A riveting read about a group of men with intellectual disabilities who are victimized by their employer, a turkey processing company who views them as "boys" and keep them living in a hovel, with minimum pay and no freedom.  Sporadic attempts to challenge the situation are brushed aside by authorities in Texas (home of the company) and Iowa (where the men live and work).   Equal rights laws are ignored as are human rights.  Those who finally "save" the men are the heroes of this book as are the men and the author.  High y/a appeal.

MAX by Sarah Cohen-Scali, translated by Penny Hueson.

Starting in 1936 the Nazis began a program to ensure the continuation of the superior Aryan race by enlisting perfect young woman to have babies "on demand"; the program was called Lebensborn.  Max was one of the first of those babies and recounts his first 10 years (starting in the womb) in the first person.  We see what a perfect little Nazi he is until his world enlarges and he encounters a Jewish boy posing as a young Nazi cadet and hears thoughts other than those prescribed.  A powerful look at indoctrination that seems thorough but in which there is a small glimmer of hope about the humanity underneath.

TRIANGLE  by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen.
With a cover that is a bit reminiscent of The Three Robbers, this duo enlivens two potentially dull shapes with a simple trickster tale.  Triangle thinks he has bested Square until the latter gets the last laugh.  Could this be a concept book?  You Betcha, and young readers will definitely be able to recognize triangles and squares when the book is finished, but that's secondary to the surprise of finding these shapes with big personalities and big ideas.  A reminder that there is no one definition of a picture book, anything can be a character if your imagination is big enough and the pictures can be gritty , but a good story is a good story.   Original and memorable.

The Underground Railroad  by Colsom Whitehead

This award winning book for adults will resonate with young-adults as well as it portrays slavery from the viewpoint of those directly enslaved and those enslaved by their narrow-mindedness and ignorance.  The rich cast of characters includes those enslaved, those who think they won them, those who try to catch the run-aways and those who try to help them, be they conductors on the railroad or sympathizers.   A powerful look at man's inhumanity to man as well as the human spirit that cannot be defeated.

Amina's Voice by Hena Khan.
This book, under the new imprint Salaam Reads, is by one of my favorite authors whose book Golden Domes, Silver Lanterns, beautifully reminded readers of the communality of celebratins in all worlds as she described those celebreated by Muslimas.  Amina's Voice again reminds us of our shared cares/concerns as we share the life of a young, somewhat shy girl who is worried about changes in friends/frienships, how to be a good daughter/niece/sister (when an Uncle from Pakistan comes and wants to see things in a traditional way).  She would like to perform in a school event but is too shy to do so.  She just happens

 to be Muslim.   This is a well realized young girl who reminds us of the humanity we all share.

Noisy Night by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Brian Biggs is just the kind of good night kids will love.   It is full of rhymes and lively illustrations, journeying up each floor in a skinny apartment building, exploring the noises from above.  There's lots of action in this building and interesting residents.  The language is simple and repetitive, the topic original.  Will it put a child to sleep?  Eventually but I expect there will be lots of readings first.