The Sun Does Shine, by Anthony Ray Hinton

     The long title of this book is The Sun Does Shine: An Innocent Man, A Wrongful Conviction, And The Long Path To Justice. This non-fiction book tells the story of Author Ray Hinton, a Black man wrongly accused of murder in Alabama some 30 years ago. Throughout the course of his story we see how racism and the United States "justice" system is able to work together to put people behind bars - even send them to death row - regardless of the facts presented (and not presented), and the holes in a criminal case.

    Hinton's story is difficult to read. How can we, as readers, understand the reality of being in prison, as days turn into weeks turn into months turn into years. I don't think we can fully comprehend what that would be like. Add to that struggle the knowledge of being innocent, as it was finally proven that Hinton was, after more than half his lifetime spent on death row. Death Row prisoners are in prison knowing that at some point the judicial system will put them to death. Hinton's "crime" was being a Black man in Alabama when a murder occurred, and the police needed to find someone to blame. 

    The book starts off slowly, full of moments when Hinton talks about being innocent and putting his faith in God, but for a while these confessions fall a little short because, as a reader, we of course know that many people who have done something wrong will claim to be innocent. Anyone facing death would likely claim not to have done it, whatever "it" was, right? So it takes some time, as details of the case unfold, for us as readers to start to fully believe Hinton. Once he convinces us, we are locked into this story, and it is a long, difficult read.

    Mush like Steve Sheinkin's Port Chicago 50, The Sun Does Shine is a true story that spotlights the holes in our nation's justice system, and how far we still have to go to see all people as equal and worthy, no matter the color of their skin. 5 paws.

Shatter Me, by Tahere Mafi

     Shatter Me is the first book in the Shatter Me series by author Mafi. This begins a dark, dystopian series where main character Juliette is locked in some sort of solitary confinement prison for reasons we, as readers, don't yet know. A lot of her thoughts are crossed out in the book, where we can still read them but to show she is battling to block out unwanted, negative thoughts in her mind and only focus on helpful thoughts. This gives her an even more unsettled "appearance". When a new person is thrown into her cell with her - a young man, no less - she is certain this person has been put into her cell to hurt her. Turns out she is wrong...

    This book and the series get great reviews across the board, so if dark, dystopian stories really excite you, give this a try! My human passed this along to an 8th grade reluctant reader not long ago and she claimed this as "the best book I have EVER read!". Myself, I didn't love this book...it was far too angsty, even for an old, angsty pug like me. But I can see how it would appeal to many middle school-aged readers, and even into high school. Check out a few other reviews, or better yet, give it a few dozen pages and see if it grabs your attention. It likely will, and if it doesn't, know you are still in good reading company with your favorite reading pug! 3 paws.

The Dreamer, by Pam Munoz Ryan

     If you don't know author Pam Munoz Ryan yet, for such wonderful stories as Esperanza Rising and Becoming Naomi Leon, please put either of these books on your reading list! She tells a great story, better than most, and The Dreamer does not disappoint. Be forewarned that The Dreamer is a rhythmic, slower-paced story, not a swashbuckling adventure tale. But if you take the time to allow Ryan to captivate you with the the pace of this tale, you will be rewarded with a tale of nature, strength, and the love of words.

    The Dreamer is the story of young Neftali, growing up in Chile with his two siblings, stepmom, and father, who is as close to a bully as any character I've read. Neftali loves nature, he is adventurous and curious, and finds joy in almost everything. He has a fantastic imagination and is destined to become a famous writer or poet someday. In fact, Neftali does grow up - to be famous poet Pablo Neruda. Ryan tells the tale of one of the world's most-read poets, and interweaves Naruda's poetry throughout the story. Through the story of his childhood, Ryan shows how he blends his curious nature and love for words with the strength he finds to follow his dreams, in spite of his father's strong wishes to the contrary.

    This books is in a category all by itself as far as it's pace and depth. The closest author I can think of who is anything like Ryan might be Margarita Engle, whose books also capture the beauty and complexity of words like few others. Treat yourself to The Dreamer, in a nice quiet space where you can really sink into what Ryan is offering. You won't be disappointed! 4 paws!

