Winter 2023 Reading Recommendations

12/9/23

Three Keys by Kelly Yang

For readers who loved Front Desk, this engaging follow-up is well worth a look. Mia and her parents are the proud owners of the Calivista Motel. Mia gets to run the front desk with her best friend, Lupe, when she’s not at school. It turns out, however, that sixth grade is no picnic. Adding to the stress is a new immigration law that threatens everything—and everyone—in Mia’s life. 

“Who Could That Be at this Hour?” (All the Wrong Questions Series #1) by Lemony Snicket 

Before Lemony Snicket recorded the dismal adventures of the Baudelaire orphans in A Series of Unfortunate Events, he was himself an unfortunate child dealing with nefarious adults. Join his adventure as a young Lemony Snicket starts an apprenticeship for a secret organization shrouded in mystery and secrecy. 

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor

Why is the land so important to Cassie's family? It takes the events of one turbulent year—a year of the night riders and burnings—to show Cassie that having a place of their own is the Logan family's lifeblood. This book tells the story of the Logan family, African-American farmers living in Mississippi in the 1930s, and what they must do to battle racism, keep their land, and stay together as a family. 

The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, 11-year-old Parvana has rarely been outdoors, trapped inside her family's one-room home. When the Taliban haul away her father, Parvana realizes that it's up to her to become the "breadwinner" and disguise herself as a boy to support her mother, two sisters, and baby brother. Based on the true-life stories of women in Afghan refugee camps.

Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynolds

This story was going to begin like all the best stories — with a school bus falling from the sky. But no one saw it happen. They were all too busy — Talking about boogers. Stealing pocket change. Skateboarding. Wiping out. Braving up. Executing complicated handshakes. Planning an escape… Ten tales (one per block) about what happens after the dismissal bell rings and the detours we face on the walk home.

The Finest Hours by Micheal J. Tougias & Casey Sherman

Readers who enjoy historical non-fiction will be excited to pick up this gripping book. In the winter of 1952, New England was battered by the most brutal nor'easter in years. While the storm raged, two oil tankers built with "dirty steel" split in two. Dozens of men on board were left utterly at the Atlantic's mercy. As the Coast Guard’s tiny rescue vessels set out against the looming waves, the men aboard were all aware that they may not return, risking life and limb for the stranded sailors.

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

Salama had a normal teenager’s life when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria. Now, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe. 

Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas

When his traditional Latinx family has problems accepting his gender, Yadriel becomes determined to prove himself a real brujo by summoning up a ghost. However, he manages to summon the wrong one and now he can’t get him to go away. But the longer Yadriel spends with his new spectral sidekick, the less he wants to let him leave.