Isabel in Bloom by Mae Respicio - ADVISABLE

Isabel in Bloom by Mae Respicio, 364 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE Random House, 2024. $18.

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

11yo Isabel has recently moved to California from the Philippines to finally live with her mother. To provide a better life, Isabel's mom has been working in the States for the last 6 years and sending money back to Isabel and her grandparents. When she left, her grandfather told her to look for things in America that are familiar, but even her mother is no longer familiar. Joining a cooking club at school and helping revive the school garden may be just the thing Isabel needs to finally feel at home and make some friends. 

Isabel is a darling girl with grit - her grandparents have prepared her well for her move to America, including a bottle full of the smell of home. While I enjoy novels in verse, sometimes they tell a story that lacks depth; I felt that with this one. There was so much I didn't know, relationships that could have been better developed with more text, particularly Isabel's relationship with her mother.

Lisa Librarian 

Anna-Jane and the Endless Summer by Paige Classey - ESSENTIAL

Anna-Jane and the Endless Summer by Paige Classey, 387 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE. Random House, 2026. $ 18

Language: G (1 swears, 0  ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (ghost story about a drowning, mild threats of violence, gun and knife threats)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

13yo Anna-Jane always looks forward to her summer sleepaway camp.  Even though she and her mother can’t afford the tuition, a camp scholarship helps. As she settles in, something strange happens in the outside world - a trip to the nearby town is derailed because almost no one is around and almost nothing is open.  Back at camp they discover that a country wide emergency has been declared. A mysterious illness is spreading rapidly.  Some kids' parents come to take them home, but a lot of campers are stuck there.  Then the director leaves in the middle of the night.  The camp nurse is now the only adult and a few counselors also remain. Otherwise, the whole group is on their own. As fall comes and winter approaches, food is getting short, and so are tempers. 

While I normally am not a novel in verse fan, Classy paints vivid pictures with her words. And the book is long enough that I never felt cheated. However, if you listened to this as an audiobook, you would never know that it is written in verse. If your students enjoy Alone by Freeman, they will be ready to devour this next. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Red Bird Danced by Dawn Quigley - OPTIONAL

Red Bird Danced by Dawn Quigley, 166 pages. NOVEL IN VERSEHarperCollins, 2024. $19. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (mention of #MMIW - missing and murdered indigenous women) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

11yo Ariel and her 13yo neighbor Tomah are Ojibwah children living in an inner-city tribal housing project. Tomah is in Ariel's class - he struggles with reading and has been held back. Ariel loves ballet - she was inspired to dance by a beloved aunt. Ariel's Aunt has recently disappeared, so, Ariel chooses as her school project to learn more about #MMIW. 

What a heavy topic for an elementary read! The content is perfectly age-appropriate, and the author's notes indicate that there are currently over 500 missing and murdered indigenous women, so, many indigenous children must be experiencing this crisis. Written in verse, the text isn't sad, it's hopeful. I liked this tender book, especially the author's notes, which tell children that they are strong and to have hope. The community is Ojibwa 

Lisa Librarian 

The Story of My Anger by Jasminne Mendez - OPTIONAL

The Story of My Anger by Jasminne Mendez, 328 pages. Dial (Penguin), 2025. $20. 

Language: R (34 swears 13 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (girl fight) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

High school junior Yulieta wants to be the first black girl at her school to get a lead in her school play. She's been practicing all summer with her best friend Aleeya - the two make up the only black girls in the drama club. But when the cast list for Our Town is posted, the part is given to someone else, and Yuli is angry. When she asks her teacher, Mrs. Hoffman says "Lana was a better fit, you were not quite right for the part". Yuli knows that means "You aren't white enough." In the meantime, her favorite teacher Mr. G is in trouble with the school board - a parent group doesn't like his Ethnic Studies class and gets all the books he uses removed from his classroom. One of them is the play "For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainbow Is Enuf" by Ntozake Shange. This was the first play Yuli could identify with, the first time she saw a cast of people who looked like her. Yuli is mad, and is ready to organize a protest. 

