I received this book for free from Hear Our Voices Book Tours and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

Magic, danger, and heart collide in this middle-grade adventure as Auri Braga risks everything to raise a fire-serpent in secret and save the Amazon from destruction. Perfect for fans of Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez and The Last Beekeeper!

Auri Braga isn't much of a fighter--not like her parents, who rode the legendary Boitatás, protecting the Amazon and its people. But when she discovers a fire serpent's egg, Auri knows she can't stand on the sidelines anymore. Her parents believed the egg should be in Brazil, so Auri isn't going to stop until their last wish is fulfilled--even if she has to hide the truth from her family.

But getting to the egg safely to the guardians is easier said than done, and when it suddenly hatches, it's Auri's turn to be a hero: to protect the new fire serpent and help him save her family's homeland from destruction.

Welcome to my stop on the Hear Our Voices Book Tour for The Fire Serpent Legacy by Cindy L. Rodriguez! This is a middle grade fantasy that for those who like mystery, adventure and protecting the environment. I was already a fan of Rodriguez’ last book Lola Reyes is So Not Worried (see my review) so I was excited to read her sophomore novel. 

Auri Braga is an orphan being raised by her grandmother and sister in New York City. But her family is from Brazil. She doesn’t really know why her grandmother moved her and her sister to the United States when she was a baby, she just knows that it was after her parents passed in a tragic accident. She feels like she is a puzzle with missing pieces. One day an incident makes her curious and she snoops in her grandmother’s belongings and stumbles on information that could only belong in a Brazilian folklore. Before she knows it, her sister Julia is taking her to Brazil to meet her family and the adventures begin. 

Brazilian Folklore & The Amazon

Rodriguez weaves in the Brazilian folklore of the fire serpent into the very important and ongoing fight to save the Amazon rain forest. When the sisters arrive in Brazil they are quickly made aware of the struggle between developers and the Native Brazilians who want the land to remain as it has been. As she meets her family, she must also contend with her grief of not having ever known her parents while being in a place where they were defenders of the Amazon. 

Try it as a Read Aloud

If you are looking for a younger middle grade adventure fantasy, check this one out! I am reading it aloud with my sons now and they are anxiously waiting to find out what is going to happen to the mysterious egg Auri brings back to Brazil. (I had to read ahead of them in order to finish this review. They were not happy about that, but that’s how I know they are really into the book!)

Educator/Caretaker Tip: Use this book as a kickstart to discussing a number of topics, including environmentalism, the Amazon Rainforest and its important to the world, dealing with grief, Brazilian folklore and fighting for a cause you believe in. It’s also a great book to read for Latine Heritage Month since it just came out!

The post Review: The Fire Serpent Legacy by Cindy L. Rodriguez appeared first on Cocoa With Books.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

Join a young boy as he takes readers through his day at school in this charming Spanglish picture book companion to Laurenne Sala’s Mi Casa Is My Home.

It’s where I learn números, letras, kindness y amistad.


Meet under el gran árbol, where children rush to be first in line and say “buenos días” to all their teachers. File into the salón de clases, where the students sit at a big table to make cards and crafts. Follow the class to la biblioteca, where one child wishes she could spend a night in the cozy chairs, breathing in the magic of books, books, books! Whether it’s banging the bongos in la clase de música or shouting with joy en el recreo, enjoying lunch at la mesa del almuerzo or wielding paintbrushes in la clase de arte, a day en la escuela leaves kids tired and happy—and looking forward to another one mañana.

Book Review: Mi Escuela is My School by Laurenne Sala, illustrated by Zara González Hoang

This is such a cute bilingual book! It even reminds me of my own kids school. I love how Spanish and English are integrated organically as the story is told. The main character, Ramón, describes his school in such loving detail as he shows the reader around his favorite place to learn.

¡Es un libro precioso! Incluso me recuerda a la escuela de mis propios hijos. Me encanta cómo se integran el español y el inglés de manera orgánica a lo largo de la historia. El protagonista, Ramón, describe su escuela con gran cariño y detalle mientras guía al lector por su lugar favorito para aprender.

Thank you @candlewickpress for the gifted copy!

Parent/Caretaker Tip: If you have a child in a Spanish Immersion or Dual Language School, get this book and read it aloud with them a few times throughout the year. Each time you re-read it, see how much more they understand of the language they are learning, whether it is English or Spanish. Encourage them to use the context of the sentence to figure out the words they are still unfamiliar with.

Consejo para padres o cuidadores: Si su hijo asiste a una escuela de inmersión en español o de educación bilingüe, consiga este libro y léalo en voz alta con él varias veces a lo largo del año. Cada vez que lo vuelvan a leer, observe cuánto más comprende del idioma que está aprendiendo, ya sea inglés o español. Anímelo a utilizar el contexto de la oración para deducir el significado de las palabras que aún no conoce.

The post Check Out This New Bilingual Picture Book About Escuela appeared first on Cocoa With Books.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

With a simple, witty story and free-spirited illustrations, Peter H. Reynolds entices even the stubbornly uncreative among us to make a mark — and follow where it takes us.

Her teacher smiled. "Just make a mark and see where it takes you."

Art class is over, but Vashti is sitting glued to her chair in front of a blank piece of paper. The words of her teacher are a gentle invitation to express herself. But Vashti can’t draw - she’s no artist. To prove her point, Vashti jabs at a blank sheet of paper to make an unremarkable and angry mark. "There!" she says.

That one little dot marks the beginning of Vashti’s journey of surprise and self-discovery. That special moment is the core of Peter H. Reynolds’s delicate fable about the creative spirit in all of us.

I was going to save this post for Tuesday, but as a parent of elementary age kids I felt it was my duty to post it today just in case you forgot that the school asked your child to dress up in a polka dot inspired outfit for Tuesday. What is Tuesday, September 15, you ask? 

It’s International Dot Day!

Now, for everyone who forgot this, you have the rest of today and tomorrow to get your kid some gear if you decide to participate. You’re welcome! We have to look out for one another. Lol 

I’d like to thank Candlewick Press for sending me the newly release dot-shaped collector’s edition of The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. This is a quick and enjoyable story about creativity, self-expression and learning to be confident  in yourself. Sometimes we nee someone to give us a “little push” into becoming confident in ourselves. There may be a skill or task that we just don’t think we can do and/or we refuse to try. But this story is about starting where you are and going from there. It also shows the power of speaking positivity and confidence into someone’s life. 

This special edition is a great gift for your child’s Art and/or Reading teacher. 

Parent/Caretaker Tip: If your school does an activity for International Dot Day, read the book with your child at home too! Have a discussion with your child about how they view their own creativity, self-confidence and self-expression. You could even make your own dot art together! If you want to really jump into, check out the website for more ideas and details: https://www.internationaldotday.org/ 

The post Are Your Ready for International Dot Day? appeared first on Cocoa With Books.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

What Are You? is the story of one girl, Ildulce, who is trying to understand why people ask her that very question. She is trying to understand who she is and why people have trouble saying her name. In this story that is loved by first generation Americans and those of mixed heritage, Ildulce's father explains that she comes from a rich history from across the ocean. He tells her about her name being passed down and created out of love. What Are You? teaches young people that we are not just one thing, but many things!

This is the perfect book for every home and classroom library, complete with questions for the young readers at the end!

Book Review: What Are You? by Ilduce Brandão-DaSilva, illustrated By Sarah Jane Docker⁠

This new children’s book first caught my attention because of its title. It’s a question that I have been repeatedly asked my entire life. All through my childhood and teenage years, other kids were always asking me, What are you? It was annoying and frustrating. Growing up in Michigan, I looked mixed to others. Some thought I was Black and Mexican, others thought I was Black and White. And no one was ever satisfied with my response. So when I saw this title, I immediately jumped and sprinted to respond back that I would love to participate in the launch team with @booksandthingspub Thank you for the gifted copy!!!⁠

Cape Verdean Heritage

Which is why I was super surprised when I finally slowed down to look at the author’s name and realized this book was written by a Cape Verdean American woman!!! My heritage on my father’s side is Cape Verdean. Cape Verde is a small group of islands off the west coast of Africa. Colonized by the Portuguese, the country’s people are mostly of mixed heritage. If you aren’t from Boston, Massachusetts or Providence, Rhode Island, you may have never heard of Cape Verde in the United States. ⁠

Celebrating Culture

This is a beautiful story of a girl who is constantly encountering people who question who she is, where she is from and often can’t pronounce her name. But through talking to her father, he shows her how to claim confidence in her heritage by celebrating her skin, hair, culture and language. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous! They feature images of family and cultural celebrations. It’s a beautiful story of learning to be proud of who you are. I love the discussion questions about identity, names and belonging at the end. There is also information on Cabo Verde, the country, for you to learn more about. ⁠

Great for Educators and Families

I hope this books gets into many children and adult hands. It is an important book for both those who hear this question and especially for those that ask the question. I’m so happy to see another children’s book by a Cape Verdean American featuring a Cape Verdean American main character out in the world!!!⁠
⁠

The post New Children’s Book Addresses Cape Verdean American Identity appeared first on Cocoa With Books.

I received this book for free from Hear Our Voices Book Tours and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Which Chicken and Duck Talk: Learning to Swim is the first book in my trilingual Chinese picture book series. I wrote it to show the similarities and differences between Cantonese and Mandarin. I also wanted multilingual children and families to know they didn’t need to choose one language over the other. Both Chinese languages are important.

Book Review: When Chicken and Duck Talk: Learning to Swim by Joana Szeto, illustrated by RaeAnne Lee

Welcome to my stop on the Hear Our Voices book tour for When Chicken and Duck Talk: Learning to Swim by Joana Szeto and illustrated by RaeAnne Lee. ⁠

Embedded Audio for Multilingual Read Aloud

Learning to Swim is a fun story about a little chick who wants to learn to swim. But even more it is an amazing opportunity to engage in being multilingual. In this trilingual story, Chicken speaks Cantonese and Duck speaks Mandarin. Before you begin there are QR codes that you can scan to hear their parts read aloud. It’s a great opportunity to practice reading both Mandarin and Cantonese out loud no matter your age. I had my middle schooler read the book to me since she is learning Mandarin at school. ⁠

Written by an Educator

This is a book written by an educator and it definitely shows. The end matter of the book is amazing too because the author provides a pronunciation guide for both Cantonese and Mandarin. There are also suggestions for activities you can do to practice speaking the languages, as well as vocabulary words to try out. I love how much is included in this children’s book!⁠

Recommended

I highly recommend this book to educators, homeschoolers and parents who want to expand their child’s learning through language. ⁠It’s a great way to both provide exposure to new-to-you languages and to practice speaking them.

About the Author

Check out the author’s website: https://joannaszetowrites.com/about-the-author/

The post New Trilingual Children’s Book Celebrates Mandarin and Cantonese appeared first on Cocoa With Books.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

A picture book about anxious feelings, navigating changes, and the healing power of connection.

When your knees feel wobbly...

When your heart feels lonely...

When your tummy feels scared...

This gentle, heartfelt story gives children and adults a shared language to talk about anxious feelings, navigating changes, and the healing power of connection.

Dash, a sea otter pup, has learned to calm the worry in his belly by wrapping himself in kelp and playing with his favorite smooth, round stone. Then he meets Sammy, a boy who feels lost and alone after finding out some big news. When their worlds collide, Dash and Sammy share a moment that reveals a compelling truth: even when life feels uncertain and scary, holding onto someone - whether it's a hand...or a paw - can make you stronger together.

In the tradition of books like The Rabbit Listened and The Invisible String, comes a tender celebration of relationship, community, and the courage to reach out when navigating big emotions.

Why parents and educators love this book:

 * An essential social skills development tool - This book provides a gentle, age-appropriate way to discuss anxiety and big feelings with children.

 * Introduces concrete coping skills - The actions Dash uses (snuggling, playing with a stone) are simple, practical tools kids can use themselves to feel grounded and secure.

 * A beautiful message about community - This story highlights the importance of reaching out for help and the strength found in connecting with others.

 * Perfect for moments of transition - The story is an ideal resource for children dealing with new experiences, such as moving, starting a new school, or navigating family changes.

Family changes that include loss of family members and/or placement with different family members can generate lots of anxiety and fear in children. In Stronger Together by Ginger Healy and illustrated by Maine Diaz, a young otter meets a sad young boy who is about to go through something similar to what he has gone through with his family.

Dash, a sea otter, notices Sammy standing alone and sad at his exhibit in the aquarium. Dash gets his attention and tries to get Sammy to open up about what is going on. When Dash finds out that Sammy is going to live with his grandmother and is worried about this living situation change, Dash encourages him. He shares he was scared when his parents passed away and he had to live relatives. Through gestures, Dash shares ways he coped with his anxiety.

Stronger Together really helps children begin to process their anxious feelings about family changes and situations that are out of their control. Dash provides a great parallel that is encouraging to Sammy and provides him with methods to begin coping. Some of the methods include having a comfort object, playing with a calming stone and connecting with others. It shows the power and importance of connection during challenging times in our lives.

Additional Resources

There are lots of discussion questions to engage a young reader in after reading the story. I found that the resource bundle also has lots of activities that support the book. The activities expand on the suggestions that Dash the sea otter gives Sammy in the book.

The post SEL Children’s Book Review: Stronger Together by Ginger Healy appeared first on Cocoa With Books.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

An engaging and positive look at the universal experience of waiting.

Waiting is not easy! And waiting can take a long time. Like waiting on the drip, drip, drip of rain to stop or the ding of the timer for cookies to be done baking. But there's one thing that can make waiting go a little bit faster—a friend! A perfect read aloud, this book encourages readers to enjoy every kind of wait.

It’s a pleasure to again participate in the Read Your World Day as a book reviewer and this year I reviewed Waiting Together by Danielle Dufayet and illustrated by Srimalie Bassani.

Review

This is a beautifully illustrated book about the many different kinds of “waiting” and the many different scenarios that can cause you to be in a waiting period. Patience is a hard virtue for adults to manage, so for a child waiting for something must seem sometimes like an impossible task.

Wrapped in fun onomatopoeia, each page gives young readers opportunities to value patience. It brings a positivity to waiting for something good to happen. It focuses on the mindfulness instead of the discomfort.

But it doesn’t ignore the discomfort either. The second half of the book pivots to situations that feel uncomfortable when you have to wait. It suggests that those times it is often best to wait with someone else as a companion.

Waiting Together is a helpful book that puts waiting into perspective for a young mind. It focuses on mindfulness and remaining calm when you have to wait for something you want to happen. It’s great for developing mindfulness and patience.

About the Author

You can learn more about the author and her books at her website: https://www.danielledufayetbooks.com/

Learn About Read Your World 2026

Read Your World 2026 (1/29/26) is in its 14^th year! Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen founded this non-profit children’s literacy initiative; they are two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural diverse books and authors on the market while also working to get those books into the hands of young readers and educators.

Read Your World’s mission is to raise awareness of the need to include kids’ books celebrating diversity in homes and school bookshelves. Read about our Mission and history HERE.

Read Your World is honored to be Supported by these Medallion:

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Pragmaticmom) and Valarie Budayr (Audreypress.com)

🏅 Super Platinum Sponsor: Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media

🏅 Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 60 Languages and Jeanne Walker Harvey 

🏅 Gold Sponsors: Publisher Spotlight 

🏅 Silver Sponsors: Red Comet Press 

🏅 Silver Corporate Sponsor:  Kathy Choi

🏅 Bronze Sponsors: Fabled Films Press

🏅 Corporate Sponsor: Crayola Education 

Read Your World is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Authors: Audrey Barbakoff, Federico Erebia, Teddi Ahrens, Stephanie M. Wildman, Maritza M. Mejia, Authors J.C. Kato and J.C.², Eugenia Chu, Dorktales Storytime Podcast, Josh Funk, Frances Díaz Evans, Gaia Cornwall, Eric Clock, Maria Wen Adcock, Diana Huang, Gwen Jackson, Gea Meijering, Amanda Hsiung-Blodgett, Ismee Williams, Karin Fisher-Golton, Kathleen Burkinshaw, Tami Lehman-Wilzig,  Daria Marmaluk-Hajioannou, Nancy Tupper Ling, Teresa Robeson, Crystal Z. Lee, Karen Leggett Abouraya, Elly Swartz, Robbin Miller, Shifa Safadi, Tonya Ellis,Lisa Stringfellow, Sylvia Liu, Kimberly Biddle, Robbin Miller, Tonya Ellis, Nadine Pressley, Natahsa Yim Carter, and Lisa Chong.

Read Your World is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts and by our Partner Organizations! 

Check out RYW’s Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!

📌 FREE RESOURCES from Read Your World Day

• FREE RYW2026 Poster
• FREE Building Community with Bilingual Books 2026 Classroom Kit
• FREE Mental Health Support for Stressful Times Classroom Kit
• FREE Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents
• FREE Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit
• FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit
• FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit
• FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit
• FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit
• FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit
• Gallery of Our Free Posters
• FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program

📌 Register for the Read Your World Virtual Party:  https://readyourworld.org/virtualparty 

Join us on Thursday, January 29, 2026, at 8 pm EST celebrating 14 years of  Read Your World Day Virtual Party! Register here.   

This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.

We will be giving away a 10-Book Bundle during the virtual party plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants are welcome. **

Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, and connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. We look forward to seeing you all on January 29, 2026, at our virtual party!

The post Read Your World: Waiting Together by Danielle Dufayet appeared first on Cocoa With Books.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

Just add garlic, lemon, and a dash of the one percent.

This smart, biting novel explores what happens when a Haitian American girl uses her previously hidden zombie abilities to exact revenge on the wealthy elites who’ve caused her family pain.

Brielle Petitfour loves to cook. But with a chronically sick mother and bills to pay, becoming a chef isn’t exactly a realistic career path.

When Brielle’s mom suddenly loses her job, Brielle steps in and uses her culinary skills to earn some extra money. The rich families who love her cooking praise her use of unique flavors and textures, which keep everyone guessing what’s in Brielle’s dishes. The secret ingredient? Human flesh.

Written by the storytelling duo Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, The Summer I Ate the Rich is a modern-day fable inspired by Haitian zombie lore that scrutinizes the socioeconomic and racial inequity that is the foundation of our society. Just like Brielle’s clients, it will have you asking: What’s for dinner?

National Indie Bestseller
A Recommended Read by CBS Mornings Plus!

"These young women are incredible authors." -CBS Mornings Plus

The Summer I Ate the Rich by Maika and Maritza Moulite is not a zombie book in the sense that the plot explicitly aligns with the MC roaming around eating peoples’ brains, but main character girlie Brielle still ate!!! This young adult revenge fiction features Haitian American zombie, Brielle Petitfour. Now I love a good foodie-inspired, chef/baker MC book and if you are going for a horror/revenge twist, the pairing is perfect! 

Not Your Typical American Zombie

Inspired by Haitian zombie lore (from which American zombie mythology comes from), Brielle, is a passionate culinary student with dreams of becoming a chef… who also happens to be a zombie. This revenge novel follows Brielle as she tries to earn money to support her mother who is suffering from chronic pain. Part of the frustration lies with the fact that Brielle’s mother has the pain because of an injury she suffered at work. But wait, there’s more…her employer actually owns the company that creates the very expensive drug that she needs to relieve the pain. Yet, the family doesn’t lift a finger to help her and Brielle watches as her mother suffers and loses her job. 

Her sisters, the muses, lend a dark, but whimsical element to the story as we learn more about how Brielle’s mother came to the United States and what she was trying to escape. As Brielle develops her “talents” and her potential relationship with rich boy Preston, her sisters are in the background of the tale, tied to Haiti but still present in Brielle’s life. 

Reasons Why the Rich Keep Getting Richer…

Themes of economic disparity, medical poverty and racial injustice drive the plot of the book. If you are a graphic horror fan, you will be disappointed because the horror isn’t as much in the secret ingredient Brielle uses for her dishes, but more in how the rich treat others in society and get away with it. It definitely leaned more into revenge than outright horror in my opinion. 

The Audiobook is Definitely A Winner

I read The Summer I Ate the Rich via audiobook and really liked the narrator. I also don’t speak Haitian Creole so it was great to hear the proper pronunciations. My facial reactions to the drama were out of control! I wish I had done some selfies of myself on walks listening to this audiobook because it would have caught some expressions!!!!! The plot twists had me all kinds of upside down and in shock. 

The post The Summer I Ate the Rich Addresses Wealth, Medical Care and Social Access Through a Zombie’s POV appeared first on Cocoa With Books.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

An instant New York Times bestseller!

"A thought-provoking exploration of storytelling dynamics in a social media–driven society." —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The powerful and timely YA novel debut from three-time New York Times best-selling author Frederick Joseph is a deeply heartfelt story—and a rallying cry against book banning.

In an instant, Ossie Brown’s entire future is in jeopardy when a torn ACL ends his promising basketball career. Now that basketball is no longer a major part of his identity, Ossie—a Black teen who doesn’t come from wealth and privilege—must navigate his new place in the social and academic ecosystems of his affluent, predominantly white school. When a Black teacher encourages him to join her highly regarded writing program, Ossie begins to find a new purpose, buoyed by not only the rich works of literature by marginalized authors he’s now reading, but also by new friends who see him as something more than an asset to the sports program. Everything changes when some students’ viral “anti-woke” video puts the teacher’s job, the writing program, and even Ossie’s friends’ safety at risk—and Ossie must find his true voice. This unflinching novel confronts critical issues like racism and classism, the treatment of student athletes, homophobia, and book banning while weaving together a moving testament to family, romance, friendship, and the power of words.

Do you know a teen who would be interested in a club name the Dope Writers’ Society? If so, then This Thing of Ours by Frederick Joseph, might be the book for them. Thank you @candlewickpress for the gifted copy and to @libro.fm for the ALC. 

In his YA novel debut, Frederick Joseph tells the story of Ossie Brown. Ossie is young, Black and a basketball athlete who has recently suffered a pre-career ending injury. Ossie has to deconstruct what he thought his identity included and reinvent himself using his other talent – writing. This book would be a great addition to a unit that focuses on developing your identity.

This Thing of Ours was a brilliant and heartbreaking story that includes main characters who are working to form their own identities while they fight against racism, homophobia and a white privilege centered academic institution. There is a lot that gets tackled in this book, but the characterization captures it so well, especially for Ossie’s growth as a young man, a friend and a boyfriend. There are a ton of nuances, layers and metaphors wrapped in this thought-provoking book, but I’m going to pick a few that stuck out to me and my reading experience. 

Black Women are Wisdom to Be Honored 

I really appreciated how Black women are treated and portrayed in the book by the main character. As an English teacher, I absolutely loved the character of Ms. Hunt. I was taking notes!!! Because between her text selections and her calm reasoning in the face of racist students challenging her expertise and academic authority…I was in awe of her.

I also loved the voice of Naima, Ossie’s friend and love interest. Not only does she have ideas and is a great writer, but I thought it was interesting how Joseph positions Ossie, in multiple instances, to support Naima’s voice and how through growth it both backfires and uplifts. There was a plot twist that actually caught me off guard because traditional narrative had me thinking that Ossie would do one thing and the pivot he makes instead to Naima really showed his respect for the women in his life. And I can’t forget to mention his Grandma Alice! She is a pillar of the community and a matriarch that looks out for her grandson, especially when it comes to his relationship with his mother. 

Grief, Protest and Literature 

This novel is also about honoring Black and Black Queer literature, the Black women in our lives and our inner voice – whether it is through written or spoken expression. It’s also about grief -for loss of a dream, loss of a parent and for relationships that are distant because of trauma. It is a protest novel against the book censorship, political and academic violence against teens of color and the horrific racist and homophobic beliefs that terrorize and damage society. 

Definitely Recommend

• If you are looking for Black male MC in a young adult novel, check this one out! 
• If you are looking to inspire a young writer, check this book out!
• If you are looking to generate lots of great discussion and advocacy, check this book out! I think teen readers will definitely want to discuss the perspectives and actions of the characters in the book. 
• If you are looking for a book that connects you to other books, authors and ways of thinking, check this book out! It’s also an awesome way to introduce teen readers to books they may not have known about otherwise.

Audiobook

The audiobook was also amazing! I really liked the narrator, Ruffin Prentiss who brought Ossie and all of the characters to life. 

Starter Reading List

• A Letter to My Nephew by James Baldwin
• Beloved by Toni Morrison
• The Prophets by Robert Jones Jr. 
• Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

The post Debut YA Novel This Thing of Ours Uplifts Young Writers appeared first on Cocoa With Books.

In this moving intergenerational tale perfect for fans of Messy Roots and Illegal, Eisner-nominated creator Pablo Leon combines historical research of the Guatemalan Civil War with his own experiences as a Guatemalan immigrant to depict a powerful story of family, sacrifice, survival, and hope.

Langley Park, Maryland, 2013

Brothers Jose and Charlie know very little about their mother’s life in Guatemala, until Jose grows curious about the ongoing genocide trial of Efrain Rios Montt. At first his mother, Clara, shuts his questions down. But as the trial progresses, she begins to open up to her sons about a time in her life that she’s left buried for years. 

Peten, Guatemala, 1982

Sisters Clara and Elena hear about the armed conflict every day, but the violence somehow seems far away from their small village. But the day the fight comes to their doorstep, the sisters are separated and are forced to flee through the mountains, leaving them to wonder…Have their paths diverged forever?

Silenced Voices is a generational tale that is fictional, but based on true events. Beginning in present day, Young José knows nothing of his mother’s childhood and past. But one day in 2013, he gets curious when he learns about the genocide trial of former Guatemalan president, Efrain Rios Montt. The trial triggers his mother, Clara, into deeper silence at first, but eventually serves as an opportunity for Clara to begin opening up to her sons about her childhood in Guatemala. 

Guatemala in 1982

The story then flashbacks to to his mother’s memories in 1982 Guatemala. Sisters Clara and Elena live in a village that is a Q’eqchi’ Maya Community in northern Petén, Guatemala. When the fighting comes to their doorstep, you discover that the villagers are caught between the Guatemalan army and the guerillas fighting against the regime.

The acts of the army are cruel and disgusting and the villagers are not protected by either side. The army sees them as potential guerillas due to their location near the mountains. They also have violent anti-Indigenous beliefs, which meant they never intend for survivors, including children, in their raids. If you are not ready to read about this type of violence, please proceed with caution. The sisters are forced to separate in order to escape the massacre alive. As the story follows Clara, you learn about the anti-Indigenous racism that she faces both from the Guatemalan army and as a refugee. You also learn about her journey to the United States and how she establishes a new life and family. Clara’s story as a younger girl is fast-paced. It is a survival story that transitions from physical survival to emotional survival. 

Present- Day Maryland – Painful Memories Resurface

The trial brings up fear and anger amongst those who survived the war and who lost family members. Jose’s brother Charlie, is interviewed on TV after the results of the trial and he angrily says, “The bare minimum you can ask from a society is justice. Justice for the silenced…to honor those who can’t speak for themselves.” It’s a quote that will make readers reflect and ponder and will definitely generate discussion in a classroom. 

“It’s taken years, but Elena and I — we speak of those painful memories, because talking about the past restores our sense of dignity.”  This quote made me think of how books can be used as therapy. How it’s important to share our stories even when it may take a reader time before they can discuss it with others. Sometimes it is important to give them the space to begin their own healing. 

Coping in Silence

Silenced Voices is the second graphic novel that I’ve read that has dealt with how people who have immigrated from Central American countries due to war conflicts have coped with their trauma by not talking about their past – a similar coping technique that I’ve encountered with traumatized communities. I encountered this as a theme in the book, Just Another Story: A Graphic Migration Account by Ernesto Saade. It was a story about a young man and his mother’s migration journey from El Salvador. One of the key motifs that connect both of these books is the idea of coping through silence.

I think that as an educator this is important to understand and be aware of as you support families who have migrated from Central America under duress. We need to think about it as we select books and navigate discussions about these important pieces of history that our children are part of but are not known to most of the world. We need to do our due diligence of learning first.

Continuous Learning as an Educator is a Required Responsibility

As an educator who serves a large immigrant Latiné community of students, I want to learn as much as I can about the countries and situations my students are coming from. Silenced Voices taught me more than I’ve ever known about the 36 year Guatemalan Civil War. The students I serve are often like José and Charlie. I definitely recommend reading this very informative and beautifully written graphic novel.

Self-Reflection and Teaching

As an educator, I challenge you to pick up more books in 2026 to further your own learning about the students you serve. I really want to emphasize the words “your own learning” because sometimes we find out something that is new to us and then run headfirst into “teaching” it without considering the minefields we are navigating with regards to other individuals trauma. A good book that I would suggest to support that self-reflections is Get Free: Antibias Literacy Instruction for Stronger Readers, Writers, and Thinkers by Tricia Ebarvia.

The post New Graphic Novel, Silenced Voices, Explores How Silence and Survival Are Often Intertwined appeared first on Cocoa With Books.