I hope you're holding up well during this crazy year. 

I'm requesting recommendations. A friend works for an inner-city non-profit that teaches kids a sport while providing them with academic assistance as well. The kids usually enter the program in grades 5-7 and stay with them through graduation. They also focus on building skills in communication, leadership, goal setting, and attitude. 

She's looking to put together a reading recommendations list of titles that are high-interest but not preachy. Books that would be impactful but not necessarily "topic" books. She mentioned a desire to include authors of color, especially newer authors who might not already have a large following. Many of her students read below grade level but she's not looking to simply create a "reluctant reader" list, but rather to create a list of (intermediate and YA) books that kids will be really excited to read and which will help them grow as people. She mentioned Concrete Rose and Another Brooklyn as examples of books she's considering.