Go with the Flow (Go with the Flow #1)

by Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann Illustrated by Lily Williams 5 stars A fantastic story of friendship, activism, and the fight for period equity. I loved this story and its characters from the very first page. When Sasha gets her first period at school, it feels like the end of the world. Until she meets…

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Banned Book Club by Kim Hyun Sook and Ryan Estrada

Illustrated by Ko Hyung-Ju 3 stars A semi-autobiographical tale set in 1983 during South Korea’s Fifth Republic. When book-loving Kim Hyun Sook starts college, she has big dreams of classes, learning, and campus life. But when she’s invited to join an unconventional book club, her whole world changes. She soon finds herself within a world…

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Hiawatha and the Peacemaker by Robbie Robertson

Illustrated by David Shannon 4 stars From death, destruction, and war to unity and peace, this book tells the story of Hiawatha and the Peacemaker, whose work to unite the Six Nations of the Iroquois people with the Great Law of Peace set a blueprint for democracy in America. Hiawatha is angry and devastated after…

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Crank (Crank #1) by Ellen Hopkins

3 stars Kristina has lived most of her life trying to be perfect. But during a visit with her father, a new side of Kristina come out: Bree. Bree is everything Kristina is not; confident, bold, flirtatious, and unafraid to try to new things. With nothing else to do and the appeal of getting close…

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The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq

by Jeanette Winter 4 stars The powerful story of Alia Muhammad Baker, the brave librarian who save 70% of her library collection during the Iraq War. The book focuses on Baker’s efforts to move the books to safe locations as the war nears Basra. It ends with a message of hope amid the chaos. The…

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Thomas’ Snowsuit by Robert Munsch

Illustrated Michael Martchenko 4 stars A goofy little story about a boy and his ugly snowsuit. When Thomas’ mother buys him a new snowsuit, he refuses to wear it. It is just too ugly. His mother gets him into the snowsuit and sends him off to school. But at recess, Thomas again refuses to wear…

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Forever Cousins by Laurel Goodluck

Illustrated by Jonathan Nelson 3 stars A sweet story about the bond between two cousins. After Kara’s family moves to the Rez and Amanda’s stays in the city, the two cousins can’t wait for the family reunion the next summer. But when the reunion finally arrives, they both feel a little shy around each other….

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Something Happened in Our Town: A Child’s Story About Racial Injustice

by Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins, and Ann Hazzard Illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin 4 stars A nice resource to guide discussions of race, discrimination, and police brutality. The fictional story follows conversations between two families, one White and one Black. These conversations bring up various issues such as racism, discrimination, fairness, and slavery, demonstrating the different…

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