Manga in Theory and Practice by Hirohiko Araki - OPTIONAL

Manga in Theory and Practice: The Craft of Creating Manga by Hirohiko Araki, 226 pages. NONFICTION. VIZ Media, 2017. $24.

Language: R (11 swears, 1 “f”); Mature Content: PG13 (alcohol use, nudity, and mentions of illegal activity and eroticism); Violence: PG13 (assault, gun use, mentions of suicide, and murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Hirohiko Araki, the creator of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, shares his beliefs of what makes great and successful manga, referencing not only his own work but other mangas and even other works outside of manga as examples. Going through what Araki calls the four fundamentals of manga (characters, story, setting, and themes), he illustrates how he develops those aspects in his own work so that readers can do it too.

In the introduction, Araki says that, while he uses them for manga, these principles have universal applications outside of the manga version of storytelling. I found some inspiration in what he shared though I don’t create manga and don’t agree with everything he believes about telling a story. At the end of the day, these four fundamentals and the ways Araki uses them for his work are opinions. Araki’s theories and practice are interesting and make sense, but his way isn’t the only way, and he encourages readers to use this book as a starting point and go beyond his outline.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Carlotta's Special Dress by Carlotta Walls LaNier with Lisa Frazier Page, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Carlotta's Special Dress: How a Walk to School Changed Civil Rights History by Carlotta Walls LaNier with Lisa Frazier Page, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton. BIOGRAPHY, PICTURE BOOK Little, Brown, 2026. $19. 9780316572545 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

It's 1957 and Carlotta is one of the "Little Rick 9." She and other Black high school students would be the first integrated into Central High School. Her Uncle had given her mother money for Carlotta to buy a new dress, and she was excited to go wearing the beautiful store bought dress. But, that first day of school was not to be. Angry crowds and soon the National Guard prevented Carlotta and her classmates from going to school. 

An interesting twist on the story of Central High school. I like that it made it personal, giving not just a face but a story to one of the students. I loved the illustrations, and the amount of text was just right. Includes an author’s note (Carlotta is the author) and so we learn a bit more to her story. Also includes a timeline and captioned photographs - yes, one is of Carlotta in The Dress. 

Carlotta is Black. 

Lisa Librarian 

Diamond Fever! A True Crime Story in the Wild West by Steve Sheinkin, comics and art by Jon Chad - ADVISABLE

Diamond Fever! A True Crime Story in the Wild West by Steve Sheinkin, comics and art by Jon Chad, 256 pages. NON-FICTION Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2026. $19. 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

In 1872 Philip Arnold and John Slack started an interest in a supposed diamond mine somewhere in the old west. Some of the richest men in America get involved and want to become investors, but is the promise of unbelievable wealth blinding them to the fact that this mine may become The Great Diamond Hoax? 

A real true crime adventure! I loved the added comics to bridge some of the sections, providing movement and a fresh voice - or rather the voices of the characters rather than just the narrator, I especially loved the comic about how diamonds are made. I loved how Sheinkin added context chapters, talking about what was happening back East at the same time, like who the president was and what happened with his buggy race. There's an author's note which shouldn't be missed, as well as source notes, a bibliography and an index. 

The main characters are white 

Lisa Librarian 

The Totally Awesome World of MrBeast by Neal E. Fischer - MANY

The Totally Awesome World of MrBeast by Neal E. Fischer, 128 pages. BIOGRAPHY Quarto, 2025. $15

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Facts and statistics about MrBeast, the man who went from a disinterested student and college dropout to one of the most viral YouTube stars on the planet.

The layout is bright and colorful and makes the text engaging. There are not only facts about Mr. Beast, but interesting side notes, like how the term computer bug was coined after a moth got into a main frame and caused it to fritz. MrBeast's story may inspire wanna-be YouTubers and his work ethic is impressive, which is important for aspiring YouTubers to understand.

Mr. Beast is white.

Michelle in the Middle 

10 Ways to Fight Misinformation by Gregor Craigie and Bithi Sutradhar - ADVISABLE

10 Ways to Fight Misinformation (Sticking to the Facts) by Gregor Craigie and Bithi Sutradhar, 52 pages. NON-FICTION Orca, 2026. $20

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

In an age of misinformation, especially on the internet, this book is a handy reference tool. This is a short, well laid-out book that has short, easy to read chapters covering various topics, such as checking sources and authors. There are also great side bars about real incidents of fake news.

I only intended to skim through this, but read it cover to cover. This would be a great resource for teachers and students as they begin navigating source material for reports, and also for anyone who is wondering whether or not to share a story on social media.

Michelle in the Middle 

Real Life Disasters (Danger Files) by Anna Crowley Redding and Robbie Cathro - ESSENTIAL

Real Life Disasters (Danger Files) by Anna Crowley Redding and Robbie Cathro, 208 pages. NON-FICTION Candlewick, 2025. $18

Language: G (0 swears 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (peril, death counts)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

5 real life disasters told from the perspective of a child (in most cases). Includes The Great Chicago Fire, The Titanic, The Spanish Flu, The Great Molasses Flood and The Hindenburg. 

There is so much to like about this book (series). Information is presented referencing primary sources, each story contains a “try this yourself” experiment relative to the story and the telling is engaging and quick with illustrations, and side bars. I’m getting the whole series.

Most of the characters are presumed white

Lisa Librarian 

The Forgotten War: A World War II Battle on American Soil by Candace Fleming - ADVISABLE

The Forgotten War: A World War II Battle on American Soil by Candace Fleming, 272 pages. NON-FICTION Scholastic, September 2026. $20

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (war violence, descriptions of trench foot and battle injuries - not graphic)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

Charlie Groth was drafted into WWII in October of 1943. Initially trained as an infantryman, but his winter driving skills - he's from Michigan, got him moved to the ambulance corps and he was assigned to be a litter carrier - one of the soldiers who take the wounded from the battlefield. When he's finally deployed into the war, he finds himself on Attu, part of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. After Pearl Harbor, this and another island were taken over by the Japanese, and Charlie has been assured that taking them back will be quick and easy. But constant terrible weather, and a series of miscalculations by the American Commanding officers make for a very bloody battle and an embarrassing part of WWII the American Military would rather hide and forget.

Well researched and I love that Fleming told both sides of the story - there's a Japanese doctor with the Japanese troops whose experiences are also recounted. Besides the few stories she knew from her father, Fleming combed the National Archives and Records Administration for primary documents, utilized the Park Service and National WWII Museum for interviews, and even found more information about her father. She begins the book with an author's note, and ends with well-organized source documentation. Includes photographs throughout.

Charlie is white.

Lisa Librarian 

Omnibird: An Avian Investigator's Handbook by Giselle Clarkson - ESSENTIAL

Omnibird: An Avian Investigator's Handbook by Giselle Clarkson, 96 pages. NON-FICTION. Gecko Press, 2025. $25. 9798765670514

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Birds come in all shapes and sizes and are warm blooded vertebrates. All birds have beaks, feathers, and lay eggs. You can recognize the different specie by their wings shapes, beak shapes, feather colors, and whether they have combs, caruncles, spurs, or talons. Many bird names come from a description of feather areas such as a yellow-crowned parakeet. You can recognize the different specie by their wings shapes, beak shapes, feather colors, and whether they have combs, caruncles, spurs, and talons. Birds are good for many things, such as: singing, pollination, making eggs to eat, fertilizing, spreading seeds, cleaning up dead tissues, being food for other animals, and pets. Birds evolved to fit their environment such as growing log legs for walking in the water. People can learn to interact with birds in safe ways since some birds are prone to attack.

Although not a comprehensive book on birds, Clarkson wrote a book well fitted for the average person, including adults. The book covers most aspects of ornithology. In between pages of information, she inserts some comic relief such as “how to pick up a chicken”. The illustrations show the characteristics of different birds clear enough to distinguish groups in a species. Clarkson uses both common and scientific names for the birds to inform the reader.

MOMMAC 

Twice Enslaved: Liberty and Justice for Henrietta Wood by Selene Castrovilla and Erin K. Robinson - ESSENTIAL

Twice Enslaved: Liberty and Justice for Henrietta Wood by Selene Castrovilla and Erin K. Robinson. 80 pages. NON FICTION. Calkins Creek (Lerner), 2026. $20

Language: PG (0 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (Henrietta has a son, but doesn't reveal who the father is); Violence: PG-13 (slavery, vicious floggings, and describes her situation as being "in hell")

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

At the beginning of the novel, Henrietta Wood is 14. At the end of the story, she is 58 years old. This is a true story about Henrietta Wood's amazing life. She was born into slavery, eventually given freedom papers, and then kidnapped and sold back into slavery. On June 19, 1865, she was emancipated and was determined to seek justice. She sued the man who kidnapped her, Zebulon Ward. His lawyers stalled, but in the end, she was awarded $2,500 by an all white jury. This is still the "largest financial award granted by an American court as reparations for enslavement." 

I liked this because it was written in prose. It was extremely interesting and it showed how Henrietta didn't give up during very hard times of her life. It helps young readers understand how unfair and terrible slavery was. Henrietta Wood is African American.

Reviewer: A. Criswell, English Language Arts teacher 

Justice Ketanji : The Story of US Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson by Denise Lewis Patrick and Kim Holt - ADVISABLE

Justice Ketanji : The Story of US Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson by Denise Lewis Patrick and Kim Holt. NON-FICTION BIOGRAPHY PICTURE BOOK. Orchard Books (Scholastic), 2023. $19. 9781338885293

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

Ketanji Brown Jackson grew up with the mantra, you can be anything; you can do anything. She carried that perseverance through her life as she applied for and attended Harvard, graduated from Harvard Law, became a US district judge, and eventually became the first Black woman to be a US Supreme Court Justice.  

I liked that the text was written on an elementary level and outlined her life and accomplishments without being overly complex. While it would probably not circulate a lot in a library, it would be a good addition to a picture book biography collection.  Justice Ketanji, her family, and many of her friends are Black

Rachel, Elementary school librarian 

The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue by Elizabeth Brown and Melissa Castrillón - ADVISABLE

The World Entire: A True Story of an Extraordinary World War II Rescue by Elizabeth Brown and Melissa Castrillón.  NON-FICTION, PICTURE BOOK Chronicle, 2025. $20. 9781452170985 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Aristides de Sousa Mendes was a Portuguese diplomat who saved thousands of people fleeing France during WWII. In less than a month, Mendes issued thousands of visas against his government's wishes, saving refugees fleeing the Nazis in France, and allowing them to enter into Portugal. 

The back matter gives more details including that his visas saved Salvador Dali, H.A. and Margret Rey - who created Curious George, and countless others whose lives are just as important, and that it came with a great price to his family who lost everything because of his actions - he knew it was worth it. This is a magnificent story - I had no idea! The picture book itself is a standard length for a non-fiction and would work as a read aloud in the classroom. Back matter includes and authors note, timeline, bibliography and source notes. 

Lisa Librarian  

Mrs. Orwell by Andrea Chalupa, illustrated by Brahm Revel - OPTIONAL

Mrs. Orwell by Andrea Chalupa, illustrated by Brahm Revel, 220 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL, NON-FICTION 23rd Street Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2026. $30 

Language: PG (3 swears, 0 f); Mature Content: PG-13 (implied sex, smoking, drinking) Violence: R (beatings, executions, killings, war related violence) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Eileen Blair is a poet who meets and marries George Orwell. This story follows their relationship through the turbulent times they are involved in, such as the Spanish Civil War, escapes from Stalin's agents, and the London Blitz. Life is not easy for them, and while George is struggling to get published, Eileen is also struggling to hold on to herself in her life and marriage. 

The rating for kid appeal may be misleading, because 23rd Street publishes graphic novels for adults, not kids, however,  high schoolers reading George Orwell's books, may enjoy reading about Eileen and getting a sense of their backgrounds. I really liked learning about Eileen Blair. She sounds like a fascinating person, and after reading this book, I want to know more. There is a lot going on in this book, and it would help to have a historical background of the era. Orwell would have been hard to be married to, which makes her life even more interesting. The Orwells are European. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Who's Got the Best Medicine? (Survival of the Fittest #2) by Rebecca Donnelly and Misa Saburi, - ESSENTIAL

Who's Got the Best Medicine? (Survival of the Fittest #2) by Rebecca Donnelly and Misa Saburi, 112 pages. NON-FICTION GRAPHIC NOVEL. Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2025. $17

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Animals and insects in this graphic novel compete in a game show to see who can present the best medical innovation based on their own anatomy.

The book is full of interesting animal and insect facts presented in a fun approachable way. I  found it to be very informative and creative in the way it presented information. The illustrations are also great. 

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian

Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence by Neil Gorsuch, Janie Nitze and Chris Ellison - ADVISABLE

Heroes of 1776: The Story of the Declaration of Independence by Neil Gorsuch, Janie Nitze and Chris Ellison. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Harper, 2026. $22. 9780063473973

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

Gorsuch (the Supreme Court Justice) gives us a new look at the events leading up to, during, and after the creation of the Declaration of Independence. The book is quite text heavy - I can’t see a teacher reading all of it aloud in one sitting. My personal favorite part is looking into what happened to some of the signers during the revolution and a bit afterwards - stories I don’t remember hearing before. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Ghost Army: The Troop of Artists Who Helped Win WWII by Sarah Glenn Marsh and Becca Stadtlander. - ADVISABLE

Ghost Army: The Troop of Artists Who Helped Win WWII by Sarah Glenn Marsh and Becca Stadtlander. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Viking (Penguin), JUNE 2026. $19. 9780593691717

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

During WWII a small group of artists and musicians played a critical role throughout the war - convincing the enemy that they were real troops of hundreds or thousands of men backed by tanks and artillery. In truth their tanks were rubber and the thousands of troops were rumors and sound recordings!

It wasn’t until 1996 when the efforts and successes of The Ghost army, a troop of artists and sound technicians during WWII, were finally recognized and acknowledged. My grades don’t cover WWII, but any school that does should have this on the shelf.  You could also show this to a theater teacher or art teacher. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne by Sonya Ballantyne - OPTIONAL

The Unbeatable Sonya Ballantyne by Sonya Ballantyne, 60 pages.  GRAPHIC NOVEL, NON-FICTION Highwater Press. 2026. $21 

Language: R (11 swears, 3 "F") Mature Content: PG-13 (racism, bullying, questioning sexuality, depression, suicide ideation) Violence: PG (self harm) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

A memoir covering Sonya's life from a small girl to college graduate, this book deals with a lot of difficult issues. Sonya has to navigate the racism and bullying at school as an indigenous girl, and faces mental issues as she navigates her life. 

The illustrations are bright and colorful and make the book look like it's written for elementary kids. However, Sonya's life is brutal at times, and the language and self-harm, make it more applicable to older kids. I appreciate that there is a number for the Hope and Wellness and Suicide hotlines at the front of the book. Sonya's story is authentic and genuine, but also very short. I would have liked to know more about her culture. Sonya is Cree. 

Michelle in the Middle

Ancient Egypt (History Smashers #11) by Kate Messner - ESSSENTIAL

Ancient Egypt (History Smashers #11) by Kate Messner, 208 pages. NON FICTION. Random House Books for Young Readers, 2025. $10 (paperback), $13 (library binding)

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content:  G; Violence: PG (description of mummification process, not graphic)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

From the insightful History Smasher series comes another fantastic title: Ancient Egypt. Did you know that the word "pharaoh" actually comes from an Egyptian word for “great house” and wasn’t used as a title for royalty until the Twenty-Fifth or Twenty-Sixth Dynasty? Maybe you know Sobekneferu was actually the first female king - not Hatshepsut - but you probably didn’t know hieroglyphs can be read either left to right or right to left depending on which way the first character in profile is facing. No matter your knowledge of the ancient Egyptian world and its people, readers young and old are bound to learn something new from the latest installment by professional History Smasher, Kate Messner. 

The easy to read text is broken up by short comics and info panels throughout. Messner includes a time of ancient Egypt, an author’s note, bibliography, and additional books/museums readers can check out for more information. An excellent addition to libraries where the History Smashers series are already in regular circulation.

E. Powell,  Junior High Librarian

The Danger Files: Real Life Disasters by Anna Crowley Redding, illustrated by Robbie Cathro - ADVISABLE

The Danger Files: Real Life Disasters by Anna Crowley Redding, illustrated by Robbie Cathro, 198 pages. NON-FICTION Candlewick, 2025. $18 

BUYING ADVISORY EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Readers can follow five major disasters from the Great Chicago Fire to the Hindenburg. As they do so, they will find eye-witness accounts, clues and facts, and experiments to conduct. 

This is a great way to get five major disasters in a succinct and interesting way. The illustrations make it accessible for young readers, and the experiments look like a lot of fun. The clues and facts are set off in gray tones with graphic art, making the format easy to follow and inviting. This is a quick read that will keep you engaged. 

Michelle in the Middle

White Lies: How the South Lost the Civil War then rewrote the History by Ann Bausum - ESSENTIAL

White Lies: How the South Lost the Civil War then rewrote the History by Ann Bausum, 352 pages. NON-FICTION Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2025. $25. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence PG13 (mention of rape, description of violence against enslaved people) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

After the South lost the civil war, Confederates and their descendants formed organizations like United Confederate Veterans and The United Daughters of the Confederacy. These organizations presented a biased, racist, white-centric story of what happened during that time in the South. They were politically and socially active and managed to get their version of the Civil War into textbooks, movies and popular culture. 

Ann Bausum takes 20 lies told through the Lost Cause narrative, and unwraps them, revealing the truths from the historic record. White Lies was fascinating, but hard to read, as many of the issues addressed had been part of my understanding of the Civil War growing up. It messed with my nostalgia and has made me more aware of the misrepresentations of that time. I'll never see Gone with the Wind the same way again. I hope this somehow makes it into classroom study someday, I know I'm a different person having read White Lies. Well documented and well organized. There are photos of the monuments and the propaganda throughout, as well as a timeline, author's notes, a bibliography and sources. 

Lisa Librarian 

A World Without Summer by Nicholas Day - ADVISABLE

A World Without Summer by Nicholas Day, 304 pages. NON-FICTION Random House, 2025 $20. 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

In the early 1800s, on an island in Indonesia, a volcano called Tambora erupted, burying villages, killing thousands and changing the climate all over the world for years to come. But in 1815, the science of weather wasn't a thing yet, and no one (except Benjamin Franklin, who was then deceased) even considered that a volcano could change things so drastically. It rained constantly in Europe, snowed continually in America and famine became the norm, people were starving. It was from this bleak time that Mary Shelly wrote Frankenstein. 

Nicholas Day, who also wrote The Mona Lisa Vanishes is a great recontour - this story was engaging from the very first page, and making it a mash-up with the timing and world of Frankenstein was brilliant. This is one of those books I was talking about while I was reading it. I know non-fiction is a hard sell to many of my middle school kids, but with the release of a new Frankenstein film and a resurgence of interest in Shelly's novel, I will also be recommending A World Without Summer to those same readers, as it puts so much into perspective - even our current climate change. 

Lisa Librarian