Focused by Alyson Gerber Realistic Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) Clea is finding it hard to focus and she’s falling behind in school and having problems at home, too. Her folks take her to see a specialist who diagnoses her with ADHD. While Clea isn’t thrilled with the assessment, she also starts seeing the benefits of getting treatment/help. She starts taking medication to help her concentrate, learns strategies to help her cope, and … Read more
Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti Mystery Suspense Thriller * * * Stars (Pretty good) Maylee Hayes goes missing on a camping trip, and the police are trying to determine what happened to her by interviewing her friends who were there – Petra, Nolan, Abigail, and John. Each chapter is voiced by a different character in response to the questions they’ve been asked. Petra is Maylee’s BFF and she’s convinced that Maylee is … Read more
Star Splitter by Matthew J. Kirby Science Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) Jessica Mathers has been summoned by her parents after they basically abandoned her for their careers when she was eleven. They want her to be a part of their research expedition to Carver 1061c, which will whisk her away from her life on Earth. Jess is ANGRY and doesn’t want to go, but has been given no choice in the matter. … Read more
The Talk by Darrin Bell Autobiography Biography Graphic Novel * * * * Stars (Great!) Darrin Bell (winner of the 2019 Pulitzer prize for his editorial cartooning) writes (and draws) about his experiences growing up Black. His Black father didn’t know how to talk to him about being Black, and eventually left. His White mother couldn’t completely understand, but she always came out swinging in Bell’s defense whenever she heard about any injustices, racism, bullying, … Read more
Starter Villain by John Scalzi Science Fiction * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Charlie moved back home to Barrington, IL to take care of his sick father who passed away not too long ago, leaving his home/estate to be split amongst his children. Charlie’s siblings would like him to vacate the house so they can collect their share. And they get their wish when it suddenly explodes. But that’s getting ahead of things. Just … Read more
The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz Graphic Novel LGBTQ+ Romance * * * Stars (Pretty good) Lady Camembert has never cared for men, and she tells her father, the Count, in no uncertain terms, that she will NOT marry. He in turn reveals that he is not long for this world, so in order to pass along his estate and her inheritance (because their laws are stupid and don’t allow women … Read more
Sunny Makes Her Case by Jennifer & Matthew Holm Graphic Novel Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Sunny is now in high school and is discovering her interests. She and a friend try out for cheerleading (not really what Sunny wants to do, but she wants to be with/support her friend). She doesn’t make the squad. When another friend, Arun, starts complaining about how their school is too focused on sports and sports … Read more
A Door in the Dark by Scott Reintgen Fantasy * * * * Stars (Great!) Ren is a promising student of magic at Balmerick University, but she fails to attract the attention of any wealthy magical houses. On the way home for the holidays, Ren and 5 other students attempt to travel using the public waxway portal when somehow the magic goes wrong, wraps them all up, and casts them far away from their intended … Read more
The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt Realistic Fiction * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Hercules Beal has already been through a lot in his young life. He and his older brother Achilles recently lost their parents in an accident and Achilles has moved back home to run the family business (Beal Brothers Nursery) – leaving behind a career he loved writing stories for National Geographic. One of the changes Hercules experiences … Read more
While I Was Away by Waka Brown Autobiography Biography Nonfiction * * * * * Stars (Great!) Waka is sent to stay with her grandmother in Japan for several months in the 1980s so that she can be immersed in Japanese language and culture. Her mother is under the impression that she doesn’t understand Japanese and needs a language crash course and will have to attend Japanese school. It means all of Waka’s plans for … Read more