The Forbidden Book by Sacha Lamb - OPTIONAL

The Forbidden Book by Sacha Lamb, 256 pages. Levine Querido, 2024. $20. 

Language: PG13 (19 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G Violence: PG13 (monsters, peril, stabbings, murder, dead bodies) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

0n the night of 17yo Sorel's wedding, she runs away, into the woods, throws her wedding dress in the river and dresses as a boy - Isser Jacobs. But she soon discovers that there is a real Isser Jacobs, and there are people after him - they want to kill him or at least get a book that is in his possession. 

So much intrigue - friends become enemies, and there's no one she can really trust. Lamb is a great mystery writer, the twists and turns and revelations are amazing. When I wasn't reading, I was thinking about The Forbidden Book. Definitely written for a Jewish audience, some knowledge of Jewish traditions and culture is needed to fully immerse in the book. The characters are Jewish. 

Lisa Librarian 

Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield - OPTIONAL

Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield, 336 pages. Bloomsbury, 2024. $20.

Language: R (swears 100+ 'f' 8); Mature Content: PG 13 (making out, clothing removal); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

17yo Phoebe is stuck in a time loop. August 6th replays as her everyday - the same blueberry pancakes, the same invite to play scrabble and no matter what she does, she wakes up the next morning and it's not the next day, it's the same day. Then, she reconnects with former best friend (and lifelong crush) Jess who is also now stuck in same loop. They have unlimited time to fix their problems and reunite, this time as more than friends. 

An interesting "stuck in a loop" story where the characters aren't primarily interested in figuring out how to get unstuck. Told from Phoebe's perspective - she is chronically ill with IBS and is anxiously awaiting a future doctor appointment. I love that with so many daily resets, Phoebe gets opportunities to be real about so many personal things, with her friends, her parents and even herself. Phoebe is a lesbian, Jess is non-binary and lesbian. Both are white, their friend group is multi cultural and various genders and sexual preferences. 

Lisa Librarian 

Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier - ADVISABLE

Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier, 368 pages HarperCollins, 2024. $20. 

Language: PG (1 swear 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG13 (gore, violence, killing of dragons, injuries and deaths described) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

18yo Hanalei studies sea dragons. She has a special connection with them - her father once saved her life using a sea dragon egg. Now her father is gone and she is fending for herself, working for scholars at a school - getting them information about the elusive dragons. But when she is captured by a dragon hunter, she escapes back to her home village, where she must face her past, her friends and the dragons. 

An engaging story, more violent than I expected - not a next read for the Wings of Fire crowd as the dragons are hunted and brutally killed, and their eggs stolen. The setting is a Polynesian type archipelago, and tattoos are another magical element to the story. I enjoyed Dragonfruit, plenty of adventure, both seafaring and on land. The characters are islanders. 

Lisa Librarian 

The Unboxing of a Black Girl by Angela Shante - ESSENTIAL

The Unboxing of a Black Girl by Angela Shante, 160 pages. Page Street, 2024. $19. 

Language: PG13 (13 swears. 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (reference to kisses and kissing) Violence: PG13 (aftermath of a sexual assault) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Black children, especially girls, grow up quickly. Full of vignettes of growing up black, particularly female and black. Angela is resilient and driven. 

Shante is a gifted poet. The Unboxing of a Black Girl is a novel in verse, and, like Anderson's Shout isn't just a collection of poems - this is one readers are going to want to own, to re-reread, to reflect, to connect with and share. The use of footnotes to connect the reader with the culture and history was smart. Includes a reader's guide with discussion questions, music, books and film references, as well as research topics and author "inspirations" Highly recommended. 

Lisa Librarian 

2025 Top 50 for Secondary School Libraries

What are the best dressed middle school and high school libraries wearing this year?  Check out my 50 recommendations for your students.  A great mix of picture books for classroom use, non-fiction, and novels. CLICK HERE

Johnny, the Sea, and Me by Melba Escobar, Elizabeth Builes, and Sara Lissa Paulson - OPTIONAL

Johnny, the Sea, and Me by Melba Escobar, Elizabeth Builes, and Sara Lissa Paulson, 124 pages. Enchanted Lion, 2024. $17. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G Violence: PG (Pirate talk, story about an earring in soup because of a pirate's missing ear) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

10yo Pedro is so excited - his mother is taking him to see the ocean! They are flying to an island in the Caribbean, where he expects the water to be beautiful and to see ocean life he cannot see in Columbia. But when he arrives, and his mother tells him some bad news, Pedro runs, and runs and runs, until he is lost far down the beach. He is discovered by an old man who takes him to his shanty, feeds him dinner and lets him stay the night, where he hears stories of Prirates and adventure, and experiences some adventure of his own. 

Originally published in Spanish, and a Batchelder Honor for 2025, Johnny the Sea and Me contains illustrations, and short chapters. There's an element of magic, both with the old man as well as with Pedro. I wasn't impressed, however, and there were some questionable decisions made by Johnny - like should a lost 10yo willingly go home with a stranger. Johnny and his mother are Columbian. 

Lisa Librarian 

Fault Lines by Janet Sumner Johnson - ADVISABLE

Fault Lines (The Winterton Deception #2) by Janet Sumner Johnson, 368 pages. Candlewick, 2024. $19. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence PG (Peril, injuries, character shot, not graphic) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Hope tries to tell her new extended family her big secret, but no one believes her, in fact they think she's just trying to get attention. But when hope receives a letter, with a cryptic message about how to find James, she doesn't go back to the family for help, instead she tries to follow the clues herself - and it's much more dangerous than she expected. 

More twists and turns than The Final Word. This family keeps so many secrets, it's strange that were so mad at Hope for keeping some important ones. Worth buying if you have Book 1. The characters default white. 

Lisa Librarian 

Novel Threat by Traci Hunter Abramson - ADVISABLE

Novel Threat (Pen and Dagger #1) by Traci Hunter Abramson, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $28.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULT - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

His employers might not know it yet, but it’s Brandon’s last night in the CIA—he’s resigning tomorrow to work for a publishing company. But his last night goes all wrong and his boss won’t let him resign, instead sending Brandon undercover at a different publishing company, Monroe. Kimber works in finance for the CIA and secretly dreams of being a published author one day—one day that the CIA is making come sooner than she ever imagined in order to get close to terrorists at Monroe Publishing.

The rom-com plot points are amusing and add the lighthearted scenes needed to balance out the terroristic acts and suspense in tracking down the perpetrators. Fighting to move forward—professionally to catch the bad guys and also romantically—encourages readers to turn just one more page through to the happy ending we all want. Overall, Brandon’s and Kimber’s story is an action-packed and entertaining read.

The majority of characters are implied White (American and British), and the main antagonist is implied to be Middle Eastern. The mature content rating is for kissing. The violence rating is for assault, mentions of drugs, illegal activity, gun and bomb use, terrorism, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

On the Block, Stories of Home edited by Ellen Oh - ESSENTIAL

On the Block, Stories of Home edited by Ellen Oh, 208 pages. Random House, 2024. $18.

Language: PG (2 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: G (There's an angry old man who lives in the apartment) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Lila has just moved to the Entrada from Trinidad, her parents keep telling her that things will be better in America, she doesn't see it that way. Lenny's parents own the building, and makes the mistake of telling that to the kids, now they think he's saying he's better than them. Amira finds a stray dog, Yaniel is making everyone eat popsicles to help him collect enough sticks to build his bridge project. 12 stories that all take place in the same apartment building. 

The children are about the same ages, and many go to the same school. Like Flying Lessons each story is written by a different diverse author, including Ellen Oh, Minh Lê, David Bowles and Erin Entrada Kelly. I loved how, like children interact, they were in each other's stories, and some stories even intersected. Brilliant. A super fun read, I can see this being used in a classroom setting, great themes of family, friendships, and the immigrant experience, along with culture and apartment living. Most of the children are immigrants or from immigrant families 

Lisa Librarian 

Shackled: A Tale of Wronged Kids, Rogue Judges, and a Town that Looked Away by Candy J Cooper - ADVISABLE

Shackled A Tale of Wronged Kids, Rogue Judges, and a Town that Looked Away by Candy J Cooper, 192 pages. NON-FICTION Astra, 2024. $20 

Language: PG (8 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (reference to sexual assaults and abuse/mistreatment of children) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

In the early 2000s, 2 corrupt judges in Pennsylvania enriched themselves by sending children to for profit detention centers. Capitalizing on the No Tolerance feelings after Columbine, Judge Mark Ciavarella sent children (as young a 10) to detention for even minor mistakes, like arguing with a teacher, throwing rocks and vandalism. 

A heartbreaking account of the scandal, complete with mob ties, bribery, money laundering and luxury condos. It read like a podcast, and was so shocking, I could hardly believe it was true. Well researched with an extensive author's note and sources. Length and content shows a publisher's recommendation of 14-17, but I would find it more appropriate and interesting for adults. The judges, victims and their families are white.

Lisa Librarian

Dear Manny by Nic Stone - MANY

Dear Manny by Nic Stone, 224 pages. Random House, 2025. $20. 

Language: R (94 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Kissing, frat party, public intoxication) Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: MANY 

19yo Jared is running for junior class president at his university, running on an antiracism platform. White, and raised by wealthy parents, Jared has had a privileged life, but after the death of his best friend, Manny, Jared has examined his priorities, and is planning to become a civil rights lawyer. But when Dylan, a black transfer student, enters the race for president, Jared must look past how pretty she is, and do his best to win the election, his other opponent is a racist, outspoken white boy whose platform is to take the college back to the 1800s (practically). 

Nic Stone's final installment in the trilogy is moving and introspective. Jared has reappeared from Dear Martin as a bit different, but still with flaws, which I like. A few of the characters, particularly the racist ones, were a bit over the top. I liked the discussions the class had in the Constitutional Law class - Stone does a good job of bringing in different voices. An important trilogy to have in your school library. I loved the author's notes (throughout) and highly recommend reading along with the audiobook. Jared is white, many of his friends are ethnically diverse. 

Lisa Librarian

The Playmakers by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown - ESSENTIAL

The Playmakers by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown, 256 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $19.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Jax (12yo) didn’t make the basketball team, Luke (12yo) didn’t make it into the musical, and if Miley (12yo) doesn’t make friends, then her parents will cut her from public school and homeschool Miley with her eye-rolling cousin. These middle schoolers are not friends, but now they each have reasons to need each other—if everyone is willing to be all in.

At first, it’s difficult for these characters to see where they could fit together, and the beauty is that their diverse team is then not confined to any one teammate’s home court. They bring together everyone’s strengths and support each other’s dreams—even when giving support means getting out of their comfort zones. I also love that Miley’s chapters are told through her notes and stick figure doodles.

Most of the characters are implied White, and Luke’s family comes from Estonians that moved to America. Also, there are a couple of characters that are described as Black or as having “dark brown” skin.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

A Drop of Corruption by Robert Jackson Bennett - OPTIONAL

A Drop of Corruption (Shadow of the Leviathan #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett, 480 pages. Del Rey (Penguin Random House), 2025. $30.

Language: R (155 swears, 67 “f”); Mature Content: R; Violence: R

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - NO; ADULT - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Dinios likes the work he does with Ana as her assistant investigator, but he longs to transfer to be a Legionnaire—like the lover he left behind. Those desires get pushed aside in favor of their newest case, though, a victim who disappeared from a tower room and ended up dead in the canals. Din and Ana are constantly five steps behind this murderer, and it could become the first case they leave unsolved.

The world building still fascinates me in this second installment of the series where readers not only get to see another part of the Empire—or soon-to-be-part of the Empire—but also the place where their augmentations are created. Din and Ana, and the other characters they work with, feel complicated and real, even as they do their work with greater-than-human abilities. They somehow straddle the line between relatable and enigmatic. While I remember Ana being crass in the first book, she becomes more so in this one, partially because of the choices Din makes to cope with his personal life.

Race is discussed, but they are not the same races as the ones in our world. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, crude language, innuendo, nudity, and sex. The violence rating is for corpses, assault, blood and gore, mentions of suicide, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Finn and Ezra's Bar Mitzvah Time Loop by Joshua S. Levy - ADVISABLE

Finn and Ezra's Bar Mitzvah Time Loop by Joshua S. Levy, 256 pages. HarperCollins, 2024 $19. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

13yo Finn and Ezra don't know each other (yet) but their Bar Mitzvah weekend is about to bring the boys together. They are having their events at the same time at the same hotel, but both boys seem to be trapped in a time loop, repeating Friday through Sunday, endlessly. Finn eventually figures out how to contact Ezra and the two work together to try figure out how to end their Bar Mitzvah Time Loop. 

I loved the crazy schemes they came up with, and how naive 13 year old boys can be. Joshua Levy looks at themes of family relationships, religious practices, friend drama, and coming of age in such a clever book. Of course it's far fetched, but a delightful read - I grew to love these guys. Finn and Ezra and their families are Jewish.

Lisa Librarian 

A Song for You and I by K. O'Neill - ADVISABLE

A Song for You and I by K. O'Neill, 240 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Random House Children's Books (Penguin Random House), 2025. $22. 

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

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS – ADVISABLE

  

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SEVERAL

Rosie, who eventually wants to be called Rowan, is training to become a ranger, someone who is dedicated to protecting others. However, when one of Rowan’s decisions hurts their flying horse companion and as part of their restitution they have to go on a long journey by foot with laidback shepherd Leone, they are forced to reevaluate their life goals and even their identity. 

I actually really liked this graphic novel. It’s very slow, but for a reason. I loved seeing the wide landscapes and just the space for reflection that the author/artist creates for Rowan and Leone to think about things. It's a very cozy fantasy, but also just a sweet coming of age story.  

Reviewer: Kiera Beddes, ELA teacher, #bookswithbeddes

Murray Out of Water by Taylor Tracy - ADVISABLE

Murray Out of Water by Taylor Tracy, 400 pages. HarperCollins, 2024 $20 

Language: PG (0 swears 0 'f' however, pervert and groomer are used to describe a character); Mature Content: G; Violence: G (mild bullying). 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

12yo Murray has a special relationship with the ocean. She lives near the beach on the Jersey shore and has a magical power - she can manipulate the water, bringing toys back for children or make the perfect wave for surfing. But when a hurricane hits, her family must relocate to Goshen, NY to stay with her Aunt and Uncle.  Murray is no longer near the ocean and worries she will lose her powers. Murray and her siblings have a difficult relationship with their parents. Her oldest brother Patrick went away to college and didn't return. Murray suspects she may be non-binary and fears her parents will have a similar reaction to her. 

Murray out of Water is a magical novel in verse. I was grateful she could find support at the home of her aunt and uncle. The magical realism was just right, and I liked how the right person could seem to amplify their powers. Murray and her family default white 

Lisa Librarian 

Our Wicked Histories by Amy Goldsmith - OPTIONAL

Our Wicked Histories by Amy Goldsmith, 367 pages. Delacorte Press (Random), 2024. $20

Language: R (23 swears, 30 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Sex is off the page, but a lot of talk about it); Violence: PG (Fighting, death and paranormal activity)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

This story follows Meg, a 16yo who joins her old friends for a Halloween weekend at a crumbling estate full of secrets, tension and eerie local legends.  Things start to get weird fast.  The townspeople say there is a haunted lake, Meg has some disturbing visions, and her chilling past refuses to stay buried.  The twin siblings, Lottie and Seb, are rich, intense and totally unpredictable, keeping both Meg and readers guessing.  As friendships crack and the supernatural creeps in, the line between what is real and imagined starts to blur.  It is suspenseful, mysterious and full of drama in the best ways.  This book is perfect for fans of ghost stories, elite schools, and slow-burn thrillers that mess with your head.

My favorite part about this book was the setting, with the crumbling mansion, creepy woods and an eerie lake.  It was a little bit of a slow start but as the tension built between characters and the supernatural, I was hooked. I liked the dynamic between Meg, Lottie and Seb.  I just couldn't decide who was deceiving who, and I was a little frustrated with Meg's passive behaviors.  If you are wanting a fast-paced horror with a lot of twists, you may be disappointed.  But if you are up for a gothic, moody story with unsettling secrets, you will enjoy this book.

The characters in this story are all assumed to be white.  This book focuses more on class than ethnicity.

Jessica Nelson CTHS Librarian

Joined at the Joints by Marissa Eller - OPTIONAL

Joined at the Joints by Marissa Eller, 330 pages. Holiday House, 2024. $20. 

Language: R (45 swears 8 'f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing, talk of birth control and a sexually active character); Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

17yo Ivy was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis at the end of her freshman year. She struggles with chronic pain and the effects of the medication, she also has social anxiety. Her mother has Lupus and her older sister Caroline has celiac's disease so the family talks about feeling bad regularly, however, Ivy hasn't told anyone outside her family, not even her best friend. When her mom sees a support group for teens with chronic illness, she encourages the sisters to join. Ivy tries to avoid it, because of her social anxiety, but there's a boy there, Grant, he also has RA and he is cute, and nice and understanding. Maybe it's time Ivy faced this a different way. 

Much of Ivy's behavior in the first few chapters was so irritating - not admitting, even to her mother and sister, what her pain levels were like; wearing heels to a dance because she didn't want to not look normal and then spending most of the night on the floor in the girl's restroom because she could hardly walk. I would say it's more of a disability book than a romance. She and Grant click right away and there's not a lot of tension in their relationship - he's her voice of reason because he understands. I suppose it would be a good empathy read, if you have someone who needs to look at chronic illness. The characters are white 

Lisa Librarian 

Last One to Die by Cynthia Murphy - ADVISABLE

Last One to Die by Cynthia Murphy, 275 pages. Delacorte Press (Random), 2021. $13

Language: PG-13 (12 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (Kissing); Violence: PG-13 (girls are violently attacked, murder)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: MANY

16yo Niamh has just arrived in London from Ireland for a summer drama course. She is excited to be out of her small town and in the big city. But the first two girls she befriends are attacked, and one of them dies. She is beginning to wonder if she made the right decision to come to London. She decides to stay. She starts a volunteer job at a museum, meets a gorgeous guy, and makes some new friends. She begins to feel that she is being followed, and girls that look like her keep getting attacked. She and her friend start to realize the attacks are similar to those from Victorian times by a serial killer named Spring-Heeled Jack. Niamh will have to learn to trust herself and her new friends to stay alive and figure out who is after her.

The book was the right amount of horror and suspense. A little of the supernatural is worked into the storyline as well. I liked the spunky character of Niamh. The plot is a little predictable but overall a very enjoyable read.

Niamh is from Ireland.

Reviewer: A. Snow, Librarian

What if You Fall For Me First? by G.F. Miller - ESSENTIAL

What if You Fall For Me First? by G.F. Miller, 368 pages. Aladdin (Simon), JUNE 2025. $20

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

All 13yo Sophia ever wants is for Mark Chen to notice her - to see her and like her as much as she likes him. While is hiding herself behind the coats at the school Glow Night, who does notice her -- Holden! The school rich kid bad boy, who loves and leaves girls all over the place. But Holden sees something in Sophia that no one has noticed and gradually Sophia sees something in Holden, too. Even if her friends warn her to stay far away.

I admit it - I didn’t think Miller could continue with a second book that is as heartfelt and lovely as the first.  I was SO WRONG! Not only does she start off where the first book ends, but she weaves a new story that is as good (maybe better) than Not if You Break Up With Me First. Like Not If, What if shows us both Sophia’s point of view and Holden’s.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS