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When Ernest Hemingway famously wrote, “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn,” he proved that an entire story can be told using a half-dozen words. In this book, a variety of writers try to sum up their life in six simple words. Clever and fun, this book is a perfect starting point for a similar writing lesson.

Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family. But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role. Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend, Lorena, and her first love (first everything), Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal? National Book Award Finalist and winner of the Tomás Rivera Mexican America Children’s Book Award. Also available in Spanish.

Living in a family with two perfect sisters and parents who just don’t get her, Ant MacPherson finds it easier to lie. After all, the only one who appreciates her is her dog, Pistachio. But when a concerned teacher sees the truth behind Ant’s lies, it seems as though she might be in for a change 

By the time he was twenty-seven years old, Kwame Onwuachi had opened — and closed — one of the most talked about restaurants in America. He had sold drugs in New York and been shipped off to rural Nigeria to “learn respect.” He had launched his own catering company with twenty thousand dollars made from selling candy on the subway and starred on Top Chef. Through it all, Onwuachi’s love of food and cooking remained a constant, even when, as a young chef, he was forced to grapple with just how unwelcoming the food world can be for people of color. In this memoir about the intersection of race, fame, and food, he shares the remarkable story of his culinary coming-of-age.

Phillip Malloy likes to hum as the national anthem is played over the school’s intercom system each morning, despite his teacher’s pleas to stop. Through a series of journal entries, notes, and memos, Avi documents Phillip’s rise to fame, and the consequences he endures along the way.

Whether looking back to a troubled past or welcoming a hopeful future, the powerful voices of Indigenous women across North America resound in this book. In the same style as the best-selling Dreaming in Indian, #NotYourPrincess presents an eclectic collection of poems, essays, interviews, and art that combine to express the experience of being a Native woman. Sometimes angry, often reflective, but always strong, the women in this book will give teen readers insight into the lives of women who, for so long, have been virtually invisible.

Malcolm Little’s parents have always told him that he can achieve anything, but from what he can tell, that’s a pack of lies—after all, his father’s been murdered, his mother’s been taken away, and his dreams of becoming a lawyer have gotten him laughed out of school. There’s no point in trying, he figures, and lured by the nightlife of Boston and New York, he escapes into a world of fancy suits, jazz, girls, and reefer. But Malcolm’s efforts to leave the past behind lead him into increasingly dangerous territory. Deep down, he knows that the freedom he’s found is only an illusion—and that he can’t run forever. X follows Malcolm from his childhood to his imprisonment for theft at age twenty, when he found the faith that would lead him to forge a new path and command a voice that still resonates today.

Sixteen-year-old November has just lost her boyfriend Josh in an unfortunate accident. She also found out that she is pregnant with his baby. While she deals with the drama in her own life, Josh’s cousin and best friend, Jericho, is also reeling from the unexpected death. Will Jericho be able to support November through the worst time in both of their lives?

From community theater, dinner theater, and commercials to auditions around the country and finally a place at a prestigious boarding school for the arts, Hope Shays makes sure nothing gets between her and the spotlight. Hope knows she’s good. She’s so convinced she’s good that she stages her own kidnapping — she’ll fool everybody and end up famous beyond her mother’s wildest dreams.

This anthology features 30 brief biographies of notable Latino women and men who have made their mark in entertainment, sports, education, politics, advocacy, music, science, and social justice. (Also available in Spanish as Nuestra América: 30 latinas/latinos inspiradores que han forjado la historia de Los Estados Unidos)

The narrator, 10-year-old Annemarie, and her family defy the Nazis as Danish Jews are gathered for transport to death camps. They help Annemarie’s best friend, Ellen Rosen, and her family escape to Sweden. The horror of World War II is mitigated by the limited view of the narrator, yet the courage of individuals shines through for a breathtaking look at this time in history.

Obie knew his transition would have ripple effects. He has to leave his swim coach, his pool, and his best friends. But it’s time for Obie to find where he truly belongs. As Obie dives into a new team, though, things are strange. Obie always felt at home in the water, but now he can’t get his old coach out of his head. Even worse are the bullies that wait in the locker room and on the pool deck. Luckily, Obie has family behind him. And maybe some new friends too, including Charlie, his first crush. Obie is ready to prove he can be one of the fastest boys in the water — to his coach, his critics, and his biggest competition: himself.

Once Upon an Eid is a collection of short stories that showcases leading Muslim voices writing today, all about the most joyful holiday of the year: Eid! Eid: The short, single-syllable word conjures up a variety of feelings and memories for Muslims. Maybe it’s waking up to the sound of frying samosas or the comfort of bean pie, maybe it’s the pleasure of putting on a new outfit for Eid prayers, or maybe it’s the gift giving and holiday parties to come that day. Whatever it may be, for those who cherish this day of celebration, the emotional responses may be summed up in another short and sweet word: joy. The anthology also includes a poem, graphic-novel chapter, and spot illustrations. Winner of Middle East Book Honor Award.

Rita Williams-Garcia tells the story of three sisters who travel to Oakland, California, in 1968 to meet the mother who abandoned them.

Back home, nine-year-old Anaïs was the best English student in her class, but here in Crazy America it feels like she doesn’t know English at all. Nothing makes sense (chicken fingers?), and the kids at school have some very strange ideas about Africa. Anaïs misses home and the family left behind. So she writes letters to her grandmother and tells her all about the weird things Crazy Americans do, and how she just might be turning into a Crazy American herself. Inspired by the author’s work with students learning English, this sweet, often funny middle-grade novel explores differences and common ground across cultures.

Obayda’s family is in need of some good fortune, and her aunt has an idea to bring the family luck — dress Obayda, the youngest of four sisters, as a boy, a bacha posh. Life in this in-between place is confusing, but once Obayda meets another bacha posh, everything changes. Their transformation won’t last forever, though — unless the two best friends can figure out a way to make it stick and make their newfound freedoms endure.

Poems of the Harlem Renaissance and new poems inspired by Harlem Renaissance poets and poetry combine to give voice to the experiences of Black life. 

Five students enter detention, but only four come out. One is dead, and one is lying…but who?

Thirteen-year-old Scott has learned a lot from his Dad — an ace pilot and flying instructor. When Scott adeptly lands a damaged plane on his own, NASA thinks he might just be the ideal candidate for a practice mission to space. Will Scott become the first teenager in space?

When Ruby’s mother dies, she must move to California to live with her movie-star father, whom she doesn’t really know. Though, she’s determined to hate her rich famous father and she misses her old life in Boston, she comes to accept her new life.

Discovering her ability to see ghosts when a cruel act ends her father’s life and forces her to move in with relatives in 1920s Pittsburgh, young Ophelia forges a helpful bond with a spirit whose own life ended suddenly and unjustly.

Jude never thought she’d be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives. At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven’t quite prepared her for starting school in the US — and her new label of “Middle Eastern,” an identity she’s never known before. But this life also brings unexpected surprises — there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. Maybe America, too, is a place where Jude can be seen as she really is.

What happens to a city kid who spends the summer in the country? Sheila Tubman (aka as Peter Hatcher’s nemesis) finds out as she confronts her fears ranging from dogs to swimming. Snappy dialog and recognizable characters come to life through Sheila’s narration.

The life and times of Eleanor Roosevelt are presented chronologically as though one is examining a scrapbook. Much like the approach the author uses for other historical figures, this look at Eleanor is almost intimate, certainly thorough, and compelling.