One of the Boys by Victoria Zeller - OPTIONAL

One of the Boys by Victoria Zeller, 336 pages. Levine Querido, 2025. $20. 

Language: R (100+ swears, 78 'f') includes coarse language about Grace's body and transition 

Mature Content: R (Making out, intimacy - touching and kissing, reference to sex - not on page, mentions of tucking, also teen drinking, vaping, marijuana, parties) Violence: PG13, (Bullying, both physical and verbal, football injuries (detailed, not gory or graphic), targeted onfield roughness, transphobic slurs.) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME

17yo Grace is in her senior year of high school, and is a recently out trans girl. Last football season, she was the star kicker of the football team, and has been invited back by team members and one of the coaches as they can't find anyone with her skills. The coach hasn't bought in 100% and hopes that having the first trans girl player in the history of the state doesn't distract the team. But Grace is still navigating her new self, and everything is different, especially her relationship with her ex-girlfriend. 

I really liked the premise of One of the Boys. I loved that Grace's experiences weren't all bad, that the team, for the most part, was not only accepting, but encouraging and supportive. Yes, there were also horrible people, no surprise. A lot of football action, games, practices, scouts, all the good stuff. Much too mature for middle grade. 

Grace is white and trans 

Lisa Librarian  

Forbidden Mountain by Brandon Mull - ESSENTIAL

Forbidden Mountain (Guardians #1) by Brandon Mull, 528 pages. Labyrinth Road (Penguin Random House), 2026. $23.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (illegal activity and mentions of alcohol and kissing); Violence: PG13 (assault, blood and gore, battle scenes, mentions of suicide, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL, HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Everything for Mako (13yo) depends on passing his tests for a good apprenticeship and on who he receives as his guardian in three days. Arden (13yo) might not have abilities like those who live on the forbidden mountain, but her knack for reading people goes beyond average skill. While intending to do good, these teens feel lost after making mistakes and have to decide who they can trust to guide them out of it.

At first, Mako and Arden both seem to be stuck on slippery slopes due to their choices. However, their reactions to their respective consequences contrast greatly, making their similar circumstances diverge even as their stories start to intersect by ending up in the same camp. Both of them want to do good, and their examples invoke questions of whether doing something wrong for the right reasons can still be good. Expect high anticipation for the sequel!

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories by Cynthia Leitich Smith et.al. - ADVISABLE

Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories by Cynthia Leitich Smith et.al. 352 pages. SHORT STORY COLLECTION HarperCollins, 2025. $20.

Language: PG13 (18 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (a couple of kisses, not passionate, mention of hooking up); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Sandy June's Legendary Frybread Drive-In is a magical place - popping up all over, just when an indigenous teen needs to taste perfect rez food, get advice from the Legendary Elders and Grandparents, or just needs a safe place that feels like home. Stories include friend drama, dating, parent trouble, problems with home, school, life - the stories run the gamut. 

17 different indigenous authors, including Angeline Boulley, Kate Hart, Christine Hartman Derr, Darcie Little Badger, and Cynthia Leitich Smith have contributed to this collection. Some of the stories are interconnected, and it's well edited. Although each story has a unique author, the feel and purpose of the drive-in stay the same. While the intended audience is indigenous kids, the stories are universal. I was thoroughly engaged, and sad to get to the end. The characters are a mix of intertribal teenagers. 

Lisa Librarian

The Cost of Secrets by Tyson Abaroa - OPTIONAL

The Cost of Secrets by Tyson Abaroa, 213 pages. Covenant Communications, 2021. $12.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (alcohol use, illegal activity, and mentions of drugs, prostitution, and trafficking); Violence: PG13 (corpses, mentions of gangs and terrorism, assault, gun use, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

Myths and legends help keep some of Ramon’s family’s secrets, but he could do without adding more secrets to his cache. Unfortunately, his mother doesn’t care, and she stops by to drop a dead body at his house and leave. Again. Ramon (38yo) calls his detective friend for help, but this one incident is about to stir up a lot more than Ramon wants to cover up. Again.

For more than half the book, everything felt too vague. It was as if I had started in the middle of a series rather than at the beginning of the story. Advertised as a suspense novel, I assume that was the vibe Abaroa was going for, but I felt more out-of-the-loop than in-suspense. Despite having as many questions at the end as I had at the beginning, I enjoyed the reading well enough, though I’m not going to chase down the sequel. Ramon is half Native American.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

From Memen to Mori by Shinsuke Yoshitake - ADVISABLE

From Memen to Mori by Shinsuke Yoshitake, 136 pages. CHAPTER BOOK Yen Press, 2025. $20. 9798855417401 

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Mori's older sister Memen talks to him about some really important things. When he accidentally breaks a plate, she talks about doing good things in your life and making choices because you can. When they build a snowman, Mori hears a story about a dirty snowman who wishes to be a photographer. And finally, Mori learns about perspective when they watch a boring movie. 

Memen to Mori is a sweet story. I loved the life lessons - Memen is wise. The page count reflects a longer book than it is - it's a large-format book with fun pictures and not a lot of text. I can see a new reader quickly able to read this on their own. I also loved the simple illustrations. I hope the readers try to draw the characters themselves. Originally published in Japan, the assumption is that the characters are Japanese, but there is nothing cultural or stated that says so. 

Lisa Librarian 

A Deal with a Debutante by Chelsea Bobulski - OPTIONAL

A Deal with a Debutante (London’s Most Eligible #1) by Chelsea Bobulski, 304 pages. Haven (Baker Publishing Group), 2026. $19.

Language: PG (7 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (alcohol use, kissing, innuendo, and mentions of prostitutes); Violence: PG (mentions of guns and brief discussion of violent historical events)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

American heiress Calliope is only in England because her mother wants her to marry a titled gentleman. Edward is titled and, like many of his generation, his estate is in desperate need of an influx of money—and the quickest fix would come from marrying an heiress. But Calliope doesn’t care about a title, so Edward must make her care about his land or, possibly, his heart.

While the book starts with the main characters meeting on the wrong foot and, of course, includes some miscommunication issues, the real conflict is internal. Calliope must decide whether she wants to take a risk to give up the life she had expected to have or continue to fight to go home. It was interesting to read because there is not a right or wrong answer to this choice, making her confusion that much more relatable. The majority of characters, including Edward, are English, and Calliope and her family are American.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson 

Angry Girls Will Get Us Through by Rebecca Traister - ADVISABLE

Angry Girls Will Get Us Through by Rebecca Traister, 240 pages. NON-FICTION. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (Simon & Schuster), 2026. $18.

Language: PG-13 (15 swears); Mature Content: PG (historical references to sexual abuse of enslaved peoples, rape, and abortion); Violence: PG-13(historical references to the genocide of American Indians, the enslavement of African peoples, and the domestic violence, one graphic description of Emmett Till’s mutilated body)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

In her first book for young adults, Traister draws on material from her other books for adults (Good and Mad, All the Single Ladies and Big Girls Don’t Cry), as well as her magazine articles, to illustrate how historic and revolutionary change has always depended on women’s anger. Rage at injustice is deeply patriotic, and it is not only for wealthy white men. Traister takes the reader on a quick journey of women’s fury throughout American History from the colonial period to the election of 2016, and beyond.

This is the feminist history lesson I wish I’d had sooner! I think Traister does a good job of providing context without getting too bogged down by the details, thus keeping the reader engaged. I loved how the author traces the cyclical patterns of progress and backlash, ultimately helping readers find a constructive place for their own rage regarding current events. If I were still teaching, I would definitely consider using this as a mentor text for literary criticism. That being said, I think it will appeal to adults more than kids, but could be perfect for the right young adult reader. 

Kiera Beddes, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes 

Staged Evidence by Traci Hunter Abramson - ADVISABLE

Staged Evidence (Pen and Dagger #2) by Traci Hunter Abramson, 304 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2026. $28.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (kissing and illegal activity); Violence: PG13 (assault, gun use, blood and gore, mentions of bombs, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Just running a late-night errand for her boss, Tessa (25yo) doesn’t expect to end up finding a murdered woman and fleeing from the scene. Parker (28yo) gets inspiration for his new mystery play from the woman who shows up on his uncle’s doorstep in the middle of the night. And Detective Murray is determined to apprehend Tessa quickly to clear away all the negative publicity from his last case.

With the first book being about Tessa’s sister and love interest, I expected this sequel to focus on Tessa and Parker in the same way, but Kimber and Brandon have large roles to play in this second book. I enjoyed being part of the action on all sides as the points of view switched between the sisters, those trying to help prove Tessa’s innocence, and those trying to prove Tessa’s guilt. Nothing about the case is straightforward, which puts readers right where they want to be, searching through the clues with everyone else before it’s too late.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

You and Me on Repeat by Mary Shyne - OPTIONAL

You and Me on Repeat by Mary Shyne, 224 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2025. $18 

Language: R (35 swears 9 'f'); Mature Content: PG13 (Illustration of girls intimately touching, kissing) Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

High school senior Chris is reliving his graduation day every day - he can't get past it, he's caught in a time loop. Good thing, too, because he hasn't yet kissed his girlfriend and now he has the ability to keep trying new things to achieve his goal - but to no avail. Then he realizes Alicia, a girl he has history with - they used to be friends - is also caught in the same time loop, in fact it's her fault he's there. 

I liked the story, discovering along with Chris - and also Alicia - what their truths were and what needed to be resolved. Interesting use of the color palate which I have only figured out some rationale for - (the past is blue) - it begs a re-read if only for that. Alicia is Mexican, Chris is white. 

Lisa Librarian

Three Blue Hearts by Lynne Kelly - ADVISABLE

Three Blue Hearts by Lynne Kelly, 282 pages. Delacorte (Random), 2025. $18 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Max is hoping for a fresh start. His politician dad has high hopes for him, that Max can't seem to measure up to. During his summer stay at a Texas beach town, Max discovers an injured octopus washed up on the shore. With the help of some local kids he becomes friends with, he rescues it and names her Ursula. As he bonds with Ursula at the rescue center, he thinks he may finally be in the right place at the right time. He also realizes he is not the only one with problems. 

Well written, Max captures the angst of finding yourself and the things that are important to you. There are themes of friendship, loss, and community. You will want to go to a small beach town where everyone pulls together and has history. There were also some great octopus facts. I had no idea how smart they are. Nice read, especially if you like animals. Has environmental themes without hitting you over the head with it. The characters default white. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Vanished: Seven Women Magicians who Simply Disappeared by Anna Hays - ADVISABLE

Vanished: Seven Women Magicians who Simply Disappeared by Anna Hays, 232 pages. NON-FICTION Bright Matter Books Random House, 2025. $19 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

In the Golden Age of Magic, seven talented women headlined their own shows. These women did everything from escapology to mind reading and catching bullets. To make it even more impressive, this was an age when women were supposed to be solely dedicated to hearth and home. These women have been all but forgotten, vanished, as it were. This book shines the spotlight back on their lives and accomplishments. 

What a fun read! I learned so much about the history of magic and how these women perfected their arts. There was some tension, as I worried about whether they would survive some of the more daring stunts, or whether their magic secrets would be revealed. I would have loved to see them perform. This book helps them live again, and is a must read for anyone who loves magic. The layout is engaging and colorful and the writing is succinct and entertaining. The illustrations are colorful and there are photos and playbills of these fascinating women. The women are mostly white, though their countries of origin differ. Ellen Emma Armstrong is black. 

Michelle in the Middle

Coming Home (adapted for YA) by Brittney Griner with Michelle Burford - ADVISABLE

Coming Home (adapted for YA) by Brittney Griner with Michelle Burford, 309 pages. NON FICTION BIOGRAPHY. Bright Matter Books (Random House), 2026. $20. 9798217027033

Language: PG (4 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (drug possession, nonsexual nudity; Violence: PG (LGBT slurs), peril, confined in small cage

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Brittney Griner is a decorated WNBA player, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and star player in the EuroLeague. She has been playing for the Ekat team in Russia and was home in the US for a week long break. Disaster strikes when she is searched upon landing in the Russian airport. In a packing rush, she has left a THC vape in her carry on bag. At home she has a medical card to legally use marijuana to manage chronic pain, but it’s not legal in Russia. She must now navigate a corrupt legal system and manage to keep herself safe as a black, queer, 6’9” tall woman in a Russian prison. Brittney and her loved ones are desperate for her return home.

I liked that it showcased the things that kept Brittney going in her hardest times: faith, family, connections with others, and self love. I found the limited dialogue and heavy exposition a bit of a slog to get through in the middle of the book. I really enjoyed her reflections on coming of age, I think students may relate to and find hope in her coming out story. Brittney Griner is a black, gay woman. 

Melanie Pew (School Counselor)

Jawbreaker by Christina Wyman - ADVISABLE

Jawbreaker by Christina Wyman, 306 pages. Scholastic, 2023. $18. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG Bullying; a lot of it, mostly verbal but tripping and bumping etc. as well 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Max Plink has a Class II malocclusion - a pretty significant overbite. She's worn braces for a while, but now the orthodontist wants to try adding headgear to her treatment to hopefully avoid surgery. Max wants to be a journalist, and has looked forward to the annual Journalism Competition, but this year, the submissions have to be submitted by video. It's bad enough that the people at school see her face, she's not ready to make a recording of herself that might go on the internet. The Bullies are terrible right now, the worst of them is her very own sister - what might happen if she makes a video that goes viral? 

Based on the cover illustration, I expected Jawbreaker to be a humorous story about a girl and her braces. It was heartbreaking, more about a family in crisis, school bullies and the trouble kids have fitting in. I loved how Max was able to use her position on the paper to write articles about what she was facing. I didn't love most of the teachers at the school - I feel like bullying that obvious would have been shut down by the teachers quickly, and acknowledged by the administration sooner. Max and her family are white. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Forbidden Room by Nicki Pau Preto, - ADVISABLE

The Forbidden Room (Last Hope School for Magical Delinquents #2) by Nicki Pau Preto, 327 pages. Viking (Penguin), 2025. $19

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (magic fight)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

12yo Vin is happy for school to start again after winter break, but unfortunately the events of the first part of the school year has brought Inspectors from the Worldwide Magical Coalition whose aim really seems to be to find any excuse to shut down the school. A new student, Zach, has joined the school, and Vin is determined to make him feel welcome, just like her friends did for her. As Vin becomes more proficient and comfortable with her Chameleon powers, she  doesn’t know that she and her friends are headed for a showdown with someone whose purpose is much more evil than just closing the school. 

Vin is SUCH a great character! She does act older than 12 - it would have been great if she had aged up a whole year between books instead of just having winter break. The magical powers of the world are different from others i have read for this age group and if Pau Preto doesn’t continue this series (it does feel like it could be finished), then I hope she continues to realize new characters.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Ape Escape (funjungle #10) by Stuart Gibbs - ESSENTIAL

Ape Escape (funjungle #10) by Stuart Gibbs, 304 pages. Simon and Schuster, 2026. $18

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (animal abuse, some danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

When Teddy’s family gets the news that a good friend, Jadim, of theirs has died in Rwanda, they head to the airport for the funeral.  Instead, once they land, they find that he is in hiding because his life was threatened by gorilla poachers. When an orphaned baby gorilla is abducted right from the sanctuary, the family and Jadim head off across Africa in pursuit.

Gibbs does such a great job with his funjunge books - keeping a heightened sense of danger and adventure, while also including factually based information about the ways animals, in this any African animal, might be endangered. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Fooled by Susan Haas with Lexi Haas - ADVISABLE

Fooled by Susan Haas with Lexi Haas, 269 pages. Little Brown, 2025. $18

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G (mild bullying)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

11yo Lil and her friends in her EC (Exceptional Children) class at Willow Street Middle School love magic, but their situations and their unabashed love of magic also makes them targets for a couple of bullies at school. Plus, the vice principal at their school has the school board’s approval for a new Safety First initiative, which seems to be aimed at keeping the ECs in their classroom where they can’t be seen by everyone else. One day, however, the football team asks Lil for a charm to help them win their game -- and it works!  Now they are busily making charms for some many others - which makes them even more of a target.

I so loved reading about Lil and her friends.  They are fully realized human beings - not caricatures of their abilities and challenges. Fully able to stand beside Wonder or Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus  in terms of heart and representation.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Nature of Play by Delfina Aguilar, Clare Aitken, and Sabrina Arnault - ESSENTIAL

The Nature of Play: A Handbook of Nature-Based Activities for all Seasons by Delfina Aguilar and Clare Aitken, illustrated by Sabrina Arnault. 180 pages. NON FICTION. Greystone Books, 2026. $23

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Thoughtfully organized by the four seasons, Aguilar and Aitken show that nature is full of fun and adventure. This isn't about supervising play; it’s about facilitating it. The activities range from the artistic (making natural dyes or leaf prints) to the practical (building shelters and identifying tracks). With stunning photography and a clean layout, it avoids the over-stimulating clutter often found in children’s activity books.

Aguilar makes nature feel accessible. You don’t need to live in a forest to use this book; many activities are perfectly suited for a small urban park or even a backyard. I love that it encourages taking time to play, where you aren't rushing to a scheduled practice, but instead sitting on the ground, noticing the way a beetle moves. This is the perfect gift for a new parent.

S. Lewis

Glass by Kathryn Lasky - ADVISABLE

Glass by Kathryn Lasky, 213 pages. Harper, 2024. $20.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (some bullying, deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE, MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

14yo Bess feels like the outsider in her family of glassblowers. When she discovers the horrible secret behind the most wondrous of their creations, she flees to the forest. Unfortunately, a poor cousin has to take refuge with the Wickham’s and she may be the next victim in their scheme for money and prestige. 

The subtitle calls this a Cinderella story, and while I might say it is Cinderella adjacent, I would have never minded not knowing about the subtext. By itself, it is an interesting fairy tale that I enjoyed reading. Bess is 14yo at the beginning and is in the woods for at least a couple of years, but the story itself will attract a 5,6,7th grade audience.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Most Likely to Murder by Lish McBride - OPTIONAL

Most Likely to Murder by Lish McBride, 320 pages. G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Random House), 2026. $13.

Language: R (122 swears, 24 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (drug and alcohol use/underage drinking, kissing, illegal activity, scary elements, partial nudity, innuendo, and mentions of condoms and sex); Violence: PG13 (assault, gun use, corpses, blood and gore, mentions of suicide, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

When the high school yearbooks come out with ways students and faculty are going to die rather than the usual superlatives, everyone assumes Rick and Martina are behind the prank. Until someone on the list is found dead. The remaining students put their heads together, trying to figure out what they all have in common before it can kill them, too.

McBride switches through points of view, sometimes giving readers a front row seat to what happened just before a death, which brilliantly puts readers on edge every time this happens, not knowing whether or not the character is about to be murdered. I enjoyed that this story doesn’t make the desperate teenagers into better detectives than the adult professionals, and it was refreshing to see them make smart choices, like sharing their locations with each other just in case. These details make the story feel more realistic, even if some silly stereotypes are still included. Martina is implied Hispanic, and Martina, Camryn, and Zeke are queer.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Coming Out Perfect written and illustrated by Richard Mercado - OPTIONAL

Coming Out Perfect written and illustrated by Richard Mercado, 272 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Graphix (Scholastic Inc.), 2026. $17.

Language: R (11 swears, 3 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (repeated underage drinking, once to blackout drunkenness); Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Kevin is a gay, high school Filipino boy who is tired of being overlooked at home and invisible at school. He gets a taste of the popular life thanks to the school’s perfect gay boy, Raymond. However when acting “perfect” becomes too difficult to bear, Kevin has to reconsider what he actually wants from life, something real, or fake?

I enjoyed this classic coming-out/coming-of-age story, layered with the author’s lived experience. Even though it was technically set in the Philippines, I think readers will still find plenty of commonalities between Kevin’s high school experience and US schools. The premise was a little superficial, along the veins of the movie She’s All That. I don’t know how much a simple makeover would actually do for someone’s popularity, but high school students would eat it up with a spoon.

Reviewer: Kiera Beddes, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes