Jo Jo Makoons: The Super-Scary Sleepover (Jo Jo #5) by Dawn Quigley and Tara Audibert - OPTIONAL

Jo Jo Makoons: The Super-Scary Sleepover (Jo Jo #5) by Dawn Quigley, illustrated by Tara Audibert, 63 pages. CHAPTER BOOK Heartdrum, 2025. $7. 

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Jojo Makoons is a precocious 1st grader. She lives with her mom and her kokum (grandmother). Jojo has been invited to her first sleepover, and she doesn't know what to expect. Her friend Ferris scares her when he tells her to be careful of puppets at the sleepover because at night they try to steal children's eyes. Now Jojo is really worried! 

Book 5 in a fun series, Jojo is a bit too much for me, but I bet readers her age find her adorable. She has big feelings, big ideas and wants everyone to play along. Jojo is Ojibewe, and I'm sure Indigenous children will see themselves.  Many of Jojo's antics are universal, so other children will enjoy her as well. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Greatest Heist in Joviala by Adi Alsaid - OPTIONAL

The Greatest Heist in Joviala by Adi Alsaid, 277 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2024. $9 (pb)

Language: G (1 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (danger, peril, fighting)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Four 12yo kids travel from their kingdom of Nefaria to the cheerful kingdom of Joviala for a school trip. In Nefaria, they’re used to dealing with constant evil schemes, but Joviala is a land of happy, trusting people who rarely expect trouble. While there, the four meet Shmebecca, who is devastated to learn that a company plans to move her favorite mountain, Mount Saint Helenhunt, and replace it with an amusement park. She’s especially worried that relocating a volcanic mountain could lead to serious consequences. Determined to protect it, Shmebecca teams up with the Nefarian kids and enlists her friends Shmayden and Shmelix to help stop the project and save the mountain.

Will they be able to stop the plan and save Mount Saint Helenhunt in time?

The goofy names and quirky characters didn’t quite land for me—maybe it’s just been too long since I was in middle school. At times, the story felt wordy and dragged a bit. That said, it was still a fun adventure-heist with some meaningful lessons woven in. It explores how the line between good and evil can be complicated, highlights the importance of protecting natural resources, and emphasizes the value of friendship and forgiveness.

None of the characters were described.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian

How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson - OPTIONAL

How to Get Away with Murder by Rebecca Philipson, 368 pages. Minotaur Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2026. $30.

Language: R (75 swears, 36 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: R

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Suspended detective Samantha from Scotland Yard has declined to follow the suggestion of both her therapist and her boss to start going back to work part time. Until she comes across the murder scene of a 14-year-old in the park on her way home, and Sam changes her mind. On scene, a book titled How to Get Away with Murder is found with the victim, a clue that could lead to the killer—or reveal that there is more than one killer walking free.

Sam’s story is told side by side with chapters from How to Get Away with Murder, mostly in time with how much Sam herself has read at the time. The careful combing of clues from the murder scene and the book is exciting and distressing as theories—suggested by the characters and by readers’ own minds—suggest bad guys lurking everywhere. The clever twists made by Sam and her enemies blew me away, making the last third of the book impossible to put down.

The majority of characters are English, and there are a couple of minor characters in homosexual relationships. The mature content rating is for alcohol use; kissing; illegal activity; innuendo; nudity; groping; and mentions of drugs, abortion, condoms, genitalia, pornography, incest, and sex. The violence rating is for assault; blood and gore; domestic violence; sexual assault; mentions of guns, animal cruelty, torture, and rape; suicide; and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

On the Wings of la Noche by Vanessa L. Torres - ADVISABLE

On the Wings of la Noche by Vanessa L. Torres, 352 pages. Knopf Books for Young Readers (Random House), 2025. $20

Language: G (4 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG ( kissing, partial nudity); Violence: PG (death scenes)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

17yo Noche Villanueva  lives in Duluth, Minnesota and secretly shifts into an owl-like being known as a Lechuza, escorting souls of the dead to the afterlife. After her girlfriend Dante drowns, Noche refuses to release Dante’s spirit, creating emotional and supernatural consequences. As she navigates grief, friendship, cultural identity, and a new romantic connection with Jax, a boy awaiting a heart transplant, Noche must confront whether love means holding on or letting go.

