The Firefly Crown by Yxavel Magno Dino - ADVISABLE

The Firefly Crown by Yxavel Magno Dino, 288 pages. Bloomsbury, 2025. $19

Content: PG (some danger, some deaths - bones picked clean mentioned)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

12yo Yumi hates slogging through the rice fields with her parents every day, especially because her Cricket powers are so weak, the crickets don’t bother listening to her.  When all of the mambabarang are summoned to the capitol city to witness the crowning of the rajah’s daughter as the new Hara, the only person with enough power to wield the Firefly Crown to hold off the murderous Ghost Swarms, Yumi stows away. Yumi just wants to explore the city and find a metalwork apprenticeship, but her bravery and quick-thinking may be all that stands in the path of total disaster.

Yumi’s talent to save the day is quite exaggerated, as the action takes place over such a short time - her meteoric rise from lowly, inept Cricket to Savior of the Country is a bit clunky at times.  As the story progresses, the action and danger start to feel more realistic. I think this is a stand alone fantasy - it is always nice to have one-offs to balance out the long series. 

I listened to the book narrated by Jensen Olaya, provided by libro.fm.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Grady Jones and the Great Detective Game by Kerry Duglas Dye - NO

Grady Jones and the Great Detective Game by Kerry Duglas Dye, 320 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2025. $18

BUYING ADVISORY: NOT RECOMMENDED

12yo Grady is desperate to be great at something, even though he doesn’t take the time to build the skills to be great at anything.  However, Detective-ing is his latest greatness of choice and a murder mystery lands in his lap - he will inherit a large sum of money if Grady Jones can solve the mystery. hen another Grady Jones shows up to also try to solve the murder, Grady #1 will have to really step up.

The only way Grady can get anyone to help him is because the author wrote the other characters that way.  Grady’s personality is so grating, I was excited to see a second Grady show up - because I wanted Grady #1 to lose.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Time Lions and the Chrono-Loop by Martin Seneviratne and Krystal Sutherland - NO

Time Lions and the Chrono-Loop by Martin Seneviratne and Krystal Sutherland, 261 pages. Nancy Paulsen (Penguin), 2025. $19

Content: G (mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: NOT RECOMMENDED

12yo twin Pearl is so proud of having built a time machine, even though she and her brother Patrick risked their lives to break into the British Museum to retrieve the final piece she needed for her machine.  Imagine her surprise when both children are arrested by TIME (The Interdimensional Misconduct Enquiry) for their crimes against history. AS Pearl fights against her new time restrictions she only continues to make things, including the timeline, worse.

Pearl is absolutely annoying and only gets more annoying as the book continues. Instead of being confident and helpful, she comes off as self-righteous and obnoxious. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Queen Bees of Tybee County by Kyle Casey Chu - ADVISABLE

The Queen Bees of Tybee County by Kyle Casey Chu, 309 pages. Quill Tree (Harper), 2025. $20

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Rising 8th grader Derrick Chan is disappointed when he can’t go to basketball camp like he was supposed to - he is a middle school basketball superstar and he wants to keep his skills sharp. Instead, his dad is sending to his grandmother’s (Dad’s mom) for the summer - the grandmother he hardly ever sees, especially ever since his mom died of cancer. As Derrick helps his  grandmother with the local beauty pageant, he finds a side of himself that he had buried - the side of him that loves shiny fabric, fabulous makeup, and swishy skirts. He makes a plan with his new friend Ro, to trade places with her in the pageant - but how will his at-home best friend AND his own father react if they see him?

Chu tackles racism, family problems, homophobia, friendship drama, and acknowledging your own sexuality.  It may seem like a lot, but she does it so well. And she does it in a way that the only way could be offended is if you deny that drag queens and LGBT people exist. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Treasure of Ocean Parkway by Sarenaz Tash - OPTIONAL

The Treasure of Ocean Parkway (Queen of Ocean Parkway #2) by Sarenaz Tash, 227 pages. Knopf (Random House), 2025. $18

Content: G (none)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Since they solved their first mystery together, 12yo Roya and Amin have been collaborating on a mystery podcast. Then Thea, another kid in their building approaches them to help her solve a mystery left behind by her grandfather. The mystery involves both Thea’s great-grandfather and Thea’s dad, who has a very rocky relationship with Thea’s grandfather, who has been beset with Alzheimer's related memory loss. As the kids follow the clues all over the building and the city, they are also learning to trust each other and how to open up to accepting new people in their lives.

