Gracie Under the Waves by Linda Sue Park - ADVISABLE

Gracie Under the Waves by Linda Sue Park, 176 pages. HarperCollins, 2026. $19 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

6th grader Gracie loves snorkeling. Someday she would love to visit the Maldives and snorkel there, but for now, she's content planning her family vacation for spring break. She's thrilled when her parents accept her plan to fly to Roatán and visit the 2nd biggest reef in the world. But her 6yo brother can be a challenge, and when Gracie is injured and her knee gets cut on a reef, she blames him. Can this family vacation be saved when Gracie might not be allowed to go back in the water? 

A great story about ecology and saving the reefs, and saving your relationship with a little brother. I loved all the descriptions of the fish and the different kinds of coral. Maxine Vee did the illustrations, and they are great - just when we need to see a depiction of the fish or coral or jellyfish, there is an illustration. I do hope, however, that the reader checks out photographs online, because a drawing of a lionfish can't compare to a picture of the real thing. 

Gracie and her family are Korean American 

Lisa Librarian 

When It’s Your Turn for Midnight by Blessing Musariri - ADVISABLE

When It’s Your Turn for Midnight by Blessing Musariri, 184 pages. Lerner, 2026. $19

Language: PG (7 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (mental illness); Violence: PG-13 (# of dead bodies mentioned)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

One moment 15yo Chianti is only worrying about getting her little sister out of trouble with their parents. The next her mother blurts out that her Baba (dad) is not even Chianti’s. Confused and hurt, Chianti flees to her grandmother’s home, where she is surrounded by the group of loving aunties she grew up with, leaving her younger sisters to fend for themselves. While Chianti is trying to make sense of her new reality, she also delves into her grandmother’s history, when she and her friends were freedom fighters during Zimbabwe's civil war. 

Musariri manages to pack quite an emotional punch into a short, poignant story. Can we hold this up to show that  fabulous writing doesn't need 400+ pages to wander towards the point? She paints vivid settings and complex emotions for almost every character. I also love that her glimpse into an unfamiliar culture still shows human emotions and problems are universal.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Hafsa's Way by Aisha Saeed - ADVISABLE

Hafsa's Way by Aisha Saeed, 212 pages. Nancy Paulsen (Penguin), 2026. $18.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (elephant injury and care issues)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Hafsa wants to be a doctor when she grows up. She's determined to follow that dream despite her father's reluctance to allow his daughter (a girl!) to become a doctor, and the fact that she has been accepted to as prestigious summer camp for pre-med is expensive, and it's in the big city. Fortunately, Hafsa gets her way, and the stars line up in her favor; her married sister lives less than a mile away, and her brother-in-law offers to pay. But when she starts the camp, she sees she's enrolled in the environmental camp instead, but Hafsa is willing to make the best of it.

A companion novel to both Amal Unbound and Omar Rising - Amal returns as best friend, but it's Hafsa's story. I'm not sure how old Hafsa is, she reads to be 12-14, maybe? The story takes place in Pakistan, and the conditions at the zoo are rough - I hope readers understand that things are very different in the US. I loved the environmental connection - kids today are really invested in this subject, so I think this will get read. Saeed is a great writer, and I love her storytelling. The family drama was just right; the medical component - yes, she gets a bit of an opportunity to experience it - was a little surprising, so I think she may be older than 12. Hafsa is Pakistani

Lisa Librarian 

Aarzu All Around by Marzieh Abbas - ADVISABLE

Aarzu All Around by Marzieh Abbas, 384 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE Salaam Reads Simon and Schuster, 2025 $19.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (verbally abusive uncle, reference to marks of physical violence.) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Aarzu and her sister were orphaned a year ago when their parents were buried in the rubble of an earthquake in Pakistan. Now they are living with their mother's sister and her family. Aarzu has 2 boy cousins who are treated very differently because they are boys; they get to eat first, and do not help around the house. Aarzu even does the older boy's homework for him. She dreams of being a cricket player like her father, but her uncle is strict, she's not allowed to play outside, and must work around the house - cooking, cleaning, laundry, anything she is told to do. Aaru's sister is gravely ill, born with only one kidney, which is not functioning properly. The 5-year-old is in constant pain, and the doctor appointments are pricey, so Aarzu is determined to find a way to make money to pay for her medications, and hopefully, eventually, a transplant. 

Aarzu All Around is a novel in verse. Some are creatively poetic, but most of the poems are free verse. There's a lot of cricket - Abbas was aware that readers might need some help, so the first several pages are all about the sport. I then expected Aarzu All Around to be about a girl who plays cricket or wants to, but it was so much more. A social commentary on the difference between the wealthy and the struggles of those who live in poverty; a look at the desperation faced by a family with a sick child; the way boys are treated and educated differently from girls. All in all, I don't think this may be enjoyed by a general audience, however, I'm sure my Islamic students would love it. The characters are Islamic 

Lisa Librarian  

Tall Water by SJ Sindu and Dion MBD - ADVISABLE

Tall Water by SJ Sindu and Dion MBD, 248 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL (Harper Alley) HarperCollins, 2025.  $19.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG13 (war violence, peril) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

17yo Nimmi was born in Sri Lanka to an American father and Sri Lankan mother. But she's lived all her life in the United States with just her dad. He's a news reporter and hasn't been back to Sri Lanka. But when he gets an assignment to return to Sri Lanka to write a story on the ongoing civil war, Nimmi comes too - against her fathers wishes, it's just too dangerous! Nimmi has never met her mother and this may be her only opportunity. 

Full color illustrations, but the color palate is very dark. Not a lot of dialogue in the panels so it is a quick read. Illustrations that progress the story are often expressing the war violence or the destruction caused by the tsunami. Nimmi is headed to college, so I think Tall Water is mostly intended for a high school audience. What I really think? This graphic novel isn't for everyone, but it may connect with your east Asian population. 

Lisa Librarian  

A Year Without Home by V.T. Bidania - ADVISABLE

A Year Without Home by V.T. Bidania, 409 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE. Nancy Paulsen (Penguin), 2026. $19

Content: G (threats only)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

When the Vietnam War ends and the communists take over Laos, 11yo Goa Sheng and her family must flee their beautiful home in Laos.  If their father is captured by the new government, he will probably be executed for working with the Americans. The group misses the last plane out of Laos and instead shuffle from refugee camp to refugee camp for the next year - first in hope that they will be able to return to Laos, and then hoping that they will be able to immigrate to safety and a new home.

PLEASE STOP WRITING NOVELS IN VERSE.  They are not poetic; they do not give the story the depth it deserves.  That being said, I loved seeing another side of the Vietnam war from the point of view of Laotian people. Gao Sheng, who is based on Bidania’s oldest sister, is a character worth meeting.  Both historical fiction and fat books are hard to sell to middle school students, but it is worth taking your time to find readers. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Freedom Seeker by Ruchira Gupta - ADVISABLE

The Freedom Seeker by Ruchira Gupta, 320 pages. Scholastic, 2025. $19

Content: G (mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

12yo Simi lives in India with a loving family, but her parents are a Muslim and a Hindu and a growing faction in India are against such mixed marriages. After her father is badly beaten, he makes his way from India to Mexico and from there to NYC.  When Simi and her mother follow in his footsteps, however, they are abandoned by their coyote in the desert and picked up by American agents and taken to separate detention camps. Will the family ever be reunited?

I found this video about Indians immigrating to America - both legally and illegally (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh1xgoPHiM8). I had no idea that Indians are a large percentage of those coming from Mexico. Gupta gives a poignant portrayal of the desperation of those sneaking in and of their treatment if captured and detained. 

The main characters are Indian and Mexican.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Take a Chance on Me by Elizabeth Eulberg - ADVISABLE

Take a Chance on Me by Elizabeth Eulberg, 304 pages. Scholastic, 2024. $13 (Paperback) 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (Kissing, teen drinking - legal because they are in England); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

17yo Evie left Chicago on the last day of school, blocked her friends and stopped using social media. What happened at lunch felt like a betrayal and she was done. She started her annual summer vacation in London immediately. But there's issues with her dad, who abandoned her and her mom years ago and the London trip is really just a custody agreement thing. He's controlling and food obsessed - Evie sneaks crisps into the apartment, and he's judgemental if he catches her. But on her first day in the city, she meets a handsome busker about her age named Aiden. Maybe her promise to give up boys can be set aside, after all, she's only in London for the summer. 

Eulberg is so great at writing clean romance, lots of smoldering and "just friends" with a satisfying ending. The body image, exercise and eating issues were well handled with a trigger warning at the beginning. I loved Evie and was on her team from the beginning. I like that she's honest with herself, I love that she's a lot and embraces it. Evie is white, so is Aiden - their friends are multi cultural, Dev seem to be culturally Indian, not sure about Fiona.

Lisa Librarian 

Seasick by Kristin Cast and Pintip Dunn - OPTIONAL

Seasick by Kristin Cast and Pintip Dunn, 328 pages. Delacorte Press (Random House), 2023. $19

Language: R (32 swears, 2 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (a few kisses); Violence: PG-13 (bloody murder, fighting)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

A few kids from Yatesville High School were selected to go on a yacht trip following their  senior year of high school. Once on the yacht, the murders start.. The kids are trying to stay safe, survive and figure out the murderer’s identity. The story is told from two perspectives alternating between Naya and Yana. They were childhood best friends who had fallen out. Over the course of the difficult trip, they regain their friendship.

Overall I really enjoyed the murder mystery. It was well written and interesting to see it told from two points of view. There are several bloody murders. The book addresses some class issues: most of the students are wealthy, while Naya and Yana are scholarship students. There was a regular gossip social media post that usually had unkind things to say about some of the kids.

Naya is biracial and Yana is Thai-American.

Claire S., 11th grade student

What a Desi Girl Wants by Sabina Khan - OPTIONAL

What a Desi Girl Wants by Sabina Khan, 276 pages. Scholastic Press, 2023. $19

Language: R (22 swears, 1 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing, lightly described); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

18yo Mehar has just found out through social media that her dad is getting married again. Since leaving India with her mom when she was 6 years old, Mehar has had a strained relationship with her dad. But at the request of her grandmother she decides to go to India and attend the wedding with the hope that she might also mend the relationship with her dad. Her father is Indian royalty and the family lives in a palace. Once in India Mehar is reminded of all the things she loved about India. She is also meets Sufiya, her grandmother's assistant. A growing friendship starts to bloom into something more. But things are complicated because Sufiya is not free to come out to her parents and the relationship might put Sufiya's job in jeopardy. Mehar feels that her father's fiancee Naz and her daughter Aleena social climbers just in it for her father's money. She begins to think that putting a stop to the wedding would be best for everyone. But will her actions further damage her relationship with her father?

I enjoyed the glimpse into Indian culture. The descriptions of the food, clothing, culture and surroundings were great. I liked the contrast between Mehar with her American sense of personal freedom and Sufiya who was constrained by her duty to her family and her culture. It was hard for Mehar to understand why Sufiya was not free to do whatever she wanted. I also felt like Mehar got an idea in her head and then refused to see other points of view. Eventually, after nearly destroying a few relationships, she starts to be more open minded but it took her a long time to get there. Mehar and her family are all from India.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian 

Ex Marks the Spot by Gloria Chao - OPTIONAL

Ex Marks the Spot by Gloria Chao, 384 pages. Penguin Young Readers Group (Penguin Random House), 2024. $13.

Language: R (40 swears); Mature Content: PG (mild sexual innuendos, two on-page kisses); Violence: G (one maybe Asian slur)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: MANY

The only daughter of a Taiwanese immigrant single mom, 18yo Gemma Sun is used to scraping by and not quite fitting in, in the Boston-area, Massachusetts. However, there is a possibility that might all change, with the appearance of her recently deceased grandfather's will. Thus Gemma starts on a globe-trotting treasure hunt in Taiwan on a student trip in a race against time to solve her grandfather's puzzles before she has to leave and before her college tuition is due.

I really liked this adventure rom-com. At first, Gemma was stringent and a little unlikeable, but she grew on me. I will admit, the puzzles were a little over my head, but I was just happy to be along for the ride. It was fun to see her character grow, to get a taste for a new (to me) place, and to reflect on the lasting impact our family & heritage have on our lives. The biggest problem will be the language, but no glaring issues with any mature content or violence.

Kiera Beddes, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes 

One Wrong Step by Jennifer A. Nielsen - OPTIONAL

One Wrong Step by Jennifer A. Nielsen, 336 pages. Scholastic, 2025. $19

Content: G (mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Ever since his mother succumbed to her cancer, 12yo Atlas has been homeschooled by his father, as they climb mountain peaks all over the world. This year, 1939, they have joined an expedition to Mount Everest - sure that their group can be the first proven to hit the summit. Tension between the group, the unpredictable weather on the mountain, and hazardous climbing conditions - danger abounds on the mountain and within Atlas’s own feelings. 

The weakest of Niesen’s books to date. Since it isn’t recounting a real historic climb of Everest, it doesn't fit into her normal retellings of actual events.  Atlas is so unreliable - scatter-brained and angry - I don’t believe he would have survived any of the camps along the route, let alone be able to pull off the heroics he purportedly does. Nielsen’s author’s note of this being a metaphor doesn’t make things better.  I probably won’t buy this unless it comes out in paperback.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Actually Super by Adi Alsaid - ADVISABLE

Actually Super by Adi Alsaid, 275 pages. Alfred A Knopf (Random), 2023. $19

Language: R (47 swears, 11 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (smoking pot, some kissing); Violence: PG (a body, deaths associated with natural disasters, no descriptions)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

Senior year for Sam, Chio and 18yo Isobel is fast approaching, but Isabel has decided to take her senior year off to hunt for superheroes. Yes, she knows how that sounds, but she isn’t looking for comic book superheroes. She is hoping to find real people with real super abilities who help others.  She has felt such despair since COVID and she doesn’t seem to be able to connect with her parents so she is desperate to find something that will convince her that the world isn’t evil. Sam, Chio and her parents don’t want her to go, but she has convinced them that she needs this, and she is 18, afterall.  With mixed feelings, they send her off with promises to keep in touch.  Sam and Chio also make her promise that she will meet up with them for spring break in Mexico. Nine months later, Sam and Chio are at the designated meeting place in Mexico, but where is Isabel?

Alsaid tells the story mostly from Isabel’s perspective looking for supers which included a lot of new people, places and experiences and it was hard to keep track of it all and to know which ones were important to the story.  I liked the chapters from Sam and Chio’s perspectives better, especially after they reached Mexico and I found the mystery of Isabel’s disappearance to be more interesting than looking for supers.  I think readers that struggled during the pandemic will connect with Isabel’s loneliness, despair and desire to find something more.  The end wrapped up so nicely,  and while I appreciated that, it seemed too easy, and not what I thought Isabel would do.

There are characters from around the world.

RB Librarian

Love Requires Chocolate by Ravynn K. Stringfield - ADVISABLE

Love Requires Chocolate by Ravynn K. Stringfield, 271 pages. joy revolution, 2024. $13

Language: PG (7 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (some kissing); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

17yo Whitney Curry has just arrived in Paris for her senior year semester abroad to study theater. She has carefully created a color-coded map and a variety of lists outlining how she plans to see and experience Paris, but things don't start as planned. Her roommates are not interested in being friends, her assigned French tutor is grumpy, and her first time in the city on her own she gets lost. But slowly Whitney makes friends, falls in love, and starts to experience the real Paris without her map. Before she heads home, however, she has a few lessons to learn about love and life.

This was a fun romance in which Whitney learns a lot about herself during her first experience away from home. She falls in love with chocolate, Paris, and a great guy. It dragged a little in the middle but over all, a good read.

Whitney Curry and Thierry Magnon are black. Nora is white and Sophie is described as light brown.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian

13 Ways to Say Goodbye By Kate Fussner - OPTIONAL

13 Ways to Say Goodbye By Kate Fussner, 304 pages. Novel in Verse HarperCollins, MAR 2025. $19 

Language: G (0 swears 0 ‘f’) Mature Content: PG (kisses, hand holding) Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME 

12yo Nina is still mourning the sudden death of her sister Lily 2 years ago. Lily had made a list of 13 things she wanted to do by the time she turned 13. Nina hopes completing the list herself will give her some closure. 

I loved the travelogue- Nina has to return to Paris to accomplish some of the tasks. There’s an interwoven plot of Nina coming out and falling for a new friend in her art class. It felt superfluous - and almost like a plot device. I also wish there was more context to the flashbacks. Didn’t love the story but would recommend for the Paris adventure. Nina is American, Sylvia is French. 

Lisa Librarian 

The New Girl by Cassandra Calin - ADVISABLE

The New Girl by Cassandra Calin, 272 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Graphix (Scholastic), 2024. $13 

Language: G (0 swears) Mature Content: PG (menstruation issues) Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Lia is 12yo and flying from Romania to Canada, her new home, when she has her first period in the airport. Lia gets terrible cramps with her periods. So not only does Lia have to adjust to a new country and language, she also has to adjust to changes in her body. 

 The illustrations are well done and add to the story. Based on the author's own experiences, the story is very authentic. The speech bubbles are sometimes just scribbles with only the words in print that Lia understands, which highlights how difficult it would be to learn a new language. Anyone who is new to a school should be able to empathize with Lia, especially those coming from other cultures. Lia's difficult periods are addressed, which isn't a topic often brought up in books. Lia is Romanian and her friends come from all different cultures. 

Michelle in the Middle 

I Kick and I Fly by Ruchira Gupta - AVERAGE

I Kick and I Fly by Ruchira Gupta, 336 pages. Scholastic 2023 $19

Language: G (1 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (use of drugs and alcohol, physical fighting); Violence: PG-13 (human sex trafficking mentioned, not described)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Living in Bihar, India, 14yo Heera and her family are living in poverty. Heera is lucky that she has been able to continue to go to school. Most girls her age are not able to continue their education. School is one place where she is guaranteed to have a daily meal. Heera’s parents and Heera are faced with the reality of having to sell Heera to a sex traffic trade in order to repay loans. Heera is presented with an opportunity to continue schooling and learning sport of martial arts. It is an opportunity for her to learn how to protect herself. Kung Fu also teaches Heera the value of herself and her body. Her friend is not so lucky.

Ruchira Gupta, an advocate for human and sex trafficking, portrays an incredible story of a young, determined, strong, and heroic character. The book raises awareness and reality of human sex trafficking. Gupyta’s draws the readers into the life of Heera in India. Although, it is unfortunate that Heera’s character and her family experience of life in poverty, I enjoyed reading how Heera is able to hold on to hope and self empowerment. Story takes place in Forbesganji, Bihar, India. The characters in the story represent a family of Eastern Indian culture.

Laura Trujillo 5th Grade DLI English Teacher 

¡Viva Lola Espinoza! by Ella Cerón - OPTIONAL

¡Viva Lola Espinoza! by Ella Cerón. 400 pages. Penguin Young Readers Group, 2023. $12 

Language: PG (7 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G (Adult drinking); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

17yo Lola's final grades for junior year have arrived, and to her dismay, her Spanish grade is a C. Not only do her parents (and Lola) dislike this in terms of academia, but it also hurts personally because her parents are both Mexican. Lola's father decides the best consequence for her disappointing grade is to send her to Mexico to live with her mother's family over the summer, and she can't come home until she's fluent in Spanish. The more she struggles to communicate and adapt to her family, the more she learns about the family curse. With flavors of Pride and Prejudice laced throughout, Lola must uncover who she is and how deeply family connections run. 

¡Viva Lola Espinoza! doesn't apologize for its Latino roots and uses lots of Spanish without translations, so that made reading difficult for me who is not fluent in Spanish -- Spanish-speakers likely will enjoy that element. I found that the Pride and Prejudice elements were unnecessary and overloaded the storyline. Lola's growth and development were dependent on the men in her life a little too much. She didn't need them because she was strong enough on her own. The Darcy character's tendencies were unjustified to me, so I wasn't rooting for him and Lola to be together. I didn't love the males in the text overall: they seemed sexist to me. I think students would benefit from this text in terms of exposure to diversity and for students to feel seen, but otherwise it can borderline condone some harmful relationships in my opinion. Lola and her family are Latino. Her friend Anna is Latina and Lesbian. 

Lisa J HS ELA Teacher 

The Rent Collector by Camron Wright - ESSENTIAL

The Rent Collector by Camron Wright, 240 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2022. $18. 9781629729855

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Sang Ly (29yo) lives with her husband and their sick son in the dump. They work hard to pay their bills and feed their son, but they’re still behind on rent. And then Sang Ly is given an opportunity to learn how to read, which would make it possible to teach her son to read and improve his life—if she can overcome the obstacles that stand between them and that hopeful future.

This amazing tale is based on a true story, and Wright has adapted it for young readers, but I felt so much hope and inspiration from Sang Ly’s story that I am going to read the full version next to get all the details left out of this version. Sang Ly—and readers—learn the lessons that come from life’s difficulties, from literature, and from how we choose to react to both. Before this book, I didn’t know that a literal dump could be so beautiful, but it has been.

All of the characters are Cambodian. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol abuse. The violence rating is for blood, mentions of gang violence and human trafficking, gun use, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Happily Ever Island by Crystal Cestari - OPTIONAL

Happily Ever Island by Crystal Cestari, 326 pages. Disney Hyperion, 2022. $19 

Language: R (70 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing)  Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

18yo College freshmen Madison and Lanie are complete opposites, yet still best friends. When Disney superfan Madison wins a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Disney’s newest attraction, Happily Ever Island, she anticipates a fairytale spring break getaway for her and her girlfriend. But when Madison gets unexpectedly dumped, she turns to super serious pre-med Lanie to accompany her. The island is everything a Disney fan could dream of, yet somehow Madison and Lanie find themselves pulled apart by circumstances. Will Madison find love with the nearly perfect vacation coordinator, Val? Will Lanie learn to let a little magic into her life? And can both girls learn to be true to themselves while still keeping their friendship alive? 

Disney fans will be swept away by the idea of a tropical island where every Disney princess lives in her own movie-worthy castle. The lessons of learning to be true to the person you were meant to be, not searching for fulfillment through relationships, and dealing with anxiety are subtle, yet effective. However, the high swear count feels almost forced and not at all in keeping with traditional Disney values. The alternating viewpoints of the two girls provide a lot of insight into each of the characters and how past experiences have affected their personalities. Various ethnicities are represented by the characters. 

Tammie H, Librarian