Asha and Yesofu were both born in Uganda, but their lives have always been different. Asha lives with other families with Indian heritage in a big, beautiful house with all the modern conveniences. Yesofu's mother works as a servant for Asha's parents and his family lives in a two room shack with no running water. Despite their differences, they have always been best friends. Until the day that Uganda's president announces all Indian people have 90 days to leave the country. The controversial move spikes tensions and ignites violence across the country as neighbors who lived together peacefully now find themselves at odds. Will Asha and Yesofu's friendship be able to survive? Will Asha's family make it to safety before the deadline? With every day that passes the deadline gets closer, and life for those left behind becomes more dangerous.

This story switches between Yesofu and Asha's perspectives and does an excellent job presenting multiple viewpoints. I was moved to read Asha and Yesofu's story and glad to learn about a period of history I knew next to nothing about. The book follows the 90 day timeline and it's shocking how fast the situation in the country changes.

Orange for the Sunsets by Tina Athaide
Erica's Picks
4th - 7th grade
​Tags: character driven, friendship, fast-paced, global perspectives, historical fiction, people of color, SEL, tear-jerker

Esha and Kunal are fighting on different sides of the war. Kunal is the nephew of the general and has always made him proud. He's a good soldier with a great future ahead of him. The legendary viper is a hero to the rebels. Her acts of sabotage and assassination are known to all, but only a handful know her real name is Esha, or even that she's a woman. When the Viper is framed for a high-profile assassination, both Esha and Kunal want to uncover the truth, but for very different reasons. Their search will lead them down unexpected paths and leave them questioning everything.

This lush fantasy novel is laced with aspects of Hindu mythology and full of twists and turns. The story flips between Esha and Kunal's perspectives and keeps you on your toes. They chase each other through jungles, deserts, and cities and the plot never lets up. A great read for fans of fantasy adventure and political intrigue.

The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala
Erica's Picks
8th
​Tags: adventure, fantasy, global perspectives, people of color, romance

Years ago, shayateen djinn attacked the city of Noor and killed all the humans except three: Fatima, her adopted sister, and their elderly neighbor. Fatima discovered on that day that her blood can repel the creatures, but she has no idea why. Her past is a complete mystery to her. After the attack, Fatima and her sister forget the mystery in the daily struggle to get by. Until Noor once again becomes the victim of supernatural attacks, and Fatima is caught up in palace intrigue and the world of supernatural creatures. Could a girl from the slums be the city's only hope for survival? Or will the secrets from her past consume her?

I loved this fantasy novel set in a world based on Middle Eastern history and mythology. I was completely immersed in the world and enjoyed each twist and turn of the plot. 

The Candle and the Flame  by Nafiza Azad
Erica's Picks
​7th & 8th
Tags: character driven, family life, fantasy, global perspectives, people of color, romance, supernatural

Kat is a jiu-jitsu champion, so when one of her classmates tries to assault her, she's able to fight him off. But because her attacker is injured as well, no one believes her story.
Robin was adopted from an Indian orphanage by two wealthy, white parents. He loves them, but he yearns to learn more about his heritage and where he came from.
When their church organizes a service trip to help victims of human trafficking, both are eager to sign up. Kat sees an opportunity to teach other girls how to fight back and Robin sees a chance to go back to the orphanage and find out more about his past. The trip does not go as planned for either of them, but both their lives are changed forever.

This is such a moving novel that touches on so many important issues. The topics of sexual assault and human trafficking are both by nature disturbing, but neither are discussed with graphic detail. The story is more about the after-effects and healing process that follows. Their story switches between Kat and Robin/Ravi's perspectives but there is a large cast of characters beyond them and all are well-drawn and have their own engrossing stories and unique perspective. Highly recommended.

Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins
8th grade
Erica's Picks
​Tags: 

Melati looks like a typical teen: going to a movie with a friend, talking about music and celebrity crushes. But inside her head, she is constantly waging war with a djinn. Her father is already dead, and the djinn tells her about all the horrible things that will happen to her mother if she doesn't obey. The djinn loves numbers, so she placates it by doing things like tapping in multiples of three. Sometimes, she can do this discreetly while appearing normal and sometimes she loses hours of her life to it. Melati is used to envisioning horrible fates, but that doesn't make it easier when something truly horrifying comes to pass. Riots break out between the Malay and Chinese and Melati sees people massacred. She is quickly separated from her friend and has no way of contacting her mother. How can Melati survive alone in the chaos when she struggles in everyday life?

This book, which takes place during the 1969 race riots in Kuala Lumpur, is gripping, intense and violent. Melati is a powerful character and I found the way she framed her OCD as a djinn inside her head fascinating. Every character is carefully crafted and fully fleshed out. The writing was beautiful and the plot unrelenting. 

Erica's Picks
8th grade
​tags: character driven, global perspectives, historical fiction, mental illness, people of color, survival

Kidnapped by a rebel group as a child, Imara has grown up among rough men doing terrible deeds. The only reason she has survived is that they believe she has supernatural powers. She has accepted her fate and the devil inside her. Imara has learned to keep her feelings bottled up safe inside and not let anything touch them. Then the rebels kill a silverback gorilla and kidnap its baby. She is put in charge of caring for it until they can sell it as a pet. The innocent baby chips away at all her defenses as tempts her to forget all the lessons that have kept her safe and risk it all to save another. 

This heart-wrenching novel completely absorbed me as I eagerly rooted for Imara. Gorillas are my favorite animal, so I was hooked instantly. Even though it's fiction it's firmly rooted in reality and opened my eyes up to issues that I knew very little about. 

Gorilla Dawn by Gill Lewis
Erica's Picks
5th -8th grade
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