The Great Hippopotamus Hotel by Alexander McCall Smith

The Great Hippotamus Hotel is part of the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency. This is such a great series. Makes me want to visit Botswana. This series is well written and very clever. A smart read and well worth listening to the audio books as it is music to the ears. Enjoy.

Spy School Goes Wild by Stuart Gibbs

Spy School Goes Wild is a filled with humor and silliness but also learning some location information. Ben's team is there to support him later on. This future spy is one lucky lad. Good book to add to school libraries.

The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander

THe Door of No Return is a story of a young boy who watches his brother get executed because of an accidental death. His life goes from normal boy antics and liking a girl to being captured and sold into slavery. Fine for any school library.

Little Girls by Nicholas Aflleje

 A combination between legend and nature.  A group of hyenas are led by a supernatural hyena are murdering people and creating havoc.  The little girls start investigating on their own and putting themselves in danger.

Nana Akua Goes To School by Walker & Harrison

 This is a good read for cultural diversity.  It's a good book to grace the shelves of many libraries.  Enjoy.

Orphan Monster Spy Devil Darling Spy by Matt Killeen

An intense spy story.  Layers of conflict with this young woman at the age of 16 posing as a younger girl trying to find information and stop an evil scientist who abuses test subjects who are forced into horrible deaths.  It's an thriller!  A good read to add to the library.

 

No 1 Ladies Detective Agency How To Raise An Elephant by Alexander McCall Smith

 I love this series.  I would love to travel to Botswana just because I've been reading this series.  HBO made a short lived series based on this series of books.  Jill Scott, was the lead and the whole cast was wonderful.  Enjoy this series and meet a wonderful lady, who happens to be the Number One Detective. Also the audio books are very good and help with the pronunciation of some of the words.

No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency To The Land of Long-Lost Friends by Alexander McCall Smith

 A great series set in Botswana, the cast of characters in this story are endearing and the plot will entertain.  A smart book to enjoy.  

The No 1 Ladies Detective Agency The Colors of All The Cattle by Alexander McCall Smith

 I love this series.  I love listening to this audio books and years ago, Showtime, had a season of this show  Jill Scott and the rest of the actors had done a fantastic job.  Alexander McCall Smith creates a cast of characters in a very clever detective agency.  It's a good read.

Under Water by JL Powers

The author did her research.  It's a good read but I don't think I'll get for my high school students.  

Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X Kendi

This is a book we need now.  To help us as a whole understand how black people have been treated

over the years and why.  How different perspectives played out.  From presidents to everyday people 

responded to racism with actions that go beyond abuse.  This book was written a few months before what is going on right now in the United States.  It is timed perfectly to help us all understand the roots of  anger, hurt and frustration that are being expressed in today's world.  It is an important read.

I'm getting for my high school library!

The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox

It's important for us to know what happened in the past.  To learn from events, helps us see history come alive through primary resources and through well researched novels. Add this book in the cruel and terrible world of the slave trade.  It's a good read.

The Girl With The Louding Voice by Abi Dare

Wow.  This is quite a novel and makes you think about how many people are in this situation.  It is an important read.  Maybe not high school unless for seniors.  It's a good book about an innocent girl forced in to awful situations. 

The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind by William Kamkwamba

This is the story of William who had a little formal education but lots of life experiences and also a teeny tiny library that made all the difference getting his family electricity.  He lives in Africa and was able to cobble together an amazing windmill much to the dismay of his fellow villagers.  They stopped laughing when they saw the potential of what the windmill could do.  It's a good book, enjoy.

Legacy of Orishi Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi

This African story is very intense.  It's a good read and fine for high school.  There is political power and magic and family dynamics taking place in this story.  Enjoy.

The Girl Who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya and Elizabeth Weil

This is a must read of a brave young woman who tells of her childhood of being a refugee, fleeing for her life as a genocide takes place.  How survival and a very smart older sister takes care of her. How she makes her way to the United States.  This is a book that should be read by many people, especially people who are in power to help others in need.

Hidden Girl: The True Story Of A Modern Day Child Slave by Shyima Hall

Wow, this personal story of a young women who retells her life in slavery that her family put her into.  Learn why and how she became a slave, what treatment she got and how her life was in danger at times.  How she was able to have an opportunity to get her life back.  An amazing story.  What a brave young women to share her story.  I'm getting for my high school library.  Audio book also very good.

War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi

There is a lot going on in this story.  Lots of action.  I got lost in this story, I had trouble following the story plot.  I wasn't always sure what was going on.  I would say read this book before you purchase. 

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

After reading this book, I would like to read the youth version.  It is a good adult version.  If you have ever seen Trevor Noah's show, it's brilliant.  He's smart and funny.  He also speaks many different languages.  I feel this is an important read to not only learn about Trevor's life but also to learn how racial hate can pull a country and the diverse people apart and trap people in poverty.  Trevor has an amazing mother.  Read this book and understand better a different country and a different life.  It's a good read.

The Bitter Side of Sweet by Tara Sullivan

This is a very hard read.  It's difficult to read knowing that these events are happening.  Even though this story is fictional, the author has done a good job researching the slave labor of harvesting cacao pods in the process of making chocolate.  A must add to any school library.