Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi, Joe Caramagna, and Anu Chouhan

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi, adapted by Joe Caramagna, illustrated by Anu Chouhan, 126 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Disney Hyperion. 2022. $22

Content G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

12yo Aru Shah wants to impress her friends, who thinks she lies, though she feels she is just stretching the truth. In order to impress them, she lights an ancient lamp in a museum and in so doing, unleashes the Sleeper, a demon whose duty it is to awaken the God of Destruction.

Based loosely in Hindu mythology, this is a seriously fun and engaging adventure. The humor is delightful and the pictures bright and well-drawn. Themes of friendship, duty, fate and destiny intertwine to make for great read, while you find yourself rooting for the protagonists and gearing up for book two. Aru Shah is East Asian.

Michelle in the Middle 

Truth or Dare…by P.J. Night - ESSENTIAL

 You’re Invited to a Creepover: Truth or Dare…by P.J. Night. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Simon Spotlight (Simon & Schuster). 2022. $21

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Abby confesses her love of neighborhood hottie, Jake Chilson at a sleepover. It’s supposed to be a secret, but someone begins sending her threatening text messages on her phone. When Jake asks her to the school dance, Abby feels more threatened and she worries she may be stalked by a ghost.

A quick read, the plot pulls you in and doesn’t let go. This is a fun read and just the right mix of teenage angst and creepy. I totally love the art. Though the storyline isn’t too cerebral, I’m a fan.

Michelle in the Middle 

You Can’t Come in Here! By P.J. Knight - ESSENTIAL

 You’re Invited to a Creepover: You Can’t Come in Here! By P.J. Knight. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Simon Spotlight (Simon & Schuster). 2022. $21

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Emily Hunter loves hanging out at the neighbor’s house. Drew and Vicky Strig are super cool and have the best rec room ever, even though the rest of their house seems rundown and creepy. Emily has decided to have an end of school sleepover and invite them over to meet the rest of her friends. As the sleepover approaches, Emily notices a wolf that howls on the Strig’s lawn every night and she has never met their parents. Maybe these new neighbors are not all they seem. 

Book two in the Creepover series, these books do not have to be read in any order. Great art and intriguing storyline. Even if you outguess the ending, the ride is worth the read. I will devour any and all in this series. 

 Michelle in the Middle 

Ambushed: The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield by Gail Jarrow - ADVISABLE

Ambushed: The Assassination Plot Against President Garfield by Gail Jarrow, 234 pages. NON-FICTION Calkins Creek (Boyds Mills), 2021 $19. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (Descriptions of medical procedures, a shooting). 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

In the summer of 1881, Charles Guiteau shot President James Garfield. For 80 days Garfield's doctors tried to save him, and the whole country followed the news reports. Was it the bullet that killed the President, or was it something else? 

Part of Gail Jarrow's "Medical Fiascos" series, Ambushed covers brief biographies of both Garfield and Guiteau. Jarrow is also a master storyteller, and the plot, the shooting, and the aftermath are gripping, exciting, and a bit gross - like the doctors probing the wound, searching for the bullet with their fingers and instruments that haven't been sterilized. Illustrated with magazine and newspaper drawings and headlines from the time period, as well as photographs and other artifacts like telegrams and notes. Includes a glossary, timeline, websites for more information, an author's note, sources, and a bibliography. Certainly buying a copy for my collection.

Lisa Librarian

Hide by Kiersten White - HIGH

Hide by Kiersten White, 256 pages. Del Rey (Random), 2022. $27

Language: PG-13 (26 swears, 20+ ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (Polygamy mentioned, implied hook-ups); Violence: PG-13 (Bloody deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Mac has reached the absolute end of her ability to eke out an existence on the streets. When she offered a chance to compete in a game of hide and seek for a big prize, she finds it fishy , but she needs the money so badly. Besides, Hide and Seek is her game - after all, she survived her father’s massacre of her mother and sister because he couldn’t find her. Along with 13 others, Mac is deposited in an abandoned amusement park. Each day, one contestant is found. But who are the people sponsoring the contest? Why can’t they see any cameras? Or hear any footsteps- only a weird shuffling and snuffling. Mac will have to conquer manipulation, selfishness, and depravity -hers and others- to have a small chance of coming out the other side alive. White has written the best book of her career to date.

Though written for adults, HS librarians should read it and decide whether to add it to their collection. I listened to the audiobook (thanks Libro.fm!) twice, because it was just that good. I could see a HS ELA teacher using this as a master text for story construction and horror writing in particular. Excuse me - I have to go listen to this again!

The characters are all default white.

Cindy, Library Teacher 

Spell Sweeper by Lee Edward Fodi - ADVISABLE

 Spell Sweeper by Lee Edward Fodi, 368 pages. Harper, 2021. $17

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Cara Moone hates her position as a Magical Occurence Purger or MOP. At the wizard school MOPs are considered to be the lowest. But the life of a MOP is much more important than Cara and even the others understand. The MOPs will need all their determination and skill in order to save many.

