Tag: poc

We Could Be Heroes

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Jamie and Zoe both have no memory prior to two years ago… when they both woke up in separate apartments, with mysterious notes indicating that they might have extraordinary powers. Now, Jamie is the Mind Robber, stealing money from banks to furnish his dream of retiring to a remote island to read memoirs and play with his cat. Zoe is a fast food delivery person, and also low-key does vigilante work as the Throwing Star. Their paths cross at a memory-loss support group, where they realize the similarities of their memory loss and abilities can’t be a coincidence. We Could Be Heroes comes out in January, and I’m going to call it in advance as one of 2021’s best reads. Make sure you grab a copy when it’s available!

What I loved most:

I heard Mike Chen speak at a virtual library conference, and I was intrigued the moment I heard the concept of his book. There are countless superhero/villain plots out there, but We Can Be Heroes stands out for its unique plot. I loved that the female character was the one with strength and speed powers, whereas the male character had mental powers. I loved the witty banter between Zoe and Jamie. I loved that the two main characters were a male and a female, and that there wasn’t a romantic relationship between them. Basically, I loved everything about this book.

Read this book if you like:

Marvel movies, superheroes, adventures, origin stories

Things to be aware of:

This book is intended for adults, but I think it would also have tons of crossover appeal for kids in high school. There is some swearing, but there isn’t sexual content that would make it inappropriate for a younger audience.

Book details:

Punching the Air

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Amal is an artist, a poet, a sensitive soul trapped by his circumstances. He was convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, and now he’s been sentenced to prison. In gorgeous verse, Punching the Air explores the harsh realities of mass incarceration, the school-to-prison pipeline, and the intersection of race and justice. Yusef Salaam, one of the coauthors, is a member of the Exonerated Five (formally known as the Central Park Five); he and Ibi Zoboi draws on his memories of being a falsely convicted teen to paint a beautiful, heart-rending picture of hope amidst tragedy.

What I loved most:

This book focuses on Amal’s time in prison. There are some flash backs to his life in school, and the night of the incident that landed him in prison, but it’s specifically a book about a teen being incarcerated. I recently heard the authors give the opening keynote at SLJTeen Live, and they mentioned that they are working with their publishers to get copies of this book into the hands of incarcerated teens. I love when authors and publishers are willing to do what’s right – in this case, that they are ensuring that the book will be accessible to the very population who will see themselves reflected in its content.

Another cool thing: the pages of this book are art. Not only is this story written in verse (an art in and of itself), but there are graphic elements on many of the pages. I read the story in an Advanced Readers’ Copy (thanks, Balzer + Bray!), so I’m sure the design will be a little different in the final book. However, the gorgeous layout added so much to the story.

Things to be aware of:

There is a decent amount of swearing in this book, as well as violent content.

Read this book if you like:

Novels in verse, criminal justice reform, artistic expression, books inspired by a true story

Book details:

  • Author: Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam
  • Publisher: Balzer + Bray
  • Date of Publication: September 1, 2020
  • Age Recommendation: High school students
  • Look up Punching the Air on Worldcat to find it at a library near you!

Welcome to Unicorn School

~ rachelbenzine ~ 1 Comment

Plot:

Mira is so pumped for her first time at Unicorn School. Her older sister has gone for the last two summers, and it’s finally Mira’s turn! She’ll get paired with her own unicorn, and they’ll go on magical quests and earn medals and probably be best friends. This is going to be great! But then, on her first day, she gets paired with Dave. Dave is small, and rotund, and falls asleep in class, and doesn’t seem anything like the unicorn best friend that Mira has dreamed of. Welcome to Unicorn School is full of unicorns, glitter, and fart jokes… what more could you ask for? This is absolutely going to be a hit with all of the kids I know. 

What I loved most:

There’s such awesome diversity in this book. Mira is a person of color, as is her new friend, Raheem. Her other friend, Darcy, uses a wheelchair, and her inclusion in all of their activities is natural and presented as the norm. I love when books exhibit diversity as something to be expected, especially in stories for younger kids. 

Read this book if you like:

Like I said above… unicorns, glitter, and fart jokes (so basically the trifecta for elementary kids). Also read if you like laughing, adventures, summer camps, and donuts. 

Book details: