The Thirteenth Fairy (Never After) by Melissa De la Cruz - ADVISABLE

 The Thirteenth Fairy (Never After) by Melissa De la Cruz, 336 pages. Roaring Brook (Macmillan), 2021. $17 

Content: G (some danger) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

6th grader Filomena is so glad that today is the day that the 13th book in the Never After series is being released! But – it isn’t. The bookstore owner tells her that not even the publisher knows if it ever will. Disappointed, Filomena heads home, only to meet a boy who looks an awful lot like Jack Stalker, the hero of the Never After books. Jack, who is accompanied by Allstair – also from the books. Then Filomena defeats a troll – using a spell from the books! How can this be possible? What’s a girl to do but follow the boys through a portal and embrace her destiny to save the kingdom of Westphalia. 

 Lots of complications await Filomena on her quest. She is a great new hero character. I’m looking forward to more of her exploits – at least this seems like it will have a sequel. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

Kingdom Keepers: Inheritance by Ridley Pearson - ADVISABLE

Kingdom Keepers: Inheritance by Ridley Pearson, 320 pages. Disney, March 2022. $18 

Content: G (some violence) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Eli Whitman is turning 13 today, but his parents are out of town, having been called in to some secret meeting with Disney Corp in California. Eli and his parents live in the Communitree – the subdivision built around Disney’s Epcot. Most of his other friends are cool – their parents have known each other since before the kids were all born. Scoot, however, is kind of a bully and taunts Eli to use Finn Whitman’s sword (which Eli is NOT allowed to touch) is his VR battle with Jafar and Eli rips open a hole in time and space instead – allowing two mysterious figures to jump through. Now Eli and his real friends are the ones who must step in and stop the Disney villains’ latest plot to take over the world. 

A fun, if complicated, introduction to the newest generation of Kingdom Keepers. You have to have read all of the other books (well, at least 3 or so of them) to understand the Kingdom Keeper background. Very fast-paced and involved. A good buy if you still have the whole series on your collection. Eli is white, but his friends are a diverse group like the original Keepers. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

In Every Generation by Kendare Blake - OPTIONAL

In Every Generation by Kendare Blake, 400 pages. Disney, JAN 2022. $19 

Language: PG-13 (32 swears, 0‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (vampires, fightings, killings) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

As the daughter of Willow Rosenberg, Frankie has always known about the Slayers and all things Buffy related. But her mom is more like any middle aged suburban mom – not a bad-ass witch or anything. Then when all of the slayers created when Buffy unleashed the slayer power are killed at their annual retreat (Slayerfest, they call it), the power of the slayer seems to have reverted to Frankie. Now she has Spike as her Watcher (oh the irony) and Hailey, who is the little sister of a (now former) slayer is with her at Sunnydale High – which for some reason was rebuilt on the site of the (hopefully) closed Hellmouth. Enter Jake, who is the protégé of Oz and the next generation of Scoobies is assembled. Now that the slayers are gone and Frankie has zero training, some big, bad, ancient vampire has big plans for opening the Hellmouth and pouring evil all over Sunnydale again. 

I have to say – I prefer Kiersten White’s Buffy reboot. Frankie is clueless and inept – though she is supposed to have slayer power, it seems to be buried really deep. I mostly enjoyed watching Spike flail as the high school librarian and Hailey would have made a way better slayer. Maybe in book 2 Frankie will have more of a spine. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

XOXO by Axie Oh - ESSENTIAL

XOXO by Axie Oh, 352 pages. Harper, 2021. $18 

Language: PG-13 (33 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

High school junior Jenny and her mom are headed to Korea because her grandmother has cancer and need surgery and help. Jenny has been accepted at a prestigious Korean performing arts school because of her skillful cello-playing. In fact, her dream is to be accepted into a NYC performing arts school. What she hasn’t done is been able to get ahold of the Korean boy she met at her uncle’s karaoke bar in Los Angeles a few weeks ago. - the very cute Korean boy with whom she shared a meal, some pictures, and a flight from some college kids. The extremely cute Korean boy whom she hasn’t heard from since. Imagine her surprise when she finds out he is actually part of a very popular K-pop group. While there might be chemistry between the two of them, they may not have any sort of a future. How can there be? 

Many of my students are loving romance books right now. While I may not know any K-pop music, through this book and a couple of others I’ve recently read I have learned a lot about the culture surrounding it. Jenny and Jaewoo’s meet cute makes for very cute reading too. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney - AVERAGE

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney, 368 pages. Harper, 2021. $18 

Language: R (100+ swears, 9 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

18yo Quinn’s journal is missing! All of her lists – personal goals, judgmental lists, embarrassing lists – all of it. She knows Carter had it, but he says it disappeared on the bus. Now someone is blackmailing Quinn – if she’ doesn’t fix the items, the highly personal items, on her ‘to do” list (tell Mom and Dad that she didn’t get into Columbia like she told them, for example), then every page of the journal goes public. Quinn has may hard truths to acknowledge about herself. She needs to also stand up against the racist bullies in her own school, and acknowledge even to herself why she really dumped her former best friend. 

