Lies on the Serpent's Tongue by Kate Pearsall - OPTIONAL

Lies on the Serpent's Tongue (Bittersweet in the Hollow #2) by Kate Pearsall, 307 pages. G.P. Putnam's Sons (Penguin), 2025. $20

Language: PG (9 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (mostly only kissing, one a little heated); Violence: PG (deaths, no blood)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

18-year-old Rowan James has spent her whole life harboring unpleasant truths—that’s what happens when you can smell people’s lies—and building walls around herself to block them out. Like her younger sister, Linden, who can taste the feelings of others, Rowan has long resented her gift, which has taught her that everyone lies and no one is who they seem to be. So when her old nemesis, Hadrian Fitch, the biggest liar of them all, shows up on her front porch—bloodied, broken, and asking for help only she can give—her first instinct is distrust. But something new is stalking the forest that surrounds Caball Hollow. Now things are disappearing. At first, it’s small stuff—like letters, photos, and keys. But then, Rowan notices people around her are losing their memories. And when the body of a neighbor is found in the middle of town, Rowan knows there’s a link between this death and all the events disturbing the Hollow. Can she find what—or who—the link is before it takes another life?"

Overall, it was a good read.  I felt it was a bit slow to start and if you haven't read the first book it made it a tad bit harder to understand the characters and references from the first book, but you figure it out.   The author teased the romance but didn't really give you much to go on and could have developed that more, especially with Rowan's ability to detect lies and how that could affect her relationship with Hadrian even more. The writing was descriptive and I could imagine every little part of the small town and the forest.  Pearsall made them come alive on the pages.  I enjoyed her sister's and parent's stories (although it took me a minute to understand what happened with the parents).  Again, it was a good read and I think for Middle School and High School students, they would enjoy the series, especially if they like a bit of romance and magic. I appreciate that it was overall a clean YA book with minimal swearing.

I am guessing most characters are white.

Karen Cutchen, Library aide

Very Dangerous Things by Lauren Muñoz - OPTIONAL

Very Dangerous Things by Lauren Muñoz, 352 pages. Penguin Random House, 2025. $20

Language: R (92 swears, 10 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Drinking, sexual references); Violence: PG-13 (offpage murder, attempted murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO:  MANY

A body is discovered at the J. Everett High School of Criminology, which is not an odd occurrence as the private school hosts an annual murder mystery contest. However, this time the murder is real. 11th grader Dulce Death Castillo reluctantly agrees to help the prime suspect Sierra, who happens to be the victim’s ex-girlfriend and Dulce’s ex-friend. Sierra and Dulce haven’t talked since Dulce’s mom died in a car accident, and Sierra supported the official position that Dulce’s mom was driving drunk, which Dulce does not believe. Together with her forensic team dubbed the Wimsey’s, Dulce investigates the student’s murder amongst a web of complex relationships, affairs, police corruption, and politics.

The novel includes a collection of clues, flashbacks, and Dulce’s own “conclusions,” inviting readers to become detectives themselves. While I found a few plot elements unlikely, the pace was steady with solid twists and turns that will appeal to teenage murder-mystery fans. The characters were also nuanced. For example, Dulce struggles with forgiveness, guilt, insecurity, and a budding romance.

Dulce is Mexican American. Secondary characters are diverse including several LGBT+ characters, and Emi (Dulce's best friend) is Japanese American.

Megan, HS Librarian 

Lies My Memory Told Me by Sacha Wunsch - ADVISABLE

Lies My Memory Told Me by Sacha Wunsch, 320 pages. Inkyard Press (HarperCollins), 2021. $19.

Language: R (73 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Enhanced memory (EM) technology does so much good for the world, and Nova’s parents are the ones who invented it! Nova (17yo) doesn’t know anyone who doesn’t enjoy it—until she meets Kade. Kade’s experiences show Nova a dark side to EM, a side of secrets that gets darker than either of them ever imagined.

Here come a couple of teenagers out to save the world from the evils of technology misuse. I appreciate the commentary on being mindful of technology addictions and making sure that we spend time living our lives beyond screentime, and Wunsch wraps all that up in a story that eventually becomes life-or-death serious. With amazing tech, amateur sleuthing, family confrontations, and questions of identity, it’s hard to put down.

Nova is White, and Kade is half Indian half English. Andie is described as “pale” and is transgender. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, kissing, illegal activity, innuendo, and mentions of drugs, pornography, and sex. The violence rating is for corpses, blood and gore, gun use, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

A Carol for Mrs. Dickens by Rebecca Connolly - ADVISABLE

A Carol for Mrs. Dickens by Rebecca Connolly, 176 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $18.

Language: PG (2 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULTS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Eight years after Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol, his wife Catherine, or Kate, is struggling to feel up to celebrating Christmas. One of her children died earlier that year, and all the commercialization of a holiday meant to mean so much more and meant to be about Christ has left Kate forcing a smile at the Christmas party she and Charles are hosting. But then she has three marvelous experiences that breathe joy back into the celebrations.

This historical fiction story mirrors some of the elements of A Christmas Carol, and it is a lovely reimagining in a realistic setting. I was a tad disappointed about the lack of fantastical elements because I wanted to see what Connolly would do for a representation of the ghost of Christmas future, but Kate’s experiences were focused on past and present. Kate’s story is about the true meaning of Christmas, choosing to start the journey to change, and the goodness that can be found all around us.

Catherine is Scottish, and the rest of the characters are implied English. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Wild Song by Candy Gourlay - ADVISABLE

Wild Song by Candy Gourlay, 263 pages. Carolrhoda Lab (Lerner), 2025. $20

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (danger, off-page beating)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL; ADULTS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

16yo Luki may be the best hunter in her remote Philippine village, but as a girl she is not allowed to hunt.  When her hunting is discovered, she is pressured to get married. Instead, she jumps at the chance to join 1000 others from all around the island to travel all the way to St. Louis in America to be part of the 1904 World’s Fair. While Luki gets to see more of the world, as she wanted, she also learns a lot about human nature and even more about what she really wants from the world.

I loved this look into a place and time period I know so little about. I did a lot of research afterwards to calm my curiosity. I wish I knew that students were also going to love this - but mine, at least, don’t read much historical fiction unless it is about a war. I’m sure you knwo some adults who would love this.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary Girls by J. Anderson Coats - OPTIONAL

The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary Girls by J. Anderson Coats, 251 pages. Atheneum (Simon), 2025. $18.

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Stanislava’s family came from eastern Europe to Colorado for a better life, but that life only seems to be for the boys of the family. She discovers a book at the local penny library about an immigrant girl like her who is going off to college and she aches for a better life. On the day Stanislava decides to rechristen herself as Sylvia, however, her 23yo sister Stina runs away to marry a man from another state.  Sylvia's parents oil her out of school to care for the two youngest siblings and all of the other chores that Stina always did, because their mother is too depressed to care for them.  Sylvia is having none of that.  She takes off and makes her way to Denver, where she hopes to find Stina or build herself a new life.

I don’t know how old Sylvia is - somewhere between 12 and 15, as she hasn’t started high school yet. I loved Sylvia and her adventures - there is so much more that I could have told you about. The setting is 1910. The interplay between the white community (the saviors) and the immigrants is excellent - some are empathetic and others want to “whiten” the community. I felt like I was reading a later Betsy-Tacy book. I would love to see grandparents reading this with young granddaughters. It's only OPTIONAL because historical fiction is usually a hard sell. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Love Craves Cardamom by Aashna Avachat - OPTIONAL

Love Craves Cardamom by Aashna Avachat, 296 pages. Joy Revolution (Penguin), 2025. $13

Language: R (53 swears, 1 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

12th grader Archi is spending the last semester of her senior year studying abroad in Rajasthan, India. Fresh off a breakup, she’s looking forward to a boy-free few months exploring the place where her parents grew up and diving into her dream museum internship. But things don’t go as planned: on her very first day, she meets an incredibly attractive guy on the train, Shiv, who, coincidentally, works in the palace gardens where her museum is located. As they explore the city together, Archi and Shiv fall for each other quickly. Meanwhile, Archi thrives at her internship, where she’s planning and curating her own exhibit highlighting art stolen through imperialism and colonialism.But Shiv is hiding a secret, and when the truth comes out, will Archi understand—or will everything fall apart?

This is a sweet, satisfying romance—but it’s more than just a love story. Through Archi’s adventures with Shiv and her roommate Mohini, we get a vivid glimpse of the city’s beauty and architecture. Her work at the museum highlights artwork stolen during British imperialism, adding depth and historical awareness to the plot. There are also thoughtful mentions of support for the Hijra community, a transgender and third-gender community in India. While the romance and Shiv’s secret are a bit predictable, the story remains a fun, clean, and thoroughly enjoyable international romance. This novel is also a companion to Love Requires Chocolate, which is set in Paris.

All of the characters are Indian or of Indian descent.

A. Snow, Librarian

The Assassin's Guide to Babysitting by Natalie C. Parker - OPTIONAL

The Assassin's Guide to Babysitting by Natalie C. Parker,  320 pages. Candlewick Press, 2025. $20

Language:  R (5 swears, 2 ‘f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (fighting, death)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO:  SEVERAL

17yo Tru Stallard has spent most of her life hiding who she really is. She isn’t just a normal teenager, she is one of the rare “bastions,” meaning her body is basically unbreakable. After surviving the attack that killed her parents, Tru has been raised and trained by Logan Dire, one of the world’s most legendary assassins. She’s learned how to fight, how to disappear, and how to stay alive.

When Tru agrees to take a simple babysitting gig for her friend’s family, she expects the hardest part to be keeping a toddler entertained. Instead, everything goes off the rails fast. The baby she’s watching, Thea, isn’t just a sweet one-year-old. She’s tied to a dangerous secret that powerful people would kill for. And suddenly Tru isn’t just babysitting… she’s running for her life with a baby on her hip.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book.  There is so much more to it than just a "babysitter on the run" story.  The book was fast paced and a fun thrill ride until the very end. Tru’s voice felt real, and the mix of superpowers, found family, and a low-key queer romance made the book really fun. I especially liked how the danger and humor balanced each other. That said, I did want more explanation of the world’s “Talents” and how everything worked. Overall, though, it was a high-energy, entertaining read that kept me turning pages.

Tru and Thea are presumed to be white.  Embry is Latin.

Jessica Nelson CTHS Librarian

This Moth Saw Brightness by A. A. Vacharat - OPTIONAL

This Moth Saw Brightness by A. A. Vacharat, 448 pages. Penguin, 2025. $21.

Language: R (14 swears, 5 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (Mental health, sexual innuendos);

Violence: PG-13 (Discussion of unethical research studies)                    

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL                      

APPEALS TO: SOME             

In the near future, 17yo ‘Wayne (the “D” is invisible) feels that he is not living up to his potential. He’s struggling in school, disappointing his father, and can’t find the courage to talk to his crush Jane. Then, he receives a mysterious letter in the mail inviting him to participate in a research study, the rewards for which include a letter of recommendation. Feeling this could be his chance and spotting Jane at the research study's entrance exam, he decides to enroll.  ‘Wayne is not bothered by the study’s required daily tasks nor by wearing a health-tracking wristband, but he does hesitate at taking the mysterious white pill. Conspiracy theories around the study abound, and ‘Wayne, Jane, and his technologically-skilled friend Kermit decide to investigate the actual purpose of the study.     

Overall, I found the novel’s pace a little slow. Nonetheless, its short chapters and unconventional features including footnotes, screen shots of text conversations, and fourth-wall breaking made for a unique, enjoyable reading experience. I was also happily surprised by the well-developed, memorable characters. For example, the love interest Jane is an origami expert, autistic, and lost her mom to suicide.           

Wayne is BIPOC, and his younger cousin who lives with them is Vietnamese.  

Megan, HS Librarian

The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang By Stan Yan - ADVISABLE

The Many Misfortunes of Eugenia Wang by Stan Yan, 256 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Atheneum (Simon and Schuster), 2025. $25 

Language: G (0 swears 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (dream depictions and graphic art representations of falling and fire) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

When 12yo Eugenia receives a mild concussion in PE, she starts to experience random daytime (and nighttime) nightmares full of fire and death, the images mysteriously appearing in her artwork - a graphic novel she is working on. She is worried her friends are family are in danger, and is desperate to stop the nightmares. But her mother is more concerned about Eugenia getting good grades in math, and has forbidden her from drawing. Sometimes, you have to break the rules to save the ones you love. 

Yan’s depiction of the energy between a child and their mother who has very high expectations was both tragic and hilarious. His illustrations are great! Her drive to get into Art Camp, a distraction rom her studies also drew the attention of her crush which was so sweet. OI love the study of the different relationships, her interactions with her sibling who seems to have turned into a tattle tale, as well the shifting relationship with her best friend (told mostly in the illustrations)as she is worried Eugenia’s crush might displace their friendship. I thoroughly enjoyed the little bit creepy, very funny graphic novel. Eugenia and her family are Chinese Americans 

Lisa Librarian 

Haven’t Killed in Years by Amy K. Green - OPTIONAL

Haven’t Killed in Years by Amy K. Green, 368 pages. Berkeley (Penguin Random House), 2025. $30.

Language: R (85 swears, 21 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: R

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Gwen (29yo) has been living her boring, normal life ever since she became an adult. She doesn’t have close friends to keep from forming attachments and doesn’t even wear bold colors in order to not stand out. But still, someone has figured out that she wasn’t born with the name Gwen. On the day that her mother gets released from prison, Gwen finds a box on her doorstep containing a severed human arm, and now she has to do something about it.

There were several things I liked about this book, but the story became convoluted halfway in and the ending was disappointing, which left me feeling meh about the story overall. A killer that comes out of left field isn’t a twist; it’s a wrinkle that disrupts the flow of a good story. Despite that, I really liked Gwen and her character arc, and even the side characters were memorable. They made the story an enjoyable read.

The majority of characters are implied White. Gwen’s and Elyse’s sexual orientations are undefined, and neither is strictly heterosexual. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use; illegal activity; kissing; mentions of prostitutes, genitalia, sex, and rape; innuendo; and partial nudity. The violence rating is for blood and gore, corpses, cutting and self harm, assault, gun use, mentions of animal cruelty and suicide, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Summer of the Bone Horses by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve and Steph Littlebird - ADVISABLE

Summer of the Bone Horses by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, illustrated by Steph Littlebird, 60 pages. CHAPTER BOOK Abrams Amulet, 2025. $15.

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Eddie's grandparents live on the Rosebud Reservation, and he and his parents often visit. But, this summer, Eddie's dad must have some surgery, so he will be staying with his grandparents. At first things are so different, they don't have electricity or running water, their hymnbooks at church are in Dakota rather than English. But soon, Grandpa brings Eddie some toys called bone horses and teaches him to ride Grandpa's horse Buck. Eddie is missing home less and less. 

What a nice story about learning the old ways of your culture. The illustrations were timeless, it was not until the author's note that I became aware that Eddie's story happened over 70 years ago. I think there's a little nostalgia in all of us that would like to take us back to simpler times. There is a lot of text, but it is simply written and at just 60 pages would be appropriate for 3rd-4th grader. The characters are Sioux. 

Lisa Librarian 

Coach (Track #5) by Jason Reynolds - ADVISABLE

Coach (Track #5) by Jason Reynolds, 250 pages. Caitlyn Diouhy, Atheneum (Simon and Schuster), 2025. $18. 

Language: (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (beer offered to MC, drug dealers and gang activity SC); Violence: PG (Adult gets nose broken) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Otie is an athlete - but he runs track, so he doesn't get the recognition at school like the football or basketball team players do. In fact, he's bullied. When a boy makes fun of Otie's hair during a talent show comedy routine, Otie tries to give himself a hair cut. Of course it's a disaster, starting the ball rolling of one bit of trouble after another. His father is gone a lot, he is always thinking about how he can build a time machine to more quickly get to the olympics he's so sure he'll be part of. But a pair of expensive shoes gifted to him, may just become his undoing. 

Set in 1985, Coach is about a childhood experience of Coach, mentor and trainer of Ghost, Lu, Patina and Sunny of the track team the Defenders.  I'm giving this a higher rating than I would if it were an independent novel. The "Ghost" series is so popular it's a necessity to purchase this one as readers will ask for it and read it. However, it didn't have the excitement, the danger, the engagement of the rest of the books in the series. I felt like I was missing something; should I have re-read Ghost or the others to better appreciate this sequel (prequel?)? I was not drawn in by Otie - I felt he was ordinary - I didn't care a lot about the character, and found the ending another example of things happening to the character that are out of his control, rather than experiencing consequences for his actions or lessons he could learn. And, if you didn't know it was part of the series, calling it Coach could make the reader think the title character is someone else. 

The characters are black. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Faerie Isle by Sine Quinn, illustrated by Dermot Flynn - ADVISABLE

The Faerie Isle by Sine Quinn, illustrated by Dermot Flynn, 76 pages. Candlewick Press, 2024. $19

Content: G

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Irish faeries come in many forms. They include leprechauns, banshees, selkies, water horses, pookas, changelings, mermaids and many others. Most faeries have a dark side, but if you are kind and respectful, they usually leave you alone. They also often give assistance to the needy. You can protect yourself from them with such things as salt, horseshoes, and rowan branches. Knowing how to be on good terms with them is the best protection.

Quinn presents this Irish folklore in a straightforward way by sharing the traditions around each faery and then, consecutively telling a short story about each one.  He also presents modern take-offs from these grim characters, along with regional preferences and origins. Quinn includes the Celtic names of the faeries along with a glossary of terms. While the illustrations are entertaining, many of the pages are almost too dark to read the type, making it difficult to read.  

MOMMAC

Find Her by Ginger Reno - ADVISABLE

Find Her by Ginger Reno, 212 pages. Holiday House, 2024. $18

Language: G (2 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (mention of a father beating on his son; the Dad tries to hit the son, but is stopped)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

12yo Wren's Cherokee mother has been missing for 5 years, three months and 12 days. Wren is starting middle school, missing her Mom and frustrated with her white Police Chief Dad who refuses to share any information about the investigation. Wren refuses to stop looking for her Mom and spends her days searching and practicing her detective skill by finding missing pets. When Wren receives help from an unexpected source and one of the pets turns up badly injured, she suddenly finds herself deeper in trouble than she ever expected to be.

I really loved the relationships in this book. Wren's father is white and her grandmother is Cherokee and her relationship with both family members feels authentic and loving, but not always easy. The other important relationships in the book - her friend Brantley (white), her teacher (white) and Landry (her father's deputy) are also very realistic and positive. I also appreciated the handling of the current crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women- it does not shy away from the issue, but neither does it make it too overwhelming for a middle school audience. Lastly, the book handles issues of bullying, being biracial, child abuse and animal abuse exceptionally well. Each of these issues are heavy and tough to navigate, but they never felt overwhelming and it never felt as if Wren was left to deal with them all be herself and without support. 

Jen VanHaaften, Middle School Librarian

Dive by John David Anderson - ADVISABLE

Dive by John David Anderson, 325 pages. Walden Pond Press, 2025. $20

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (mention of adults drinking and smoking, but no reference to kids using substances); Violence: PG (Kass is chased by two homeless men and is terrified by the incident; off page beating)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

13yo Kass is a diver who has transferred to a private Catholic school so that she can be on a prestigious diving team and improve her skills. But nothing seems to be working as it should and Kass desperately misses her old school, her friends and struggles to find her way at her new school. Until Kass meets Miles, a 17yo boy who dives in a completely different way... scavenging and dumpster diving on the posh side of town for things he can salvage or sell to help take care of his Dad. Miles understands what it means to feel trapped and Kass starts to wonder what would happen if she starts breaking out of the boxes that she feels forced to live in... until she and Miles are trapped and struggling to find a way out.

I loved the unexpected connection between two divers - one who dives in a pool and one who dives in a dumpster. The friendship between the two kids is unexpected and unsettling and yet compelling. I love the way that Kass explores  and pushes boundaries as all teens and tweens do, but knowing that she is loved by her family and where she can turn for safety. The story felt very unpredictable, yet most kids will connect with the feeling of not fitting in and struggling to find their "spot" in the world. Kass is dealing with parents who have money struggles, missing her best friend who goes to her old school, trying to make friends at her new school and the challenge of connecting both worlds. All of these challenges slam up against her fascination and friendship with Miles and the clash of their two worlds. The story is compelling and curious and familiar all at the same time. I think kids will find it fascinating.

Jen VanHaaften, Middle School Librarian

Baby and Solo by Lisabeth Posthuma - OPTIONAL

Baby and Solo by Lisabeth Posthuma, 416 pages. Candlewick Press, 2021. $20.

Language: R (311 swears, 112 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

The Bad Thing that happened changed everything about Joel’s life and made him very familiar with mental hospitals. His therapist thinks that things are going to be better now, and Joel’s newest prescription is to get a job. Joel (17yo) is thrilled to get to pass as a normal kid working at ROYO Video with other normal kids his age. But being normal isn’t at all what Joel thought it was.

Tragedy strikes and we all have to deal with what comes after. Joel’s story is about hope that we can climb up from rock bottom and that we can help each other out—while The Bad Thing in your life might be different from The Bad Thing in my life, all of our feelings about our respective Bad Things are valid. And all of that makes Joel’s story heavy but also good. Joel is the narrator and sometimes breaks the fourth wall, and some parts are laugh out loud funny, and all of that is mixed in with the hard parts. Which is how life is too.

Joel is White, Nichole is described as “pale,” Poppins is described as “tanning-bed tan,” The Godfather is Asian, and Maverick is Puerto Rican. There are also a couple of LGBT characters, but identifying them would be spoilers. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, discussions of eating disorders, kissing, innuendo, partial nudity, and mentions of drugs, abortions, condoms, prostitution, pornography, incest, and sex. The violence rating is for mild assault, mentions of blood and other bodily fluids and murder, and for suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Dan in Green Gables written by Rey Terciero and illustrated by Claudia Aguirre - OPTIONAL

Dan in Green Gables: A Modern Reimagining of Anne of Green Gables written by Rey Terciero and illustrated by Claudia Aguirre, 256 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Penguin Workshop (Penguin Random House), 2025. $18.

Language: R (10 swears, 1 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (adult drinking and smoking, child abandonment, homelessness); Violence: PG-13 (homophobic language, high school bullies, off-page reference to one instance of parental physical abuse, references to parent’s physical abusive relationships).

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

A modern, gender-bent retelling of Anne of Green Gables, this graphic novel follows Dan, a 15yo boy who has a mom with a drinking problem and itchy feet. She drops him off at his paternal grandparents house in Eastern Tennessee in the mid-90s. He has to figure out how to put down roots in a place he’s never been, when he doesn’t necessarily look or act like everyone else.

I loved Anne of Green Gables growing up, and also I loved this modern(ish) retelling. For many of our students, the 90s are just as historic as the 1890s. I thought it was very clever how the creators were able to gender-swap the story, and keep so much of Anne’s passion for life and her impact on those around her still in this new version, with Dan and his story.

Reviewer: Kiera Beddes, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes 

Castle in the Sky: The Official Cookbook by Studio Ghibli - GIFT

Castle in the Sky: The Official Cookbook by Studio Ghibli, 64 pages. VIZ Media, 2025. $17.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - GIFT

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

This cookbook tells an abbreviated version of Sheeta’s story from the movie in order to showcase its recipes in context—like the breakfast Sheeta and Pazu share in a cave and the stew Sheeta makes for the airship pirates. Then there are extra recipes at the end that are inspired by the movie—including candy shaped like the crystal necklace!

Each recipe includes a difficulty indicator; the majority of them are labeled as “easy,” and only one is at the highest level of “difficult.” I love the idea of getting young readers more excited about the characters and action by using the recipes in this cookbook to add more immersion to the experience—not to mention developing a new skill. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol, and the violence rating is for mild assault, battle scenes, and gun use.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

My Presentation Today is About the Anaconda by Bibi Dumon Tak, illustrated by AnneMarie Van Haeringen, - ADVISABLE

My Presentation Today is About the Anaconda by Bibi Dumon Tak, illustrated by AnneMarie Van Haeringen, 224 pages. Levine Querido, 2025. (originally published in the Netherlands in 2022). $20. 

Language: G; Mature Content: PG (some talk of animal reproduction, not awkward or cringy) Violence: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

A group of animals have prepared presentations about, well, animals. Sometimes they have a real connection - did you know there are only 7 animals that are truly black and white and they don't interact with each other geographically? The Zebra did! The fox gives their presentation on stalking, catching, killing and eating geese - despite the goose's objections. Other animals include the snow leopard, sea anemone, hummingbirds and even a unicorn. 

Most of the animals are relatively obscure, and the information is accurate and interesting. The reader learns about both the animal presenting as well as their presented animal. What a great lesson on perspective, voice and tone. The presentations can be read out of order. Some of the animals in the classroom interrupt and add their own information, just like in real life. Bibi Dumon Tuk has won the Batchelder award twice and I adore her stories - Mikis and the Donkey and Soldier Bear. I really think kids would love this hybrid non fiction. Includes an index. 

Lisa Librarian