“Thirsty” Jas Hammonds

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. ebook. Roaring Book Press (Holtzbrinck Holdings Ltd.). To be published May 14, 2024.

Blake is getting ready to leave for college in a few months with her best friend Annetta and her girlfriend Ella. When she came out as a Lesbian four years ago her parents barely cared, though her father seemed disappointed. Though he’s Black her White mother never took an interest in Blake’s Blackness, leaving her to figure out how to manage her hair and find Black role models. When she was with Ella and her rich parents in their beautiful home, Blake could forget about her issues and pretend their wonderful life was hers.

Though she and Ella had been together for years Blake felt tremendous feelings of insecurity and doubt that had followed her since middle school. They only went away when she was drinking, so Blake drank a lot. When she was drunk, she became Big Bad Bee, loving how she became the life of the party.

The three of them are all pledging the Serena Society, an exclusive group of powerful women of color. Blake believes having them as role models will be her ticket to belonging. Unfortunately the more pressure she puts on herself to live up to Society standards during the pledging process, the more she drinks. Though others warn her she has a drinking problem, Blake assures them she’s fine. But is she really?

This story of a young woman’s struggles with alcohol, insecurity, doubt, and racial identity is why librarian S.R. Ranganathan once said many years ago “For every book there is a reader.” Thank you Jas Hammond for pouring your soul into “Thirsty”, opening up about your own struggles with alcohol through Blake’s actions. Young readers facing the same difficulties will know there is hope for them too.

Highly recommended for ages 15 and older.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.

“The secret library” Kekla Magoon

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. ebook. Candlewick Press. (To be published May 7, 2024).

Delia is almost 12 years old and misses her grandfather terribly. After he died, her mother is more determined than ever that Delia learns to become a proper businesswoman to eventually take over the family business. Delia doesn’t want to sit behind a desk with boring business work. She wants to have adventures but, without her grandfather, feels stifled and lonely. At the reading of his will he left her a brown envelope that her mother promptly locked away for her 21st birthday. With cunning and skill Delia retrieves the envelope from her mother’s locked safe and finds a letter from him as well as a mysterious map.

The map takes her to an abandoned field which turns into a magnificent, secret library. Inside Delia is directed to shelves filled with secrets from people across the centuries. Whenever she chooses a book, she goes on adventures in different times and places where she learns about her family’s history. She sees her dad alive, years before her parents got married, and also gets to see a side of her mother that she’d never seen in the past.

As Delia learns more about her family’s past, she becomes troubled as well as elated and proud. Her family held onto a lot of secrets on their way to becoming the Peteharrngton’s. She’ll have to draw on that strength to become the girl she wants to be, in order to change her present into her past.

I absolutely LOVED this book. It would make an excellent Newbery winning title. That’s how good it is. Well done, Kekla. Well done.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review.

“All boys aren’t blue” George M. Johnson

Rated 5 stars ***** First Square Fish (Farrar Straus Giroux, Macmillan). 2024. 304 p.

Open, raw, honest prose fills nonbinary George Johnson’s memoir through memories of growing up Black and Queer in a small New Jersey town. The love and support received from their parents, extended family members, and their beloved grandmother are also detailed. Reasons why they suppressed their identity as they sorted out what it meant to know they weren’t like other boys, as well as the oppression they felt as a member of the Black community, are also part of their story. Johnson wants teen readers who are Black and Queer to see themselves. As the title suggests, all boys are not the same because they are not all stereotypical blue. Some might be a little pink or an entirely different color and should be able to live freely.

Recommended for ages 15 and older.

I met George Johnson at a recent conference and was impressed because they are articulate, well-versed, a spitfire, and an advocate for their community. This is the #2 banned book in the United States due to its graphic content, but its message is important. Banning a book because it’s eyebrow raising content doesn’t measure up to a book banner’s point of view does a huge disservice to its intended audience. Erasing a book erases a reader’s identity, and no one deserves to be erased.

“The moonlit vine” Elizabeth Santiago

Rated 5 stars ***** Tu Books (Lee & Low Books). 2023. 360 p. (Includes “Author’s note,” “Anacaona and Caonabo ancestry,” “Key moments in Puerto Rican history,” “Inspiring Boriqueños,” and “References.”)

The native Arawak lived in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica, before Columbus and his conquistadores arrived. There are several theories on how they became known as Taíno including that they shouted “tayno,” meaning “good people,” to an incoming Spanish ship. Over the next 25 years their population was severely decimated through disease, massacre, and slavery, reducing their numbers from millions to 32,000 by the year 1514. It had been thought the Taíno were extinct, but a 2018 National Geographic article explained they assimilated and aren’t extinct because their DNA is found in living people – including yours truly.

Knowing this background information made “The moonlit vine” especially interesting as I read about fourteen-year-old Taína’s quest to defend herself and her family from injustices in their neighborhood and schools. Taína comes from a long line of proud Taíno women, direct descendants of Anacaona, a powerful leader murdered by Spaniards soon after Columbus’ arrival on Haiti. Anacaona gave an amulet and zemi to her daughter for protection, with instructions for them to be passed on through time to women in her family who would remember the knowledge of their proud past as their future power.

Over the centuries these precious artifacts and memories of their heritage were passed on until Taína received them from her grandmother. Though fearful at first, she soon learned of the powerful strength of her ancestors in a life-or-death situation.

I absolutely LOVED this book! Taína’s story, as well as historical chapters of women who came after Anacaona, kept me riveted.

Highly recommended for ages 14 and older.

“Heroes: A novel of Pearl Harbor” Alan Gratz

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. Scholastic Press (Scholastic). 219 p. (Includes “The Arsenal of Democracy” comic, “Author’s note,” “About the story,” “Asian Americans in Comics”, and “The Legacy of Pearl Harbor.”) To be published February 6, 2024).

Thirteen-year-old Frank and his best friend Stanley shared a love for comic books, where they lived on the Pearl Harbor base in Hawaii where their dads worked. Frank was the writer, while Stanley made the storyline come alive with amazing drawings. At his father’s last posting Frank had a bad experience, which made him afraid of everything. Before he could do anything, he spent minutes thinking of things that could go wrong and forgot how to live his life. Fear coated everything he did.

Everything was peaceful until the morning of December 7, 1941, when hundreds of Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor. The boys had been on the Utah, visiting his sister’s boyfriend Brooks, when the attack began. The Utah was hit, and they had to abandon ship, but Frank was petrified with fear. Brooks had to shake him out of it and helped him escape, then disappeared. When he was found dead Frank blamed himself.

As he and Stanley frantically tried to reunite with their families Frank realized his best friend was now seen as the enemy because his mother was Japanese. Though Stanley was born in the United States everyone only saw his face and didn’t care that he was Japanese American. With America now at war, if Frank wanted to keep their friendship in the strange new world which they were both now part of, he would have to grow a backbone and overcome his fear of being afraid of everything.

Middle school readers will learn not only about the Pearl Harbor attack but what it was like to be Japanese American during a time of anti-Japanese sentiment in Hawaii and the rest of the country. Alan Gratz does an excellent job with his research and end notes to help his young readers learn more about this troubled period of history.

Highly recommended for ages 12 and older.

“All we were promised” Ashton Lattimore

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. ebook. Ballantine Books (Random House). Includes “Author’s note.” To be published April 2, 2024.

In 1833 Carrie and her father Jake were slaves on a Maryland plantation. After running away they changed their names and spent the next 4 years in Philadelphia. There James’ light skin enabled him to pursue whiteness and richness as his furniture making business grew, while Charlotte worked as his maid. Her resentment grew at his ability to freely move about while she had to stay home. She was lonely and wanted to make something of her life. After meeting Nell, a rich Philadelphian from a powerful Black family, Charlotte began sneaking out weekly to attend literary and Anti-Slavery meetings with her.

Though Nell had grown up rich and entitled she felt the other rich Black families of Philadelphia could do more for escaped slaves. They felt raising money was enough while Nell believed hands-on work was needed. She was thrilled to discover a kindred spirit in Charlotte and, though she was not of her social circle and her parents did not approve, Nell took her to Anti-Slavery meetings that included one in which a white mob attacked the speaker and the audience.

Evie had toiled alongside Carrie in Maryland and was in Philadelphia with her mistress for a short time. Though she had not seen her in four years, after she caught a glimpse of her at the market, she became obsessed with the idea of escaping. Though scared for her own freedom Charlotte enlisted Nell’s help to figure out a way to help Evie.

What Charlotte, Nell, and Evie didn’t know was that the anger of white Philadelphian’s towards anything or anyone having to do with anti-slavery was about to explode. The newly built Pennsylvania Hall and the Anti-Slavery convention were the sparks that lit the flames which forever changed their lives.

This book is a page turner filled with historical facts. A notable one is that Philadelphia, the so-called “cradle of liberty” and “city of brotherly love” had such a sordid history when it came to black and white relations. Another is its six-month loophole law (meant to keep slavery alive and well) utilized by George Washington and other slave owners to maintain the status quo.

Highly recommended for Adults.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

“Maizy Chen’s last chance” Lisa Yee

Rated 5 stars ***** Random House Children’s Books (Penguin Random House). 276 p. 2022. (Includes “Author’s note,” and “Resources.”)

Eleven-year-old Maizy Chen expected to be bored when she and her mother left Los Angeles to spend the summer with Oma and Opa in Last Chance, Minnesota. Their restaurant, the Golden Palace, had been in the family for over 100 years and was the only restaurant in town. As she spent time with her sick grandfather he told her stories about its former owner, her great-great grandfather Lucky. Lucky’s travels from China to the United States and the work done by him and other Chinese immigrants on the railroad were just some of the family histories he shared.

While learning about the prejudice endured by Chinese immigrants, the Golden Palace was hit by a series of hate crimes. She had already experienced microaggressions in town from those who believed she’d come directly from China and not Los Angeles, that her family always ate rice, and referring to her as “you people.” However, when a hate-filled note, vandalism, and a racial slur painted on their mascot were directed at her family, Maizy was determined to find the culprit. She was not going to let prejudice ruin her family.

Historical anecdotes about Chinese life in America’s 19th century eerily resemble the current hate crimes against Asian Americans. Lisa Yee did an excellent job relating Maizy’s life to her ancestors, reminding us everyone needs to do their part to make sure prejudicial sins from the past are not repeated in the present.

Highly recommended for ages 11-14.

“I am not alone” Francisco X. Stork

Rated 5 stars ***** ARC. Scholastic Press (Scholastic). 306 p. (Includes “Author’s note” and “Mental health and Crisis resources.” Published July 18, 2023.

Alberto is 18 and has been living illegally in the United States for three years with his sister and her young son. He works at odd jobs, sending half of his earnings to his mother and sister in Mexico, while trying to earn his high school equivalency diploma. Alberto was upset when he started to hear a voice calling him names or telling him to do bad things. Hoping to keep the voice at a distance he called it Captain America, but the voice grew louder. When a woman was murdered at a job he was working, Alberto couldn’t remember what happened. The police wanted to arrest him, but Alberto went on the run – hoping to prove his innocence.

Grace had her life planned out. In a few months she would graduate, attend college with her boyfriend, and become a psychiatrist. When her parents divorced, she seemed to lose focus. School and her boyfriend paled in importance as she struggled to figure out her place in the world. When she met Alberto, he was cleaning the windows in her apartment and seemed nice. They shared time together making pottery which he’d learned how to do in Mexico, so Grace was surprised to hear he was accused of murder.

His illegal status, the voices he heard, and the murder accusation were red flags signaling her to stay far away, but Grace was certain she needed to help him. However, time is running out because Captain America has decided Alberto doesn’t belong in this world and Alberto is listening to him.

Stork realistically portrays Alberto’s mental state of mind, while Grace’s character depicts a bystander who sees this struggle and decides to either turn away or help. Stork emphasizes not losing sight of the person behind a mental illness.

I believe this should be a 2023 Pura Belpre Young Adult Author winning title. Here’s hoping the January 2024 announcements from the American Library Association’s Youth Media Awards will prove me correct. I will be in attendance that day to root for “I am not alone” to win.

Highly recommended for ages 17 and older.

“Wild, beautiful, and free” Sophfronia Scott

Rated 5 stars ***** ebook. Lake Union Publishing. 2023.

Jean Bébinn loved a slave more than Madame, his wife. After she died, he raised their child alongside his daughter Calista. The two grew up as sisters on his 50,000-acre plantation, where they learned to read, write, and love the land. Despite the hatred she felt from Madame, Jeannette was loved by her papa and sister. In 1851, when she was twelve, he fell ill and died. Though he had promised that she and Calista would inherit Catalpa Valley, Madame had other plans. She had always seen Jeannette as nothing better than a slave, so immediately sold her into slavery.

Jeannette had to learn to travel the painful path her mama had travelled before her, while missing her Papa and the happy life she’d known. As the years passed thoughts of returning home kept her going forward when life seemed darkest. Her only chance to return is to escape, but everyone knows the fate of runaways. Jeannette must chance it, as it’s her only hope.

From the beginning I was caught up in Jeannette’s story, as the author did a good job presenting her as a believable character and as a strong woman.

Recommended for Adults.

“Big chicas don’t cry” Annette Chavez Macias

Rated 5 stars ***** ebook. Montlake. 2022.

Mari, Gracie, Selena, and Erica are cousins and best friends. They and their huge Mexican American family always get together for holidays, card games, and the annual making of Christmas tamales. Everyone talks English, Spanish, Spanglish, as well as the languages of hugs and love. When they get together the cousins bounce ideas, hurts, experiences, and romantic escapades off each other while Welita, their great-grandmother, is the glue that holds everyone together. She wants them to be happy, and to remember the importance of family. They had promised to always be there for each other but, when Mari’s parents got divorced and she moved away, things changed. She stopped coming around and, as the years passed, never made time for them. Though everyone missed her, their anger made their hackles rise whenever her name was mentioned.

In a back-and-forth narrative each cousin talks about their lives, and the love they feel for Welita and their family. It will take a tragedy to make sense of their own lives, and for the girls to understand what Welita has been telling them.

I absolutely LOVED this book. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down and stopped every now and then only to wipe my tears away. The love and support for family that pours off the pages are extremely realistic and will leave readers sighing at the end wanting to continue their stories. Will there be a part two? I don’t know, but I would love it!

Highly recommended for Adults.