I liked the way this author handles love and loss in this book. Torres doesn’t treat grief as something simple or quick to fix, instead, she shows how messy and confusing it can be. The mix of Mexican folklore and modern teen life makes it feel unique, and the Lechuza mythology adds a cool supernatural layer.  I also appreciated how all of the relationships felt genuine and layered, not just surface-level drama. That said, the pacing slows down in the middle, and some of Noche’s inner thoughts repeat before the story really moves forward. I also would have liked a little more explanation about how the supernatural rules work. Still, for high school readers who enjoy emotional stories with romance, identity struggles, and a touch of magical realism, this book offers something meaningful and memorable.

Noche and Dante are Latina/Mexican American.

Jessica Nelson CTHS Librarian

The Big Mess and other stories by Greg Pizzoli. - ADVISABLE

The Big Mess and other stories by Greg Pizzoli. (Earl and Worm #2) CHAPTER BOOK Random House, 2025 $11.00 9780593649701 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Worm loves to clean so she helps Earl with his big mess - but many things he doesn't want, she does, and soon her house is messy again. Earl finds a lucky penny which seems to bring him anything but, and Worm wants Earl to stay up all night with her so she can finally see a sunrise. 

Oh, such cute stories and adorable illustrations. The friends are so nice to each other, even with things are not going their way (see The Lucky Penny). A good amount of text, it will be a fun book that young readers will enjoy and re-read. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Revenant Games (The Revenant Games #1) by Margie Fuston - OPTIONAL

The Revenant Games (The Revenant Games #1) by Margie Fuston, 416 pages. Simon and Schuster, 2024. $12

Language:  R (9 swears, 6 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (gentle, sweet kissing); Violence: PG-13 (bloody fighting, beheading, bloody death)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

17yo Bly loves her sister Elise and appreciates how Elise does the things Bly doesn’t want to do, like helping their parents with their work. When Elise is trapped by a witch’s spell, Bly will do whatever it takes to get her sister back. The sister’s mutual and lifelong friend Emerson is willing to help. They enter the Revenant Games to win Elise back and become entangled in the witches’ and vampires’ play for power. Emerson has a witch acquaintance who he believes will help but she may have an agenda of her own. When Bly is surrounded by a group of dangerous vampires, a mysterious vampire saves her and she later learns that his name is Kerrigan, a vampire prince. Will Bly and Emerson get lost in the midst of the violent Revenant Games?

I noticed a few typos and also an incorrect use of the word waste, should have been waist and I wondered about the editing process. I liked the journey of Bly discovering what she truly wants in life as she matures. Kerrigan is an interesting character and I enjoyed learning about his background and reasons for his actions.

Emerson has dark brown skin. Bly has pale skin.

LynnDell Watson, Delta High School Librarian, Delta, Utah

The Red Car to Hollywood by Jennie Liu - OPTIONAL

The Red Car to Hollywood by Jennie Liu, 245 pages. Carolrhoda (Lerner), 2025 $20. 

Language: R (5 swears 1 'f'); Mature Content: PG13 (escalating dating intimacy including rumpled clothing) Violence: PG13 (sexual violence) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

It's 1924 Los Angeles, and 16yo Ruby feels more American than Chinese, but her parents have traditional Chinese rules, so when Ruby is caught dating, and he's a white boy, her father is ashamed and feels this disgrace will affect the family and his business. He enlists a matchmaker and vows to marry her off, even if it means sending her to China. 

I love this time period, early Hollywood, and the addition of Anna May Wong into the plot was fantastic. I loved the culture clash, the generational and racial issues, and Ruby's independent spirit. The mature content doesn't go too far, which I appreciated. The author has placed a trigger warning at the beginning that there is sexual violence, and it is violent and scary, but not explicit. 

Ruby is Chinese American 

Lisa Librarian 

Oppenheimer and the Atomic Bomb by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, adapted by Eric S. Singer. - ADVISABLE

Oppenheimer and the Atomic Bomb by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, adapted by Eric S. Singer. 336 pages. NON FICTION, BIOGRAPHY. Penguin Random House, 2025. $19.

Language: PG-13 (25 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Mentions rape and an affair - non-descriptive); Violence: PG-13 (war, brief descriptions of radiation exposure)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

From discussing his early love of science to the later accusations of communist involvement, this young-reader adaptation of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer describes Oppenheimer’s life, career, and impact on the scientific community. It also covers the Manhattan Project, the Bikini Atoll nuclear tests, the development of the hydrogen bomb, the Cold War, and the McCarthy Era. 

Nonfiction books are not very popular in my library, but this text does its best to appeal to students with an attention-grabbing opening, pictures, quoted text, and an easy-to-read layout. I enjoyed learning more about Oppenheimer and the United State’s nuclear testing program even after having watched the movie which was based on the adult version of this book. It left me pondering ethical considerations such as keeping or sharing scientific advancements, the impacts of weapons testing, and developing weapons vs potentially destroying humanity.

