Black history started long before slavery and plantations in America. It began in Africa. The award-winning author Kwame Alexander wrote The Door of No Return to tell the African part of the African American story. This is the first book in a trilogy that follows an 11-year-old boy in his village in Upper Kwanta. Kofi Offin is like every other young boy in his village, spending time with his family and friends, preparing for manhood, and not knowing life outside of his small village. But a deadly accident, a feud between villages, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time get Kofi captured. On a trip away from everything he knows, he is trapped with other people like him, wondering if he will ever return home and be free again.

I loved how the book was written from the point of view of a child. It encompassed all a kid's childish curiosity and imagination, making the story better. The story's use of language and formatting made it feel like it was from a child's perspective, and it could still send a meaningful message simultaneously. Another thing I enjoyed about the book was what it stood for. Although the story was fictional, it was based on real places in Africa, written to describe how people lived before and during the slave trade. It represented the truth of African American history, telling how the middle of it isn't the beginning. The book taught me about African culture in a way that I loved, using the language, talking about its food, and explaining its customs and traditions. It left me feeling like I had learned a lot. The story was amazing, and I loved its representation of African history, so I give it 5 out of 5 stars. People who want to learn about how life was in Africa before slavery should read this book.

Reviewed by Mauris, grade 8.

Black Was the Ink by Michelle Coles

★ ★ ★ ★

As racism is an issue that America has been dealing with for centuries, Michelle Coles writes Black Was the Ink, a story that journeys through Reconstruction-era America to convey how historical racism within politics affects the modern-day Black community. Malcolm Williams, a 16-year-old Black teen in D.C., is tired of waiting for change in the U.S. since racism has affected him his whole life. With violence growing in his neighborhood, Malcolm's mother decides to send him to his family's farm in Mississippi. Rather than having a regular family reunion, he learns that the state will take the farm that has been in his family for generations. It doesn't concern Malcolm until one of his ancestors reaches out to him from beyond the grave, urging him to save their family's land. Malcolm sees parts of his ancestor's life after the Civil War, meeting the real Black statesmen who fought for change. Being inspired by his family's resilience back then, Malcolm must use his ancestor's experiences to find a way to save the farm.

I liked the way the author connected racism from the past, over a century ago, to its effects today. Although it was presented in a fictional scenario, it represented today's issue. I also enjoyed how the events in the past were historically accurate. The story displayed how much history is being hidden today, showing how some historical figures mentioned in the book aren't taught about in schools despite their work's impact. It was great how the book left me wanting to learn more about them and their importance in history. The only thing I didn't like about the story was how abruptly the tone changed—lighthearted moments switched to political without much transition. Other than this, the book was informative, inspirational, and thought-provoking, so I give it 4 out of 5 stars. This book is for anyone who wants to read about why change was needed back then and why it is needed now.

Reviewed by Mauris, grade 8.

Ashfall Legacy by Pitticus Lore

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Do aliens really exist? This is a question that 16-year-old Sydney Chambers can answer without hesitation: Yes. He knows this for sure because he is part alien. From the mind of Pittacus Lore, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the I Am Number Four series, comes Ashfall Legacy, a mysterious and fascinating sci-fi story that is out of this world. This story is the intriguing first book of the Ashfall series. Since learning that he was a hybrid, a half-alien, and half-human, Syd has always been curious about his father's past on a distant planet called Denza. But he never had the chance to learn about it since his father went missing, thought to be dead for years. When Syd finds a device that indicates that his father is alive, Syd must learn about his father's past to find him, figure out what made him go missing, and discover the secret that could destroy humanity.

I enjoyed how the book retold the classic story of the existence of aliens and higher life forms. Rather than just reusing common sci-fi ideas to create the aliens in the book, the author took a unique approach to creating each species, making them have beliefs, behaviors, and attributes entirely new to the sci-fi world. Along with this, the book's imagery was amazing. The language used to describe the worlds, settings, and characters made imagining these new planets and lifeforms easy, fascinating me almost as much as the plot. The storyline was especially indulging, and each character's development made it more interesting. Finally, I loved how the book had a little bit of everything: humor, action, coming-of-age, and sci-fi. Because I didn't think anything was bad about the story, I give it 5 out of 5 stars. This book is for those who love just an all-around great sci-fi story.

Reviewed by Mauris, grade 8.

Ashfall Prophecy by Pitticus Lore

★ ★ ★ ★

Is the future already predetermined? Or can it be changed by the choices you make? 16-year-old Sydney Chambers returns in the sequel to Ashfall Legacy to figure out the answer to this question. Pittacus Lore, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the I Am Number Four series, brings the second installment of the Ashfall series with Ashfall Prophecy. Syd, a half-human and half-alien, grew up on Earth, his father being from a planet called Denza. Since his father mysteriously disappeared when Syd was young, he goes to find the truth about what made him disappear on Ashfall. There, he discovers the brutal history between humans and Denzans. He must decide whether to free humans from Earth, a planet meant to imprison them or destroy it so that they can't torment other species again. When Syd is prophesized to become a world-killer, he does whatever is in his power to make sure he does not meet this fate. With the help of his alien allies, the universe's fate falls into his hands.

The book conveyed the plot excellently. The author wrote the story in a way so that it slowly unravels as you read on, piquing your interest as it continues. The imagery, just like the series' first book, allowed me to really envision each setting in space. Along with this, the storyline progressed very smoothly. It wasn't hard to understand most situations that the characters were in. Although it did get a bit complicated at some points, it didn't take away too much from the book. The only thing that I didn't enjoy was the way it ended. The climax seemed a bit too quick for how the story built up to it, and the falling action wasn't very satisfying. But overall, I loved the book's way of putting me in a new world. The book was a fascinating sequel, so I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to lovers of all things alien.

Reviewed by Mauris, grade 8.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

In the land of Salvation, dark forces are on the brink of Incursion, but the kingdoms refuse to act due to the ancient war that the three kingdoms are actively involved in. Meet Rune Highcrown, a prince desperate to not disappoint his parents, Hanne (officially known as Princess Johanne Fortuin), a morally questionable princess willing to do anything to accomplish her goals, and Nightrender, an ancient being created solely for defending the world against the dark forces that plague Salvation. With spots of romance, horror, violence, and adventure, this book will satisfy a wide variety of readers. I give this book a 5-star rating because of the complex characters and detailed world. I would recommend this story to any fantasy lovers who want to indulge in this unique series (as there will be a sequel published in the future).

Reviewed by Kirsten, grade 11.