written by: Monica Brown and Illustrated by Elisa Chavarri

This beautifully illustrated, bilingual book has one page written in Spanish and the opposing page written in English. Spanish is the native language of Julio C. Tello, the main character in our story with the setting in the country of Peru. The story begins with the background history of Peru, bluntly and truthfully explaining the brutal invasion of Spain in the 1500s and the extermination attempt of the indigenous people’s and culture of Peru. Our main character grew up understanding the historya nd stories of his people and his respect and intellect will eventually help to tell the story of this ancient civilization.

As a young child Julio lives in the countryside and plays with courage in the tombs of his ancestors. His father sent the skulls to the city to be scientifically studied. At age 12 he moves to Lima with the financial assistance of his aunt, who was a maid for the presidential palace. Here he becomes educated. He went on to study medicine at the University of San Marcos. While working in the library, he came across an article about the skulls that he and his brothers found and his father had sent in to be studied. He decided to devote his medical skills to studying the Indigenous History of Peru. He went to America to attend Harvard University and study Archaeology, and then back to Lima Peru to work in the Museum of Natural History in Lima, Peru. He was able to prove that Peruvian people had originated from their own soil over 3,000 years ago. He went on to discover a group called, the Paracas who were over 25,000 years ago! Because of Julio, Peruviasns have discovered and told the world of their history. It began much earlier than the Spanish Conquest.

Sydney Rielly gets to stay with her mother in San Francisco for the summer, but she just doesn’t feel right from the start. She feels like she is missing out on IT but IT has lots of possibilities. Her mother is a formerly famous star who is dating a younger man and staying in an amazing house overlooking San Francisco Bay. Sydney does not feel comfortable there. The boyfriend creeps her out and it becomes apparent he is dealing with illegal artwork and is physically abusive to her mom. To avoid this drama, she seeks opportunities to explore outside her home, primarily down by the beach. Sydney will meet Nicco, an eclectic, creative type who doesn’t come from money. But will Nicco satisfy her desire for IT? When back around the house, in addition to the creepy boyfriend, the construction worker next door seems to have taken a liking to Sydney. Would a summer fling satisfy that IT craving? Maybe IT is just stability and love from her parents, something Syndey has not had in her life. Deb Caletti creates a mysterious vibe by starting each chapter with courtroom exhibit notes such as Exhibit 21: Silver locket w/broken chain belonging to Sydney E. Reilly, found at the south end of cove of Baker Beach. A reader knows all along that something will go wrong, but to whom and when? And what is IT? Thanks to the chilling mood throughout, this is a story that teens could enjoy. There are a few parts where the main character’s actions don’t ring true to other aspects of her character, almost as if Caletti was trying to do too much with the story. But this book could become discussion-worthy if a few people were to read it at the same time. Overall, it is recommended for purchase but by the paperback version. The cover art is much more intriguing.

Between Shades of Gray, is the heart-wrenching YA novel about the Soviet occupation of Lithuania in 1941.  The author, Ruth Sepetys, tells of the forced removal of “undesirables” by the Soviet army to the frozen regions of Siberia, a hostile, forbidding place. 

The graphic novel of this acclaimed novel is stunning. With the author’s approval and guidance, the story of Lina, and her incredible courage comes alive.  Sketches and drawings tell of her pain, shock, and resilience even better than words. The desolation and isolation of the frozen North is haunting in the “shades of gray” as well as the glimmer of golden hope to survive.   

The sun is only a tiny sliver of gold between the gray of the sky and the gray of the frozen land. Love of life and the possibility of a better future is the tiny sliver of hope in a world of starvation, cruelty, and unimaginable suffering.  To survive and remain human in the direst of situations, Lina, a 16-year-old teenager, tells about her experiences through her drawings.  She draws to send messages to her father and then she draws to remember the faces of those lost and then she draws to document the horror she experiences, in hope that it will become known to the rest of the world.

This novel is a documentation of a horrible historical event.  The graphic novel makes the story come alive with painful beauty and tenderness.  Hopefully, it will be accessible to even more readers.

A beautifully written YA novel of historical fiction, Freedom Swimmer, by Wai Chim is based on the actual experiences of the author’s father. Between 1950 and 1974 over a half million people fled persecution, famine, and political turmoil in Communist China. Swimming to freedom in Hong Kong was one gateway to escape.

First-person accounts of enduring the tumultuous time of the Cultural Revolution are illuminated in the stories of Ming, an 11-year-old orphan from a small rural village, and  Li, one of the citified,  “educated youth”, sent to the villages to be re-educated through labor in the fields.

Both young teenagers are struggling for a sense of purpose.  Disillusioned and rudderless, their friendship grows and they decide to make a pact to attempt the impossible.

Situations of birth, country of origin and political climate are all factors that affect one’s life.  The tender true story of teenagers caught up in situations they cannot control will resonate across years and diverse cultures. The novel is a sensitive insight into a heartbreakingly difficult time.

A celebration of storytelling, this collection of  poetry is part of a twenty-year tradition of Chicago’s Oak Park and River Forest’s Spoken Word Club, started in 1999 with the mission: “… a call of pride and history and tradition and hope.”  It is a call to the power of The Word!

Explaining that RAP stands for Rhythm And Poetry, the collection is open to all forms of expression, aims to have the words resonate on the page as well as the stage, and to give each writer a place to call their own, a place to belong. 

“Respect the Mic” is a phrase that reigns supreme.  It is an order if anyone dares to talk when someone is reading a poem; it is a challenge to respect the tradition of the spoken word; it is security in knowing your voice will be heard; it is finding a home in the camaraderie of storytellers.

Each writer is introduced by what year they were in the Spoken Word Club, or which college they attend, or their hobby/job or family status.  This gives an insight into each poem making for a deeper connection to the writer and their story. These are new voices writing in new ways. The collection is definitely worth exploring, reading, and enjoying, each and every diverse and honest entry. 

The Art of Sushi by Frankie Alacron is a delightful mixture of travel journal, cookbook, history lesson, and an introduction to sustainable fishing. In a black and white, graphic novel format, with minimal color used for emphasis, the art as well as the history of sushi is celebrated. With awe and whimsy, French chef Alacron’s enthusiasm for Japanese cuisine, especially sushi, and his respect for the skill and precision needed to achieve such perfection, guide his travels across Japan. Curiosity and appreciation lead to visits to a three-star Michelin chef, a Master knife maker, a nori farm, a sake factory, and an open ocean fishing trip. The underlying message is respect: respect for the art and skill needed to create beautiful and delicious food and respect for the ingredients in the sushi and how it is obtained.  Sustainable fishing and the humane treatment of the fish reflect the superior quality of the sushi ingredients. This is book is excellent: informative, entertaining, and thoroughly enjoyable.

This story follow Fi and Shane, two strong young adult female characters, on their trip to break a curse that was placed on Briar Rose, a sleeping prince, place one hundred years before. This story has very good world building, characters, and engaging plot.

The main character, Grey, moves back down to Louisiana to solve the mystery of her missing best friend, Elora. Even in a town full of psychics, no one seems to have the answer, and everyone is holding on to secrets.

Moon and Star Fuentes are twin sisters who are loving opposites of each other. Star literally is a social media star, an influencer among the Christian circles who gets freebies and travels the country promoting herself using products. Moon is her photographer, framing Star for the perfect pics while staying in the shadows. When Star gets an offer travel to multiple locations with multiple influencers over the course of the summer, Moon’s summer plan get derailed as her mother insists she follow Star. Over the course of the two months, Moon will meet people who not only make her feel like the center of attention, but allow her to question her role in her family and what her future could hold. Moon begins as a teen who does not like her body, just accepts her fate as flawed, but she will emerge a confident mariposa, out of her cocoon and ready to fly away from her home life that is not nearly as supportive as it should be. Interlaced with magical realism and traditional hispanic lore, Rachel Vasquez Gilliland’s story is lovely and highly recommended for school libraries.

This is not Black joy. This is Black frustration, Black grit, Black abuse, and Black redemption. Char, the bully from Draper’s The Skin I’m In, is being sent to her grandparents after both parents had been murdered and her older sister found it difficult to provide any sense of normalcy. Char boards the Greyhound to Alabama but only makes it about 1/2 the way before disembarking with a baby in tow. Trying to be the adulting mother she so desperately needs herself, Char gets groomed into human trafficking.

This story is raw. This story made me mad. Why did Sharon Flake even need to tell Char’s next chapter after her award-winning book from two decades ago? The question of why Char was such a bully to Maleeka is not answered per se but readers see the weakness of Char and she is allowed to be redeemed in Maleeka’s eyes. Maleeka and Char are both stronger characters by the close of this text. Char does survive, but not without scaring readers along the way.

Sharon Flake wrote this book to get under the skin that you’re in – no matter what color. And it will.

Book 2 of the Truly Devious series, The Vanishing Stair continues the story of Stevie, a person who is taken out of her private boarding school for her own good by her parents as she got sucked into trying to solve a mystery that put her in danger in the process. Stevie also happened to fall for David in book 1. Early in book 2, Stevie is manipulated by said boy’s dad, Edward King, who will get her back into the school if she keeps an eye on his son. Boy plus mystery still unsolved = Stevie’s perfect day. In a parallel plot, readers navigate their way back to old school Elligham, where 3 other characters slowly build the mystery of this academy. I agree with many reviewers that this old-school setting and characters could have been its own book. Who doesn’t love a good murder mystery with cliffhangers? This reviewer didn’t. I didn’t feel compelled to follow characters into the tunnels, I didn’t like how dumb Stevie acted around David and I knew there would be a book 3 so I felt like I was wading through quicksand of switchbacks between the then and now time periods. I was disappointed that this book didn’t click for me but as a freebie for my library, I can’t complain too loudly.