Megan, HS Librarian 

Whale Eyes: A Memoir About Seeing and Being Seen by James Robinson and Brian Rea - ADVISABLE

Whale Eyes: A Memoir About Seeing and Being Seen by James Robinson and Brian Rea, 304 pages. NON-FICTION Penguin, 2025. $10. (paperback)  

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Documentary filmmaker James Robinson was born with Strabismus. His eyes are misaligned, and his brain adapts by helping James see differently. Whale Eyes is an interactive book that gives the reader an idea of some of the visual challenges James faced, especially as a reader.  

I was fascinated with the early chapters about Robinson's difficulties reading and playing baseball, and what that looked like. Some of the pages invite the reader to fold the page, turn the book upside down, or follow along and try to read impossible text. I loved that there's a link to his documentary so that we can see him, experience his skill as a documentary filmmaker, and learn the lessons his book so eloquently teaches. I will recommend that the reading teachers (and others) read Whale Eyes so we can better respond to disabilities. A marvelous book. James Robinson is white 

Lisa Librarian 

Dead Girls Don't Say Sorry by Alex Ritany - OPTIONAL

Dead Girls Don't Say Sorry by Alex Ritany, 400 pages. Knopf Books for Young Readers (Random), 2024. $20

Language: G (3 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (death, toxic relationships); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

High school senior, Nora, is struggling after the sudden death of her lifelong best friend Julia. Everyone expects her to be devastated, but their relationship was not what it seemed. As Nora deals with grief, guilt and the pressures of senior year, she starts uncovering secrets, lies and the toxic side of a friendship she thought would last forever. With the help of Dillan by her side, Nora discovers the twisted truth behind her lost friendship.

This book bounces from before and after the accident.  At first it was a bit hard to keep track but once into the story it worked.  It was hard to read about the toxic relationship between Nora and Julia with Nora so oblivious.  It was frustrating to read about Julia continually manipulating Nora in so many different ways but then saying a few nice comments and they were best friends again. Students will be able to connect with Nora if they have ever been involved in a toxic relationship like this.  

Nora and Julia are Caucasian.

Jessica Nelson CTHS Librarian

American Spirits: The Famous Fox Sisters and the Mysterious Fad That Haunted a Nation by Barb Rosenstock - ADVISABLE

American Spirits: The Famous Fox Sisters and the Mysterious Fad That Haunted a Nation by Barb Rosenstock, 304 pages. NON-FICTION Calkins Creek (Astra), 2025. $25. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (peril, spiritualism, description of causes of death, some violent) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

19th Century New York: Even as children, Kate and Maggie Fox knew they could communicate with spirits who answered their questions with raps (for yes) and silence (for no). The first was a murdered peddler who was supposedly buried beneath the floor in the cellar of their home. Before long Kate and Maggie, and their sister Leah, who organized their appearances, became the most famous, and maybe the first mediums, holding seances and helping people contact their dead family members - for a price. But along with fame comes detractors, trying to prove they are fakes, and even angry mobs. Are they some sort of witches, frauds, what kind of tricks are they playing? But with so many dead in the civil war, grieving families want to connect and are willing to suspend their disbelief. 

A fascinating examination of the Fox sisters and their part in the rise of Spiritualism in America. Well written with lots of captioned photographs, many of the sisters, but plenty of others to build context of the time period. Includes extensive source notes, a bibliography, and index. If you have readers into this sort of thing, this is a must-have. Would be nicely paired with Spirit Sleuths by Gail Jarrow.

The Fox sisters are white. 

Lisa Librarian No 

The Grandest Game (The Grandest Game #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - OPTIONAL

The Grandest Game (The Grandest Game #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 384 pages. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2024. $11

Language: R (47 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: G (gentle kissing); Violence: PG-13 (bloody death)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Avery and three Hawthorne brothers, Nash, Jameson and Xander, create a game together with seven players. The winner gets a million dollars. The players are forced into teams as they are locked into different escape rooms, securing teammates. Gigi, Knox and Brady become a team; Savannah and Rohan are a team; Grayson, Lyra and Odette are a team. They must work together to escape their rooms and make it to the dock by dawn the next morning. Avery and the Hawthornes know how to figure out riddles and they know how to create difficult ones. Who will make it to the dock first?

 I thoroughly enjoyed the riddles that the contestants had to solve. The mysterious watcher creates suspense and an added tension! Wonderful character development.

Rohan has light brown skin. Knox is white. Brady has ebony skin.  Lyra has golden tan skin.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

The Strongest Heart by Saadia Faruqi, - ADVISABLE

The Strongest Heart by Saadia Faruqi,  384 pages. HarperCollins, 2025. $20. 

Language: PG (11 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (Bullying, threats) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

13yo Mo has recently moved to Texas with his father to live with his aunt and cousin. Mo's mom is working in Greece, and Mo's dad is, according to Mo, a monster. In reality, Mo's dad has paranoid schizophrenia, doesn't regularly take his medication, and is more than difficult to live with. Mo and his cousin Rayyan are the same age and in most of their classes together, and when Rayyan is a bully's target, Mo becomes his champion. But Rayyan doesn't want Mo interfering, and it's Mo who needs someone. Someone to interfere with his dad, as his dad needs help, and he won't help himself. 

Reading The Strongest Heart, I couldn't help but wonder if there are kids at my school in a similar situation to Mo. This is a great book to show them they are not alone. The author grew up in a similar situation in Pakistan, where there were few mental illness resources, and has managed to write a book that is hopeful and supportive. I would like to have seen back matter with resources for readers to get help or learn more. Mo is complicated, mixed race, attends an Islamic center with his cousin.

Lisa Librarian  

Monster Tree by Sarah Allen - ADVISABLE

Monster Tree by Sarah Allen, 258 pages. Farrar Straus Giroux (Macmillan), 2024. $18

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (attacks from tree monster, animals brutally killed, kidnapping, peril, danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE; MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: EL - SEVERAL; MS - SOME

Following the death of his father, 11yo Linus and his mother move across town for a fresh start. Almost immediately, Linus becomes fixated on a strange, sinister tree in his neighbor’s backyard. When pets begin to go missing and he finds deep scratch marks on the back of his bedroom door, he knows something is terribly wrong.

Teaming up with his best friend Spencer and a new friend, Abby, Linus sets out to uncover why his neighbor seems to have a vendetta against the town—and how she may be using terrifying tree monsters to carry out her plans. Can the three friends stop her before she goes too far?

We see a young boy trying to process the grief and anger of losing his father. Linus, like his father, is an artist, but since his dad’s death he has struggled to return to his art. He also lives with asthma and color blindness, while Abby wears hearing aids. The three friends are kind, loyal, and supportive of one another. I enjoyed both the story and the writing style. Although the book has some scary moments, it’s an overall strong and satisfying read.

Linus and Abby are white and Spencer is black.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian

Pilgrim Codex by Vivian Mansour, Emmanuel Valtierra, and Carlos Rodrigues Cortez - OPTIONAL

Pilgrim Codex by Vivian Mansour, Emmanuel Valtierra, and Carlos Rodrigues Cortez. Levine Querido, 2025. $19. 9781646145157 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

The Vargas family embarks on a dangerous journey from their home across a desert. Aided by their own wits and bravery, and Coyotes to get them past the hardest part - the family is desperate to leave their situation and come to a land where they can dream. 

Told from the perspective of a young boy and written as a nod to the ancient Mesoamerican codex - the illustrations are reminiscent of the art of the Aztec and Mayan people. The initial pages read as though partially in code, like a poetic beginning of an odyssey. I was afraid I wouldn't connect, but soon the story made itself clear, and I joined the family on their journey. Although the size of a child's picture book, the intended audience is more appropriately set at upper elementary. The characters are from Central America or Mexico 

Lisa Librarian 

The Peach Thief by Linda Joan Smith - NO

The Peach Thief by Linda Joan Smith, 356 pages. Candlewick, 2025. $20

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: NOT RECOMMENDED

13yo Scilla wants one of the peaches she can smell behind the earl’s impressive stone fence.  Instead, mistaken for a boy, she is caught and made to work off the cost of her damages by scrubbing massive amounts of clay pots for the head gardener.  After her penance, Scilla, or Seth as she is known, is taken on as a lowly gardener’s apprentice and finds that she really enjoys the work.  She also enjoys the friendship of Phin, another apprentice.

Unfortunately a perfectly pleasant tale is marred by Scilla’s constant mooning over Phin. I got sick and tired of it very quickly but still had to endure more. While I might have recommended this as an optional choice for those that enjoy historical fiction, it is best just to pass on this one. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Same Backward as Forward by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - OPTIONAL

The Same Backward as Forward by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 280 pages. Little Brown, 2026. $21

Language: R (100+ swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (sex implied); Violence: murders and deaths mentioned, man thrown to dogs mentioned

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

20yo Hannah is waiting for the day that her sister Kaylie turns 18 and the two of them can leave their hometown forever. Before that day, however, Tobias Hawthorne and his entourage sweep into town and now Kaylie and the entourage are dead from the fire that also destroyed the Hawthorne island mansion.  Hannah is summoned by her friend Jackson, a hermit fisherman.  Jackson has rescued Tobias and Hannah is determined to nurse him back to health if only to make him live with his guilt the rest of his life. Tobias wakes up with amnesia and only knows what Hannah tells him - which includes a new name. As “Henry” and Hannah spend more time together, they are drawn closer.  But what will happen to their intimacy when “Henry” regains his memories?

Barnes gives as part of the story from Hannah’s point of view and then the reader flips the book over to get the same story, plus more, from Tobias’s point of view.  You should definitely read them in that order. While I am an un-fan of enemies to lovers, I did like the backstory about Henry and about Avery’s mother - and the events leading up to Avery inheriting the Hawthorne fortune.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Tidespeaker by Sadie Turne - NO

Tidespeaker by Sadie Turner, 372 pages. Delacorte (Random House), 2026. $20

Language: G (5 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G (mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: NOT RECOMMENDED

A month ago 18yo Corith’s best friend, Zennia, was given a prestigious position on the coast as the Floodmouth to a wealthy family.  Now Zennia is dead and Corith is headed to take her pace, having barely passed her own examination.  Intrigue abounds on the remote island and Corith’s lfe may hang in the balance.

I am 222 pages into this book and I am absolutely bored! Corith is wishy-washy and weak, having leaned on Zennia her whole life. The supposed intrigues of the book are not interesting and the family members are not either. The only positive thing I can say is - great cover.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Three Weeks in the Rainforest by Jennifer Swanson - ADVISABLE

Three Weeks in the Rainforest by Jennifer Swanson. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2025. $21. 9781623543167

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

Three Weeks in the Rainforest follows the Field Museum's Rapid Inventory 30 team in Columbia as they race to gather data over three short weeks in the field.  Biologists trek through mud and rain, counting every animal and plant they see.  Social scientists visit villages, speaking with people about their goals for the land.  Based on this evidence, the team makes a case of conservation.  So far their teams have helped conserve almost 30 million acres of Amazon rainforest.

Swanson gives us a glimpse into real-life fieldwork in the rainforest.  This is not a detailed book about animals and plants that live in the rainforest. I liked the pictures of the scenery and the animals they were able to capture.

PGPowers

Shiny Happy People by Clay McLeod Chapman, - OPTIONAL

Shiny Happy People by Clay McLeod Chapman, 368 pages. Penguin Random House, 2025. $20.

Language:  R (99 swears, 12 ‘f'); Mature Content: R (repeated drug usage, drinking, smoking, passionate kissing); Violence: PG-13 (child neglect, fighting, body horror)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

16yo Kyra lives with the shadows of her past. Her birth mother was addicted to drugs and lost custody of Kyra when she was a child. Kyra is now in a stable household, but she is afraid of becoming like her mother so she avoids the town's prevalent party scene. Then, a new drug challenge called Sporing goes viral. Simultaneously, she notices that the people around her seem to change: her brother is saying the right things to her for once but seems emotionally dulled; her best friend is no longer her edgy self and won’t respond to Kyra’s messages. And they keep repeating similar phrases. Kyra and new student Logan wonder what’s going on in the background of this seemingly shiny small town where drug company BoTanic has fully integrated itself.

I wish there was more to this novel as there are missing scenes that could have had some strong impacts. At the same time, the explanation for the mystery felt off and muddled the plotline, genre, and theming. The secondary characters including Logan are not well-developed and fall flat. However, the depictions of Kyra’s struggles with anxiety are strong, and the social commentary regarding big pharma was interesting. 

Kyra’s friend Cody is LGBT+, and her friend Sean is South Asian. 

Megan, HS Librarian 

Running Back to You by Sarah Henning - ADVISABLE

Running Back to You by Sarah Henning, 354 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2025. $20 

Content: PG (mild kissing)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: HS - MANY; MS - SEVERAL

9th grader Millie hates lying, but she gets caught by surprise in a study hall conversation in front of EVERYONE and lies... telling Logan and all her friends that she has already had her first kiss. Now Millie has to make it right, because she CANNOT be a liar and she is caught in the worst social nightmare because it was so obvious that she was lying. So Millie and her best friend set out to make her statement retroactively true... but Logan is there at every step, always in the way, making everything twice as hard. What is going on? Why can't Millie just get her first kiss like everyone else in the world? And why won't Logan go away?

I loved this book! Middle school romances that feel genuine and real are hard to find and this one fits the bill. Millie struggles with fitting in at school, but is also struggling with real problems at home- namely a Mom who had an affair and hid it from her family- which is why Millie hates lying so much. The language is clean, the emotions are confusing and genuine just like middle school and the book is a delight.

The main characters present as white.

Jen VanHaaften, Middle School Teacher-Librarian

The Poetry of Car Mechanics by Heidi E Y Stemple - ADVISABLE

The Poetry of Car Mechanics by Heidi E Y Stemple, 256 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE Astra, 2025. $20. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f')); Mature Content: G; Violence: G (bully, nature violence (a hawk)); 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

15yo Dylan lives with his grandfather in a room near the autoshop. Dylan's world is poetry, birds, and cars. His mother struggles with her mental health and is in and out of Dylan's life, and it's been years since he's seen her. So he spends a lot of time watching birds and writing poetry. He doesn't fit in at school - it's complicated. But when he finds an injured hawk, his quest to help the hawk might be helpful for Dylan, too. 

Dylan's grandfather is full of hate and places signs at his auto shop and a flag on his truck that make Dylan uncomfortable. He doesn't like that Dylan likes "girl things" like poetry and birds. This causes some uncomfortable interactions, as there's no other person there to mediate for Dylan. The Poetry of Car Mechanics is a Novel in Verse. I enjoyed the poetry; the short pieces of the story worked well in this book. Dylan is named for Dylan Thomas, the poet, and this novel, told from Dylan's point of view, feels like we are reading his journal. I really enjoyed the Poetry of Car Mechanics. It's a novel you keep thinking about after you've finished reading. Includes resources for readers struggling with their own or love one's mental health. Dylan is white. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Season of Flames (Chronicles of Whetherwhy #2) by Anna James - Essential

The Season of Flames (Chronicles of Whetherwhy #2) by Anna James, 272 pages. Penguin, APRIL 2026. $19

Content: G (slight danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

13yo Elio has led a pleasant life as part of the Circus Astra, handling Tangles and Knots for his father. Then when inspectors for the queen, including Oleander Young, come in search of an amber pendant, Elio must flee, along with his new friend Pom, finding their way to Thistledown Academy, where they are hoping that Juniper can help them read the map that his father gave him and figure out how to thwart the queen’s grasp for power.

At first I was surprised that James chose to jump 13 years into the future, but I ended up liking the book immensely. Juniper has just enough importance to satisfy readers who consume the books one after another. Hints of more to come are at the end, too.  Okay, I can wait another year.

One character is non-binary; also has a same-sex relationship.

Characters cue white, though the illustrations seem to indicate a variety of races.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Be Right Back (Let’s Split Up #2) by Bill Wood - OPTIONAL

Be Right Back (Let’s Split Up #2) by Bill Wood, 352 pages. Scholastic, MARCH 2026. $15 (pb)

Language: R (71 swears, 4  ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (four deaths by various means, a good amount of blood mentioned)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

It has been almost a year since the kids defeated the “ghoul” of Carrington Manor and they are returning to town for an exclusive interview.  They want to set the record straight in light of Rick Field’s new book, where he takes credit for much that happened. Cam, who never left town, though is creeped out, because he has been seeing the ghoul. Then the whole group discovers a dead body in that infamous alley and everyone becomes worried.  While the original “ghoul” can’t come back, a copycat seems to be in town - someone with even more murderous intentions.

Wood tries hard to distract us from who the murderer might be and on some level he succeeds with his red herrings. The action is a little bloodier thai time around. It seems as though there are hints of a third book at the end.  We’ll see.

Cam and Jonesy are an official LGBT couple now.  The characters cue white.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Sonnets and Serpents by Elizabeth Lowham - OPTIONAL

Sonnets and Serpents (Casters and Crowns #2) by Elizabeth Lowham, 384 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $25.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Princess Eliza (17yo) runs away from the castle and country of Leogria when her beloved Henry is banished, determined to join him in exile. She soon finds herself lost and unable to communicate in Pravusat, where the only Loegrian she can find is also a monster—a magical shapeshifter—and rude besides. Desperate for help, Eliza traps the shapeshifter to convince him to be her translator, not knowing that she is trapping herself in the process.

While the first book gives context to the world and some of the characters’ backstories, Eliza and Silas’s adventures can be enjoyed independently of the first book, which focuses on Eliza’s sister. The magic in this world is unique in its division of magic classes, and, though they are not unique aspects to this story alone, love and betrayal abound in the lives of the protagonists. Eliza is the romantic chasing after a love story to make it into something real, and Silas is the academic who has been hurt too many times to believe in love. I enjoyed watching these characters grow as Lowham showed how these two opposites could come together as a complementary pair.

Eliza is described as “pale,” and Silas is described as “honey brown.” The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol and nudity, mild innuendo, and kissing. The violence rating is for assault, blood, fantasy violence, mentions of human trafficking, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Stuck Up and Stupid by Angourie Rice and Kate Rice - ADVISABLE

Stuck Up and Stupid by Angourie Rice and Kate Rice, 374 pages. Candlewick 2025. $19

Language: PG (48  swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (summer/winter relationship); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

18yo Lily loves her life on Pippa Beach, a tiny town in Australia, even though her mother is flighty and unreliable. Then one day a gorgeous Hollywood star, Dorian Khan, and his friends descend upon the town upending everything. While Dorian’s friend Casey seems smitten with Juliet, Lily’s cousin, Dorian is aloof - sure that everyone wants him around only for his fame. And Lily’s starstruck mother and younger sister don’t help matters.  No matter how much she tries to stay away from Dorian, even after his summer visit is over, Lily’s path continues to cross his - even in California - where Lily gets a hard introduction to life in the Hollywood spotlight.

The Rice’s take on Pride and Prejudice is pretty fun.  I think that students who don’t know the source material won’t be bothered by that - they will just enjoy the antics of the characters. I enjoyed the places where the authors strayed far from Austen’s plot the best. 

The characters cue white.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen - ADVISABLE

Skin of the Sea (Skin of the Sea #1) by Natasha Bowen, 325 pages. Random House, 2021. $13.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Chosen to help gather the souls of those who die in the sea, Simi is supposed to let the ocean take the memories of her life on land. But she holds onto the image of brown eyes. Eyes she is reminded of when she finds a boy in the sea, and, instead of just saving the human boy’s soul, she also saves his body.

While there are elements of Simi’s story reminiscent of The Little Mermaid, her story is more fully occupied with telling the African mythology version of mermaids, fairies, pantheon of gods, and more. The language Bowen uses to paint Simi’s story is resplendent, making the pages pass quickly despite the feeling that there wasn’t much going on in the first half of the book. An abrupt ending draws readers into needing the sequel right away.

Simi is described as having “dark brown” skin, and Kola and his siblings are described as having “reddish dark brown” skin. The òyìnbó are White and everyone else who isn’t explicitly described in shades of tan, brown, and onyx are implied Black. The mature content rating is for alcohol use and kidnapping for enslavement. The violence rating is for corpses, assault, gun use, blood and gore, fantasy violence, and suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

The Uninvited by Nancy Banks - ADVISABLE

The Uninvited by Nancy Banks, 288 pages. Random House Children's Books, 2025. $20

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (smoking); Violence: PG-13 (vampires killing people, violent attacks on people, attempted suicide, sexual abuse, emotional abuse)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

17yo Tosh has moved from Portland, Oregon to Paris with her father.  She is excited about school, learning a new language and embracing all the sights and sounds of Paris. It’s a dream come true! Shortly after arriving, she meets another neighbor and student, Nick, who becomes her tour guide and her romantic partner.  Together they explore the street-life, beautiful architecture and creepy underground catacombs where vampires are known to roam.  Are vampires real? Can a vampire be cured and become human once again? Will love and friendship survive the city of Paris’ darkest and deepest secrets?

The Uninvited was interesting and full of twists and turns.  The friendships that formed were strong and relatable.  Tosh’s relationship with her father was troubling.  He was unkind and unsupportive of her experiences and her emotions- especially when she tried to explain a traumatic event in her past.  There is an attempted suicide and some mention of the pro’s of cigarette smoking- which was really odd and unusual.  Aside from those disturbing events, I really enjoyed the book and can see YA readers enjoying it as well. 

S. Lewis

If You’ll Have Me by Esther Hatch - OPTIONAL

If You’ll Have Me by Esther Hatch, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2026. $19.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULT - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Eight years ago, Anna and her family spent the summer of her seventeenth year in Breckenridge. Anna loved it there and didn’t know they would be the last happy memories she made. Now Anna (25yo) and her mother return in desperation of their circumstances and find help from the unlikely place of the boy that followed Anna around that summer—a boy who is now a man.

Anna and David dither about, changing their minds frequently about their unusual situation—one that they brought upon themselves. They make an adorable couple when they allow themselves to be and are eyeroll inducing when the pitfall of unclear communication further tangles things. Tragic backstories make the happily ever after feel that much sweeter, and it’s an overall cute story.

The majority of characters are English. The mature content rating is for kissing, partial nudity, mentions of alcohol and brothels, and innuendo. The violence rating is for assault; mentions of child abuse, animal cruelty, and self harm; and gun use.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson 

A Sea of Lemon Trees by Maria Dolores Aguila - ESSENTIAL

A Sea of Lemon Trees by Maria Dolores Aguila, 294 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE. Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2025. $18.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Roberto Alvarez loves school. He is a good student and loves his grammar school. However, this is 1931, and work is hard to find. Many American-born Mexicans are being repatriated to Mexico, and Roberto's school has decided to send all the Mexican children to a separate school, a retrofitted old barn. The Mexican community bands together to enlist the help of the Mexican Consulate, and Roberto becomes the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against the school board.  

Told in free verse, this story is based on an actual event. There is a lot of Spanish thrown in, and even though it is not translated, it adds to the story. This is a fast read, and young readers will be able to identify with Roberto and his courage to represent his people in a foreign environment. Roberto is Mexican American. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean - ADVISABLE

Love Me Tomorrow by Emiko Jean, 352 pages. Sarah Barley Books (Simon & Schuster), 2026. $20.

Language: R (34 swears, 3 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Emma (17yo) knows what her future looks like: going to college nearby with a practical degree to take care of her family. Because it’s better to play it safe than to risk anyone—especially herself—getting hurt. But Emma lets herself wish for proof that love is real, and, in return, she gets an anonymous pen pal from the future.

Okay, I admit, I absolutely rolled my eyes when the pen pal said he was from the future, and I nearly threw the book down to punish it. But I am so happy that I kept reading. I felt all of Emma’s highs and lows, I celebrated and cried with her, and I love how Jean brilliantly brought everything together in the end. Emma’s story is about how much more important it is to choose our lives over and over again than to try and cheat happiness by sitting it out.

Emma is Japanese-American, and the majority of other characters are implied White. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, kissing, innuendo, partial nudity, groping, and mentions of sex. The violence rating is for a joke about murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman - ESSENTIAL

The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman, 320 pages. Little, Brown, 2025. $18.

 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (peril, monster description) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Clare is an undead fox, used by the afterlife to usher souls who don't know which door to pass through. He can tell by touching them or talking to them which portal they would be most comfortable in - Pleasure, Peace, Progress, or Pain. But one evening, close to All Hallows Eve, a dead Badger appears, but none of the portals accept her. Clare is at a loss. But in an effort to help Gingersnipes, Clare leaves the forest to seek out Hesterfowl, a bird who prophesied a catastrophic event about Clare, and the visit may just set her prophesy in motion. 

The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest was one of my favorite reads this year. Mercin Minor's illustrations, at the anticipation of each chapter, add context and expression to this already exciting and thoughtful story. I love that the characters approaching their afterlife assess their lives and reflect on relationships (or the lack thereof). Most of the characters are animals, with a brief but important encounter with humans. 

 Lisa Librarian 

A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon by Hannah Reynolds - OPTIONAL

A Practical Guide to Dating a Demon by Hannah Reynolds, 352 pages. G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Random House), 2026. $13.

Language: R (25 swears, 4 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Sick of the government-track boys asking her out to get an introduction to her aunt, Naomi (18yo) deters them by saying she’s betrothed. To a demon. When one spurned suitor asks what her betrothed’s name is, Naomi makes one up: Daziel. Then a demon claiming to be Daziel shows up in her rooms, and he stubbornly refuses to be banished.

The story, the magic, and the budding romance were all fun, though I was confused about the world where it all took place. There is obvious Jewish influence, with Naomi’s aunt as a political leader part of the “Sanhedrin” and mentions of “rabbis,” but no one is described as Jewish and there is no mention of Judaism by name. Further complicating matters are the presence of French boulangeries and the use of British terms. These vocabulary choices without a clear explanation of the world I was supposed to be imagining were distracting, though in the end they weren’t important details to the story. And I even learned a couple of new words.

Naomi is depicted as White on the cover, and Daziel is described as having “bronze” skin. Also, Jelan and Gilli are implied to be gay. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, kissing, innuendo, partial nudity, and mentions of sex. The violence rating is for mentions of murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson