Candle Island by Lauren Wolk - ESSENTIAL

Candle Island by Lauren Wolk, 352 pages. Penguin, 2025. $19. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (Bullying, peril, dangerous antics) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Lucretia and her mother have just moved to Candle Island in Maine. Her father has recently died and they have moved to a new place for some privacy and to escape memories. But the town isn't very welcoming - during the summer, the population explodes with summer vacationers, and even though they are permanent, Lucretia knows it won't be easy to make friends. Especially as they have moved into Murdock's old house. Murdock is a girl about Lucretia's age, who resents anyone in her former house. And the summer kids, they are the worst, entitled bullies with no consequences. 

Lauren Wolk spins a marvelous story. I have loved her books ever since I read Wolf Hollow,  and reflected back often during my reading of Candle Island. Wolk's books stick with you, and this will too. Kid readers will love the growing friendships, the animals and the island adventure. Adults will recognize the hard decisions parents are faced with, and the consequences of spoiling children. The characters default white. 

Lisa Librarian  

Kingdom of Without by Andrea Tang - OPTIONAL

Kingdom of Without by Andrea Tang, 275 pages. Simon & Schuster, 2023.  $20

Language:  R (132 swears, 55 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Mentions of sex and one night stands, a couple of kisses, alcohol use, mentions of drug use); Violence: PG-13 (bar fight, man shot in the stomach, attempted murder with poison, violent confrontations)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

17yo Ning'er takes on a burglary job, thinking it will be quick and easy, and provide her with much-needed money. However, she quickly finds she has signed on with a crew of college-age insurgents and vigilantes. Re Zi'an is the explosives expert, Fei fei is the fixer, Zhenyi is the medical expert, and Cheng Yun (also known as the Red Yaksha or Young Marshall) is the leader and provides the funding. To make matters worse, they don't want her to steal an object; they want her to liberate a former rebel leader who has been imprisoned for five years.  Set in futuristic Beijing, where cyborgs keep the peace in a class-divided society that often erupts in protests and riots. The city is divided by walls into six areas. Ning'er comes from the sixth or poorest of the rings. The city is run by an out-of-touch ruling family and elected officials who are in the pocket of the powerful pharmaceutical company Lilium. Many of the residents, regardless of which ring they live in, are addicted to a drug called complacency. Lilium will do whatever it takes to keep the people addicted to their powerful and expensive drug. The deeper Ning'er gets into the job, the more she realizes she has to either remain complacent or take risks and join her new friends as they seek revolution. 

I enjoyed the book overall. It is a story of a girl who must choose between remaining safe with the status quo or taking risks to improve her life and the lives of others. It was confusing at times because each of the characters has a name, a nickname, and in the case of Cheng Yun, two aliases. A few key points of the ending were wrapped up too conveniently, in my opinion. 

All of the characters are Chinese.

A. Snow, Librarian

A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall by Jasmine Warga - ADVISABLE

A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall by Jasmine Warga, 224 pages. HarperCollins, 2024. $20.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

11yo Rami is having a rough 6th grade year. His friend group has kicked him off their lunch table, telling him he's weird, and he's feeling like he doesn't fit in anywhere. But when a painting is stolen from the museum, and his mother is considered one of the suspects, Rami rekindles a friendship with Veda, a girl from school who is obsessed with True Crime. Oh, there's also a ghost in the museum that only Veda and 

Remi can see, and she may be the key to solving the crime and clearing Rami's mom's name. 

Rami is a worrying kind of kid, but he sure makes some bad decisions when he's with Veda. The trouble adds to the story though so I'm not complaining. A fun mystery with a lot of suspects - not just Rami's mom. Rami's family is from Lebanon, Veda's is from India. 

Lisa Librarian  

Creaky Acres by Calista Brill & Nilah Magruder - ADVISABLE

Creaky Acres by Calista Brill & Nilah Magruder, 268 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Kokila (Penguin), 2025. $15 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

10yo Nora has to move and leave her best friends and her horseback riding team behind. She is their star rider, so the first thing she does when she gets to her new town is to find a barn for her horse, Hay Fever. Nora hates the new barn, called Creaky Acres, because it's so run down and she doesn't like being the only black kid in her school. Nora has to adjust on a lot of levels and find out how to make her new life work. 

