JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Homelessness & Poverty
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Queenie in Seven Moves
Price: $18.99
Pub Date: April 22, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Amid the uncertainty of not having a permanent home, twelve-year-old Queenie finds unforeseen friendship—and unexpected confidence—in this warm, sensitive story addressing loss and belonging.
To Queenie, home is Peachy, the little peach-walled house she’s lived in forever, all art deco and flaky paint. Always a provider of solace. But when she and her mom have to move out, suddenly one temporary move follows another, from a retirement village to a flood-prone old camper van to a shared home, sometimes with just her father’s guitar under her arm and some budding lyrics in her head. Along the way, the change-resistant Queenie discovers that home isn’t a place at all—it’s making new friends and reconnecting with old ones, letting yourself be uncomfortable, and finding the courage to share your song with the world. With insight, honesty, and gentle humor, Zanni Louise’s timely novel touches on the experience of housing insecurity as it introduces a relatable protagonist who readers will want to follow wherever she goes.
The Lucky Ones
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: November 14, 2023
Format: Paperback
“A compelling story about racism, poverty, and the power of community to help lift people up. . . . An excellent recommendation.” —Booklist (starred review)
It’s 1967, and eleven-year-old Ellis Earl has big dreams. He’s going to grow up to be a teacher or a lawyer and live in a big house. There’ll always be enough food, and his mama won’t have to run herself ragged looking for work. So Ellis Earl applies himself at school, soaking up the lessons that Mr. Foster teaches—particularly those about famous colored people like Mr. Thurgood Marshall and Miss Marian Wright—and borrowing books like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from his teacher’s bookshelf. But when Mama tells Ellis Earl that he might need to quit school to help support the family, he wonders if happy endings are only possible in storybooks. Around the historical touchstone of Robert Kennedy’s southern “poverty tour,” award-winning author Linda Williams Jackson pulls from her own childhood in the Mississippi Delta to tell a poignant story with memorable characters. Featuring a discussion guide to inspire meaningful conversation, The Lucky Ones is sure to resonate with readers who have ever felt constricted by their circumstances.
The Patron Thief of Bread
Price: $10.99
Pub Date: October 10, 2023
Format: Paperback
“Imbued with real suspense and a gorgeous warmth. . . . An utterly enchanting exploration of family in its many forms.” —Booklist (starred review)
Fished from the river as an infant and raised by a band of street urchins who call themselves the Crowns, eight-year-old Duck keeps her head down. It’s a rollicking life, thieving and on the run—until the Crowns infiltrate an abandoned cathedral in the city of Odierne and decide to settle down. It’s part of the bold new plan hatched by the Crowns’ fearless leader, Gnat: one of their own will pose as an apprentice to the local baker, relieving Master Griselde of bread and coin to fill the bellies and line the pockets of all the Crowns. But no sooner is she apprenticed to the kindly Griselde than Duck’s allegiances start to blur. Who is she really—a Crown or an apprentice baker? And who does she want to be? Meanwhile, high above the streets of Odierne, on the roof of the unfinished cathedral, an old and ugly gargoyle grows weary of waiting to fulfill his own destiny—to watch and protect. Told in alternating viewpoints, this exquisite novel evokes a timeless tale of love, self-discovery, and what it means to be rescued.
A Gift from Abuela
Price: $7.99
Pub Date: August 22, 2023
Format: Paperback
“Elevates a standard tale about the loving bond between a grandmother and granddaughter. . . . Demonstrates how family bonds and love remain steady, unbreakable, and are indeed our greatest gift.” —The Horn Book
The first time Abuela holds Niña, her heart overflows with tenderness. And as Niña grows up, she and Abuela spend plenty of time together. Abuela can’t help thinking how much she’d like to give Niña a very special treat, so she saves a little bit of her money every week—a few pesos here, a few pesos there. But when the world turns upside down, Abuela’s dream of a surprise for Niña seems impossible. Luckily, time spent together—and the love Abuela and Niña have for each other—could turn out to be the very best gift of all. With a soft and subtle hand, author-illustrator Cecilia Ruiz draws from her own history to share a deeply personal tale about remembering what’s most important when life starts to get in the way.
Un regalo para Niña
Price: $7.99
Pub Date: August 22, 2023
Format: Paperback
In her first book for children, Cecilia Ruiz illuminates how things can change—and the importance of holding on to our dearest relationships when they do.
The first time Abuela holds Niña, her heart overflows with tenderness. And as Niña grows up, she and Abuela spend plenty of time together. Abuela can’t help thinking how much she’d like to give Niña a very special treat, so she saves a little bit of her money every week—a few pesos here, a few pesos there. When the world turns upside down, Abuela’s dream of a surprise for Niña seems impossible. Luckily, time spent together—and the love Abuela and Niña have for each other—could turn out to be the very best gift of all. With a soft and subtle hand, author-illustrator Cecilia Ruiz draws from her own history to share a deeply personal tale about remembering what’s most important when life starts to get in the way.
The Magician's Elephant Movie tie-in
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: January 17, 2023
Format: Paperback
Kate DiCamillo’s New York Times best-selling fable about trusting the unexpected and making the extraordinary come true is now available in a movie tie-in edition.
When a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller’s mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it’s true. With atmospheric illustrations by fine artist Yoko Tanaka, this timeless fable from Kate DiCamillo evokes the largest of themes—hope and belonging, desire and compassion—with the lightness of a magician’s touch.
A Wish in the Dark
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: September 7, 2021
Format: Paperback
A 2021 Newbery Honor Book
“Seems to have it all: a sympathetic hero, a colorful setting, humor, heart, philosophy, and an epic conflict that relates the complexity and humanity of social justice. . . . Luminous.” —Booklist (starred review)
All light in Chattana is created by one man—the Governor, who appeared after the Great Fire to bring peace and order to the city. For Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, the magical lights represent freedom. But when he escapes from prison, he realizes that the world outside is no fairer than the one behind bars. The wealthy dine and dance under bright lights, while the poor toil away in darkness. Worst of all, Pong’s prison tattoo marks him as a fugitive who can never be truly free.
Nok, the prison warden’s perfect daughter, is bent on tracking Pong down and restoring her family’s good name. But as Nok hunts Pong through the alleys and canals of Chattana, she uncovers secrets that make her question the truths she has always held dear. Set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world, Christina Soontornvat’s twist on Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is a dazzling, fast-paced adventure that explores the difference between law and justice—and asks whether one child can shine a light in the dark.
The Threads of Magic
Price: $18.99
Pub Date: April 13, 2021
Format: Hardcover
In a gripping stand-alone fantasy from the acclaimed Alison Croggon, a pickpocket steals the cursed Stone Heart and is propelled into a power struggle, woven with witchcraft, that will change the kingdom forever.
Pip lives by his wits in the city of Clarel. But when he picks the wrong pocket, Pip finds himself in possession of a strange dried heart in a silver casket—and those who lost it will stop at nothing to get it back. With assassins on his trail and the ominous heart beginning to whisper to him, Pip and his childlike older sister El are drawn deeper into the forbidden world of magic. Now they must seek the help of the secret witches of Clarel and Princess Georgette—who is sick of being a pawn in everyone else’s game—to wage revolution against a chilling king, a power-hungry church cardinal, and an ancient evil they don’t truly understand. A beautifully written adventure full of courage and kindness, The Threads of Magic transports readers to a magical city of airy palaces and rotten slums, of agents of the Office of Witchcraft Examination and midsummer dancing in the Weavers’ Quarter, of dangerous fathers and chosen family.
Where the Heart Is
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: April 13, 2021
Format: Paperback
“One of those rare novels that feels less like a constructed story and more like a momentary glimpse into a real young life—genuine, stirring, and raw.” —The Horn Book (starred review)
It’s the first day of summer and Rachel's thirteenth birthday. She can't wait to head to the lake with her best friend, Micah. But as summer unfolds, every day seems to get more complicated. Her “fun” new job taking care of the neighbors’ farm animals quickly becomes a challenge. And at home, her parents’ arguments over bills intensify. Fortunately, Rachel can count on Micah to help her cope with all the stress. But Micah seems to want their relationship to go beyond friendship. And though Rachel almost wishes for that as well, she can’t force herself to feel “that way” about him. In fact, she isn’t sure she can feel that way about any boy—or what that means. Compassion and humor infuse this story of a girl who must discover where her heart is—and what that means for her family, her identity, and her future.
The Day War Came
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: October 13, 2020
Format: Paperback
“An absolutely beautiful story that penetrates the heart and seeds hope when there is little of it.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Imagine if, on an ordinary day, after a morning of studying tadpoles and drawing birds at school, war came to your town and turned it to rubble. Imagine if you lost everything and everyone and you had to make a dangerous journey all alone. Imagine that there was no welcome at the end and no room for you to even take a seat at school. And then a child, just like you, gave you something ordinary but so very, very precious. In lyrical, deeply affecting language, Nicola Davies’s text combines with Rebecca Cobb’s expressive illustrations to evoke the experience of a child who sees war take away all that she knows.

Queenie in Seven Moves
Price: $18.99
Pub Date: April 22, 2025
Format: Hardcover
Amid the uncertainty of not having a permanent home, twelve-year-old Queenie finds unforeseen friendship—and unexpected confidence—in this warm, sensitive story addressing loss and belonging.
To Queenie, home is Peachy, the little peach-walled house she’s lived in forever, all art deco and flaky paint. Always a provider of solace. But when she and her mom have to move out, suddenly one temporary move follows another, from a retirement village to a flood-prone old camper van to a shared home, sometimes with just her father’s guitar under her arm and some budding lyrics in her head. Along the way, the change-resistant Queenie discovers that home isn’t a place at all—it’s making new friends and reconnecting with old ones, letting yourself be uncomfortable, and finding the courage to share your song with the world. With insight, honesty, and gentle humor, Zanni Louise’s timely novel touches on the experience of housing insecurity as it introduces a relatable protagonist who readers will want to follow wherever she goes.
The Lucky Ones
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: November 14, 2023
Format: Paperback
“A compelling story about racism, poverty, and the power of community to help lift people up. . . . An excellent recommendation.” —Booklist (starred review)
It’s 1967, and eleven-year-old Ellis Earl has big dreams. He’s going to grow up to be a teacher or a lawyer and live in a big house. There’ll always be enough food, and his mama won’t have to run herself ragged looking for work. So Ellis Earl applies himself at school, soaking up the lessons that Mr. Foster teaches—particularly those about famous colored people like Mr. Thurgood Marshall and Miss Marian Wright—and borrowing books like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from his teacher’s bookshelf. But when Mama tells Ellis Earl that he might need to quit school to help support the family, he wonders if happy endings are only possible in storybooks. Around the historical touchstone of Robert Kennedy’s southern “poverty tour,” award-winning author Linda Williams Jackson pulls from her own childhood in the Mississippi Delta to tell a poignant story with memorable characters. Featuring a discussion guide to inspire meaningful conversation, The Lucky Ones is sure to resonate with readers who have ever felt constricted by their circumstances.
The Patron Thief of Bread
Price: $10.99
Pub Date: October 10, 2023
Format: Paperback
“Imbued with real suspense and a gorgeous warmth. . . . An utterly enchanting exploration of family in its many forms.” —Booklist (starred review)
Fished from the river as an infant and raised by a band of street urchins who call themselves the Crowns, eight-year-old Duck keeps her head down. It’s a rollicking life, thieving and on the run—until the Crowns infiltrate an abandoned cathedral in the city of Odierne and decide to settle down. It’s part of the bold new plan hatched by the Crowns’ fearless leader, Gnat: one of their own will pose as an apprentice to the local baker, relieving Master Griselde of bread and coin to fill the bellies and line the pockets of all the Crowns. But no sooner is she apprenticed to the kindly Griselde than Duck’s allegiances start to blur. Who is she really—a Crown or an apprentice baker? And who does she want to be? Meanwhile, high above the streets of Odierne, on the roof of the unfinished cathedral, an old and ugly gargoyle grows weary of waiting to fulfill his own destiny—to watch and protect. Told in alternating viewpoints, this exquisite novel evokes a timeless tale of love, self-discovery, and what it means to be rescued.
A Gift from Abuela
Price: $7.99
Pub Date: August 22, 2023
Format: Paperback
“Elevates a standard tale about the loving bond between a grandmother and granddaughter. . . . Demonstrates how family bonds and love remain steady, unbreakable, and are indeed our greatest gift.” —The Horn Book
The first time Abuela holds Niña, her heart overflows with tenderness. And as Niña grows up, she and Abuela spend plenty of time together. Abuela can’t help thinking how much she’d like to give Niña a very special treat, so she saves a little bit of her money every week—a few pesos here, a few pesos there. But when the world turns upside down, Abuela’s dream of a surprise for Niña seems impossible. Luckily, time spent together—and the love Abuela and Niña have for each other—could turn out to be the very best gift of all. With a soft and subtle hand, author-illustrator Cecilia Ruiz draws from her own history to share a deeply personal tale about remembering what’s most important when life starts to get in the way.
Un regalo para Niña
Price: $7.99
Pub Date: August 22, 2023
Format: Paperback
In her first book for children, Cecilia Ruiz illuminates how things can change—and the importance of holding on to our dearest relationships when they do.
The first time Abuela holds Niña, her heart overflows with tenderness. And as Niña grows up, she and Abuela spend plenty of time together. Abuela can’t help thinking how much she’d like to give Niña a very special treat, so she saves a little bit of her money every week—a few pesos here, a few pesos there. When the world turns upside down, Abuela’s dream of a surprise for Niña seems impossible. Luckily, time spent together—and the love Abuela and Niña have for each other—could turn out to be the very best gift of all. With a soft and subtle hand, author-illustrator Cecilia Ruiz draws from her own history to share a deeply personal tale about remembering what’s most important when life starts to get in the way.
