A Queen's Game (Queen's Game #1) by Katharine McGee - ADVISABLE

A Queen's Game (Queen's Game #1) by Katharine McGee, 355 pages. Random House, 2024. $21

Language: PG (11 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (intense kissing and non-descriptive sex); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

In the late 1800’s, amidst the courts of Queen Victoria, three royal princesses  are trying to find their own destiny.  Alix is beautiful, shy and Queen Victoria's favorite granddaughter.  She is also prone to panic attacks, a secret she hopes to keep hidden.  Helene is the daughter of a banished French king.  She has a wild streak and does all the things a royal princess shouldn't do until she catches the eye of a powerful royal.  Lastly, there is May, who is living on the outskirts of court and is mostly invisible to everyone.  Her parents squandered their fortune so she knows she will have to do whatever is necessary to find a good match. All three are desperate to secure their futures, but in royal courts it is sometimes hard to tell if someone is friend or foe. All three princesses are in their early 20's.

The story takes place during the later years of Queen Victoria's life and includes actual historical figures, but it's more about romance and palace intrigue. It was a bit of a slow start setting up characters and events of the time, but it morphed into an intriguing story with secrets, misunderstandings, lying and blackmail.  I was surprised to find the characters so likeable and thought the author did a good job bringing historical figures alive.  I would have liked a more settled ending, but with a sequel, I'm sure there is more intrigue to come.   

The characters are mostly English or French.

RBenson - Librarian

The Storm Crow by Kalyn Josephson - ADVISABLE

The Storm Crow (The Storm Crow #1) by Kalyn Josephson, 352 pages. Sourcebooks Fire (Sourcebooks), 2019. $11.

Language: PG13 (24 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (alcohol use, illegal activity, kissing, mentions of whore, and innuendo); Violence: PG13 (assault, self harm, blood and gore, mentions of suicide, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

On the night of a kingdom-wide festival for the hatching of new elemental crows, Princess Anthia (17yo) starts the day with joyful anticipation of finally getting her own crow. And ends the night burned and broken by the Illucians who attack and kill all the crows. Anthia is debilitated by depression while her older sister becomes queen and does everything she can to protect their people—including arranging a marriage between Anthia and the son of their enemy, the crow killer.

Anthia’s frustrations with herself, her enemies, and her impossible situation are palpable—so real that it makes her story difficult to read sometimes, especially since this is only book one and everything has to get worse before solutions can be found to make it better. The timeline often felt impossibly fast, and I don’t particularly enjoy the love triangle trope, but, with the constant action and fun magic, I still think I’ll end up reading the sequel. Anthia and the other people from Rhodaire are described as having brown skin. Kiva is queer.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Wendy's Ever After by Julie Wright - ADVISABLE

Wendy's Ever After by Julie Wright, 272 pages. Shadow Mountain, 2025. $20

Language:  G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

It has been years since 17yo Wendy Darling's adventures in Neverland, but she has never stopped thinking about it or about Peter Pan.  She has grown into a beautiful,  independent, and intelligent young woman with many suitors, but is not interested in any of them.  That is until she meets handsome Liam Blackwell at a Masquerade Ball.  Wendy is instantly twitterpated by Liam and as they get to know each other throughout the night, Wendy picks up on subtle phrases and details that make her wonder how he is connected to Neverland and Captain Hook.  When Liam leaves the Ball, Wendy's curiosity gets the best of her and she ends up following him, only to find herself back in Neverland and facing a dilemma about who she can really trust and where her loyalty lies. 

Wendy's Ever After is a charming Fantasy read that moves quickly without dull moments. Peter Pan brings back nostalgic memories of my childhood and I appreciated the different perspectives of each character that the author adds to the story.  Background knowledge of the story of Peter Pan may be helpful but not necessary. Julie Wright includes book discussion questions in the back of the book for those interested in using this as a book club read. 

Ethnicity is not mentioned although Wendy has light, fair skin and Liam has very dark hair and blue eyes.  

Alissa Loves Books

Difficult Girls by Veronica Bane - OPTIONAL

Difficult Girls by Veronica Bane, 336 pages. Penguin Random House, 2025. $20

Language: R (100+ swears, 27 f');  Mature Content: PG-13 (Drinking, kissing, sexual references); Violence: PG-13 (Murder, attempted murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Seeking a new start and new friends after an incident at her school, 16yo Greta Riley Green gets a job as an usher at Hyper Kid Magic Land, a theme park that has several short shows each day. Gretta is thrust into a mystery as one of the park's stars, Mercy Goodwin, schedules a meeting with her but never shows. In addition, the theme park has a history of tragedy as Hailey, a previous performer, was murdered 20 years ago. Greta begins investigating Mercy’s disappearance and Hailey's murder as she treads a careful line, trying to fit in, attempting to gain her crush's attention, and seeking what's going on behind the scenes.

For a thriller, this novel has a pretty slow start. But Gretta’s character may keep readers entertained. She is painfully awkward, self-doubting, and obsessive, which gets a little much for me at times, but some teenagers may find it relatable. The setting of the novel is fun and unique as are some of the secondary characters. It’s a character-driven mystery that also tackles redemption and relationships. Several secondary characters are diverse: 

Liam is Filipino Mexican American, Ivy is Columbian American and LGBT+

Megan, HS Librarian

Main Street: A Community Story about Redlining by Britt Hawthorne and Tiffany Jewell, illustrated by David Wilkerson - ADVISABLE

Main Street: A Community Story about Redlining by Britt Hawthorne and Tiffany Jewell, illustrated by David Wilkerson. PICTURE BOOK. Kokila (Penguin), 2026. $19. 9798217002672

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL; MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

A young black girl, Olivia, is upset when her white friend, Alison, can't come to her neighborhood Block Party because Alison’s mother says it isn’t safe. At home, Olivia’s neighbor, Ms. Effie, explains the history of redlining, a secret practice historically used by banks to deny funding loans to people of color. 

Hawthorne gives us a succinct, honest look at the practice of redlining, a proven historical practice that kept people of color out of “good, white” neighborhoods. This is the first picture book that I can remember tackling the issue. Though Hawthorne has written a picture book, I am not sure that elementary students are the right audience - I would proudly show this to any middle school or high school teacher who touches on the subject in any way.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

How to Survive the End of the World written and illustrated by Katy Doughty - ADVISABLE

How to Survive the End of the World written and illustrated by Katy Doughty, 256 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Candlewick Press, 2026. $15.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (handful of male characters drawn shirtless, syphilis mentioned once and an amorous hetero couple depicted on page behind a bedscreen); Violence: PG (examples of major peril in each chapter featuring catastrophic disasters like climate change or asteroid impact).

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

In her debut graphic novel, author & artist Katy Doughty uses illustrations, infographics, and wry humor to explore humanity's chances of surviving various apocalyptic scenarios, ranging from climate change to alien invasions. By blending historical data with interviews from current experts in fields like artificial intelligence and infectious disease, the book provides a research-driven look at how we might endure catastrophic events as a human species.

I think I enjoyed it. It was at times a very stressful read, if only because we can see the effects of climate change or resource exploitation impacting our world negatively right now. But I appreciated the author’s point of view and ultimately positive spin on the future of humanity. I could see this book being used as a supplemental material to a post-apocalyptic novel unit or part of a nonfiction unit.

Reviewer: Kiera Beddes, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes 

Tall Water by SJ Sindu and Dion MBD - ADVISABLE

Tall Water by SJ Sindu and Dion MBD, 248 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL (Harper Alley) HarperCollins, 2025.  $19.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG13 (war violence, peril) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

17yo Nimmi was born in Sri Lanka to an American father and Sri Lankan mother. But she's lived all her life in the United States with just her dad. He's a news reporter and hasn't been back to Sri Lanka. But when he gets an assignment to return to Sri Lanka to write a story on the ongoing civil war, Nimmi comes too - against her fathers wishes, it's just too dangerous! Nimmi has never met her mother and this may be her only opportunity. 

Full color illustrations, but the color palate is very dark. Not a lot of dialogue in the panels so it is a quick read. Illustrations that progress the story are often expressing the war violence or the destruction caused by the tsunami. Nimmi is headed to college, so I think Tall Water is mostly intended for a high school audience. What I really think? This graphic novel isn't for everyone, but it may connect with your east Asian population. 

Lisa Librarian  

The Pecan Sheller by Lupe Ruiz-Florez - OPTIONAL

The Pecan Sheller by Lupe Ruiz-Florez, 250 pages. Carolrhoda (Lerner), 2025 $19.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

13yo Petra is a good student. She especially loves reading and writes her own stories. But after the death of her father, her step-mother cannot make ends meet and requires Petra to leave school and come to work with her in as a pecan sheller. In Texas, during the 1930's the pecan factories were terrible workplaces with poor ventilation. Many of Petra's co-workers coughed all day, making them more susceptible to tuberculosis. The factory management paid the workers hardly anything, required long hours, and fired people on a whim. Petra just wants to go back to school, but her siblings are starving. 

Based on the Pecan Sheller strike in Texas in 1938, The Pecan Sheller is a heart breaking story. The poverty of the family was unbelievable. I kept wondering when the US government would swoop in and help - but this was before there were laws like minimum wage and safe work environments. Petra's family are Mexican American 

Lisa Librarian

Beinoni by Mari Lowe - ADVISABLE

Beinoni by Mari Lowe, 274 pages. Levine Querido, 2025. $19. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (fight between boys, destruction of monsters - not gory) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

12yo Ezra is the Nivchar, the chosen one, a special child born to fight the gurya and continue the current golden age - no wars, no terrible illness, no crime. But, as his bar mitzvah approaches, he notices things are changing - he's not the top of his class anymore, his best friend won't talk to him, and his strength is diminishing. Also, the peace they've been experiencing is at risk, and someone even tried to kidnap him. His father thinks he's just disrespectful - as do the rabbis at the yeshiva, but Ezra worries that someone is trying to stop him. Few know about Ezra's mission, but his bully, Aryeh, does, and relentlessly mocks him, calling him the chosen one and deriding him for his basketball skills. But when Aryeh becomes his only ally, the unlikely pair team up. 

What a gripping story! Very rooted in Jewish culture, I appreciated the thorough glossary. I loved the moral dilemmas faced by Ezra and others, and the hard choice of deciding what the right thing to do was, as well as how to best do the right thing - or even if to do the right thing at all. Mari Lowe writes for a special audience; your Jewish middle schoolers will relate and really like Beinoni. The characters are Jewish. 

Lisa Librarian 

A Love Most Daring by Joanna Barker - ADVISABLE

A Love Most Daring (Bow Street #3) by Joanna Barker, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2026. $19.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (alcohol use, illegal activity, partial nudity, mild innuendo, and kissing); Violence: PG (assault, gun use, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Returning to London, Beatrice (24yo) is determined to enjoy all the excitement of the city she can before her past catches up to her. Beatrice’s good friend arranges an outing for them with a suitable man to escort Beatrice—unfortunately, Mr. Rawlings takes that man’s place. When the couple is nearly murdered on their outing, they are forced to flee London together until the suspect can be apprehended, illustrating that Mr. Rawlings can ruin not only a fun evening but an entire trip.

Beatrice is a damsel in distress to be saved, yes, but she is not useless. This protagonist is realistically panicked by the stressful situations she finds herself in and also gets to contribute to catching the bad guy in reasonable ways. Everything comes together a little too perfectly in the end in order to give readers their happily ever after, but the conclusion is still satisfactory. Characters from the previous two books in the series are present, but their stories are not required to enjoy this one.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

A Wheelie Awkward Romance by Tess Campbell - ADVISABLE

A Wheelie Awkward Romance by Tess Campbell, 288 pages. NONFICTION. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2026. $28.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (kissing, nudity, and discussion of sex); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL, ADULTS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Tess didn’t date much—she was much more excited about calculus than school dances. When Tess finds Corby on a dating site, she is thrilled to find someone who correctly uses capitalization and spelling when they type. Corby is very open about being in a wheelchair and enjoying physical touch. Are those things Tess can handle?

The journey of any relationship is racked with difficulties such as self-doubt, confusion, and miscommunication—which make the joys of figuring out how to fit together with another person that much more amazing! While Tess and Corby have to navigate the very obvious obstacle of Corby’s wheelchair, the more treacherous trial is communication. Tess’s stream of consciousness style of writing is so relatable because of the genuineness it highlights as she works through pros and cons and questions and hopeful solutions.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Puggleton Park by Deanna Kizis, illustrated by Hannah Peck - OPTIONAL

Puggleton Park by Deanna Kizis, illustrated by Hannah Peck. CHAPTER BOOK. Penguin, 2024. $7 (pb). 9780593661246

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Penelope the pug just had to chase the squirrel but after the squirrel escapes, she realizes she has lost her Lady.  After a few days of living in the Park and looking for her, he is taken in by a lovely new Lady who is determined to help Penelope find her mistress, even though the new LAdy’s best friend thinks Penelope should be sent out of the city to a farm.

If your young readers are dog crazy, they might enjoy this.  It is sent in the London of high society parties filled with Lords and Ladies - out of touch for today’s readers.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Cassini’s Mission by Kate Venit, illustrated by Julia Blattman - ESSENTIAL

Cassini’s Mission by Kate Venit, illustrated by Julia Blattman. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. MIT Kids Press, 2025. $19. 9781536232325

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

When the Cassini spacecraft was sent towards Saturn to explore the tiny moon Enceladus, the scientists thought they had packed it with every needed tool.  As the team had more questions to answer and challenges for Cassini, the little spacecraft responded beautifully, until they discovered the one question Cassini couldn’t answer - is there life on Enceladus.

I love this look at space missions and scientists finding out their hypotheses were incorrect and then changing their trajectory both literally and figuratively. Excellent for all levels of science teachers. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Rock and Roll by Ruby Amy Thompson - ESSENTIAL

Rock and Roll by Ruby Amy Thompson. PICTURE BOOK. Tiger Tales, 2026. $19. 9781664300927

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

While the differences between a rock and a roll are pretty obvious, could they also have similarities?

Thompson gives us a quick, yet profound look at the idea of compare and contrast. I am very impressed and will be showing this to lots of secondary teachers. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Reach by Celesta Rimington, - OPTIONAL

Reach by Celesta Rimington, 190 pages. Nancy Paulsen (Penguin), 2026. $18.

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

12yo Denver is not happy with his summer.  His mom recently remarried and his new 8yo stepbrother is always in his face or causing trouble wherever they go.  And they are taking over the summer management of a resort, so Denver has no chance of hanging with any friends. Along the shores of the beautiful lake, however, Denver can hear the voices of the trees.  One tree in particular seems eager to talk and even offers to turn young Harlan into a tree so that he can feel what it’s like. Now the tree, Spiro, can’t change Harlan back. Denver is going to have to learn a lot of things very quickly if he has any hope of restoring Harlan.

The summary may feel a little weird, but Rimington writes a lovely book that delves into our need for connection versus our propensity to retreat when we are deeply hurt. She injects humor, wonder, and a bit of danger. I would encourage elementary teachers to read it out loud to their classes.  

The characters cue white.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin (Enola Holmes #10) by Nancy Springer - ESSENTIAL

Enola Holmes and the Clanging Coffin (Enola Holmes #10) by Nancy Springer, 336 pages. St. Martin's Press, 2026. $24

Language: PG (3 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (attack and kidnapping)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO:  SEVERAL

17yo Enola is at the graveyard and hears a chiming bell. She finally pinpoints the sound at a burial site and when it’s dug up, a young woman is inside. Trevina doesn’t remember her name or how she ended up in the burial site. Enola takes Trevina to her helpful acquaintance Florence Nightingale to nurse her back to health and hopefully recover her memory. While Enola helps Trevina regain health and memories, she also wants to help Sherlock with his nemesis, Moriarty.

I love how the reader is introduced to Florence Nightingale and we get a glimpse of her home. Enola is as persistent and intelligent as always. The whole Moriarty mystery is interesting and ominous.

The ethnicity falls to white.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Library, Delta, Utah

The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - OPTIONAL

The Hawthorne Legacy (The Inheritance Games #2) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 384 pages. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2022. $10 (pb)

Language: R (37 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (passionate kissing); Violence: PG (bloody cow heart with a knife stuck in it; kidnapping; a bomb that killed two security guards)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Three weeks after being taken away from her regular life and being named heir in billionaire Tobias Hawthorne’s will, 17yo Avery is telling Jameson how she met Harry, aka Tobias Hawthorne II. Xander’s letter from his grandfather left him a clue to find his son Toby, so off they go on another riddle solving journey that’ll take them to Colorado searching for a compass and a ring and show them discoveries they might wish were left alone. After a professional hit and a bomb exploding, Avery is pretty shaken. The Hawthorne household is shaken too. It’s always an unpredictable ride when Hawthornes are involved.

 I love all of the puzzles that the characters work on and solve!  I like how a mystery is always in the background of The Inheritance Games books.  The characters are complex and the author has given them unique personalities. 

The ethnicity falls to white.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. by Abby White - OPTIONAL

D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T. by Abby White, 344 pages. Levine Querido, 2025. $20.

Language: R (60 swears 11 'f'); Mature Content: PG (High School couple kissing in the halls, teen party w/alcohol); Violence: PG (Mention of suicide, not graphic)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

13yo DJ and her mother move to a small town to be close to her aunt's family after the suicide(?) of her older cousin. She’s determined to figure out what really happened, without upsetting the family, which is understandably a hot mess, or upsetting the pecking order at school, because kids will talk to her, and they don’t know Rachel was her cousin. So with Char - a budding journalist, Tori - the most popular girl at the middle school who seems to have connections and can hack into things,  and a boy athlete whose grandma works at the library, the team undertakes a murder investigation. 

What I thought was going to be a whodunnit quickly evolved into a sensitive look at grieving, coping, and coming to terms with a family tragedy. Because the Jewish religion is so intertwined in the family's life, a good portion of the story involves D.J. preparing for her Bat Mitzvah and struggling with questions. It ties so well into the story. I'm certain a Jewish child will see so much more in this story than I did. DJ Rosenblum is the G.O.A.T. is a special book. I am certainly purchasing a copy for my library. DJ and her family are Jewish 

Lisa Librarian  

The Adventures of Cipollino by Gianni Rodari, Dasha Tolstikova and Antony Shugaar - OPTIONAL

The Adventures of Cipollino by Gianni Rodari, illustrated by Dasha Tolstikova and translated from Italian by Antony Shugaar, 244 pages. Enchanted Lion, 2025, originally published in Italy in 1980. $30 

Language: PG (3 swears, 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (imprisonment of innocent vegetables, threats of hanging, peril, capital punishment) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

In a world of sentient fruits and vegetables, onion-headed boy Cipollino witnesses the arrest and imprisonment of his father (because he smells bad), along with the rest of the adults in the village who tried to defend him. Cipollino leads the other children - including a royal boy named Marichino - in a grand adventure to rescue the villagers and ultimately, hopefully save his father. 

I liked this more than I expected. It's a bit odd, but the story is charming, and I found myself reading passages aloud. The translation is probably the best part. Shugaar has somehow translated Italian into wonderful English wordplay that makes Cipollino so much fun to read. I don't see a kid picking it up - it's a heavy and long book (from the cover, I thought it was a picture book, while illustrated, it is a lengthy children's novel). But I would absolutely recommend Cipollino as a read-aloud bedtime story for an older reader - it would be fun to share. 

Lisa Librarian  

The Ribbon Skirt by Cameron Mukwa - OPTIONAL

The Ribbon Skirt by Cameron Mukwa, 192 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Scholastic, 2024. $13. (paperback) 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

10yo Anang would like to wear a ribbon skirt at the next powwow. Their grandma will help them, but asks Anang to ask the spirits about it. Anang is two-spirit and non-binary, and is concerned if people will treat them differently if they do this. After an incident at school - where they were told they used the "wrong bathroom" Anang needs confidence. At the water, the spirits (talking turtles) speak to Anang and tell them to be themself, and that the spirits will help them. 

Anang has two friends, one who "broke off" with them after the bathroom incident and another who is supportive and kind. I liked that there were both of these perspectives, with the goal to both make the ribbon skirt and to enlighten Sherry (with the help of the spirits). The Ribbon Skirt is certainly written for an indigenous child who will relate to the powwow and all its associated activities. Includes an author's note on ribbon skirts, powwows, and two-spirits, and a recipe for berry salad, along with a bibliography. Anang is Anishinaabe. 

Lisa Librarian