective Tim. The setting of a mansion filled with secret passages on a creepy windswept cliff and the promise of a hidden treasure only add to the fun.

Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor by Ally Carter

Erica's Picks
4th - 7th
​Tags: adventure, crime caper, fast-paced, mystery