Each Tiny Spark by Pablo Cartaya

 

Emilia Torres has a wandering mind. It's hard for her to follow along at school, and sometimes she forgets to do what her mom or abuela asks. But she remembers what matters:  a time when her family was whole and made sense. Emilia expects that her life will get back to normal when Dad returns from deployment, but instead it unravels. 

Beverly, Right Here by Kate DiCamillo

 Beverly, Right Here by Kate DiCamillo

Beverly Tapinski has run away from home plenty of times, but that was when she was just a kid. Now that she's fourteen years old, she figures it's not running away, it's just leaving. Determined to make it on her own, she finds a job and a place to live and tried to forget about her dog. If you love other books by Kate DiCamillo, this one will not disappoint you.

New Kid by Jerry Craft

 

Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents send him to a private school known for its academics, where Jordan turns out to be one of the few kids of color in his entire grade. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?

Other Words for Home

 

Jude never thought she'd be leaving her beloved brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming uncertain with the possibility of violence, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives. This is a novel in verse which means the story is told in a narrative poetry style instead of traditional novel style. This makes it a very quick and very enjoyable read!

Finding Orion

Finding Orion by John David Anderson

After reading Granted by John David Anderson, I've wanted to read every book by him! This book does not disappoint. Rion Kwirk comes from an odd family. His mom named him and his sisters after constellations, and his father makes funky-flavored jelly beans for a living. Rion and his family learn of Papa Kwirk's death the pile into the car to attend the funeral. Rion can't help but feel that this is not the end of Papa Kwirk's story and oh how right he turns out to be!