Hum by William David Thomas - ADVISABLE

Hum by William David Thomas, 199 pages. Charlesbridge, 2024. $18. 9781732213722

Content: G (danger, mild violence)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE; MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

11yo Allen’s nightmares have been occurring more frequently. In order to help him, his grandmother, who has been his guardian since  both of Allen’s parents died when he was six, decides they should move back to her hometown - hoping that Allen will be able to make some human connections. In that village, Allen finds Zach and Birdie, two new friends at school and an eccentric, but kind mentor in Max, a senior. Unfortunately, he also draws the ire of the town bully, who is not hesitant to punch when he is annoyed. When Allen goes to a local fair and meets a llama, memories come flooding back and Allen is sent immediately on a desperate flight into the high mountains to save the llama, whom he seems to remember from his early childhood, and to escape the bully and his brute of a father who are out for blood.

I know that any adult reading this will love it. The cover doesn’t reflect the anger and danger within the pages, so perhaps add this to a display of survival books to draw attention.  I would highly recommend reading it aloud to a class. The main character is a little young for some middle schools. The main characters cue white.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Whales to the Rescue by Adrienne Mason and Kim Smith - ADVISABLE

Whales to the Rescue: How Whales Help Engineer the Planet by Adrienne Mason, illustrated by Kim Smith. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Kids Can Press, 2022. $19. 9781525305375

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

APPEALS TO: SOME

A fascinating, fact-filled book about how helpful and necessary whales are to planet Earth. Complete with a table of contents, glossary, and index, this book would be a fantastic resource for students doing research or students simply wanting to learn more about oceans, whales and ecosystems. The book is text heavy, making it perfect for upper elementary or middle school students, but has gorgeous, detailed illustrations that support the text and make the book enjoyable for younger children as well.

I learned quite a few facts that I didn't know before reading this book! There's a lot of text but the book is written in a simple-to-understand way and I never felt bored or anxious to be done with the book as I read. While I was a little squeamish reading the detailed bits about whale waste (did you know a fin whale pees 257 gallons a day!?), I'm confident that students will be utterly fascinated and morbidly delighted by the sections titled "Living on Sunshine" and "A Poop Pump".

Angie Campbell - EL Librarian

Bad Princesses Perfect Villains by Jennifer Torres - OPTIONAL

Bad Princesses Perfect Villains by Jennifer Torres, 166 pages. Scholastic, 2023. $8. 9781338833140

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Dalia and Dominga are not happy to be attending the Fine and Ancient Institute for the Royal (FAIR). They would rather be attending the Bewitched Academy for the Dreadful (BAD). After discussing and rejecting a few ideas, together they come up with a villainous scheme to ruin the first day of classes for their other classmates. They are certain the plan will get them kicked out of FAIR and admitted to BAD. Some things go according to plan and some do not.

Dalia and Dominga recognize right away that they do not fit in with the other princesses at the school. I am glad that they were able to find kindred spirits in each other. I like that that book has Spanish words sprinkled throughout. It is a fun story, with a simple plot perfect for kids just starting to get into chapter books.

The princesses are implied Latina.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian

Friend or UFO by Julie Buxbaum - OPTIONAL

Friend or UFO (The Area 51 Files: Book 3) by Julie Buxbaum, 268 pages. Children's Fiction Delacorte (Random House), 2024. $15 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Sky calls Area 51 home because everyone she loves is there. Except one, her grandma. Sky gets a mysterious VHS tape where she discovers her grandma is a secret agent for the FBAI (Federal Bureau of Alien Investigations) and may have been kidnapped. Sky is beside herself and she and her friends will have to solve secret puzzles, codes, and find clues in Area 51 to rescue grandma. 

This is a fun read. Lots of emphasis on family, which is nice. Lots of puns and plays on words. The illustrations help the story along. This is like CSI for elementary kids and who wouldn't want to live with aliens and solve mysteries? Sky is of Indian descent and her friends are a wide variety of cultures and aliens.

