Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki (grades 7-9)

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking up with me is a graphic novel that follows Frederica "Freddy" Riley throughout her struggles with her on-again, off-again relationship with Laura Dean. It is a LGBTQ+ story written by Mariki Meddaugh. Mariko Tamaki is a Canadian artist and writer, she is known for her graphic novels and she also has several works of fiction and non-fiction works of proses. She started working for both Marvel and DC comics in 2016. You can see her work in; Batman: Detecive Comis, Supergirl Being Super and more.

Angel of Forced Love by Tara Meddaugh (Grades 4-6)

Tara Meddaugh is a play write who has performed in dozens of theaters around the world. She's been writing since she was a child and focus on comedic scenes. In this monologue, Brian is talking to his casual girlfriend Abby who does not believe that their relationship is going to succeed. Brian decides to convince her that he will learn how to love her and that this is just a hiccup.

Grumpy Monkey Oh, No! Christmas by Suzanne Lang illustrated by Max Lang (Grades 1-3)

It's Christmas time in the jungle, and Jim just can't get into the holiday spirit. Then Jim eats a "festive" green banana that makes him feel sick. Now everything seems worse. While all the other animals in the jungle are ready and eagerly awaiting Christmas, Jim can't stop feeling that this time of year stinks. But with his good friend Norman's help, Jim discovers that focusing on the good things around him instead of his own problems, is a reason to celebrate.

Winter House by Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang ( Grades 10+)

"Winter House" tells the story of a mother recounting and teaching her daughter the French words that her parents taught her. She differentiates the way both her parents speak and how that reflects their individual personalities. The speaker also recognizes that translations lack the connotations and love that have become so apparent to her as she's grown up and regrets to inform her daughter that those broken words are all that she has to offer as a liasion to her grandparents.

Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang is a teacher, children's writer and a poet with her poetry having won the Arc Magazine Reader's Choice for Poem of the Year. Her poetry book Sweet Devilry (2011) won the Gerald Lampert Award as well as Status Update (2013) being nominated for the Pat Lowther Award. Currently, Tsiang is the Creative Director for Poetry in Voice and the Poetry Editor at Arc Poetry Magazine.

Ideas of Home by Lorna Goodison ( Grades 7-9)

Lorna Goodison is an internationally acclaimed poet who served as Jamaica’s poet laureate from 2017 to 2020. In personal stories of her family and in explorations of the past, including the slave trade, she captures her homeland’s people, history and culture. Women’s resilience is a common theme in her 16 award-winning works of poetry, short fiction and non-fiction. In her latest collection. Goodison, while maintaining strong ties with her home country, divides her time between Toronto and Ann Arbor, Michigan.

In the Snow by Huy Voun Lee (Grades 3-6)

Huy Voun Lee first came to the United States as a Cambodian refugee, at the age of six. Her picture book, "In the Snow," is about a child, Xio Ming, who goes out into the winter snow with his mother. As he has been working on writing and knowing his Chinese characters, they bond over drawing out Chinese characters in the snow. While a simple concept, the book is an interesting reflection on blending aspects of different cultures together. Huy Voun Lee is also known for her origami, artwork, and other children's books that depict the immigrant and refugee experience, such as "Like a Dandelion."

In the Mid-Midwinter by Liz Lochhead ( Grades 1-3)

Elizabeth Anne Lochhead was born in Motherwell, Lanarkshire. Her parents had both served in the army during World War II and married in 1944. Her experience at primary school in Lochhead was the inspiration for her poem ‘A Protestant Girlhood’. She moved on to Dalziel High School in Motherwell, and at 15 had decided to go to art school. Despite her teachers encouraging her to study English at university. Elizabeth wrote her first poem, ‘The Visit’, after she entered the Glasgow School of Art in 1965. After graduating in 1970 she would continue to explore her writing talent in worship. In 1971 she won a Radio Scotland poetry competition, in 1972 she read with Norman MacCaig at a poetry festival in Edinburgh, and her first collection, Memo for Spring, was published in 1972. Alongside with her contemporaries: Alasdair Gray, Jim Kelman, Tom Leonard, Tom McGrath and Alan Spence Elizabeth Lochhead san stands out as a rare female presence and this has been enabling and inspiring for the generation that followed.

Chasm by Hieu Minh Nguyen (grades 10+)

Hieu Minh Nguyen identifies as a queer, Vietnamese American who practices both performance and poetry. He has two collections of poetry: 2014's This Way to the Sugar and 2018's Not Here. The poem included here, "Chasm", reckons with one of the the many unintended social and interpersonal consequences and complexities of America's involvement in the Vietnam War, and its direct effect on the speaker's family.

Before by Ada Limón (Grades 7-9)

Ada Limón is the USA’s 24th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry for 2022-2023. “Ada Limón is a poet who connects,” Congressional Librarian Hayden said. “Her accessible, engaging poems ground us in where we are and who we share our world with. They speak of intimate truths, of the beauty and heartbreak that is living, in ways that help us move forward.” Ada Limón was born in Sonoma, California, in 1976 and is of Mexican ancestry. She is the author of six poetry collections, including “The Carrying” (Milkweed Editions, 2018), which won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry; “Bright Dead Things” (2015), a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Books Critics Circle Award; “Sharks in the Rivers” (2010); “Lucky Wreck” (Autumn House, 2006); and “This Big Fake World” (Pearl Editions, 2006). She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University and is the recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the New York Foundation for the Arts, the Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center, and the Kentucky Foundation for Women.

Brother's Keeper by Julie Lee ( Grades 4-6)

North Korea. December, 1950. Twelve-year-old Sora and her family live under an oppresive communist regime. But war is coming, war between North and South Korea--and war is the perfect time to escape. The plan is simple: Sora and her family will walk hundreds of miles to the South Korean city of Busan from their tiny mountain village. They just need to avoid napalm, frostbite, border guards, and enemy soldiers. But when an incendiary bombing changes everything, Sora and her little brother Young will have to get to Busan on their own. Can a twelve-year-old girl and her eight-year-old brother survive three hundred miles of war zone in winter? In Brother's Keeper, Korean-American author Julie Lee recounts an edge-of-your seat survival story, inspired by the experiences of her mother, who fled the Korean War before moving to the United States. Writing prompt: Imagine somone you loved was in danger. Where would you take them for safety? What obstacles would stand in your way? Write a short story about helping your loved one to safety, no matter the cost.

The Poppy Lady: Moina Bella Michael and Her Tribute to Veterans by Barbara Elizabeth Walsh ( Grades 1-3)

Moina Belle Michael is a school teacher from Georgia who established the Flanders Field memorial Poppy as an universal sumbol of tribute to support veterans and their families during World War I and II. Michael was known as the Poppy Lady, who dedicated her life to servicemen and women, buying and placing flowers in gathering rooms before heading overseas. Barbara Elizabeth Walsh writes books for children. She grew up in Pennsylvania, twenty miles outside of Philadelphia, and right up the road from the Devon Horse Show. Whilst being there, She taught in a Catholoic private school. Shortly after she got married and moved to New Jersey, she decided to teach in the public school system. After she had her three sons, she stopped from teaching and volunteered to write publicity for local organizations instead. Her inspiration was heavily inspired by rediscovering a box of stories and poems she's written a long time ago.

Camouflaging the Chimera BY Yusef Komunyakaa (Grades 10+)

"Camoflauging the Chimera" is a poem that takes place during the Vietnam War from 1955-1975. It depicts the static and reserved nature of war and paints the picture of soldiers attempting to remain undetected in the rainforests of Vietnam and the quiet bonds that are created between soldiers and adjacent animals.The poem also explores the dubious mindsets of the soldiers and their tendency to accuse any disturbing force for trying to "uncover" their location to enemy forces. Yusef Komunyakaa was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana and received his BA from the University of Colorado Springs, his MA from Colorado State University, and an MFA from the University of California-Irvine. His poetry has been described as weaving "together personal narrative, jazz rhythms, and vernacular language to create complex images of life in peace and in war" (Poetry Foundation). He was the recipient of the Wallace Stevens Award in 2011 and has received several other honors and awards including and not limited to the William Faulkner Prize and the National Endowment for the Arts. Currently, Komunyakaa serves as Distinguished Senior Poet in New York University's graduate creative writing program.

Sharks in the Rivers Ada Limón (Grades 7-9)

Ada Limón is the USA’s 24th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry for 2022-2023. “Ada Limón is a poet who connects,” Congressional Librarian Hayden said. “Her accessible, engaging poems ground us in where we are and who we share our world with. They speak of intimate truths, of the beauty and heartbreak that is living, in ways that help us move forward.” Ada Limón was born in Sonoma, California, in 1976 and is of Mexican ancestry. She is the author of six poetry collections, including “The Carrying” (Milkweed Editions, 2018), which won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry; “Bright Dead Things” (2015), a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Books Critics Circle Award; “Sharks in the Rivers” (2010); “Lucky Wreck” (Autumn House, 2006); and “This Big Fake World” (Pearl Editions, 2006). She earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from New York University and is the recipient of fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the New York Foundation for the Arts, the Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center, and the Kentucky Foundation for Women.

The Skylarks' War By Hilary McKay Illustrated by Rebecca Green (Grades 4-6)

Set before and during World War 1, Hilary McKay's descriptive language and solemn, hopeful dialogue portrays the emotionally tolling aspects of war, not only for someone growing up in the middle of it, but also watching loved ones experience, survive, and risk themselves it as well. While the presence of fear is incredibly prevalent, the children's book also encourages hope during difficult times like this, depicting a beautiful story of loves and losses. Born in Boston, Lincolnshire, Hilary McKay is a British children's book writer and studied at St. Andrew's University in Zoology and Botany but studied English Literature and Fine Art unofficially. Growing up, she was surrounded by avid readers, which initally sparked her interest in literature. She began her writing career writing her first novel, Exile, and won the 1992 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. Her books exhibit a playful tone, ranging from emotional and real-world themes to light-hearted topics.

Dancing Hands How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln By Margarita Engle (Grades 1-3)

Beautifully and vibrantly illustrated by Rafael Lopez, the two creators of this book tell the story of a girl who lost everything to playing piano for President Abraham Lincoln. Dancing Hands is a heartfelt and inspirational picture book depicting the journey of Teresa Carreño and how music has provided her joy and hope amidst the revolution in Venezuela, then the Civil War in her new home, America. Engle's poetic imagery, storytelling, and rhyme majestically display the warm ups and devastating downs of Teresa's life, and overcoming her transitioning adversities with hope and light. Margarita Engle is a Cuban American author who served as the national Young People's Poet Laureate for 2017-2019. She has written verse novels, memoirs, and picture books, including The Surrender Tree, Enchanted Air, Drum Dream Girl, and Dancing Hands, winning awards such as Newbery Honor, Pura Belpré, Golden Kite, Walter, Jane Addams, PEN U.S.A., and NSK Neustadt, among others. Her poetry aims to converge imagination with reality, and instill compassion, courage, and exploration among youth.

Sisters in Arms by Kaia Anderson

Sisters in Arms tells the story of Grace Steele and Eliza Jones, two African American women who join the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps and who are among the first African American women allowed to serve in the United States Army. As the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion forms, Steele and Jones find themselves in wartorn Europe serving their country despite the dangerous that lie ahead. This story is based on the true story of the 6888th Postal Battalion, the only all-Black, female Battalion in the United States army that served overseas.

Kaia Alderson is a romantic comedy and historical romance author who has been featured on Bustle and Book Riot. She graduated from Spelman College and the University of West Georgia. Sisters in Arms was a July 2021 Book of the Month Club pick, a September 2021 Wall Street Journal Book Club pick, and a November 2021 Literati/Stephen Curry’s Underrated Book Club pick.

This Light Between Us by Andrew Fukuda

The Light Between Us is the story of ten-year-old Japanese American Alex Maki and ten-year-old Charlie Levy, a Jewish girl living in Paris. After becoming penpals in 1935 through a school assignment, the two remain unlikely friends as they grow up under the shadow of World War Two. Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour and the growing threat of Nazi persecution in Europe, the two must survive through the horrors of Manzanar Internment Camp, Auschwitz, and battlefields across Europe with only their memories and letters for strength.

Andrew Fukuda grew up in Hong Kong and graduated from Cornell University. He is the author of five books and currently resides in Long Island. The Light Between Us was the winner of the American Library Association's Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature.

When My Name Was Keoko by Linda Sue Park

Set in Korea during the 1940s, When My Name Was Keoko tells the story of a Korean family living under Japanese occupation during the Second World War. Centered around sister Sun-hee and brother Tae-Yul, the two children must confront the erasure of their Korean identity by the Japanese along with the dangers and tragedies of war, including Tae-Yul's eventual enlistment to become a kamikaze pilot for the Imperial Japanese Army.

Linda Sue Park has written numeours children's and picture books during her career as a writer. In 2002, her book A Single Shard won the Newberry Medal. When My Name Was Keoko was listed as a Publisher's Weekly best book of the year and a School Library Journal best book of the year. Before becoming a writer, Linda Sue Park attended Stanford University where she also competed on the gymnastics team.

Fish for Jimmy by Katie Yamasaki

Combining the literal events of the story with metaphorical images in her illustrations, Katie Yamasaki uses her experience as a muralist and an educator to tell the story of young brothers Jimmy and Taro who grow up in California in the 1940s. Following the attack on Pearl Harbour by Japan, their father is arrested by the FBI and, along with their mother, the boys are sent to an internment camp far away from their home on the Pacific.

Katie Yamasaki has painted over 80 murals in the United States while collaborating closely with the communities involved. She earned an MFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York where she was also a faculty member. Currently, Yamasaki is in a multi-year residency with the Women & Justice Project as well as a teaching artist in the Center for Fiction in Brooklyn.

They Are Hostile Nations by Margaret Atwood

Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Margaret Atwood is the author of more than 50 books of poetry, children’s literature, fiction, and non-fiction and is a Trustee of the Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry. She has won numerous awards and prizes, including the Man Booker Prize and the Governor General’s Award.