The Forest Grimm by Kathryn Purdie - ADVISABLE

The Forest Grimm (The Forest Grimm #1) by Kathryn Purdie, 352 pages. Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2025. $14.

Language: PG (3 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Three years ago, Clara’s mother went missing in the Forest Grimm and became the first of the Lost. Clara (17yo) has known that she and her mother are fated to die young, but Clara is determined to be a changer of fate—to use her early death to save her mother from an early death. Armed with a red hooded cape her mother made and a map she’s spent years drawing, Clara enters the forest knowing she will not return home alive.

Purdie weaves together several fairy tales—some more subtly than others—that harken back to the Grimms’ versions of the fairy tales. Rather than princesses looking for happily ever after, they are monsters setting traps to regain what they have lost. The darker tales raise the stakes for Clara who tests whether fate can be changed and who must decide whether she is as willing to live as she is to die.

Clara is of implied French descent, and the majority of characters are implied White. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol, scary elements, kissing, and partial nudity. The violence rating is for corpses, blood and gore, mentions of cannibalism, assault, fantasy violence, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Just Shy of Ordinary by A J Sass - ADVISABLE

Just Shy of Ordinary by A J Sass, 384 pages. Little, Brown, 2024. $17. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (mild self harm - Shai picks at her arms, and she witnesses vandalism against her grandparent's synagogue) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

13yo Shai is looking for a new normal. She has been home schooled, and is great at research. She has decided that she wants to try public school. But she's full of worries - she's come out to her family and best friend, but how and when will she let people at school know she is gender fluid and pan sexual? Her Language Arts teacher has assigned a term-long research project, and Shai, who has not been raised religious, chooses to learn about her grandparent's religion, they are Jewish, and visit them over the high holidays, which causes some drama with her single mom. 

Shai is a smart kid, but feels like she needs to solve all her own problems without asking for help. Her anxiety has caused her to pick at her arms which causes sores that she keeps covered. Even her mom doesn't know. Shai explains to the reader how it feels when people don't use her preferred name or pronouns, one of her friends is a lesbian who hasn't yet come out to her parents, another friend has 2 dads and one of the boys she lives with uses "gay" to mean something is stupid. I'm not sure why the publisher recommends Just Shy of Ordinary for 8-12 year olds. It's a clean read with no violence, but it's still High School, homecoming, who to ask to the dance and the social and academic community of 9th grade. Shai is Jewish, her best friend Mille is indigenous Canadian, other characters are culturally diverse. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Prince Without Sorrow by Maithree Wijesekara - OPTIONAL

The Prince Without Sorrow (Obsidian Throne #1) by Maithree Wijesekara, 384 pages. Harper Voyager (HarperCollins), 2025. $19.

Language: R (10 swears, 13 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

A woman in mourning of her pacifist people, Shakti (22yo) wants to fight back against the emperor for vengeance more than anything. Meanwhile, Prince Ashoka (22yo) wants to stand firm as a pacifist himself, despite being a son of the tyrant emperor raising his children on the path of conquest—making Ashoka the weakest and least listened to of the lot. When the emperor dies, Shakti and Ashoka move forward on paths that will change the empire—and themselves.

Both Shakti and Ashoka have firm goals, but they lack clear plans to achieve those goals. They struggle not only with outside opposition to their goals but also with their own moral standards—facing the age-old question of whether the ends justify the means. At the end of book one, nothing has gone as expected; everything has changed through crazy twists in both the protagonists and antagonists.

The majority of characters are implied Indian and described as having brown skin. Jaya is lesbian, and there are a couple other lgbt characters. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol, drugs, and brothels and for innuendo. The violence rating is for blood and gore, corpses, assault, mentions of genocide and suicide, self harm, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Night Owls by A.R. Vishny, - OPTIONAL

Night Owls by A.R. Vishny, 368 pages. HarperCollins, 2024 $20. 

Language: R (22 swears 6 'f'); Mature Content: PG13 (vampires luring men and the ensuing "kisses) Violence: R (bloody fighting, vampire violence, demons) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

18yo (sort of) Clara and Molly run an historic movie theater in Manhattan. Boaz is one of their employees, he runs the ticket booth. Clara and Molly are Estries - undead, vampire-like girls who can turn into owls and feed on Jewish men. Boaz has a family curse - he can see and communicate with ghosts. His Aunt has a ring, passed down through the family that helps focus the ghost sightings, and she has a successful cable tv show where she is a medium. Clara has a lot of rules to keep she and Molly safe - they've "lived" together like this for over 100 years. One of the rules is no romance. But when Molly finds a girlfriend, who disappears, they blame Boaz. And even though he denies it, and is infuriating, Clara finds herself falling for him. 

Who knew that Jewish theater had an underground in New York City full of demons and monsters and the Prince of Demons himself? This stand alone horror, romance, mystery was spine tingling with some good scares, and a great plot. Written for a Jewish reader, there's not a glossary or pronunciation guide for the yiddish, but context was well developed so I had no trouble because of my lack of background knowledge. I especially loved all the nods to early (1910-1930s) motion pictures. Boaz, like me, was a real film nerd, so I totally connected as he geeked out about certain movies. Highly recommended as a great thriller. The characters are Jewish and monsters. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Girl Who Sang by Estelle Nadel and Sammy Savos - ADVISABLE

The Girl Who Sang by Estelle Nadel and Sammy Savos, 272 pages. Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2024. $26. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (Soldiers shooting prisoners, injury, peril death) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Living with her family in Poland in 1939 seemed idyllic to 4yo Enia, but by 1942 the German soldiers had invaded Poland and it was not safe for Jews, so she went into hiding with her mother and brothers. Dependent upon neighbors to hide them, her mother and eventually her brother found food to help them survive. 

I know graphic novels read quickly, so it's no surprise I finished "The Girl Who Sang" in one sitting, but I've got to say it was mostly because I just couldn't put it down. As Enia's family disappeared a little at a time, I worried that she would be left completely alone. Sammy Savos' illustrations are wonderful! The violence was represented effectively without being too graphic, I loved the peeking out views of her world through the thatched roofs. Includes a nice afterword with "what happened" to many of the characters, including photographs, and a letter from Estelle (Enia's American name). 

Lisa Librarian 

Solving for the Unknown by Loan Le - OPTIONAL

Solving for the Unknown by Loan Le, 324 pages. Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2025, $20. 

Language: R (40 swears, 2 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (College drinking); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

College freshman Viet initially struggles to fit in at UC Davis, but he joins the running club, which opens the door to him becoming friends with a group of juniors, including Evie, who is the older sister of Viet’s friend from home. They make an instant connection as the children of Vietnamese immigrants who are both from the same hometown, and Viet starts to have feelings for Evie, who is already in a relationship with Jake. In this alternating perspective book about college life, Viet joins the forensic science club and finds friends, while balancing his challenges with depression and his worries over his parents’ volatile relationship. Meanwhile, Evie pursues a competitive volunteer position at a clinic and struggles as distance grows between her and her boyfriend. Evie and Viet’s friendship continues to blossom as they support each other through their challenges, but could their relationship ever turn into more?

This book’s sweet and not-at-all-spicy romance, the focus on good friends watching out for each other, the lovable characters, the thoughtful portrayal of depression, and the discussion of relationship dynamics and challenges hit all the right notes for me. Yes, you can immediately predict the outcome, but the journey was delightful, with drama-free friendships and relatable characters. It is an overall lighthearted read, but it includes realistic and moving descriptions of real challenges. I especially liked the interspersing of Vietnamese words as a window into the immigrant experience. There is plenty of context to understand what they’re saying, but I worry that students may get frustrated by not understanding every word. While I didn't love the fact that the friends are almost too sympathetic and unrealistically always know the right thing to say, the characters were so lovable that it was easy to overlook. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book!

The main characters, Viet and Evie, are Vietnamese. Others are unspecified Asian. Two characters are LGBTQ+.

Marinda, librarian

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins - ESSENTIAL

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, 400 pages. Scholastic, 2025. $28

Language: G (0 swears,  0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (undescribed naked mentioned); Violence: PG-13 (many deaths mentioned, decapitation, spilled guts, bones,)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Haymitch’s birthday and reaping day - a potent combination. It is the day of the Quarter Quell, the 50th Hunger Games, and 4 tributes will be chosen from each District to fight to the death in the Capitol’s arena of choice.

What more do you need to know?  Collins has written a tear-jerker, a heart-breaking look at Haymitch and the Games he “won”. The level of violence is similar to all of the other books in the series. You will not be sorry you read it - and you will hate President Snow even more than you already did before the end. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar - ADVISABLE

Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar, 272 pages. Penguin, 2024 $18.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (threats of violence) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

In 1492, Benvenida and her family are forced out of Spain during the Spanish Inquisition because they are Jewish. Benvenida wrote poetry some of which she left behind, and sang songs, all of which she brought with her. Eventually her family finds their way to Turkey. 

In 1923, Reina meets a boy to watch fireworks on the celebration of Turkish Independence. Her father says she has embarrassed the family and ruined her reputation. She is sent to Cuba with an Aunt, the family's oud and the songs her mother taught her. 

In 1961, 12yo Alegra, Reina's daughter volunteers to be a Brigadista and teach literacy to the uneducated people out in the country, but her father, fearing the family's safety as he has spoken out again Fidel Castro sends Alegra to Miami with a Jewish Rescue organization. 

In 2003, Paloma, wanting to learn more about her family history is excited to go on a family trip to Toledo Spain. 

I was worried that the multiple perspectives were going to be a problem, however, Behar ties the stories together with a particular song passed down through the generations and I loved how beautifully that worked to foster continuity. I loved that the girls were related, it helped make each additional perspective not as new, more of a continuation - although I was worried how many jumps between each generation when it started in 1492! Readers who like Ryan's Echo or Gratz's Refugee will enjoy Across So Many Seas as well. Includes extensive author's notes with links to her research. The characters are Sephardic Jews.

 Lisa Librarian

The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim - OPTIONAL

The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim, 400 pages. Salaam Reads (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers), 2023. $20.  

Language: R (65 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Zahra Khan is a recently graduated 18yo Bangladeshi girl without a plan. Her friends are getting ready to go to college, but Zahra has deferred because she can't afford it. Ever since her father passed away, her family is barely scraping by. Her mother is convinced that the perfect match is the solution to all of Zahra's problems. Enter Harun Emon - handsome, wealthy, going places, etc. But Zahra kind of likes the new shop boy at her job, Nayim. But boys and future plans are more difficult to handle than Zahra anticipated. What is a good Bangladeshi girl to do?!

I know it sounds a little silly, a love triangle worthy of Bollywood, but there was a lot of depth built into the storyline with Zahra's relationship with her family, her friends, and community. I loved the representation of the Bangladeshi and Pakistani community in Paterson, NJ, which I didn't know was the largest community in the US! Other than the language, I thought it was a great rom-com read with a lot of authentic AAPI representation.

Kiera Beddes, #bookswithbeddes

Ariel Crashes a Train by Olivia Cole - OPTIONAL

Ariel Crashes a Train by Olivia Cole, 464 pages. Random House Children's Books (Penguin Random House), 2024. $20.

Language: R (72 swears, 27 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13 (some examples of underage drinking, quite a bit of sexual content - most of it imagined as part of the main character’s OCD, but some mentions masturbation in public places by background characters); Violence: PG 13 (not real, but frequent pervasive violent intrusive thoughts)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

17-year-old Ariel finds herself struggling with isolation in a small Midwestern town. Her older sister has left for college, and her best friend is away for a summer internship in DC, leaving Ariel feeling alone. Her mind becomes a maze of endless, violent "what if" scenarios that trap her in a cycle of fear and anxiety. Before she reaches a breaking point, Ariel finds solace in two new friends she meets at her summer job at the local carnival: Ruth, a Black girl, and Rex, a teenage trans man. Through their friendship, Ariel begins to navigate her mental health challenges and discover her own identity.

Fascinating first person depiction of living with Harm OCD and intrusive thoughts. A novel written in verse, it was beautiful and painful at the same time. I was impressed with the breadth of topics it was able to address - mental health, religious trauma, police violence, gender identity, feminism, & queerness. It shows how intersectional our world is and yet how strikingly singular our individual lived experience is. I’m not sure how much use it could be in a school setting, considering some of the language and mature content, however, I do think it could be valuable purely for its honest representation of OCD and how it affects Ariel’s life.

Kiera Beddes, #bookswithbeddes

Heart-Shaped Lies by Elizabeth Agyemang - OPTIONAL

Heart-Shaped Lies by Elizabeth Agyemang, 384 pages. Random House Children's Books (Penguin Random House), 2024. $20.

Language: R (43 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13 (several instances of underage drinking and drug use); Violence: PG 13 (several instances of physical intimidation or violence, and one on-page death)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

During a senior trip to Sunny World (a Walt Disney World dupe) in modern-day Florida, three students - Kiara (18yo, Black, 4.0 student), Priscilla (18yo, Black, beauty queen influencer), and Nevaeh (17yo, Black, pastor’s daughter) find out that they are all involved with the same social media prank star & classmate Tommy Harding (18yo, white, truly awful human). When a senior prank he is planning goes awry and Tommy ends up dead, internet sleuths are quick to point out how each of the girls had motive. How are they going to find out what really happened that night?

With lots of twists and turns, this is a murder mystery for the social media age that teenage students will eat up with a spoon. Since Tommy was awful, I couldn’t really muster up a lot of sympathy for his demise, and thus, wasn’t terribly interested in the outcome. However, the book moved at a pretty quick pace and I loved seeing the diversity in the main characters, as a majority of the characters are BIPOC.

Kiera Beddes, #bookswithbeddes

On the Bright Side by Anna Sortino - OPTIONAL

On the Bright Side by Anna Sortino, 305 pages. Putnam (Penguin), 2024. $20.

Language: R (33 swears 1 'f'); Mature Content: PG13 (Making out, some clothing removal); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

18yo Ellie has been at a boarding school for deaf students since middle school. But at the end of her junior year, it shuts down and she has to attend a regular high school and live at home. Ellie's parents never embraced her deafness, they didn't learn sign language, insist she wears her hearing aid and cochlear implant all the time, and have made no accommodations for her. Living at home, and being the only deaf student at the high school is really hard. 18yo Jackson is one of the best players on his soccer team, but his body is acting strangely, his legs feel numb, and he's so tired. When he misses an important goal and loses the state championship, he becomes the team outcast. One of the guidance counselors asks Jackson to show the new girl (Ellie) around changes his focus. Maybe these two need each other more than they know. 

This is the cutest romance! Both kids are full of self doubt and anger because of their past experiences, have difficult parents (opposites - Jackson's parents are over involved and over protective.) but are smart and resilient. I love the community Ellie gets involved in, as well as the group Jackson turns to after his diagnosis. A Schneider Award teen honor book, Sortino's depiction of the disability experience is spot on, as she is deaf. I finished On the Bright Side wanting to take up sign language lessons again. Both Jackson and Ellie are white. 

Lisa Librarian 

One Wrong Step by Jennifer A. Nielsen - ESSENTIAL

One Wrong Step by Jennifer A. Nielsen, 336 pages. Scholastic, 2025. $18

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

After 14yo Atlas’s mother dies while he and his father are climbing a peak in Utah,  Atlas and his father throw themselves into mountain climbing and end up in Nepal to climb Mt. Everest. They join a team set to reach the unreachable, the Summit of Mt. Everest. Atlas will face the fight of his live and must make the toughest of choices.

I like how the author includes a definition at the beginning of each chapter. The setting is extremely interesting with the threat of World War II hanging over the story. The characters are believable.

The ethnicity is predominantly white.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

Warrior of Legend (Heromaker #2) by Kendare Blake - ADVISABLE

Warrior of Legend (Heromaker #2) by Kendare Blake, 512 pages. HarperCollins, 2024. $11

Language: PG-13 (15 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (off page sex and implied sex); Violence: PG-13 (attempted sexual assault, off page murder, bloody violence and bloody deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

After losing her hero, 16yo Reed has thrown herself head first into serving the Aristene. She has sent three heroes to their glorious death in less than a year. When her fellow Aristene, Lyonene, is called to help a hero, she begs Reed to take her place. Lyonene wants to stay with her hero, prince, and husband Alsander. What Reed and Lyonene don’t know is how much this one decision will change their lives.

I liked the dynamic between Reed, her mentor, her hero and her fellow Aristene. This series will have more than two books. The story doesn’t end on a cliffhanger but it left me wanting to know what’s to come.

The ethnicity mentions white, tan, and olive skintones.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston - ADVISABLE

Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston, 304 pages. Bloomsbury, 2024. $18. 

Language: PG (3 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G Violence Rating: PG (a physical fight, neglect, bullying) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Sharkita is worried. Her mama is back, and she and her siblings are out of foster care, but for how long? She knows it's just a matter of time until Mama messes up again, starts drinking, and leaves Sharkita in charge of the "littles".  Kita's little brother is disabled, and his behavior can be unpredictable, especially with Mama gone, and her 6yo sister is worried too. But things might be better this time. Mama is home after school, she has a job and has even given Kita permission to join the drill team at school. But with so many family secrets to keep, Kita is on edge all the time. 

This is a lot for a 12-year-old. I wonder if any of the students at my school are in a similar crisis - and how could we tell? Kita's mama is terrible, always asking her to cover for her, disappearing for days and blaming Sharkita when things go wrong. I felt so badly for her. Winston tells a great story, which drew me in right away. Shark Teeth won a middle-grade Schneider honor, given to books that embody the disability experience. Sharkita has hyperdontia, which means she has 2 rows of teeth. While not the focus of the novel, it certainly adds to Kita's troubles as she is always worried someone will say something. Kita and her family are Black 

Lisa Librarian 

I Will Never Leave You by Kara A. Kennedy - OPTIONAL

I Will Never Leave You by Kara A. Kennedy, 343 pages. Delacorte Press (RandomHouse), 2024. $20

Language: R (17 swears, 19 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Lesbian relationship, drinking); Violence: PG-13 (death, verbal abuse)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

18yo Maya finally decides to end her toxic relationship with her manipulative girlfriend, Alana, during a hike in California's Antelope Valley.  Soon after, Alana goes missing and Maya becomes the prime suspect while battling guilt over what happened.  But when Alana's ghost begins haunting her, Maya realizes their connection is far from over.  The vengeful spirit demands Maya's help in possessing their friend Rowan, or face terrifying consequences.  As Maya fights to break free from Alana's grip, she must confront the lingering effects of abuse and trauma.  

Kennedy explores love, control and the struggle to reclaim one's identity. This book was very frustrating and compelling to read.  Maya and Alana's relationship was extremely toxic, and it was frustrating to see Maya remain trapped in Alana's influence, even after her death. The novel definitely portrays the type of relationship to avoid. I really enjoyed the supernatural elements as well as the bond Maya eventually develops with her sister. The mystery kept me engaged and the twist at the end genuinely caught me by surprise.

The characters in this book are white.

Jessica Nelson Librarian

A Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan Doyle , Crystal S. Chan (Adaptor) and Julien Choy (Illustrator) - ADVISABLE

A Study in Scarlet (Manga Classics Sherlock Holmes Vol. 1) by Arthur Conan Doyle , Crystal S. Chan  (Adaptor) and Julien Choy  (Illustrator), 200 pages. MANGA. Manga Classics, 2025. $20

Language: PG (2 swears, 0 f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (smoking); Violence: PG (off page death)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

I struggle reading Manga because it takes me a moment to adjust to reading the opposite direction of what I'm used to but I enjoyed this rendition of Sherlock Holmes' book, "A Study in Scarlet".  The art is done well and the story is true Sherlock Holmes!  A delightful mystery and it was fun to tag along with Sherlock and Watson as they solved the case.  The suspense was perfect.  The illustrations were eye-catching and pulled me into the story.  

I love the artwork!  This is a manga that I thoroughly enjoyed.  I'm impressed with this rendition of "A Study in Scarlet"!

The characters are white

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

The Totally Not Boring Book of Feelings by Julie Taylor and Brandon Dorman - ADVISABLE

The Totally Not Boring Book of Feelings by Julie Taylor and Brandon Dorman, 128 pages. SHORT STORIES. Shadow Mountain, 2024. $23

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

The book contains short graphic novels like stories and poems interspersed with hilarious drawings. The stories and poems are all about feelings but written in a way that makes you laugh. I loved this book.

At first glance I didn't think I would like this book, no color illustrations and it looked just kind of “blah.” How wrong I was. It is my 2 year old grandson's absolute favorite book! We read from it every day and he sits down and “reads” out loud from it every day. The book has become a special friend in our family the last several weeks while my grandson has stayed with us. I highly recommend this book for preschool aged children up through 3rd grade, maybe even all through elementary school. The illustrations are just darling and funny and a 2 year old laughs out loud at them. Enjoy this book for years to come.

Ellen-Anita. Librarian

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst - ADVISABLE

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst, 384 pages. Tor, 2024. $15

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: PG (prejudice)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Kiela, an adult, lives in Alyssium and loves her job as a librarian. The only social interaction she gets is with Caz, the sentient spider plant that resides in the library too. When the library is burned, Kiela and Caz take as many magical books as they can and sail away to Kiela’s birthplace, Caltrey, which she hasn’t been to for too long a time. They move into her parents’ abandoned cottage and hope that they won’t be found hiding the restricted magical books. Kiela has always enjoyed being alone and antisocial but her new neighbors see things differently and will try to break down her barriers any way they can.

This is a sweet book. Charming, innocent and full of fantasy. The book was so relaxing to read and it truly was comforting.

The ethnicity is a variety of races, species and colors.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

Cruzita and the Mariacheros by Ashley Granillo - ADVISABLE

Cruzita and the Mariacheros by Ashley Granillo,  248 pages Lerner, 2024. $20.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

 APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

The summer between 6th and 7th grade is supposed to be the most fun ever. Cruzita has plans to go to Encore Island - an amusement park in California - with her best friend, Kelli. But her Tio Chuy, the baker at the family panaderia, has passed away, and the family struggles to keep the bakery profitable. There's no money for an expensive day at Encore Island, so she must spend the summer helping at the family business. Her grandmother has arranged violin lessons, which turn out to be Mariachi lessons, and Cruzita is unhappy - although her family is Mexican, neither she nor her parents speak Spanish, and she wants to be a pop star someday, not part of a mariachi band. 

Cruzita is certain she can become famous and save her family. I think a lot of kids can relate; they believe if they can just achieve their dreams, everything will be better. I liked Cruzita's journey, from knowing little about her family's Mexican culture to gaining the ability to sing in Spanish, learn an instrument, and show pride in her heritage. There's a good bit of Spanish, in context - Cruzita doesn't speak it either so English only readers won't need a glossary. I did love that Granillo included a play list - which I'm listening to as I write this review, as well as book club or class discussion questions. 

Lisa Librarian