edited 31 Dec 2012  1 Jan 2013

Emancipation proclamation: Lincoln and the dawn of liberty by Tonya Bolden; Abrams Books for Young Readers 1 Jan

Published on the anniversary of when President Abraham Lincoln’s order went into effect, this book offers readers a unique look at the events that led to the Emancipation Proclamation. Filled with little-known facts and fascinating details, it includes excerpts from historical sources, archival images, and new research that debunks myths about the Emancipation Proclamation and its causes. Complete with a timeline, glossary, and bibliography, Emancipation Proclamation is an engrossing new historical resource from award-winning children’s book author Tonya Bolden.Amazon

KIRKUS REVIEW

I see the promised land: A life of Martin Luther King Jr. by Arthur Flowers and Manu Chitrakar; Groundwood Books 1 January

African American writer, griot and blues singer Arthur Flowers and Indian scroll painter Manu Chitrakar combine their very distinctive storytelling traditions in an extraordinary jam session, creating this stunning graphic novel-style biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. Amazon

Double Victory: How African American Women broke race and gender barriers to help win World War II (Women of Action series) by Cheryl Mullenbach; Chicago Review Press; 1 January

young readers meet a range of remarkable women: war workers, political activists, military women, volunteers, and entertainers. Some, such as Mary McLeod Bethune and Lena Horne, were celebrated in their lifetimes and are well known today. But many others fought discrimination at home and abroad in order to contribute to the war effort yet were overlooked during those years and forgotten by later generations. Double Victory recovers the stories of these courageous women, such as Hazel Dixon Payne, the only woman to serve on the remote Alaska-Canadian Highway; Deverne Calloway, a Red Cross worker who led a protest at an army base in India; and Betty Murphy Phillips, the only black female overseas war correspondent. Offering a new and diverse perspective on the war and including source notes and a bibliography, Double Victory is an invaluable addition to any student’s or history buff’s bookshelf. Amazon  KIRKUS REVIEW

Prophecy (The Dragon King Chronicles) by Ellen Oh; Harper Teen 2 January

Rafael Fannen is a 13-year old boy who has won a minority scholarship to Our Lady of the Woods, an all male Catholic college preparatory school. He lives with his mother who is chronically ill with an undiagnosed illness and also suffers from mental illness, which no one will discuss. Winning the scholarship quickly turns into a nightmare, as Rafe has to deal with the racism of his fellow students and his teachers. Rafe has an ally in Tomas, another scholarship winner from his neighborhood, and they bond against the racism and classism of their fellow students. But that connection is soon sundered.

In addition to the culture shock, Rafe also has to deal with his burgeoning sexuality. Rafe is caught staring at Toby, an attractive and charismatic classmate, in the shower, Toby begins a relentless campaign of bullying against Rafe, including violent encounters. When someone tags the school campus with graffiti, Toby makes sure Rafe becomes the chief suspect. It becomes so bad that even Tomas distances himself from Rafe. The only person who seems sympathetic to him is the chaplain, Vicar Angus Connell. But it soon becomes apparent that the Vicar has designs on Rafe.  Amazon
Sweet 16 to life: A Langdon Prep Novel by Kimberly Reid;  KTeen 26 January

Thanks to skills learned from her undercover-cop mom, Chanti Evans has saved lives and exposed lies at her exclusive private school. But taking down Langdon Prepsters is one thing. Does she have what it takes to go up against hardcore criminals?

After a semester with Langdon’s most rich and snobby, Chanti knows all too well that trust is tough to find and keep. So when her old hood friend, MJ, turns to her for help, Chanti is determined to protect her from vengeful gang member Lux. But that means mending fences with her irresistible ex-boyfriend, Marco, and enlisting his very reluctant assistance. And when Lux suddenly vanishes, Chanti and MJ become prime suspects. Now to clear their names, she must uncover secrets that will strike much too close to home, putting her place at Langdon–and her future–on the line. . . Amazon  KIRKUS REVIEW
Return to me by Justina Chen; Little, Brown 15 Jan

Nothing is going as planned for Rebecca Muir. She’s weeks away from starting college–at a school chosen specifically to put a few thousand miles of freedom between Reb and her parents. But her dad’s last-minute job opportunity has her entire family moving all those miles with her! And then there’s the matter of her unexpected, amazing boyfriend, Jackson, who is staying behind on the exact opposite coast.

The prey by Andrew Fukuda; St. Martin Press 29 January

With death only a heartbeat away, Gene and the remaining humans must find a way to survive long enough to escape the hungry predators chasing them through the night.  But they’re not the only things following Gene.  He’s haunted by Ashley June who he left behind, and his burgeoning feelings for Sissy, the human girl at his side.

Their escape takes them to a refuge of humans living high in the mountains.  Gene and his friends think they’re finally safe, but not everything here is as it seems.  And before long, Gene must ask himself if the new world they’ve entered is just as evil as the one they left behind.  As their enemies close in on them and push Gene and Sissy closer, one thing becomes painfully clear: all they have is each other…if they can stay alive.

Chilling, inventive, and electrifying, The Prey is the second book in Andrew Fukuda’s The Hunt series. Amazon KIRKUS REVIEW
Prodigy: A legend novel by Marie Lu; Putnam Juvenile 29 January

“Prodigy” by Marie Lu is the long-awaited sequel to Legend, the must-read dystopian thriller novel. Perfect for all YA fans of “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins and Divergent by Veronica Roth. A brilliant re-imagining of “Les Miserables”, the series is set to be a global film sensation as CBS films have acquired rights to the trilogy. The “Twilight Saga” producers, Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey, will produce. Injured and on the run, it has been seven days since June and Day barely escaped Los Angeles and the Republic with their lives. Day is believed dead having lost his own brother to an execution squad who thought they were assassinating him. June is now the Republic’s most wanted traitor. Desperate for help, they turn to the Patriots – a vigilante rebel group sworn to bring down the Republic. But can they trust them or have they unwittingly become pawns in the most terrifying of political games? Amazon  KIRKUS REVIEW

The way by Joseph Bruchac; Darby Creek Publishing 30 January

Fatherless Cody LeBeau is an American Indian boy who is starting high school with the usual trepidation. He fits into none of the cliques at the new school, but somehow keeps being noticed anyway and is often teased because of his tendency to stutter. Then his Uncle Pat, an accomplished martial arts sensei, moves into the town and becomes the one who shows Cody ‘the way’; through the maze of adolescent doubt and into manhood. Amazon