Aster and the Accidental Magic book #1 by Thom Pico and Karensac Adventure Fantasy Graphic Novel Tween * * * * Stars (Great!) Aster is not super thrilled when her parents move them from the city to a small mountain town so Aster’s mother can continue work on her robo-birds (that will save them all from the enormous crow migration that’s about to take place). After she meets a mysterious old lady shepherd who gives … Read more
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez Mystery Realistic Fiction (older teens) * * * Stars (Pretty good) When Julia’s (pronounced the Mexican/Spanish way – Who-lee-uh) older sister Olga is killed in a terrible accident, her whole family falls apart, becoming more dysfunctional (is that even possible?) than it was before. Julia, already suffering from depression and anxiety, and her mother deal with their individual pain by lashing out at one … Read more
Just Roll with It written by Lee Durfey-Lavoie illustrated by Veronica Agarwal Graphic Novel Realistic Fiction Tween, grades 4-8 * * * Stars (Pretty good) Maggie is starting 6th grade and she’s anxious about making friends and making the transition to middle school. She has some coping mechanisms/rituals that she uses to help her feel more calm and in control – like rolling a d20 (20-sided die) to help her make decisions (or predict how … Read more
Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac Novel in Verse Realistic Fiction for tweens (grades 4-8) * * * * Stars (Great!) Malian is visiting her grandparents on the Wabanaki reservation when the pandemic forces everyone to lock down. She can’t return to her family in the city, so she tries to make the best of a flaky internet connection to keep up with her classes, and phone calls and video chats with her folks. Shortly after … Read more
Manu by Kelly Fernandez Fantasy Graphic Novel for teens * * * Stars (Pretty good) Manu is a foundling who was taken in by the sisters who run La Academia de Santa Dominga, a magic school for girls. She’s both powerful and a bit wild and is always wreaking havoc and getting into trouble. When a curse interferes with her ability to use her magic, Manu and her friend Josefina summon a spirit to help … Read more
Fever The Chemical Garden Trilogy #2 by Lauren DeStefano Dystopian Science Fiction Suspense Thriller Teen * * * Stars (Pretty good) Rhine and Gabriel made their triumphant escape in the previous book, but they didn’t bother to plan much further than that. Now, if they want to find Rhine’s twin brother, Rowan, they’ll have to make their way to New York somehow, and there are plenty of dangers in between. When they do finally reach … Read more
The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey Science Fiction Suspense Thriller Older teen/adult * * * * Stars (Great!) Melanie attends classes with a number of other little kids, but she’s special. They all are in some respects, but Melanie’s intelligence, determination, and self-control set her apart. As the story unfolds, told from different characters’ perspectives, readers discover that the children are different in other ways, too, ways that require them to be … Read more
The Iron Trial Magisterium #1 by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare Fantasy Mystery Tween * * * * Stars (Great!) Callum Hunt is going to do his best to fail his entrance exam to the Magisterium. His father has warned him that magic is dangerous and the mages will try to kill him, and despite these warnings and his own fear and misgivings, he is taken on as an apprentice by one of the Masters. … Read more
Who Put This Song On? by Morgan Parker Realistic Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) After a suicidal episode, teen Morgan Parker starts receiving therapy and eventually medication to help her with her depression. There are a lot of things in her life, though, that are frustrating – her very fancy, but restrictive high school (where she’s one of the few Black people), friendships (after losing her best friend to a Relationship, she’s starting … Read more
Mike by Andrew Norriss Realistic Fiction Teen * * * * Stars (Great!) Floyd is a tennis prodigy who finds himself in therapy when a guy named Mike starts appearing at and interfering in his tennis matches. Isn’t that something the authorities should handle? In this case, no, since Floyd is the only one who can see Mike. With the help of his doctor, Floyd learns that Mike is a projection of a part of … Read more