Michelle in the Middle 

The Big Flush by Julie Buxbaum - OPTIONAL

The Big Flush (The Area 51 Files Book 2) by Julie Buxbaum, 252 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Delacorte (Random House), 2023. $15 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Sky Patel-Baum's middle school is bizarre. She lives in Area 51 where there are aliens everywhere. Sky is learning to love her new home when it looks like it will be destroyed by space junk in the form of a giant toilet heading straight for her home, which could also take out all of Nevada. Sky and her friends race to figure out who on base is giving out coordinates to angry aliens before they are wiped out. 

 This book in the series is heavy on potty humor, especially when the town gets sprayed by human feces. Don't eat while reading this book. There are a lot of puns and it's nice to see people and aliens get along despite their differences. Nice themes of friendship and family. And fighting poop. Sky is of Indian descent and the other characters are a diverse collection of cultures and aliens. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Power Button: The First Invasion Zack Soto - OPTIONAL

Power Button: The First Invasion by Zack Soto, 202 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Graphic Universe (Lerner), 2023. $23.

Language: G (1 swear, 0 "F"); Mature Content: G; Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Kaz Savage is 10yo when his 11yo cousin Truly is dropped off at his home in Oregon. Kaz uses a walking stick because he has a degenerative eye disease. The two of them stumble upon some space relics that summon a space knight, Trinn Cyclo, who must may be able to save earth from an invasion by a 15yo space alien who has family issues of his own. 

The art is done all in blues, purples, and greens, which seems to work with the story. The plot is fairly straightforward, though there is a strange uncle who is a cat. The robot space knight saves the day and will most likely be back in subsequent books. I liked that Kaz has a disability he copes well with. Kids will probably like it but I was hoping for more tension in the plot. Truly is black and Max is white. 

 Michelle in the Middle 

Life Log by Lea Redmond and Andrea Tsurumi - OPTIONAL

Life Log by Lea Redmond, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi, 96 pages. NON-FICTION. Chronicle Books, 2022. $15. 9781452166247

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - GIFT - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

This is an interactive book meant to be personalized by writing and coloring in it, so it would NOT be a recommended purchase for a library. It teaches ways to collect data and log observations, patterns and details using different infographic techniques. The first ten pages are very wordy in describing various infographics. Once you make it through the text-heavy intro pages, the book is filled with about a dozen fun data-collecting activities like "Bubble Gum Contest - which brand blows bigger bubbles?" and "The Life of a Pencil - how long does my pencil last?"

I think the data-collecting activities in this book are a fun way to encourage non-digital activity and could be enjoyed by a child on their own or with family or friends. Some of the activities require documenting over time, while others can be done in one afternoon. I think the book does a good job of showing that observation and collecting data can be interesting and fun, and some of the activities are things I'd enjoy doing with my own kids.

Angie Campbell - EL Librarian https://www.kingsenglish.com/book/9781452166247

Jacob’s Missing Book by Sarah and Ian Hoffman, and Chris Case - ADVISABLE

Jacob’s Missing Book by Sarah and Ian Hoffman, illustrated by Chris Case. PICTURE BOOK. Magination, 2024. $18. 9781433844584

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

APPEALS TO: MANY

Jacob wants to read the penguin book during library time, but the book isn’t anywhere in the library. The next day Emily mentions that she has two dads and that she likes the penguin book too. AFter their teacher can’t talk about why the school no longer has the penguin book, at recess the kids pretend to be penguins hatching eggs in their nests of rocks and explain the book to the kids who haven’t read it.

The Hoffman’s remind us that kids are not as uptight about books as much as some adults are. And if one kid has read and loved a book that is now missing for some reason, they will happily share the story with the curious minds around them, And there is nothing wrong with that. If a teacher at any level wants to talk to their students about the history of banned books, here is a great place to start.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The World's Loneliest Elephant by Ralph Fletcher and Naoko Stoop - ADVISABLE

 The World's Loneliest Elephant: Based on the True Story of Kaavan and His Rescue by Ralph Fletcher, illustrated by Naoko Stoop. NON-FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Little Brown, 2022. $18. 978031636459

 PG (Animal cruelty- elephants in chains without proper care; no graphic images)

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

APPEALS TO: SOME

Kaavan became the loneliest elephant in the world after he was taken from Sri Lanka and moved to a zoo in Pakistan where he did not receive proper care for a very long time. After more than thirty years in a small enclosure, kept in chains, and not receiving veterinary care, Kaavan was rescued by a veterinarian from Egypt, Dr. Khalil. With the help of people from all over the world, Dr. Khalil worked to move Kaavan to an animal sanctuary in Cambodia where he could be happy and healthy.

The illustrations, which are painted on wood, are gorgeous! I loved that this was a recent event (Kaavan was moved to his new home in 2020). The humans illustrated are from different countries and are illustrated with various ethnicities.

Rachel, Elementary Library Specialist 

Mr. Whiskers and the Shenanigan Sisters by Wendelin Van Draanen - ESSENTIAL

Mr. Whiskers and the Shenanigan Sisters by Wendelin Van Draanen, 196 pages. Alfred A. Knopf (Random), 2023. $17

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY 

When fake FBI agents kidnap 10yo Misty and 11yo Zelda's Nanigan's dad, a stray dog named Mr. Whiskers jumps in to help them find him. The girls do not always understand him and don't always believe him but Mr. Whiskers does not give up. There are clues to find, high-speed dog chases, secret rooms, help from friends, and gold coins to add to the adventure.

I loved that the book was narrated by the dog, Mr. Whiskers. The book is full of dog puns and observations on humans from a dog perspective. This is a fun adventure that will appeal to many. It is assumed that all of the characters are white.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian

 

Farrah Noorzad and the Ring of Fate by Deeba Zargarpur - ADVISABLE

Farrah Noorzad and the Ring of Fate by Deeba Zargarpur, 336 pages. Labyrinth Road (Random House), 2024. $18.

Language: PG (4 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

Once a year on her birthday, Farrah (12yo) gets to see her dad. Their climbing trip this year is a little rocky, and then it takes a sudden turn for the worst when Farrah’s dad turns blue and disappears right before her eyes! Her family doesn’t believe her, so Farrah sets out by herself to find her dad, no matter what kind of magic trouble he’s involved in.

Zargarpur’s fantasy world is based in some Islamic mythology, specifically about jinn, and it was fun to see these mythical beings brought to life in a new way. Farrah’s whole story revolves around a wish to change her fate and her journey that reveals her true power—a power each of us could wield in our lives. Wishes sound great in theory, but we don’t need wishes to make our world better.

Farrah and Arzu are Muslim Afghan Americans. The violence rating is for fantasy violence and mentions of execution.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon - ADVISABLE

The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon, 288 pages. Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), SEPT 2024. $20.

Content: G (some danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

Millie and Rose are only step-sibling, but share a baby brother.  With their parent figures now gone and supplies rapidly dwindling, they make a bold move to strike out in search of Millie’s maternal grandmother - an Indigenous person. Walking their way in what they hope is the right direction, they happen upon a school bus of kids from a summer camp who are also trying to find their ways home. Danger lurks, however, in a group that calls themselves The Hive - a corporate conglomerate that has been hoarding supplies.

A decent upper elementary, middle grade post-apocalypse book.  The danger is palpable without being bloody and graphic. There are not a wide variety of this genre for this age level - so could be a good choice for them.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Weird But True-The Middle Ages by Michael Burgan and Carmen Sanchez - ADVISABLE

Weird But True-The Middle Ages by Michael Burgan, illustrated by Carmen Sanchez. 192 pages NON-FICTION. National Geographic (Disney), 2023. $13. 9781426373299

PG (Because this book is about the Middle Ages, there are several pictures and facts about fighting with swords and war)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Jousting knights, peasants, Vikings and more! This book contains so many facts about The Middle Ages! Weird But True-The Middle Ages teaches students about the world during this time period in a fun and exciting way.

This series is very popular with elementary students. I don't know why this book would be any different. Brightly colored illustrations and photos are on every page. Small paragraphs describe the pictures and keep the reader engaged.

Tracie, Elementary School Librarian

Just Keep Walking by Erin Soderberg Downing - ESSENTIAL

Just Keep Walking by Erin Soderberg Downing, 256 pages. Scholastic, 2024. $25.

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

For Jo’s 12th summer, she was supposed to hike 100 miles of the Superior Hiking Trail with her dad, but this year he is too busy with his new insta-family to bother with Jo, so she is hiking with her mom instead. After the first .6 of a mile, Jo is about ready to give up, but she refuses to let her dad “win”. And thankfully she persists, because adventure, a bit of danger, and heartfelt talks coupled with a lot of growth await her.

I love a good man vs nature story that is as much about conquering self as it is about surviving nature. Downing gives us an authentic look at long-trail hiking while helping Jo complete her own journey of the soul.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Mysterious Life of Dr. Barry by Lisa Williamson - OPTIONAL

The Mysterious Life of Dr. Barry by Lisa Williamson, 137 pages. Pushkin Books, (rerelease) 2024. $

Content: G (minor arguments, c-section mentioned, main character spends her life disguised as a man)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE; MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Margaret wanted more than living at home caring for her mother, so when the chance came, she reinvented herself in the guise of a man and enrolled in medical school in Edinburgh. For the next 50 years, Dr. Barry pursued a career as surgeon - battling against society’s perception of him as just a boy, keeping most people at arms-length, having only few close friends, and always dealing with politics in the towns and military units in which he was placed. While a few may have suspected, it wasn’t until Dr. Barry’s death that their secret was revealed.

Williamson manages to avoid any pronouncement about whether Dr. Barry was just disguised as a male, or whether they were transgender. The author had to create dialogue and embellish a bit to flesh out the few details known of Barry’s life; thus, this is fiction, rather than a biography. Regardless of Barry’s origins, they are important for performing the first successful C-section - both mother and baby survived despite the non-existence of anesthesia. The illustrations make the book feel very young.

Dr. Barry is from Scotland.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Paige Not Found by Jen Wilde - ADVISABLE

Paige Not Found by Jen Wilde, 256 pages. Scholastic, 2024. $19.

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

12yo Paige already struggles to deal with the world through the lens of her autism.  When she finds out that her parents enrolled her in a study that implanted a device (The Dot) into her brain in order to assess her and control her, she is livid. Along with her best friend, she needs to track down the other kids from the study - because their data is about to be sold to a company that has a very poor track record about data privacy.

The near-future setting doesn’t feel that far down the road, but does put this into science fiction. Paige is queer (possibly non-binary, but she hasn’t changed her pronouns yet), which she just is - it is not a plot point. A decent book about body autonomy, data privacy, and consent. The action is just enough to keep some students interested once they catch on to the plot.

Paige cues white.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Wrong Way Home by Kate O’Shaughnessy - ADVISABLE

The Wrong Way Home by Kate O’Shaughnessy, 322 pages. Knopf (Random House), 2024. $18.

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

12o Fern loves her life with Dr. Ben and all of the others on The Ranch. When her mother sneaks away with her in the middle of the night, Fern is very confused. They’ve traveled for days and landed in Driftaway Beach, California, where Fern is surrounded by all of the toxic things of the world that Dr. Ben has always warned them about. As she tries to find a way back to what she considers to be home, she has much to learn - not just school stuff (which she totally does), but also about herself, her mother, and what real family and home look like.

