From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry by Paula Yoo - OPTIONAL

From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement by Paula Yoo, 374 pages. NON-FICTION Norton Young Readers, 2021. $20 

Language: R (6 swears 29 'f'); Mature Content: PG (dance club/bar) Violence: R (brutal assault, graphic testimony). 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL,  ADULT - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

When 27yo Vincent Chin was brutally murdered outside a McDonalds in Detroit in 1982 by an angry auto worker and his stepson, the plea bargain and sentencing fast-tracked the men to a $3,000 fine and probation. This outraged and brought together the Asian American community in protests that led to a Federal civil rights trial. 

Contains lots of background information on Vincent's family, the time period - with a focus on what was happening in the auto industry, and is a great look at Asian stereotypes and how the myth of model minority affected both how Asians were treated and how they reacted to racism. Well researched, well written, and interesting, but I kept asking myself why it was marketed as YA. Includes a timeline and sources.

Lisa Librarian

Almost Flying by Jake Maia - ADVISABLE

Almost Flying by Jake Maia, 340 pages. Dial Book for Young Readers (Penguin Random House), 2021. $18 

Language: G; Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

13yo Dalia has an obsession - watching POV roller coaster videos. Rani is on her summer swim team, and the two quickly become friends, watching POV roller coasters and makeup videos together. Dalia's parents are divorced - she doesn't see much of her mom and lives with her dad. When Dad wants Dalia to meet his new girlfriend Vanessa (what?) Dalia is none too pleased. Her dad has kept this from her for 6 months! Vanessa has a college aged daughter, Alexa, and Dad wants them to get to know each other this summer. Alexa has already planned a road trip to various amusement parks with her friend Dhruv, and hanging around for the summer to "bond" is out of the question. Wait! Amusement Parks? Dalia has never actually been on a roller coaster, maybe if she went along? and brought a friend? 

The description of the Roller Coaster videos seemed so fun I looked them up on youtube. I can see why Dalia would love them! Most of the action in Almost Flying is the fun they are having at the Amusement Parks, but Dalia is also questioning her identity, as her friendship with Rani feels like it could be something else. Alexa has a girlfriend, and Dhruv is gay, so Rani has some good mentors to help her navigate these new emotions. Overall, I think my middle school students will love this great road trip.  story. 

Lisa Librarian

Dark Waters by Katherine Arden - ADVISABLE

Dark Waters (Small Spaces, #3) by Katherine Arden. 198 pages. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2021. $17. 

Language: PG (3 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (skeleton, chased by man with an ax hand, bitten and poisoned by water monster)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE  

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH  

Sixth graders, Brian, Coco and Ollie are trying to make sense of their previous encounters with the Smiling Man. They are studying ghost stories and legends and waiting for the Smiling Man to reappear through the fog. When the kids get an opportunity to have a day on the lake with their parents, they jump at the chance. They quickly realize that the Smiling Man can haunt the water, when their boat starts to sink and they find themselves stranded on an haunted unknown island.

The Small Spaces series is perfect for young readers who like ghost stories and creepy, ominous settings. I highly recommend reading the series in the correct order, so you can better understand the antagonist and the dark foreboding his non-presence creates. Dark Waters is suspenseful and the scary plot points are well paced.  The characters are easy to like and work well together as friends. My biggest issue with this book in the series is that the ending feels incomplete, a real frustrating cliff hanger than felt like I only read this book to get to the next one.  Brian and his parents are from Jamaica and is described as light brown. The other characters are white.

Reviewer, C. Peterson

The Stolen Slippers (Never After #2) by Melissa de la Cruz - ADVISABLE

The Stolen Slippers (Never After #2) by Melissa de la Cruz, 336 pages. Roaring Brook (Macmillan), 2022. $17

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G (fantasy fighting)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Filomena is back in Never After – she is headed there with Jack, Gretel, and Alstair in order to recover the glass slippers from Cinderella, who is not as sweet as Filomena was led to believe. The Prince is betrothed to one of the step-sisters, and the two are truly in love.  But if Cinderella dances with him at midnight, in those slippers, his heart may be caught – and the slippers are one of the treasures!

For a strong group of middle grade fantasy readers, this is a must. They will alternately yell at the heroes as they get caught in obvious fairy tale traps (house made of candy in the woods) and cheer as they unmask the villains.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

The School Between Winter and Fairyland by Heather Fawcett - ADVISABLE

The School Between Winter and Fairyland by Heather Fawcett, 352 pages. Balzer + Bray (Harper), 2021. $18

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

12yo Autumn is just a servant at the magnificent Inglenook School for magicians, but she and her family work as beastkeepers for the school’s dangerous monsters.  Her twin brother has disappeared, and Autumn is determined to find him. Then Cal, the “Chosen One” appears and he needs Autumn’s help – he’s actually afraid of dragons!  Very difficult when you’ve been prophesied to defeat the most dangerous dragon of all. Together, the pair will search anywhere and everywhere for clues to all of the castle’s missing people.

Another good fantasy “school story” for schools with active fantasy readers.

Book was loaned from libro.fm for an honest review; narrated by Gail Shalan

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

The Thing I’m Most Afraid Of by Kristin Levine - OPTIONAL

The Thing I’m Most Afraid Of by Kristin Levine, 368 pages. Putnam’s (Penguin), 2021. $18

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

12yo Becca is virtually crippled by anxiety, but her mom is flying with her to Austria, where Becca can spend the summer with her father.  Accompanied by all of her Doomsday journals, where she writes all of her fears and possible solutions, Becca hopes she and her dad will have fun together.  But now she has his girlfriend, the girlfriend’s 13yo son, and an au pair who is a Bosnian refugee. Becca, Felix, and Sara each make a list of things they want to conquer that summer (eat a soft boiled egg?)– but planning for every eventuality doesn’t mean that you can brainstorm all of the ways your life may take shape.

Set in the summer of 1993, this is kind of historical fiction, especially when Sara’s passport gets stolen and she is taken into custody.  But the framework for Becca’s life is her anxiety and I am just tired of 12yo girl characters having anxiety as their main character trait. I can only take so much of this tired trope. I have plenty of books about girls – plenty.

Book was loaned from libro.fm for an honest review; narrated by Chelsea Kwoka

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

We Are Inevitable by Gayle Forman - OPTIONAL

We Are Inevitable by Gayle Forman, 288 pages. Penguin, 2021. $19.

Language: R (80 swears, 17 ‘f’); Mature Content: R (descriptive talk about paraplegics and sex, implied sex); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Aaron is done with the bookstore opened by his parents.  In fact, he’s pretty much done with everything.  So now that he’s made the decision to sell the store and signed the contract, why are all of these people trying to help him – him and his socially anxious father.  He doesn’t need Chad, the paraplegic who drags him to see a band with a very attractive lead singer.  Nor does he need the jobless lumberjacks who want to improve everything around the store. But he can’t seem to find the right time to tell his father, first, or even anyone, that the store is no longer theirs.  Is there any way he can raise $13,000 in less than a month and cancel the contract? Maybe – but it would involve selling off his deceased brother’s record collection that he left in Aaron’s trust.

Since I listened to this, I have to mention that every time I heard the father’s voice, it was like fingernails on a chalkboard for me. I wanted Aaron to sell the store and run just so that I didn’t have to hear it again. But I really liked Chad and the lumberjacks – Aaron really found better friends in him than he deserved.  A little bit about living with a parent with a mental illness, a little bit about the importance of confronting grief head on, and a lot about being honest – with yourself first and then with others.

Book was loaned from libro.fm for an honest review; narrated by Sunil Malhotra

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

Alice Fleck’s Recipes for Disaster by Rachelle Delaney - ADVISABLE

Alice Fleck’s Recipes for Disaster by Rachelle Delaney, 256 pages. Puffin (Penguin), 2021. $18

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

12yo Alice Fleck is headed to a week at a Victorian convention.  Because Dad’s girlfriend submitted a video and application, the pair are going to compete on Culinary Chronicles – a foodie show that will be filmed during the celebration at the gorgeous Gladstone Manor.  But when Alice arrives, she and Dad find out that the show has been sold to a new network and now they will be on Culinary Combat! None on the competitors are happy, especially when sabotage seems to be afoot. With the help of the two other kids at the manor, can Alice solve the mystery and survive the competition?

Alice does have anxiety, which frequent readers of my reviews may remember is a particular pet peeve of mine, but Alice’s anxiety is overshadowed by laugh-out-loud moments, clever co-conspirators, and culinary competition. I would happily see more of Alice, but only if she teams up with her friends again to solve another mystery.  I could totally see her and Dad having their own traveling show.

Book was loaned from libro.fm for an honest review; narrated by Katie Ryerson

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud - OPTIONAL

The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud, Knopf (Random), 2021. $18

Language: PG (23 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: R (repeated bloody violence)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Scarlett had no idea how much her life would change when she rescues Albert Browne from a stagecoach wreck in the wild remains of what once was a civilized England. Scarlett is on the run from town officials who want her captured for her many robberies and she is also in the bad graces of a syndicate to which she owes a lot of money. What she doesn’t realize is that affable, friendly Albert has a dark history of his own – and many more dangerous, persistent enemies than Scarlett.

While some may be drawn to this as a pure adventure novel (as bloody as Dashner’s Eye of Minds series), when I was about half way through I asked myself – why do I care? I didn’t connect to Scarlett at all and while Albert has a goal, mostly they just seem to be running, running, running from more and more danger.  I was under enthused.

Book was loaned from libro.fm for an honest review; narrated by Sophie Aldred

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price - ADVISABLE

Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price, 368 pages. Harper, 2021. $18

Language: G (3 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (bloody death)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

17yo Lizzy Bennett wants to be a lawyer like her father, but woman aren’t allowed by custom to argue cases in England’s courts. Instead, the practice will go to the odious Mr. Collins, Mr. Bennet’s nephew. But Lizzy wants to make her mark, so when she finds a murder case, she meets with the accused, Mr. Bingley, and decides she must prove his innocence.  Time is short, however, and she must also content with the stuffy Mr. Darcy, who is the heir to the Pemberly law firm.

I thoroughly enjoyed Price’s take on the classic novel. Just wait until you read the fates of Collins, Wickham, and Catherine de Bourgh! But YA’s who don’t know the characters as well will probably not love it as much as I did. So be cautious in your purchasing. You will probably have to hand sell to your mystery/romance readers.

Book was loaned from libro.fm for an honest review; narrated by Morag Sims.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys - ESSENTIAL

I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys, 336 pages. Philomel (Penguin), 2022. $19

Language: PG (17 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG-13 (beatings, murder, war crimes)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

17yo Cristian and his family are barely keeping life together.  Living under Ceausescu’s Communist dictatorial regime in 1989 Romania is degrading to body and soul. Then one day he is summoned to an office and given a choice – start informing on the American ambassador where your mother works as a cleaner, or be prosecuted for the crimes that others have revealed about you. Eyes are always watching everywhere in Romania, and Cristian decides his voice will be heard in a positive way.  As other communist countries start falling, Cristian decides to sneak his journal to the American ambassador and hopefully word will get out.  Then the revolution starts in Romania – Cristian may die if he joins, but how can he not?

OMG – While I knew in giant strokes the story of the Romanian Revolution – it is history of my own life time – I had absolutely no idea the extent of Ceausescu’s villainy.  Sepetys includes many pages of resources of source material and information about her conversations with Romanians who lived this history – including the very famous gymnast, Nadia Comaneci, who manage to cross the border just before the revolution exploded. Will students embrace this?  If they’ve read Refugee by Gratz, they can certainly be pointed towards this as a next step. And bring this to the attention of your history and geography teachers who can certainly suggest it to their students. Intense, powerful, tearful.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

Book was loaned from libro.fm for an honest review; narrated by Edoardo Ballerini and Ruta Sepetys

Dearest Josephine by Caroline George - OPTIONAL

Dearest Josephine by Caroline George, 384 pages. Thomas Nelson, 2021. $19.

Language: G (bastard used, but not as a swear); Mature Content: G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Newly graduated Josie De Clare has retreated to the moors of northern England to the castle that her now deceased father purchased as a surprise for her. As she decides what to do with her life (too late now to start university in the fall, but maybe in January). Then she discovers hidden letters – love letters written to Josephine De Clare by Elias Roch – the bastard son of nobleman from the 1820’s. Josie can’t be this Josephine, can she?  And she can’t fall in love with a man who dies almost 200 years before she was born, right?

While you are reading, you may really want this to be a time travel romance mystery. I do love the English accents involved and Josie’s intense desire to find love from someone as she struggles to find her new footing. And then unfolding to what really love looks like – from friends and from others. Very sweet and touching. 

Book was loaned from libro.fm for an honest review; narrated by Nathalie Pownall

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros - HIGH

The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros, 480 pages. Inkyard Press, 2021 $20 

Language: R (63 swears 6 'f'); Mature Content: PG13 (intimacy); Violence: R (murder, dead bodies, torture, assault). 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

In 1893 Chicago, 17yo Alter Rosen is working hard to save enough money to bring his mother and sisters to America from Romania. It was supposed to be Alter and his father working together, but his father died - now Alter is doing the best he can. At first, he worked for a street gang, picking pockets, but when one job turned violent, Alter left the gang and is trying to make an honest living as a type setter for a Yiddish newspaper. Several young men his age have disappeared over the last few weeks, and neither the police nor his newspaper think it's worth reporting - the police are calling them runaways. But when his best friend Yakov is murdered, and Alter is possessed by Yakov's dybbuk, Alter is thrown back into the dangerous back alley life he left behind, and must reunite with the boy he's tried so hard to forget to try to find out who, or what, is the killer. 

I could not put this down. Looking into the world of Jewish immigrants and their religion was beautiful - Polydoros' description of the ritual involved in preparing someone for burial was sensitive and spiritual - followed immediately by a plunge into this thriller that grabbed me and wouldn't let go. There was a lot of Yiddish included, I appreciated the glossary in the back, Yiddish speakers won't need it. I'm happy that Polydoros didn't try to incorporate context into the story, and let the glossary fill in my gaps.   Alter and his friends are in their late teens, but they are experiencing adult lives, living on their own, working etc. Alter is gay, and there is some romance in The City Beautiful, but it's also pretty dark, and violent and scary. 

Lisa Librarian

Picturing a Nation by Martin W. Sandler - OPTIONAL

Picturing a Nation: the Great Depression’s Finest Photographers Introduce America to Itself by Martin W. Sandler, 153 pages. Candlewick, 2021. $25. 9781536215250 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Sandler introduces us to the photographers and the photographs of the Great Depression. Sponsored by the Farm Security Administration, these photos now reside in the Library of Congress. As fascinating as the book is, it would only be useful if teachers in your school teach the topic and share the book. I was riveted. 

 Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Inside In: X-Rays of Nature’s Hidden World by Jan Paul Schutten and Arie van ‘t Riet - ESSENTIAL

 Inside In: X-Rays of Nature’s Hidden World by Jan Paul Schutten, photography by Arie van ‘t Riet, 125 pages. Greystone Kids, 2017. $20. 9781771646796

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Even kids who can’t read independently will be fascinated by the x-ray photographs inside this wonderful book. Schutten, of course, adds interesting paragraphs of text for older readers.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS  

Otto: a Palindrama by Jon Agee - ESSENTIAL

 Otto: a Palindrama by Jon Agee, 141 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Graphic (Penguin), 2021. $18. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Otto has been called to dinner – but his imagination gets lost in a grand adventure story. 

Agee tells his story completely in palindromes – even the signage. While sometimes it makes the dialogue a bit awkward, the palindrome scheme is so amazing, I can’t fault that. A fun visual adventure and a fun read. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Abe Lincoln’s Hat by Martha Brenner and Brooke Smart - ADVISABLE

 Abe Lincoln’s Hat by Martha Brenner, illustrated by Brooke Smart. PICTURE BOOK. Random House, 2022. $18. 9780525647171 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Why did Abraham Lincoln have such a tall hat? Brenner doesn’t explain why he bought that first hat, but very quickly he started using it as a place to store important papers. All through his lawyer career and judgeship, that hat stored his papers. 

Brenner focuses on Lincoln’s pre-presidential year, adding dimension to his life as a lawyer and judge and a defender of human rights. When I first saw it, I was wondering why we need ANOTHER Lincoln book, but was very pleasantly surprised at the author’s focus. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Daughter by Kate McLaughlin - OPTIONAL

Daughter by Kate McLaughlin, 336 pages. Wednesday Books (St. Martin’s Press), 2022. $19.

Language: R (180 swears, 76 “f”); Mature Content: R; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Scarlet (17yo) has learned how to get around her mother’s strict rules without caring much about why her mom is so paranoid – until two FBI agents show up at their door. Turns out, Scarlet’s father is a serial killer, so maybe her mom’s paranoia was warranted. As she meets her father and starts to see her mother in a new light, Scarlet also has to confront herself and decide who she wants to be.

The premise is interesting in a grisly way, but McLaughlin also addresses a lot of relationship conflicts. I loved the inner conflict that readers go through with Scarlet as she re-establishes her familial and personal identities, and the sympathy that is encouraged for strangers because you don’t know what they are going through – even if you think you know who they are. Please note that this book is not for everyone. I was enjoying the book and the language and sexual content still became more than I wanted to handle. The mature content rating is for underage drinking; persistent drug use; innuendo; mention of masturbation and orgasm; discussion of condoms and STIs; persistent discussions of sex, rape, and necrophilia; nudity; and sex. The violence rating is for mention of suicide and persistent discussions of murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen 

Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Yas Imamura - ADVISABLE

 Love in the Library by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrated by Yas Imamura. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick, 2022. $19. 9781536204308 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS – ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Tama hates the Minidoka Internment Camp, but finds solace in her job as the librarian. The dusty summers, the snowy winters are slightly balanced by the daily sight of George, the handsome young man who comes every day to borrow books. In this unlikely of places, love can still bloom. 

Based on the love story of the author’s own grandparents. Minidoka is in Idaho, though the author doesn’t mention that anywhere. Tokuda-Hall brings another dimension to the story of life within internment camps – I’m not sure how much children will follow a love story, but I appreciate this additional facet. Middle school librarians should also get this for their Utah History teachers to add dimension to our own internment camp history. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff - ESSENTIAL

Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff, 188 pages. Dial Book for Young Readers (Penguin Random House), 2021. $17 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (injuries, frightening situations) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

It's the summer before middle school and 11yo Bug is not as excited as best friend Moira about starting school. All Moira wants to talk about is her clothes and hair and makeup. Bug isn't interested in cute new clothes, and makeup is no big deal; Bug's uncle Roderick had been a drag queen, and he recently passed away, and Bug is grieving. Bug has always felt their farmhouse was haunted, but since Uncle Roderick died it's gotten a lot worse and Bug thinks someone, or something may be trying to send a message. 

Lukoff is a master story teller. I was engaged right from the start. The haunting is pretty intense a couple of times, but not creepy or nightmare inducing, so perfectly appropriate for upper elementary and middle school readers. I loved Bug so much, their internal struggles with gender identification and coming to terms with how to present in middle school were perfect. A supportive parent was great to see. Kids will read this for the scare and build empathy, or see themselves reflected in Bug's mirror. Loved it! 

Lisa Librarian