This collection, written by a diverse cast of authors, presents a variety of equally diverse stories featuring PoC main characters, a plethora of LGBTQ+ characters, and a slew of those with unusual mental/physical conditions. It was refreshing to me to step away from a mostly white story cast. I’m an anthropologist. Characters like the ones above are a wonderful chance for exposure to different cultures/subcultures. I love it! I do wish that the ‘about the author’ blurbs had been a preface to each story. I feel getting author background beforehand helps enhance the story.

4* ‘Eraser Tattoo’ by Jason Reynolds. Adorable story about two friends/lovers preparing to be separated. Shay and her family have been kicked out of their home in Brooklyn because the building was sold. She and her boyfriend Dante are reminiscing the past, while she gives him an eraser tattoo. I felt soooo bad because a white family was moving in while they were trying to move out. Also, owwwww to an eraser tattoo. I’ll take a real one, thanks. Well-written snapshot.

4* ‘Meet Cute’ by Malinda Lo. Nic and Tamia are at a sci-fi and fantasy convention when the lights go out. They get lost trying to find Nic’s brother, and get to  know one another. Love that Nic has demophobia. Like me! This story is hella diverse. Nic has gone as a female Sulu, while Tamia is a black, bi Agent Scully.

3 ½* ‘Don’t Pass Me By’ by Eric Gansworth. A story about a young Native American boy integrating into an outside high school. It made me sad about the adults having to relearn beadworking skills in danger of being a lost art, and that Hubert was expected to colour the picture as a white person. I’m glad he coloured it as he felt appropriate. I did feel the story ended abruptly. I was left feeling things were unresolved. That’s what took my rating down for the story.

4* ‘Be Cool for Once’ by Aminah Mae Safi.  A story about two young ladies who go to a concert. Shirin’s secret crush shows up, and it turns out he was looking for her. Things don’t go as either planned, but in a good way.

4* ‘Tags’ by Walter Dean Myers. This was an odd story, not just for the fact it was a play. At first glance you think it’s about young kids tagging graffiti. When you learn why though…. It was so sad.

4* ‘Why I Learned to Cook’ by Sara Farizan. A sweet story about a young woman trying to figure out how to come out to her grandma. She wants to learn to cook Persian food for her SO, which leads to a deeper bond with her grandma.

3* ‘Stranger at the Bochinche’ by Daniel Jose Older. A lyrical story worthy of the epics of old in style and form. Unfortunately, this made it my least favourite story. I found it difficult to process, given my brain fuzzies.

4* ‘A Boy’s Duty’ by Sharon G Flake. A tale about a young black artist trying to get treated equal in the place where he painted a gorgeous mural. Set during/ around World War II.

4* ‘One Voice: A Something in Between Story’ by Melissa de la Cruz. A young woman deals with the aftermath of learning her parents were undocumented, and fighting against deportation, fighting to attend Stanford University, only to be confronted with racism.

NA ‘Paladin/Samurai’ by Gene Luen Yang, illustrated by Thien Pham. Due to the Kindle format, I was not able to read this story clearly. It is graphic novel format and too crowded for me to read easily.

4* ‘Catch, Pull, Drive’ by Schuyler Bailar. A transgender kid moving from interacting as a female to as a male. Part of the swim team, and catches flak over it. Ends up making a friend in the guy he beats during a first practice race. I loved how this story ended!

4* ‘Super Human’ by Nicola Yoon. An alien superhero turns against humanity, wanting to destroy it. He gives a ultimatum, to have someone sent to him with a reason why humanity shouldn’t be destroyed. However, X isnt quite as alien as believed, and he has a pretty good cause to be angry and disillusioned.

Overalll, a great collection! Highly recommended.

***Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Children’s/ Crown Publishing for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.