california

"Jana Rubio and her best friend, Maddy Parsons, have an epic senior year finale queued up: catching their favorite band at the Orchards, an outdoor music festival a two-hour drive away. When a blow-up over Maddy's time-sucking boyfriend exposes a rift that may have already been growing between them, Jana calls off their joint trip and gets a lift to the festival from her church friend Nathan . . . only to realize Maddy and her boyfriend are along for the ride, too. All Jana wants is to enjoy the concert and get home as soon as possible. But then Nathan loses his car keys crowd-surfing, and it's up to Jana and Maddy to find them. As they navigate stolen phones and missing friends, scale Ferris wheels and crash parties, the two of them are forced to reckon with the biggest obstacle of all: repairing their friendship. Will Jana and Maddy find their way home--and also back to each other?"--Provided by publisher.

"Nick and Noah's rocky relationship is struggling through its worst moment, and it seems that nothing can go back to the way it was before. They will have to surmount a new and frightening set of challenges to finally understand if they are really made for each other or if being apart is their only chance to be happy. Love is not always enough, and forgiveness sometimes doesn't fix what's been broken. But can you forget such a strong connection? How can memories tattooed on the heart be erased? Will they be able to leave the past behind and start over?"--.

"When Jasmyn and King Williams move their family to the planned Black utopia of Liberty, California, they hope to find a community of like-minded people, a place where their growing family can thrive. King settles in at once, embracing the Liberty ethos, including the luxe wellness center at the top of the hill, which is the heart of the community. But Jasmyn struggles to find her place. She expected to meet fellow liberals and social justice activists striving for racial equality, but Liberty residents seem more focused on booking spa treatments and ignoring the world's troubles. Jasmyn's only friends in the community are equally perplexed and frustrated by Liberty's outlook, a frustration that turns to dread when their loved ones start embracing the Liberty way of life. As Jasmyn learns more about Liberty and its founders, she discovers a terrible secret, one that threatens to destroy her world in ways she could never have imagined"--Provided by publisher.

This title dives into the tragic disappearance and death of a young mother-to-be. Readers will learn about Laci Peterson's life, the massive search launched by her friends and family, and the fight for justice in the wake of her murder. Features include a glossary, a timeline, references, websites, source notes, and an index.

"On September 16, 1965, Filipino and Mexican American migrant workers joined together to strike against the grape growers in Delano, California. The farmers left the fields to demand better wages and benefits. Led by Larry Itliong, Cesar Chavez, and Dolores Huerta, the two groups created a union called the United Farm Workers of America. For five years, UFW brought attention to their cause through boycotts, a 300-mile march, and other nonviolent efforts in what became an important victory in the fight for labor and farmworker rights in the United States"--Provided by publisher.

"After eleven-year-old David Bravo wishes for a do-over of a disastrous day of middle school, he and a shapeshifting spirit guide try to right a wrong in his past"--Provided by publisher.

Explores a migrant family's experiences moving through labor camps, facing poverty and impermanence, and discusses how they endure through faith, hope, and back-breaking work.

""Jacqueline Bravo can't understand why she's being called to the principal's office and is shocked to learn her mother hasn't paid her tuition at St. Bernadette High School in three months! Now Sister Mary Grace is threatening to kick her out and even recommends a vocational school until she gets married. Finances have been tight ever since Jacqui's father was killed in Vietnam. She is determined to win the alumni scholarship to UCLA, and there's no way she will transfer to a public or vocational school in her senior year--never mind get married! But she doesn't want her younger siblings to have to leave St. Patrick's either; her sister is already hanging out with unsavory boys and Jacqui knows it would only get worse at the local school. So, she starts looking for a way to earn money and help make ends meet. Without telling her mom, Jacqui gets a job at a local restaurant. She struggles to manage school and work, volunteering with an organization fighting to improve the barrio and new friendships, including with a boy she has had a crush on forever. When the police come to the restaurant looking for a former waitress who is now missing, Jacqui gets pulled into the mysterious goings-on. Why does the owner want her to cross the border into Mexico to buy supplies? Is what people say about drugs being sold there true? Introducing teens to the struggles of women and Mexican Americans for equal rights in the 1970s, this novel deals with death and grief, relationships among family and friends and the importance of believing in your community--and yourself!""--Amazon.

"Ash has always felt alone. Adults ignore the climate crisis. Other kids Ash's age are more interested in pop stars and popularity contests than in fighting for change. Even Ash's family seems to be sleepwalking through life. The only person who ever seemed to get Ash was their Grandpa Edwin. Before he died, he used to talk about building a secret cabin, deep in the California wilderness. Did he ever build it? What if it's still there, waiting for him to come back . . .or for Ash to find it? To Ash, that maybe-mythical cabin is starting to feel like the perfect place for a fresh start and an escape from the miserable feeling of alienation that haunts their daily life. But making the wilds your home isn't easy. And as much as Ash wants to be alone . . .can they really be happy alone? Can they survive alone?" --Provided by publisher.

"Alyssa is an ice skater who prefers to skate alone. She lives in rural Alaska, where a quiet frozen lake is her happy place. But now she's moving to sunny, loud Los Angeles. As the new girl in town, Alyssa isn't sure if she'll ever fit in. When the local roller derby team takes Alyssa under its wing, she's not sure she wants to trade her ice skates and solitude for roller skates and teammates. Alyssa decides to leave her comfort zone. Will she find her place, or will the pace and volume of roller derby be too much to handle?"--Amazon.