This is the story of a boy in prison, who was wrongfully accused. I thought it was going to be one of the authors' actual story, so I was confused for a little while. I think it's a powerful look at the prison system and how it treats juveniles, and also white kids versus children of color, particularly Black children.

I liked this one, but I feel like I liked it more because I've seen Onwuachi's season of Top Chef and his appearances on the current season. I wonder if I would enjoy it knowing nothing about him. I did feel like I was missing something by not reading the one aimed at adults, which I would like to do now.

I do like the four P's mentioned in this book, and I definitely want to incorporate them more into my programs. My one caveat is that it is more Scratch focused then I expected. It's used to specifically illustrate the 4 P's, but as someone who has repeatedly tried to get into Scratch and not been able to, it was lost a little bit on me. Still, there's enough here to give you ideas of expanding learning.

As a teen, I was obsessed with "The Princess Diaries" so it's probably not a surprise that I loved this book. Izumi has never known who her father is, but one day, by chance, she and her best friend Noora discover that he's actually the Crown Prince of Japan. She manages to reach out to him and he invites her to visit so they can get to know each other. This book explores Japanese royal protocols, the difficulty of learning a new language and customs, and classism. It also has the added touch of exploring how it feels when you're not 100% accepted in your country, but when you visit the country you think will welcome you, you're not necessarily better off. A little romance too doesn't hurt.

I really enjoyed this one. Amari is a very relatable character, comparing herself to others and not always measuring up. I think this one goes into the ways life is difficult for black girls in a way that feels true but isn't overwhelming.

Amari's brother goes missing, and she's convinced she can find him when she finds out that he's been secretly working in the supernatural world. Life in the supernatural world isn't any easier than the normal world, especially if your special talent is illegal.

Spoiler

It was also a really good way to introduce passing/privilege, because there have been magicians in the Bureau but because they come from families like the Van Helsings and have been taught how to hide their magic, it doesn't affect them the same way.

I was reading this for Vi Morandi, and she doesn't really show up in this one, and I don't have access to the rest of the series. Sigh. Oh well.

So I really, really like this one. I think a lot of teens (especially girls) can relate to comparing themselves to their best friend and coming up short, as Charlie does often in this book. And wow, is her mom a lot to handle. The romance is really sweet, but I do think it wraps up a bit quickly at the end. Still, I really really enjoyed it.

I didn't know a lot about Pele, so it was interesting to read this book. I had no idea about the womanizing, so that was a shock to me. He did a lot for his community and soccer as a sport, and they didn't always treat him very well.

Who doesn't love a book about magical orphanages? When Linus Baker is rocked out of his routine by being sent to a classified orphanage on a remote island, he discovers all the color he has been missing. I hope to be as good with children someday as Arthur and Linus are. I also really, really, have a soft spot for Lucy. That child stole the show for me.

This would be an excellent candidate for the Alex Award.

Summers knows how to write a good thriller about sisters. In this one, Lo has been abandoned by her sister Bea after a horrific car accident kills their parents and leaves Lo with a facial scar. Bea joined The Unity Project, and seemed to never want to see Lo again. Lo is convinced The Unity Project is a horrible cult, but when she meets the charismatic leader, will she still believe that?

I'll admit there was a point in the middle when I skimmed a little bit--I just wanted the answers! I also think the timeframe was really hard for me--trying to figure out how many years apart situations were. It was easy to see how everyone was manipulated into believing different things. I do think this one made it easier for me to see how people could end up in cults.