Doomed: Sacco, Vanzetti & the End of the American Dream, by John Florio and Ouisie Shapiro

     In the 1920s, the United States was gripped by fear - a fear of people who might not love America and everything it did and stood for. This was not the first time our country has experienced these fears, nor was it the last. In the book Doomed, authors Florio and Shapiro tell the story of two Italian immigrants who were living in the U.S., Sacco with his wife and daughter, Vanzetti on his own, in the early 1900s when a robbery occurred that resulted in two men being shot and killed. In a race to find someone - anyone - responsible for this crime, Sacco and Vanzetti were charged, although neither was at the scene of the crime at the time it occurred. They were charged because they were Italian immigrants, and because their political views did not match those of many White Americans. Sacco and Vanzetti were anarchists, which meant in some part that they were against the war that the U.S. was involved in (World War 1). Because they chose to leave the country for Mexico for a period of time, rather than be drafted to fight in a war they did not believe in, they were charged with murder, tried and convicted. Sentenced to death.

    Their story was circulated around the world, and many people spoke out in their defense and in favor of a fair re-trial. But in the spirit of the times in the U.S., there was not room for reason or justice. The system wanted someone to pay for the crimes, and these two men just happened to be who was chosen.

    This book tells an important story in our country's history, but isn't written as well as a book by, say, author Steve Sheinkin (my favorite non-fiction writer to date). Yet it's a story worth knowing. If you enjoy history, especially United States history, World War 1 or the early 1900s in the U.S., this book may appeal to you. I have studied U.S. history a lot, and knew of these two men, although this book helped me better understand their complete story better. But as a stand alone, I'm not sure it will appeal to most of you. So, read it if 1900s U.S. history is an interest to you. If it isn't, I don't think this book will hold your interest for long. 3 paws.

Ghostlight, by Kenneth Oppel

     If you like ghosts - good ghosts, bad ghosts, scary ghosts, helpful ghosts - you will love the newest book by veteran storyteller Kenneth Oppel. Ghostlight tells the story of Rebecca Strand, who was 16 when she saw her father kill a ghost for the first time. Flash forward nearly two hundred years to Gabe, a teen who gives lighthouse tours as part of his job at the local carnival. Gabe's tour includes stories of ghosts inhabiting the lighthouse, although he doesn't really believe the stories - until he meets Rebecca!

    What follows is a fairly fun adventure as Gabe and two of his best friends try to help Rebecca "recover" her father from the Darth Vader of all ghosts, Viker. Along the way Gabe struggles with the loss of his own father, as well as making choices that will shape who he is as he grows up. And of course what would a good ghost story be without a hint of romance, even if one of the two people involved is a ghost!

    A little bit Goosebumps, a little bit Percy Jackson, Ghostlight will definitely entertain you if you are a fan of either of these two series. It is a fast-moving, ghostly fun romp through the city of Toronto, with plenty of scary ghosts (sometimes almost too scary) to keep you on your toes. 4 paws!

We Are Not Free, by Traci Chee

     From the author of the wonderful Reader trilogy (Sea of Ink and Gold) comes this very powerful historical fiction story about the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War 2. Chee's book tells the story from the perspective of 14 different teenagers, all living in San Francisco until they and their families are torn from their homes, businesses, and lives and sent to live in makeshift prisons in different parts of the country. Once Japan bombs Pearl Harbor, all Japanese Americans are seen as potential enemies, potential spies, and they become targets of American hate and prejudice, much like Middle Eastern-looking Americans did when 9-11 happened. The history of the United States is at once great and terrible, and Chee peels back the cover of one of the more terrible elements of our history.

    Years ago I read a book about two boys whose friendship was tested when Japanese Americans became "suspects" during WW2, but for the life of me I cannot remember the title (but I can still picture the cover!). However, there are some amazing authors writing about the Asian American experience, and if you want more like We Are Not Free, check out any books by Grace Lin, Cynthia Kadohata, or Under the Blood Red Sun by Graham Salisbury. I love books that create windows into lives I will never live, but by reading them we hopefully become more compassionate people. And who doesn't want a world with more caring and compassion in it?

    We Are Not Free is a strong and powerful book, and because of the way Chee structures each chapter to be the voice of a different teen, it reads almost like a book of short stories. It took me a chapter or two to settle into the rhythm of the story, but once I did, I could not read this fast enough! This will warm your heart - and break your heart - all at once. Written more for older middle grade readers than younger, everyone will get something important from this story. 5 paws!