The artwork is great and there is interesting information about how to care for a horse. I like Nora's character, because even though she is flawed, she rises to the occasion and helps her new barn friends rise to theirs. Nice messages about friendship and watching out for each other. Even though it's about horse riding, anyone who has had to move can identify with Nora. I had a hard time with Nora being the team coach at age 10, and one of her riders being in a competition at age 8 without a parent there to watch. The ages seem a little young for what they do. Young readers probably won't notice though. Nora is black.

Michelle in the Middle 

Creature Clinic by Gavin Aung Than - ESSENTIAL

Creature Clinic by Gavin Aung Than, 216 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL First Second (Macmillan), 2025. $20 (paperback). 

Language: G (1 swear 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (monster injuries being treated) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

When a human arrives at Creature Clinic lodged in the shoe if a very sick giant, Dr. Orc refuses to treat the human and wants him removed from Mythland immediately. But Kara, the senior resident at the clinic (and Dr. Orc's daughter) knows the human needs help and takes matters into her own hands, hiding him and giving some lifesaving treatment. But, once he's feeling better, he won't leave! 

Kids will love this graphic novel. Upper elementary will appreciate the silly puns and and the darling illustrations. I hope they get all the fairytale connections including the Three Billy Goats Gruff, Jack and the Beanstalk and the Three Pigs and many others, some just featured in the illustrations. And, with so many characters in the illustrations, it will lend itself to re-reading so well, as there is much to see and discover each time. 

Lisa Librarian 

On the Line by J.B. Duncan - ADVISABLE

On the Line (Hoops Academy) by J.B. Duncan, 104 pages. Darby Creek (Lerner), 2025. $12

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

9th grader Nadia has made the JV basketball team and is totally jazzed about that. She would be even more excited if she were doing better in algebra. Hoops Academy demands excellence on and off the court and if her grade drops below a B she can't play. Nadia doesn't seem to be the only one struggling with grades and someone on the team may be cheating, which could also keep Nadia from playing. 

Nice that the books aren't just about basketball. Nadia's situation is relatable and you find yourself rooting for her. Super quick read. Though it becomes fairly predictable, it's satisfying and you won't be sorry you picked it up. Race is not specified. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Numbers Game by J.B. Duncan - ADVISABLE

Numbers Game (Hoops Academy) by J.B. Duncan, 104 pages. Darby Creek (Lerner), 2025 $12 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

12th grader Kaita seems to have everything going her way at Hoops Academy. She is varsity team captain and finally gets to wear her lucky number on her jersey. Except that her jersey keeps disappearing, and soon, her team mates begin finding things missing from the locker room as well. Mistrust eats at the team, making it difficult to play. Kaita has to find out what's happening before their team implodes. 

Short and to the point. Books in this series alternate between male and female protagonists, and don't have to be read in consecutive order, though it may help a little. The story is quickly paced and has some positive vibes about getting along, teamwork, and seeing others' points of view. No race is specified. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Boxed Out by J.B. Duncan - ADVISABLE

Boxed Out (Hoops Academy) by J.B. Duncan, 104 pages. Darby Creek (Lerner), 2025. $12

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

Murph and Mike are twins who have played basketball together all their lives. Mike makes the varsity team, while Murph is on the JV team. Murph is completely bugged by this and doesn't take his coach's guidance seriously. When Murph gets an unexpected opportunity to move up to varsity, he has to decide if he really has what it takes to make it. 

Short and sweet and high interest. This is a great hook for reluctant readers who like basketball. Murph is relatable, with his faults and dreams of glory, and the underlying messages of having to work and be a team player are a happy bonus. Race and culture are not specified. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Mixed-Up by Kami Garcia, Brittney Williams, and Tyler Smith - ESSENTIAL

Mixed-Up by Kami Garcia, illustrated by Brittney Williams and Tyler Smith. 193  pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. First Second (Macmillan), 2025. $23. 9781250142337

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

5th grader Stella is excited to start the year with her two best friends. They have a great teacher and their favorite TV show just got a new online game. Stella loves math and art, but is very slow at reading. When fifth grade turns out to be harder than ever and Stella falls behind in her classwork, she can't keep up with her friends or the online game. It turns out that Stella has dyslexia.

Students will be able to see themselves in the characters--from friendship struggles to learning differences. The font is even dyslexia accessible.  This is one of the best books I have read this year! Dan Santat's endorsement on the front cover sums it up well: ""Handles living with dyslexia beautifully, with empathy and compassion. This is a must-read book."" I wish I could get a few select educators to read this book. In the meantime, I will be recommending it to every middle-grade reader and teacher I can! "

The main character is Latina and other characters are ethnically diverse.

Rachel, elementary library specialist

Weirdo by Tony Weaver, Jr., Jes & Cin Wibowo - ESSENTIAL

Weirdo by Tony Weaver, Jr., illustrated by Jes & Cin Wibowo, 318 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL, First Second (Macmillan), 2024. $23 

Language: G (0 swears) Mature Content: PG (mention of suicide attempt, no specifics) Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

11yo Tony Weaver is in the 7th grade. His parents moved him to a new school to challenge him. Instead, his teacher thinks he is cheating with his writing and he is bullied by other students because of his love of comic book heroes. Tony wants desperately to fit in but begins to feel like everyone would be better off if he was gone. A traumatic event forces him to find out who he is and that he can become the hero of his story. 

This is an essential read for anyone who feels like they are not accepted for who they are and strive to conform to fit in, but are still the target of bullying. This is a positive story of healing and self-love and a journey to finding that he can fit in and make a difference. This is the author's story and he tells it well without getting into detail about self-harm. The focus is really about recovery and finding inner strength. Tony is black. 

Michelle in the Middle 

A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga - ADVISABLE

A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga, 320 pages. HarperCollins, 2024. $10 (paperback) 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Resilience is a Mars rover created in a NASA lab. Although definitely a robot, Res (as one of the scientists nicknamed him) recognizes human emotions and sometimes sees them in his own responses, and hopes to always be rational. He is launched to Mars, and with the help of Fly - an embedded Drone and Guardian, a satellite, Res' primary mission is to find another rover, Courage, who was lost in a dust storm and has gone offline, but Res has a personal mission - to find something so important, they bring him back to Earth. 

What a sweet story! Warga's first science fiction novel was great. I really liked Resilient's voice, and the relationship between Fly the drone and Guardian the satellite. Another character, Sophie, is the child of one of the scientists, who writes letters to Res - more like journal entries, which helps the reader see the passage of time and helps connect with Earth. Perfectly appropriate for upper elementary, with a growing Sophie so there's some friend drama and family problems mentioned as well. 

Lisa Librarian 

Uprooted by Ruth Chan - ADVISABLE

Uprooted by Ruth Chan, 288 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL, Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan), 2024. $15 Language: G (0 swears) Mature Content: G Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

13yo Ruth is moving to Hong Kong from Canada. Her dad got a job in China and she is reluctantly leaving everything she is familiar with. Her mother is excited to be with family, but Ruth feels like she doesn't fit in anywhere. She is not comfortable speaking Cantonese and feels completely uprooted. Her dad tells her his birth story and she learns that both of her parents have felt uprooted as well. 

This is a memoir, so Ruth's voice will resonate with others who don't feel like they fit in. I really like how Ruth ties in the story of her father's birth during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The book is a great message of how courage, perseverance, and patience can help us do hard things. Ruth is Chinese Canadian. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Summer Girls by Jennifer Dugan - OPTIONAL

Summer Girls by Jennifer Dugan, 310 pages. Putnam (Penguin), 2025. $20. 

Language: R (104 swears 21 'f's); Mature Content: PG13 (mention of nipples, passionate kissing); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

After crashing her boyfriend's expensive car while live streaming, 17yo Birdie is getting a wake-up call from her father. In order to bring her down to earth, he has hired his friend's daughter Cass, a lifeguard at the beach to "babysit" Birdie for the summer. Birdie has to work a menial labor job - she's now a parking attendant - and has been cut off from her own car, and all her social media. Birdie and Cass were friends when they were children, but are so far apart socially that they basic hate each other now - or do they? 

A sweet slow burn romance, I was afraid it was going to be more like "52 Reasons to Hate my Father" but I really liked that Birdie didn't turn out to be an incompetent rich girl. Cass has some great friends, and supportive parents. Birdie's friends and mother are a hot mess, which kept the story alive. I really enjoyed Summer Girls. The characters default white. 

Lisa Librarian 

Ice on Fire by Geri Halliwell-Horner - OPTIONAL

Ice on Fire (Rosie Frost #2) by Geri Halliwell-Horner,  464 pages. Penguin, 2025. $19. 

Language: PG13 (100+ swears, primarily deity, 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: PG13 (peril, murders, animal violence) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

13yo Rosie is determined to find out how her mother died. When her lawyer receives the autopsy information from the police, he agrees to meet her at school to talk to her, but when she arrives at the meeting, he's dead on the floor, Rosie is attacked and locked in Miss Churchill's private bathroom. No one will believe her, Collins body is missing and there's no evidence he was ever there. Science on the island has gone crazy, mutant animals are attacking Rosie and her friends, and a billionaire's experiment in the harbor threatens to destroy the world. 

Rosie is desperate and acting that way, she's easily manipulated, out for revenge, impulsive and making some terrible decisions. No one believes her, and her only witness Ed can't be found either. I loved the action of book 1, the games were fun and exciting, but I felt stuck in Ice on Fire. This school is a hot mess, the headmaster is out to get Rosie because he has some vendetta against her mother, and the rich entitlement of many of the students and their parents is getting old. I'm also not a fan of the premise that if you carry your ancestors' name (like Cromwell for example) you are predisposed to act like them.  Rosie is white. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Great Influenza by John M. Barry - ADVISABLE

The Great Influenza: The True Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History, Young Readers Edition by John M. Barry, 230 pages. NON-FICTION Viking (Penguin), 2024. $18 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

World War 1 involved a huge loss of life, but was compounded when history's deadliest outbreak of the influenza virus spread worldwide through troop transports. The virus exploded, killing as many as 100 million people worldwide. 

The Great Influenza looks at the virus, the military camps, and the race to find a cure. It took me awhile to get into this book. I wish there would have been pictures to make it more accessible. The writing is good and the subject matter is compelling, especially since the outbreak of Covid. I found the information about the camps and how the politics of patriotism interfered with getting the truth of the virus out to people and may even have contributed to WWII. It's a cautionary tale that is applicable to today. 

Michelle in the Middle

Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman - ESSENTIAL

Among Ghosts by Rachel Hartman, 400 pages. Random House, 2025. $21.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG13 (death by fire, plague, dragon attacks, bully violence ) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

13yo Charl had arranged to meet his bully in the ruins of the old abby on the hill. Arriving there, he witnesses a terrible accident, where 2 boys from the village are killed. Charl realizes it could have been him! Years ago Charl and his mother escaped their abusive father, the Earl of Ucht. Now, 7 years later, he his found them, and has sent bounty hunters to return them to him, including a dragon set on destroying the whole village, and beetles which start a plague. Protected by a former knight, a nun, a doctor friend (who also happens to be a dragon) and an old prioress, Mother Truce, Charl wants to save his mother, but she has taught him to turn away from violence. But Charl thinks he may be more like his father that he wishes to be. 

A slow build to the ghostly content. It takes about 1/2 way through before the ghosts show up but I was not disappointed. Hartman sets up the story so well, and once she brings in the ghosts, this reader was also investing in the boy's story. The setting of Among Ghosts is Goredd, the same world as Hartman's other fantasy novels Serafina, Tess of the Road and others. Among Ghosts can be read on it's own and the novels don't overlap, rather they contain dragons which can take human form.  

Lisa Librarian 

Beetle and the Chimera Carnival by Aliza Layne - ADVISABLE

Beetle and the Chimera Carnival by Aliza Layne, 384 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Atheneum (Simon and Schuster), 2025. $26 

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: PG (the two main characters are lesbian); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

In book two, 12yo Beetle, Penny, and Kat are getting ready to celebrated the Chimera Festival, a magical night that only happens once every 10 years. There are costumes and magic and most of all, dragons, who come in just for the festival. The trio discovers that there is something sinister going on as the dragons fail to show up. Beetle's body is threatening to transform at an inopportune time and Gran is gone, But Beetle and her friends have to figure out what is going on before it is too late. 

Amidst the danger they face, Beetle and Kat are trying to find out when to come out and let their families know they are lesbian, so there are issues of coming out, as well as insecurities about identity and if someone will still like you if you are different. The end of the book addresses things you can do if you feel like self-harming, which is nice. The art is stunning and it is painted instead of the flat colors usually associated with graphic novels. The characters, while non-human, are wildly diverse, interact together well. A fast read with some nice plot twists. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Maelstrom A Prince of Evil by Lorian Merriman - OPTIONAL

Maelstrom A Prince of Evil by Lorian Merriman, 240 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2024. $18 

Language: PG (3 swears, 0 F); Mature Content: PG (gender fluidity); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Half-demon prince, Maelstrom, is bored. His all-powerful, and super evil mother, is ruling the kingdom with a cruelly iron fist. Maelstrom decides to befriend Twigs, the prophesied Hero of Virtue, planning on double-crossing Twigs and the rebellion, and building his own legend in the process. 

The art is bright and colorful. Maelstrom is both an immature, scrawny youth and a misunderstood being trying to discover how to fit in. Themes of family, friendship, and trust, give it more depth, even if it is a bit predictable. It's a fast read. There are multiple races, cultures, and beings portrayed. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen by Geri Halliwell-Horner - ADVISABLE

Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen by Geri Halliwell-Horner, 464 pages. Penguin, 2023. $19. 

Language: PG13 (69 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (peril, wild animals) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

13yo Rosie Frost finds herself enrolled in the exclusive boarding school located on Bloodstone Island. Originally built as a tribute to her mother Anne Boleyn by Elizabeth I, now the school boasts an endangered animal reserve. The ghost of Queen Anne is haunting Rosie, encouraging her. She arrives the day before and immediately enters the annual school games, is trying to navigate a pretty horrible bully who seems to have it out for Rosie because she's there on scholarship, and the headmaster, Mr. Hemlock is certainly up to something. Thank heavens she makes a couple of friends in the first few days. 

Oh! I was pulled in right away. I love that it takes place in a non-magical world and involves an environmental concern. The historical connections were fun - I learned a lot about Anne Boleyn and loved that there are Aragons and Cromwells at the school too - so much intrigue. Rosie is trying to deal with the sudden death of her mother, but isn't given tools or counseling to help her - which I felt was pretty irresponsible for a modern day school even if it's in a 400 year old castle of sorts. There's a sequel which I'm excited to read, but this book 1 stands on its own. Rosie is white, some of the other characters are described as brown. 

Lisa Librarian 

An Unexpected Journey by Adrienne Kress and David Miles - OPTIONAL

An Unexpected Journey (Ticket to Ride #1) by Adrienne Kress and David Miles, 208 pages. Andrew McMeel Publishing. 2025. $13. (paperback) 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

12yo Teddy is easily distracted and has a hard time keeping his train of thought. But an electric model train received as a birthday gift changes everything. Soon Teddy can focus, as long as it's about trains. When he enters an essay contest he wins a cross country train ride from Toronto to Los Angeles. Along the route, he meets Olivia, and together they try to figure out why a set of blueprints of the special train are so very important to a grumpy old man and a strange woman. 

I was super uncomfortable that 12yo Teddy (who seems like he's actually 9) would be offered a 1 way ticket, with no accompanying adult on a train that shifts routes along the way. The fact that his grandparents live in LA did not make this journey any less crazy. Also, the narrator talks directly to the reader which I hate. I love the game "Ticket to Ride" and while some of the illustrations, like his ticket, mirror the game, it wasn't really connected. Also, this is book 1 and it doesn't end, you've got to read book 2 to find out if Teddy gets home. I'm just barely this side of not recommending, as the action does pick up at the end. Teddy is white. 

Lisa Librarian