The book is about Native American teenager Arnold “Junior” Spirit Jr., who must deal with life on the Spokane Indian Reservation while attending a predominately white high school in a nearby town. The book openly discusses poverty, bullying and family violence – a perfect read during Banned Books Week in September.

I used an entire pack of Post-It flags marking pages with passages I wouldn’t want to forget: “I think the world is a series of broken dams and floods, and my cartoons are tiny little lifeboats.”

I read this book as part of a class in diversity studies and I was left hoping for so much more. Sure, Coates will get you fired up as he discusses what it means to be black today from his perspective. There’s no denying that violence against blacks is an ongoing issue in this country. However, if you’ve read some of Coates’ articles in The Atlantic magazine or Washington Post, it’s more of the same thing. This would make an excellent book club selection and it’s definitely a book that needs to be discussed.

You’re going to be hearing about this book and this author a lot over the next few months. Ward is probably going to rack up a ton of awards for this powerful story of a road trip gone wrong. It’s Southern, it’s racially fueled and it’s really good. Teen Jojo just wants to live a normal life with his grandparent caregivers Mam and Pop, and take care of his toddler sister, Kayla. But his drug-addicted mother Leonie has other plans when she hears that Jojo’s father, Michael, is being released from prison. Told from alternating points of view, this story will haunt you as the shackles of the characters’ pasts are unearthed in present day. The relationships are powerful and in the end, you long for Jojo to have the happy ending he so deserves.

This book was the first book published by wildly successful YA author Green after his 2012 release, “The Fault in Our Stars.” Thankfully, this book doesn’t suffer the teen angst love story that plagues his other novels. Instead, this book focuses more on mental illness and the way Aza Holmes tries to solve a local mystery with the help of her quirky friends. Elements of grief, love, obsessive-compulsive disorder and the power of friendship punctuate this novel and lead to a surprising ending. A must-read for Green fans and one I recommend for anyone hesitant to read his earlier works.

This YA book is a follow-up from Ness, who wrote the amazing book, “A Monster Calls.” This book was quite different but still interesting as it followed Adam, a gay teenager who is struggling with his parents, and the ghost of a classmate who was murdered by her boyfriend. Friendships change as graduation nears and the paranormal part of the book is the weakest as it tries to convey mystery. Ness said the book was inspired by Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway” and Judy Blume’s “Forever,” and fans of those will enjoy this take from a male perspective.

I’ve been on a middle-grade book kick lately, and this book gave me all the feels. It’s the beginning of middle school and 12-year-old Suzy struggles to deal with the surprising drowning death of her friend Franny. Suzy’s grief takes on the form of OCD and she desperately tries to prove that it was impossible for Franny to have drowned and that she must have been stung by a jellyfish. Her grief manifests in obsessive and detailed research about jellyfish. This was a fascinating book for any tween who is struggling with difficult emotions.

This book should be required reading for all managers and supervisors. Rubin’s research into happiness and habits revealed four distinct personality profiles – Obligers, Upholders, Questioners and Rebels – and understanding those profiles can help understand what motivates people. This is a great book for those who are fascinated by human behavior. There’s an online quiz that can help you determine your profile, too.

I reread this beloved book from my childhood in anticipation of watching the movie. Thirteen-year-old Meg Murry is on a mission with her friend and younger brother to rescue her father from another place. Aided by Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which, the gang travel to where her father is located by “wrinkling” time.

I’ve been on a Patrick Ness kick ever since I recently read the young adult novels, “Release” and “A Monster Calls” (both highly recommended for YA fans!).

This book has two story lines, one featuring high-school senior Mike, who wants to live a normal life and just go to prom and graduate, and the other with the extraordinary “indie kids” – all seemingly named Finn or Satchel – who have the power to save and destroy the world, and, occasionally, blow up the high school.

In the “real world,” Mike struggles with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder, and the family has issues that may be familiar for some readers: Dad is an alcoholic recluse, Mom is a power-hungry politician, sister Mel is an anorexic in recovery who nearly died, and Grandma has Alzheimer’s and lives in a nursing home. The other-world plot is appealing and integrates surprisingly well into the story, especially for those who are fans of superhero movies and realistic fiction television shows with vampires. I recommend this for fans of YA fantasy books and characters like those in a John Green novel.

I downloaded this book to my Kindle when it was first published in 2015 and forgot all about it until I recently was on a plane and going through my book list.

The book is a companion to Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “To Kill a Mockingbird.” It focuses on a 26-year-old Jean Louise Finch – better known as Scout – who returns home to Maycomb, Alabama to visit her aging father, Atticus. Civil rights issues are prevalent, and Jean Louise is forced to rethink her beliefs about her town, her beloved father and her longtime boyfriend, Henry.