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The We're the People Summer Reading List, Part II:
Young Adult
By lynmiller-lachmann on 2015-06-15 20:41:02
Another week, another installment of the 2015 We're the People Summer Reading List, highlighting outstanding reads for
young people by authors and illustrators of color. This is the last of the annotated lists (annotations courtesy of Goodreads
and Amazon); next week and the week after I will return with reviews of some of the books on the list. These books are
great choices for readers in middle and high school, and include fiction and nonfiction, contemporary realistic fiction,
historical fiction, and the increasingly popular genres of science fiction, fantasy, and horror.
Wi Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor. Twelve-year-old Sunny lives in Nigeria,
but she was born American. Her features are African, but she's albino. She's a terrific athlete, but can't go out into the sun to
play soccer. There seems to be no place where she fits. And then she discovers something amazing-she is a "free agent,"
with latent magical power. Soon she's part of a quartet of magic students, studying the visible and invisible, learning to
change reality. But will it be enough to help them when they are asked to catch a career criminal who knows magic too?
(Viking Books for Young Readers, 2011. 368 pgs.) Antigoddess by Kendare Blake. The Goddess War begins in
Antigoddess, the first installment of the new series by acclaimed author of Anna Dressed in Blood, Kendare Blake. Old Gods
never die... Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange
cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.
Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and
discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra--an ordinary girl who was once an
extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god. These days, Cassandra doesn't involve herself in the business of
gods--in fact, she doesn't even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning. Because Hera,
the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to
prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of
their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don't just flicker out.Every one of them
dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath. The
Goddess War is about to begin. (The Goddess War series. Tor Teen, 2014. 352 pgs.) Ash by Malinda Lo. In the wake of her
father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the
dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as
they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted. The
day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with
Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash's capacity for love-and her desire to live. But
Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.
Entrancing, empowering, and romantic, Ash is about the connection between life and love, and solitude and death, where
transformation can come from even the deepest grief. (Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2010. 272 pgs) Chameleon
by Charles R. Smith Jr. Shooting the breeze with his boys. Tightening his D on the court. Doing a color check — making
sure nobody's wearing blue or red, which some Crip or Piru carrying a cut-down golf club would see as disrespect. Then
back to Auntie's, hoping she isn't passed out from whiskey at the end of the day. Now that Shawn is headed for high school,
he wonders if he'd be better off at the school in Mama's neighborhood, where he'd be free of Compton's hassles. But then he
wouldn't be with his fellas — cracking jokes, covering each other's backs — or the fine Marisol, who's been making star
appearances in his dreams. Dad says he needs to make his own decision, but what does Shawn want, freedom or friendship?
With teasing, spot-on dialogue and an eye to the realities of inner-city life, Chameleon takes on the shifting moods of a
teenager coming of age. (Candlewick, 2010. 384 pgs.) Charm and Strange by Stephanie Kuehn. He's part Win, the lonely
teenager exiled to a remote Vermont boarding school in the wake of a family tragedy. The guy who shuts all his classmates
out, no matter the cost. He's part Drew, the angry young boy with violent impulses that control him. The boy who spent a
fateful, long-ago summer with his brother and teenage cousins, only to endure a secret so monstrous it led three children to
do the unthinkable. Over the course of one night, while stuck at a party deep in the New England woods, Andrew battles
both the pain of his past and the isolation of his present. Before the sun rises, he'll either surrender his sanity to the wild
darkness inside his mind or make peace with the most elemental of truths--that choosing to live can mean so much more
than not dying. (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2013. 224 pgs.) ™ Chasing Shadows by Swati Avasthi and
Craig Phillips. Corey, Holly, and Savitri are closer than family until a random act of violence shatters their world. A gunman
shoots at their car, leaving Corey dead, Holly in a coma, and Savitri the sole witness to the crime. When Holly wakes up, she
is changed—determined to hunt down Corey’s killer, whatever the cost. Savitri fears that Holly is running wild, losing her
grip on reality. Friends should stand by each other in times of crisis. But can you hold on too tight? Too long? (Knopf Books
For Young Readers, 2013. 320 pgs.) Crazy Horse’s Girlfriend by Erika Wurth. Margaritte is a sharp-tongued, drug-dealing,
sixteen-year-old Native American floundering in a Colorado town crippled by poverty, unemployment, and drug abuse. She
hates the burnout, futureless kids surrounding her and dreams that she and her unreliable new boyfriend can move far
beyond the bright lights of Denver that float on the horizon before the daily suffocation of teen pregnancy eats her alive.
