The Secret Dead Club by Karen Strong - OPTIONAL

The Secret Dead Club by Karen Strong, 240 pages. Simon , 2024. $18

Content: PG (talk of evil spirits)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

12yo Wednesday and her mom have moved to Arizona to the house that Mom grew-up in. Ever since Wednesday had a run-in with an evil spirit, she and her mom realized that they need the safety of the family home, which is protected by a spirit from the family who built the house. Wednesday falls in with Miki and Danni-Lynn, two girls who believe in ghosts, but can’t see them. They convince Wednesday to act as their medium to contact their friend Violet who passed away almost a year ago - and who they know is still in her old house. 

Lots of talks of ghosts and evil spirits.  Wednesday’s family has inherited ghost powers, so they know what can happen.  The girls as a group are kind of pushy to Wednesday and their club seems annoyingly formal (though remember having a similar, not ghost related club, at the same age, but ours feel apart as a club pretty fast). Anyway. A little spooky, a little girl drama. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Kwame Crashes the Underworld by Craig Kofi Farmer - ADVISABLE

Kwame Crashes the Underworld by Craig Kofi Farmer, 335 pages. Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2024. $18. 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Kwame is about to go on a trip to Ghana. His grandmother recently passed away and his family is going to her celebration of life, but he's reluctant. He is choosing to not address his grief and is trying to get out of the trip. But, the night before he is to go, he's staying over at his friend's house when suddenly, they are attacked by an aboatia, a whistling monkey like mythical creature. It steals his dashiki (a shirt his grandmother made him) and he and his friend Amber chase it until they fall into another world - a world where Kwame discovers he is a "shard of mother earth" and a special one - tasked with saving the world. 

Full of adventure, monsters, gods and culture, Kwame Crashes the Underworld was an exciting read. Kwame learns about where he came from, builds a respect for his grandmother's culture and fights a bunch of demons and monsters. Amber is hearing impaired and even with no special powers (Kwame has a cool magical sword) she holds her own against them as well. There are a lot of these mythical books in so many cultures, this one contains a glossary. Kwame is African American Ghanan, Amber is Afro Korean 

Lisa Librarian 

Wicked Darlings by Jordyn Taylor - OPTIONAL

Wicked Darlings by Jordyn Taylor, 271 pages. Delacorte Press (Random House), 2025. $20

Language: R (100+ swears, 41 ‘f'); Mature Content: R (off page sex, kissing and making out mentioned, some drug use, underage drinking, drunk driving); Violence: PG-13 (car crash, some blood mentioned, attempted assault, fighting)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

18yo Noa is getting ready to graduate and can’t believe it’s been a year since her sister, Leah, took her life.  Everyone is still grieving, and it seems impossible to move forward because her feelings for her sister are complicated.  Before she died, Noa was jealous of everything about her.  Now she is gone and Noa is sad, but also relieved.  What kind of person does that make her?  When Noa finds Leah’s cellphone, she starts reading all her texts and is surprised by what she finds.  Things aren’t adding up and Noa begins to wonder if  something happened to Leah.  Noa had plans to visit New York over the summer, but decides to go early to see what she can find out about her sister’s life.  But to do so she has to find a way to meet the people in Leah’s life and get them to trust her.  How else will she find out if one of them killed her sister?

I like a good mystery and I was hoping this one would put me on the edge of my seat, but unfortunately that didn’t happen.  While it had promise, there wasn’t enough depth to the story. It moved fast, but didn’t give the time to get to know and understand the characters and their motivations. Also I was surprised at how easily Noa worked her way into these wealthy, elite circles and how they welcomed her with open arms.  I did appreciate Leah’s death being resolved and that Noa seemed to make a genuine friend. While your mystery lovers will be drawn to the cover, the quick read, and may leave satisfied, I wish it had a little more to it.

The author describes her characters with a variety of skin color, genders and sexual orientation. RB - librarian

Navigating with You by Jeremy Whitley, Cassio Ribero and Mikki Foxrobot - ADVISABLE

Navigating with You by Jeremy Whitley, Cassio Ribero and Mikki Foxrobot, 220 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Maverick (Mad Cave), 2024. $15. 

Language: PG (13 swears); Mature Content: PG13 (Kissing on a bed); Violence: PG (Manga violence - illustrations) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Gabby and Neesha are both new at the high school. Neesha has Cerebral Palsy which affects her balance and she needs braces on her feet and legs. When she learns the principal has taken her out of her honors classes and placed her in special education classes instead, she bravely threatens to call her mom who will call her lawyer and she gets (many of) the accommodations she needs. Gabby is also having a bad first day, nearly getting sent home for a dress code violation, Neesha steps in and advocates for Gabby too. The two become friends, discovering that in middle school they both enjoyed the same Manga series, and commit to book clubbing the series together. Through the shared readings, and the shared adventures of finding the next in the series, the girls become close. 

I liked this sweet budding romance - the girls become fast friends, even best friends before it turns to romance, and the romance isn't steamy - even when given the opportunity to be alone together, either the authors don't disclose it all, or the romance stops at kissing. I loved strong Neesha ready to take on the world for the under advantaged, she's so sweet with Gabby who is going through some personal problems. Although the girls are in high school, I would purchase a copy for my middle school library, too. My 8th and 9th grade readers who like LGBTQ will enjoy Navigating with You. Neesha is black, Gabby is Cuban. 

Lisa Librarian 

Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson - ESSENTIAL

Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson, 405 pages. Atheneum (Simon and Schuster), 2025. $19. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (scary people, peril; descriptions of smallpox); 

BUYING ADVISORY:MS, HS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

13yo Elsbeth is a maid for Judge Bellingham, a member of the Royal Governor's Council and a loyalist. It's 1776, and the siege of Boston gave patriots control of the city. Loyalists left Boston and Judge Bellingham with them. Elsbeth's father is missing and she is desperate to find him, she has no secure employment and may end up in an orphanage. Then a wealthy family, the Pikes arrive, and Elsbeth becomes their maid-of-all-things. They have a housekeeper who quickly shows her distaste for Elsbeth, so she doubles down and works even harder. But when smallpox starts spreading, and inoculation is the answer to getting a light case, Elsbeth, who survived smallpox as a child, becomes even more valuable to the family. But her father has some sketchy acquaintances, and his past threatens her future. 

I love Laurie Halse Anderson's histories so very much. On the shelf it seems a huge book, and page wise, yes, but the story is so engaging! I thought it would be about battles and the revolutionary war, but it was more about the lives of the people trapped in Boston, first by the seige, and then by the smallpox. Readers of historical fiction will like this one, it reminded me of Ann Rinaldi's books I read in the 90s. Highly recommended, but I have trouble getting kids to read fat books and historical fiction, I hope the tide turns soon. The characters are white. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor - ADVISABLE

The Otherwhere Post by Emily J. Taylor, 392 pages. G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin), 2025. $21 

Language: PG-13 (36 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (A few instances of passionate kissing); Violence: PG-13 (Descriptions of death, blood, and injuries) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

18yo Maeve keeps her real name a secret and moves frequently to protect her identity—ever since her father died when she was 11 and she discovered he was responsible for setting lose the Aldervine, causing the deaths of thousands of innocent people and the collapse of the connection between the three magically interconnected worlds Inverly, Leyland, and Barrow. She is content to continue hating her father and living a solitary life until she receives a seven-year-old, delayed letter from an anonymous “old friend” of her father’s who claims her father was innocent. She takes the remainder of her meager savings and is determined to get an Otherwhere Post apprenticeship by any means necessary because it is located at the former College of Scriptomantic Arts where her father worked, so she believes it holds the key to understanding her father’s past and hopefully finding the truth. As Maeve digs into the past, she discovers that uncovering the truth is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

While I found some of the world-building and plot development a little confusing at times, I loved the magical world, the mystery, and the descriptive writing. The dark academia atmosphere was completely captivating. The book had a slow start, but at the end, I couldn’t put it down. Maeve was single-minded almost to a fault and was a prickly character, but she was also courageous and it was powerful when she started learning to trust and found the strength to take charge of her own destiny, rather than remaining a victim of the past. This book had so many good elements: danger, magic, hope, and a slow burn romance with just a bit of spice. With so much potential, I found myself wanting more: more clarity, more depth, more development. These small disappointments aside, the unique world and interesting premise made this an enjoyable read. A couple of side characters are LGBT.

