Brown Girls

Brown Girls by Daphne Palasi Andreades is the story of all the disparate young women of Queens – lumped together by our society. 

Her writing encompasses all of them, both what all first generation or immigrants from a whole list of countries share and how they are all individual people and cultures. 

Andreades’s story is both universal and specific in a way I have never read before. This is a beautiful book.

Andreades, Daphne Palasi. (2022). Brown Girls. New York: Random House.

Fresh Ink: An Anthology

Fresh Ink: An Anthology edited by Lamar Giles is a collection of diverse stories from some of the best young adult writers. Giles is one of the founders of We Need Diverse Books - a collective of writers who are trying to expand the typical YA character into a better reflection of who is really out there. Their goal is for teens to see themselves in fiction.

Meet Cute by Malinda Lo is the story of a budding relationship at the Denver ComicCon.

Why I Learned to Cook by Sara Farizan is the story of a Persian American young woman learning to cook with her grandmother - to impress the girl she likes.

Super Human by Nicole Yoon features a superhero who, without a mask, would be targeted for harassment by the police.

Other authors include Jason Reynolds, Sharon G Flake, Melissa de la Cruz and Gene Luen Yang.

Giles, Lamar. (2018). Fresh Ink. New York: Crown.

An Unkindness of Ghosts

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon is a look at racism in a science fiction setting.

Aster is part of the forth generation of people on the spaceship Matilda. Stories say it left a dying planet many years ago and will someday reach a (possibly) livable new world.

The ship is massive and carries the remainder of humanity. The floors are set up in a hierarchy that evokes the antebellum South.

Aster has been trained to be assistant to General, the ships main doctor. She has a pass to leave her own deck to see patients. And she has an forgotten part of the ship to do experiments with plants and healing.

With the help of her friend, Aster is trying to decode her mother's journals. Rumor says her mother killed herself, but no one ever found her. Aster is sure she was working on something that got her killed.

Solomon has created an unforgettable story of race and misogyny in outer space. People trapped in their roles, assigned by their skin color and gender. Reader will think of this story long after they have finished the book.

Solomon, Rivers. (2017). An Unkindness of Ghosts. New York: Akashic Books.

Marriage of a Thousand Lies

Marriage of a Thousand Lies by SJ Sindu is the tale of breaking away from what your family expects, to be yourself.

Lucky (Lakshmi) is married to Kris (Krishna). They are both gay. In their families, you grow up and get married - that is the only option that does not bring embarrassment on your family.

Lucky and Kris are friends. Their arrangement is that they can date other people. They live far from their families and do what they want.

When Lucky's grandmother falls, she goes home to help her mother take care of her. When she gets home, all of the rules she had when she was a kid are back in place.

While she is home, her best friend from high school comes over - Nisha was also Lucky's first girlfriend, with whom she is still in love.

Sindu has written a rich story of going against others wishes to be who you need to be for yourself, and the consequences of that choice.

Sindu, SJ. (2017). Marriage of a Thousand Lies. New York: Soho Press.

This is Where it Ends

This is Where it Ends by Marieke Nijkamp is the story of a school shooting from four different student perspectives. The entire novel takes place over 54 minutes.

It is the first day back from Winter break at Opportunity High School in Opportunity, Alabama. As on the first day of each semester, there is an assembly during first period where the principal will give a speech. Of all students who came to school, only a few are not in the auditorium.

The track team is practicing. They have been in the championships for a few years and the coach will train them to death to win this year. Claire is running with her teammates. She and Chris just finish running when they hear two gun shots.

Tomas is in the principals office with Fareed. They are looking through student files to check on someone Tomas is worried about - a kid who dropped out but is rumored to be returning, a kid who scares Tomas's sister Sylv.

Sylv and Autumn are in the auditorium listening to the same speech they have heard every semester. When the speech ends they are talking and waiting for the room to clear, but people are not leaving. Someone has locked the doors, trapping almost every student and every teacher.

Told in two minute chapters, This is Where it Ends is both a thriller and a look at the life of four high school students through flashbacks. The story captures the horror of the shooting and characters within the try to figure out why the shooter is seeking revenge on his fellow students. Nijkamp offers no step by step process to explain the shooters reasoning, but looks at the ups and downs of the lives of a few students in the school - all of whom had a hard time but only one of whom decided to attack others. This is a great book on a subject that, unfortunately, is more and more common.

US release date for This is Where it Ends is January 5, 2016.

Nijcamp, Marieke. (2016). This is Where it Ends. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Fire.

Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel

Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan, author of If You Could Be Mine, is a wonderful lesbian young adult novel.

Leila is an Iranian American living in Boston. She attend the private school Armstead Academy. She is hoping to get through high school without anyone finding out she likes girls. But when a new student arrives, she is smitten.

Saskia is not like other high school students. She is confident and does what she wants. And she decides she wants to be friends with Leila when Leila gives her a tour of the school.

As Leila confronts her feelings she is convinced to try out for the school play. She auditions for a role opposite Saskia in the hopes of getting closer to her. And it looks as if her feelings may be reciprocated.

Farizan has written another great GLBTQ novel. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite YA authors. Read her books.

Farizan, Sara. (2014). Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel. New York: Algonquin.

The Misfits

The Misfits by James Howe is an interesting look at name-calling in middle school. Bobby and his friends - Addie, Joe, and Skeezie - make up the "The Gang of Five" (keeping a place open for another outcast).

During the Paintbrush Falls Middle School election, the Gang starts a new political party - the No-Name Party. Their platform is that name calling hurts and it must be stopped. Their posters are names they have been called with a red line drawn through them. It is a very well received, much discussed campaign at the school. Whether or not they win the election, the group doesn't have much hope of that, they will learn to stick up for each other and spark discussions of how name-calling hurts even the popular kids.

This book is a look at kids who don't fit in and all kids who have been called names. I think that covers pretty much all kids.

Howe, James. (2001). The misfits. New York: Adaddin Paperbacks.