Freedom Pancakes for Ukraine by Dr. Janice Cohn

Young Artem lives in Ukraine and, when war breaks out, his father stays to fight for freedom while Artem and his mother take the train to safety in neighboring Poland. Sad and confused, Artem worries about his father and his own future. But warm meals served by Paolo, a volunteer with World Central Kitchen, and the kindness of Paolo and others give him strength and hope. In an interconnecting storyline, Hannah, a girl in the United States, worries about the plight of Ukrainian children and finds a way to counter her own feelings of helplessness and take action. As children today often absorb narratives of violence and fear from the news, it is important to offer them stories about the powerful antidote of goodness and courage, and to inspire them—no matter how overwhelmed they may feel—to create change in the world around them one step at a time.

The Smallest War by Mark Sheehan

“Shit, General,” Hank said, leaning forward. “US Armorers could put a gun in the hand of Jesus. Small War ain’t going to happen.” Small War is the United Nations’ best kept secret: the end of conventional warfare. Acting in self-interest, the United States’ military buries it. Oil—enough to build a superpower—is discovered by the United States, only for Russia to lay claim. The United States threatens war, but a resurgent Russia ruthlessly executes a play years in the making. Dominos fall: a fire the size of England, a bloody naval skirmish, breath-taking political manipulation. Small War will decide who exploits the oil. Unprepared, the United States exhumes its Small War capability and staggers into a contest of hunter and prey: five relentless rounds of pursuit by any means necessary, winner takes all. Press-ganged into the fray, Danny “The Beef” Wellington joins his two teammates, Kimimela Thunderhawk and Matt Balthazar, planning to do just enough to stay alive, but there’s a hitch. A traitor lurks, and only Danny can tip the balance to give the United States a fighting chance. Full of unrelenting cat-and-mouse, rapid-fire action and characters pushed to their limits, this book is perfect for fans of I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes, Ice Station by Matthew Reilly and Inferno by Dan Brown. If you can catch a breath, you’re not reading The Smallest War. Get it now!