Steve L. McEvil and the Twisted Sister by Lucas Turnbloom - ADVISABLE

Steve L. McEvil and the Twisted Sister (Steve L. McEvil #3) by Lucas Turnbloom. 237 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Crown Books (Random House), 2025. $15

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (Some fantasy violence, mild fighting, name calling)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE; MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Steve and his friends are trapped on an alien planet with no portal to get back to Earth. Now, it's up to his sister, Eve and Gramps to rescue them. Will Eve, her cat Mrs. Cuddles, and Gramps be able to build another portal and rescue Steve and his crew? Will Steve and his friends find a way to rescue themselves and save a planet from the evil Perses before Perses finds a way to destroy Earth?

This book would have made more sense if I'd have read the previous two books. I didn't love it, but I'm not the intended audience. Middle grade readers who love funny sci-fi graphic novels will enjoy this series. To me, it read like a Cartoon Network show.

Steve and his family are white; Steve's friends are illustrated with various skin tones

Rachel, elementary school librarian 

Piper at the Gates of Dusk (New World #1) by Patrick Ness - OPTIONAL

Piper at the Gates of Dusk (New World #1) by Patrick Ness, 352 pages. Candlewick, 2026. $20

Language: R (71 swears, 1 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (some deaths, some blood, shootings)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

When the flaming god bursts through the forest and almost kills them, Ben and Max have a hard time getting anyone to believe them. It has been twenty years since the final war almost ended the “New World” before it had a chance to get started. While Todd, the boys’ father, still  has his connection to the Noise, even the Spackle only have legends to help them navigate and interpret what is being heralded by the god’s appearance and disappearance. As the situation becomes more urgent and dangerous, the boys will need to figure out how to make their voices heard and hopefully prevent more tragedy. 

I will admit it - I have never read the original Chaos Walking trilogy, but Ness is so good at weaving in enough backstory that I didn’t feel I needed to read them in order to understand this new series. More intellectual than your standard YA adventure novel - fans of Scott Reintgen will definitely enjoy it. I am looking forward to seeing how Ness moves forward with what information he lets drop. Fans of the original will enjoy this on a different level as old faces are reintroduced.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Open Wide by I.M. Eerie - OPTIONAL

Open Wide by I.M. Eerie, 170 pages.Simon and Schuster, 2025. $18 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Eddie finds himself at a mysterious new dentist's office in town. Even though his teeth aren't hurting, he winds up getting three of them yanked by dodgy Dr. Yankum. On picture day at school, he notices that many of his fellow fifth graders are missing teeth as well. As Eddie digs deeper, he discovers that there could be something sinister going on. 

Anything to do with yanking teeth makes me a bit queasy. While it's an easy read, the plot seemed fairly predictable. Of course, Eddie and his friend are going to try and figure out Dr. Yankum on their own and not involve adults. The ending was a bit of a twist, but made my teeth hurt. No culture or race is mentioned, the characters default white.

Michelle in the Middle 

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

Starstrike by Yoon Ha Lee - OPTIONAL

Starstrike (Moonstorm #2) by Yoon Ha Lee, 368 pages. Delacorte Press (Random House), 2025. $20

Language: PG-13 (70 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: G (none); Violence: PG (frequent Sci-Fi battles, gunfights and death with moderate detail. Some intense combat scenes)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO:  SOME

Starstrike follows Hwa Young, a 16yo Korean girl whose life is torn apart by a devastating alien strike.  Driven by grief and anger, she joins an underground resistance with her best friend Geum.  As battles escalate, Hwa must navigate fractured alliances, internal doubts, and the ever-present threat of death.  With Earth's fate hanging in the balance, she discovers the strength to lead, but is torn between who she should trust.

I liked this book because it was very fast-paced and captured my attention from the beginning.  I was eager to find out what was happening with Hwa Young after reading the first book. Although the book can be very emotional and dark at times, I felt like some students would be able to connect with this.  The world seems frighteningly realistic and I enjoyed the character development for the most part.  Some of the characters remained flat and I longed to know more about them.  Overall this was an exciting read with a lot of action.

Jessica Nelson CTHS Librarian

Press 1 for Invasion by J.A. Dauber, - ADVISABLE

Press 1 for Invasion by J.A. Dauber, 308 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2025. $18

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (threats of cooking and eating the humans, laser blaster fights, alien deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

10yo Matt is so excited to find the phone on the way to school - so excited that he doesn’t even think about trying to find the owner and return it.  Continuing on his way, he snaps some pictures - leading to a discovery that rocks his world - turns out that aliens have invaded his neighborhood! Not just the kindly crossing guard - but even one of the cafeteria ladies. The cafe alien wants his help - her race is about to conquer Earth as food - because Earthlings are delicious!  But she has come to like Earthlings and doesn’t want them destroyed. Matt will have to get the help of Marleea, a girl he admires, in order to concoct a plan to save the entire world. 

