National Poetry Month was launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996 to celebrate the integral role of poets and poetry in our culture. One of the ways we are celebrating National Poetry Month at the Peabody Institute Library of Danvers is through this discovery list of our favorite poetry collections and poems.…
All Kinds of Lives (March 2023) by Shilpa Jacobie and Max McConnell
I first picked up this book because the cover was gorgeous and the title intrigued me. But then I started reading it and couldn’t put it down. It appealed to me in so many ways. As an immigrant who moved to the United States in my late twenties, I have often felt that I am…
Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix by Anna Marie McLemore Three teens chase their own version of the American Dream during the Roaring 20s in this YA remix of The Great Gatsby. A Costume for Charly by C.K. Malone Charly thinks outside the box to find a Halloween costume that represents their feminine and masculine…
All Kinds of Lives (December 2022) by Shilpa Jacobie and Max McConnell
All Kinds of Lives (November 2022) by Shilpa Jacobie and Max McConnell
All Kinds of Lives (October 2022) by Shilpa Jacobie and Max McConnell
All Kinds of Lives (September 2022) by Shilpa Jacobie and Max McConnell
The protagonists in this book Lou and King are everything! I cannot stress enough how much I loved this book. It has a great summer feel to it. I mean when you read about ice cream throughout the entire book, you can’t help but think about summer. On the flip side we see the dark…
This middle grade book tells the story of Yasmeen, a 13-year-old Arab-American girl who moves from her mostly Arab neighborhood in Detroit to San Antonio, Texas. She and her family face racism on their drive to their new home and Yasmeen continues to face it as she navigates 7th grade battles and friendships in a…
This is one of Kelly Yang’s newest books and gives readers a glance into the Asian experience during Pandemic times. I think stories like this one are important to read, especially for young children. It builds understanding, compassion, and empathy and helps us move beyond the hurtful and harmful stereotypes. New From Here is a…
All Kinds of Lives (August 2022) by Shilpa Jacobie and Max McConnell
All Kinds of Lives (July 2022) by Shilpa Jacobie and Max McConnell
Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman Nominated for the MCBA 2023, this middle grade historical fiction book is based on the Chernobyl Disaster of 1986 in Pripyat, Ukraine (then part of the USSR). It’s a glimpse into life under a communist regime and also sheds light on the prevalent anti-semitism of the time. The story follows…
Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed This is my very first read from YA author Samira Ahmed. Hollow Fires is a powerful read and I was wrecked for days while reading this book and for a few days after as well. The author does a tremendous job with this book based on real news stories. For…
Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee Maizy Chen is not happy to spend her summer in Last Chance, a small town in Minnesota away from her home and friends in California. But her family’s restaurant The Golden Palace where Maizy will be spending her time in Last Chance holds many secrets and stories. As…
The Girls I’ve Been by Tess Sharpe This is the kind of book you want to read in one sitting. It was recently nominated for the Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award and follows the story of Nora, a young girl who has been to hell and back, and has learned to survive. It’s a good…
Crow by Barbara Wright This middle grade historical fiction novel was written in 2012 and covers the 1898 Wilmington Race Riot and only successful coup on American soil. The local elected government in Wilmington that included African American Alderman and white officials who supported them were threatened and banished from the town. White Supremacists completely…
Walking in Two Worlds by Wab Kinew There is both a depth and a playfulness in the telling of this YA story about Bugz and Feng. They live in a post pandemic, futuristic world where young people live not just in a virtual reality but also in an augmented reality. They constantly see the world…