The Magician's Elephant Movie tie-in
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: January 17, 2023
Format: Paperback
Kate DiCamillo’s New York Times best-selling fable about trusting the unexpected and making the extraordinary come true is now available in a movie tie-in edition.
When a fortuneteller’s tent appears in the market square of the city of Baltese, orphan Peter Augustus Duchene knows the questions that he needs to ask: Does his sister still live? And if so, how can he find her? The fortuneteller’s mysterious answer (an elephant! An elephant will lead him there!) sets off a chain of events so remarkable, so impossible, that you will hardly dare to believe it’s true. With atmospheric illustrations by fine artist Yoko Tanaka, this timeless fable from Kate DiCamillo evokes the largest of themes—hope and belonging, desire and compassion—with the lightness of a magician’s touch.
A Wish in the Dark
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: September 7, 2021
Format: Paperback
A 2021 Newbery Honor Book
“Seems to have it all: a sympathetic hero, a colorful setting, humor, heart, philosophy, and an epic conflict that relates the complexity and humanity of social justice. . . . Luminous.” —Booklist (starred review)
All light in Chattana is created by one man—the Governor, who appeared after the Great Fire to bring peace and order to the city. For Pong, who was born in Namwon Prison, the magical lights represent freedom. But when he escapes from prison, he realizes that the world outside is no fairer than the one behind bars. The wealthy dine and dance under bright lights, while the poor toil away in darkness. Worst of all, Pong’s prison tattoo marks him as a fugitive who can never be truly free.
Nok, the prison warden’s perfect daughter, is bent on tracking Pong down and restoring her family’s good name. But as Nok hunts Pong through the alleys and canals of Chattana, she uncovers secrets that make her question the truths she has always held dear. Set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world, Christina Soontornvat’s twist on Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables is a dazzling, fast-paced adventure that explores the difference between law and justice—and asks whether one child can shine a light in the dark.
The Threads of Magic
Price: $18.99
Pub Date: April 13, 2021
Format: Hardcover
In a gripping stand-alone fantasy from the acclaimed Alison Croggon, a pickpocket steals the cursed Stone Heart and is propelled into a power struggle, woven with witchcraft, that will change the kingdom forever.
Pip lives by his wits in the city of Clarel. But when he picks the wrong pocket, Pip finds himself in possession of a strange dried heart in a silver casket—and those who lost it will stop at nothing to get it back. With assassins on his trail and the ominous heart beginning to whisper to him, Pip and his childlike older sister El are drawn deeper into the forbidden world of magic. Now they must seek the help of the secret witches of Clarel and Princess Georgette—who is sick of being a pawn in everyone else’s game—to wage revolution against a chilling king, a power-hungry church cardinal, and an ancient evil they don’t truly understand. A beautifully written adventure full of courage and kindness, The Threads of Magic transports readers to a magical city of airy palaces and rotten slums, of agents of the Office of Witchcraft Examination and midsummer dancing in the Weavers’ Quarter, of dangerous fathers and chosen family.
Where the Heart Is
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: April 13, 2021
Format: Paperback
“One of those rare novels that feels less like a constructed story and more like a momentary glimpse into a real young life—genuine, stirring, and raw.” —The Horn Book (starred review)
It’s the first day of summer and Rachel's thirteenth birthday. She can't wait to head to the lake with her best friend, Micah. But as summer unfolds, every day seems to get more complicated. Her “fun” new job taking care of the neighbors’ farm animals quickly becomes a challenge. And at home, her parents’ arguments over bills intensify. Fortunately, Rachel can count on Micah to help her cope with all the stress. But Micah seems to want their relationship to go beyond friendship. And though Rachel almost wishes for that as well, she can’t force herself to feel “that way” about him. In fact, she isn’t sure she can feel that way about any boy—or what that means. Compassion and humor infuse this story of a girl who must discover where her heart is—and what that means for her family, her identity, and her future.
The Day War Came
Price: $8.99
Pub Date: October 13, 2020
Format: Paperback
“An absolutely beautiful story that penetrates the heart and seeds hope when there is little of it.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Imagine if, on an ordinary day, after a morning of studying tadpoles and drawing birds at school, war came to your town and turned it to rubble. Imagine if you lost everything and everyone and you had to make a dangerous journey all alone. Imagine that there was no welcome at the end and no room for you to even take a seat at school. And then a child, just like you, gave you something ordinary but so very, very precious. In lyrical, deeply affecting language, Nicola Davies’s text combines with Rebecca Cobb’s expressive illustrations to evoke the experience of a child who sees war take away all that she knows.