Marinda, librarian 

Everything Is Poison by Joy McCullough - OPTIONAL

Everything Is Poison by Joy McCullough, 287 pages. Dutton Books (Penguin), 2025. $20 

Language: PG-13 (15 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (references to abortion, description of childbirth, death and grief, discussions of murder and poisoning); Violence: PG-13 (beatings, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, sexual assault, murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

16yo Carmela is finally old enough to work at her mother’s apothecary in Renaissance Rome. The shop is known in the neighborhood for dispensing the best love potions and treatments for everyday aches and pains, but is also the target of suspicion from the local authorities, due to rumors that they dispense more deadly ‘remedies’ as well. As Giulia, Maria, and Laura teach Carmela how to craft their healing balms, they also share the nature of the care they give their customers. When one of Carmela’s ill-advised decisions endangers her mother and the apothecary’s very existence, these lessons will be vital for Carmela’s survival, as well as that of the apothecary and the women of the neighborhood.

I liked this book for the most part, but it’s a little bit niche so it would likely only appeal to girls interested in history. I liked the Renaissance Rome setting and the atmosphere that leant the story. I loved the relationship between all the women and their dedication to each other and the women who needed them. It painted a picture of the important role women played in society. I didn’t like that all of the male characters were terrible people. Basically, every woman in the book had been abused in some way and all the men were pretty one-dimensional. I’m all for women helping women and female solidarity, but it just wasn’t realistic for all the men to be monsters. 

Andrea R 

The Last Bloodcarver by Vanessa Le - ADVISABLE

 

The Last Bloodcarver (The Last Bloodcarver #1) by Vanessa Le, 384 pages. Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2024. $20.

Language: PG-13 (17 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: PG-13 (bloody violence - stabbing, gunshot wounds)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

18yo Nikha is a heartsooth, a person with abilities to heal themselves and others. When she finishes healing a person as requested, the man turns her in and calls the Butchers. They cage her and take bids from buyers that visit her cage. She’s sold to a young woman, Mimi Congmi,  who offers a huge amount of money for Nikhai. They travel to the Congmi manor where Nikha is asked to heal Hendon, the only witness to Mimi’s father’s death. Mimi and her brother believe he was murdered. When Nikha heals Hendon, the information he offers throws them all into a whirlwind of danger and deception.

The mystery grabbed my full attention. The world building and character development brought the story to life. I enjoyed learning about Nikha’s background.

Nikha has golden brown skin. Nikha’s grandmother has skin a shade darker than hers. The Congmi family has pale, rosy skin.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

Black Sunflowers by Cynthia LeBrun - OPTIONAL

Black Sunflowers by Cynthia LeBrun, 475 pages. Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2024. $22

Language: PG-13 (18 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (dead bodies, threats of death, overarching fear, alcohol consumption); Violence: PG-13 (beatings, starvation, war related violence)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: FEW

For the first 6 years of Veronika's life, she lived a quiet life on her family farm surrounded by loving aunts, uncles, and cousins. Unfortunately, her family lived in Ukraine, which is under Soviet control. Stalin's communist policies targeted the Ukrainian people and led to starvation and fear. As she grows up, Veronika experiences the reality of these policies first hand. The tragedy of the oppressive government takes its toll on the people Veronika loves, but she survives and learns to live within that terrifying reality. 

I liked that it's a true story and historically accurate. I learned about what it was like to live during the Holodomor. I also loved the authentic, loving relationship between Veronika and her family. It's more of a memoir than a novel and it definitely reads like that. There's no real plot and it basically just tells Veronkia's life story. I don't see that any kids would read it on their own. It's likely only people who are interested in this historical time period would read it. Veronika is 6 years old when the book starts and 19 at the end. Veronika and her family are Polish Catholics living in Ukraine. 

Andrea R 

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 

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus: The Graphic Novel by Barbara Park, Colleen AF Venable and Honie Beam - ADVISABLE

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus: The Graphic Novel by Barbara Park and Colleen AF Venable, illustrated by Honie Beam. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Random House Children's Book, 2025. $21. 9780593706701

BUYING ADVISORY:  EL (K-3), EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

This is a graphic novel adaptation of Barbara Park's beloved series starter that introduces us to 6 year old Junie B. Jones, brand new kindergartner who has to ride the "stupid smelly bus" to school. Junie B. (don't forget the B!) is precocious and clever, and endearing with her limited vocabulary and typical kindergarten style of speech. In this story we get to go to Junie B.'s first day of kindergarten with her, and discover all the new, fun, scary and "stupid" things she gets to experience.

Confession time - I only read a Junie B. Jones book one time alongside one of my kids when he was young. So the story here was fresh and new for me, even though it was a retelling of a well-known and well-loved book. I thought the story was entertaining, and the graphic novel illustrations will be fun for Junie B. fans revisiting her stories in a new way. When I showed my 17 year old daughter that there was a graphic novel adaptation she actually got so excited and wants to read it herself! I'm know my elementary students will be excited about this book, and we'll all look forward to book 2 in the series coming later in 2025.

Graphic novel illustrations depict characters of different gender, race and ethnicity.

Angie Campbell - EL Librarian

Radiant by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson - ADVISABLE

Radiant by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, 309 pages. Dutton (Penguin), 2025. $19

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (Hitting, Reference to a bombing)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

5th grader Cooper Dale lives in 1963 Pittsburgh in a predominately white neighborhood. She wishes she could be white and shine ( shine as in stand out in a good way) and wants to feel good about her black heritage. While she makes some good friendships in her all white class at school, she is bullied by a boy named Wade Carter and she feels picked on by her teacher. She deals with the turmoil of the times like the Birmingham church bombing and the assassination of President Kennedy. She revels in the rise of the Beatles. During the course of the year, Wade's mother falls ill with cancer and leaves school for a time. Cooper struggles with how to treat him when he returns. Cooper grows as she finds her own way to shine. 

Radiant shows how to spread compassion in many directions: for oneself, for friends, and for enemies. It is a sweet coming of age story. Light imagery and Wizard of Oz imagery weave the story together throughout the book. While many significant historical events take place in the book, they are only mentioned in passing. The verse style of the book limits the richness the story could have had if these events would have been elaborated on. Cooper is of white and black heritage. Most of her friends are white. A friend that appears later in the book is Hakim, who is also of black heritage. 

 MOMMAC 

Eve: How the Female Body Shaped Evolution by Cat Bohannon - OPTIONAL

Eve: How the Female Body Shaped Evolution by Cat Bohannon, 416 pages. NON FICTION Bright Matter Books (Random House), 2025. $21

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Nude drawings of the female body); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULT - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

The female body, which is much more complicated than the male body, had a greater need to evolve over the millennia due to the many facets of reproduction and survival. Gynecology is the number one tool used to keep the female body alive and advancing. The female body evolved through the following systems: milk production, the womb, perception, the legs, tools, the brain, the voice, menopause, and love. Many advances in female medicine continue to give females an evolutionary edge.

While Bohannon describes interesting information about the female body, she misses the target with this book that has been “adapted for Young Adults”. There are few young adults that would put the time in to read this vast scientific book. She writes clearly, but gets bogged down in the details. Her feminist lens and evolutionary lens are narrow and do not account for intelligent choice.

MOMMAC 

Most Ardently: A Pride and Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa - ADVISABLE

Most Ardently: A Pride and Prejudice Remix by Gabe Cole Novoa,  304 pages. Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan), 2024. $20. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

A queer retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Oliver Bennet has known for a long time that he is a boy, but the family calls him Elizabeth and his mother is desperate to get him married. Only his Sister Jane, his best friends and his father know the truth. But when dashing Mr. Darcy is visiting his friend Mr. Bingley, Oliver wonders if he could ever be himself around Darcy and how he would respond. 

I haven't loved retellings of the classics (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies?) but I must say, Most Ardently was delightful. The queer twist made perfect sense, Gabe Cole Novoa also wrote in the style of Jane Austen, so it felt familiar. Many of the scenes were just like in the original story, but turned a bit to make it work for Oliver - hating that he was dressed like and forced to behave like a girl. Darcy was just as handsome and proud and arrogant, and Jane the best sister ever. However, I think I loved this so much because I'm a huge Jane Austen fan. It's primary appeal may be adults, although I did recommended it for High School. The characters are white and British, Oliver is Trans, Darcy is Gay, Charlotte is Lesbian. 

Lisa Librarian 

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White - OPTIONAL

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White, 384 pages. Candlewick, 2024 $20.

Language: R (100+ swears 71 'f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: R (assaults, murders, killings, animal violence, lots of gore) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

16yo Miles Abernathy came out to his parents in an email just before he left to join the seniors at their graduation party. On the way home he is horrifically assaulted by a group of boys - one of them is Noah, the Sheriff's son. There has been a generational blood feud between the Abernathy's and the Davis' family, so the law won't be stepping in. When Miles accidentally kills the boy who filmed the assault, Miles and his friend Cooper decide to finish it, and get rid of the others as well. 

Wow, Compound Fracture caught me off guard. I knew it would be violent, just look at the front cover, but it was also political, exciting, and terrifying. I liked it more than I expected. It was very rural, very Appalachian, although it takes place in present day, they were still living with feuds and memories of injustice from 100 years ago. Very sweary, very violent. The characters are white 

Lisa Librarian 

Radar and the Raft by Jeff Lantos - OPTIONAL

Radar and the Raft: A True Story About a Scientific Marvel, the Lives it Saved, and the World it Changed by Jeff Lantos, 186 NON-FICTION Charlesbridge/Imagine, 2024. $19 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Ethel Bell and her two kids, ages 11 and 13, were lucky to secure passage on steamer to get out of Africa and home to the states when the United States entered World War II. Unfortunately, a German U-boat torpedoes their boat, which sinks in under two minutes, taking the lifeboats with it. Of the 42 souls who made it to the remaining rafts, only 18 lived to tell the story, and 17 of those were on one raft.

Between each story of the raft survivors is a chapter explaining the history of radar and the scientists who developed it. The tech behind radar sounded so far fetched that Hitler turned it down twice. Many of the scientists who worked on the final leg of radar development went to Los Alamos to work on the hydrogen bomb. " The story of the raft was interesting, though the alternating chapters were a bit jarring at first. The book is fairly science heavy. Anyone who is interested in radar would find this fascinating, though it may not be a book teens would pick up on their own. There are nice photos and watercolor prints that add to the read. May work for a science class. The Bell family is white American, and the scientists are from various parts of the world. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Aisle Nine by Ian X. Cho - OPTIONAL

Aisle Nine by Ian X. Cho, 272 pages. HarperCollins, 2024. $20. 

Language: R (100+ swears 51 'f'); Mature Content: PG (a couple of kisses); Violence: R (demon and human killings, mention of blood and other bodily fluids) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

17yo Jasper works the checkout stand at a "Here for You Mart" that has a Hell Portal in Aisle Nine. The occasional demon gets through but most are destroyed by Security Guards placed in the store for that purpose. Jasper would really like Kyle to notice him, she seems to hate him but he doesn't know why. She's one of the demon fighters, but he's just not himself. He had an accident at work and now has amnesia, could he have known her before? Besides his amnesia, Jasper also has visions of an Apocalypse, set to happen on Black Friday, and it's almost Thanksgiving. 

Pretty good action, Jasper isn't the only underdog - I love the mix of characters who join his team. Full of humor as well as monster violence, this debut novel was quite fun to read. Swear count is really high, do kids really talk like that? The characters are culturally diverse, only Kyle Kuan's ethnicity is mentioned. 

Lisa Librarian 

Vivian Van Tassel and the Secret of Midnight Lake by Michael Witwer - OPTIONAL

Vivian Van Tassel and the Secret of Midnight Lake by Michael Witwer, 368 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2023. $19

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

12yo (13yo?) Vivian and her father have returned to Vivian’s mother’s hometown of Midnight Lake to start over. While her father seems to fail at every DIY project he attempts, Vivian is dealing with her anger over the move and life in general. RIght the mean girls at school have it out for her.  The only place she seems to fit is with the Beasts and Battlements group that meets under the stairs in a hidden alcove. Strange happenings are afoot.  As Vivian researches the history of the middle school, which is built in the old sanitorium,  for an assignment, she discovers that whoever created B and B, seems to know all about the mysterious creatures that were described by the inhabitants of the sanitorium.  It may be that Vivian, with some help from her new friends, may be the answer to an old prophecy.

Witwer tries really hard to create a new teen savior character for a  new generation.  In fact, Vivian herself mentions HP as often as she possibly can.  I only found it to be extremely annoying. At least Vivian is more competent than HP! Only purchase if you have a large, steady stream of fantasy readers.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Cookie Crumbles by Tracy Badua and Alechia Dow - OPTIONAL

The Cookie Crumbles by Tracy Badua and Alechia Dow, 320 pages. Harper, 2024. $20

Content: G (mild tension)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Rising 8th graders and best friends Laila and Lucy are headed to the prestigious Sunderland Academy for a long weekend.  Laila is hoping to win the Golden Cookie competition and a scholarship to the school, while Lucy is there to add to her writing portfolio, as she has already been accepted to Sunderland for high school. During the first round of judging, however, the acerbic chef judge, Chef Remi, actually passes out right after sampling Laila’s cookie - turning her into the prime suspect, or scapegoat.  Even Lucy seems to suspect her.  Since a late storm has swept in, all of the contestants are stuck together.

I love GBBO, and I enjoyed Knives Out - this is not a sterling combination of the two. If you have kids who like mysteries, or baking contests with intrigue, then by all means, purchase. Laila is way too high strung for my taste. And a contest only based on cookies felt limiting and boring. The book did not need 300+ pages - maybe 200 pages would have made a tighter, more exciting read.

Laila is Black, Lucy, I think, is Indian. 

I listened to the audiobook provided by libro.fm.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines by Mo Netz - ADVISABLE

The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines by Mo Netz, 208 pages. Harper, 2024. $19

Content: PG (mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

11yo Jerry and her mom have just arrived at the latest of a string of temporary homes - this one at a motel right next to a creepy wood with a disturbing past - a lot of people have disappeared over the years within it. Jerry may be confined to a wheelchair, but that doesn’t keep her from doing everything she wants - including investigating a midnight only radio station and diving in when her own mother seems to be the latest victim of the woods. With the help of Chapel, a new friend who also lives at the motel, and with the encouragement, Jerry’s imaginary pocket-sized dragon companion, Jerry will plunge into the woods - for better or worse.

A bit ghost story, a bit evil trolls, and plenty of magic and fortuitous happenings. I like that Jerry;s wheelchair is never ignored - but she is VERY GOOD at maneuvering it as she wants to. Lots of magic creatures and happenings - but the bit of ghosts brings it to another level.

Jerry is white, Chapel is Black. I listened to the audiobook provided by libro.fm, which was narrated by Hope Newhouse.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS