Hattie Mae Begins Again by Sharon G. Flake - ADVISABLE

Hattie Mae Begins Again (Companion to Once in a Blue Moon) by Sharon G. Flake, 368 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE Knopf (Random House), 2026. $18. 

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

 BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

 APPEALS TO: SOME 

11yo Hattie Mae is allowed to attend Miss Abigail's School for Exceptional Young Ladies in Philadelphia. But in 1938, there are rich black families and poor black families, and Hattie Mae, being from North Carolina, just doesn't fit in with the other girls. And they let her know it. She makes a friend, but Lisa, probably the wealthiest of the girls, is cruel. Hattie wants to be a lawyer someday, or maybe a doctor. 

This is unfair, but Hattie Mae is strong and resilient and won't let mean girls keep her down. I didn't mind that it was a novel in verse - sometimes the poetry breaks up the story because the chapters are so short, but this wasn't the case. I enjoyed the historical look at depression era Philadelphia. I enjoyed Sharon Flake's poetry; I felt the story was gripping without it being just about Hattie Mae dealing with a mean girl. There was a lot more - being courageous, learning to fit in without losing yourself, recognizing change and adapting to it. It's historical fiction, so I'm going to have to hand-sell it, but I think I can easily find some readers in my library. The characters are black. 

 Lisa Librarian 

The Pecan Sheller by Lupe Ruiz-Florez - OPTIONAL

The Pecan Sheller by Lupe Ruiz-Florez, 250 pages. Carolrhoda (Lerner), 2025 $19.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

13yo Petra is a good student. She especially loves reading and writes her own stories. But after the death of her father, her step-mother cannot make ends meet and requires Petra to leave school and come to work with her in as a pecan sheller. In Texas, during the 1930's the pecan factories were terrible workplaces with poor ventilation. Many of Petra's co-workers coughed all day, making them more susceptible to tuberculosis. The factory management paid the workers hardly anything, required long hours, and fired people on a whim. Petra just wants to go back to school, but her siblings are starving. 

Based on the Pecan Sheller strike in Texas in 1938, The Pecan Sheller is a heart breaking story. The poverty of the family was unbelievable. I kept wondering when the US government would swoop in and help - but this was before there were laws like minimum wage and safe work environments. Petra's family are Mexican American 

Lisa Librarian

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 

Force of Nature: A Novel of Rachel Carson by Ann E. Burg and Sophie Blackall - ADVISABLE

Force of Nature: A Novel of Rachel Carson by Ann E. Burg, illustrated by Sophie Blackall, 304 page. BIOGRAPHY, Scholastic, 2024. $20.  

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Rachel Carson was always interested in nature. She loved the forest outside her home near Pittsburgh and worried about the effects of the pollution the coal mines were causing on the ecology. She also loved writing, as a young girl, she sold several stories to St. Nick magazine, and helped support her family in the 1920s. Attending college, she planned to be a writer, but being introduced to the study of biology, Rachel realized she could make a difference, but many factors including the fact that she was a woman would come into play as she tried to follow a career in science. 

Ann E. Burg's novel in verse is wonderful. I was immediately immersed in Rachel's story. I loved that she spent a lot of time with Rachel as a child - this will certainly invest the middle school readers in both her causes and her life. Sophie Blackall's illustrations are great - like they were carefully drawn in a scientific notebook. I loved the - were you paying attention and can you identify these things - at the end of the book. While not exactly non-fiction as Burg has combined characters, changed some names and there aren't the typical end materials like a bibliography or links to other sources, I think Force of Nature will be a great historical fiction about a real person and readers will want to find out more. Rachel is white. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Newton Fusco - OPTIONAL

The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Newton Fusco, 368 pages. Random House, 2025 $18. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

11yo Hurricane is living with her rich Aunt Claire as her parents have passed (her father during WWI and her mother in 1930 from Tuberculosis), her older sister Bronte also has TB and is being treated. Hurricane is very shy, and Aunt Clair isn't having it. She insists Hurricane improve herself, become better educated, speak properly and behave more like a young lady. But Hurricane's sweetness, and quiet strength, as well as a kind butler - Mr. Keats, helps Aunt Claire soften, and soon Hurricane is finding her voice. 

A dear story, I would have loved it as a child, I'm just not sure today's readers will feel the same. They are far from the great depression and even further from WWI. There's a boy who befriends Hurricane, he's pretty much on his own selling things from door to door, and soon even rich Aunt Claire finds herself selling prized possessions to support herself. It's mostly a slice of life - no adventure, not much trouble (taming a feral cat), worrying about her sick sister, but there's not enough information about how sick Bronte is for the reader to care. The characters are white. 

Lisa Librarian 

Iceberg by Jennifer Nielsen - ESSENTIAL

 

Iceberg by Jennifer Nielsen, 352 pages. Scholastic Press, 2023. $13. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

12yo Hazel is traveling to New York to work at a garment factory with her aunt. Her mother is sending her there to help earn money for the family. She’s in awe of the decadence and size of the Titanic and she has many questions that she wants to answer, so she can write about the ship when she arrives at her destination. Hazel dreams of becoming a journalist and the more she learns about the Titanic, the more questions she has. She makes friends, learns about her own priorities and also discovers a theft in progress.

Excellent Titanic story. I enjoyed the insight into life and social classes of 1912. The book departs many wise anecdotes throughout the telling of the story. Hazel has a lot of curiosity and asks intelligent, interesting and helpful questions. The mystery and suspense make the book even better.

The ethnicity is mixed. LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

Light Comes to Shadow Mountain by Tony Buzzeo - ADVISABLE

Light Comes to Shadow Mountain by Tony Buzzeo, 272 pages. Holiday House, 2023. $18.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (birth of a baby, not graphic); Violence: PG (implication and evidence of domestic abuse) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

11yo Cora Mae Tipton lives in a small cabin in Kentucky. It's 1937 and she has some great dreams - she wants to do well in school, well enough to get a scholarship to a High School, and someday work as a journalist. But for right now, she would love for her home to be one of the first on the mountain to receive electricity. Electric Lights! Just imagine, Cora could read and study after dark! But her mother, the mountain's herbalist won't hear of it - too much change, the introduction of electricity into their homes will ruin everything. 

Beautifully written and so engaging! I loved Cora and her best friend Cielly, they were the perfect schemers and planners.  Cora's twin brothers were realistic 4 year olds, and even Cora's cousin from the city was well developed. Buzzeo's descriptions of the girls pressing baby clothes with the stove-heated irons, the danger of the soap making, and the one room school house were fantastic. I love nostalgia, especially the Great Depression, unfortunately, it's a hard sell to my middle school students. The Tipton family is white, descended from Scottish immigrants. 

Lisa Librarian 

Finding Us by Tracie Peterson - OPTIONAL

Finding Us (Pictures of the Heart #2) by Tracie Peterson, 320 pages. Bethany House (Baker Publishing), 2023. $30.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Eleanor went to Seattle to be a camera girl at the exposition going on there, and she has loved every minute of it. William, on the other hand, only took a job at the expo because tragedy ruined the plans he and his brother had for Seattle. Their lives intersect for a reason, and everything becomes clear after the development of one of Eleanor’s photos.

Eleanor’s story can be read independently of the prequel; characters in the first book show up in this one, but the details of their story are not necessary to read Eleanor and William’s. Peterson includes strong Christian themes and scripture quotations due to her characters’ faith being a big part of their lives. The main characters feel Mary-Sue-ish and some details are belabored, but, overall, the story is heartwarming and faith-promoting.

The majority of the characters, including Eleanor and William, are white, and May is half Japanese. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, and the violence rating is for mentions of abuse, gun use, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

We Own the Sky by Rodman Philbrick - ESSENTIAL

We Own the Sky by Rodman Philbrick, 208 pages. Scholastic Press (Scholastic). 2022. $19. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (Peril, Racist Language, Abduction). 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY

1924, Maine. 12yo Davy and his 17yo sister Jo have recently been orphaned. Before she died, their mother reached out to a distant cousin, asking that she find a place for the children. Ruthie, an aviatrix, picks up the kids, but it's right at the beginning of the Flying Circus season, so she puts them to work with her show. Davy sells popcorn and Jo sells tickets. The performers are immigrants - French Canadian, Italian, Irish, etc. and soon the KKK in Maine takes notice and tried to shut them down. 

Exciting stunts, dangerous situations, and relatable characters make We Own the Sky a gripping read. I love the cover picture - necessary because Bi-Plane and Wing Walker are both unfamiliar, but would have liked it better if the Klan had been in robes - they just look like cowboys. We really need a resurgence of interest in historical fiction, because I think kids are going to love this! 

Lisa Librarian

A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar - ADVISABLE

A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar, 304 pages. HarperCollins Publishers, 2022. $18. 

Language: PG (5 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

17yo Josefa loves the thrill of a con, whether it’s pickpocketing or carrying out a planned heist, and, this time, Josefa has her sight set on a bejeweled book. She recruits Violet, Hinnah, and Emilie to help her, promising the jewels on the book will be enough to make all their dreams come true. Josefa has it all planned out. They just need to get on the same boat where the book will be: the Titanic.

I love heists: the deception, the planning, the improvising when the plan inevitably goes wrong. Making the Titanic the background for this heist was absolutely brilliant. None of the characters know what the readers do about the Titanic, adding to the suspense and urgency of everything going on. If you need a little more excitement in your life, this is the book for you – just remember that the Titanic will also add a dose of tragedy. 

Josefa, Violet, Marko, and August are white. Hinnah is Indian, and Emilie is half Haitian and describes herself as Black. The mature content rating is for illegal activity, alcohol use, partial nudity, and innuendo. The violence rating is for knife use, mention of murder, and death.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Three Strike Summer by Skyler Schrempp - ADVISABLE

Three Strike Summer by Skyler Schrempp. 320 pages. McElderry Books Simon and Schuster, 2022. $18.

Language: PG (7 swears, 0 'f');  Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Gloria and her family are having a tough time. It's the 1930s and they live in Oklahoma. Their farm failed again and they are mourning the death of their baby brother. When the bank forecloses on the farm, they load everything they own into their truck and head to California. Gloria is a really good pitcher, and when the family gets work at a peach orchard, Gloria hopes to join the boys in their game. 

An engaging story - times were hard, not just because the farm failed, but the families looking for work were mistreated and cheated out of money and resources due to them. Some fun baseball action and a bit of danger in the orchard. Historical fiction can be a hard sell, but sports lovers will like this too. Will probably purchase.

Lisa Librarian

A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice by Rebecca Connolly - ADVISABLE

A Brilliant Night of Stars and Ice by Rebecca Connolly, 295 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2022. $27.

Language: PG (7 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Captain Rostron is captain of a fine ship – even if Carpathia isn’t the Titanic everyone is raving about. He and his crew are at the end of a regular day when they receive news that Titanic is sinking. Doing everything they can to go to the Titanic’s aid, Captain Rostron worries that everything won’t be enough.

Connolly writes about the Titanic and the only ship that goes to assist them, and, yet, the inevitable tragedy felt sudden and urgent. Sorrow is as tangible as the tears that will run down your face, and your knowledge of the Titanic wars with your hope that these characters – portraying real people – will live.

The characters are from a variety of European and American backgrounds, the majority being implied white. The mature content rating is for mention of alcohol use; the violence rating is for suggestion of suicide and descriptions of dead bodies.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen