In early 16th-century Korea, King Yeonsan terrorizes the populace, torturing those he considers enemies and kidnapping women as consorts. Iseul, 17, was raised in a noble family but her parents were killed in one of the king’s sweeping campaigns of vengeance. Now her older sister, Suyeon has been kidnapped by the king and Iseul is determined to rescue her.
Starred Review of the Week
Across So Many Seas
In a novel that spans centuries and countries, the individual lives and experiences of four twelve-year-old girls coalesce to tell the story of one Sephardic Jewish family.
Joyful Song: A Naming Story
This Shabbat service will be special for brown-skinned Zachary and his Jewish family. It’s his baby sister’s first Shabbat, and he and his moms (one of whom is Black, and one white) will announce her name to the world.
Born Naughty: My Childhood in China
An utterly delightful, early chapter book memoir chronicles author Jin Wang’s life in Nan Ba Zi, a village (“about eighteen houses…and a tiny store”) in Inner Mongolia, China, the year she was eight.
Looking for Smoke
Four Blackfeet teens relate their versions of events following the murder of their friend, Samantha, during an Indian Days ceremony. The community is already on edge after the disappearance of Loren’s sister, Rayanne, a few weeks prior; when Rayanne’s body is found, it’s clear that her and Samantha’s murders are connected.
The Kodiaks: Home Ice Advantage
Moving from the reserve where he’s grown up to Winnipeg for his dad’s new job, Alex (Cree) starts grade 6 without his best friend George or his old hockey team, the North Stars. A skilled player, Alex is doing great at tryouts for a new team in Winnipeg; then another kid, Terrence, calls him “Chief” while aggressively checking him.
Just Like Millie
When this book’s young, white narrator and her mom move into a new apartment in a new city, she feels comfortable and safe there. She enjoys reading and independent play. But meeting new people? That’s a different story.
Everybody’s Book: The Story of the Sarajevo Haggadah
Repeatedly evading theft and destruction with the help of many over several centuries, a treasured book becomes a symbol of hope in a war-torn land.
Shut Up, This Is Serious
An affecting debut novel explores intersecting challenges in the lives of two teenage girls. Ever since Pa left, taking the family’s savings with him, Mexican American Belén has been struggling both in school—she’s flunking—and at home. Her mom is either absent or, if she’s home, crying; her older sister, Ava, works constantly to help support them.
The First State of Being
In August 1999, 12-year-old Michael Rosario is preparing for possible disaster with the turn of the new century (Y2K) when he meets Ridge, a teenager who’s time-traveled from 2199.