Si, Se Puede--Yes, you can!

**This week started with me spraining my toe and then getting a cold. I couldn't go to yoga or run, but I was able to read more Cybils' nominated books! Here's this week's round-up: 1. PIECING ME TOGETHER by Renee Watson: Moving tale of Jade who feels the way out of her poor neighborhood is to do well in school. Then an opportunity comes her way-Woman to Woman, a mentorship program that promises a scholarship if she joins. This story shows a strong community and a protagonist who breaks the usual trite stereotypes. Explores themes of police brutality; race, privilege, and also friendship. 2. AMERICAN STREET by  Ibi Zoboi This one shows us a Haitian teen's experience in the United States after her mother is detained and threatened to be send back.  Fabiola ends up living with her cousins and her aunt. There's magical realism throughout this story, but mostly one of the power of family. 3.  LITTLE & LION by Brand...

This week's picks include a girl who accidentally gets locked in a library during a holiday weekend with a 'bad' boy;  a modern-day twist on The Canterbury Tales;  a teen's journey during the aftermath of Hurricane Karina; and a tale exposing injustices in a small Canadian town. 1.  BY YOUR SIDE by Kasie West Sweet tale of what happens after a girl finds out a so-called bad boy isn't all that during their time locked together in a library. Also does a great job portraying a teen dealing with anxiety. 2.   FERAL YOUTH This novel has ten different POVs written by different YA authors. Think YA meets a modern day Canterbury Tales only send in a youth correction camp. **One of my favorite's has to be YA author Suzanne Young's take of a teen who is sent on this wilderness retreat after she refuses to bow down to the school dress code that only seems to penalize girls and not boys. 3.  BETWEEN TWO SKIES by Joa...

I'm excited to announce that the sequel to CROSSED OUT is now out! Here's the cover: The blurb: Stephanie Stewart is a typical sixteen-year-old girl—she loves hanging out with her friends, going to concerts, and sipping mocha lattes. Yup. Just your average teenager . . . Except for one difference—she can see and talk to the dead. In fact, Stephanie helps dead girls who who’ve been murdered or killed, cross over. Just as Stephanie is getting used to her unique “gift”, her mom stumbles into some dangerous witchcraft that backfires and triggers similar abilities in Stephanie’s best friend Cura, and nemesis Hillary. Stephanie already has enough trouble trying to maintain a “normal” life between school and her cute boyfriend Dylan, who happens to have a supernatural talent all his own. But now she has to help her friend Cura and her “frenemy” Hillary cope with their new-found powers as well as cross over two murdered cheerleaders and battle an evil demon who wa...

This week's Cybils theme has to be diversity: I've always been a big proponent for having books that mirror us. When I was a bilingual teacher back in the 90s and early 00s, there wasn't much out there for those who shared my students and my own Mexican heritage. Which is why I'm so HAPPY that more books are now coming out that showcase different cultures/heritages. 1.  YOU BRING THE DISTANT NEAR by Mitali Perkins There is so much to love about this multi-generational tale of five women. It deals with immigration and shows how hard it is to acclimate into a different country and the prejudices/ racism that follows. I really loved this book something fierce. I especially loved the story of the sisters, Sarah and Tara.  2. THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR by Nicola Yoon This story deals with two very different teens who just happen to run into each other on a busy New York City street. Natasha and her family are to be deported back to Jamaica after he...