Novels in Verse
Flooded: Requiem for Johnstown by Ann E. Burg – BOOK REVIEW
It is 1889, and the residents of Johnstown, Pennsylvania are preparing to honor those that served and those that lost their lives fighting for the Union in the Civil War. As Decoration Day approaches, six young people’s experiences reveal the nuances of life in this small, steel town.
Punching the Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam – BOOK REVIEW
Amal has a bright future. He is a talented artist and poet. Unfortunately, he must struggle against the biases his teachers and authority figures at his school hold toward Black students, like Amal. Amal looks past their prejudice and towards college. Yet, the discrimination he faces at his school pales in comparison to the systemic racism he encounters when he is embroiled in a fight amongst a group of white teenagers.
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi & Ryan Reynolds – BOOK REVIEW
It’s Eleanor’s birthday. After losing her mother in a random shooting on her birthday last year, her and her father, both white, decide to explore a slot canyon in the desert. Away from people. Away from crowds. Away from danger. Or so they think.
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson – BOOK REVIEW
ZJ’s father, a professional football player, is loved by all – fans, friends, and especially his family. Although Zachariah “44” Johnson is a menace on the field, he is anything but off of it. He is loving, caring, considerate, attentive, and honorable.
On the Horizon by Lois Lowry – BOOK REVIEW
On the Horizon takes readers from the shores of Pearl Harbor to the city of Hiroshima during and after World War II. After viewing the ghost of the USS Arizona on home video, author Lois Lowry recounts the devastation Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor caused.
Kent State by Deborah Wiles – BOOK REVIEW
Kent State retells the story of the events surrounding the infamous clash between student demonstrators protesting the Vietnam War and the National Guard at Kent State in Ohio.
