Escape From the USS Indianapolis by Andy Marino - ESSENTIAL

Escape From the USS Indianapolis by Andy Marino, 192 pages. Scholastic, SEPTEMBER 2025. $9 (pb)

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (many deaths mentioned, some described shark attack deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

12 yo Albie was supposed to wait in Guam for his older brother Joe to return from his tour on the USS Indianapolis during World War II.  Instead, Albie sneaks aboard and is discovered just before a Japanese submarine splits two holes in their side - sending the ship to the depths.  Now Albie and Joe are clinging to a potato crate - hoping they can still survive this nightmare. 

Marino dumps us right into the middle of the Pacific Ocean near the Japanese battleground. THen he dumps into the water to battle dehydration madness, and multiple, persistent shark attacks, among other dangers. You will barely have time to breathe before the next danger arrives.  All of it is very plausible - you can tell Marino was careful with his research and found the right experts to guide on the historical events. And I like these because they are just a little longer than the I Survived series.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Secret Stories of Lost Beasts by Sashia Gwinn and Vasilisa Romanenko - ADVISABLE

Secret Stories of Lost Beasts: A Field Guide to Uncover Earth's Ancient Animals by Sashia Gwinn, illustrated by Vasilisa Romanenko. 63 pages. NON-FICTION CHAPTER BOOK. Wide Eyed Editions  (Quarto Group), 2025. $25. 9780711296978

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Secret lives and amazing adaptations of past creatures are revealed in this beautifully illustrated collection of long gone beasts.  Lost in time, but not forgotten are stories about dinosaurs, sea beasts, giant bugs, birds, and ice age mammals.  It also touches on animals once thought to be extinct that have been rediscovered, and how to help protect creatures that are critically endangered.

Secret Stories of Lost Beasts is fascinating, and I really enjoyed the gorgeously detailed, vintage-style artwork.

PGPowers

Standoff (Kidnapped from Ukraine #2) by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch - ESSENTIAL

Standoff (Kidnapped from Ukraine #2) by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, 288 pages. OCTOBER 2025. $26

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (single and mass war deaths, some described, mentions people forced to strip)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

When Russia starts the war with Ukraine by bombing the major cities, Rada and her Dad are separated from Rada’s twin Dariia and their Mom. While Rada and Dad make it to the safety of the Azovstal steel plant, Rada huddles in a bunker while Dad is off fighting for Ukraine’s freedom.  As bombing continues for months, life in the bunker goes from desperate to dire.  Rada has formed a family of sorts, but she won’t find happiness until she can find Dariia and Mom and a new life.

Skrypuch brings us the other side of a family caught in Russia’s most recent war against Ukraine.  Reading this book is better than any news story you could see, especially as the war continues today. And remember - Russia started it.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Liar’s Kingdom by Christine Callela - ESSENTIAL

Liar’s Kingdom by Christine Callela, 384 pages. Page Street, 2025. $19.

Language: PG-13 (31  swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (kisses); Violence: PG (2 deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE; HS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Ell is on her way to the palace to wed the prince after he appears at her home and she fits the glass slipper.  She is so happy to be out from under her evil stepmother’s iron-fisted rule that she doesn’t even care that she wasn’t even at the ball. But someone knows that she is not the girl who danced at the ball.  And her stepmother is not ready to give up Ell so easily.  And the king is a volatile tyrant who wants to eliminate every fairy from existence. Turns out that Ell was only in the pan - the fires raging around her are oh so worse.

The ferocity of Callela’s Cinderella reminds me of Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron - the Cinderella is going to have to save herself. Readers who enjoy complex fairy tale reworks will have a great time.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Brielle and Bear: Volume 1 written and illustrated by Salomey Doku - ADVISABLE

Brielle and Bear: Volume 1 written and illustrated by Salomey Doku, 176 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Random House Children's Books (Penguin Random House), 2025. $25.

Language: G (1 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Brielle and Bear are two students at Once Upon a Time University, the center of a charmingly picturesque fictional British village of Rosebridge. Brielle is a Portuguese Brit who is studying English as a first-year university student. Atohi “Bear” Yonas is a Mexican/Puerto Rican American rugby star in his last year at university. Volume 1 covers the Fall & Winter of their initial meeting and developing friendship.

A cozy and cute graphic novel is beautifully illustrated, however the story itself is slightly confusing. It’s supposed to be a retelling of Beauty and the Beast, and there are some references to the original story, but it feels a little forced. If you are going to name a school “Once Upon A Time University”, I would expect more fantasy than it had. In general, it was a cute story and has wide appeal for the casual teen reader, but I wouldn’t use it in the classroom.

Reviewer: Kiera Beddes, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes

When the Mapou Sings by Nadine Oinede - OPTIONAL

When the Mapou Sings by Nadine Oinede, 432 pages. Candlewick, 2024. $20

Language: PG-13 (10 swears,  0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Description of a young girl beginning her period); Violence: PG-13 (A secondhand account of an alleged rape)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

16yo Lucille lives in the countryside of Haiti with her father and aunt, as her mother died in childbirth. She communicates with trees and, like her father, is a talented wood carver. Her closest friend, Fefina, is abducted by the Station Chief and made to be his outside wife. After Fefina disappears, Lucille begins a quest to find her and creates a stir when she confronts the community and her disappearance. Her father sends her to Port-au-Prince to be a servant in a wealthy household. When the family’s son returns from Europe, he and Lucille begin a friendship which develops into something more. The head household servant doesn’t like their friendship and coaxes the wealthy employer to send Lucille away. Lucille again sent away and employed as a servant to Zora Neale Hurston, author of Their Eyes Were Watching God. Lucille helps Zora acclimate and navigate Haitian culture.

When the Mapou Sings is especially notable for its exploration of the journey through a young womanhood experience. Pinede gives voice felt by those living between different classes and, skillfully portrays the longing for home and the search for belonging. Her language is poetic and vivid, joining landscapes and inner worlds with equal intensity. Pinede’s work is both a tribute and a reminder that the past is never truly past, and that the roots we carry shape our thinking. Written in three parts, the story construction is at times loose and episodic. When the Mapou Sings is not for everyone and the reader will have to have a strong desire to read and finish.

Bryant Baird, Librarian

With Love, Echo Park by Laurie Taylor Namey - OPTIONAL

With Love, Echo Park by Laurie Taylor Namey, 320 pages. Atheneum BYR (Simon), 2024. $20

Language:  R (63 swears, 8 ‘f'); PG-13 (Appropriate age level kissing); Violence: G (none)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

17yo Clary and Emilio are lifelong residents of Echo Park in Los Angeles, CA. Their Cuban families migrated to Echo Park in the 1960s and set up businesses: a floral shop and bicycle shop, two of the last Cuban owned businesses in the area. Both Clary and Emilio are hard workers and huge assets to their family businesses. Clary is steadfast and looking forward to inheriting La Rosa Blanca. Emilio feels trapped at the thought of taking over Avalos Bicycle Works. A prominent Echo Park resident dies and at his funeral a visitor arrives who will shake up and perhaps alter things for determined Clary.

Namey’s depiction of Echo Park is alive with music, food, and cultural richness. The neighborhood is more than a setting - it’s a living memory of love, loss, and heritage. The story’s Latino representation feels deeply authentic, and the weaving of family dynamics, cultural identity, and healing adds depth to the story.With Love, Echo Park is a story about reconnection—both with others and with oneself. The romance is tender and believable, but it never overshadows the protagonist’s internal journey. Instead, it tells about building trust, navigating grief, and learning to hold joy and sorrow together.Namey’s writing is thoughtful yet realistic showing the vulnerability of teenage emotion with moments of happiness. Fans of her previous work will appreciate her continued ability to portray young women with depth, strength, and emotional honesty.Perfect for fans of Latina stories/novels, With Love, Echo Park is a quietly powerful novel about the spaces we live in and the people who help us navigate life and home.

Bryant Baird, Librarian

Artifice by Sharon Cameron - ADVISABLE

Artifice by Sharon Cameron, 464 pages. Scholastic, 2023. $14

Language: PG13 (46 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (Romance, kisses); Violence: PG (Occupation of Nazi's, violence toward Jewish people, peril for Dutch citizens)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Isa is a teenager in Amsterdam during WWII. Her mother is dead and her father, a painter and art dealer is addicted to morphine, so paying the taxes on the gallery and making enough money to meet their basic needs falls to her. She sells a painting to the Germans. It is a forgery, but they don't know it, at least she thinks they don't. But when Michel, one of the Nazi soldiers shows up at her door, and remembers her from when he visited from Vienna with his father, her world starts to crumble and she finds herself meeting Michel's demands, as well as helping her friends who work with the Dutch resistance.

An exciting historical fiction, based on actual people. I liked Cameron's author notes at the end, giving us the rest of the story of the real people, and more about the pieces of art that were hidden, forged or sold.  There isn't any war action (except for a couple of night air attacks on the city of Amsterdam), but there is lots of danger and scary door banging.  A nice read, but a bit long for middle school.

Characters are Dutch, Austrian or German. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Burning Season by Caroline Starr Rose - ADVISABLE

The Burning Season by Caroline Starr Rose, 228 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE. Nancy Paulsen Books (Penguin), 2025. $18. 

Content: G (some danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

12yo Opal has lived with her Gran and her mom in a firetower in the Gila National Forest of New Mexico all of her life - she is the fourth generation of female firewatchers in her family. But four years ago all three women almost died when a wildfire swept to the tower and since that day, Opal has been hiding her fear of fire. Then Mom is stuck in town after rain washes out the trail when she is in town loading up on supplies. Then Gran is missing. Then Opal spots that tell-tale wisp of smoke. Opal has only herself to rely on and she must get close to the fire in order to contain it until the firejumpers can arrive to help.

I am so disappointed that Opal only rates a novel in verse.  No literary devices used here.  But the story is swift and interesting. Opal is white.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Into the Rapids by Ann Braden - ESSENTIAL

Into the Rapids by Ann Braden, 165 pages. Nancy Paulsen Books (Penguin), 2025. $18. 

Content: G (some danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

On the day that her family signed the papers for their new house, Addy’s Dad died in the river.  Since that day, 12yo Addy and her mom have kept to themselves, staying apart from their mountain community; Mom’s grief has been too much to bear and she has only slowly learned coping skills.  Now a new monster storm has come and swept away the bridge. As Addy tries to get her mom the help she needs, she keeps running into Caleb, their nearest neighbor, intruding on her space.  But Addy is slowly realizing that her neighbors are kind and welcoming. With the help of Caleb Addy may even be able to make it to her wilderness camp program that she has been looking forward to all her life - even if it means braving the river.

I love that Addy is not dealing with anxiety - it is her mother instead, but Mom is not catatonic, just withdrawn and protective. Caleb is a great side character - steady and welcoming.  Includes a nice nod to Hatchet and Brian’s Winter. Addy is white.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Ballpark: the story of America’s baseball fields by Lynn Curlee - OPTIONAL

Ballpark: the story of America’s baseball fields by Lynn Curlee. NON-FICTION. Atheneum (Simon), 2025. $20. 9781665968867

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Though it looks like a picture book, Curlee’s look at the history of baseball and its parks is actually extremely text-dense - each full page of text accompanies a full-page illustration. Occasionally there is a two-page illustration, but thankfully no double pages of text. Baseball fans will love the information and older fans will love sharing memories with young friends. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The House on the Canal: the story of the house that hid Anne Frank by Thomas Harding, illustrated by Britte Teckentrup. - OPTIONAL

The House on the Canal: the story of the house that hid Anne Frank by Thomas Harding, illustrated by Britte Teckentrup. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick, 2025. $20. 9781536240702

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Harding takes us through the history of a house in Amsterdam - from the empty and then the building, to Otto Frank and his family in hiding during WWII and to its present day as a museum and learning center about the Holocaust. 

If anyone teaches about Anne Frank at your school, I would buy this in a heartbeat. I love the work that was done to let us know the full history of the house - not just the few years Anne and her family hid there. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson - OPTIONAL

What Beauty There Is by Cory Anderson, 362 pages. Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2021. $19. 

Language: R (23 swears 1 'f'); Mature Content: PG13 (teens sleeping in the same bed, creepy night behavior by adult); Violence: R (death, suicide, murders, graphic shootings, violent kidnapping, torture, adult assaulting a minor, graphic violent content) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

17yo Jack discovered his mother's suicide, and fearful that he and his little brother Matty will be placed in foster care, buries her behind their barn in rural Idaho. His father is in prison for a robbery. The money was never found, and the drug dealers he stole it from, as well as his accomplice, think Jack knows where it is hidden. They are willing to kill to get that money. 

A gripping and terrible story I had to finish once started. Oh things are so bad for Jack, just when you think it can't get worse it does. A well-written debut novel that kept this reader on the edge of my seat. A lot of violence, but the swear count was low as was mature content which is mostly implied or alluded to. Most of the characters are adults, except for Ava and Jack (17yos) and Matty who is in 2nd grade. I loved Ava's chapter introductions and her perspectives which helped build suspense. The characters are white. 

Lisa Librarian 

Lemons and Lies by Alexis Castellanos - OPTIONAL

Lemons and Lies by Alexis Castellanos, 288 pages. Bloomsbury, SEPTEMBER 2025. $13 (pb)

Language: R (53 swears,18  “f”); Mature Content: PG (mild kissing); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Valeria has always lived under her twin brother’s shadow, but after the drama this summer, Adrian is not speaking to her and has frozen her out of her friend group.  And now she’s about to fail Algebra, putting high school graduation in jeopardy.  Her only hope is to get tutoring, but the only tutor available is Gage - her brother’s rival for valedictorian. Gage is having drama of his own and Valeria suggests she pose as his fake girlfriend to get his ex and his parents off his back.  But what starts off as fake could easily become something more.  Is Valeria actually ready to come out of the shadows?

While you might think this is a standard fake-to-real romance, Castellanos weaves enough other action, drama, and heartache to help it all feel more real. This is actually a companion to her Guavas and Grudages, but even though I haven’t read it yet, I didn’t need to. 

Valeria and her family are Hispanic - and lots of Spanish phrases and food are intertwined.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay - OPTIONAL

Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay, 288 pages. Penguin, 2024. $19. 

Language: R (32 swears 13 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG13 (beatings, racist attacks, death) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Four generations of Filipino men examine their relationship with their fathers. Francisco (1929) immigrated at 14 to California for a better life and to help his family back home. Emil (1965) is Francisco's son. Living in Stockton California, he rarely sees his father who is a labor organizer. Chris (1983) lives in Denver, and his father - Emil - is strict, making him quit the football team because of one missed assignment. Making up that assignment, an essay about his ancestry, changes his perspective about the Philippines. Enzo (2020) is living in Philadelphia when COVID fears bring his grandfather Emil to live with them. Chris and Emil still have a rocky relationship, but Enzo tries to connect with the grandfather he never knew. 

A fascinating story, I loved learning along with Chris about the history of the Philippines, particularly the Marcos years. Although all the boys are teenagers, I wonder if Everything We Never Had would be a better read for adults, reflecting on their own father/son relationships. The characters are Filipino American 

Lisa Librarian  

All Roads Lead to Rome by Sabrina Fedel - ADVISABLE

All Roads Lead to Rome by Sabrina Fedel, 323 pages. Delacorte (Random House), 2024. $13

Language: PG (7 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (some kissing, one veiled reference to possible off page sex; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Story Herriot (17yo) is just finishing her senior year of high school. Her mother is in the diplomatic corps, and they live in Rome together. Story is introverted and a little anxious, and does not fit in with the other "dip" kids. After being mistaken for Jasmine, a famous singer, Story agrees to participate in a fake relationship with Scottish heartthrob Luca Kinnaird to protect his secret relationship with Jasmine. Together, they see all the wonderful and little-known parts of Rome. As they spend time together, Luca begins to shed some of his bad boy ways, and Story learns to come out of her shell and enjoy life more. The line between what is true and what is fake gets a little blurry the more they see of each other. Things get a little messy as Jasmine gets jealous and Story gains more followers on social media. The lies start to threaten to catch up with them. Will the lies destroy what they are building together?

A sweet and charming romance. I loved reading about some of the lesser-known sites in Rome. I also loved the references and parallels to classic movies such as Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany's. The story was a little predictable, but fun all the same. It is a clean romance with very few swear words. Story and Luca are white.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews - OPTIONAL

Rules for Ruin (The Crinoline Academy #1) by Mimi Matthews, 400 pages. Berkley Publishing, 2025. $20.

Language: PG13 (32 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence; PG

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

After graduating from the academy for girls, Effie was sent away to Paris to be a companion to an elderly lady. Effie hopes that her summons to return five years later will grant her freedom, but her old headmistress and guardian has one more stipulation before Effie can have her independence: Effie must ruin the reputation of Lord Compton. In this, Effie gains an unwitting enemy in Gabriel who needs Compton’s reputation to protect his own interests.

Matthews’ main characters are not above doing illegal things to achieve their goals, begging readers to determine how they are any better than the antagonist when everyone seems to believe that the ends justify the means. Curiosity of how Matthews will make both of her characters triumph in their conflicting goals as well as waiting to see how the will-they-won’t-they romance plays out act as the main propellants of the story. Overall, the story was a fun, predictable read.

The majority of characters are English and implied White, though Effie is described as having skin “somewhere between dark ivory and olive.” The mature content rating is for alcohol use, mentions of drugs and prostitution, illegal activity, kissing, partial nudity, and innuendo. The violence rating is for death, blood and gore, assault, and mentions of murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Rolling On (Roll with it #3) by Jamie Sumner, - ADVISABLE

Rolling On (Roll with it #3) by Jamie Sumner, 224 pages. Atheneum (Simon and Schuster), 2024. $18. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G (1 kiss); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Ellie is midway through 8th grade, next year will be high school! Bert has decided to apply to a science academy for high school, and Ellie is upset. Not just because they are such great friends, but suddenly she feels different about Bert, she likes him likes him. 

I love this series, Ellie is in a wheelchair, but it isn't the main storyline. Book 3 is poignant as Grandpa's Alzheimers is progressing and Ellie thinks the best plan is to bring him home - her stepdad has already made the trailer home accessible for her - he can make is perfect for Grandpa too. I loved the letters to bakers, I would love to make some of the recipes. Ellie has cerebral palsy and is white. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Spider Lady by Penny Parker Klostermann and Anne Lambelet. - ADVISABLE

The Spider Lady: Nan Songer and Her Arachnid WWII Army by Penny Parker Klostermann, illustrated by Anne Lambelet. BIOGRAPHY PICTURE BOOK. Calkins Creek (Astra), 2025. $20. 9781662680359

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Nan Songer grew up collecting bugs and studied with a well-know botanist Marie Meislahn. She grew tired of studying dead bugs, and filled her house with live bugs in jars to study their habits and behaviors.  A friend told her how he had used spider silk to repair his surveying scope, and Nan was hooked.  She figured out how to gather silk from spiders, and which spiders had what size of silk.  She then helped the manufacturers in the WWII effort by supplying them with spider silk for crosshairs in gunsights, bombsights, periscopes, and range finders.

Klostermann reveals a fascinating little know story about a unique woman hero who helped the war effort.  It is perfect for kids who are fascinated by insects.  Lambert beautifully brings this story to life.

PGPowers

Hiding in Plain Sight: Kate Warne and the race to save Abraham Lincoln by Beth Anderson, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport.

Hiding in Plain Sight: Kate Warne and the race to save Abraham Lincoln by Beth Anderson, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Calkins Creek (Astra), 2025. $19. 9781635928235

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

President-elect Abraham Lincoln was on his way from Illinois to his inauguration in Washington DC, but in order to arrive, he had to pass through Baltimore, a Southern States stronghold, with virulent anti-Lincoln sentiments. Word has reached the ears of the Pinkertons that an assassination plot was planned, heard by the vigilant ears of Kate Warne, one of Pinkerton's most trusted agents. Can they convince Lincoln to shift his plans even a little in order to avoid the danger?

If your school talks about inaugurations or covers Lincoln’s presidency, I can see adding Anderson’s book. It is interesting reading and the atmospheric illustrations add to the noir feeling of the whole. It all depends on who in your building would use it. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Dragon’s Apprentice by James Riley - OPTIONAL

The Dragon’s Apprentice by James Riley, 223 pages. Labyrinth Road (Random House), 2025. $19

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

It has been 1000 years since the Dragon Mage set out to teach all humans magic, bringing into being the evil Revenants, so now magic can only be in the hands of the Emperor. At least that was 12yo Ciara and the others of the kingdom have been told by the Emperor and his descendants. But Ciara has found the journal written by the Great Betrayer - or Bianca as she was known by the Dragon Mage, and Ciara uses the journal to summon a dragon! Scorch, the dragon, doesn’t want to train Ciara - he’s been asleep for 1000 years and he needs to find out where everything went so wrong and where the other dragons and their apprentices.  Ciara needs to save her mother and defy the Warden, who wants the journal. If Scorch and Ciara can’t learn to work together, the Emperor will win.

Ciara is the embodiment of chaotic good - she knows what she wants and she will take the little she knows in order to do what she sees as right.  Scorch doesn’t help matters as he prioritizes his own wants over Ciara’s.  And the Dragon Mage didn’t help things by making it impossible for a dragon to harm a human (just saying - a little fire applied to the right behinds would make things much easier). Young readers will enjoy the plethora action that furthers the story and won’t miss the lack of any kind of world-building or backbone to the story.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Spindle of Fate by Aimee Lim - ADVISABLE

The Spindle of Fate by Aimee Lim, 304 pages. Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan), 2025. $18

Language: G (G swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (deaths and danger in the underworld)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

12yo Evie Mei’s mother is missing, but she refuses to believe that she is actually dead, like everyone says. When she sneaks into her mother’s secret workshop - not only does she encounter a talking monkey (actually an evil demon), he informs her that her mother was the leader of one of the prestigious magical Guilds. Evie Mei takes a desperate chance and plunges into Diyu, the Chinese Underworld (after life) to search and retrieve her mother, only accompanied by a teenaged, slightly inept, warrior. 

Probably my favorite take on Chinese mythology to date. Evie Mei isn’t the savior of the world - she just wants to save her mom.High stakes for her, but not world-ending.  Evie’s eagerness to find her mom I found to be endearing and there is plenty of danger and action to keep readers engaged. 

I listened to this book courtesy of libro.fm

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Secrets of Lovelace Academy by Marie Benedict and Courtney Sheinmel - OPTIONAL

The Secrets of Lovelace Academy by Marie Benedict and Courtney Sheinmel, 295 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2025. $18

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

In 1904 London, Lainey has lived in the Holsapples orphanage since her parents died in a car crash when she was 3 years old. After 9 years, she is still wounded daily by their casual cruelty and greed.  But then she meets the daughter of Ada Lovelace at the biyearly donor open house and impresses the grand lady with her self-taught knowledge of science. Now Lainey is whisked away to the prestigious Lovelace Academy - a place where they educate girls - something unheard of at the time. Lainey may not be hungry, nor cold, now, but that doesn’t mean life is any easier emotionally.  Lainey so badly wants to find a place where she can belong - somewhere she can make a difference - even if that means she leaves with only the clothes on her back, in pursuit of Mileva - the wife of Albert Einstein.

Personally I loved this book - read it in one sitting.  Historical fiction is such a hard sell, especially if it doesn’t involve war or at least mortal danger. I loved the look at the Einstein family at home, and watching Albert betray Mileva, at least scientifically, was heart-breaking. I will be recommending this to my adult friends, and to a few special students.

Lainey is English, the Einsteins are from Germany and Hungary.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Dreams to Ashes by Livia Blackburne and Nicole Xu - OPTIONAL

Dreams to Ashes by Livia Blackburne and Nicole Xu. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Carolrhoda (Lerner), 2025. $20. 9798765627228

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Subtitle: The 1871 Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre.

When the gold around San Francisco dried up, the Chinese population spread across the country looking for other opportunities. In Los Angeles, a group of 180 lived in an area that came to be known as Chinatown.  Resentment built, suspicions were flames, and one night shots between Chinese gangs became the spark that led to white Los Angelinos killing 18 Chinese.

If you teach any allied subject to this topic, then I do believe you should invest your money here. Besides talking about Chinese immigration, the Gold Rush, and early Los Angeles, it is also a clear look at what forces form a mob and how the justice system, even where very little law yet existed, could be twisted to favor those with power and/or money. Heavy topics, so discuss this with your teachers and see how they could use it first.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Surviving Vesuvius by Christopher Harrison, illustrated by Beth Waters - ADVISABLE

Surviving Vesuvius by Christopher Harrison, illustrated by Beth Waters, 80 pages. NON-FICTION GRAPHIC NOVEL. Quarto,  2025. $25. 9780711279254

Content: PG (deaths in the eruption)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Seventeen year-old Roman student Pliny is at his home across the bay from the busy town of Pompeii when the tremors that sometimes shake the ground are coming more frequently than usual and he observes one of the most frightening, natural, and cataclysmic events ever to be recorded.

Surviving Vesuvius is based on the letter written by Pliny the Younger to his friend Tacitus who wanted to know how Pliny's uncle had died. Harrisson tells a very fascinating, compelling, and sad story about the events of the Mount Vesuvius catastrophe. Waters interestingly helps us reimagine the characters and events.

PGPowers

Ivy Newt and the Storm Witch by Derek Keilty and Magda Brol - ADVISABLE

Ivy Newt and the Storm Witch by Derek Keilty and Magda Brol, 165 pages. CHAPTER BOOK. Scallywag Press (Lerner), 2025. $18

Content: G (mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

On Ivy Newt’s birthday, her King and Queen parents vanish in a violent flash. Unsure what to do, Ivy and her familiar Tom Wolf venture out in search of clues. Along the way they find a new friend whose father has also disappeared.  Together the trio may be able to solve the mystery. 

Welcome to the magic kingdom of Miracula.  Highly illustrated, the book is a quick read for a newly independent reader. Ivy Newt’s age is unspecified, but probably 8-10yo. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Saving H'Non: Chang and the Elephant by Trang Nguyen and Jeet Zdung - ESSENTIAL

Saving H'Non: Chang and the Elephant by Trang Nguyen and Jeet Zdung, 128 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Dial Books FYR (Penguin), 2023. $14

Content: PG (Cruelty to animals mentioned)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Chang is a young Vietnamese girl that works hard to conserve and help abused animals. She comes across an Asian elephant that is injured and has been severely abused during her 60 or so years of life. Chang rescues the elephant and goes in search of a kind and compassionate caretaker, a mahout. 

Zdung’s illustrations are amazing! I loved learning about elephant rescuers and elephant sanctuaries. I could not put the book down and I have gone back and read it many more times. This book is truly a treasure that I think a lot of students, teachers and parents will also treasure. 

Ellen-Anita, Librarian

Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson - OPTIONAL

Unhallowed Halls by Lili Wilkinson, 464 pgs. Delacorte Press, 2025. $20

Language: R (20 swears, 16 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (romantic kissing, mention of consensual sexual relations, sexual assault alluded to);Violence: R (on page: detailed bloody injury, stabbing, detailed description of people being killed by monsters, stabbing deaths, death by frostbite, violence to animals)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

Page Whittaker is from Florida and has attended many schools as she has always struggled to fit in because of the strange and dangerous events that seem to happen when she is around. After one of these events, Page receives a scholarship offer from a boarding school in the Highlands of Scotland that caters to rich, intellectually gifted, troubled youngsters. This seems like the answer Page has been looking for. A place she can fit in with her love of reading and academics and with the strict discipline the school emphasizes, perhaps she can manage to control the darkness within. However, not long after arriving, Page starts to realize that her new school is full of secrets and the reason she has been brought there may be more about unleashing her darkness rather than controlling it.

Intriguing premise that steadily devolves in the second half. A world with magic, but no clear magic system. Too little world building with too much frenzied action. Lack of character development leaves the reader feeling as though they are being held at a distance and left unable to connect with anyone in the story. Many scenes with bizarre and convoluted happenings that are hard to follow or feel invested in. 

Reviewer: AEB

Written in the Stars by Lee Heart, - OPTIONAL

Written in the Stars by Lee Heart, 129 pages. Simon, 2025. $18 (hc); $8 (pb)

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

12yo Quinn is so excited to get back to the normalcy of summer camp - with her Dad dying unexpectedly, this has been a tough year. She is excited to be bunkmates with her two best friends, but one of the new girls has a major chip on her shoulder and a bad attitude that starts spreading to others. Also, a very cute British boy has entered the picture - could Quinn like him and maybe he likes her too?

Heart and the new Spotlight Sprinkles series gives us a very early, mild introduction into first crushes. In this title the drama between different friends was more interesting than the crush part.  I did like, however, that lightness - 12 year olds do not need to be thinking about long term romance!

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Last Bookstore On Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold - NOT RECOMMENDED

The Last Bookstore on Earth by Lily Braun-Arnold, 320 pgs. Delacorte Press, 2025. $20

Language: R (60 swears, 3 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (romantic kissing); Violence: R (on page: detailed bloody injury, stabbing, threat with a gun, detailed description of people being melted by acid rain, bloody knife fight, murder by acid rain, stabbing death).

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS-NO

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME

Elizabeth survived The Storm and has taken refuge in her former workplace, a bookstore in suburban New Jersey. Every day is a fight for survival as she trades books for supplies and relies on her infrequent visitors for news of the outside world. One day, a visitor brings the unwelcome news that another Storm is on its way. As Liz panics about how to prepare for the incoming disaster, Maeve shows up with knowledge of how to fix the desperately needed repairs for the shop if Liz will just let her stay. As feelings develop between them, questions remain. Who is this surly stranger? Can she be trusted to help Liz? What secrets are both holding back that could threaten their fragile alliance and ultimate survival?

Intriguing premise that was executed poorly. In a post-apocalyptic world, characters react in ways that defy logic and create unnecessary conflict and tragedy. Non-existent world building leads to reader confusion that distracts from the narrative and creates a frustratingly absurd story.

Reviewer: AEB

Huda F Wants to Know? (Huda F #3) by Huda Fahmy - ESSENTIAL

Huda F Wants to Know? (Huda F #3) by Huda Fahmy, 209 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Penguin Teen, 2025. $18 (pb).

Content: G (some talk of mental health, back matter contains info about suicide hotlines)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Huda’s life has just been flipped on its head - her parents are getting a divorce???!!! Huda’s grades are already tanking because she’s  more interested in a boy than doing school work, but now she has no chance. Then she has a fight with her best friend, and they aren’t speaking to each other.  Huda needs help, but admitting you need a professional to talk to is frowned upon.

Huda’s life in her junior year tackles deeper topics - though everything is handled with care. I love the look into life as Muslim - Utah has so little to experience. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Sole Survivor by Norman Ollestad and Brendan Kiely - ADVISABLE

Sole Survivor by Norman Ollestad and Brendan Kiely, 272 pages. MEMOIR. Farrar Straus Giroux, OCTOBER 2025. $20

Language: PG (9 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG (mention of abusive stepfather); Violence: PG (3 deaths of plane crash, blood mentioned)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

11yo Norman is anxious to get back to Big Bear to accept his award for the ski championship. Their small private plane takes him, his dad, and Dad’s girlfriend from Malibu, but when they hit bad weather, the plane goes down, killing the pilot and Norman’s dad.  Norman will have to rely on himself to perhaps get himself and Sandra off the mountain.

I think kids will love Norman’s true life survival adventure. Norman recounts all of the ways his dad forced him into dangerous situations in all kinds of outdoor adventures, such as surfing or skiing during storms. As an adult, I think Norman’s father was a daredevil fool who could have lost his parental rights for child endangerment in the present day. I do like the afterword where Norman confronts his dangerous, spiraling behavior before he completely crashes out of life. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Exit Nowhere by Juliana Brandt - ADVISABLE

Exit Nowhere by Juliana Brandt, 309 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2024. $18.

Content: G (ghosts, mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Since her best friend deserted her, Barret Eloise has become withdrawn from the school social scene - only surfacing to answer every teachers’ questions correctly to show off her one skill.  Forced into a group project with sadi former best friend, the school sport star, and the also smart Wayne, the quartet decide to investigate the Rathfield Manor - the local haunted house, where it is said people disappear. Now they are locked inside and tormented by the ghost of a young boy, who dares them to try to win his games. 

Brandt gives us a good game-based ghost story, but adds depth with Barrett Eloise’s insecurities, while also giving her the tools she needs to grow more depth.  Also, the solution to the haunting problem is its own layer - not just an evil spirit out to kill everyone. In fact, I am very impressed by other small details that Brandt nurtures into the overall story.

The characters are white, with one African American. One character has two dads.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell, art by Ashley MacKenzie - ESSENTIAL

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell, art by Ashley MacKenzie, 368 pages. Random House, 2023. $20. 

Language: PG (2 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (creature violence, threats of being eaten, terrible injuries, fights with knives and swords, a murderer, deaths, talk of blood - seems like a lot buts it's not gory or excessive or even gross) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

It's very difficult to write a short summary of a story so beautiful and complex, so please excuse my very limited review. Mal and Christopher are children, Mal has a special coat that helps her to fly. She lives in the Archipelago which is like a animal preserve for magical creatures. Christopher's grandfather is the guardian, who watches the regular world side of the entrance to the Archipelago and protects it. Christopher will be Guardian some day, as was his mother. But then Christopher notices an injured Griffen near the lake, and Mal comes looking for help. The 2 children head to the Archipelago together to avoid a murderer, and try to stop whatever is killing the last magical place on earth. 

I have heard about this book for more than a year - the hype is correct, it's wonderful! An amazing adventure for a couple of brave and determined kids, who get just enough help to protect them, but not so much that they aren't the heroes. So many magical creatures, many I remember from the stories of my childhood, but many more as well. I appreciated the Bestiary at the end, with descriptions and illustrations of the impossible creatures. It is a bit violent, but not graphic or bloody - yes there are some life threatening injuries, and deaths of people and creatures we care about and a horrible villain, but upper elementary and middle school readers are going to love this. I have a couple of copies in my library already and it will be my gift of choice to the younger teens who want a book for their birthday. Christopher and Mal are white. 

Lisa Librarian 

All Ears by Stuart Gibbs (funjungle #9) - ESSENTIAL

All Ears by Stuart Gibbs (funjungle #9), 306 pages. Simon and Schuster, 2025. $18.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Teddy’s detective plate is very full.  Someone is stealing valuable pure deer urine from a local sanctuary, his best friend Xavier has been accused of vandalizing a construction site, and an elephant has been stolen from a different sanctuary and Teddy is sure that it is going to be used in an illegal hunt.  Summer has jumped all in to help him, but time is short and plenty of red herrings are standing in the way of finding the true villains.

Gibbs does such a great job of weaving together the complexities of endangered animal conservation, zoo controversies, and even environmental concerns into his plots without feeling heavy handed or preachy. This particular is is complicated, but involves Teddy’s signature detective work and strokes of insightful brilliance.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renee Watson, fine art by Ekua Holmes - ADVISABLE

Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renee Watson, fine art by Ekua Holmes, 96 pages. Penguin, 2024. $19. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Black Girl You Are Altas is a collection of poems by Renee Watson celebrating black girls and women. 

A few autobiographical prose sections - which still read like poetry because Renee Watson is such a talented poet - about being 7, 13 and 16. As I read, I found myself re-reading certain poems and reflecting on my own experiences. Gorgeous illustrations by Ekua Holmes highlight many of the poems and make this short collection a great addition to your poetry section, and also a wonderful gift. 

Lisa Librarian

Song of the Lioness: Alanna by Tamora Pierce

Song of the Lioness: Alanna (Song of the Lioness #1) by Tamora Pierce, 251 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Abrams Fanfare (ABRAMS), 2025. $18.

Language: PG (1 swear, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

When Alanna (11yo) and her twin brother, Thom, are sent away by their father to become a court lady and a knight, respectively, neither are happy. So they switch places. Thom goes into training to become a sorcerer in the City of the Gods, and Alanna cuts her hair and calls herself Alan in order to be a page in training to become a knight.

While Alanna struggles with the long road to become who she wants to be, she perseveres, showing readers that victory is about more than magic and inherent talent. Alanna’s story captured me when I was her age, and reading this graphic novel version has brought it to life again for me—it even cleared up some confusion I didn’t realize I still had from when I read the series before. I loved how the illustrations enhanced my visualization of the action sequences and of the castles and world Pierce described.

Characters of various skin tones are depicted throughout the book. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, mild scary elements, mild innuendo, and partial nudity. The violence rating is for assault, war, death, and fantasy violence.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo - PUBLIC ONLY

Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo, 448 pages. Bloomsbury, 2024. $20.

Language: R (100+ swears, 100+ F's); Mature Content: R (sexual content, sexual language); Violence: R (sexual assault, kidnapping) 

BUYING ADVISORY: NEW ADULT - PUBLIC ONLY

APPEALS TO: SOME 

17yo Jo-Lynn had a confrontation with a boy at a beach bonfire, his response, revenge porn - he sent her nudes (stolen from her phone) to his contacts. Suddenly she went from popular to pariah. The girls all stepped away from her, the boys thought she was easy, and acted on it. She spiraled at school.  Then, her ex-best friend Maddie disappears - some say she ran away, others that she's dead. Maddie had been awful to Jo, but the day she disappeared, Maddie had told Jo she was in trouble and needed her help. Was this a set up, or could Jo figure out what really happened? 

This debut novel is a Morris award winner. An intriguing mystery with a lot going on. A school cheating scandal, academic rankings drama, college acceptance, mentors, mean girls, mean boys, as well as family drama. Jo starts fake dating Hudson, (his suggestion to help her get back in with the popular crowd) and the relationship grows and becomes physical. The sexual content is also a lot, I would describe it as explicit, and there's not a nice build to it either - it doesn't feel romantic, also there are several scenes. While the intended audience is high school, I would suggest New Adult as a more appropriate audience. Characters default white. 

Lisa Librarian 

Keeper Chance and the Conundrum of Chaos by Alex Evanovich - NO

Keeper Chance and the Conundrum of Chaos by Alex Evanovich, 336 pages. Simon and Schuster, 2024. $19.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: NO

APPEALS TO: SOME

Keeper Chance has perfected the art of lying low - until he comes to the attention of the local chapter of EVIL (Evil Villains International League). The new recruits first mission is to steal cookies, but the whole thing rapidly becomes much more complicated. 

Super weird that Keeper and the other recruits can drive, but I feel as if mentally they are 12 years old. I would suggest your students read Mark Walden’s HIVE, with Otto and his friends instead.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Boys I Know by Anna Gracia - NO

Boys I Know by Anna Gracia, 352 pages. Candlewick, 2023. $18

Language: R (100+ swears, 1  “f”); Mature Content: R (on page descriptive sex, drinking, drug use); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: NO

APPEALS TO: SOME

High school senior June Chu has nothing figured out.  Her life has been decided by her over-bearing Asian mom.  Every boy she seems to want and every sexual experience she has ends badly. June can’t even seems to keep her relationships with her best girlfriends. As senior year swiftly moves a close, June will have to break out and make choices, real choices, for herself, or let the rest of her life be someone else’s choice.

The first 75% of the book is a boy-centric mess.  I wasn’t invested in June as a person until the last 25%, which is not a great recommendation.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Enemy’s Daughter by Anne Blankman - OPTIONAL

The Enemy’s Daughter by Anne Blankman, 288 pages. Penguin, 2025. $19

Content: PG (dead bodies mentioned as the ship sinks)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

In 1915, 12yo Marta and her father used false papers to board the Luisitania to hurry home to Germany to persuade Marta’s brother not to join the German army during WWI. Just as her father’s deception is discovered, the boat is hit by German torpedoes - sending it to the bottom of the ocean. Marta and her father barely survive, but while he is dragged off as a prisoner, Marta is left to find her own way home.  In enemy territory.  She is taken in by a Irish family living in London, but she knows if anyone kearns her true nationality, she will become an outcast and a target.

The potential is there for an exciting book, and the beginning is pretty great.  Once Marta settles in London, however, it drags and drags.  I get that the point is for Marta (and us) to learn that whom we are at war with isn’t necessarily our enemy, but since Marta has to flee when everyone turns on her, the point is not made. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS