SAFE PASSAGE by G. Neri & David Brame

 

G. Neri fans will want to check out his new release SAFE PASSAGE. A graphic novel similar to his popular YUMMY, this story features Darius, his little sister, and Booger. A year earlier Darius's mother was shot and killed leaving Darius and his sister in the care of their step-father. He has tried to educate the kids on living in the rough neighborhoods of Chicago, but kids will be kids. They don't always follow the rules for safety.

On the way to school, Darius's friend Booger comes up with a scheme. He heard that a Brinks bank transport truck crashed and money is supposedly flying around everywhere. Booger convinces Darius they need to be a part of this windfall. Promising they will be back in time for Darius to take his afternoon math test, they hop a bus and head out to become rich. 

The first problem is Cissy, Darius's sister follows them. She is determined to be part of the adventure or snitch about it to their step-father if they don't let her come along. Problem after problem causes their scheme to turn into a dangerous situation. They end up running from one dangerous neighborhood to another hoping to find safe passage back home.

G. Neri's narrative combined with David Brame's art make SAFE PASSAGE a powerful read sure to be as popular as YUMMY with teen readers.

WILL ON THE INSIDE by Andrew Eliopulos

 

WILL ON THE INSIDE by Andrew Eliopulos is a story about dealing with Crohn's disease. Will is a seventh grader who loves soccer. The team is going to have to handle the season without him because he has been diagnosed with Crohn's. He has been suffering in silence, but he realizes he needs to speak up.

For a while now, Will has been planning his school days, including soccer practice and games, around knowing where he can find the nearest bathroom. Eating means constantly watching out for foods that will trigger his stomach to rebel. 

Now that Will has told his parents about how sick he sometimes feels, he is learning about colonoscopies, steroids, flare ups, and remissions. Tragically, he learns there is no cure for Crohn's, but he is told it is possible to manage it. How will his teammates react to the news? Will his new friend Griffin understand? Is it Will's own fault that he has this disease? Will finds family, friends, and even his faith can help him deal with these life changes.

WILL ON THE INSIDE will help readers better understand a disease that isn't always visible on the outside but causes major internal suffering for many on the inside. 

LOUDER THAN HUNGER by John Schu

 

Jake is only comfortable when he is spending the weekend with his grandmother. She makes him feel important and loved. Their time together helps him forget about the awful middle school kids he deals with during the week.

It is becoming clear to Jake's parents and his beloved grandmother that something isn't right. Jake isn't eating and he's getting thinner and thinner. When he refuses to talk with them about what's bothering him, and his health is failing, his parents check him into Whispering Pines. This inpatient facility is supposed to get to the bottom of Jake's depression and his issues with food.

Now his days are filled with physical examinations, group and individual therapy sessions, and forced daily menus. The voice he has been hearing in his head begins shouting even louder. If he can listen to the voice, he is sure he can ignore the rules of Whispering Pines and get back home where he can be in control once again.

LOUDER THAN HUNGER follows a young teen suffering from anorexia nervosa. Eating disorders are a serious concern for many young people today. The feeling of control they have over food usually masks other issues related to depression and bullying. Author John Schu uses his own personal experiences to tell Jake's story in hopes that LOUDER THAN HUNGER can help readers dealing with similar problems find ways to cope and conquer their fears.

GUT REACTION by Kirby Larson & Quinn Wyatt

 

Author Kirby Larson and her daughter have joined forces to create an important story about what it is like for a young person living with a chronic illness. Told in unflinching detail based on personal experience, GUT REACTION is sure to help many middle grade and older readers.

Tess is in eighth grade. That is bad enough, but she is also starting at a new middle school, dealing with memories of her father who died of a heart attack, and trying to secretly handle a stomach condition that has her keeping track of every nearby restroom. 

One thing that helps Tess cope is baking. Her father taught her everything. Whipping up a batch of what he called Joyful cookies or experimenting with new recipes, helps keep her mind occupied. Sharing what she bakes is also going to help her make some new friends. 

Tess keeps an ongoing list of what she can and can't eat. Some things trigger the stabbing pain she refers to as the Knife. When the Knife takes up residence in her belly, she knows she will soon be rushing off the toilet. There's always the fear that a restroom won't be close or that when she gets there, someone will hear her or worse smell her. 

Excitement is in order when Tess scores a spot in a prestigious kids baking contest. She has reached the finals before, but this time she hopes will be her chance to win. Weeks before the contest, she learns that she has a chronic condition called Crohn's. Will the treatment help her get through the baking contest or will the Knife end her dream of winning for her father?

Larson and Wyatt have added personal comments and help sites for anyone dealing with Crohn's or other IBS issues. They also emphasize that being one's true self no matter the challenges is important. I highly recommend GUT REACTION!

GENDER QUEER: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

With all the craziness about book banning, this title pops up often. I realized I had never read it. Well, now I have, and I believe it offers critical information for any person searching for who they are and how they identify.

Maia Kobabe's childhood was free of many of the conventions limiting sexuality most young people face. Raised in an open, accepting family living off the grid, gave Maia a chance to be, just be. When the family moved to a more traditional home and public school became part of Maia's life, complications became the norm.

In GENDER QUEER readers will ride along with Maia as they explore and experiment to find just exactly who they are. Discovering the pronouns "e, em, and eir" opened a whole new world for Maia. Feeling more comfortable with this discovery and expanding the world to include college, self-discovery answered many questions for Maia.

As an author Maia Kobabe deserves praise not censorship. GENDER QUEER should be available for all readers.

 

UNSTUCK by Barbara Dee

 

Seventh grade Lyla loves to write. She is thrilled when her new ELA teacher explains they will be starting a new creative writing unit. Lyla has ideas and is ready to write what she hopes will be a fantasy novel, maybe even a series.

Armed with her trusty blue gel pen, a new notebook, and what she knows is an awesome opening sentence, Lyla starts to write. During the 10 minute writing sessions, Lyla is shocked to find once she writes her opening line, she is stuck. She tries creating a character family tree and even a map for the world in her story, but she can't seem to continue with the actual writing. Her teacher offers suggestions, but nothing helps.

Lyla is also struggling with friend issues and some problems at home. As a seventh grader, Lyla is going to a new school while her best friend is attending a different school in a different neighborhood. Lyla is used to bouncing ideas off Rania, but Rania isn't even returning Lyla's texts. At home things are rocky as her older sister is constantly fighting with their parents about her college applications. She confides in Lyla saying she doesn't even want to go to college. This secret weighs heavily on Lyla because she feels caught in the middle.

How can she get unstuck and finish her story? She'll never be able to enter the writing contest she's always hoped to win.

Author Barbara Dee has written another hit. Her fans will fall in love with Lyla in the first chapter. Dee's straight forward narrative and dialogue will help readers deal with their own challenges. You will want to read this new release ASAP.

BARELY FLOATING by Lilliam Rivera

 

Fans of STARFISH by Lisa Fipps will want to check out BARELY FLOATING by Lilliam Rivera. 

Sassy, feisty Natalia "Nat" is proud of her strong, athletic body. She loves swimming and will challenge anyone. In fact, she uses her ability to earn extra money to finance her interest in anime and to treat her friend to the latest anime videos. 

Nat finds a new interest when a local synchronized swim team performs at the pool she visits every day. She is sure this is her calling, but when she approaches her parents, they are less than thrilled. Her mother doesn't like the fancy make-up and costumes and calls it no better than a "pageant in the water." 

Nat can't believe they refuse to let her join the team. That's when the lies begin.

Using her own money and convincing her cousin to drive her to the pool where the team practices, Nat tries out and makes the team. It is hard work, but Nat loves it and learns that she is very good at it. The lies mount as she deceives her parents and begins to alienate her best friend.

Author Lilliam Rivera shows readers how determination and courage can help make a dream come true, but she also details the sacrifices made in the bargain. Nat is both brave and reckless as she dares to show everyone exactly what she can do.

COYOTE QUEEN by Jessica Vitalis

 

Fud hates living in Larry's trailer. She would rather be hopping from apartment to apartment or even living in the car as long as it was still just she and her mom. When her mom met Larry, they moved into the trailer he owned, and since then the world has been an uncomfortable place.

Larry works at the local coal mine, but he says it is only until his back gets better and he can return to the boxing ring. He knows he can become the world champ so they can move to a huge house and have all kinds of cool stuff. All Fud knows now is that Larry has a bunch of rules, and she never knows when her mother will be the victim of one of his outbursts.

When new neighbors move in next door, Fud is nervous, but she soon learns that Leigh wants to be best friends. As their friendship grows, Fud enjoys spending time with Leigh but is always worried that she'll find out the truth about Larry and his temper. 

Fud has an idea that might help them escape from Larry's trailer and his recent crazy scheme to start living on an old boat on the Mississippi River. There's a local pageant for girls that includes a money prize that could help Fud and her mom get their own place far from Larry. Leigh and Fud succeed in entering the pageant and both hope to win for different reasons. Will Fud be able to help her mom? Will being in the contest change people's view of her?

Author Jessica Vitalis weaves a tender story about the challenges Fud faces as she tries to protect her mother and improve their lives. Fud's vivid imagination and love of coyotes spices things up as she begins to understand how strong and resourceful she can be.

A LONG TIME COMING by Ray Anthony Shepard

 

The complete title of this combined biography is A LONG TIME COMING: A Lyrical Biography of Race in American from Ona Judge to Barack Obama. Author Ray Anthony Shepard uses verse to highlight the lives of Ona Judge, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells, Martin Luther King Jr., and Barack Obama. Scattered art by R. Gregory Christie is included.

Readers are taken through a history of race in America that includes well-known facts about these brave Americans as well as little known tidbits that illustrate their courageous efforts to establish true freedom and rights for a population still fighting this battle today.

A LONG TIME COMING is the perfect complement for history classes, history buffs, and anyone interested in learning about slavery through the present time.