To Mexico

We Were Here by Matt De La Peña is Miguel’s story following a tragic accident that sent him to a juvenile facility and then a group home. Miguel is angry and non compliant to any form of support or relationship with his fellow residents.

This changes when he breaks out with the seemingly insane, violent Mong and the incredibly strong and not very bright Rondell. They attempt to make it to Mexico. Their journey reveals more about each boy’s background. They experience loss while confronting their own demons along the way.

Miguel and Rondell finally circle back to Miguel’s grandparents. He is able to admit his indescribable guilt and pain for his wrongdoing and is finally willing to serve his time in an attempt to make things right.

This story is written in Miguel’s voice as a series of his journal entries. The author captures his grit and turmoil through the entries while not completely revealing his crime until near the very end.

Rehabilitation

The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater is based on an actual event occurring in California.

Richard is a black sixteen year old who sets a gender fluid person’s skirt on fire while riding the city bus. Sasha is the victim who suffers from serious burns across their legs following the incident.

Slater does an excellent job giving both Richard and Sasha’s backgrounds/personalities before detailing the horrific prank. The book provides the rehabilitation, publicity and legal processes following the incident. Richard is being tried as an adult for his crime. Interviews/information is included from both of their family and friends.

This book is eye opening and discussion worthy in many respects: gender, race, society, our justice system, media, and more deeply about empathy and forgiveness.

New Love

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman is my final 2024 Nutmeg nominee. It’s a graphic novel.

This book has been flying off the shelf and I completely understand the hype. It captures a sweet, budding relationship between Charlie and jock Nick.

They meet in a class, and their friendship takes off quite naturally. Charlie has already come out as gay the year before. Nick is completely comfortable with Charlie and is clearly developing some feelings.

My brief summary doesn’t do justice to the story, which for me perfectly shares the angst and giddiness of a new love interest. I’m excited to keep reading the series.

Search for Freedom

Sanctuary by Paola Mendoza and Abby Sher is a futuristic take on immigration policy. Even though it’s set in 2032, it’s at times frighteningly realistic.

Vali’s family was already on the run by moving from California to Vermont after her dad’s capture and death. Now things are getting more intense as the president is building walls and forcefully deporting anyone not born in the U.S.

As they begin a journey to NYC for safety, their mother is taken from them by the Deportation Force. Vali and her little brother Ernie are forced to find safe haven on their own. NY is only the first stop on a brutal and dangerous trip to California. California is the only state granting safety to all immigrants.

Along their journey they encounter others running for their lives. They’ve all already faced loss and are hoping to survive. They encounter violence, starvation and death along the way.

It’s a harsh and eye opening look at politics and lack of humanity.

Multiple Battles

Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross is a combination of love story and fantasy. It’s set in a time of warring gods, fantastical creatures and magic.

Iris and Roman are competing for a columnist position at their local paper. However, Iris is distracted by more important issues. Her brother left to fight in the war, and his absence sent her mother into a downward spiral. Iris’s only comfort is using her grandmother’s old typewriter to write letters to her missing brother. One day she magically receives a response letter, but it’s not from her brother.

Iris puts this blossoming pen pal relationship on hold when she decides to switch newspapers as a war reporter. Roman decides to follow her to their outpost. The remainder of the book details their interactions and involvement in war as well as their budding relationship.

This is a well written story. It leaves off with a cliffhanger to entice readers into reading its sequel.

After Care

Three Things I Know Are True by Betty Culley is my penultimate 2024 high school Nutmeg nominee. It is written in narrative verse.

Liv’s older brother Jonah accidentally shoots himself in the head while messing around at their neighbor’s house. He doesn’t die; he is now surviving with the help of around the clock care and machines.

Liv is an amazing sister. She helps with Jonah’s care and treats him normally. Life is tense as her and their mother wait for the court date in which they will charge the neighbor’s parents with negligence (and more).

Liv’s school life is slipping, but she slowly rebuilds her connection to their teenaged neighbor Clay and makes some new friends too.

This was an emotional and tragic story.

Elite Hoax

Spy x Family by Tatsuya Endo is my first full manga read!

Top spy, Twilight, is hired for his next case. He needs to be accepted into the parenthood world of an elite elementary school. The issue is that he needs to find a temporary child and wife to help him play the part.

Enter young mind reading orphan (forgot name) and an assassin wife. Their first mission is to get their “daughter” to pass the school’s tests.

I can see why this is a popular series. It’s entertaining with lots of promise for action. While I may not end up reading the whole series, I definitely enjoyed the first one!

Martian Life

The Strange by Nathan Ballingrud is a science fiction read with some great elements.

Annabelle and her father run a diner on the planet Mars. Annabelle’s mother left for a trip to Earth years earlier. They lost all contact with her ever since the Silence shut down all communication with Earth.

The diner is robbed which results in Annabelle’s father in jail. The people of Mars begin turning against each other and Annabelle realizes she is on her own. She sets off with their kitchen robot, Watson, to get even and to reclaim her mother’s recorded messages (which were stolen during the robbery).

Annabelle’s journey involves booking up with other renegades and coming across those affected by the Strange. The Strange is a Martian element which slowly infects all who encounter it. Readers will be pulled into her mission and interested in the future of this odd new world.

Born to Rule

Raybearer by Jordan Ifuekp is another 2024 high school Nutmeg nominee.

This book quickly grabbed my attention. Before her birth, Tarisai’s mother captures a demon in order to get three wishes. Her final wish is to use their daughter Tarisai to befriend and kill the future emperor.

From here, we follow Tarisai along her path to meet the emperor in training. Tarisai must prove herself worthy to be one of his eleven council members. Each must have a special talent. Once they are all selected, Tarisai will need to fight her killer instincts.

This was a great fantasy read with plenty of magic, adventure and intrigue. I will definitely give the second novel in the series a read.

Different Outcomes

The Bridge by Bill Konigsberg confronts depression, suicide and family/friend relationships with a unique approach. This novel is another 2024 high school Nutmeg nominee

The novel begins on the GW Bridge in New York City, where two teens (Aaron and Tillie) are about to jump to their deaths. The story then explores possible scenarios: only Tillie dying, only Aaron dying, both dying or neither dying.

The chapters reveal the events that pushed each character to such a horrific choice. Aaron feels shame about his life, and despite a very loving father, he considers himself an embarrassment destined for nothing. Tillie is the victim of online bullying after expressing her feelings about being used by a guy. She also has a terrible relationship with her adoptive father. The different scenarios explored throughout the book show the ripple effect that our actions can have upon events in our own lives and in others as well.

In the process of learning about each character, we see the value of creating connections with family and/or friends, speaking up for oneself and the extreme importance of having a support person.