North for the Winter by Bobby Podesta, - ESSENTIAL

North for the Winter by Bobby Podesta, 352 pages. First Second Books (Macmillan), 2025 $15. 9781250838230

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Virginia and her dad move to Colorado after her mother’s passing. To her amazement, Virginia spots a flying reindeer. Unsure who else to trust, she confides in her new friend Benny. Together, they set out on a daring adventure to rescue Donner from a hunter and help him return to Santa. Can they do it time to save Christmas?

A heartwarming Christmas graphic novel inspired by the true story of how NORAD began tracking Santa in 1955.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian

Say It Out Loud by Ashley Schumacher - OPTIONAL

Say It Out Loud by Ashley Schumacher, 352 pages. Del Ray (Random House), 2025. $19.

Language: R (100 swears, 23 “f”); Mature Content: R; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

At the end of her college career, Juniper ended up as a last-minute understudy for Juliet, playing opposite of James Freakin’ Neely—and it was simultaneously the best and worst experience. Ten years later, Juniper (32yo) is still trying to figure out what to do with her life, and she accidentally auditions to be the voice of Arabella in a dramatized audiobook—opposite, once again, of James Freakin’ Neely. Whether this is a repeat best and worst experience of the decade, at least she’s getting paid this time.

Schumacher is gifted at portraying the simultaneous and conflicting feelings of grief and hope in her characters—they are somehow sullen and tormented while still being relatable. The overall heavy feelings from Juniper’s and James’s anguish is offset by the humor of constant Twilight references. I did not realize until I was reading that this is Schumacher’s adult debut, and I enjoyed the story, but I was disappointed that having adult-aged characters also meant inserting a sex scene.

James is described as “fair skinned,” and Juniper is depicted as having a similar skin tone to James on the cover. Serena and Lenora are described as lesbian. The mature content rating is for kissing; mentions of drugs, alcohol, condoms, and pornography; innuendo; nudity; orgasms; and sex.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

School Dance by Sarah Sax - ADVISABLE

School Dance by Sarah Sax, 286 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Random House, 2025. $22 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

13yo Milo comes from a family of dancers. Unfortunately for him, Milo believes he has a dancing curse that makes things go awry anytime he is on the dance floor. The school dance is coming up and Milo's friends want him to go, but Milo isn't so sure. 

Milo has a strong family and his abuela is a great character. He also has good friends, which is refreshing. The message of just being yourself even when you're in an uncomfortable position is affirmative. Great art and layout make a simple story shine. Milo is Hispanic. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Pick the Lock by A. S. King - OPTIONAL

Pick the Lock by A. S. King, 383 pages. Dutton Books for Young Readers (Penguin), 2024. $20

Language: PG-13 (41 swears, 4 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Some physical and emotional abuse, drinking alcohol); Violence: PG-13 (physical abuse)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO:  SEVERAL

Jane 16yo, Henry 10-12yo

16yo Jane Vandermaker-Cook lives in a fancy mansion, but don't be fooled - her dad controls everything.  She's been isolated from the world since the pandemic - homeschooled, watched constantly, and fed a version of reality that just doesn't add up.  Her mom is a punk rock star who travels around the world performing, while Jane is at home with a maze of weird rules, surveillance cameras, and hidden truths, until the day she finds the videos.  They don't match her dad's stories.  They reveal lies, gaslighting, and a past she was never supposed to see.  As Jane begins to piece together the truth, she fights back the only way she knows how, by writing a punk opera, speaking up, and reclaiming her identity.

I really liked how this story was told through songs, letters and video transcripts.  Readers could really connect with this emotionally, especially if they have ever felt stuck or silenced.  But heads up, this is a pretty heavy read and the format can be confusing and the mental abuse can be a lot.  I still really enjoyed the different format of the book. It left me thinking about mental health and the challenges within families.

Jane is presumed to be a white American as well as her dad Vernon and her brother Henry.

Jessica Nelson Librarian CTHS

His Mortal Demise (The Last Bloodcarver #2) by Vanessa Le - ADVISABLE

His Mortal Demise (The Last Bloodcarver #2) by Vanessa Le, 400 pages. Roaring Brook (Macmillan Children's), 2025. $16

Language: PG ( 9 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: PG-13 (bloody gunshot wound)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

How much would you sacrifice for the one you love? When 19yo Nhika gives all of her strength and health to save Kochin from a fatal gunshot wound, she is on the verge of death. Unknown to Nhika, because she’s unconscious, Kochin takes her to her friends to keep her safe while he searches for a cure to bring her back. When Nhika wakes, Kochin is nowhere and the last she remembers is him dying after being shot. While Kochin searches for a way to heal Nhika, she searches for Kochin, retracing his steps. They both realize how much love they have for each other and will do anything to bring their relationship back together, if only war and danger doesn’t get in the way.

The alternating narratives of Nikha in the present and Kochin six months prior create suspense, especially since the last time they saw each other was when Nikha sacrificed her life to save his. Kochin is searching for a way to bring Nikha back and Nikha is trying to find Kochin and this makes a sweet love story. Wonderful character development.

The ethnicity consists of brown, honey and tanned skin tones and is Vietnamese-inspired.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

Murder at the Museum (Montgomery Bonbon #1) by Alasdair Beckett-King and Claire Powell - ADVISABLE

Murder at the Museum (Montgomery Bonbon #1) by Alasdair Beckett-King, illustrations by Claire Powell, 288 pages. Candlewick, 2025. $19. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (killer on the loose, murder, attempted murder by blowdart) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Bonnie Montgomery is a 10yo detective. But, even though she's good at what she does, no one will take her seriously, so she has created an alter ego. Montgomery Bonbon, a mustached, beret-wearing gentleman investigator. With her sidekick, Banks (her grandfather), Montgomery Bonbon is trying to find the culprit who killed a guard and stole a stuffed eagle from the museum.  

Slapstick and bumbling and very British, Bonnie is a great character, somehow pulling off her disguise and getting information even from the police who have barred her from talking to them. A great cast of characters, including other amateur sleuths. This may be a fun series, book 2, Mystery at the Manor is already on the shelves. 

Lisa Librarian 

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal - OPTIONAL

A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal, 352 pages. Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Macmillan), 2024. $10

Language:  PG (11 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: PG-13 (bloody gunshot wounds)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

18yo Arthie has been on her own since she was ten. She eventually found another orphan named Jin and took him under her wing. Together they built Spindrift, a tea house by day for proper society and a blood house by night for vampires who want to be civilized and not harm others. When Spindrift is threatened, Arthie tries using her blackmailing skills to keep her place safe. When that doesn’t work, Arthie and Jin recruit other outcasts to pull off a scheme that will knock the threat to its knees!

Arthie is mysterious and keeps to herself but she has fierce loyalty to those she cares about. Jin is a charming, fun character and adds a lot of life to the story. The mystery and scare of the half vampire, the Wolf of White Roaring, is extremely interesting.

The ethnicity is predominantly white with a mix of races as the main characters.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

How to Stay Invisible by Maggie C. Rudd - ESSENTIAL

How to Stay Invisible by Maggie C. Rudd, 240 pages. Farrar, Straus & Giroux (Macmillan), 2023. $19. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (bullying, a fight, some animal violence, injuries, neglect) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Raymond Hurley has been on his own practically his whole life. His parents neglect him, leave him for days on his own, and now they've left town, returned their keys to the trailor park office and abandoned him.  Worried that if anyone finds out he'll be sent back to the children's home, Raymond and his dog Millie set up camp in a hollowed out tree in the woods, but with winter setting in and only a sleeping bag to keep them warm, Raymond must rely on his fishing pole, his wits, and staying invisible, so no one finds out he's alone. 

How to Stay Invisible was recommended to me by a student. She said it was her favorite book. I'm not surprised, and so glad I read it. An edge of my seat story, so worried about Raymond and his terrible situation I could hardly put the book down. Had a good cry, and all the feelings. I highly recommend it too. Raymond defaults white. 

Lisa Librarian 

First Love Language by Stefany Valentine - ADVISABLE

First Love Language by Stefany Valentine, 300 pages. Penguin Workshop, 2020. $20

Language: PG (26 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

17yo Catie Carlson feels like she is living between two worlds. Adopted as a baby from Taiwan and raised by white parents in California, she knows almost nothing about where she came from, just that her birth mother left behind a name, a letter, and a whole lot of unanswered questions.

When her summer plans fall apart, Catie finds herself working at a bubble tea shop with Toby, a charming, goofy, slightly chaotic classmate.  He offers to teach her Mandarin so she can finally write to her birth mom.  In exchange, Catie has to teach Toby how to flirt and win back his ex.  What starts off as a deal turns into late-night talks, shared secrets, and maybe something a lot more complicated. As Catie reconnects with her heritage, faces family truths and falls for someone she never expected, she begins to learn that love, in any language, is never simple, but it might just be worth it.

I really enjoyed First Love Language.  It is a very heartfelt and relatable story that I liked because of its mix of humor, romance and real emotional depth.  Catie's journey to reconnect with her culture and figure out who she is could hit hard with readers if they have ever felt caught between identities.  I thought her relationship with Toby was cute and awkward in all the best ways and their fake-dating deal leads to some sweet and funny moments.

Catie is Taiwanese American and Toby is white.

Jessica Nelson CTHS Librarian

Eternal Flame (National Archive Hunters #2) by Matthew Landis - ADVISABLE

Eternal Flame (National Archive Hunters #2) by Matthew Landis, 285 pages. PIxel and Ink, 2025 $19.

Content: G (mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

10yo twins Iris and Ike (Icarus) are fresh off solving their first big mystery for their mother’s museum when the National Archives and the FBI need their help again.  They have six days to track down the location of the original pieces of the flame from the Statue of Liberty, or it could cause an international incident. THey will need the help of Luna, the girl they thwarted in their first case. Can they trust her, though?

I didn’t read the first adventure of the crime fighting twins, but I didn’t need to in order to enjoy adventure #2. The mystery they needed to solve was very interesting and exciting, without necessarily being extremely dangerous.  The only part that I don’t like is that the twins seem to have some super rich, super smart hidden nemesis constantly lurking in the background and pulling their strings - if the adventure is good enough, why do they need this added layer of drama? If the third book, when it comes out, is also all about this mysterious enemy, I will give it a pass.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Blossoming Summer by Anna Rose Johnson - OPTIONAL

The Blossoming Summer by Anna Rose Johnson, 288 pages. Candlewick, 2025. $18. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

13yo Rosemary has been separated from her family for 3 years. Her parents, finding it hard to find regular work, have farmed them out to family. Rosemary in London, and each of her two brothers with other family members. It's 1940, and with the threat of war in England, Rosemary's Father is gathering the family back together and taking them to America, to live with the Grandmother Rosemary has never met. 

A very sweet and nostalgic story. The hardships from living in London and enduring the rations, the fear of bombings and the uncertainty of war were realistic and set the stage for the family's leaving. Includes some racism once they get to Wisconsin, some from Rosemary's father which I didn't appreciate, but was explained near the end. Ties up super neatly though and, as a regular fair enterer, I gotta say, it was weird that everything in their garden became ripe at all at the same time. This historical fiction is a slice of life that I'm not entirely sure today's readers will relate to. The characters are white. 

Lisa Librarian  

Doing Small Things with Great Love by Sharon Eubank - OPTIONAL

Doing Small Things with Great Love by Sharon Eubank, 320 pages. NONFICTION. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $25.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Throughout her life, Sharon Eubank has worked in different careers and capacities to uplift people around the world. Her experiences have led her to write about twelve service principles that act as a guide for every reader with a desire to help people, especially those in their own community.

Eubank uses successful and unsuccessful examples from her own life and other sources to illustrate her principles of service. She writes in a sincere tone that is engaging and feels like a personal conversation and plea for help on behalf of those all around us. Furthermore, Eubank gives readers clear opportunities to apply each principle, ending every chapter with questions to provoke reflection of past experiences and inspire new action.

The mature content rating is for mentions of drugs, alcohol, and sex trafficking. The violence rating is for mentions of bombing, war, and suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Julia by Heather B. Moore - ADVISABLE

Julia by Heather B. Moore, 384 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $28.

Language: PG (1 swear, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Before Julia Child took any cooking classes, the bombing of Pearl Harbor spurred her to move to Washington DC to see how she could assist in the war effort. Before she ever set foot in France, Julia worked for the OSS (a US intelligence agency) in Ceylon (modern-day Sri Lanka) and China, falling in love with the abundant flavors of Asian food. Becoming Julia Child was the adventure of her lifetime.

I knew two things about Julia going into this book: that she cooked very well and that her married last name was Child. So when the Julia of the first couple chapters did not know how to cook and when she experienced familiar uncertainties regarding her crush, Paul Child, I was hooked. With every page of her story that did not reveal the Julia Child I thought I knew, my interest only grew. Her life is full of encouragement and hope, even as it is riddled with difficulties and setbacks.

The majority of characters are American and French. The mature content rating is for alcohol use and mentions of drugs. The violence rating is for discussions of war and bombs, mentions of suicide and murder, and a near-death experience.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Lovely Dark and Deep by Elisa A. Bonnin - OPTIONAL

Lovely Dark and Deep by Elisa A. Bonnin, 400 pages. Feiwel & Friends, 2025. $18

Language: R (28 swears 5 'f'); Mature Content: PG (mention of drugs) Violence: PG (deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Spooky and mysterious!  Faith feels at home at Ellery West. She grew up in the Philippines and moved to the island school of magic for her high school years. She loves the school and the island until she ventures into the forest with Sydney but walks out alone after something takes Sydney’s life. Immediately, Faith is pushed into the group of exiled students who are on the verge of losing their magic if they make another misstep. Her new group of friends, known as the Red Stripes, band together and take care of each other. They also want to help Faith find out what took Sydney’s life and put a stop to the continued deaths. They discover a deep, dark secret that, when exposed, will change everything. 

I love how the Red Stripes care about each other and how they help each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery behind the story. This book has several interesting characters. The ethnicity is mixed. 

Lynndell Watson, DHS Librarian

Steel & Spellfire by Laura Weymouth - ADVISABLE

Steel & Spellfire by Laura Weymouth, 368 pages. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2025. $20.

Language: PG (13 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: PG (bloody gunshot wound)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Magic, murder and mystery!  17yo Pandora’s childhood was taken from her by a patron that warped her powers into an extremely and extraordinary strength to make her dangerous. Her patron always kept their identity secret and Pandora is determined to discover who the person is that changed her power. Meanwhile, someone with similar powers to Pandora’s is murdering young women the same age as her. Once Pandora arrives at court, she meets a guard named Beacon and immediately feels a connection with him. Pandora is determined to solve the mystery of the murderer and her patron but she will struggle to do it alone and Beacon will struggle with loyalty and doing the right thing.

I enjoyed the prose. Beacon fell for Pandora a bit too quickly. Pandora’s friend Winifred is charming and fun. The rivalry between Pandora and Imogen entertains and surprises. Ethnicity falls to white. 

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian

The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel by Maggie Stiefvater - ADVISABLE

The Raven Boys: The Graphic Novel by Maggie Stiefvater, 252 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Viking (Penguin), 2025. $18 

Language: PG-13 (41 swears, 0 F); Mature Content: PG (pentagrams); Violence: PG (sacrificial murder, abuse) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Blue is a 16yo girl who comes from a family of psychics. Her gift is to amplify their abilities. She gets swept away in a quest by a group of high school boys from a private boys school which caters to the rich and privileged. They are looking for a long dead Welsh king buried beneath the neighboring mountains in Virginia. They are not the only ones looking, and there are some dark secrets as well. 

This is the first of four books. The Raven Boys will suck you in. It is an intriguing premise. Stiefvager keeps it moving and the characters are strongly written. Fans of the original novels will welcome the graphic novel. The art fits the mood well and adds to the story. There is a lot happening, and while this version is satisfying, I found it helpful to have read the novel first, and now want to revisit the novel again to read her prose. There are plenty of twists to keep you going, though the subject matter can be dark. Race is not specified, though Blue appears to be mixed race. 

Michelle in the Middle 

The Magician Next Door by Rachel Chivers Khoo and Alice McKinley - ADVISABLE

The Magician Next Door by Rachel Chivers Khoo, illustrated by Alice McKinley, 190 pages. Candlewick, 2024. $17.

Content: G (mild danger)

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

10yo Callie would rather be back in London than in the village where she now lives in Northern Ireland with her dad for his new job. Feeling sorry for herself, she is moping at her window when she sees an eccentric house crashland upside down in her backyard. Winnifred the Magician needs Callie’s help, otherwise Winnifred’s bond with her house will be broken. But Callie is mourning the loss of her mom and of her old home and makes an impetuous decision that puts WInnifred in even more danger. Callie will have to think fast and act bravely in order to make the situation right.

Khoo handles Callie's grief in a delicate way, shocking her out of the wallowing she has been doing and showing her how to regain empathy for those around her. The pages have illustrations in black and white, adding to the magical feel. On a scale of rooted in our world to rooted in magic, the book feels more rooted in our world - WInnifred is more in distress during the whole book than doling out wonder. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Whispers of Shadowbrook House by Rebecca Anderson - OPTIONAL

Whispers of Shadowbrook House by Rebecca Anderson, 272 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $18.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Shadowbrook House has never been a happy place for Oliver. He left the crumbling—and possibly haunted—place and his aloof uncle as soon as he could and is only returning now as the heir to convince his uncle to sell it. Oliver (26yo) finds more resistance than expected from not only his uncle but also his dying cousin, a lovely governess, and even an over-the-top spiritualist that comes to visit.

With so many spooky and supernatural touches, Anderson surprised me with an adventurous and tender story. But none of the fun elements take away from the powerful message that healing comes to all kinds of grief—grief for death of loved ones, for illness-ridden bodies, for failed relationships, for unfulfilled dreams. The spiritualist, Madame Genevieve, may be at Shadowbrook House under the pretense of communing with the departed, but she can do a lot of good for the living in the house and for the reader.

The majority of characters are implied British. The mature content rating is for kissing and mild scary elements.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

At Last She Stood by Erin Entrada Kelly - OPTIONAL

At Last She Stood: How Joey Guerrero Spied, Survived, and Fought for Freedom by Erin Entrada Kelly, 208 pages. NON-FICTION HarperCollins, 2025. $20. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (mild war violence, peril, photoes of people with Hansen's Disease)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

At the beginning of WWII, Joey Guerrero, a Filipino woman was diagnosed with Hansen's Disease (formerly known as leprocy) When Pearl Harbor was attacked, so were the Philippines, which came under Japanese control. Joey joined a guerrilla force in Manila hoping to do her part to help her people. She was a spy, a courier, and a brave woman. 

Not much is known about Guerrero, so Entrada Kelly has filled in the gaps with general info about WWII, the war against the Japanese, an internment camp in Manila, sanitariums, racism, other characters, religion, MacArthur and a lot more. After the war, Joey story shifts to her fight to manage and help learn more about treatments for Hansen's Disease as she emigrates to Louisiana, changes her names and continues her life in the United States. So much content NOT about Josephina Guerrero, and so many sides stories about other people doing the same thing. Not entirely biography, only half WWII, I fear it might be a bit much for middle school readers. Includes index, pictures, a bibliography and further resources. 

Lisa Librarian

Witchkiller by Ashlee Latimer - OPTIONAL

Witchkiller by Ashlee Latimer, 336 pages. Scholastic, 2025. $20 

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: PG (romance); Violence: PG (domestic violence, murder) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Gretel killed a witch to save her brother, Hansel. In gratitude, the kingdom has upgraded her family's status, though it doesn't help Gretel, who lives in fear of her abusive father and her brother, who is becoming more and more like her father. In order to avoid a loveless marriage, Gretel engages in a sham betrothal to the local prince. Things are not as they seem when Gretel discovers the witches are healers and that her family may be part of a dark plot to endanger those she loves. 

I always love a fairytale retelling. This one was really dark because of Gretel's abusive father and brother. It may give some readers PTSD. There was a lot of time spent dwelling on the abuse before getting to the meat of the plot. The same sex attraction was jarring, since Gretel seemed in love with the prince she spent increasing amounts of time with, and then goes off with a girl she hasn't hardly talked to. Gretel is most likely European. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson - ADVISABLE

Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson, 272 pages. Scholastic, 2025 $19.00 

Language: PG (10 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: Violence: PG (talk about shark attack, death - offpage, peril) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Kaylani is spending the summer in Martha's Vineyard with family friends. Her father has recently gone to jail and Lani is certain he's innocent. She wants to learn everything she can about the law and hopes to exonerate him. But this unexpected trip, to stay with people she doesn't know - the girl her age, London, is rich, entitled and rude - is curbing her plans to help her dad. But when the body of an ex-boyfriend of London's sister is found in the ocean, and the police suspect he was murdered, Lani wants to prove Cassie didn't do it. But, what if she did?

Tiffany Jackson can certainly write for middle schoolers.  The mystery was great, with a few twists and turns, great clues and some scary situations.  I liked the tie ins to Martha's Vineyard history and its connection with black history. I kept hoping the Obamas would pop into the story.  

Most of the characters are black 

Lisa Librarian 

Graciela in the Abyss by Meg Medina - ADVISABLE

Graciela in the Abyss by Meg Medina, 236 pages. Candlewick, 2025 $19.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (scary imagery, deaths, harpooning) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Graciela is a sea spirit, dead for over 100 years, but still young. Her job is making sea glass, her best friend Amina awakens sea ghosts. On shore 12yo Jorge is a blacksmith and an inventor. His family has been cursed for several generations as his ancestor forged an evil thing - a harpoon made to spear sea ghosts and steal their pearly teeth. It caused a calamity and sank the ship of the village's best fishermen. When Jorge discovers the harpoon, he knows he needs to destroy it by any means. 

An exciting fantasy, with scary ghosts as well as kind ones. I loved the story line and the life lessons aren't"in your face". Graciela would appeal to ghost story readers as well as those who love mermaids, AND there's enough fighting and danger and swordplay to keep our adventure readers happy, too. The characters default white 

Lisa Librarian 

When We Ride by Rex Ogle - OPTIONAL

When We Ride by Rex Ogle, 336 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE Norton Young Readers, 2025. $19. 

Language: R ( 71 swears 74 f's); Mature Content: PG13 (implied sex, teen alcohol and drug use); Violence: R (gun violence, fights, physical assault) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

17yo Benny is a good student, his mother has high expectations for him, he doesn't drink or do drugs, he gets high grades and he has a job washing dishes at a diner. But Benny's best friend Lawson always needs a ride. They've been best friends for 10 years, call each other brother and have each other's backs, but Lawson, is a drug dealer. 

Edge of your seat action that will engage the reader from the very first page. Lawson's choices get him in deeper and deeper trouble, making When We Ride, a novel in verse, a cautionary tale not only about the dangers of using and dealing, but also about what happens to the people on the periphery. Benny is Hispanic, Lawson defaults white. 

Lisa Librarian  

Soulmatch by Rebecca Danzenbaker - SEVERAL

Soulmatch by Rebecca Danzenbaker, 496 pages. Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2025. $17

Language: R (123 swears, 40 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (passionate kissing); Violence: PG (gunshot wound and fighting)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

18yo Sivon loves her twin sister best friends, Vivi and Corah, who have helped her prepare to attend the institute to learn about her soul's past lives through the kirling process. Now it’s Sivon’s turn to attend the kirling and she arrives at the institute full of anxiety. Her mom has always told Sivon she’s hard to read and Sivon discovers why, as she learns more about herself and her shocking experiences from her past lives. When her soul identity is revealed after her kirling, Sivon has a new world of possibilities opened up to her. Vivi and Corah are there to support her every step of the way - even into the danger for all around her.

The more I read this book, the more I wanted to read. Unique story! More complex than I thought it would be when I picked up the book. The author expresses ethnicity through skin tones, but not through actions.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah 

The Lilies by Quinn Diacon-Furtado - OPTIONAL

The Lilies by Quinn Diacon-Furtado, 325 pages. HarperCollins, 2024. $20 Language: R (18 swears, 8 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Drug use and swearing); Violence: PG-13 (Psychological violence and disturbing events) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

 APPEALS TO: SOME

At Archwell Academy, secrets don’t stay buried—especially when they are among the wealthy and affluent students. When 17yo Drew, a nonbinary senior, transfers to the elite all-girls school to claim an inheritance tied to a mysterious legacy society called the Lilies, they quickly realize something’s not right. A girl is missing. Whispers of cover-ups, secret rituals, and hidden truths ripple through the walls. This book is told through multiple perspectives while the characters are in a mysterious time loop. The Lilies is a gripping psychological thriller about power, privilege, and what it means to belong. With themes of identity, justice, and the pressure to be perfect, this novel challenges readers to ask: how far would you go to protect your future?

I really liked the suspenseful parts of this book and how the author was able to blend dark academia and mystery genres. I especially enjoyed the multiple points of view and strong character development, although many of the characters really had me frustrated. I wished certain characters had faced stronger consequences for their actions. I found this book to be a slightly fast-paced and emotionally rich story that tackled themes of power, privilege, and identity with intensity and heart. However, I felt the time loop structure made the plot confusing at times, and that the pacing dragged in the middle. 

The main character is white. Other girls are white, Black, or Latinx

 Jessica Nelson Librarian CTHS 

Don't Cause Trouble by Arree Chung - ADVISABLE

Don't Cause Trouble by Arree Chung, 256 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Henry Holt Books for Young Readers (Macmillan), 2025. $15

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

12yo Ming Lee hopes to make a fresh start in middle school. But with the haircut his mom insists on and the thrift-store clothes he wears, things aren’t looking promising. His dad is also constantly reminding him to get good grades and stay out of trouble. Middle school may have started off awkward and painful, but Ming already has ideas for turning things around.

A warmhearted story about a boy growing up with immigrant parents. The story captures the challenges of fitting in while honoring family. Ming tries his best to make his parents proud, stumbling at times but never giving up. I really enjoyed both the story and the illustrations. Ming is Chinese-American

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

Lovely Dark and Deep by Elisa A. Bonnin - OPTIONAL

Lovely Dark and Deep by Elisa A. Bonnin, 388 pages. Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), 2025. $21

Language: R (22 swears,  4 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (mild danger, skeleton mentioned)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Faith is back at Every West, a hidden school for magical students for her final year, but this year she is branded a Red Stripe - dangerous. Since her best friend Sydney didn’t return from the journey into the forbidden woods around the school, nothing has been the same. While she is ostracized by the other students at school, the handful of other Red Stripes adopt her as one of their own.  With their courage and strength, Faith may be able to find the answers she needs and find the truth about the mysterious presence she felt within the woods that day.

While Elisa looks a tad young on the cover, she is a senior in high school. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Faith’s story and meeting the other Red Stripes. Less time is spent on explaining the magical system that exists in this world, but I didn’t miss it - Faith’s story was enough for me. I don’t see how there can be a sequel, but I sure do need to read the author’s other two books now.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Steel and Spellfire by Laura E. Weymouth - OPTIONAL

Steel and Spellfire by Laura E. Weymouth, 349 pages. McElderry (Simon), 2025. $20

Language: G (3 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (kiss) ; Violence: PG-13 (dead bodies mentioned, one death with mention of blood)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

For five years Pandora has been working to be appointed one of the Queen’s Ingenue’s for a summer. While the other girls want the prestige and hope of an excellent patron with whom to tie their magic, Pandora has revenge on her mind. Pandora was bound when she was a child; her childhood and training was brutal and she barely escaped with her sanity intact. She is hoping that she can find and defeat her cruel patron at last - even if that patron is in the upper echelons of the kingdom.

The final confrontation is quite spectacular and well worth reading, but the rest of the book didn’t draw me in with any sense of urgency. I like Pandora and Weymouth gives us some great moments - there just weren’t enough of them to keep me going steadily. The magic system lacks any foundation. I do like that even though there is romance, it is not the reason for all of the action.

The characters all cue white.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

The Executioners Three by Susan Dennard - MANY

The Executioners Three by Susan Dennard, 304 pages. Tor Teen, 2025. $20

Language: R (78 swears, 7 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (fervent kissing, mention of teens smoking and drinking); Violence: PG-13 (bloody deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

12th grader Theo swerves to miss raccoons crossing the road. He stops to make sure the raccoons are fine but he is shaken by what he discovers. 17yo Freddie is logical and strives to find facts in all situations and when a dead man is found, she knows there’s an easy explanation and that the curse hanging over her community for centuries isn’t real. Theo and Freddie cross paths when Freddie calls the police after she hears screams and unknowingly alerts the police to a rival school's teen party in the woods. She instantly becomes her school’s hero and hated by the rivals. Weird events keep happening that can’t be explained away and Theo and Freddie get completely wrapped up in the danger and the curse!

An ominous poem at the beginning of the book lends to the creepy setting. Humor, charm, cleverness, strong friendship and the spooky vibe made this book fun to read and it’s a perfect YA book for getting into the Halloween spirit. I love the chemistry between Freddie and Theo. They’re from rival schools and have a rollercoaster relationship.

The ethnicity is predominantly white with side characters having different shades of brown skin and a Black girl.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah 

Deep Water by Maren Stoffels - OPTIONAL

Deep Water by Maren Stoffels, translated by Laura Watkinson, 222 pages. Delacorte (Random House), 2025. $13 (pb)

Language: R (19 swears, 1 ‘f’); Mature Content:PG-13 (sexual assault implied) ; Violence: R (torture, drowning, punches, other death)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

A free ten-day luxury cruise - who can resist that? Not Vesper, that’s for sure. But if it seems too good to be true, it probably is and Vesper finds herself inside a nightmare. Her cruise is a hard life reality check for bullies. Everyone’s identity has been replaced by a number and they are being punished for each other’s crimes. Even when a death occurs, their captors don’t seem phased. Vesper wants revenge and answers, but she also wants to stay alive.

Stoffels’s premise is so bizarre that I had a hard time buying into it. But with The Hunger Games and now the new movie The Long Walk, this type of twisted book does have its audience. It also has some very questionable moments, ie, lack of exercise is a cause of bullying?

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

A Spell to Wake the Dead by Nicole Lesperance - OPTIONAL

A Spell to Wake the Dead by Nicole Lesperance, 352 pages. G.P. Putnam's Sons BFYR (Penguin), 2025. $20

Language: R (56 swears, 5 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (kissing, vaping and drinking mentioned); Violence: PG-13 (gunshot, dead bodies found with missing hands)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

17yo Mazzy and Nora love to learn about harmless spells, especially living in New England. Their idea of spells being fun changes when they find a dead body with missing hands after casting a simple spell and Nora starts to feel the spirit taking over her mind. Nora starts changing and gets more and more interested in and pulled into the dark side of magic which seems to involve the body they found. More bodies are discovered with missing hands and Polaroid pictures of the victims when they’re alive are being left for Nora and Mazzy in random places. The friends want to solve the mystery and help the police but they’re being threatened and pulled into danger.

I like how the author sets up for the supernatural setting of the book. Tough issues are brought up with some of the side characters and I like how the characters help each other deal with them. The underlying cause of the magic, the Egyptian cult, added an extra element of creepiness to the story. A fun and spooky YA read! The ethnicity reads white.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

The Blood Phoenix by Amber Chen - ADVISABLE

The Blood Phoenix (Fall of the Dragon #2 ) by Amber Chen, 464 pages. Viking (Penguin), 2025. $17 

Language: PG-13 (18 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 ( kissing and drinking); Violence: PG-13 (bloody deaths) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

20yo Ying and her fellow engineering competitors are called back together to help the kingdom fight off the pirates and stop the deadly attacks that are occurring. Ying and Ye-Yang haven’t spoken and they both continue to have feelings for each other. Ying isn’t sure if she can get over his past deception. Ying enjoys working with her engineer friends and wants to stop the pirates from killing anyone else. She discovers there’s more to the attacks and the Blood Phoenix than the rulers think and it puts her friends and loved ones in terrible danger.

I like how the friends from the engineering competition are brought together to help the kingdom fight off the pirates. The comrades work well together. The relationship between Ye-Yang and Ying is topsy turvy and adds to the storyline. I love how much Ying and her sister Nian care about each other. The ethnicity is based on Asian characteristics and mentions pearl skin and bronze skin.

 LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah 

Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek by Kwame Mbalia - OPTIONAL

Jax Freeman and the Phantom Shriek by Kwame Mbalia, 460 pages. Disney Hyperion, 2024. $18 

Language: G (3 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (bullying, physically fighting, peril, danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

After trouble at home in North Carolina, 12yo Jax Freeman is sent to Chicago to live with his grandmother and uncle. Almost immediately, he begins seeing strange things—and soon discovers he’s a summoner, descended from a long line of them. Thrown into a new school, Jax meets friends who share similar magical abilities and begins a crash course in his hidden heritage. But Chicago has its own problems. One of his new friends goes missing, the city’s five magical families are locked in bitter feuds, and the Freeman name has carried blame and suspicion for generations. Young and inexperienced, Jax and his friends must risk everything to find their missing friend, mend the rift between the families, and clear his family’s name once and for all.

A lot is happening here—between the world-building, the history of the magic, and the heritage behind it all, it was sometimes a lot to keep track of. That said, the magical adventure itself was great. Jax is a strong character; he makes mistakes, but he handles the chaos around him with humor, which makes him easy to root for. I enjoyed all of the train references and history. Now that this book has laid much of the groundwork, I think the second installment will be easier to follow. Some parts were explained in detail, while others felt a bit glossed over, but overall, it set up an intriguing start to the series. All of the characters are Black.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers by Angela Dominguez - ESSENTIAL

Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers by Angela Dominguez, 145 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Roaring Book Press, 2025. $20.

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

9yo Gabby Torres is a 4th grade girl who wants to be the hero of the Sea Musketeers club. But she is the youngest member and struggles to feel like she is taken seriously. Her parents agree to help her create and manage a social media account for the club, but things turn mean when a negative comment is posted. Gabby suspects her friends and club members of trying to troll her which leads to hurt feelings and disciplinary actions. Gabby has a lot of growing up to do as she finds her strengths and learns how to be kind to others.

"Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers" is a wonderful story for elementary students showing how to be a good friend, stand up for what we value, and be a wise user of social media.

Gabby's dad has Mexican parents, so Gabby speaks Spanish and interacts with her abuelos, tias, and primos throughout the book.

J. Smith, Teacher Librarian

Of Jade and Dragons (Fall of the Dragon #1) by Amber Chen - ADVISABLE

Of Jade and Dragons (Fall of the Dragon #1) by Amber Chen, 480 pages. Viking (Penguin), 2024. $11

Language: PG-13 (17 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (gentle kissing); Violence: PG-13 (bloody deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO:  SEVERAL

18yo Ying witnessed her father’s murder and she’ll do anything and everything to avenge his death. She also wants to be an engineer like her father. She disguises herself as a boy and enters the engineering competition in the capital. Her sponsor ends up being a prince and she’s completely surprised by this. When Ying becomes part of the competition, she’s also thrown into politics and danger. Will she stay her course and avenge her father?

The names of the royals were confusing at first. I like the dynamics between Ying and Ye-yang. The science fiction and engineering aspects were fun and added an extra element to the story. The ethnicity is based on historical Oriental culture.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian

Silverborn by Jessica Townsend, - ADVISABLE

Silverborn (Nevermoor #4) by Jessica Townsend, 588 pages. Little Brown, 2025. $19

Content: G (mild violence)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

Did you know that Morrigan has family in the richest district in Nevermoor - that her mother was actually from Nevermoor?  Neither did she. And when she discovers this truth, she is so mad at her guardian Jupiter, that she takes off to live with her newly discovered family. And Morrigan is still continuing her lessons with Squall, even though she hasn’t told anyone about that. Her new family, though, has problems and secrets of their own. 

I love Jessica Townsend and I love Morrigan Crow. I do wish that the page count would stop creeping up from book to book - especially because there doesn’t seem to be an end to the series any time soon. I wish Townsend would go for a tighter narrative.  Only my most avid fantasy readers are going to pick this series up.  They will love it, but I think she could pack the same power into fewer pages.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

A World Full of Christmas Crafts by Helen Mortimer and Joy LaForme - ADVISABLE

A World Full of Christmas Crafts by Helen Mortimer, illustrated by Joy LaForme, 63 pages. Frances Lincoln (Quarto), 2024.  $19. 9780711293519

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Travel to every inhabitable continent and collect recipes, crafts, stories, and traditions to supplement or build your own Christmas celebration. The author has chosen simple ideas - nothing Martha Stewart-complicated here, so no one will feel intimidated. More a book for home consumption, as I hope most teachers don’t only concentrate on Christmas in December.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

All the Tomorrows After by Joanne Yi - OPTIONAL

All the Tomorrows After by Joanne Yi, 400 pages. Atheneum Books (Simon and Schuster), 2025. $20.

Language: R (94 swears, 25 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Sung, Winter’s father, left her with her mother and grandmother when she was a child and seemingly never looked back. A senior in high school now, Winter longs to run away like he did and is saving up to do just that, but then the stepmother Winter didn’t know existed shows up begging her to come see her father and unintentionally gets Winter fired. Winter is desperate enough to make a financial arrangement with her estranged father—how desperate is he for a relationship he turned his back on years ago?

Reading Winter’s story is painful because the weight of loss is something that we all understand. No matter how much she tries to enforce her protective shell of solitude, Winter cannot escape the pain of everything going wrong and losing pieces of her heart. To read her story is to recognize that every kind of loss and grief is painful and that it’s okay to allow yourself to not be alone, to allow yourself to make more connections despite the risk of more loss later. Her story cannot be described as enjoyable but it is worth it.

Winter is Korean American. While the book takes place in California, the majority of characters that Winter interacts with are also Korean. Melody is described as bi. The mature content rating is for underage drinking, mentions of drugs, illegal activity, kissing, partial nudity, innuendo, and sex. The violence rating is for assault, child abuse, and mentions of suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner - ESSENTIAL

The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner, 368 pages. Bloomsbury, 2025 $18.00 Language: PG (1 swear, 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (injuries, animal attack)

BUYING ADVISORY:, EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

13yo Finn is in big trouble. He kicked over a large headstone in the cemetery, and it was caught on security cameras. The grave belonged to a woman who was a celebrated mountain climber. Her daughter wants to honor her mother's memory by dropping the charges if Finn will climb all 46 High Peaks in the Adirondacks over the course of the summer, and bring along the old woman's dog. 

The Trouble with Heroes is a special book. Written in verse in Finn's voice - he's also doing makeup work for both PE and ELA - we see an angry, grieving boy trying to come to terms with the loss of his father. I loved the connections he made and the how the mountains touched him. I was crying within the first several pages, and also crying again by the end! There was so much to love in between, and I'm going to try some of those cookie recipes. Finn is white 

Lisa Librarian  

The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood and Boyfriends by Jamie D’Amato - OPTIONAL

The Good Vampire’s Guide to Blood and Boyfriends by Jamie D’Amato, 336 pages. Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2025. $21.

Language: R (207 swears, 105 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Last semester at college was rough for Brennan, and he wasn’t sure if he was even going to make it to age 19, and now, after being hit with a car and coming back to life, he might be a 19-year-old vampire forever—though not a very good one. Going from being vegetarian to drinking animal blood was unpleasant, and then Brennan gets caught on his first attempt to steal donated human blood by none other than Cute Library Blanket Guy. Somehow, college just got a whole worse.

This fun take on modern vampirism includes social media and a hundred Twilight references, making the story light and entertaining amidst the very real challenges of mental health, family drama, and your boyfriend’s friends not approving his relationship with you. The love story was adorable, and the determination of humans and young, weak vampires to team up to thwart the big bad was just epic enough to fit the vibe.

Brennan is White and bi, Cole is described as having “light” skin and is gay, Marisela is Latina, Sunny is Korean and part of the LGBT community, and Nellie is Black and part of the LGBT community. The mature content rating is for underage drinking, drug use, illegal activity, innuendo, kissing, partial nudity, and mentions of condoms, orgasm, and sex. The violence rating is for blood and gore, mentions of suicide, assault, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Where the Heart Should Be by Sarah Crossan - SEVERAL

Where the Heart Should Be by Sarah Crossan, 400 pages. HarperCollins, 2025 $22. 

Language: R (15 swears 2 'f'); Mature Content: PG (reference to having sex, kissing) Violence: PG (peril, threats) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

16yo Nell has been hired at the big house as a scullery maid. It's 1846 and the Irish potato famine is killing all the crops. The rich British land owners are not affected, but all the Irish are starving. Nell's income is barely keeping her family alive. Lord Wicken's heir has recently moved into the Big House, 17yo John Browning who has his sites set on Nell. He's kind and sweet and they both realize that their growing love is forbidden. 

A realistic depiction of the poverty and death experienced by the Irish. The contrast between the rich and the poor was heartbreaking. Sarah Crossen's novel in verse is a nice love story with some real emotion, enhanced by the free verse poems. Although histrocial fiction is not a favorite these days, I think I can easily hand sell it as a romance. Nell is Irish, Johnny is British. Both are white. 

Lisa Librarian