Auggy was born with a facial deformity that has always prevented him from attending public school. But now, after many surgeries, he is able to be in the 5th grade. He is just an ordinary kid with an extraordinary face. How can he convince his classmates that he is just like them despite what he looks like?
I'd recommend it without hesitation to most middle grade readers, girls or boys, even those who may not normally pick up realistic fiction.
I don’t normally recommend books about elementary school kids to teens, but this is an exception. Especially a book about a hot topic in the news: transgender rights. See Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s recent speech here. From the speech, here's a quote that gets me in the feels:
Lacy believes that magic and science can work side by side. She is a skilled botanist that can harness the power of plants. When her father dies, she tries to stay with her step-mother that believes in good and healing magic. But she always feel the pull of her persuasive and powerful mother who brings out the darkness in her, stripping everything light and kind. Her mother forces Lacy to accompany her to Sacramento, and it is not long before the old darkness resurfaces.
When Jessica loses her leg in a car accident, she thinks her life is over, she is told she will never be able to run again. As she struggles to cope with crutches and a new prosthetic, she befriends a girl with cerebral palsy named Rosa. With the support of her friends and family, she may be able to find a way to run again. But now, not only does she want to cross finish lines herself, she wants to take Rosa with her.
Seraphina is half-dragon, and in a kingdom of deep mistrust between humans and dragons despite the peace treaty, she is in constant danger as a musician of the royal court. But when a member of the royal family is murdered and all clues points to the dragons, she discovers, along with the prince and a guard, hints of a plot to destroy the already fragile peace.
This is one of the most unique dragon books you'll ever read. This book was so lovely and charming. I loved the characters and the world building, the story was touching and the main character relatable and believable.
Mare Barrow's world is divided by blood. There are the Red Bloods and the Silver Bloods. Red Bloods have a hard life, they live in villages with very little money. Silver Bloods, on the other hand, are royal and live up in the palace; ruling the Reds. Mare is Red, with little money and no job. When her friend, Kilorn gets assigned a place in the war, Mare does everything she can to help, even finding herself in the Silver world. She finds out she is an unusual Red, because she can do things only Silvers can do. Find out more by reading this exciting book!
Bitterblue is the queen of Monsea. Her kingdom has finally escaped the terrible reign of her father, a violent psychopath able to control minds. But his influence has had lasting effects on the hearts and minds of the people. Her advisors plan to pardon everyone who worked for the former king, and forget every bad thing that happened. Monsea's past has become shrouded in mystery, and only once Bitterblue begins sneaking out of the castle at night does she begin to learn the truth.
Fire is the last remaining human monster. She has the ability to control minds, but she guards her power, unwilling to steal the secrets of the innocent people around her. One day, the prince summons her to the castle. The royal family needs her to help them uncover a plot to undermine the king. Soon she begins to discover there is more to her power than she ever realized, it could save the kingdom. If only she wasn't afraid of becoming the monster her father was.
My head hurts from crying but other than that, so very good! Loved this book!
At 18, Andi Alpers has lost her will to live. Her brother Truman has died, her father has deserted the family and is putting her mother in a mental hospital. In Paris, where her father is working on a project on King Louis-Charles, Andi vows to make their three-week visit a misery. But when she finds a journal that might hold the missing key to Louis-Charles history, she completely forgets about everything, including her senior thesis, and focuses instead on solving the mystery of his death.
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena is a historical fiction set mainly in 1996 and 2004. The novel opens with Dokka, a villager in the town of Eldar in Chechnya is kidnapped by the Feds, leaving behind his daughter Havaa. A kind neighbor, Akhmed takes it upon himself to care for her and brings her to a local hospital where he hopes she can find refuge. This novel is beautifully written with gorgeous intertwining storylines.
