I know it’s quick and easy to just click on one of the blog posts on my home page, but in truth, there are many more reviews to be found on this web site. Go up to the top right-hand navigation bar and click on Book Reviews. You’ll then see a drop-down menu that lists…
The Song From Somewhere Else by A. F. Harrold
Gr. 3-6. Francesca “Frank” Patel couldn’t experience a worse summer. Her best friend is away, her cat is missing, and the school bully won’t leave her alone. When the horrid giant of a kid Nick Underbridge rescues her and takes her to his home, Frank doesn’t know what to make of him. His father is…
One Shadow on the Wall by Leah Henderson
Gr. 4-7. Orphaned after the death of his baay (father), 11-year-old Mor of Lat Mata, Senegal, finds himself responsible for his younger sisters. Mor is committed to keeping the family together, but his aunt only gives him until the end of summer to prove that he can—or she’ll take the girls away. Juggling bad luck…
Madness by Zac Brewer
Gr. 9-12 Brooke Danvers learns the hard way that the one thing worse than wanting to kill yourself is failing at it. After six weeks as an inpatient, all she wants to do is try again, especially when confronted by overly cautious parents, curious classmates, and an administration that never cared before. At least she…
Juan Pablo and the Butterflies by J. J. Flowers
Gr. 9-12 In the otherwise quiet butterfly sanctuary of El Rosario, Mexico, Juan Pablo (JP), a thoughtful teen who loves playing his violin, recognizes the sound of drug traffickers that have taken over his town. His abuela, a doctor and naturalist, lies on her deathbed, from which she directs him to follow the butterflies’ migration…
I See London, I See France by Sarah Mlynowski
Gr. 10-12 What could go wrong when you’ve mapped out a four-and-a-half-week backpack trip through Europe with your best friend? Plenty, it turns out. Nineteen-year-old Sydney and Leela planned to trek around Europe, see the sights, kiss hot boys, and have a summer they’d never forget. But when Leela’s ex-boyfriend shows up unexpectedly, even the…
Felix Yz by Lisa Bunker
Gr. 5-8 Eighth grade, like every other year of Felix Yz’s life, isn’t easy, but right now, it’s increasingly intense. Why? He is inhabited by a fourth-dimensional creature, Zyx, whose presence forces Felix’s body into a hunched stance he calls “the Pose.” One month before undergoing a procedure designed to separate the boy from his…
That Thing We Call a Heart by Sheba Karim
Gr. 8-12 It’s the summer before college, and Shabnam Qureshi is lonely. She and her BFF, the feisty Farah, are on the outs since Farah showed up at school wearing a hijab without consulting Shabnam first—and Shabnam didn’t exactly defend her friend from the judgmental onslaught that followed. Eventually, Shabnam meets the free-spirited Jamie, who…
Deep Water by Katherine Nichols
Gr. 9-12 Seventeen-year-old Eddie Otero craves the thrill of adventure, and in 1971, he gets in over his head. A strong and talented swimmer, he accepts the challenge to swim a waterproof package of weed from Mexico back to his small California town near San Diego. The danger fuels his desire to succeed, as does…
Momotaro: Xander and the Dream Thief (Book 2) by Margaret Dilloway
Gr. 4-7 This sequel to Momotaro: Xander and the Lost Island of Monsters (2016) begins on the heels of Xander Miyamoto learning he’s the new Momotaro, a demon-fighting warrior. He should be thrilled, but his powers have waned, he’s plagued by nightmares, and his long-absent mother has returned without warning. Xander’s grandmother gives him a…
Grace and the Fever by Zan Romanoff
Gr. 7-12. ***Starred Review*** The minute obsessive fandom bleeds into real life, there’s bound to be trouble. Grace Thomas is a self-proclaimed ordinary person, but as music blogger Gigi, she’s an integral part of boy band Fever Dream’s fandom. One night during the summer after graduation, Grace finds herself face-to-face with the band’s heartthrob, Jes….
Speed of Life by Carol Weston
Gr. 6-9. ***Starred Review*** Fourteen-year-old Sofia Wolfe moves through life smiling with friends and hiding the sorrow of having lost her Spanish mother almost a year earlier. The only people she has to talk to are her abuelo in Spain, and—regarding girl things—“Dear Kate,” a teen-advice columnist with whom she can anonymously discuss personal matters….
