Dig. by A.S. King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Shoveler carries his shovel everywhere he goes ,constantly being the new kid, while his mother moves them from town to town. The Freak with the seeming ability to move through space and time. CanIHelpYou? sells marijuana through the drive thru window at Arby's. Loretta the Ringmistress conducts her flea circus within her double wide trailer. Malcolm would enjoy first-class seats to Jamaica more if it wasn't for his father's cancer. All of these teenagers have little in common, besides being the outcast, until Marla and Gottfried Hemmings, the product of generational Pennsylvania potato farmers, enter their lives.

In A.S. King's surreal, dark, and brilliant book, these teenagers are sent on a journey of self discovery. They begin to dig at their families' histories to discover pain, racism, neglect, but also hope and connectedness. Dig begs the questions: does my family history make me who I am today? Can we overcome the sins of our descendants? Do we have the courage to face those transgressions and work towards forgiveness and reconciliation?

Dig is an excellent read for adults and young adults alike.

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Review: Pet

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In a future set within a seemingly utopian society, Jam imagines what life had been like for her parents when monsters roamed the streets openly. Her parents' generation, with the help of angels, destroyed their society's monsters allowing Jam, the black and trans protagonist, and her friends to feel safe and accepted. That is until an otherworldly character arrives and reveals how their perfect society may not be as perfect as they thought.

Although there are many elements of fantasy in Emezi's Pet, Jam's world has many similarities to our own. These comparisons would provide an opportunity for in depth discussions around questions like: What are the monsters we currently have in our society? How can we grow to accept one another? Who would Pet represent in our society? How do we eliminate our own monsters?

I highly recommend Pet for teens and adults.

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Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jason Reynolds' remix of the Kendi's Stamped from the Beginning challenges the history pushed by our nationalist fervor. As a society, we often lift our founders to extreme heights without realizing their faults, hatred, and shortcomings. Reynolds and Kendi expose the truth behind the ways the founding of our country was steeped in racism and hatred through a lens that is accessible to all readers. It truly is a must read for any and all over the age of 10 and would provide an excellent way for communities to discuss our shortcomings as a society. Also, the reading list at the end of the book allows curious readers to pursue a more in depth and fully realized history of our country.

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