America Redux: Visual Stories from Our Dynamic History by Ariel Aberg-Riger

Visual stories?  Yes, please!  However this book starts with a written four page preface and an opening chapter on the history of the United Daughters of the Confederacy,  and thus is unlikely to draw in the average Passages student reader.   But that’s a shame because some will want to get to Aberg-Riger’s last chapter, “We The People” which begins with a quote from June Jordan, devotes four pages to the Young Lords, and then makes connections to other marginalized groups who came together to speak up for their needs in the face of discrimination, and ends with a quote from Iris Morales.  

Educators and confident readers may wish to dip into America Redux’s jumble of 21 chapters to whet students’ curiosity on the history of colt guns and their rise to prominence in the US, the AIDS crisis, and America’s involvement with eugenics and forced sterilization.  

Full color collage and a handwritten style font will appeal to some visual learners who find a way in,  although that style may be a barrier for some readers with dyslexia.

Educators and book group facilitators can download a publisher-supplied educator's guide by shea wesley martin here.  --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

All You Need Is Kill by Ryosuke Takeuchi

It’s all hands on deck when an alien civilization invades Earth. But with little training new recruits are like lambs to the slaughter. That is until Keiji dies and finds himself being reborn on the eve before his first battle. As Keiji tries to end the war he realizes there may be others like him. Will ending the war end the cycle? Are others in the loop Keiji’s  allies or his enemies?  Manga fans are sure to enjoy this action packed single volume read.--Claudio Leon

Takeuchi, Ryoske. All You Need Is Kill. San Francisco: VIZ Media, 2014. Print

Everyday Gratitude: Inspiration for Living Life as a Gift edited by Saoirse McClory, Kristi Nelson, and Margaret Wakeley

Often library patrons ask for a book of “inspiration” or “positivity” or “philosophy ” or “life.”   For them Everyday Gratitude may be the perfect choice.    Appealingly small and colorful, each page contains a short quote intended to inspire gratitude and attributed to its source.  Sources range from contemporary figures like the Dalai Lama, Angela Davis, and Julia Alvarez, to older sages like Zora Neale Hurston, Khalil Gibran, and ancients like Confucius and Lao Tzu.  

In addition to each quote the reader will find a question or two offering more reflection for readers to ponder. 

Unfortunately the irregularity of size and shape of the lettering for the quotes may be a hindrance to some students with reading challenges.  Nevertheless the small size and brevity of the text on each page makes it worthwhile for inclusion in collections,  and note the sewn-in ribbon book mark.  Backmatter includes acknowledgements and source credits.  

This slim volume may offer classes and bookclubs much material for rich discussion and debate around these seemingly simple, profound quotes. --Jessica Fenster-Sparber

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

As her final high school project Pippa Fits decides to solve the cold case of Andie Bell’s murder.  But unknowingly Pippa embarks on a trail of secrets that reveal not just the identity of Andie's killer,  but the person who Andie really was. With all the twists and turns of a good who-done-it,  A Good Girl's Guide to Murder keeps its readers guessing who the killer is as it reveals Andie’s double life. Those who read When or One of Us is Lying should feel right at home here. --Claudio Leon

Click here to see a trailer for the book along with some discussion questions designed for book clubs at Underlined.

Jackson, Holly. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. New York: Random House, 2019. Print.

Strange Fruit Volume II: More Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History by Joel Christian Gill

This beautiful sequel to Strange Fruit Volume I will be welcomed by readers eager to glimpse more historical heroes presented in author Joel Christian Gill’s wonderful graphic style.  Using a palette of rich earth tones, Gill introduces the reader to African Americans born in the 19th century,  both familiar and unknown.  Each comic feels complete but also whets our appetite for further learning.  We can only hope Gil gives us Volume  III.

Librarians may wish to use any of the eight chapters as a jumping off point for inquiry.  Social studies teachers may wish to use some  chapters to supplement instructional texts.  

ELA teachers may engage students in the study of expository narrative structures in graphic shorts,   or examine the epistle that provides the text for the opening chapter.  This particular use of a primary source for content would make for a perfect introduction or companion to a rich conversation about reparations to African Americans specifically, and to the idea of  reparations in general.  Art teachers may wish to utilize Strange Fruit in collaboration to examine sequential art and its power to bring biography and history to life.  

Highly recommended.  Educators will want to pay attention to the visual symbolism Gil employs to represent hateful speech.   Back matter includes extra kernels of knowledge for each biography, a bibliography, an author-illustrator bio, and brief acknowledgements.--Jessica Fenster-Sparber

Gill, Joel Christian.  Strange Fruit Volume II: More Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History.  Golden: Fulcrum Publishing, 2018.  Print.