The constant mentioning of cooking Earth people, eating Earth people how delicious Earthlings are is nerve-wracking, not annoying. It really ramps up the tension.  The final solution is full of mis-fired plans and constant danger.  If you have students who will read science fiction, here is a good choice.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Eyes on the Sky by J. Kasper Kramer - OPTIONAL

Eyes on the Sky by J. Kasper Kramer, 256 pages. Atheneum (Simon), 2025. $18

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

After her parents died, now 12yo Dorothy has been cared for by her older brother, who was recalled from duty in World War II. Dorthy’s fascination with science, especially outer space, has her at odds with her brother, who is trying his best to keep life and limbs, Dorothy’s limbs, together. When her weather balloon experiment gets caught up in a potential crash, Dorothy also becomes entangled with the federal government, who have secrets at nearby Roswell that Dorothy’s antics could expose.

Kramer could have given us an actual historical fiction book about life around Roswell in the 1940’s, but takes things step too far and out of actual historical context and into science fiction. While movies like the Marvel Universe sell well on screen, they do not sell well as middle grade books. I would have a hard time finding an audience for this one.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo - ADVISABLE

Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo, 240 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL HarperCollins, 2024. $16. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (some same gender kissing) Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Indu was a child who was discovered alone on the moon and adopted by their mother, a spaceship pilot. The moon warned them that if they left, they would be subject to pain and to change, but the promise of a family and love were worth it. As Indu grows they discover that they are unhappy with their assigned gender and gets to choose a new name. When his mother returns them to "New Earth" and they join her family, Indu has a hard time fitting in, not only because kids know him as Lunar Boy, he doesn't speak Indonesian well enough, he's behind in all his studies, and he's pretty sure most of the kids won't accept that he's trans. Even though he finds a community like him, his new brother and sister aren't very welcoming. Maybe the Moon will take him back. 

A futuristic story about a new world that seems to have more acceptance for the LBGTQIA+ community. It's a sweet graphic novel about finding yourself and figuring out where you belong. Readers who loved The Witch Boy will get a similar feeling from Lunar Boy. 

Lisa Librarian 

Magic Girls: Kira and the (Maybe) Space Princess Megan Brennan - OPTIONAL

Magic Girls: Kira and the (Maybe) Space Princess by Megan Brennan, 250 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL, Young Adult RH Graphic Random House, 2024. $22 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Kira is tired of being ignored so she is hoping to stand out as she starts 7th grade. Her goal to become popular involves becoming a magical girl, but her nemesis has beaten her to it. The arrival of Catacorn to Neo-Earth, a mysterious cat princess from beyond the stars might just propel Kira into the limelight she's been seeking. 

While the art is good, the coloring style makes it feel busy on the page. Kira is fairly self-centered and unlikable for a good part of the book, but there is a nice theme of friendship and what that means. On Neo-Earth there are all sorts of races and cultures. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Friend or UFO by Julie Buxbaum - OPTIONAL

Friend or UFO (The Area 51 Files: Book 3) by Julie Buxbaum, 268 pages. Children's Fiction Delacorte (Random House), 2024. $15 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Sky calls Area 51 home because everyone she loves is there. Except one, her grandma. Sky gets a mysterious VHS tape where she discovers her grandma is a secret agent for the FBAI (Federal Bureau of Alien Investigations) and may have been kidnapped. Sky is beside herself and she and her friends will have to solve secret puzzles, codes, and find clues in Area 51 to rescue grandma. 

This is a fun read. Lots of emphasis on family, which is nice. Lots of puns and plays on words. The illustrations help the story along. This is like CSI for elementary kids and who wouldn't want to live with aliens and solve mysteries? Sky is of Indian descent and her friends are a wide variety of cultures and aliens.

Michelle in the Middle 

The Big Flush by Julie Buxbaum - OPTIONAL

The Big Flush (The Area 51 Files Book 2) by Julie Buxbaum, 252 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Delacorte (Random House), 2023. $15 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Sky Patel-Baum's middle school is bizarre. She lives in Area 51 where there are aliens everywhere. Sky is learning to love her new home when it looks like it will be destroyed by space junk in the form of a giant toilet heading straight for her home, which could also take out all of Nevada. Sky and her friends race to figure out who on base is giving out coordinates to angry aliens before they are wiped out. 

 This book in the series is heavy on potty humor, especially when the town gets sprayed by human feces. Don't eat while reading this book. There are a lot of puns and it's nice to see people and aliens get along despite their differences. Nice themes of friendship and family. And fighting poop. Sky is of Indian descent and the other characters are a diverse collection of cultures and aliens. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Power Button: The First Invasion Zack Soto - OPTIONAL

Power Button: The First Invasion by Zack Soto, 202 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Graphic Universe (Lerner), 2023. $23.

Language: G (1 swear, 0 "F"); Mature Content: G; Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Kaz Savage is 10yo when his 11yo cousin Truly is dropped off at his home in Oregon. Kaz uses a walking stick because he has a degenerative eye disease. The two of them stumble upon some space relics that summon a space knight, Trinn Cyclo, who must may be able to save earth from an invasion by a 15yo space alien who has family issues of his own. 

The art is done all in blues, purples, and greens, which seems to work with the story. The plot is fairly straightforward, though there is a strange uncle who is a cat. The robot space knight saves the day and will most likely be back in subsequent books. I liked that Kaz has a disability he copes well with. Kids will probably like it but I was hoping for more tension in the plot. Truly is black and Max is white. 

 Michelle in the Middle 

The Area 51 Files by Julie Buxbaum and Lavanya Naidu - OPTIONAL

The Area 51 Files by Julie Buxbaum, illustrated by Lavanya Naidu, 296 pages. Delacorte (Random House). 2022. $15 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Sky Patel-Baum is sent to live with her uncle Anish in Area 51, where the first and most important rule is, "Whatever happens in Area 51 stays in Area 51." Plenty seems to be happening. Not only does Sky discover there really are aliens, but some of them are missing, which could cost her uncle his job and put her in danger as well. 

 The illustrations are fun and help readers get a visual on the aliens. Sky and her alien friend, Elvis, are likable characters and the humor is fun. Agent Fartz spawned a whole lot of fart jokes that grew tiresome for me after awhile, but may appeal to a younger crowd. At almost 300 pages, the story could have been tightened up a little. Sky and her uncle appear to be Indian and most everyone else are aliens. 

 Michelle in the Middle 

A Debt to the Stars by Kevin Hincker - OPTIONAL

A Debt to the Stars by Kevin Hincker, 286 pages. Kevin Hincker, 2023. $17.

Language: R (144 swears, 201 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

Diana’s pet project is about to send two people where humans have never been before: the bottom of the Mariana Trench. But last minute problems nearly cancel everything, which would delay the entire project another year. Diana replaces one of the two people selected to go, and she insists on moving forward today, even when her team on land informs them that alien ships have arrived.

Hincker makes the absolutely ridiculous sound possible in Diana’s story. Sentient vegetables, greedy alien bankers, and intergalactical economics—including explanations that went way over my head. Though there are a couple of lingering questions that entice readers to look forward to the sequel, I will not be subjecting myself to skimming over more explanations that will not make sense due to my lack of economic studies. The happy ending of this first book is satisfactory for me.

Diana is depicted as white on the cover, Sanjana has “olive” skin, Robert is described as “vaguely Asian,” and the text mentions various skin tones in other characters. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol, drugs, genitalia, and masturbation as well as for nudity. The violence rating is for blood and gore, mentions of guns, self harm, attempted suicide, murder, and fantasy violence.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow - OPTIONAL

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow, 400 pages. Harlequin Teen (Inkyard Press), 2020. $19.

Language: R (29 swears, 8 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Since the Ilori have taken over Earth, 17yo Janelle and her parents have been contained in their apartment complex, left alive without knowing why. M0Rr1S is the labmade Ilori in charge of making and distributing the vaccine for all humans left on Earth in preparation for the rest of the Ilori descending on the planet. None of the other Ilori know about M0Rr1S’s affinity for music and humans until he befriends Janelle and convinces her to steal remaining contraband for him, putting both of them at risk.

At the heart of this story is a desire to be yourself without others’ prejudices and judgements weighing on you. I love that Janelle and M0Rr1S connect on that level despite being from different planets. Their adventure is full of physical and emotional challenges, romance, betrayal, hope, and music – lots of music, including beautiful lyrics included by Dow.

Janelle and her family are Black; M0Rr1S is an alien of the Ilori race who is described as being “darker than olive-skinned but lighter than black.” Different races are mentioned, though most of the characters that Janelle encounters are white. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, innuendo, partial nudity, and mentions of sex. The violence rating is for blood, gun use, mention of suicide, hanging, blood, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

I am the Walrus (N.O.A.H. Files #1) by Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman - ESSENTIAL

 I am the Walrus (N.O.A.H. Files #1) by Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman, 389 pages. Little Brown, APRIL 2023. $18. 9780759555242

Language: G (3 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G (crocodile bite with some blood)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

The worst thing 14yo Noah Prime has to worry about is that his favorite motocross course is being demolished – just as he was starting to get really good and gather attention, too. Noah loves physical activity, even if his best friend, Ogden, is no athlete at all. But when Noah decides to try out for school sports, he seems to instantly be good at everything. And when he tries the rings at a gymnastic meet – well hair sprouts on his arms and his whole body bulks up. What is going on! Way more than Noah and Ogden could have dreamed of. Turns out Noah has a destiny. It may involve Samantha, the girl at school that usually stays away from everyone, but it mostly involves forces that Noah had no idea existed. When you are working off of limited information, how can you decide to trust?

Shusterman and Elfman have written another multi-layered book which will challenge you in unexpected ways. Their Accelerati trilogy was soooo good and NOAH looks to be another homerun. I really can’t tell you too much – but authors and cover artist have done their best to prepare you. 

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS 

Under the Milky Way by Vanessa Barneveld - OPTIONAL

Under the Milky Way by Vanessa Barneveld, 400 pages. Entangled Teen (Entangled Publishing), 2021. $10.

Language: R (109 swears, 12 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Cassidy is a senior in high school, intern for her father’s firm, and self-appointed successor of her mother’s work -- she does not have time to be abducted by aliens. As she struggles to remember the abduction and how to stop it from happening again, Cassidy discovers that she isn’t the only one who’s been taken. And she’s not the only one ready to do something about it.

Buying into the ideas of alien abductions and aliens living among us was difficult for me, so I allowed the pages to drag and took long breaks from reading Cassidy’s story. As the story got more complicated, I struggled with the alien conspiracies. Barneveld’s conclusion was unsatisfactory in how the antagonist was dealt with, but I found that I am content with her interpretation of aliens now that I have the whole picture. I’m still not a huge fan of alien stories, but this one isn’t bad. The mature content rating is for underage drinking and mention of drugs; the violence rating is for murder and mention of suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Visitor by K.S. Applegate, Michael Grant and Chris Grine - HIGH

 The Visitor (Animorphs, The Graphic Novel #2) , by K.S. Applegate, Michael Grant and Chris Grine, 202 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Graphix (Scholastic). 2021. $13. 9781338538373

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Earth is secretly under attack by parasitic aliens called Yeerks. Rachel and her friends could be the planet’s only defense since they stumbled upon a downed spacecraft that gave them the power to morph into any animals they touch. Mr. Chapman, their assistant principal is a human host to a high ranking Yeerk and seems to be their best lead. Rachel takes the lead on this one, but getting closer to the Yeerk leader is dangerous. 

Good graphics will make this book appealing to a whole new group of readers. This is an ongoing storyline, so be prepared for it to continue. Tense and full of action, this should make fans happy. 

 Michelle in the Middle 

All These Warriors by Amy Tintera - HIGH

All These Warriors (Monsters #2) by Amy Tintera, 336 pages. Clarion Books, 2021. $18.

Language: R (117 swears, 8 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

17yo Clara might only be months older from when she joined the international squad to fight scrabs, but she isn’t the same person anymore. Clara can now kill scrabs without flinching, have ten-minute long conversations with her brother, and joke around with friends that she made. If only Clara could solve the mysteries of how to defeat the scrabs and heal the wounds Julian left in her life -- then everything would be perfect.

Tintera doesn’t beat around the bush; even if it’s been a while since you read the prequel, Tintera drops readers right back into Clara’s story. I was just as engaged in and excited about Clara’s life as I was when I needed this sequel months ago because I finished All These Monsters. Clara and the other characters around her are so real and relatable that I forget they are only imaginary friends. I love Clara and her determination to succeed despite what she believes are her failures, and I love the support she gets from the family she has made for herself. I’m happy that I didn’t have to wait for another sequel to come out, but I’m devastated that the story is over. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, innuendo, and partial nudity; the violence rating is for blood and gore.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Skywatchers by Carrie Arcos - ESSENTIAL

Skywatchers by Carrie Arcos, 356 pages. Philomel Books (Penguin), 2020. $19. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

The Skywatchers Club was formed to keep the skies safe from Soviet intruders. High schoolers Teddy, John, Caroline, Eleanor, Bunny, Frank, and Oscar volunteer to help and take a shift watching the skies. Most days are boring with only the occasional passenger plane flying by, if they do at all. But one day they see a strange green light and a mysterious object lands in the forest. When Teddy, John, Caroline, and Bunny go to investigate they disappear. 

 This story is inspired by true events pulls teens into a world full of UFO’s and aliens where they will have to save each other and possibly the world. I really liked this book. It was fun to read, especially because it was inspired by true events. Mature Content is PG because the story takes place in 1952 during the Cold War, so there is a lot of talk about McCarthyism, the Red Scare, the USSR, etc. 

Julia M., Student