Jacqueline Woodson is the master of the tiny book that packs a big emotional punch. She writes brilliantly for young adults as well as adults, and this book felt like a perfect bridge between two genres.

In one of the most beautifully written memoirs I’ve ever read, Ketanji Brown Jackson invites the reader into her life and describes her journey from being a young girl living in a segregated Miami neighborhood to becoming the first Black woman appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

I had seen The Berry Pickers recommended a few times, but it hadn’t yet made it to my stack of books when my mother-in-law gave it to me for Christmas. Books are always a good bet as a gift for me, but this one was such a wonderful choice that I gave it back to her as soon as I finished it so she could read it too!

In the Unlikely Event takes place in Elizabeth, New Jersey in the 1950s.  Blume creates three generations of endearing characters, all of whom connect to 15-year-old Miri Ammerman and her mother Rusty. 

are you there god? it’s me, margaret. is the iconic story of a young girl on the brink of adolescence who moves from New York City to the suburbs. 

I know I’ve mentioned before how once I fall for an author based on an amazing book or two that she has written, I can’t wait to read other titles by her.  Honestly, I often find these books to be fine, but not as powerful as the “breakthrough book,” or the one that propelled the author to fame. This is not the case with Maggie O’Farrell.