What a vivid cautionary tale about the lies we try to tell ourselves and delicate nature of the lies we tell in public. Goffney also weaves in the racism Quinn experiences in her 99% white private school and the racism she receives from Carter for not being Black enough. Quinn and Carter’s families are all Clack, while the other characters around them are white. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows - ADVISABLE

My Contrary Mary by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows, 512 pages. Harper, 2021. $19 

Language: G (7 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G (mentions being naked during shapeshifting); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

When King Henry of France dies, it’s time for his son, Francis to step into his shoes, which includes marrying his long-time betrothed, 17yo Mary, the Queen of Scotland. Mary and her ladies have been living in France, preparing for this day, but all of them have been keeping a deep secret - all of them are Eoian (shapeshifters), which is strictly forbidden in France. And Francis’s mother, Catherine de Medici, has other plans for her son. Using the potion-making skills of Ari (Aristotle), the daughter of Nostradamus, Catherine orders a shape-changing potion for Francis and puts the now frog-king, into Ari’s care. The pair will have to follow Mary to Scotland, however they can. 

Our trio of writers have woven a complicated, but still highly readable, story full of action and humor. Ari, for example, has visions of the future, just like her father, but the audience knows that she is seeing scenes from famous movies (“I see a girl with pale hair singing in the snow. She wants to let it go.”). We also see Lady Jane again. Fans of the series will definitely want to indulge. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS  

Escape from Chernobyl by Andy Marino - ADVISABLE

Escape from Chernobyl by Andy Marino, 176 pages. Scholastic, 2021. $8 

Language: G (1 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G (mild danger) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

16yo Yuri thought that working at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was his dream job. Instead, he spends his days cleaning and mopping – Chernobyl is very leaky. He lives with his aunt and uncle and their two children in Pripyat, Russia’s model atomic city. Uncle Pavlo is even a renowned radio announcer. Little does Yuri know that his latest graveyard shift will be a night the whole world will never forget. 

Marino brings not only the Chernobyl nuclear disaster to life, but also highlights life under Communist rule, which includes control of information and control of lives – party-loyalty above all. I was surprised at the short page count – a lot happens within a small span. While we don’t cover Chernobyl or the Cold War era in middle school. I still want this for those curious readers. Great cover. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor by Shaenon K. Garrity and Christopher Baldwin - ADVISABLE

The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor by Shaenon K. Garrity and Christopher Baldwin, 224 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster). 2021. $22

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Haley is a high school student obsessed with gothic romances, which works to her advantage when she jumps in a river to rescue a drowning man. After she pulls him to safety, she finds herself in Willowweep, the perfect gothic romance setting. It has a stately manor, a sinister housekeeper, three brooding brothers and an invisible ghost. Willowweep has secrets of its own and may be the only protection the world has against sweeping evil. Haley needs to rescue more than a drowning man to save the day. 

The vocabulary and occasional sexual inuendo make this a high school read. Background knowledge in gothic romances, like Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights would make the read more enjoyable as readers get the allusions to the gothic trope. Haley is a strong and spirited protagonist, the characters are likeable, and the plot was engaging. 

 Michelle in the Middle 

The Stowaway by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth - OPTIONAL

The Stowaway by James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth, 320 pages. St. Martin’s Press, 2021. $18.

Language: R (103 swears, 9 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: R

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Maria was a juror on one of the most high profile cases in a long time, and Wyatt Butler was set free because of a mistrial – because the jurors did not come to a unanimous decision. The case haunts Maria. When her fiancé convinces Maria and her children to go on a cruise, it’s a break they desperately need. Until bodies start appearing.

The first thing you need to know about this book is that it’s pretty gruesome. The second thing you need to know is that it is brilliantly crafted. I was disappointed when a book entitled “The Stowaway” didn’t start immediately on a boat, but the thrill is worth the backstory. There were a few times that I had to take a break to breathe because I started turning pages faster than I was actually reading them, caught up in the intense emotions of chasing down a meticulous serial killer, and I already wish I could read it again for the first time. The mature content rating is for mention of drugs and alcohol use. The violence rating is for mentions of domestic violence, gun use, gore, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore - ADVISABLE

Winterkeep (Graceling #4) by Kristin Cashore, 528 pages. Dial (Penguin), 2021. $20

 Content: G (some danger) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Bitterblue may be the Queen of Monsea, but she is still surrounded by enemies and intrigue. Gracelings are still being exploited in other kingdoms and the discovery of more kingdoms across the seas only has compounded Blue’s problems, because her envoys to the kingdoms have disappeared. The new mineral, zilfium, seems to play an important role in the danger – someone wants control of it and is willing to kill for the privilege. I

f you still have the Graceling books in your library, you should buy the 4th in the series. If you have already weeded them, you don’t need to restock your shelves. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Space Explorers by Libby Jackson - ADVISABLE

Space Explorers: 25 Extraordinary Stories of Space Exploration and Adventure by Libby Jackson, 191 pages. NONFICTION. Aladdin (Simon & Schuster), 2020. $22.

Language: PG (1 swear, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

These 25 stories talk about the space accomplishments that started in the 1950s, with the space race between the Soviet Union and the United States of America, and what is going on now to explore even farther. Readers will get to know the first astronauts, the requirements for going into space, and even the guy that recorded the first album in space!

Jackson highlights the amazing problem solving skills of astronauts through the years and encourages readers to reach for the literal stars. Under all the excitement, though, danger lurks around every corner, and Jackson offers a tribute to those who have lost their lives in these space endeavors. I appreciate the realism in both the good and the bad of exploration of the moon and stars.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Monster Missions by Laura Martin - ADVISABLE

 The Monster Missions by Laura Martin, 320 pages. Harper, 2021. $17 

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G (mild danger) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Berkeley and her best friend Garth work as salvage scavengers on the Atlas – a cruise ship that was repurposed for family living when the polar icecaps melted and all land on Earth disappeared. When Berkeley stirs up a vicious, giant sea monster, she and Garth are banished to the Britannica – a submarine that specializes in tracking and trying to destroy monsters before they can attack the few ships that remain. There the pair learn the truth about their new world and the monsters of the deep which are making their presence more frequently known. 

Berkeley’s encounters with sea monsters and her ingenuity are fun to read. If you have kids who like apocalyptic fiction or books about cryptids, you have a winner. For elementary students this would also be a good classroom read aloud option. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Breath Like Water by Anna Jarzab - OPTIONAL

Breath Like Water by Anna Jarzab, 416 pages. Inkyard Press, 2020. $16.

Language: R (93 swears, 33 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

16yo Susannah loved her body and the way she swam before biology changed her shape and ended her swimming career before it really started. She’s still fighting for her dream of swimming in the Olympics, but it’s slow going. Susannah is convinced that the only way to make it is to block out everything else – which becomes a challenge when she meets Harry.

Susannah and Harry feel like real people with dreams, secrets, and flaws. I love how Jarzab made these people that I have nothing in common with feel relatable, but my favorite part of the book is actually her descriptions of water and life through Susannah’s point of view. Life is hard for all of us, and finding the beautiful, joyous parts helps us endure difficulty and make the changes we need in order to move forward – even if it means turning at the crossroads. The mature content rating is for underage drinking, innuendo, and sex; the violence rating is for self harm and mentions of suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Twin Daggers by MarcyKate Connolly - ADVISABLE

Twin Daggers by MarcyKate Connolly, 368 pages. Blink, 2020. $11.

Language: PG (2 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

16yo Aissa and Zandria are spies, though most of the time their mission of mapping the drainage tunnels isn’t very exciting. When they find and report a magic door, they get called off and given new missions. But Aissa knows the door is important. As she determines to work on both the mission assigned to her and the missions she feels she must do herself, Aissa finds her way littered with secrets and betrayal.

Connolly’s words are as imbued with magic as the world she has created. I was pulled in and lost sleep over Aissa’s story -- and I’m not even a little upset about it. While I was occasionally confused and had to reread parts, straightening out those details was worth it in order to get the full picture. I love how Connolly dropped all the necessary hints for readers to make connections for the twists she set up, so that the explanations made sense and didn’t feel contrived. I am doing everything possible to get my hands on the sequel.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

How Not to Fall in Love by Jacqueline Firkins - OPTIONAL

How Not to Fall in Love by Jacqueline Firkins, 239 pages. Clarion Books, 2021. $18. 

Language: R (72 swears, 1 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Harper is doing her best to keep her mom’s wedding dress shop moving towards the black, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for anything else. But when her best friend, Theo, has his heart broken again, Harper offers to teach him how not to fall in love -- by getting into a relationship herself to show him how it’s done. Falling in love and not falling in love turn out to be much harder than anyone anticipated.

I had been looking forward to reading this book for months. In some ways, like how each character’s quirky personality permeated the pages, the wait was well worth it. However, I was disappointed by how big of a role sex played in the relationships and, thus, the book itself. The back and forth between Harper and Theo was agonizing as they simply failed to communicate clearly and then rushed forward without thinking and went back to failing to communicate. The mature content rating is for underage drinking, discussions of sex, innuendo and implied sex, and nudity.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Where Her Heart Lies by Carolyn Twede Frank - OPTIONAL

Where Her Heart Lies by Carolyn Twede Frank, 227 pages. Covenant Communications, 2022. $17.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Finished with finishing school, 19-year-old Celeste is happy to be home in the Wild West -- and is ready to get married. Celeste is set on convincing Logan to court her until he does nothing and one of her old suitors shows up, determined to win her back.

Celeste is immature, which made the whole book painful to read. Simple communication would have let the characters avoid much heartache. Furthermore, while the ending is happy, one of the decisions that Logan feels forced into making still doesn’t sit right with me. The overall message of how who you are matters more than what you have is a good one, I’m just not a fan of how the characters teach it.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Legend of the Christmas Witch by Dan Murphy and Aubrey Plaza - ADVISABLE

The Legend of the Christmas Witch by Dan Murphy and Aubrey Plaza, illustrated by Julia Iredale. 56 pages. PICTURE BOOK Penguin Random House, 2021. $19. 9780593350805 

Content: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY:  EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Kristtorn is the twin sister of Kristoffer. They each possess magical gifts. Kristtorn can talk to animals while Kristoffer can disappear and reappear at will. One day, while playing in the woods a Danish couple named Kringle happens along and find Kristoffer - he is so distracted by the yummy food they offer, he leaves with them forgetting his sister was hiding in the woods. Eventually a witch, gathering mushrooms in the woods finds Kristtorn, and brings her home. But times are not good for witches, and Kristtorn's gifts soon put her at risk, so the witch sends her off to find her brother. Always impatient, Kristtorn doesn't follow instructions and ends up as far away from Kristoffer as she can be - -  The South Pole. 

I first listened to the story in audiobook (provided by libro.fm) and fell in love with the story. Well paced, unusual and perfectly narrated by author Aubrey Plaza. Picked up a copy and WOW! So beautifully illustrated. Coffee table book - it will add to your Christmas decorations as well. The size looks like a picture book, but the length of the story would make it more appropriate for an older reader. Buying for my library for sure, but giving as a gift to several friends this Christmas.

Lisa Librarian

Without Separation by Larry Dane Brimner and Maya Gonzalez - ADVISABLE

 Without Separation: Prejudice, segregation, and the case of Roberto Alvarez by Larry Dane Brimner, illustrated by Maya Gonzalez. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Calkins Creek (BoydsMill), 2021. $19. 9781684371952 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

The school board of Lemon Grove Grammar School decided that children of Mexican heritage were dragging down their test scores, so unbeknownst to most of the community, they had a wooden shack built to only serve the Mexican community. The parents of the children turned away from Lemon Grove got the backing they needed to take the case to the courts in San Diego, where the school district lost and the children were welcomed back to Lemon Grove. 

While the book may not attract a lot of casual readers, in terms of importance Brimner has found an important history story that needs to be shared – especially in light of all the ways racism is again playing too big a part in education. Because we use picture books so much in my middle school, I will definitely have this one on hand. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Where Snow Angels Go by Maggie O'Farrell and Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini - ADVISABLE

Where Snow Angels Go by Maggie O'Farrell, illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini 68 pages. Candlewick Press, 2020. $19. 9781536219371 

Content: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

One night, Sylvie wakes up and finds an angel in her room - an angel who is astonished that she can see him. The snow angel she made last winter has come to save her life. If things work out as usual she will forget by morning, but even after a long illness (he did save her life that night) she can't stop thinking about this amazing visitor and wants him to return. And what about her mother and her friends who have never made snow angels? Who is going to protect them? 

Beautifully illustrated from the swirly shiny bits on the cover throughout the story, this lovely tale is a perfect bedtime read, or a great seasonal choice. I loved the story idea, that children make guardians when they make snow angels. O'Farrell's first children's story is a great read that I would recommend through middle school. Not a quick picture book, there's plenty of story contained within these lovely illustrated pages.

Lisa Librarian

For Beautiful Black Boys Who Believe in a Better World by Michael W. Waters and Keisha Morris - ADVISABLE

 For Beautiful Black Boys Who Believe in a Better World by Michael W. Waters, illustrated by Keisha Morris. PICTURE BOOK. Flyaway Books, 2020. $18. 9781947888081 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

When young Jeremiah hears about Trayvon Martin, he is concerned. When shots are fired on his own block, he is afraid. He and his sisters attend a vigil with their parents for another Black death. AS Jeremiah is ready to talk, his parents tell him the many different ways they and others are fighting to create a world where Blacks and other can be confident about their futures instead of afraid. 

 Waters brings today’s headlines right into the pages of his book, supplemented by extensive back matter with extension activities for school and home. Very timely and very important – I am betting that many schools will be passively censor this book by omission – afraid of the current school book police. But, as every death mentioned in the book is factual and Jeremiah’s feelings are justified, librarians shouldn’t be afraid. I would rate it higher, but the wordsmithing and craftsmanship of the illustrations don’t reach that ESSENTIAL level for me, though the subject matter does. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS