First, a retelling. You can guess what story comes with a title StepSister. StepSister by Jennifer Donnelly is a Cinderella story. But, it does not focus on the beautiful Cinderella. It focuses on the stepsister that would do anything to win the prince, including cutting off her toes so that her feet would fit into the glass slipper. Maybe this is a story of what a young person might be willing to do to be seen as more lovable, more beautiful, more worthy. Maybe it's also a story about learning to love yourself for who you are.
One more retelling is Sky Without Stars by Jessica Brody & Joanne Rendell. This story may be less recognizable than Cinderella, but it is still timeless. This is the retelling of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. It is the story of how three separate lives come together, and revolution takes place. Set in a world where the elite control and the poor are starving in the streets, it is a tale of rebellion, spying, control, secrets, and the power of choices.
Now, a bit of history. There seems to be a whole new collection of books highlighting wars being published. These books are more than just a recounting of the battles and the generals. These books introduce the unsung heroes. Secret Soldiers: How the U.S. Twenty-Third Special Troops Fooled the Nazis is written by Paul B. Janeczko. The special troops were known as the Ghost Army. These weren't soldiers in the normal sense of the word. They were actors, camouflage experts, and set designers. Their job was to make the Nazis believe what they were being told concerning the Allied troops. That meant staging scenes with inflatable tanks and sound effects. That meant playing a dangerous game of make believe. This one will give you a whole new perspective of war.