Racism, book bans, guerilla theater, a Texas high school and Our Town. This novel in verse should be so much more complicated than it is, but I found it to be an engaging read with good poetry and a timely message. I loved the sprinkling of Spanish throughout, her text interactions with her college age brother (also an activist) and the slow reveal of her mother's story.  This would be a great book to teach to the right class. Yuli is Afro-Dominican. 

Lisa Librarian 

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 

Safe Harbor by Padma Venkatraman - ADVISABLE

Safe Harbor by Padma Venkatraman, 157 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE. Nancy Paulsen (Penguin), 2025. $18

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

12yo Geetha and her mom have moved to the United States after her parents’ divorce. Moving is not easy for Geetha, especially because she is having a very hard time finding anyone friendly at her school.. Instead, she has people like the shiny-smile girl who seems to be Geetha’s personal bully, hiding behind a  supposedly friendly face. Then one day Geetha is at the beach when she and a boy, Miguel, find a stranded harbor seal pup.  This chance encounter leads to a new friendship and a cause to support, giving Geetha things to look forward to and some courage to address some things in her life which are out of balance.

As much as I enjoyed Geetha’s story, I will always be disappointed by a novel in verse which is not poetic. Had I listened to this as an audiobook I would have had no idea it was supposed to be poetry. I like the environmental messages that are present without being in-your-face.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner - ESSENTIAL

The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner, 368 pages. Bloomsbury, 2025 $18.00 Language: PG (1 swear, 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (injuries, animal attack)

BUYING ADVISORY:, EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

13yo Finn is in big trouble. He kicked over a large headstone in the cemetery, and it was caught on security cameras. The grave belonged to a woman who was a celebrated mountain climber. Her daughter wants to honor her mother's memory by dropping the charges if Finn will climb all 46 High Peaks in the Adirondacks over the course of the summer, and bring along the old woman's dog. 

The Trouble with Heroes is a special book. Written in verse in Finn's voice - he's also doing makeup work for both PE and ELA - we see an angry, grieving boy trying to come to terms with the loss of his father. I loved the connections he made and the how the mountains touched him. I was crying within the first several pages, and also crying again by the end! There was so much to love in between, and I'm going to try some of those cookie recipes. Finn is white 

Lisa Librarian  

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

12yo 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

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson - ESSENTIAL

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson. 181 pages. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2025. $18.

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

We meet 13yo Sage in her after school grief counseling group. Her best friend, Angel, was killed by a drunk driver while she was walking over to Sage’s house for her birthday celebration. 

Renée Watson writes beautifully spare verses that strip away description and dialogue leaving emotion as the focus. Several times I thought to myself, “Wow! That was an insightful line.”

Sage lives in the Harlem area of New York City. She is black while her best friend is Angel Rodriguez. Other students also have names that indicate a minority group.

J. Smith, Teacher 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 House No One Sees by Adina King - OPTIONAL

The House No One Sees by Adina King, 295 pages. Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), 2025. $20

Language: R (24 swears, 21 ‘f'); Mature Content:  R (mentions of sex for drugs, mention of rape, attempted rape, grooming, drug use); Violence: R (animal killing, abuse, neglect, bullying, death by overdose)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

A trauma narrative in verse and prose. Penny is celebrating her 16th birthday at the carnival with friends. When she gets a desperate text from her estranged mother, it pulls her into the difficult memories of her past. Penny grew up with an opioid addicted mother who could be kind and sweet, emotionally abusive, and neglectful, depending on her state of mind. She often had men of questionable character staying at the house. The story is interwoven with a fairy tale theme as Penny tries to make sense of her past to move forward with her future. 

Beautifully written, but it was hard to read about the difficulties Penny had as a result of her mother's addiction. Luckily, at some point, she was sent to live with her grandparents, who loved and cared for her. I liked the continued theme of fairy tales throughout the narrative. There was also a somewhat creepy metaphor of the house throughout. Some readers will relate to Penny's experiences.  Penny is assumed to be white.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian

Deep Water by Jamie Sumner - ESSENTIAL

Deep Water by Jamie Sumner, 213 pages. Atheneum BYR (Simon), 2024. $18

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: G (some peril)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

12yo Tully's life revolves around swimming. She wants to break the record for the youngest person to complete the "Godfather" swim, a 12 miles swim across Lake Tahoe. So with her best friend Arch as her support crew, she sets out early one morning without telling her father. She hopes her mother will hear of her accomplishment and it will be enough for her to want to come home. The swim starts off well. But alone with her thoughts Tully begins to think about all that she has lost recently.   One of the greatest risks in a long distant swim is allowing your thoughts to bring you down. Tully must confront her feelings about her mother leaving and keep pace in order to reach the shore before her father notices she is not at home. But when a storm rolls in, Tully has to decide if she will risk both her life and Arch's or call it quits.

A beautifully written novel in verse told through flash backs of memories alongside descriptions of the current conditions of the swim. I liked the perspective of a child struggling to cope with and understand a parent's mental health issues. Tully still loves her mother. But she is also struggling with how her mother's choices are affecting her. Fast paced. I had a hard time putting it down.

Tully and Arch present white.

A. Snow, Librarian

The Burning Season by Caroline Starr Rose - ADVISABLE

The Burning Season by Caroline Starr Rose, 228 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE. Nancy Paulsen Books (Penguin), 2025. $18. 

Content: G (some danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

12yo Opal has lived with her Gran and her mom in a firetower in the Gila National Forest of New Mexico all of her life - she is the fourth generation of female firewatchers in her family. But four years ago all three women almost died when a wildfire swept to the tower and since that day, Opal has been hiding her fear of fire. Then Mom is stuck in town after rain washes out the trail when she is in town loading up on supplies. Then Gran is missing. Then Opal spots that tell-tale wisp of smoke. Opal has only herself to rely on and she must get close to the fire in order to contain it until the firejumpers can arrive to help.

I am so disappointed that Opal only rates a novel in verse.  No literary devices used here.  But the story is swift and interesting. Opal is white.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renee Watson, fine art by Ekua Holmes - ADVISABLE

Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renee Watson, fine art by Ekua Holmes, 96 pages. Penguin, 2024. $19. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Black Girl You Are Altas is a collection of poems by Renee Watson celebrating black girls and women. 

A few autobiographical prose sections - which still read like poetry because Renee Watson is such a talented poet - about being 7, 13 and 16. As I read, I found myself re-reading certain poems and reflecting on my own experiences. Gorgeous illustrations by Ekua Holmes highlight many of the poems and make this short collection a great addition to your poetry section, and also a wonderful gift. 

Lisa Librarian

Light Enough to Float by Lauren Seal - OPTIONAL

Light Enough to Float by Lauren Seal, 352 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE. Penguin, 2024 $20.

Language: R (10 swears 5 'fs'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG13 (self harm, suicide attempt) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

14yo Evie has an eating disorder. When her parents take her to the doctor, she's diagnosed with anorexia and quickly placed in a residential program at a psychiatric hospital. She is required to consume an ever-increasing amount of daily calories, attend group and private counseling, and reshape her relationship with food and with her body. 

Based on the author's experiences, Seal tells an authentic, engaging, heart wrenching story. She begins with trigger warnings, so it's not for everyone. While most of the others at the hospital are adults, with just a small group of teens, the focus is on Evie. Despite the swear count, Light Enough to Float would certainly appeal to the older students at my middle school and, unfortunately, may relate to some of the younger ones as well. Includes resources for readers struggling with disordered eating and mental health challenges. Evie and her family are white. 

Lisa Librarian 

Louder Than Hunger by John Schu - ESSENTIAL

Louder Than Hunger by John Schu, 516 pages. Candlewick, 2024. $19. 

Language: PG (1 swear 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: (Bullying, self destructive behavior) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

13yo Jake listens to the voice in his head. The voice tells him he's nobody, that no one loves him, that he's repulsive. Jake has an eating disorder and has become dangerously thin, so his parents have put him in Whispering Pines, a facility for youth struggling like he is. But even with medical, emotional, and psychiatric help, Jake has to want to change for himself. 

Oh my, John Schu's novel in verse is compelling, engaging, and hard to put down. I can't believe I read it in nearly one sitting. I loved his choice to tell the story through verse, I was turning pages quickly as Jake's anger and fear levels rose, and more slowly when things were calmer. I LOVED all the Broadway musical references, his complicated relationship with his parents, and his interactions with the other teens at the facility. A well-paced read which I highly recommend, it's not for everybody, but it should be for most middle school libraries. The characters default white. 

Lisa Librarian 

And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps - ESSENTIAL

And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps, 244 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE Nancy Paulsen (Penguin), 2024. $18.

Content:G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

11yo Joe knows all about the And then, …BOOMs” that can flip life on its head. He used to live with his Grandmum in a gingerbread-like house. And then his mom is arrested, skips her bail and BOOM!  Joe and Grandmum are living in her car. The kindness of a friend helps them find a place in a mobile home park.  And then … BOOM! Grandmum gets sick.

Joe may only be 11yo, but his story will resonate with so many kids - kids living on the edge and kids of any age who have developed empathy. I’ve read it twice now - not tired of it yet.  A great gentle look at the importance of foster families, too.  So much here that will live in your heart.

Joe is white and he has multi-ethnic friends.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango - ADVISABLE

Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango, 248 pages. Random House, 2023 $18.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

11yo Laura is in foster case with her aunt while her parents are in rehab. She hopes it's only temporary, but the social worker doesn't tell her anything. Her aunt is a doctor and is very busy and she has so many rules. Laura just wants to go home. But one day she finds a dog, a pit bull she names Sparrow, and her Tita lets her keep him. Laura hopes she can train Sparrow to be a Therapy Dog, maybe then she can visit her parents at the rehab and they can be a family again. 

Andrea Beatriz Arango's novels always touch my heart. What a sweet story. Laura is going through some tough stuff - but I love the hopeful look at foster care (kinship care, as she is with an aunt), and the lessons she learns about friendship and family. There's a bit of non-translated Spanish sprinkled in - a great mirror for my Latinx kids but a reminder to me I'm an outsider, thank you Andrea for the look inside. A novel in verse, so the chapters are but one or two pages. Nice bites for an underconfident reader. Laura and her aunt are Puerto Rican, Benson is black. 

Lisa Librarian 

Facing the Enemy by Barbara Krasner - ADVISABLE

Facing the Enemy by Barbara Krasner, 335 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE. Calkins Creek (Astra), 2023. $20

Violence: PG (implied that a boy was drowned deliberately)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

In the 1930’s Benjy and Tommy were best friends, until Tommy’s German father insisted that Tommy join the local Nazi New Jersey youth camp and learn how to be a “good” German. Benjy, meanwhile, watches his father befriend the famous boxer Nat Arno, as they and other Jews form the Newark Minutemen to counteract the local Nazi propaganda. 

Spanning 1937 to 1941, on Tommy’s side we see the insidious work of Nazi brainwashing and on Benjy’s side we see countermeasures that were ongoing within the US. While the poetry is not poetic, Krasner has created a good way to for any reader to learn about America’s own Nazi past (any maybe compare it to the present?). The subtitle for the book is “How a Nazi Youth Camp in America Tested a Friendship”.  The main characters are not real people. 

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS

Mascot by Charles Waters and Traci Sorell - ESSENTIAL

Mascot by Charles Waters and Traci Sorell, 256 pages. Charlesbridge/Imagine, 2023 $18.00 Language: G (references to racist words, but nothing overtly offensive); Mature Content: G. Violence: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

When the 8th-grade honor's language arts class is given a debate topic - "Pros and Cons of Indigenous Peoples as Mascots", the kids, and their families, take sides because their local high school has “The Braves” for their mascot. One group of middle school students takes the issue to the school board; they want the high school mascot - "The Braves" - removed. 

 Written in verse and from multiple perspectives, Sorell and Waters weave a great story. The middle schoolers are a group of students Callie, who is Cherokee, Priya whose family is from India, Franklin is Black, Luis is from El Salvador and Sean and Tessa who are white. I love that all the students aren't on board with removing the mascot, in fact, some are actively opposed. I liked the friendship and family drama it caused. I would think it would make an interesting classroom novel. 

Lisa Librarian