A 2019 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults SelectionA 2018 New York Public Library Best Book for TeensMacy''s school officially classifies her as "disturbed," but Macy isn''t interested in how others define her. She''s got more pressing problems: her mom can''t move off the couch, her dad''s in prison, her brother''s been kidnapped by Child Protective Services, and now her best friend isn''t speaking to her. Writing in a dictionary format, Macy explains the world in her own terms—complete with gritty characters and outrageous endeavors. With an honesty that''s both hilarious and fearsome, slowly Macy reveals why she acts out, why she can''t tell her incarcerated father that her mom''s cheating on him, and why her best friend needs protection . . . the kind of protection that involves Macy''s machete.

Named one of the best YA Latinx books of 2019 by Remezcla and HipLatina.A Bustle Book Club SelectionA powerful exploration of love, identity, and self-worth through the eyes of a fierce, questioning Puerto Rican teen.Fifteen-year-old Verdad doesn''t think she has time for love. She''s still struggling to process the recent death of her best friend, Blanca; dealing with the high expectations of her hardworking Puerto Rican mother and the absence of her remarried father; and keeping everyone at a distance. But when she meets Danny, a new guy at school—who happens to be trans—all bets are off. Verdad suddenly has to deal with her mother''s disapproval of her relationship with Danny as well as her own prejudices and questions about her identity, and Danny himself, who is comfortable in his skin but keeping plenty of other secrets.In her luminous, raw, and open-hearted exploration of identity, grief and first love, NoNieqa Ramos has created an unforgettable character in Verdad.The Truth Is offers a complex look at a brilliant, queer, neurodifferent girl, the mother who loves but doesn''t understand her, and a fabulously drawn group of street kids who can''t save themselves but just might save her. A brilliantly written breathtaking book. I couldn''t put it down!—Michelle Ruiz-Keil, author of All of Us with WingsA brilliant, beautiful, moving story of ecstasy and loss and tragedy and hope, The Truth Is demands to be read. The fast-moving plot bristles with literary and classical references, but the deepest insights—and there are plenty—come from the unforgettable observations and conclusions of its main character, Verdad de la Reyna, an unforgettably brave and complicated heroine who confronts profoundly disturbing, real-world challenges with the help of friends, both present and past. Nonieqa Ramos follows up The Disturbed Girl''s Dictionary with another superb novel guaranteed to break the reader''s heart before trying to mend it."—Tom Wilinsky and Jen Sternick, authors of SnowsistersNoNieqa Ramos''s un-flinching voice and writing style continues to cement her as a force to be reckoned with in the YA world.—Mia García, author of The Resolutions

Named one of the best YA Latinx books of 2019 by Remezcla and HipLatina.A Bustle Book Club SelectionA powerful exploration of love, identity, and self-worth through the eyes of a fierce, questioning Puerto Rican teen.Fifteen-year-old Verdad doesn''t think she has time for love. She''s still struggling to process the recent death of her best friend, Blanca; dealing with the high expectations of her hardworking Puerto Rican mother and the absence of her remarried father; and keeping everyone at a distance. But when she meets Danny, a new guy at school—who happens to be trans—all bets are off. Verdad suddenly has to deal with her mother''s disapproval of her relationship with Danny as well as her own prejudices and questions about her identity, and Danny himself, who is comfortable in his skin but keeping plenty of other secrets.In her luminous, raw, and open-hearted exploration of identity, grief and first love, NoNieqa Ramos has created an unforgettable character in Verdad.The Truth Is offers a complex look at a brilliant, queer, neurodifferent girl, the mother who loves but doesn''t understand her, and a fabulously drawn group of street kids who can''t save themselves but just might save her. A brilliantly written breathtaking book. I couldn''t put it down!—Michelle Ruiz-Keil, author of All of Us with WingsA brilliant, beautiful, moving story of ecstasy and loss and tragedy and hope, The Truth Is demands to be read. The fast-moving plot bristles with literary and classical references, but the deepest insights—and there are plenty—come from the unforgettable observations and conclusions of its main character, Verdad de la Reyna, an unforgettably brave and complicated heroine who confronts profoundly disturbing, real-world challenges with the help of friends, both present and past. Nonieqa Ramos follows up The Disturbed Girl''s Dictionary with another superb novel guaranteed to break the reader''s heart before trying to mend it."—Tom Wilinsky and Jen Sternick, authors of SnowsistersNoNieqa Ramos''s un-flinching voice and writing style continues to cement her as a force to be reckoned with in the YA world.—Mia García, author of The Resolutions

With rhythmic, rhyming verse, this picture book follows two girls—one non-Black Puerto Rican, one Black—as they discover the stories their hair can tell. Preciosa has hair that won’t stay straight, won’t be confined. Rudine’s hair resists rollers, flat irons, and rules.Together, the girls play hair salon! They take inspiration from their moms, their neighbors, their ancestors, and cultural icons. They discover that their hair holds roots of the past and threads of the future.With rhythmic, rhyming verse and vibrant collage art, author NoNieqa Ramos and illustrator Keisha Morris follow two girls as they discover the stories hair can tell.

With rhythmic, rhyming verse, this picture book follows two girls—one non-Black Puerto Rican, one Black—as they discover the stories their hair can tell. Preciosa has hair that won’t stay straight, won’t be confined. Rudine’s hair resists rollers, flat irons, and rules.Together, the girls play hair salon! They take inspiration from their moms, their neighbors, their ancestors, and cultural icons. They discover that their hair holds roots of the past and threads of the future.With rhythmic, rhyming verse and vibrant collage art, author NoNieqa Ramos and illustrator Keisha Morris follow two girls as they discover the stories hair can tell.

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and sentence highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! With rhythmic, rhyming verse, this picture book follows two girls—one non-Black Puerto Rican, one Black—as they discover the stories their hair can tell. Preciosa has hair that won’t stay straight, won’t be confined. Rudine’s hair resists rollers, flat irons, and rules.Together, the girls play hair salon! They take inspiration from their moms, their neighbors, their ancestors, and cultural icons. They discover that their hair holds roots of the past and threads of the future.With rhythmic, rhyming verse and vibrant collage art, author NoNieqa Ramos and illustrator Keisha Morris follow two girls as they discover the stories hair can tell.

Meet the Tres Hermanas: Evelina Antonetty, Lillian López, and Elba Cabrera. They moved from Puerto Rico to New York City as children and grew up to become leaders in their Bronx community. Evelina, an activist for social causes, founded United Bronx Parents. Lillian became a librarian and administrator who fought for Spanish and bilingual books and Spanish-speaking library staff. Elba worked closely with Evelina and became an ambassador and advocate for the arts.Rhythmic verse by NoNieqa Ramos and vibrant illustrations by Nicole Medina provide a stirring look at three dynamic changemakers.

Meet the Tres Hermanas: Evelina Antonetty, Lillian López, and Elba Cabrera. They moved from Puerto Rico to New York City as children and grew up to become leaders in their Bronx community. Evelina, an activist for social causes, founded United Bronx Parents. Lillian became a librarian and administrator who fought for Spanish and bilingual books and Spanish-speaking library staff. Elba worked closely with Evelina and became an ambassador and advocate for the arts.Rhythmic verse by NoNieqa Ramos and vibrant illustrations by Nicole Medina provide a stirring look at three dynamic changemakers.

Horror fan and aspiring film director Yuiza gets a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school. But that''s just the tip of the iceberg.As one of the few students of color at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, Yuiza immediately feels out of place. A brutal work-study schedule makes it impossible to keep up with the actual classes. Every expense, from textbooks to laundry, puts Yuiza into debt. And the behavior of students and faculty is... unsettling.Yuiza starts having disturbing dreams about the school''s past and discovers clues about the fate of other scholarship students. It''ll take all Yuiza''s knowledge of the horror genre to escape from Our Lady''s grasp.Praise for They Thought They Buried UsPedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Award LonglistJacqueline Woodson Award for LGBTQ+ Children''s/Young Adult Literature Finalist"Fans of horror movies in particular will appreciate this creepy story that centers survival for queer, BIPOC characters in the face of white supremacy."—Booklist

Horror fan and aspiring film director Yuiza gets a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school. But that''s just the tip of the iceberg.As one of the few students of color at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, Yuiza immediately feels out of place. A brutal work-study schedule makes it impossible to keep up with the actual classes. Every expense, from textbooks to laundry, puts Yuiza into debt. And the behavior of students and faculty is... unsettling.Yuiza starts having disturbing dreams about the school''s past and discovers clues about the fate of other scholarship students. It''ll take all Yuiza''s knowledge of the horror genre to escape from Our Lady''s grasp.Praise for They Thought They Buried UsPedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Award LonglistJacqueline Woodson Award for LGBTQ+ Children''s/Young Adult Literature Finalist"Fans of horror movies in particular will appreciate this creepy story that centers survival for queer, BIPOC characters in the face of white supremacy."—Booklist

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and sentence highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! Meet the Tres Hermanas: Evelina Antonetty, Lillian López, and Elba Cabrera. They moved from Puerto Rico to New York City as children and grew up to become leaders in their Bronx community. Evelina, an activist for social causes, founded United Bronx Parents. Lillian became a librarian and administrator who fought for Spanish and bilingual books and Spanish-speaking library staff. Elba worked closely with Evelina and became an ambassador and advocate for the arts.Rhythmic verse by NoNieqa Ramos and vibrant illustrations by Nicole Medina provide a stirring look at three dynamic changemakers.

A 2019 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults SelectionA 2018 New York Public Library Best Book for TeensMacy''s school officially classifies her as "disturbed," but Macy isn''t interested in how others define her. She''s got more pressing problems: her mom can''t move off the couch, her dad''s in prison, her brother''s been kidnapped by Child Protective Services, and now her best friend isn''t speaking to her. Writing in a dictionary format, Macy explains the world in her own terms—complete with gritty characters and outrageous endeavors. With an honesty that''s both hilarious and fearsome, slowly Macy reveals why she acts out, why she can''t tell her incarcerated father that her mom''s cheating on him, and why her best friend needs protection . . . the kind of protection that involves Macy''s machete.

Named one of the best YA Latinx books of 2019 by Remezcla and HipLatina.A Bustle Book Club SelectionA powerful exploration of love, identity, and self-worth through the eyes of a fierce, questioning Puerto Rican teen.Fifteen-year-old Verdad doesn''t think she has time for love. She''s still struggling to process the recent death of her best friend, Blanca; dealing with the high expectations of her hardworking Puerto Rican mother and the absence of her remarried father; and keeping everyone at a distance. But when she meets Danny, a new guy at school—who happens to be trans—all bets are off. Verdad suddenly has to deal with her mother''s disapproval of her relationship with Danny as well as her own prejudices and questions about her identity, and Danny himself, who is comfortable in his skin but keeping plenty of other secrets.In her luminous, raw, and open-hearted exploration of identity, grief and first love, NoNieqa Ramos has created an unforgettable character in Verdad.The Truth Is offers a complex look at a brilliant, queer, neurodifferent girl, the mother who loves but doesn''t understand her, and a fabulously drawn group of street kids who can''t save themselves but just might save her. A brilliantly written breathtaking book. I couldn''t put it down!—Michelle Ruiz-Keil, author of All of Us with WingsA brilliant, beautiful, moving story of ecstasy and loss and tragedy and hope, The Truth Is demands to be read. The fast-moving plot bristles with literary and classical references, but the deepest insights—and there are plenty—come from the unforgettable observations and conclusions of its main character, Verdad de la Reyna, an unforgettably brave and complicated heroine who confronts profoundly disturbing, real-world challenges with the help of friends, both present and past. Nonieqa Ramos follows up The Disturbed Girl''s Dictionary with another superb novel guaranteed to break the reader''s heart before trying to mend it."—Tom Wilinsky and Jen Sternick, authors of SnowsistersNoNieqa Ramos''s un-flinching voice and writing style continues to cement her as a force to be reckoned with in the YA world.—Mia García, author of The Resolutions

Named one of the best YA Latinx books of 2019 by Remezcla and HipLatina.A Bustle Book Club SelectionA powerful exploration of love, identity, and self-worth through the eyes of a fierce, questioning Puerto Rican teen.Fifteen-year-old Verdad doesn''t think she has time for love. She''s still struggling to process the recent death of her best friend, Blanca; dealing with the high expectations of her hardworking Puerto Rican mother and the absence of her remarried father; and keeping everyone at a distance. But when she meets Danny, a new guy at school—who happens to be trans—all bets are off. Verdad suddenly has to deal with her mother''s disapproval of her relationship with Danny as well as her own prejudices and questions about her identity, and Danny himself, who is comfortable in his skin but keeping plenty of other secrets.In her luminous, raw, and open-hearted exploration of identity, grief and first love, NoNieqa Ramos has created an unforgettable character in Verdad.The Truth Is offers a complex look at a brilliant, queer, neurodifferent girl, the mother who loves but doesn''t understand her, and a fabulously drawn group of street kids who can''t save themselves but just might save her. A brilliantly written breathtaking book. I couldn''t put it down!—Michelle Ruiz-Keil, author of All of Us with WingsA brilliant, beautiful, moving story of ecstasy and loss and tragedy and hope, The Truth Is demands to be read. The fast-moving plot bristles with literary and classical references, but the deepest insights—and there are plenty—come from the unforgettable observations and conclusions of its main character, Verdad de la Reyna, an unforgettably brave and complicated heroine who confronts profoundly disturbing, real-world challenges with the help of friends, both present and past. Nonieqa Ramos follows up The Disturbed Girl''s Dictionary with another superb novel guaranteed to break the reader''s heart before trying to mend it."—Tom Wilinsky and Jen Sternick, authors of SnowsistersNoNieqa Ramos''s un-flinching voice and writing style continues to cement her as a force to be reckoned with in the YA world.—Mia García, author of The Resolutions

With rhythmic, rhyming verse, this picture book follows two girls—one non-Black Puerto Rican, one Black—as they discover the stories their hair can tell. Preciosa has hair that won’t stay straight, won’t be confined. Rudine’s hair resists rollers, flat irons, and rules.Together, the girls play hair salon! They take inspiration from their moms, their neighbors, their ancestors, and cultural icons. They discover that their hair holds roots of the past and threads of the future.With rhythmic, rhyming verse and vibrant collage art, author NoNieqa Ramos and illustrator Keisha Morris follow two girls as they discover the stories hair can tell.

With rhythmic, rhyming verse, this picture book follows two girls—one non-Black Puerto Rican, one Black—as they discover the stories their hair can tell. Preciosa has hair that won’t stay straight, won’t be confined. Rudine’s hair resists rollers, flat irons, and rules.Together, the girls play hair salon! They take inspiration from their moms, their neighbors, their ancestors, and cultural icons. They discover that their hair holds roots of the past and threads of the future.With rhythmic, rhyming verse and vibrant collage art, author NoNieqa Ramos and illustrator Keisha Morris follow two girls as they discover the stories hair can tell.

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and sentence highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! With rhythmic, rhyming verse, this picture book follows two girls—one non-Black Puerto Rican, one Black—as they discover the stories their hair can tell. Preciosa has hair that won’t stay straight, won’t be confined. Rudine’s hair resists rollers, flat irons, and rules.Together, the girls play hair salon! They take inspiration from their moms, their neighbors, their ancestors, and cultural icons. They discover that their hair holds roots of the past and threads of the future.With rhythmic, rhyming verse and vibrant collage art, author NoNieqa Ramos and illustrator Keisha Morris follow two girls as they discover the stories hair can tell.

Meet the Tres Hermanas: Evelina Antonetty, Lillian López, and Elba Cabrera. They moved from Puerto Rico to New York City as children and grew up to become leaders in their Bronx community. Evelina, an activist for social causes, founded United Bronx Parents. Lillian became a librarian and administrator who fought for Spanish and bilingual books and Spanish-speaking library staff. Elba worked closely with Evelina and became an ambassador and advocate for the arts.Rhythmic verse by NoNieqa Ramos and vibrant illustrations by Nicole Medina provide a stirring look at three dynamic changemakers.

Meet the Tres Hermanas: Evelina Antonetty, Lillian López, and Elba Cabrera. They moved from Puerto Rico to New York City as children and grew up to become leaders in their Bronx community. Evelina, an activist for social causes, founded United Bronx Parents. Lillian became a librarian and administrator who fought for Spanish and bilingual books and Spanish-speaking library staff. Elba worked closely with Evelina and became an ambassador and advocate for the arts.Rhythmic verse by NoNieqa Ramos and vibrant illustrations by Nicole Medina provide a stirring look at three dynamic changemakers.

Horror fan and aspiring film director Yuiza gets a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school. But that''s just the tip of the iceberg.As one of the few students of color at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, Yuiza immediately feels out of place. A brutal work-study schedule makes it impossible to keep up with the actual classes. Every expense, from textbooks to laundry, puts Yuiza into debt. And the behavior of students and faculty is... unsettling.Yuiza starts having disturbing dreams about the school''s past and discovers clues about the fate of other scholarship students. It''ll take all Yuiza''s knowledge of the horror genre to escape from Our Lady''s grasp.Praise for They Thought They Buried UsPedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Award LonglistJacqueline Woodson Award for LGBTQ+ Children''s/Young Adult Literature Finalist"Fans of horror movies in particular will appreciate this creepy story that centers survival for queer, BIPOC characters in the face of white supremacy."—Booklist

Horror fan and aspiring film director Yuiza gets a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school. But that''s just the tip of the iceberg.As one of the few students of color at Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy, Yuiza immediately feels out of place. A brutal work-study schedule makes it impossible to keep up with the actual classes. Every expense, from textbooks to laundry, puts Yuiza into debt. And the behavior of students and faculty is... unsettling.Yuiza starts having disturbing dreams about the school''s past and discovers clues about the fate of other scholarship students. It''ll take all Yuiza''s knowledge of the horror genre to escape from Our Lady''s grasp.Praise for They Thought They Buried UsPedro and Daniel Intersectionality Book Award LonglistJacqueline Woodson Award for LGBTQ+ Children''s/Young Adult Literature Finalist"Fans of horror movies in particular will appreciate this creepy story that centers survival for queer, BIPOC characters in the face of white supremacy."—Booklist

Audisee® eBooks with Audio combine professional narration and sentence highlighting for an engaging read aloud experience! Meet the Tres Hermanas: Evelina Antonetty, Lillian López, and Elba Cabrera. They moved from Puerto Rico to New York City as children and grew up to become leaders in their Bronx community. Evelina, an activist for social causes, founded United Bronx Parents. Lillian became a librarian and administrator who fought for Spanish and bilingual books and Spanish-speaking library staff. Elba worked closely with Evelina and became an ambassador and advocate for the arts.Rhythmic verse by NoNieqa Ramos and vibrant illustrations by Nicole Medina provide a stirring look at three dynamic changemakers.