Super cute magical school book! I have many fantasy readers who will be happy to read this. Cara herself is a redhead, but her best friend is a magical fox. Ethnicity, however is not really explored beyond descriptions.

Cindy Mitchell 

Project X (Spy School) by Stuart Gibbs - ESSENTIAL

 Project X (Spy School) by Stuart Gibbs, 352 pages. Simon, 2022. $18

 Content: G (mild danger) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

 Murray Hill, Ben’s nemesis, is supposed to be in a maximum security prison, but Ben is not so sure. Someone is trying the kill Ben, again, and how could Murray orchestrate that rom prison? It will take all of the Hales, all of Ben’s friends and Ben’s ingenuity (or luck) to thwart the latest plot.

I love how Gibbs uses Internet conspiracy theory lovers as a plot point in his latest. While he might exaggerate the power the head trolls hold over their followers (or maybe not), it still feels like it could be all too real. Ben and his friends have another grand adventure in store! Default White here. Ethnicity plays no role in anyone’s actions, thoughts, or motives.

 Cindy Mitchell 

The Switch by Roland Smith - ADVISABLE

The Switch by Roland Smith, 304 pages. Scholastic, 2022. $18

 Content: G (mild violence) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

 13yo Henry loves his extended family and their family farm, even his uncle with the weird ideas. While his dad goes to his job as the director of the Portland OR zoo, his mom runs everyone else - her 10 sibs, their significant others, and all the cousins. Then an EMP hits the US and life changes forever. 4 months Dad has not returned from the zoo and a wall of cars separates the farm and the rest of the valley from the outside world. They are some of the few who have electricity, because his uncle’s forethought. But their cushy valley lie is under threat by outsiders who covet “Wonderland”.

 Display this next to Eric Walter’s Rule of Three series and a few other apocalypse books. The author builds up a dreamy world of successful life after a disaster, community coming together, and the drops a bomb on Henry, spinning his life out of control. Great stuff.

 Cindy Mitchell 

Near the Bone by Christina Henry - OPTIONAL

Near the Bone by Christina Henry, 336 pages. Titan Books, 2021. $12

 Language: R (23 swears, 3 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (drug dealer, “wifely duties” mentioned; Violence: PG-13 (physical and mental abuse, several bloody wounds, piles of bloody remains) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Mattie lives with a much older husband who is abusive and keeps her secluded on the mountain near their cabin. The two of them discover a strange and large creature and William thinks he's destined by God to get rid of it. Hikers arrive on the mountain, looking for new creatures to study and when they see Mattie, one of them recognizes her, but she's unsure of what he's talking about. Mattie is slowly regaining memories from her childhood, despite what William tells her with his lies and the hikers do recognize her. Mattie continues to recall bits of her past and when William leaves for town, the hikers approach the cabin to talk to her, filling her in on who she really is. 

The mystery and danger are suspenseful and Mattie has great strength despite her confusion. An intriguing horror adventure thriller. I liked Mattie's strength, resilience and perseverance. The writing pulled me in with its suspense and danger. I enjoyed the mystery of the creature but wish the author would have given more information about it at the end. I feel like the creature was almost metaphorical. 

LynnDell Watson; Delta HS Librarian 

Enemies (Berrybrook Middle School #5) by Svetlana Chmakova - ESSENTIAL

Enemies (Berrybrook Middle School #5) by Svetlana Chmakova, 224 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL, Yen Press, 2022. $13. 

Content: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Felicity has several friend groups, she loves art and gaming, but struggles to finish things - as her younger sister Letty continues to remind her. When she learns that the entrepreneur club is involved in a project where the prize is $1000, Felicity joins - sure she can come up with a business idea that will win her the money. She needs a partner, so convinces her friend Tess to join as well - they made a great team selling Girl Scout cookies once. Joseph is also in the club - Felicity used to be friends with Joseph, but now things are awkward between them, and Felicity doesn't know why. 

Oh, the kids love this series so much. Chmakova writes for this age so well, that the kids at my school read and re-read them. So much drama, friendships on the brink, troubles with a sibling, and who likes who, I especially loved how she and her partner "got back" at the kid in their Spanish class who wouldn't help with the group project. So happy to add Enemies to the collection. 

Lisa Librarian

Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King - ESSENTIAL

 Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King, 272 pages. Scholastic, 2022. $19 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – ADVISABLE, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

12yo Mac is excited for the Lit Circles in his class – his group gets The Devil’s Arithmetic by Jane Yolen. Plus his group has his best friend in it. But when Mac opens the book, he notices a few of the words are blacked out. Who did that? Their teacher Ms. Sett? Around town she has definitely woeked to manipulate the town to do things her way. But Mac was brought up by a mother and grandad who raised him to speak out. Brushed off by the principal, Mac and his friends decide to take it problem of the rectangles straight to the school board. 

King is very timely with her look at another form that censorship in the classroom can take. Adults will definitely embrace this, and I think kids will too. My only problem with it is that the other kids in the class seemed to just accept the black rectangles without question. I just don’t think that many kids would be so acquiescent. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Super Troop by Bruce Hale - ADVISABLE

 Super Troop by Bruce Hale, 288 pages. Scholastic, 20022. $18 

Content: G (some danger) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

After being caught trespassing and causing damage at a theme park, 12yo Coop and his best friend Nacho join the local Boy Rangers troop or they aren’t headed off to anime camp at the end of summer. The boys arrive along with a trio of girls who are also joining – and their leader quits. The new leader is a former drill sergeant, who thinks the kids can be ready for – and win – in only a few short weeks. Nacho hates it all, but Coop actually finds the Boy Rangers interesting. But disaster awaits. 

Hale lets us see the boys’ complicated family dynamics along with the changing friendship between the boys. Add in an adult who is not willing to admit when he doesn’t know how to do things. Fun adventure book. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade by Nancy Springer - ADVISABLE

Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade (Enola Holmes #8) by Nancy Springer, 240 pages. Wednesday Books, 2022. $19.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Stopping by to see her best friend, Cecily (17yo), Enola is shocked to be quickly and thoroughly turned away. She has put a pause on her practice of being a finder of lost things, but that does not mean Enola is done deceiving and donning disguises. Enola will find out what has happened to Cecily and do all she can to help her.

Enola is brilliant; she is also rash. These traits usually end up serving Enola well, but not without a little bit of help from her detective brother. I love the dynamic between Enola and her brother Sherlock as they support each other and find each other’s boundaries, especially when it comes to meeting out justice. Springer balances the believable with the ridiculous as she tells of Enola’s antics, and I am greatly anticipating her next adventure.

Enola, Sherlock, and Cecily are English, as are the majority of characters they interact with. The mature content rating is for mentions of drugs and alcohol as well as for illegal activity. The violence rating is for knife use and mentions of domestic violence.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Winterkill by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch - ESSENTIAL

 Winterkill by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, 288 pages. Scholastic, 2022. $21

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content:G ; Violence: PG (wars deaths mentioned, some shot on pages) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – OPTIONAL. MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

12yo Nyl lives with his family on their farm in the 1930s in the area of the Soviet Union that used to be Ukraine. The USSR has sent in “shock” workers into their village to inventory goods and eventually force private farmers to consolidate with the communes. After their harvest is stolen, Nyl’s family realizes that the ultimate goal of the USSR is to drive them from their land – now the only rule of the game is survival. 

Skrypuch gives us a look at Stalin’s 5-year plan to starve out ethnic Ukrainians and move in Russian nationals, the Holodomor, or the Great Famine. Again Skrypuch pulls us into the complexity of Russian/Ukrainian history as she has through her other books. Gut-wrenching and oh so interesting! I have several students who read every one of her books. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao - ADVISABLE

 Zachary Ying and the Dragon Emperor by Xiran Jay Zhao, 340 pages. McElderry (Simon), 2022. $18 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

14yo Zachary may be the only Asian kid in his Maine middle school, but he has only 14 days to plug a hole in the Chinese underworld or a demon spirit will devour his mom’s soul – poof! Zach discovers that he is the 88th great grandson of Qin Shi Huang – the 1st emperor of China. Unfortunately, Zach knows zero about Chinese culture. His mother never taught him anything. Plus, his connection to Qin’s soul through his VR gear is so tentative, that the two can barely work together. Nevertheless – off to China Zach goes – he will rescue his mother or die trying. 

Instead of focusing on Chinese mythology, Zhao gives us a lot of figures from Chinese history, with some mythology mixed in. The formatting – like a character page from a video game book – is a spot-on glimpse at each new person’s history and traits. Zach is a Chinese Muslim, a persecuted minority in China. Lots of fighting, but plenty of personality and heart, too. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS 

The Bachelor and the Bride by Sarah M. Eden - OPTIONAL

The Bachelor and the Bride (The Dread Penny Society #4) by Sarah M. Eden, 359 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2022. $16.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Dr. Barnabus Milligan is part of a secret society whose goal is to bring down the Mastiff, a man terrorizing London through his criminal network. The Mastiff has started employing resurrection men, and Barnabus happens to know someone that used to be involved in that illegal work: his wife, Gemma. Gemma hasn’t seen Barnabus in three years, but getting his letter asking her to return home gives her hope that her husband finally loves her. These two must navigate secrets, avoid their enemies, and untangle their complicated relationship or else lose everything.

