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

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

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

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

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

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

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

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

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

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

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

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

Lisa Librarian 

First Love Language by Stefany Valentine - ADVISABLE

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

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

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

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

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

Catie is Taiwanese American and Toby is white.

Jessica Nelson CTHS Librarian

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

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

Content: G (mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

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

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

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Julia by Heather B. Moore - ADVISABLE

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

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

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

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

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

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

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Steel & Spellfire by Laura Weymouth - ADVISABLE

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

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

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

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

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian

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

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

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

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

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

Michelle in the Middle 

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

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

Content: G (mild danger)

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

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

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

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

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson - ADVISABLE

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

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

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

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

Most of the characters are black 

Lisa Librarian 

Graciela in the Abyss by Meg Medina - ADVISABLE

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

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

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

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

Lisa Librarian 

Don't Cause Trouble by Arree Chung - ADVISABLE

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

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

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

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

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

The Blood Phoenix by Amber Chen - ADVISABLE

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

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

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

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

 LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah 

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

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

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO:  SEVERAL

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

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

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian

Silverborn by Jessica Townsend, - ADVISABLE

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

Content: G (mild violence)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

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

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

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

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

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

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

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Where the Heart Should Be by Sarah Crossan - SEVERAL

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

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

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

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

Lisa Librarian 

The Phantom Academy by Christine Virnig - ADVISABLE

The Phantom Academy by Christine Virnig, 261 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2025. $20. 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

12yo Finn is dead. When he reaches the fork in the road, he chooses the lonely path through the woods and finds himself at the Phantom Academy - a school for new ghosts to learn how to navigate the afterlife. Finn is desperate to get back to his family.  When he learns that most ghosts hang out on the not-dead side, Finn convinces some of his classmates to help find the way.

Sometimes it is nice to have a ghost story that isn’t about the scares and hauntings. Virnig brings another dimension to afterlife stories and I hope she will explore further.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Please Pay Attention by Jamie Sumner - ADVISABLE

Please Pay Attention by Jamie Sumner, 240 pages. Atheneum BYR (Simon), 2025. $18.

Content: PG (school shooting mentioned)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

6th grader Bea has cerebral palsy. She enjoys school and life with her adoptive mom. All of this is threatened when a shooting occurs at her school killing a few students and her teacher.

The portrayal of Bea’s trauma is honest and compassionate. Readers will like to see Bea’s personality shine through the pages. There are unflinching portrayals of physical handicap difficulties, and other students dealing with anxiety or Neurodiverse challenges. A gay couple lives next door to Bea and she interacts with them frequently.

J. Smith, Teacher Librarian

Scattergood by H M Bouwman - ADVISABLE

Scattergood by H M Bouwman,  320 pages. Candlewick, 2025. $19. 

Language: G (4 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: PG (farming accident) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Nearly 13yo Peggy is about to start high school, but is younger than the other 9th graders. Her friend Joe is a Quaker and volunteers working at a Quaker managed home for European refugees. Peggy may have her 1st crush, an older boy - a jewish refugee named Gunther, who doesn't see Peggy that way at all. Peggy's cousin Delia is very sick. Peggy is certain that the country doctors just don't know enough about Leukemia to treat Delia properly. 

There is a lot going on in this novel. Grief, family problems, religious differences, Jewish survivors, loss, and coming of age. The action and emotions really ramp up in the last several chapters, and I found I couldn't put it down. A tightly woven plot where every last thing connects for a very satisfying ending. Peggy is white 

Lisa Librarian 

Earth’s Biggest Show-offs by Andy Seed and Sam Caldwell - ADVISABLE

Earth’s Biggest Show-offs by Andy Seed, illustrated by Sam Caldwell, 63 pages. NON-FICTION. Happy Yak (Quarto), 2025. $20. 9781836000105

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Seed and Caldwell take us on a journey around the world discovering natural wonders. Each one or two page spread has fun facts supported by lovely illustrations. Kids who love non-fiction will have a great time browsing the pages. Or a teacher could assign one page to each student for further research.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS