realistic fiction

Beauty, who is of Taino Indian, African, and Boricua heritage, was taught to be strong and proud, but hatred toward people who look like her bruises her heart until her community opens her eyes to the truth.

Inspired by a mysterious message, seventeen-year-old Ginny Park sets off to find herself as she reflects on her experiences of growing up Zainichi, an ethnic Korean born in Japan, and the incident that forced her to leave years prior.

In a small Ugandan village, Kato wakes early to start the long, barefoot trek beyond his village and along fields dotted with cattle and guarded by soldiers. His destination is the village well, where he will pump a day's supply of water into two jerry cans. Like every day, Kato lets the water splash over his hot tired feet before carrying his heavy load back home, where his chores await him. But this is no ordinary day. The aid worker's truck has come to the village square, and in the back is a gift so special, the little boy rushes home to look for something to repay the aid worker. Alma Fullerton's spare, lilting prose tells a deceptively simple story of one day in a little boy's life. But in a place ravaged by a generation of civil war and drought, a village well brings life, a gift of shoes is a cause for celebration, and a simple flower becomes an eloquent symbol of peace and gratitude.

Olive Oh is excited to go camping with her best friend Marcus Wong and his family, but a week of raining threatens to cancel their trip.

"Darius Kellner has everything he thought he wanted--a new boyfriend, a new internship, and a spot on the soccer team--but growing up makes him question everything"--.

When Fancy Pink is offered a record deal their parents say no, so they decide to make an album on their own, if they can raise enough money without raising their parents' suspicions.

"Eight-year-old kid barber J.D. joins forces with his sister, who has beauty shop dreams, to find stardom online"--.

The youngest barber to be invited to the Beauty Brothers Hair Expo in Atlanta, eight-year-old J.D. discovers that the world of hair and beauty is so much bigger than he imagined--and he is ready to step up his game.

Buying and moving into the run-down Jewel Motor Inn in upstate New York wasn't eleven-year-old Miriam Brockman's dream, but at least it's an adventure. Miriam befriends Kate, whose grandmother owns the diner next door, and finds comfort in the company of Maria, the motel's housekeeper, and her Uncle Mordy, who comes to help out for the summer. She spends her free time helping Kate's grandmother make her famous grape pies and begins to face her fears by taking swimming lessons in the motel's pool. But when it becomes clear that only a miracle is going to save the Jewel from bankruptcy, Jewish Miriam and Catholic Kate decide to create their own. Otherwise, the No Vacancy sign will come down for good, and Miriam will lose the life she's worked so hard to build.

"Ever since their free-spirited mama died ten months ago, twelve-year-old Jack and her gender creative nine-year-old brother, Birdie, have been living with their fun-loving Uncle Carl, but now their conservative Uncle Patrick insists on being their guardian which forces all four of them to confront grief, prejudice, and loss, all while exploring what 'home' really means."--.