The series overall is about the Dread Penny Society fighting criminals in London, and the romances of each book are the vehicles Eden has chosen to get the overarching story across to readers. I feel like the Mastiff was part of a subplot previously and plays a greater role in this book, making Barnabus and Gemma’s love story more of a subplot. Their cute story is one of reconciliation, but the other books in the series are necessary for the context of everything else going on around them.

Most of the characters, including Barnabus and Gemma, are English, though there are a couple of Irish characters and one African American character mentioned. The mature content rating is for illegal activity, including implied prostitution; the violence rating is for blood and mentions of murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Clackity by Lora Senf - ESSENTIAL

 The Clackity by Lora Senf, 274 pages. Atheneum (Simon, 2022. $18 

Content: PG (vivid danger, supernatural) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

12yo Evelyn lives with her Aunt D ever since her parents disappeared 4 years earlier. Aunt D has a twice weekly ghost and huant advice column in the local paper and takes her job very seriously – you never know when the dark side may rear its head in Blight Harbor – the 7th most haunted city. Then comes word that something bad has happened at the town’s abandoned abattoir – Aunt D has disappeared during her investigation. Now Evelyn must step up and see if she can save the day. Unfortunately that means brokering a deal with -- The Clackity, a being known for its duplicitousness! 

Seriously my favorite book I read this summer! I would love to read this aloud with a class from 4th – 8th grade! Spine chilling, attention grabbing – all the good horror novel writing without resorting to gore. So well done! Evelyn has red hair and fair skin – so default white. 

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS https://www.kingsenglish.com/book/9781665902670

Teen Phantom by Chandler Baker - OPTIONAL

Teen Phantom (High School Horror Story #3) by Chandler Baker, 288 pages. Fiewel & Friends (Macmillan), 2022. $18. 

Language: R (53 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

In order to keep his head down and avoid military school, Chris has given himself three rules at his new high school: no girls, no fast cars, and no trouble. Except that Lena is the first person to be nice to him, and he can’t stop thinking about Honor, the girl in his theater class. Surely, though, two out of three isn’t bad.

I’m disappointed that this is the concluding book of Baker’s High School Horror Story series. The twist she presents on The Phantom of the Opera in this book was fun to read as I anxiously anticipated how she would adapt the familiar story. While Chris’s story could be read as a standalone despite a couple references to the prequel, I recommend going back to read the others in the series because the books are enjoyable.

Chris, Lena, and Honor are all white. The mature content rating is for mentions of drugs and alcohol, innuendo, illegal activity, mention of abortion, partial nudity, sexting, and mentions of sex. The violence rating is for mentions of suicide, blood, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen 

Look Back by Tatsuki Fujimoto - OPTIONAL

Look Back by Tatsuki Fujimoto, 144 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. VIZ Media, 2022. $13.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

In fourth grade, Fujino is the best manga artist in the school with a consistent column in the school paper. But then Kyomoto, a student no one has seen, wants to do it too. The two students compete with their art side-by-side for years until one of them can’t take it anymore.

Fujimoto’s art is beautiful throughout the entire book, and a lot of the story is told through visual cues in consecutive wordless panels. While the story is good, there are also several confusing leaps made without letting the reader know. I read the book twice and enjoyed the majority of it, but I’m still not sure I know what happened in the end.

The characters are Japanese, and any diversity in skin tone is unknown as the book is black and white. The mature content rating is for a couple depictions of nude art, and the violence rating is for an attack at a school resulting in multiple deaths – the attack is not shown, just talked about as an event.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Lord of the Fly Fest by Goldy Moldavsky - HIGH

Lord of the Fly Fest by Goldy Moldavsky, 320 pages. Henry Holt and Company, 2022. $19.

Language: R (38 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Rafi (18yo) knows that River is a killer, and she’s going to prove it on her podcast by interviewing River at Fly Fest, the upcoming music festival on an island. But arrival on the island is nothing as advertised. When the time comes to make a decision about what to do, Rafi has a choice: convince everyone to unite in a call for help or trap all of them on a deserted island so that she can get her interview with the killer among them.

Moldavsky has rewritten Lord of the Flies in a modern setting, including the internet, social media, and influencers. The principles are the same and apply to us now as much as they always have, which is something that I knew intellectually after reading the classic version, but seeing it through Rafi’s perspective was both eye-opening and fun. One thing I have always enjoyed about reading Moldavsky’s works is her wit, and this book did not disappoint.

Jack is implied white, and River is Australian. Rafi appears to be white on the cover, but her and Peggy’s skin tones are not mentioned in the book. However, they are implied American, like the majority of the characters. The mature content rating is for mentions of drugs and alcohol, mentions of nudity, and innuendo. The violence rating is for mentions of murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen