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
The Other Boy by H.G. Hennessey LGBTQ+ Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) “The Other Boy,” following a young boy named Shane, is a great book that I highly recommend to any and all. This book delves into a middle school perspective of the mental, social, and situational struggles of topics such as the results of a divorce, the spectrum of the LGBTQIA+ community, and the now seen effects of bullying. … 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
Once & Future Once & Future #1 by A.R. Capetta Arthurian Legend readalike Fantasy LGBTQIA Science Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) Each time Arthur fails to fulfill his prophecy, he is reincarnated (along with all of his compatriots – Lancelot, Guinevere, etc.) and the cycle begins again. This time the spirit of Arthur lives on in teenage Ari, who is both orphaned and exiled from her homeworld when the all-powerful corporation, Mercer, seals … Read more
Wither The Chemical Garden Trilogy #1 by Lauren DeStefano Dystopian Science Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) In a future where humans have orchestrated their own downfall through genetic engineering, lifespans have been drastically shortened – men die at 25 and women at 20 years of age. Sixteen-year-old Rhine is kidnapped by the Gatherers along with a number of other girls (teenagers) to become the brides of wealthy and privileged Linden Ashby. Her sister … Read more
Long Road to the Circus by Betsy Bird Historical Fiction Tween/Grades 4-8 * * * Stars (Pretty good) 12-year-old Suzy Bowles wants to see the world, but she’s stuck on a farm in a small town in Michigan where no one ever seems to leave (or even wants to). When her uncle and his family come to live with them, she makes it her business to find out where he disappears to every morning before … Read more
Lies My Teacher Told Me Young Readers’ Edition by James Loewen adapted by Rebecca Stefoff Young Adult Nonfiction * * * * Stars (Great) US history textbooks are often sanitized so as not to offend, scandalize, or expose youth to uncomfortable/unpleasant truths, but can leave learners with misconceptions about the history of their country. Students aren’t given the opportunity to see or discuss or research different viewpoints, get a sense of how historical events are … Read more
Fifty-Four Things Wrong with Gwendolyn Rogers by Caela Carter Realistic Fiction Tween (grades 4-8) * * * * Stars (Great!) Gwendolyn Rogers is a neurodivergent 5th grader who, after hoping for a specific diagnosis that would allow her to receive some assistance in school and some understanding from her community only learns that there are 54 things wrong with her that don’t add up to anything. She obsesses over the list of things (which she … Read more
The Obsession by Jesse Q. Squanto Realistic Fiction Suspense Thriller Teen * * * Stars (Pretty good) Logan is a stalker. Delilah is the object of his obsession. Both attend an exclusive boarding school, though Delilah is a day student. When Logan sets up a camera outside her house to keep an eye on Delilah, he captures some unexpected footage, which he later uses to blackmail Delilah into being his girlfriend. But Delilah is sick … Read more