From National Book Award-winning author Kathryn Erskine comes a heartfelt, poignant novel that tackles grief, change, and the struggle to let your voice be heard. Perfect for fans of Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Erin Entrada Kelly, and Ali Benjamin. Shy, eleven-year-old Lily made her dad an important promise before he passed away-that she would "Strive for Five" and speak her mind at least five times. But speaking up one time, let alone five, is easier said than done. It'll be even harder now that Lily must attend public school for the first time. Fortunately, she meets curling-obsessed Hobart and quiet Dunya at the beginning of sixth grade. Their kindness gives Lily hope that life without Dad might just be bearable. But when Lily and her friends are bullied by Ryan and his mean clique, she quickly discovers the true meaning of friendship and speaking out. Despite the anxiety she feels, Lily knows she needs to stand up for herself and others. And she'll use the tools her dad gave her to not only keep her final promise but bring her whole school together. Following Lily's journey and the snarky, insightful, and humorous commentary from Libro, the actual book, who guides readers through this thoughtful tale, makes Lily's Promise a strong title for social emotional learning.

Caitlin has Asperger's. The world according to her is black and white; anything in between is confusing. Before, when things got confusing, Caitlin went to her older brother, Devon, for help. But Devon has died, and Caitlin's dad is so distraught that he is just not helpful. Caitlin wants everything to go back to the way things were, but she doesn't know how to do that. Then she comes across the word closure- and she realizes this is what she needs. And in her search for it, Caitlin discovers that the world may not be black and white after all.

Travis's dad is a DJ, spinning silky jazz tunes at parties all over the neighbourhood. The two of them have always enjoyed debating the great question: Which Black music tradition is the best - Travis's boppin' hip-hop or Dad's beloved jazz? But Travis's parents have divorced, and Dad lives on his own now. He's only a few miles away, but for Travis, the distance between jazz and hip-hop feels greater than ever. Music doesn't sound the same. Mum says they just need to find a new groove. But how? Maybe through a little hip-hoppin', not-stoppin', tunes-boppin' DJing. Based in part on Brown's experience as a single father, this picture book deftly depicts modern divorce in a Black family, and is a heartwarming ode to how music can bring a father and son closer together.

Miriam Makeba, a Grammy Award-winning South African singer, rose to fame in the hearts of her people at the pinnacle of apartheid-a brutal system of segregation similarto American Jim Crow laws. Mama Africa, as they called her, raised her voice to help combat these injustices at jazz clubs in Johannesburg; in exile, at a rally beside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and before the United Nations.

Set defiantly in the present tense, this biography offers readers an intimate view of Makeba's fight for equality. Kathryn Erskine's call-and-response style text and Charly Palmer's bold illustrations come together in a raw, riveting duet of protest song and praise poem. A testament to how a single voice helped to shake up the world - and can continue to do so.