Tag Archives: Historical

MG – How to Say Goodbye in Cuban

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Miyares, Daniel. How to Say Goodbye in Cuban. Ann Schwartz Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, 2025. 978-0-593-56829-3. $21.99. 223 p. Grades 4-8.

Alongside his family twelve-year-old Carlos lives through the changes and hardships brought on by the Cuban Revolution of the late 1950s. Carlos lives in the beautiful Cuban countryside and lives a simple, idyllic life next door to his abuelo before Carlos’s father wins the lottery and moves the family away—into a large city home. Carlos’s papi also uses lottery money to start a lucrative business that is short-lived due to the coming governmental takeover of private property. Family conflicts and tensions run parallel to the escalating, unfolding political revolution in this graphic format memoir. Ultimately, Carlos and his family flee the country secretly, by boat, to avoid persecution from Fidel Castro’s new communist, Soviet-backed power.

THOUGHTS: This is a powerful graphic memoir written by Daniel Miyares to capture his father’s story of growing up and emigrating to America during the Cuban Revolution. The illustrations are detailed, colorful, and captivating; Miyares also includes enough information about the revolution to provide context for middle-grade readers without overwhelming them or making assumptions about their contextual background knowledge. This title would pair with Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis or other memoirs about growing up in the midst of political revolution and turmoil. Highly recommended at both elementary and middle school levels for purchase—an enduring standout in this year’s batch of graphic format titles.

Graphic Novel
Memoir

How to Say Goodbye in Cuban is a graphic novel based on the life of the father of Daniel Miyares, who is the author and illustrator. The story follows Carlos, a 12-year-old living in Cuba with his family. After his father hits the lottery, they leave family and friends to move to the city. Carlos has trouble fitting in, and the kids at his new school call him “Country Kid.” His father opened a furniture business and is always busy. Castro takes over and aligns Cuba with the Soviet Union. Castro takes over “factories, farms, private businesses, and homes” including Carlos’ father’s furniture business. They worry about the rebellion; their neighbors are taken away, and they hear shots nightly. The family has to make a decision to stay in Cuba or try to leave.

THOUGHTS: Carlos is a relatable character who doesn’t fully understand what is happening around him. History of Castro, Cuba, and the Bay of Pigs is sprinkled between chapters on muted colored pages. The author’s note at the back of the book tells how Miyares was told his father’s story of growing up in Cuba and his journey to the United States. My students will love this book. I would pair it with When Stars are Scattered. 

Graphic Novel
Memoir

YA – Nightbirds

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Armstrong, Kate J. Nightbirds. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2023. 978-0-593-46327-7. $19.99. 480 p. Grades 9-12.

In the world of Simta, there are some women who possess magic, but it’s forbidden for them to use it. The exception lies with The Nightbirds, teenage girls who have the power to transfer their magic to another through a kiss. These girls are protected, and the price for a visit is high. In order to keep them safe, their identities are kept secret. Matilde, Aesa, and Sayer are known only by their Nightbird titles: The Goldfinch, The Ptarmigan, and The Nightingale. When Sayer is attacked by a religious zealot and The Nightbirds take a hiatus from seeing visitors, the girls decide to look for answers about the attacker themselves. When they start asking questions, they discover that not everything they have told about themselves and their magic is true. Although they can share their power, they can harness it as well. Their discoveries about themselves as other magical girls give them a new sense of identity and purpose, and each will have to decide whether they want to stay in their cage or fight for their freedom.

THOUGHTS: Nightbirds is a fantasy, but it’s a fantasy based on the fashion, lifestyle, and prohibition era of 1920s America. In this world, it’s not prohibition against alcohol consumption, but magic use. It’s a unique idea and blends aspects of history and fantasy together. Readers will enjoy the themes of friendship and female empowerment as the mysteries and secrets of this magical world unravel for three, protagonists who grew up in very different worlds. Nightbirds is only the beginning of their stories, and readers will be eager to pick up book two to see where their journeys take them.

Fantasy

YA – Foul Heart Huntsman

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Gong, Chloe. Foul Heart Huntsman. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2023. 978-1-665-90561-9. $21.99. 560 p. Grades 9-12.

It’s 1932 in Shanghai. Rosalind Lang, also known by her code name Lady Fortune, has been exposed. As an immortal assassin, she had a purpose, and she had her missions. Now, she has nothing. Orion, her mission partner who posed as her husband, has been taken by his mother and his mind is now fully under her control. Although their marriage was only a ruse, her feelings for him were not, and she sets off on a new mission to find him and bring him home, even with an impending attack from Japan looming over her every move. With the help of Orion’s sister, Phoebe, who is an agent herself; her ally Alisa Montagova; and her sister, Celia, Rosalind encounters many dangers and ghosts from her past on her journey to save Orion, but she’s determined to find him, no matter the cost.

THOUGHTS: This novel brings the Foul Lady Fortune duology to an end. Based on Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Foul Heart Huntsman is a continuation of Gong’s These Violent Delights, and I would advise readers to start with that series before reading this one. The book is equal parts science fiction, fantasy, action, espionage, and romance in an alternate, historical setting. The series as a whole features diverse and LGBTQ+ characters, and readers will love the reunion scenes between all characters in Gong’s Secret Shanghai world.

Fantasy

YA – Kin: Rooted in Hope

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Weatherford, Carole Boston. Kin: Rooted in Hope. Illustrated by Jeffrey Boston Weatherford. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-1-665-91362-1. 220 p. $18.99. Grades 8-12.

Weatherford has shared her collections of lyrical poems accompanied by the powerful illustrations of Jeffrey Boston Weatherford.  The poems follow her ancestors’ stories from the time that they were forced aboard the slave ships in Africa and up to the present day in America. The reader is immersed in these stories that Weatherford has woven beautifully into a powerful tribute to their family. Her poems are told through the voices of her family as well as Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman.

THOUGHTS: Powerful, lyrical, such an important collection of the voices of the ancestors of the author. This is not an easy read, but a necessary one. This is a mother-son duo who put together this collection.

Historical Fiction

YA – Chain of Thorns

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Clare, Cassandra. Chain of Thorns. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2023. 978-1-481-43193-4. $24.99. 800 p. Grades 9-12.

Chain of Thorns, the final book in The Last Hours series, concludes the story of James Herondale and Cordelia Carstairs who found themselves engaged to one another to avoid ruining Cordelia’s reputation. After witnessing an intimate moment between James and Grace Blackthorn, Cordelia escapes to Paris with Matthew Fairchild. Although James runs after them, he instead accompanies his father and Magnus Bane to find his sister, Lucy. Meanwhile, The Merry Thieves and the rest of the Shadowhunters are making plans to fight back against Belial and Tatiana Blackthorn, who has escaped imprisonment. Once they are all reunited, these friends uncover dark secrets and find the courage to speak their truths while they attempt to protect their fellow Shadowhunters from harm and save the entire city of London.

THOUGHTS: Cassandra Clare is a unique, fantasy author. She has never “left” the world of Shadowhunters that she first created with The Mortal Instruments, but instead continues the story both before and after the events of the original series. In my opinion, each series gets better and better and should be included in every young adult library collection. If you can get a student hooked on one series, they’ll want to read them all! I was not disappointed with the conclusion of this series, and Clare has plans for one more series in the Shadowhunter world, and she does a fantastic job of including diverse characters into her novels.

Fantasy

YA – Last Violent Call

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Gong, Chloe. Last Violent Call. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2023. 978-1-665-93451-0. $19.99. 240 p. Grades 9-12.

Last Violent Call is a collection of two novellas set after the Secret Shanghai duology and in the midst of the new companion novel, Foul Lady Fortune. After the events of Our Violent Ends, Roma and Juliette are living a comfortable and peaceful life much different than the gang life they left behind in Shanghai. However, they are still running a weapons business, and when they are approached by a young couple looking for protection, they agree to help them and discover the young woman has a connection to their former lives and families. When Roma reaches out to Benedikt and Marshall for assistance finding the scientist Lourens, they board the Trans-Siberian Express for a week-long journey to his home. When a murder is committed early in the journey, Marshall convinces the train officer that they are private investigators and that the train should not be stopped. Together, they dive into an investigation of the train passengers and make some surprising discoveries along the way.

THOUGHTS: Last Violent Call is only for readers of Gong’s previous work, the Secret Shanghai duology. That being said, I think it’s a must read for fans, and I believe these novellas, like so many others, were written for pure enjoyment for the reader. These are the love stories we weren’t able to witness, and since the main story centered around Roma and Juliette, it was a bonus to have a story written specifically for Benedikt and Marshall. My only complaint is that they were too short, and I was left wanting to hear more. I’m impatiently waiting for Foul Heart Huntsman to see how these characters are connected to Gong’s newest series.

Fantasy 

MG/YA – Almost There

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Rochon, Farrah. Almost There. Disney Hyperion, 2022. 978-1-368-07756-9. $18.99. 464 p. Grades 7-12.

“What if Tiana made a deal that changed everything?” This story begins where the movie comes to an end, and against Tiana’s better judgment, she decides to make a deal with Dr. Facilier, also known as The Shadow Man. He not only promises that Tiana will have her restaurant but that she’ll have it with her father who died when she was young. In return, she must give up a future with Prince Naveen and add a special potion into her gumbo each night at the restaurant. When she agrees to the terms, she wakes up to a seemingly perfect life. Although she misses Naveen, she now has her father and the restaurant of their dreams. As time goes on, strange things start to happen in New Orleans, and Tiana may need the help of closest friends to set things right.

THOUGHTS: I’ve been a big fan of the Twisted Tales since I started reading them a few years ago but as a lifelong Disney fan, I was skeptical of the idea; however, each one has exceeded my expectations, including Almost There, a twist on The Princess and the Frog. Although this series has two main authors, Disney chose an African American author from Louisiana to bring Tiana’s story from the screen to the page. Set in 1920s New Orleans, the book is able to touch on subjects, such as racism, that the movie did not explore. Readers will enjoy this tale even if they haven’t seen the movie and will be inspired to explore the others as well. The Twisted Tales are a must have series for any middle and high school library.

Fantasy          Emily Hoffman, Conestoga Valley SD

YA – Cinder & Glass

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De La Cruz, Melissa. Cinder & Glass. G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2022. 978-0-593-32665-7. $19.99. 336. Grades 7-12.

Cenderillon is a young girl who loves her father very much. After the death of her mother, they only had each other until her father remarried. After the marriage, Cinderillion moves with her new family to Versailles, on the grounds of the palace, since her father is one of the King’s favorite advisors. Her stepmother and stepsisters are not particularly fond of her, but after her father dies unexpectedly, they become especially cruel and begin to call her Cinder. She becomes a servant in her own home and becomes isolated from one of her only friends, a boy in the palace named Auguste. When Cinder miraculously makes it to the ball in honor of Prince Louis, she catches his attention and finds herself in a competition to win the Prince’s hand. Cinder must make some tough decisions that will determine the path of her future: Does she marry the Prince to escape her cruel family, or will she find love elsewhere?

THOUGHTS: Cinder & Glass is “Ever After” meets The Selection in this new twist on the Cinderella fairy tale. I would suggest recommending this one to students looking for something similar to Kiera Cass’s Selection series although this is a stand alone novel.

Historical Fiction           Emily Hoffman, Conestoga Valley SD

Elem. – This Very Tree: A Story of 9/11, Resilience, and Regrowth

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Rubin, Sean. This Very Tree: A Story of 9/11, Resilience, and Regrowth. Henry Holt and Company, 2021. 978-1-250-78850-4 p. 48. $18.99. Grades K-4. 

This is a story about a tree, a survivor tree, to be accurate. But, it is also a story about the resilience of our nation, a tribute to first responders, and the restorative power of humanity. This Very Tree: A Story of 9/11, Resilience, and Regrowth by Sean Rubin is profoundly moving and packs an emotional punch. A Callery pear tree was planted in the 1970’s in New York City between the newly constructed Twin Towers known as the World Trade Center. Over the years, the tree provided shade for tourists, employees of the World Trade Center, and a home for birds. It bloomed beautifully every Spring and stood tall between the two towers for many years. On September 11, 2001, something horrific occurred in New York City. Our Nation was mourning, and the tree’s home was destroyed and buried under rubble. The days that followed were difficult to maneuver, yet a shocking discovery was made after the tragedy–The pear tree had survived and quickly became known as the “Survivor Tree.” The tree was moved to the Bronx to recover, so the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation could nurse it back to health. Finally, almost ten years after the tragedy, the tree returned to its home and was planted in the 9/11 memorial. This Very Tree is told in simple words and illustrated with beautiful pictures that reveal more and more as the reader turns the pages. It shares a story of hope and healing that occurred after an immense tragedy that we experienced as a country. This book is a powerful introduction to this poignant event in our nation’s history. 

THOUGHTS: It’s hard to believe that 20 years have passed since New York City saw the World Trade Center fall to the ground. Since then, we have seen the literary world write to make sense of that horrific day and the days after that. This particular story, This Very Tree, resonated with me in such a profoundly moving way, and it shares a true story that may not be known to most Americans. Even the dedication will bring tears to the reader’s eyes as well as the hauntingly beautiful words written by author E.B. White in 1949 entitled: Here is New York that is at the beginning of the picture book. As much as this book is indeed emotional and heavy, it can still shine a light on hope and resilience. There is an informational section in the author’s note that explains the events of 9/11 in a sensitive and age-appropriate way. 

Picture Book          Marie Mengel, Reading SD

YA -Ravage the Dark

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Sim, Tara. Ravage the Dark. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2021. 978-0-759-55533-4. $18.99. 416 p. Grades 9-12.

Amaya has had a hard life, and seven years of it was spent imprisoned on a ship. After paying her debt and earning her freedom, Amaya posed as a countess to bring down the men who take children away from their families as debt payment, but when she was betrayed by the man she thought was a friend, she swore she would have her vengeance. While posing as a countess, Amaya met Cayo Mercado, and although they have their differences, the two must work together to discover the origin of a mysterious plague ailing Cayo’s sister and it’s connection to the counterfeit coins circulating Moray and the surrounding nations. Together they uncover secrets, fight corruption, and discover that amid the chaos, they may also have feelings for each other. 

THOUGHTS:  The first book in the duology, Scavenge the Stars, was loosely based upon the plot of The Count of Monte Cristo, and this sequel has just as many twists and turns that will keep readers intrigued until the very end! I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy action, adventure, and plot twists.

Fantasy          Emily Hoffman, Conestoga Valley SD