February Books!

And What Fell From the Sky's release

February was a great month of reading, AND I got to release What Fell From the Sky on the 11th! The book was reviewed in the New York Times Book Review the weekend before pub date, which was incredibly exciting. And, yes, I framed the review because it’s important to celebrate when good things happen.

I did a few school visits in districts around where I live and it was fun to see students’ enthusiasm about the story. But I actually substitute taught on pub day instead of doing anything book related. This has become my new tradition and I find it good for my mental health. Instead of spending the day scrolling social media to see who’s posting about the book or checking sales stats, I was with kids who have no idea I’m an author and helped them solve quadratic equations… or at least tried to. That kind of reality check is essential when publishing often seems completely removed from the real world.

Okay, now on to this month’s book recs. I had some great reads this month. Lots of audiobooks and I’ve started reading more books in Spanish. And I’m still letting myself DNF a ton of books. I really had to break myself out of that school mindset of ‘you have to finish reading this even though you don’t like it.’ Yikes.

February 7
As You Wish by Nashae Jones (website)

Birdie has big plans for eighth grade. This is the year that she gets a boyfriend, and since she and her best friend, Deve, do everything together, it makes sense that Deve will get a girlfriend. This is the kind of math Birdie doesn’t find intimidating—it’s Eighth Grade 101. (Birdie + Boyfriend) + (Deve + Girlfriend) = Normal Eighth Grade Experience. And normal is something Birdie craves, especially with a mom as overprotective as hers.
She doesn’t expect Deve to be so against her plan, or for their fight to blow up in her face. So when the West African god Anansi appears to her, claiming to be able to make everything right again, Birdie pushes past her skepticism and makes a wish for the whole mess to go away. But with a trickster god, your wish is bound to come true in a way you never imagined.
Before long, Birdie regrets her rash words…especially when she realizes what’s really going on with her and Deve. With her reality upended, can Birdie figure out how to undo her wish?

This PBS video offers a great explanation of the West African gods and goddesses of Yoruba lore and how they’ve inspired fantasy books. This Ted-Ed video provides the specific story of Anansi.
Book Pairings:
Books by Tomi Adeyemi
Cameron Battle and the Hidden Kingdoms by Jamar Perry
Bye Forever, I Guess by Jodi Meadows
Courtesy of Cupid by Nashae Jones

February 14
What Fell From the Sky by ME! (website)

All Pineda Matlage wants is to get through the school year and maybe pull an epic prank or two with his friends Junior, Ernesto, and Patsy. But class is disrupted when a slew of American soldiers descends upon their rural Texan town of Soledad. They’ll be carrying out a training exercise and taking over everything, from Pineda’s school to the local government.
But Pineda knows why they’re really here. For days he’s hidden the strange creature who fell from the sky in his parents’ barn. He promised her he’d find her family and help them return home. But with soldiers now on every street corner and armed checkpoints across every road, reuniting his new friend with her missing parents seems an impossible task. Especially when they realize that the army’s presence is really a coverup for capturing his alien friends―being observed in a laboratory by the US government for reasons of their own.
Enlisting the help of his friends, a Black soldier adjusting to a newly integrated army, and townspeople tired of the military’s destructive presence, Pineda and all of Soledad will embark on an adventure none of them could have ever expected.

A book trailer to pique students’ interest in the story is available here. Students can view a video of me explaining the historical background of the book and the real military operation that inspired the story. A video of me reading chapter 1 is also available. Finally, the teacher guide is available on my website.
Book Pairings
Far Out by Ann Bustard
The Owls Have Come to Take Us Away by Ronald Smith
Project Mercury by Ronald Smith

February 21
Next Stop by Debbie Fong (website)

Pia is a soft-spoken middle schooler whose life is turned upside down after the loss of her younger brother, followed by her parents’ decision to move to a new town. In an effort to get her mind off of the troubles at home, Pia goes on a bus tour with a family friend, stopping at weird and wacky roadside attractions. The final destination: a mysterious underground lake. The locals say it has magical powers; Pia won’t admit she believes in it, but she’s holding on to hope that the waters may hold the answer to mending her broken family.

This video shows 10 quirky roadside attractions in the US that students might enjoy exploring. I recommend being aware of students who have experienced sibling loss while reading this book and providing appropriate support.
Book Pairings
When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn
Sorry For Your Loss by Joanne Levy

February 28
The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon (website)

One year ago, a solar flare scorched the Earth and destroyed life as we know it.
With their parents gone and supplies running dangerously low, step-sisters Millie and Rose only have one chance at survival: leave home with their infant half-brother and loyal dog Corncob in search of Millie’s grandma, a Seminole elder. As they navigate the burning land with a group of fellow survivors, dodging The Hive, a villainous group that has spent the last year hoarding supplies and living in luxury, the siblings have to learn to rely on each other more than ever, and discover how to build a new life from the ashes.
This video discusses solar flares and solar storms, the cause of the destruction in The Flicker. This video helps kids understand transgender and nonbinary identity. Finally, this video shows some of the history of the Seminole Native Americans, although I recommend further study of the Seminoles so students understand that this culture still thrives today.
Book Pairings:
All That’s Left in the World by Erik J. Brown
Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White
Cattywampus by Ash Van Otterloo

Happy reading!