Kids Book Index
Hannah V. Sawyerr
Seventeen-year-old Truth Bangura is pregnant, overwhelmed, and lying to the people around her, but her poems become a place where she can speak honestly. She wants a life beyond her hometown and is trying to decide what will happen to her body. When she joins a slam poetry club, Truth looks for a way to shape a future according to her own choices. The story is told in free verse.
This book appears on 2 reading lists across 1 edition from 2 organizations.
Among GhostsRachel HartmanCharl and his mother fled to the remote town of St. Muckle’s seven years ago and made a new home there. The town offers freedom to people who remain within its walls for a year and a day, and its muddy location has kept dragons away. When Charl sees a ghost, his past begins to threaten that safety. A tragic accident, murder, plague, and a mercenary dragon follow.Kids Favorites — 9th–12th GradeOn the same reading list for the same age or grade groupView book details
Malcolm Lives!: The Official Biography of Malcolm X for Young ReadersIbram X. KendiThis biography follows Malcolm X from childhood through adulthood. His early life included violence, loss, hunger, foster care, racism, and incarceration. He later became a Black Muslim, a father, a revolutionary, and an influential African American leader and activist. The book uses short chapters and language shaped by Malcolm’s speaking style. Primary-source documents and photographs introduce each chapter, and the volume includes extensive source notes.Teacher Favorites — 6th–8th GradeOn the same reading list for the same age or grade groupView book details
Up In SmokeNick BrooksAfter Jason pressures Cooper King to join a looting spree during a local march, gunshots are fired and someone dies. Cooper flees the scene, and news coverage shows four masked teenagers nearby, including Cooper and his friends. The story follows a girl working to clear her brother’s name and a boy trying to keep his own name out of danger, with a secret between them and a murderer to identify.Librarian Favorites — 9th–12th GradeOn the same reading list for the same age or grade groupView book details