#2 doesn’t have the magical realism of #1. I liked it much more than the first. Adding a third character made the dynamics between people more interesting and I didn’t miss the magical realism.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

When Science Stood Still by Shruthi Rao and Srindhi Srinivasan - ADVISABLE

When Science Stood Still by Shruthi Rao, illustrated by Srindhi Srinivasan. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. McElderry (Simon), 2025. $20. 9781665949965

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Subramanyan Chandrasekhar was only 19 in the 1930’s when he did the math and wrote the paper that proved the existence of black holes.  It took more than 30 years for the rest of the science community to take him seriously - and 50 years after that first paper, Chandra was awarded a Nobel prize. 

Rao does an excellent job of succinctly giving us Chadra’s story in a way that captures our attention and keeps us reading. I am excited to show this to my middle school science teachers to support their curriculum. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Kamala Harris (She Persisted) by Raakhee Mirchandani - ADVISABLE

Kamala Harris (She Persisted) by Raakhee Mirchandani, 68 pages. BIOGRAPHY. Philomel (Penguin), 2025. $7 (pb). 9798217039593

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

From her earliest days, with her parents’ activism, Kamala Harris has been involved in working to make people’s lives better. This passion drove her through college and into a career first as a lawyer, and then into politics, where she was the first female vice president and the first female presidential candidate by one of the two major parties. 

Mirchandani gives as a simplified, but well detailed look at Harris’s inspirations, her drive, and her poise. There are at least 3 dozen books in this series now - well-known and little-known names - to enjoy. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian MLS

We Fell Apart (We Were Liars #3) by E. Lockhart - ADVISABLE

We Fell Apart (We Were Liars #3) by E. Lockhart, 320 pages. Random House Children's Books, 2025. $23

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Matilda has been raised by a mother who is frequently running off to find love.  Her father is unknown to her. Her mother never talks about her father and Matilda has lived her life without knowing him or anything about his life.  Unexpectedly, upon graduation, she receives an email from her father that turns her world into one mystery after another.  

Based on a hidden beach, tangled with webs of lies and a little romance, readers will be thrilled to find one surprise after another until the very end. This is a sweet book of a young woman trying to find her identity, a true love, and whether or not she can be “whole” in spite of her father’s lack of love and attention.  The plot is fun, fast moving and interesting.  We Fell Apart is well written in a very clean and classy way.  I loved that strong emotions were experienced and explored without the use of violence, swearing, or sexual content.  The book runs the gambit of love, loss and triumph without worrisome content. 

S. Lewis

Glory Be by Jamie Sumner - ADVISABLE

Glory Be by Jamie Sumner, 208 pages. Novel in Verse Atheneum (Simon and Schuster), March 2026. $18. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

9yo Glory's dog Roux is missing. It is all she can think about. Her father has a drinking and gambling problem, and she is worried that he is somehow involved in Roux's disappearance. 

This novel in verse is very dog forward. A child with a dog, or who has ever lost a dog, can easily relate to Glory's misguided plan to find Roux. Sumner's poetry is free verse, and at many times is visually expressive. I really enjoyed Glory Be. The characters default white. 

Lisa Librarian 

I Don’t Wish You Well by Jumata Emill - OPTIONAL

I Don’t Wish You Well by Jumata Emill, 400 pages. Delacorte Press (Random House), 2026. $20.

Language: R (81 swears, 16 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Five years ago, the case of the Trojan Mask Murders was closed when Deuce was found dead with a gun in his hand, assumedly having killed himself over the guilt of what he had done. But at the death of Deuce’s uncle, Sampson, someone posts about knowing Deuce was innocent—the only person other than Sampson to suggest it. Pryce, having just finished his first year at university majoring in journalism, starts his own investigation based on that statement and follows the story.

Pryce makes mistakes as he chases down the truth, and those are my favorite parts of his story. The twists and turns and mess of secrets Pryce unveils feels like so many other books in this genre, and Pryce stands out because Emill lets him feel like the amateur journalist sleuthing around that he is. Everything else was still enjoyable to read, and readers will scoot to the edge of their seats as they get sucked in with every page, all those feelings typical of this genre.

The majority of characters are Black, and several significant characters, including Pryce and Isaiah, are gay. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, including mentions of underage drinking; kissing; illegal activity; mentions of nudity, pornography, pedophiles, and sex; and innuendo. The violence rating is for assault, gun use, and for mentions of domestic violence, child and sexual abuse, rape, suicide, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

It's All or Nothing, Vale by Andrea Beatriz Arango - ADVISABLE

It's All or Nothing, Vale by Andrea Beatriz Arango, 254 pages. Random House, 2025. $18 

Language: G (2 swears); Mature Content: PG (protagonist has feelings for another girl); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Vale's life is fencing and she can't imagine life without it. As she returns to 7th grade after a devastating accident, Vale tires to hide that she has difficulty some days moving her leg. Vale is determined to return to her pre-accident fencing position despite her pain. Determined to succeed, Vale has to figure out how to define herself if she can no longer be at the top of her game. 

Vale is a strong character who has to come to terms with what could be a long term disability instead of a quick fix. She is a flawed character, which makes her relatable. Nice message of how damaging it can be to have all your identity defined by one thing. Vale's crush on another girl, Myrka is subtle, without hitting you over the head with same sex attraction. The free verse didn't feel very much like poetry, more like prose, but the format may appeal to reluctant readers. Vale is Puerto Rican and Myrka is Cuban. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Neshama by Marcella Pixley - ESSENTIAL

Neshama by Marcella Pixley, 358 pages. Candlewick, 2025. $19 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Anna doesn't fit in in 6th grade because Anna sees ghosts. Ghosts that make her want to dance and twirl with them and play games with them. No one seems to understand Anna, not her classmates who bully her, or even her father. Her grandmother, Bubbe, has always treasured Anna's shayna neshama, her beautiful soul. When one particular ghost attaches herself to Anna, Anna begins to learn some of the heavy truths of her family's past. 

This book is beautifully written. Not all free verse books are poetry, but this one truly is. The words are rich and warm and envelope you in a world of ancestors and the healing power of religious traditions. The truths Anna learns are universal and the lessons she learns about forgiveness are quotable. Anna seems much older than a sixth grader. Once you start this book, you will have to see it through. Anna and her family are Jewish. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Limelight: Curtain up on Poetry Comics! by Renee M. LaTulippe and Chuck Gonzales - OPTIONAL

Limelight: Curtain up on Poetry Comics! by Renee M. LaTulippe, illustrated by Chuck Gonzales, 138 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Charlesbridge/Imagine, 2025. $19 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Poems set to comics, these poems cover the theater world. Beginning with the theater's welcome and going through aspects of theater, many of the poems are told from aspects in the theater, like the curtain, the script, or the seat in the auditorium. 

It's an interesting premise, and the different points of view, as well as the poetry, could be used as a jumping off tool for teaching those elements in the classroom. The poems are included without the graphic art interpretations at the back of the book. Students could try and make graphic art out of their own poems and this could make a fun class assignment. If not used as a teaching tool, it would only appeal to readers who love poetry about theater. Many races are depicted in the graphic art. 

Michelle in the Middle

The Free State of Jax by Jennifer A. Nielsen - ESSENTIAL

The Free State of Jax by Jennifer A. Nielsen, 352 pages. Scholastic, 2025. $19 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

12yo Jax is having a rough go. His parents died when he was three, and his grandmother has Alzheimers, so he has been sent to live with his aunt and uncle and their six kids, all bullies, in Walkonby, Kansas. Jax has decided he has no other recourse than to run away on the night of his 12th birthday. He floats a raft out on the neighbor's hot springs lake and declared it the Free State of Jax, a micronation. Jax has to avoid his bullying cousins and their lawyer, while also delving into a local mystery and possible murder, that could threaten his freedom. 

Jax's story hits all the right notes. There is humor, and the characters are delightful, if a bit intimidating. There is a lot of tension, as Jax's freedom, safety, and country recognition are challenged. The book brings up legitimate issues, like grief, loss, and forgiveness in a non-preachy way, as well as addressing the loss of choice that kids without parents often have. You will find yourself cheering for Jax, who is wiser than his years, and hoping for a dip in a hot springs. 

Culture and/or race is not specified, though Jax appears white on the cover. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Friedel and Gina by Jeremy Dronfield - OPTIONAL

Friedel and Gina by Jeremy Dronfield, 368 pages. NON-FICTION. Harper Collins, MARCH 2026. $19

Language: PG (11 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (many Holocaust related shootings, gassing mentioned)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Follow Friedel and her fraternal twin Gina from the beginnings of WWII in 1930’s Dusseldorf Germany and through their liberation at the end of the war when they escape during a death march as the Nazis try to kill off the few survivors of the concentration camps.

Dronfield takes on a heavy load as he tries to include every twist and turn of the Rosenthal family’s lives as Hitler joins German politics and the family gets caught up in his Final Solution.  He would have been better served to choose a few key highlights to emphasize.  Were I a family member, I would be proud of all that was included.  As an outsider looking in, however, I would prefer not to hear about every single move - it made the book drag. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Alice with a Why by Anna James, illustrated by Matthew Land - ADVISABLE

Alice with a Why by Anna James, illustrated by Matthew Land. 240 pages. Penguin, 2026. $19

Content: G (adventure only)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

As a child, Alyce loved the stories her grandmother told about her adventures, but a bit older now and she believes the stories much less. The Great War (WWI) has ended and Alyce is living with her grandmother.  One day at the pond she finds an invitation in the picture book she was ripping up for paper boats.  The mysterious invite whisks Alyce away and she finds herself in that same whacky world that her grandmother told her about. The land needs an Alice’s help, Alyce with a Y is all they have.  Can Alyce navigate the strange world and settle the dispute between the Sun King and the Queen of the Moon and restore regularity to Wonderland’s days?

Students will enjoy this most if they have read (or maybe watched) Alice in Wonderland and also have some knowledge of nursery rhymes. It is hard for me to judge whether they’d enjoy it without that background knowledge.  I do think it would be fun for an elementary teacher to read aloud (it is only about 2.5 hours long) and discuss the characters and symbolism with the class as they go. Lots of illustrations dot the pages. 

Alyce is white.  I listened to the book narrated by Kristen Atherton courtesy by libro.fm

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Lightyears Between Us by Shannon K. English - OPTIONAL

The Lightyears Between Us by Shannon K. English, 314 pages. Tiny Ghost Press, 2025. $24

Language: R (0 swears, 6  ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (passionate kissing, implied sex) ; Violence: G (none)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

17yo Will and Paige have been rivals since they first set eyes on each other in grade school. Will, as the heir apparent to her noble father, is most concerned with keeping the Eden Space Station of 3000 humans running safely and smoothly. This year is a fateful 25th year - the year 36 teens are chosen by lottery to pilot the Laika spaceships to check on the terraforming projects Earth started around the galaxy before everything went south. As a noble, Will might be exempt, but her rivalry with Paige spurs her to enter her name anyway.  Now she, with Paige as her co-sojourner, are one of the pairs being sent out on what most likely be a one-way mission. 

So hard to know what I can talk about without spoiling the book. English gives us a good mix of science fiction content and an enemies-to-lovers romance between the girls. I am not  a fan of that trope, but this mostly involves un-acknowledged yearnings on Will’s part (you never see the romance from Paige’s point of view).  I would hope there is going to be a sequel, as English leaves us on a giant cliff-hanger - giant enough that it made me angry.  But now I’m invested in the science fiction part of the plot. BTW - each one of the “f-words” was perfectly placed. 

According to the cover, Will is white and Paige is brown, but the only thing ethnic about Paige is her hair, which is constantly mentioned. 

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Sophie Roberts courtesy of libro.fm

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

A Scar Like a River by Lisa Graff - ESSENTIAL

A Scar Like a River by Lisa Graff, 386 pages. Little Brown, FEB 2026. $18

Language: G (10 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (see Violence); Violence: PG-13 (sexual assault vaguely described, “night games” and unwanted touching mentioned)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Back when she was 5yo, Fallon was attacked by a knife-wielding assailant and left with many surgeries and a prominent scar across her face. No one else knows, but it was her own uncle who did it. That is not the only secret about her uncle that Fallon is hiding, either.  And why Fallon hates her aunt, her mother’s beloved sister, so much.  When Fallon, now 13yo, learns that her uncle has died, going to the funeral stirs everything up. Then her aunt moves in and Fallon is headed on a crash course with revelations. 

Graff includes a sub-plot about the school musical and Fallon is helped when she comes to understand a girl who Fallon thought was her enemy. The sexual assault is mentioned, but as vaguely described as Hester Prynne’s encounter with Arthur Dimmesdale in A Scarlet Letter (none of us in my high school senior English class caught it - our teacher had to point it out to us). Fallon also starts attending Survivors of Sexual Assault meetings. Graff includes some other complicated subplots, but handles all of them deftly, and gives Fallon loving people around her and a big heart.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Wish Switch by Lynn Painter - ADVISABLE

The Wish Switch by Lynn Painter, 310 pages. Little Brown, 2025. $9 (pb)

Language: G (1 swears, 0  ‘f’); Mature Content: G (none); Violence: G (none)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Near the end of 6th grade, Emma and her BFFs retreated to a special place in the woods for their chance at getting their wishes granted. Unfortunately for Emma, her new nextdoor neighbor almost ruins everything. When 7th grade starts, Emma’s friends show signs of their wishes being granted - but where are Emma’s wishes? Could Jackson have stolen them?  Emma needs to know - not just so that she can reclaim her wishes, but because her fourth wish could be a catastrophe for Jackson’s family. The pair will have to cooperate in order to avert disaster, and their deadline is fast approaching.

Painter has entered middle grade fiction with a cute non-romantic fantasy. The plot is a little complicated (I bookmarked Emma’s wishes to help me follow along), but lots of fun. 

SPOILER:  I like that the pair are friends - not romantically entangled.

The characters are white.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Last Ember by Lily Berlin Dodd - ADVISABLE

The Last Ember (Aerimander Chronicles #1) by Lily Berlin Dodd, 352 pages. Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Macmillan), 2025. $20

Content: G (mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

12yo Eva thought she was just acting out of spite when she chose the egg-shaped object as this year’s birthday gift from her absentee father.  Turns out, however, that egg-shaped object was really an egg - for an aerimander - a dragon-like creature thought to be extinct.  A creature that is supposed to be extinct.  Now Eva is on the run; the Thieves Guild is on her tail, even if her pursuer is the youngest guild member. Eva wants to protect the egg and perhaps protect herself from the egg - because no one living has seen an aerimander and no one knows how to handle one.

Personally I was hoping for a little more aerimander as the focus, but Eva occupies most of the space. Her escape has a great comical twist and the cover is sure to capture some readers.

The characters cue white.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Sid Sagar, courtesy of libro.fm

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Experiment by Rebecca Stead - OPTIONAL

The Experiment by Rebecca Stead, 288 pages. Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), 2025. $18

Content: G (mild danger, psychological abuse)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

6th grader Nathan loves his ordinary life with his parents and his human best friend, VIctor, but Nathan knows his life is actually anything but normal. He has always known that he and his parents are from another planet.  And when he starts growing a sentient tail, Nathan knows something new is about to happen.  More than the tail however, Nathan is worried when his alien best friend, Izzy, disappears.  He knows answers are to be found at the homeship. 

I suspected, but was still surprised by some of the revelation of the true origin of Nathan’s and the others' supposed alien-ness.  The scope of gaslighting and lying by the perpetrator of the hoax is astounding. My only problem is that my students rarely choose to read science fiction. 

The characters cue white. I listened to the book narrated by Mark Sanderlin, courtesy of libro.fm

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Tournament by Rebecca Barrow - NO

The Tournament by Rebecca Barrow, 416 pages. Simon & Schuster, 2025. $22

Language: R (100+ swears, 100+ ‘f'); Mature Content: R (Underage drinking, described sex); Violence: PG-13 (violence, butchering animals)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - NOT RECOMMENDED

Max, Nora, and Teddy are finally seniors at Gardner School for Girls, a private school whose mission is to prepare students for college, while also teaching them survival skills. Now, they can compete for the prized Tierney Cup. The three students enter for their own reasons. Max, a scholarship student, is competitive and confident that she will prove she is the best. Nora is Max’s ex-best friend who was rejected by Max after she admitted her romantic feelings to her. Nora enters to prove that she can succeed now that she is out of Max’s shadow. Teddy, a legacy transfer student kicked out of her last three schools, wants to prove that she can overcome her dark thoughts and be a “good” student. Plus winning the affection of Nora and the ire of Max wouldn’t hurt either.

I liked the concept of a private girls’ school that teaches the regular subjects alongside wilderness survival. However, readers interested in the advertised tournament will be disappointed as the book focuses more on the girls’ relationships than the actual competition. The characters themselves are static, flawed “mean girls." It may appeal to some readers, but the misleading summary and frequent swearing makes it a book that I don't recommend to most.

Max, Nora, and Teddy are LGBT+ and are cued Black.

Megan, HS Librarian

The Steps by Wendelin Van Draanen - ADVISABLE

The Steps by Wendelin Van Draanen, 256 pages. Holiday House, 2025. $20.

Language: G (6 swears; 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (underage smoking, teenage pregnancy mentioned); Violence: PG-13  (mention of animal cruelty, attempted murder) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

14yo Ruby Vossen loves chess, Twinkies, and refusing to be like the rest of her dysfunctional family. Wealth has always made the Vossen family cutthroat, but after her mother and aunt die in a tragic car accident, family relationships go from bad to worse. Ruby’s uncle forbids her from contacting her cousin and best friend, Sterling, and her dad remarries a possible gold-digging murderer. Now Ruby has to share her home with “the steps” –  her stepsister and brother. When a call from her cousin sends Ruby digging deeper into family secrets, she is convinced someone is after her family’s fortune. Now, everyone’s life, including her own, might be on the line. 

VanDraanen’s mystery/thriller contains a lot of what makes Wendelin Van Draanen’s Sammy Keyes series so successful while appealing to an older audience. The chapters are short and action-packed, perfect for reluctant readers wanting something that will keep them turning pages. Most of the characters are well-written, but almost comically terrible people. Some of their schemes and neglectful behavior are so over-the-top it makes some events or reveals feel unrealistic. Ruby and her chess club friends are by far the most likable characters. You’ll spend the whole book rooting for them. While perhaps not for every school, this is a great book to fill that young-adult-mystery-with-little-to-no mature-content-or-language gap some schools might have.

All of the characters cue as white.

Emily Powell, junior high librarian

The Art of Exile by Andrea Max - ADVISABLE

The Art of Exile by Andrea Max, 448 pages. Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon), 2025. $22

Language: PG (0 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (light romance, kidnapping); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Ada Castle, a teenager, finds herself attending the Genesis Institute, where descendants of exiled Renaissance masters practice long-lost arts and sciences. This school is advanced in technology and medicine, yet are unwilling to share with the rest of society.  When a friend goes missing, Ada and a fellow (and good-looking) classmate must search for her friend all the while forcing her to choose between the family she loves or the school that has helped her figure out life and who she really is deep down. 

This was much better than I expected. It was definitely a slow burn for me. At one point I wondered if I was still reading the same book? The last part was fast paced and very intriguing.  This was a great fantasy novel that teen readers will love and list as one of their favorites. 

Reviewer: sl

All My Bests by Britnee Meiser - ADVISABLE

All My Bests by Britnee Meiser, 372 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2024. $19

Language: PG (8 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (some kissing); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO:  SEVERAL

14yo Immie  and Jack  have been best friends since they were seven years old. But as freshman year begins, everything starts to change. Jack is consumed by soccer, while Immie makes new friends and sets out to uncover the truth about her father’s identity. As their lives pull them in different directions, unexpected feelings begin to grow between them—feelings neither of them knows how to talk about. With so much changing at once, will their friendship survive… or will they grow apart?

Overall, this is an enjoyable story about two kids trying to figure out life and their feelings—sometimes successfully, sometimes not. I especially liked how the book is told from Immie’s perspective in the first half and then shifts to Jack’s point of view in the second. Music plays a big role throughout the story, with each chapter tied to a favorite song of either Jack or Immie. Freshman year is a challenging time full of growth and firsts, and I appreciated how authentically the book captures that experience.

Both Jack and Immie are white. 

A. Snow, Librarian

Fifth Grade Top Dogs by Jerry Spinelli - OPTIONAL

Fifth Grade Top Dogs by Jerry Spinelli, 192 pages. Scholastic, June 2026. $16. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Suds Morton is finally in 5th grade! The recess rhyme everyone has been chanting called them 5th grade monkeys, but Suds and his friend Joey decide to call themselves Top Dogs instead. Now the oldest kids in the school, they perfect their walk, their attitudes and their coolness. Suds may even try to get a girlfriend, he's had a crush on Julia since forever. 

This is a family that uses nicknames, and his little sister, a fourth grader is called Zip, short for Zippernose. I didn't  love that her mom called her Zip too, or the extreme rivalry/mean dynamics of the children. I think their tricks on each other are meant to be funny, but I think they go too far. I read it because I love many of Spinelli’s  other books, not sure I'd recommend this one. Read Maniac Magee or Stargirl instead. The characters default white. 

Lisa Librarian School Daze – Fiction about kids problems, adventures and challenges in a school setting that don’t fit another label. Yes 

The Truth about Maura by Melinda Di Lorenzo, - ADVISABLE

The Truth about Maura by Melinda Di Lorenzo, 128 pages. Orca, August 2026. $11.

Language: PG (15 swears 0 fs); Mature Content: G; Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

17yo Maura was seen leaving an abortion clinic and by Monday at school everyone knows; or thinks they do. At first there's a lot of stares and whispers, she's confronted by her ex, and ignored by her best friend. By the next day though, the rumors have changed to assumptions of an assault. Maura's choice is personal and no one, not even her parents deserve an explanation. 

Orca Publishers are so good at finding authors who can nail these hard topics in hi-lo texts. While most likely intended for a high school audience, Maura's story is more about social media's role in spreading rumors and allowing anonymous comments and how people get hurt than it is about abortion. Minimum swearing and no mature content despite the subject matter. Maura defaults white 

Lisa Librarian  

Ash's Cabin by Jen Wang - ADVISABLE

Ash's Cabin by Jen Wang, 320 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL First Second (Macmillan), 2024. $18. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (animal attack, injured dog, some illustrations depicting blood) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

15yo Ash has recently come out as non-binary and changed their name. They feel like no one listens to them, that their parents try to be supportive but don't really understand. At school, Ash tries to make a difference - they are really concerned about the environment, but they aren't even allowed to post signs indicating where students should put their recycling. Learning that their family is planning a Disney vacation for the summer, instead of their usual trip to their grandfather's farm because their Uncle plans to sell it, Ash is desperate for one last visit. There's family lore that Grandfather built a secret cabin in the wilderness there, and Ash plans to find it and run away forever. 

Jen Wag's storytelling is so well done. Not in a traditional panel format, much of the story is Ash relating their experience as if in a journal with marvelous full color illustrations throughout. Funny to come across this as I recently read Brian's Winter and My Side of the Mountain. Ash's story is a great modern version of a child surviving alone in the wilderness. I love that Ash prepared well, watching online videos and reading blogs, as well as going to the library and bringing reference books with them as part of their survival kit. I would certainly recommend Ash's Cabin to both readers looking for an adventure, as well as Jen Wang's LGBTQIA fanbase. I believe Ash is non-binary as well as being a descendant of Chinese immigrants. 

Lisa Librarian 

Lost Evangeline A Norendy Tale by Kate DiCamillo - ADVISABLE

Lost Evangeline A Norendy Tale by Kate DiCamillo, 160 pages. Candlewick, 2025 $18. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

When a shoemaker finds a tiny baby in a boot, he raises her as his own. But as she grows, she ages but her size doesn't change. She is so small, she is able to hide behind a spool of thread in his workshop. The shoemaker loves her and raises her as a daughter, but his wife is fearful of the tiny thing, and one day sells her to an old woman who thinks the singing child can heal her. 

Evangeline is smart and resourceful - and she makes friends easily who help her along her journey. I loved the cat in this story, she hates everything and is very self-serving, yet is also one of the saviors of the tiny girl. Lost Evangeline takes place in the same world as The Puppets of Spelhorst as well as The Hotel Balzaar, so there is a bit of magic and fantastic characters. Not every child will love these fairy tales but I know several children I intend to recommend them to. I loved it. 

Lisa Librarian 

Ice Breakers by Tom Caraccioli & Jerry Caraccioli - OPTIONAL

Ice Breakers: A Kids' Guide to Hockey and the Greatest Players who Changed the Game by Tom Caraccioli & Jerry Caraccioli, 163 pages. NON-FICTION Quarto, 2025. $20 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Highlights, stats, and scores for over 60 players through history, and information about the original six teams of the NHL. 

Lots of easy to access information about influential players make this appealing for fans of hockey. There are great photographs and the format is easy to follow. Many of the stats are current stars: 2015-present, which may make this book outdate itself. If you are a die hard hockey fan, this book will make great reading or a nice gift. It's nice to have all the information in one book, though many of the stats could be found online. But as the introduction worthily states: "It is our hope that...you will remember this book as one that got you more interested in the game and that also ignited a passion for reading." 

Michelle in the Middle

Haunted U.S.A. by Heather Alexander and Sam Kalda - ADVISABLE

Haunted U.S.A. by Heather Alexander, illustrated by Sam Kalda, 114 pages. NON-FICTION. Wide Eyed (Quarto), 2025 $25 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Haunted U.S.A. is a compilation of ghostly hauntings from all 50 states. The hauntings range from a weeping cemetery statue to marching warriors. 

This book is beautifully illustrated, with appropriately dark colors. Each story is only a page, with a full page illustration to go with it, which makes it very reader friendly. None of the ghost stories are too frightening, and they are a great jump start to researching more, since most of the stories are based on actual people or events. This book is a delightful read and would make a great gift for those who lean toward the supernatural. 

Michelle in the Middle 

The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur by Allan Wolf, illustrated by Jose Pimienta - ESSENTIAL

The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur by Allan Wolf, illustrated by Jose Pimienta, 176 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Candlewick, 2025. $20 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Lake Peigneur was an actual freshwater lake in Louisiana. It was brimming with fish, and had a salt mine and an oil mine on its shores. On November 20, 1980, what began as an ordinary day on the lake, became a life-threatening nightmare. 

This story grabs your attention from the get-go and doesn't let go. There is some great tension built into the story, and it just proves that truth is stranger than fiction. The pictures make the story easy to follow and I couldn't stop till I put it down. I can't believe I haven't heard of this story before, and I had to look up images of the lake when I was done. Well written and researched, this is a fascinating read. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Three Blue Hearts by Lynne Kelly - ADVISABLE

Three Blue Hearts by Lynne Kelly, 288 pages. Random House, 2025. $18.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Everybody knows 12yo Max. Either because his father is a prominent politician, or because he seems to make dumb mistakes, like running the wrong way on the field losing his team the game. This summer, his mom has rented a beach house, and Max would love a fresh start. He wants to be called Milo, and hopes he can be himself, and make some friends. On his first walk on the beach, he discovers an injured octopus, meets a boy who knows a nature center nearby, and offers to help around the place to help care for the octopus.

Much of Three Blue Hearts revolves around caring for Ursula - making engaging enrichments to keep her active (and in her tank - she's an escape artist), and learning about caring for wildlife in general. Max's two friends are a great dynamic - befriending Max right away, but not giving away too much of their stories too quickly.  The family dynamics are also great, Max has grandparents from a former step-parent, and parents with much different expectations for Max. There isn't a whole lot of action which makes for a slow plot, but waiting for an octopus to grow back a leg takes time.  Fans of Lynne Kelly's other books, including Song for a Whale will appreciate Three Blue Hearts as well. 

The characters default white

Lisa Librarian

Mayhem on the Marzipan Express by Rebecca Connolly - OPTIONAL

Mayhem on the Marzipan Express (A Claire Walker Mystery #2) by Rebecca Connolly, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2026. $19.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Alan Gables himself asked Claire to assist him during an exclusive event, baking on a train full of Alan-fans on their way to an event honoring his achievements. She is flattered to be working with him, and Claire’s boyfriend, Jonny, is excited about the potential for a little romance on this trip. When a dead body is found in Dining Car 3, priorities shift for everyone.

While the title references Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, the only significant similarity is that this murder mystery takes place on a train. Claire and Jonny are amateur sleuths, and there is as much focus on their romance drama as on the murder. While there was too much self depreciation for my tastes, it is obvious that this is a labor of love for the author. Connolly delivers a fun, light mystery with a generous side helping of ridiculousness that is meant to make readers laugh. If murder mystery can be lighthearted and cozy, this series is it.

The majority of characters are English and Scottish. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, kissing, illegal activity, mild innuendo, and multiple uses of the phrase “sex appeal.” The violence rating is for assault, mild blood and gore, corpses, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Room to Breathe by Kasie West - ADVISABLE

Room to Breathe by Kasie West, 272 pages. Delacorte Romance (Random House), 2026. $13.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Once best friends, Indy and Beau no longer talk to each other. Until they get locked in a bathroom after school on Friday. Avoiding each other is impossible in their new close quarters, and their school supplies can’t distract them the entire night from addressing the mistakes they made.

The short chapters flip from their current predicament to before their falling out and back again, letting readers watch the fallout as the aftermath is discussed. Indy’s story is about making both mistakes and amends. Although every reader’s situation might not turn out as well as Indy’s, there is hope in seeing that devastating changes in a life do not ruin every path forward. Even if an end to a period of difficulty is not ideal, we can choose to change and start a new period.

Indy and Caroline are described as White, Ava is described as Asian, and Beau is depicted as White on the cover. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, mentions of drugs, partial nudity, kissing, and illegal activity.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson