The Partition Project by Saadia Faruqi Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Maha is initially unenthusiastic when her Dadi (grandmother) comes from Pakistan to live with their family in the US. Not only does she have to give up her bedroom and move into the attic, but since Maha’s parents are both very busy (dad is a doctor and mom is a nutritionist) they make Maha responsible for Dadi – she is supposed … Read more
Miles Away from You by A. B. Rutledge LGBTQ+ Realistic Fiction Romance * * * * Stars (Great!) Miles and Vivian were brilliant together. They created a website that attracted millions of creative, artistic people like themselves, and they were so very, very in love. But then Vivian tried to kill herself by taking too many pills and she wound up in a coma – neither dead nor alive. Her ultra-conservative parents swooped in and … Read more
How to Draw a Secret by Cindy Chang Graphic Novel Realistic Fiction * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Based on Cindy Chang’s experiences growing up, “How to Draw a Secret” follows the story of a single-parent Chinese/Taiwanese family living in California. Cindy is the youngest in her family and has two older, college-age sisters. Their mom has been their sole caretaker since their baba moved back to Taiwan “for work.” Actually, Cindy isn’t sure … Read more
Bliss Adair and the First Rule of Knitting by Jean Mills Realistic Fiction Romance * * * * Stars (Great!) Bliss Adair is an accomplished knitter as well as a math wiz. She spends a lot of time helping out at her folks’ yarn store, which puts her in the unfortunate position of hearing something she shouldn’t and now wishes she didn’t know. When she connects that piece of information with an acquaintance at school, … Read more
Meet Me on Mercer Street by Booki Vivat Graphic Novel Realistic Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) Kacie goes away for the summer and when she comes home to Mercer Street she discovers her best friend Nisha has moved away and Nisha’s dad’s convenience store has been turned into a fancy modern Smart shop. Kacie is an artist and is constantly drawing what she sees, so she documents a lot of what’s going on … Read more
Focused by Alyson Gerber Realistic Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) Clea is finding it hard to focus and she’s falling behind in school and having problems at home, too. Her folks take her to see a specialist who diagnoses her with ADHD. While Clea isn’t thrilled with the assessment, she also starts seeing the benefits of getting treatment/help. She starts taking medication to help her concentrate, learns strategies to help her cope, and … Read more
Sunny Makes Her Case by Jennifer & Matthew Holm Graphic Novel Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Sunny is now in high school and is discovering her interests. She and a friend try out for cheerleading (not really what Sunny wants to do, but she wants to be with/support her friend). She doesn’t make the squad. When another friend, Arun, starts complaining about how their school is too focused on sports and sports … Read more
The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt Realistic Fiction * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Hercules Beal has already been through a lot in his young life. He and his older brother Achilles recently lost their parents in an accident and Achilles has moved back home to run the family business (Beal Brothers Nursery) – leaving behind a career he loved writing stories for National Geographic. One of the changes Hercules experiences … Read more
Restart by Gordon Korman Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * Stars (Pretty good) Chase Ambrose, an 8th grade jock, loves to torment the other people at school. His physique and dad’s legacy allow him to do this without getting in trouble ever. But when he gets amnesia, he starts to realize the monster that he was, even making a kid switch schools. He starts to make new friends with the people he bullied, and … Read more
Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction Romance Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) It’s at the end of the school year, and all of the exciting events are occurring. There’s the Junior-Senior dance, dresses to be made, the parade, and of course, Commencement day in which orations are given, and the seniors are officially graduated. Emily Webster is a quiet, shy, and socially awkward girl who … Read more