With the Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller series Garza brings the excitement of lucha libre to middle grade readers. 
Meet Maximilian, a young man living in a strong lucha libra family culture. Max's uncle is The Guardian Angel, a superstar luchadore. However fighting is not limited to luchadores. In one of the funniest scenes in the book, his aunts get into a heated disagreement at the hospital maternity ward, arguing as to whether the baby will be a boy or a girl. Sparring both in and out of the ring is in this family's blood.
​Max seems destined to carry on the family tradition. He joins a secret club for relatives of luchadores and wrestles with the possibility of becoming the next Guardian Angel.
The series will appeal to young readers. It is packed with intense fight scenes, humor, and plenty of middle grade angst (Max has girlfriend issues).
But here's the bonus: the book is bilingual, with the text alternating between English on even-numbered pages and Spanish on odd-numbered pages. These books can be enjoyed by those who are fluent in either language as well as those learning a second language.
​Maximilian and The Lucha Libra Club is the declared the winner!

This study of slavery in American offers a unique perspective that is eye-opening. Davis traces the lives of five enslaved individuals, owned by U.S. presidents. Delving into existing documents, Davis has reconstructed the lives of Billy Lee, valet to George Washington; Ona Judge, seamstress for Martha Washington; Isaac Granger, servant to Thomas Jefferson; Paul Jennings, servant to James Madison, and Alfred Jackson, servant to Andrew Jackson. The disparity between the personal lives of these slave owners and each one's published writings and declarations on the topic of liberty is often jarring.
Timelines, interspersed throughout the narrative, follow the history of slavery in the United States and add context. The work is liberally enhanced with photos and copies of primary source documents.
This nonfiction account merits thoughtful consideration and a reexamination of painful chapters from America's past.

Ashley Bryant has done it again! He has created another stunning compilation of images and verse. His latest picture book is inspired by a document recording the sale of eleven slaves. Bryant imagines each of the names on the bill of sale as an individual, giving voice to their lives through first person narrative, told with free verse and vibrant illustrations. Readers will view each as a unique and distinctive person, with talents, fears, hopes and dreams.
The stark contrast between the eleven portraits and pages detailing the bill of sale for these enslaved persons is graphically evident. The personal lives spill across the double spread with rich color and text. A monochromatic color scheme reinforces the cold calculation of viewing human as property. Bryant's work offers important insights into the toll that the practice of slavery takes on a society.

​Bradley's fictionalized account of the last twenty years of Thomas Jefferson's life, told through the voices of two of his sons Beverly, and Madison. Their mother, Sally Hennings, was one of Jefferson's slaves.  A neighbor Peter is the third voice in this compelling narrative.