A boy on the run. A girl determined to find him. All light in Chattana is created by one man — the Governor, who appeared after the Great Fire to bring peace and order to the city. For Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, the magical lights represent freedom, and he dreams of the … Continue reading A WISH IN THE DARK, by Christina Soontornvat, Candlewick Press
poverty
ZORA & ME: THE SUMMONER, by Victoria Bond, Candlewick Press
In the finale to the acclaimed trilogy, upheaval in Zora Neale Hurston's family and hometown persuade her to leave childhood behind and find her destiny beyond Eatonville. For Carrie and her best friend, Zora, Eatonville--America's first incorporated Black township--has been an idyllic place to live out their childhoods. But when a lynch mob crosses the … Continue reading ZORA & ME: THE SUMMONER, by Victoria Bond, Candlewick Press
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GENERATION BRAVE, THE GEN Z KIDS WHO ARE CHANGING THE WORLD, by Kate Alexander, Illustrated by Jade Orlando, Andrews McMeel Publishing
An illustrated celebration of Gen Z activists fighting to make our world a better place. Gen Z is populated—and defined—by activists. They are bold and original thinkers and not afraid to stand up to authority and conventional wisdom. From the March for Our Lives to the fight for human rights and climate change awareness, this … Continue reading GENERATION BRAVE, THE GEN Z KIDS WHO ARE CHANGING THE WORLD, by Kate Alexander, Illustrated by Jade Orlando, Andrews McMeel Publishing
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THE WOLF AND THE WATCHMAN, by Niklas Natt Och Dag, Atria Books, Simon and Schuster
In this breathtakingly bold, intricately constructed novel set in 18th century Stockholm, a dying man searches among the city’s teeming streets, dark corners, and intriguing inhabitants to unmask a ruthless murderer—perfect for fans of Perfume and The Alienist. It is 1793. Four years after the storming of the Bastille in France and more than a … Continue reading THE WOLF AND THE WATCHMAN, by Niklas Natt Och Dag, Atria Books, Simon and Schuster
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THE LONDON UNDERWORLD, IN THE VICTORIAN PERIOD, AUTHENTIC FIRS-PERSON ACCOUNTS BY BEGGARS, THIEVES AND PROSTITUTES, by Henry Mayhew (and others), Dover Publications
The first and possibly the greatest sociological study of poverty in 19th-century London, this survey by a journalist invented the genre of oral history a century before the term was coined. Henry Mayhew vowed "to publish the history of a people, from the lips of the people themselves — giving a literal description of their … Continue reading THE LONDON UNDERWORLD, IN THE VICTORIAN PERIOD, AUTHENTIC FIRS-PERSON ACCOUNTS BY BEGGARS, THIEVES AND PROSTITUTES, by Henry Mayhew (and others), Dover Publications
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VERY RICH, by Polly Horvath, Puffin Canada/Penguin Random House
Ten-year-old Rupert Brown comes from an ordinary family. They live in a small house in the poorest section of Steelville, Ohio, and have little money or food. So when Rupert inadvertently finds himself spending Christmas at the house of Turgid River -- the richest boy in town -- he is blown away to discover a … Continue reading VERY RICH, by Polly Horvath, Puffin Canada/Penguin Random House
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THE DAY WAR CAME, by Nicola Davies, Illustrated By Rebecca Cobb, Candlewick Press
A moving, poetic narrative and child-friendly illustrations follow the heartbreaking, ultimately hopeful journey of a little girl who is forced to become a refugee. "The day war came there were flowers on the windowsill and my father sang my baby brother back to sleep." Imagine if, on an ordinary day, after a morning … Continue reading THE DAY WAR CAME, by Nicola Davies, Illustrated By Rebecca Cobb, Candlewick Press
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24 HOURS IN NOWHERE, by Dusti Bowling, Sterling Publishing
Welcome to Nowhere, Arizona, the least livable town in the United States. For Gus, a bright 13-year-old with dreams of getting out and going to college, life there is made even worse by Bo Taylor, Nowhere’s biggest, baddest bully. When Bo tries to force Gus to eat a dangerously spiny cactus, Rossi Scott, one of … Continue reading 24 HOURS IN NOWHERE, by Dusti Bowling, Sterling Publishing
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EVERY SHINY THING, by Cordelia Jensen and Laurie Morrison, Amulet Books/Abrams RE-READ
In this beautifully constructed middle-grade novel, told half in prose and half in verse, Lauren prides herself on being a good sister, and Sierra is used to taking care of her mom. When Lauren’s parents send her brother to a therapeutic boarding school for teens on the autism spectrum and Sierra moves to a foster … Continue reading EVERY SHINY THING, by Cordelia Jensen and Laurie Morrison, Amulet Books/Abrams RE-READ
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