"In Search of Rohan Chang" by Lincoln Lee is an action-packed adventure based in the heart of New York City in 1997 amidst the hunt for a serial killer. Rohan, our main character, is a typical Asian-American teenager struggling to balance his school, social, and personal life, all while trying to figure out his place in the world. Rohan is a street artist who paints graffiti murals and often finds himself running from police. One evening while trying to elude the police, Rohan begins hearing voices, gains unusual physical abilities of speed and strength, and stumbles upon a gruesome murder scene. Overwhelmed by the voices in his head and innate physical abilities, Rohan panics, questioning his sanity. He flees the scene, unsure if the killer is still lurking nearby.
In "Nurse Florence: Why Do We Have to Drink Water?" by Michael Dow, three girls - Sonia, Condi, and Jean, are at school playing soccer at recess. This makes them hot and thirsty, so they get a drink at the water fountain. Drinking the water makes them think about why anyone has to drink water anyway. They find Nurse Florence and ask her about this. Nurse Florence tells them about how water can affect your body, inside and out, from having too much or too little, and how the cells inside your body are affected. The girls learn a lot of information they didn't know before, and now they understand why water is so important to our bodies!
“Like a Hero: Courage Can be Costly” by Michael J. Bowler is book one of The Invictus Chronicles. This genre-busting superhero novel defies succinct description. Probably the best way to describe this creative work is to call it a graphic novel without graphics. But that sounds like I’m selling this story short. In fact, I’m giving high praise to the author for producing such a stunning effect in my brain as I read this story, that my mind created the scenes in graphic novel style. Normally when I read a book, my mind provides live-action-style scenes like sections of “video” in my head as the action evolves in print. Instead, as I read this immersive novel, it was as though a high-quality graphic novelist had free rein in my brain. Amazing.
"Positive Affirmations Journal for Black Teen Boys: 3 Simple Steps to Effectively Use Affirmations to Improve Your Self-esteem, Motivation, and Confidence" is an inspirational book by B. Mitchell-Dos Santos on how to leverage positive affirmations to overcome challenges. If you want to know how to change negative thoughts to positive ones, how to build better relationships, how to boost one's self-esteem, how to develop resilience, or how to say goodbye to stress and anxiety, then read this book.
"My Life Inspiring Journal: My Journey through Autism and Mental Issues" is an instructive and reviving memoir written by Jason Jackson for children between 7-12 years of age. Here, the author narrates his journey as an autistic man with bipolar disorder, along with his extraordinary relationship with other similarly challenged individuals. He shares an amazing and easy-to-understand breakdown of his autistic view regarding challenges, trials, accomplishments, intents, and perceptions of autistic people, as well as their little-understood patterns of behavior, interests, and activities.
Rue L’Hommedieu is a debut author, an active Motion Picture and Television Teamster, as well as a lover of travel, old movies, and blueberry wine. Rue resides in the S.E. United States and is currently working on a second novel, releasing in fall of 2023.
“Liberty-Loving Lafayette: How ‘America’s Favorite Fighting Frenchman’ Helped Win Our Independence” is one of the best things I have seen in a while. I think the concept Dorothea Jensen has of teaching younger kids about the history of our country in this way is simply wonderful and I adored it.
In "Nurse Florence, Tell Me About Shingles?" by Michael Dow, characters Jean, Condi, and Sonia are leaving school for the day when Condi tells her friends that she needs to talk to Nurse Florence about something. She goes to her office and asks her about shingles because her granddad has it - what is it and how do people get it? She was told that shingles is a virus that people are more likely to get if they've had chicken pox at some time. The virus can give you blisters on your skin that are painful and sometimes itchy; these blisters can show up on different parts of your body, such as your neck, eyes, face, back, or abdomen. Condi learned more about what causes shingles, how it can affect your body, and ways of treating it.
Over a decade ago, six-year-old Katie Figg was abducted outside her home, never to see her family again. Now at seventeen—forced to go by the name Eve Anderson—she endures torture daily at the hands of "Papa," her captor. The tortured girl lives with Papa and his partner "Mama" in a dilapidated house infested with cockroaches, bars covering the windows, and a tall, impenetrable fence shutting her from the outside world. Eve's sole reason for surviving is to care for Honey, the four-year-old daughter she had with Papa.
In the story, "Nurse Florence: What is Obesity?" by Michael Dow, you learn through the students Jean, Condi, and Sonia about obesity and why it is a bad thing. One day at school, the three girls go to lunch and see Nurse Florence sitting by herself, which makes them feel sad, so they ask to sit by her, and she agrees. Out of curiosity, they ask Nurse Florence about a health problem that affects people, that can also be prevented; she tells them about obesity. Obesity is when someone is overweight because they eat more than their bodies need. The girls learned from Nurse Florence what it is, how someone can become obese, how to prevent it, and how to make it better if someone is struggling with it.
"The Kingdom of Trolls" is a dramatic and punchy fantasy novel written by award-winning author, Rae St Clair Bridgman and the fourth book in her acclaimed Middlegate series. Inspired by the author's visits to Iceland and the desire to capture the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of this beautiful land of ice and fire, the book follows William Wychwood and his cousin Sophie Isidor. William and Sophie were both orphaned at a young age and now live with their aunts, Violet and Rue. When Aunt Violet lands on an all-inclusive fabulous trip with a provision of four slots to Iceland from Perfect Products, Sophie and Will are reluctant to go after receiving skewed information from an explorer, Vitellus Albumen.
“Beneath Caaqi’s Wings,” a novel by author Rich Shapero, offers young adult readers a new version of looking at the question of whether a group of teenagers can survive on their own and create a new life when they have lost everything… their families, their homes, and their way of life.