Starfish, by Lisa Fipps

     A debut novel by author Lisa Fipps, this book tells the story of Ellie who, ever since she wore a whale swimsuit and cannon balled into a pool at her 5th birthday party, has been teased, bullied and labeled by others for her weight. Girls at school, her bother, and perhaps most impactful, her mother. Ellie does her best to cope, dodging barbs from seemingly all directions as she tries simply to be a middle school-age girl, doing things young teens do as they grow up. She finds refuge in the pool, where she feels weightless in a weight-obsessed world. In the water, she can take up all the space she wants, like a starfish!

    Starfish follows Ellie from being a victim to finding her voice, with ALL of her bullies. It is a wonderful book, written in verse, and author Fipps writes at the end of the story that even though the attacks Ellie survives seem over the top, that she writes this story from experience, which makes the book all the more impactful. 

    I read a lot of books, especially for a pug, and a lot of books show me lives different from my own. Those other lives and experiences can be because of race (Kwame Alexander), gender (Melissa, Lily and Dunkin), physical appearance (Wonder), and many other factors. I don't recall reading many (any?) books where weight issues take the stage, but Starfish leads the pack of well-written books tackling this issue. Read this, it is an important story! 5 paws!

The Door of No Return, by Kwame Alexander

     The latest chapter book by one of my favorite authors, Kwame Alexander! He writes most of his books in verse, which I think would be much harder than writing in a "regular" book format, and I always appreciate that about his writing. I also appreciate how good he is at it, and at how good of a storyteller he is. If you've never read Crossover, do yourself a favor and read it now!

    The Door of No Return is the story of Kofi, a young boy in western Africa living a young boy's life with his extended family and friends around him. Alexander explains in his author notes at the end of the story that he set out to write a book of African American history, a history that many of us think begins in 1619 when Africans began arriving in the Colonies as slaves. Alexander created this book to help show that the slave trade was the middle of the African American story, not the beginning, and the beginning might look something like The Door of No Return.

     I don't want to give anything away from the story, so I will say that it took me a bit to find the rhythm of this book, as I am not well versed in African names, and adding that two characters have the same first name in the story made it a little tough for me to follow. But only for a while, and then...before I knew it, I could not put this book down! This is a good book, and important book, and an important element of the history of our nation that we don't usually get to see unless we go looking for it. As Alexander writes in this book, "Until the lions tell their side of the story, the tale of the hunt will always celebrate the hunter."  In this case, the hunters are the Whites who stole Africans from their homes and families and shipped them to the "new world" as slaves. For hundreds of years.

    We need more diverse literature in young adult and teen lit, and Alexander and this book are a vital part of that need. Everyone needs to read a book like this, but especially you, so that you can be a part of a different future. 5 paws!

The Science of Breakable Things, by Tae Keller

     From the author of Newbery Award-winning author Keller comes a really heartwarming book about Natalie, a seventh-grader with a tender heart. The Science of Breakable Things is multifaceted in its themes, addressing depression, friendship, race/culture, and family in a very realistic story that is written in an easy to read style. much like When You Trap a Tiger, the award-winner. It reminds me a lot of some of my favorite realistic fiction books that are good at just telling a really good story, such as Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech or Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. As fantasy stories continue to take up more than their fair share of the new titles coming out for middle school readers, I love to find a book like this for a breath of realistic fresh air. 4 paws!

Snapdragon, by Kat Leyh

 A graphic novel, current-season ORCA book, and past OBOB book! This is a good story from a current contributor to the Lumberjanes series, which is one of my favorite graphic novel series! Snapdragon is the story of a spirited young girl who lives with her hardworking single mom and also happens to befriend the local witch, Jacks. Through this unlikely friendship, Snap finds the magic within herself, and the kindness she possesses, in spite of her rough exterior, to see other people as they are and discover that not everyone is who or what they appear to be, or who other people think they are supposed to be. Confused? You won't be once you journey into Leyh's latest offering. A blend of realistic fiction, fantasy, and an interesting meeting up of both genres. I found myself a little sad when the story was over, as I was missing Snap and her life. I think you'll like this book, too! 4 paws!