Leveen, Tom. SHACKLED

Leveen, Tom.  
SHACKLED
New York : Simon Pulse, 2015
IL YA
ISBN 1481422499
Pelly struggles with mood swings and anxiety. She has trouble being in public and has tried for years to overcome her issues.  They stem back to six years ago when she and her best friend were little.  They were playing a game of hide and seek in a department store. And Tara disappeared.  Pelly blames herself and has been trying to cope ever since.  She now works part time in a coffee shop and takes classes online.  When she thinks she sees Tara at the shop, her world starts spinning.  No one believes her that it was Tara.  After all, everyone assumes she died years ago.  As Pelly continues to investigate, she is joined by another employee of the coffee shop.  This girl really couldn't have been Tara, could it?



Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/h07vQ9VJgnqL0

Jones, Tayari. LEAVING ATLANTA

Jones, Tayari. 
LEAVING ATLANTA   
New York : Warner Books, 2002
IL YA
ISBN 0446528307

Three children growing up in Atlanta in 1979 find their world complicated by unimaginable events.  We meet LaTasha.  Social dynamics are changing and girls she thought were her friends are treating her badly.  When Jashante shows some interest in her, she is really torn about what is going on.  Then there is Rodney, too weird to have any friends. He is the brunt of jokes and is usually seen by himself reading.  The last part of the story is told by Octavia -- too black and too outspoken. She tries to be nice to other students but she still finds herself sitting alone in the lunchroom while kids call her names.  All the kids are also going through issues at home.  When the child murders begin, the kids' lives get even harder.

Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/uzQ2V2oVTus8b

Atkins, Jeanne. STONE MIRRORS : THE SCULPTURE AND SILENCE OF EDMONIA LEWIS

Atkins, Jeanne.  STONE MIRRORS : THE SCULPTURE AND SILENCE OF EDMONIA LEWIS
New York : Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2017
IL YA
ISBN 1481459058

This is a fictional account of sculptor Edmonia Lewis.  Lewis was the daughter of an Ojibwe woman and an African Haitian man.  Her father left before she was born and her mother passed away when she was young.  Lewis studied at Oberlin but was asked to leave after being falsely accused of poisoning and theft.  She moved to Boston and was able to get some work creating busts of famous Civil War heroes.  The world really opened for her when she received a commission to create a marble statue of Abraham Lincoln.  Lewis was able to move to Italy and began working in marble.  Although not much is known about Lewis, Atkins uses verse to tell the story of what we do know.

Podcast: https://spark.adobe.com/video/WuabWKYtDhJHI

Madonia, Kristen-Paige. INVISIBLE FAULT LINES

Madonia, Kristen-Paige. INVISIBLE FAULT LINES
New York : Simon & Schuster, 2016
IL YA
ISBN 1481430718

Callie's father has disappeared.  He simply didn't come home from work one day.  No warning.  No reason.  He is just gone.  As Callie tries to come to terms with her father's disappearance, her friends try to help her cope.  When they take her to an art exhibit, Callie cannot believe her eyes.  There in a photograph from the 1906 earthquake is a man who looks exactly like Callie's father.  Of course that can't be him.  The story then shifts to the earthquake's aftermath and we meet a man who cannot remember who he is and how he got there.  How can these two stories be related?


Podcast:  https://spark.adobe.com/video/myNVGP8P8U47G

Karo, Aaron. ME YOU US

Karo, Aaron.  ME YOU US
New York : Simon Pulse, 2016
IL YA
ISBN 1481440640
Shane has had his heart broken.  Many high school kids feel this at one time or other.  But for Shane, it came out of the blue and he vowed to try to figure out why.  While studying the situation, Shane comes up with the secret of dating.  He devises a formula, or Galgorithm and becomes the go to guy for students (and a teacher or two).  He tries to keep his role a secret and certainly doesn't take any money for the lessons.  His Galgorithm works great for others.  So why is he alone?


Podcast:  https://spark.adobe.com/video/qjgsing1qNr3D

Carbone, Courtney. MACBETH #KILLINGIT

Carbone, Courtney.  MACBETH #KILLINGIT
New York : Random House, 2016
IL YA
ISBN 0553538802

Have you heard of the Shakespeare play Macbeth?  It is one of his better-known tragedies that has been a favorite for centuries.  But you probably have never seen it like this.  Carbone has adapted this play and retold the story in texts!  What do you think?
Podcast:  https://spark.adobe.com/video/glNTW8P5lbf5g

Budhos, Marina Tamar. WATCHED

Budhos, Marina Tamar.  WATCHED
New York : Wendy Lamb, 2016
IL YAISBN 0553534181

Meet Naeem Rahman.  He spends his days cutting classes and running the streets of Queens.  Since his family immigrated from Bangledesh, he feels like he has to keep running.  When a friend tricks him into shoplifting, Naeem's life takes a drastic turn.  Instead of feeling he is being watched by all the cameras and police, Naeem agrees to become the one watching.  To stay out of jail, he agrees to spy on his neighbors and report back about suspicious activities.  From the mosque to the streets to the people in the neighborhood, Naeem reports on them all.
Podcast:  https://spark.adobe.com/video/5PNBJlBNpfQmn