(Curbside Splendor Publishing, 2014. 288 pgs.) Gabi, A Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero. Gabi Hernandez chronicles her
last year in high school in her diary: college applications, Cindy's pregnancy, Sebastian's coming out, the cute boys, her
father's meth habit, and the food she craves. And best of all, the poetry that helps forge her identity. (Cinco Puntos Press,
= . “ees = -
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9 KEKLA MAGOOM
2014. 208 pgs.) How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon. When sixteen-year-old Tariq
Johnson dies from two gunshot wounds, his community is thrown into an uproar. Tariq was black. The shooter, Jack
Franklin, is white. In the aftermath of Tariq's death, everyone has something to say, but no two accounts of the events line
up. Day by day, new twists further obscure the truth. Tariq's friends, family, and community struggle to make sense of the
tragedy, and to cope with the hole left behind when a life is cut short. In their own words, they grapple for a way to say with
certainty: This is how it went down. (Henry Holt and Co., 2014. 336 pgs.) If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth.
Lewis "Shoe" Blake is used to the joys and difficulties of life on the Tuscarora Indian reservation in 1975: the joking, the
Fireball games, the snow blowing through his roof. What he's not used to is white people being nice to him -- people like
George Haddonfield, whose family recently moved to town with the Air Force. As the boys connect through their mutual
passion for music, especially the Beatles, Lewis has to lie more and more to hide the reality of his family's poverty from
George. He also has to deal with the vicious Evan Reininger, who makes Lewis the special target of his wrath. But when
everyone else is on Evan's side, how can he be defeated? And if George finds out the truth about Lewis's home -- will he still
be his friend? (Arthur A. Levine, 2014. 368 pgs.) If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan. Seventeen-year-old Sahar has
been in love with her best friend, Nasrin, since they were six. They’ve shared stolen kisses and romantic promises. But Iran
is a dangerous place for two girls in love—Sahar and Nasrin could be beaten, imprisoned, even executed if their relationship
came to light.So they carry on in secret—until Nasrin’s parents announce that they’ve arranged for her marriage. Nasrin tries
to persuade Sahar that they can go on as they had before, only now with new comforts provided by the decent, well-to-do
doctor Nasrin will marry. But Sahar dreams of loving Nasrin exclusively—and openly. Then Sahar discovers what seems
like the perfect solution. In Iran, homosexuality may be a crime, but to be a man trapped in a woman’s body is seen as
nature’s mistake, and sex reassignment is legal and accessible. As a man, Sahar could be the one to marry Nasrin. Sahar will
never be able to love the one she wants in the body she wants to be loved in without risking her life. Is saving her love worth
sacrificing her true self? (Algonquin Young Readers, 2013. 256 pgs.) Jumped In by Patrick Scott Flores. Sam has the rules
of slackerhood down: Don't be late to class. Don't ever look the teacher in the eye. Develop your blank stare. Since his mom
left, he has become an expert in the art of slacking, especially since no one at his new school gets his intense passion for the
music of the Pacific Northwest--Nirvana, Hole, Sleater-Kinney. Then his English teacher begins a slam poetry unit and Sam
gets paired up with the daunting, scarred, clearly-a-gang-member Luis, who happens to sit next to him in every one of his
classes. Slacking is no longer an option--Luis will destroy him. Told in Sam's raw voice and interspersed with vivid poems,
Jumped In by Patrick Flores-Scott is a stunning debut novel about differences, friendship, loss, and the power of words.
(Henry Holt and Co., 2013. 304 pgs.) Legend by Marie Lu. What was once the western United States is now home to the
Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest
districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into
the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered
and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival,
while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really
brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets. (Legend series. G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Books for Young Readers, 2011. 336 pgs.) The Living by Matt de la Pefia. Shy took the summer job to make some money.
In a few months on a luxury cruise liner, he'll rake in the tips and be able to help his mom and sister out with the bills. And
how bad can it be? Bikinis, free food, maybe even a girl or two—every cruise has different passengers, after all. But
everything changes when the Big One hits. Shy's only weeks out at sea when an earthquake more massive than ever before
recorded hits California, and his life is forever changed. The earthquake is only the first disaster. Suddenly it's a fight to
survive for those left living. (First in a series. Delacorte Press, 2013. 320 pgs.) Madman of Piney Woods by Christopher
Paul Curtis. Benji and Red couldn't be more different. They aren't friends. They don't even live in the same town. But their
fates are entwined. A chance meeting leads the boys to discover that they have more in common than meets the eye. Both of
them have encountered a strange presence in the forest, watching them, tracking them. Could the Madman of Piney Woods
be real? In a tale brimming with intrigue and adventure, Christopher Paul Curtis returns to the vibrant world he brought to
life in Elijah of Buxton. Here is another novel that will break your heart -- and expand it, too. (Companion to Elijah of
Buxton. Scholastic Press; 2014. 384 pgs.) Money Boy by Paul Yee. Ray Liu knows he should be happy. He lives in a big
suburban house with all the latest electronic gadgets, and even finds plenty of time to indulge in his love of gaming. He
needs the escape. It’s tough getting grades that will please his army veteran father when speaking English is still a struggle.
But when his father accesses Ray’s Internet account and discovers Ray has been cruising gay websites, his belongings are
thrown on the front lawn and suddenly he's homeless. Angry and defiant, Ray heads to the city. In short order he is robbed,
beaten up, and seduced, and he learns the hard realities of life on the street. Could he really sell himself for sex? Lots of
people use their bodies to make money — athletes, actors, models, pop singers. If no one gets hurt, why should anyone care?
(Groundwood Books, 2013. 184 pgs.) None of the Above by I. W. Gregorio. A groundbreaking story about a teenage girl
who discovers she's intersex . . . and what happens when her secret is revealed to the entire school. Incredibly compelling
and sensitively told, None of the Above is a thought-provoking novel that explores what it means to be a boy, a girl, or
Claudia Guadalupe Martinez
something in between. (Balzar + Bray, 2015, 352 pgs.) Pig Park by Claudia Guadalupe
Martinez. Fifteen-year-old Masi Burciaga hauls bricks to help build a giant pyramid in her neighborhood park. Her
neighborhood is becoming more of a ghost town each day since the lard company moved away. Even her school closed
down. Her family's bakery and the other surviving businesses may soon follow. As a last resort, the neighborhood grown-ups
enlist all the remaining able-bodied boys and girls into this scheme in hopes of luring visitors. Maybe their neighbors will
come back too. But something's not right about the entrepreneur behind it all. And then there's the new boy who came to
help. The one with the softest of lips. Pig Park is a contemporary Faustian tale that forces us to look at the desperate lengths
people will go to in the name of community--and maybe love. (Cinco Puntos Press, 2014. 246 pgs.) Shadowshaper by
Daniel José Older. Sierra Santiago planned an easy summer of making art and hanging out with her friends. But then a
corpse crashes the first party of the season. Her stroke-ridden grandfather starts apologizing over and over. And when the
murals in her neighborhood begin to weep real tears... Well, something more sinister than the usual Brooklyn ruckus is going
on. (Arthur A. Levine, 2015. 304 pgs.) Silver People by Margarita Engle. One hundred years ago, the world celebrated the
opening of the Panama Canal, which connected the world’s two largest oceans and signaled America’s emergence as a
global superpower. It was a miracle, this path of water where a mountain had stood—and creating a miracle is no easy thing.
Thousands lost their lives, and those who survived worked under the harshest conditions for only a few silver coins a day.
From the young "silver people" whose back-breaking labor built the Canal to the denizens of the endangered rainforest
itself, this is the story of one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken, as only Newbery Honor-
winning author Margarita Engle could tell it. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers, 2014. 272 pgs.)
Tantalize by Cynthia Leitich Smith. Quincie Morris has never felt more alone. Her parents are dead, and her hybrid-
werewolf first love is threatening to embark on a rite of passage that will separate them forever. Then, as she and her uncle
are about to unveil their hot vampire-themed restaurant, a brutal murder leaves them scrambling for a chef. Can Quincie
transform their new hire into a culinary Dark Lord before opening night? Can he wow the crowd in his fake fangs, cheap
cape, and red contact lenses — or is there more to this earnest face than meets the eye? As human and preternatural forces
clash, a deadly love triangle forms, and the line between predator and prey begins to blur. Who’s playing whom? And how
long can Quincie play along before she loses everything? Tantalize marks Cynthia Leitich Smith’s delicious debut as a
preeminent author of dark fantasy. (Tantalize series. Candlewick, 2007. 336 pgs.) When Reason Breaks by Cindy L.
Rodriguez. A Goth girl with an attitude problem, Elizabeth Davis must learn to control her anger before it destroys her.
Emily Delgado appears to be a smart, sweet girl, with a normal life, but as depression clutches at her, she struggles to feel
normal. Both girls are in Ms. Diaz's English class, where they connect to the words of Emily Dickinson. Both are hovering
on the edge of an emotional precipice. One of them will attempt suicide. And with Dickinson's poetry as their guide, both
girls must conquer their personal demons to ever be happy. In an emotionally taut novel with a richly diverse cast of
characters, readers will relish in the poetry of Emily Dickinson and be completely swept up in the turmoil of two girls
grappling with demons beyond their control. (Bloomsbury USA Childrens, 2015. 304 pgs.) Written in the Stars by Aisha
Saeed. This heart-wrenching novel explores what it is like to be thrust into an unwanted marriage. Has Naila’s fate been
written in the stars? Or can she still make her own destiny? (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2015, 304 pgs.) Zero Fade by Chris L.
Terry. Zero Fade chronicles eight days in the life of inner-city Richmond, Virginia, teen Kevin Phifer as he deals with wack
haircuts, bullies, last year's fly gear, his uncle Paul coming out as gay, and being grounded. (Curbside Splendor, 2013. 294
pgs.)