O’Shaughnessy’s lovely book is the definition of bildungsroman - a young person goes from believing what others tell her about the world to a place where she now knows she doesn’t know everything and that trust needs to be earned. Powerful stuff that I devoured in an afternoon. The only reason I didn’t rate this ESSENTIAL is that it isn’t the romantic, or sports-centric, or action-packed, or spooky books that my students have been gravitating to on their own. The cover is uninspiring and confusing once you now the story, so you will probably need to spotlight and hand sell to the first students.

Fern and the other characters cue white.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

Hearts That Cut by Kika Hatzopoulou - OPTIONAL

Hearts That Cut (Threads That Bind #2) by Kika Hatzopoulou, 336 pages. Razorbill (Penguin Random House), 2024. $17.

Language: R (43 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Io and Bianca have been following Thais’s thread to the gods for weeks, needing to understand the reason for all the deaths they witnessed in Alante. But the gods and their followers continue to stay one step ahead—and their adversaries aren’t the only ones misleading Io’s power.

There seemed to be more expository sections in this book than in the prequel, which were cumbersome to read but important to the conclusions Io makes to unravel the antagonists’ plan. With betrayal, reconciliation, and more of the amazing magic system, the non-expository parts were action-filled enough to make the reading worth it. I am satisfied by the climax and conclusion, though I would not say no to more stories set in Io’s world.

Hatzopoulou’s main and side characters are diverse in skin tone and sexual orientation. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol, illegal activity, partial nudity, and an intense make out scene. The violence rating is for assault, gun use, fantasy violence, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Night Ends with Fire by K. X. Song - OPTIONAL

The Night Ends with Fire (The Night Ends with Fire #1) by K. X. Song, 432 pages. Ace (Penguin Group), 2024. $21.

Language: PG (8 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: R; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

In order to save her family, Meilin (18yo) needs the matchmaker to arrange a betrothal to a wealthy suitor. The matchmaker does her job, but Meilin is unable to do hers. Instead of marrying the merchant chosen for her, Meilin calls herself Ren and joins the army, determined to be the best and force everyone to acknowledge her.

This retelling of Mulan focuses on the gray areas between ambition and greed, between equality and pride, between duty and mercy. Meilin struggles with herself and how she fits into the new situations she has placed herself in, which is the focus of the majority of the internal conflict and becomes repetitive since she struggles with the same issues again and again. Readers feel this struggle as well, trying to fit Meilin into either the box of hero or villain—but few things are that simple.

Meilin is described as having “dark” skin, and Sky is described as having “pale” skin, though the overall impression is that the characters are implied Chinese as it is a retelling of Mulan. One significant side character is lesbian. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, innuendo, sexual harassment, mentions of concubines and prostitutes, rape, and sexual touching. The violence rating is for assault, child abuse, war and battle, murder, and mentions of suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Crashing into You by Rocky Callen - OPTIONAL

Crashing into You by Rocky Callen, 288 pages. Henry Holt and Co. (Macmillan), 2024. $20.

Language: R (96 swears, 56 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Street racing is something that Leti (16yo) is good at, and she’s determined to prove that she deserves to be there by getting invited to the underground races. Her crew is fully behind her, even if her father isn’t supportive. But when Leti and Jacob become friends, she gains another reason to win—and so much more to lose if she doesn’t.

I love the metaphors that come to life from Leti’s view of the world, from how she describes Jacob as an entire forest in one being to how her car feels like a rocket to how the entire ocean can come between people. Leti’s and Jacob’s interest in flying and in the stars are different, and yet Callen uses imagery to bring them together in a beautiful way. The street racing is exciting and the aforementioned figurative language is amazing, but the core of this book is about grief and promises—when to let them define your life and whether any good can come from letting them go.

Leti and her family are implied Latinx, Jacob is Jewish, and a couple of side characters are gay. The mature content rating is for alcohol use, mentions of drugs and sex, illegal activity, innuendo, groping, and sexual harassment. The violence rating is for assault.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen