The library has compiled a large variety of Book Reviews from staff and through programs such as Read It & Rate It. These reviews are available to you to help you make an educated decision on titles you’d like to read.
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Raising Lumie by Joan Bauer Realistic Fiction Tween * * * * Stars (Great) After 13-year-old Olive Hudson’s wonderful plumber father passes away from cancer she’s taken in by her older half-sister Maudie, who moves them both into a shared house in New Jersey, where she’s starting a new job as a graphic designer. Maudie’s boss is also involved with an organization that raises and trains puppies to be guide dogs for the blind, and … Read more
I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee Funny LGBTQIA Romance * * * * Stars (Great!) Skye Shin is auditioning to be on a reality show where she’ll compete as a singer/dancer along with other contestants to showcase her skills and love for K-pop. The winners of the competition will get to continue their training/careers in South Korea. Skye has no doubts about her talent, but her mom is always making digs about her weight … Read more
Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay Mystery Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Filipino teenager Jay Reguero is all set to follow the path he’s supposed to – graduating from high school, going to college, finding a job, etc. Instead, he gets some really terrible news. His cousin, Jun, is dead. When Jay tries to learn more from his parents, they deflect, and Jay decides he will go all the way to … Read more
Wonder Woman: Warbringer adapted from the novel by Leigh Bardugo by Louise Simonson Illustrated by Kit Seaton Adventure Graphic Novel Supernatural Thriller * * * * Stars (Great!) In this graphic novel adaptation of Leigh Bardugo’s novel, Wonder Woman is a young Princess Diana, determined to prove herself to the rest of the Amazons. Diana enters a race, intending to win, but midway through she discovers a shipwreck and chooses to aid the sole survivor, … Read more
The Brave by James Bird Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Collin Couch was kicked out of his most recent school – for fighting. He’s unique in that he is compelled to count every letter in every word that anyone says to him, and then blurt out the number before he can respond/concentrate on anything else. This has led to all sorts of bullying because people think he’s a freak and learn that … Read more
The Radiant Road by Katherine Catmull Fantasy * * * Stars (Pretty good) Clare and her father return to her mother’s ancestral home in Ireland after many years away and Clare becomes reacquainted with the Strange (what she calls the fae/faeries and their magic/makings) and her childhood friend, Finn, who is half-faerie. She learns that she is the protector of one of the faerie gates – an ancient yew tree growing right through the middle … Read more
Die: Fantasy Heartbreaker Die #1 by Kieron Gillen Adventure Comics Fantasy Graphic Novel * * * * Stars (Great!) Dominic/Ash’s friend Solomon designs the ultimate rpg for Ash’s birthday. Unfortunately, it sucks their whole party into another world, where they are trapped for two years, until they’re able to beat it and find their way back home (think Jumanji). Sol doesn’t make it back. Now, the teens are in their forties and come together to … Read more
I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson Realistic Fiction * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Noah and Jude are twins who have been incredibly close their whole lives. When they hit their teenage years, however, their differences begin to get in the way of that closeness. Jude is wild and crazy for a certain surfer boy who is several years her senior. Noah is obsessed with his art to the point of being … Read more
Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson’s Journal spin-off of Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney Funny Illustrated Fiction Realistic Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) Rowley Jefferson decides to start his own diary after the success of Greg Heffley’s journaling experiment. He shares a few facts about himself, but it quickly becomes all about his friendship with Greg, so he decides to make it official – he’s writing a … Read more
Think for Yourself: The Ultimate Guide to Critical Thinking in an Age of Information Overload by Andrea Debbink and Aaron Meshon Nonfiction * * * * Stars (Great!) This is a great book that will really help kids/teens (anyone, really) learn about how to make decisions and form opinions based on facts, how to evaluate different sources of information, and how to have discussions/debates with other people about things. It uses a lot of timely … Read more