ld in graphic novel format with compelling illustrations.
QUINTERO, Sofia. Efrain’s Secret. Knopf. 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780375847066; lib. ed. $19.99. ISBN 9780375947063; pap. $8.99. ISBN 9780440240624; ebk. $8.99. ISBN 9780375895494.
Gr 7 Up –Efrain needs an SAT prep course to help him achieve his Harvard dream. There’s no money or family support to make it possible, so the teen decides to take the neighborhood option for making a quick buck and begins to work for the local drug dealer. Getting caught rips apart Efrain’s plans, leading to a different but positive future.
WOODSON, Jacqueline. Miracle’s Boys. Putnam. 2000. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9780399231131; pap. $7.99. ISBN 9780142415535.
Gr 6-10–Oldest brother Ty’ree works to keep the family together after both his parents die, but he’s not getting much help from middle brother Charlie, fresh out of juvie and under the pull of his gang friends. Their story is narrated by Lafayette, the youngest, as he tries to make sense of his brothers’ choices and find his own way.
Race and Ethnicity
BALLIETT, Blue. Hold Fast. Scholastic. 2013. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780545299886; ebk. $17.99. ISBN 9780545510196.
Gr 5-7–Early and her little brother enjoy an urban home life rich in dreams of a real house and higher education for Mom and Dad. When her father disappears without explanation, the family must move to a homeless shelter, but Early is determined to find him. An engaging mystery featuring strong writer’s craft and gritty reality. Audio version available from Scholastic.
BJORKMAN , Lauren. Miss Fortune Cookie. Holt. 2012. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978080 5089516; ebk. $9.99. ISBN 9780805 096361.
Gr 8 Up–High school senior Erin is culturally Chinese. She was born in China, lives in San Francisco’s Chinatown, speaks Mandarin, and writes an advice blog as Miss Fortune Cookie. But even with dyed-black hair, there’s no hiding her Irish ancestry. Is she Chinese enough for best friends Linny and Mei?
CROWE , Chris. Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case. Dial. 2003. RTE $18.99. ISBN 9780 803728042.
Gr 7-10–In 1955, 14-year-old Emmett leaves comparatively tolerant Chicago to visit relatives in Mississippi, offends a white woman, and is brutally murdered. Found not guilty by an all-white jury, the killers later admitted their crime. Told with clear narrative and period photos, Trayvon Martin-era students won’t be able to put this nonfiction account down. Audio version available from Recorded Books.
HOUSE, Silas & Neela Vaswani. Same Sun Here. illus. by Hilary Schenker. Candlewick. 2012. RTE $15.99. ISBN 9780763656843; pap. $7.99. ISBN 9780763664510; ebk. $7.99. ISBN 9780763657475.
Gr 5-7–Meena, a recent Indian immigrant to New York City, and River, who lives in a struggling coal mining community, are unlikely snail-mail pen pals. When a class project connects the preteens, they’re initially uncomfortable writing to someone of a different gender and culture, but they find common ground as they reveal the details of their lives. Audio version available from Brilliance Audio.
VOLPONI, Paul. Black and White. (Speak Series). Viking. 2005. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9780670060061; pap. $6.99. ISBN 9780142406922.
Gr 7 Up–College scouts are looking at Marcus and Eddie, a multiracial team on and off the court. Money’s tight–the boys just need a little cash for senior year extras–but their plan to raise money via armed robbery goes terribly wrong. Marcus is identified but his white partner isn’t; what happens next is told through the teens’ riveting alternating voices.
Sexual and Gender Identity
MYRACLE , Lauren. Shine. Abrams/Amulet. 2011. Tr $16.95. ISBN 9780810984172; pap. $7.95. ISBN 9781419701849; ebk. $16.95. ISBN 9781613121450.
Gr 8 Up –When Cat’s gay friend Patrick is the victim of what appears to be a hate crime, the 16-year-old is determined to find out what happened the night Patrick was attacked. Cat’s inquiries take her deep into the multiple layers that make up the culture of her rural North Carolina community, including poverty, bigotry, and meth. Audio version available from Brillianc