Lamar Giles writes some of the most authentic teen dialogue out there. Not So Pure and Simple takes on toxic masculinity and double standards and objeLamar Giles writes some of the most authentic teen dialogue out there. Not So Pure and Simple takes on toxic masculinity and double standards and objectification with humor and heart. While the direction of some of the story lines stretch credulity in the last third of the book, the overall package is well worth the read.
Scheherazade doesn’t have anything on Daniel Nayeri. The author channels his 12-year-old self flawlessly in this heavily autobiographical collection oScheherazade doesn’t have anything on Daniel Nayeri. The author channels his 12-year-old self flawlessly in this heavily autobiographical collection of stories about his childhood in Iran and his experiences as a refugee in Oklahoma after his mother converts to Christianity and they are forced to flee. As Khosrou (called Daniel in the States) regales his middle school class with stories of his experiences in a very 1,001 Nights manner, he is met with disbelief and the derision that middle-schoolers are so good at. But he persists, and just like Scheherazade with the king, his stories slowly help his listeners find their humanity again.
He does not shy away from tough truths. The terror of fleeing Iran, the invisibility of refugees, his abusive stepfather in Oklahoma— these things are part of the fabric of his story. But middle-grade and young adult readers will not forget the honest and resilient friend they have made in the pages of this book....more
An action-packed middle grade into younger young adult fantasy that keeps you guessing the whole way. There's plenty of spookiness to satisfy tweens aAn action-packed middle grade into younger young adult fantasy that keeps you guessing the whole way. There's plenty of spookiness to satisfy tweens and teens as two 12-year-old thieves break into a house and get more than they bargained for when they discover that a mirror world of their 1910 town exists, and that they may be the only ones who can save the real world from being taken over by nightmares. Imaginative world-building, great character development, fully fleshed out secondary characters. Fans of Lemony Snicket will eat this up....more
If you’re looking for a sweet and funny romance, look no further. High school senior Simone Thibodeaux just wants some room to breathe. Her Haitian moIf you’re looking for a sweet and funny romance, look no further. High school senior Simone Thibodeaux just wants some room to breathe. Her Haitian mother is so overprotective— Simone is not allowed to date, other than an arranged date to the prom, and Mummy has made it clear that Simone will live at home while attending Rutgers next year. Simone teams up with two friends from school who also have overprotective parents, and together the three girls come up with a plan to take back their senior year. While the love interest (no spoilers!) may be a little too good to be true, Rigaud gives Simone such a fresh and fun voice. Her depiction of Haitian culture and of the messiness and love of extended families is a treat.
Thanks to Scholastic Press and Edelweiss for the electronic arc....more
This one grabbed me and didn't let go. The women in Evvie's family have been gifted with the Jubilation to protect themselves and their families for hThis one grabbed me and didn't let go. The women in Evvie's family have been gifted with the Jubilation to protect themselves and their families for hundreds of years. As Evvie comes into hers, she learns that the ability to manipulate the world around her comes at a high cost. Racial tensions run high in 1962 South Carolina, and the way that Corthron weaves a story of love and friendship and family against a truly creepy and sinister backdrop is masterful. Suspenseful pacing, excellent world-building, utterly original....more
A standout debut that combines rich Latinx traditions and stellar LGBTQ+ representation. Four stars instead of five because it could have been more tiA standout debut that combines rich Latinx traditions and stellar LGBTQ+ representation. Four stars instead of five because it could have been more tightly edited, but Aiden Thomas has given us a really special story and I can’t wait to read more from them....more
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley shows us that middle-grade novels can be just as compelling and gut-punching as novels geared toward older audiences. Della Kimberly Brubaker Bradley shows us that middle-grade novels can be just as compelling and gut-punching as novels geared toward older audiences. Della and her older sister Suki have witnessed and experienced more in their 10 and 16 years than any children should have to. Bradley doesn’t shy away from tough topics and heartbreak, weaving an edge-of-your-seat story overlaid with hope.
Sweet romance told through the eyes of Felipe, who has dealt with bullying and fat-shaming for years. Caio’s parents are traveling over winter break, Sweet romance told through the eyes of Felipe, who has dealt with bullying and fat-shaming for years. Caio’s parents are traveling over winter break, and when Felipe learns that Caio, his long-time crush, will be spending the 15 days with him and his mom, he is flooded with anxiety. Felipe’s voice is wonderful and authentic, and so many teens will see themselves reflected in his insecurities and his self-discoveries....more
Nima straddles two worlds: the Muslim country she and her mom immigrated from, and the post-9/11 world they are trying to call home.
The free verse fiNima straddles two worlds: the Muslim country she and her mom immigrated from, and the post-9/11 world they are trying to call home.
The free verse first-person narration of this novel is masterful. Readers are fully immersed in Nima’s sense of otherness, and in the prejudice and derision she and her mother receive from Americans who see all Muslims as terrorists.
The transition from the mundane but poignant day-to-day events to a space of magical realism in which Nima literally confronts her family’s past is a bit abrupt, but it ultimately works.
Thanks to NetGalley and Make Me A World for the advance readers copy....more
2 1/2 stars rounded up to 3. I loved the cover art, loved the premise— but the execution really fell flat.
Ever since the accident that killed his paren2 1/2 stars rounded up to 3. I loved the cover art, loved the premise— but the execution really fell flat.
Ever since the accident that killed his parents four years ago, 16-year-old Alex Rufus tries to avoid touching things with his hands— because when he does, he’s forced to glimpse the future. But Alex gets a vision of the impending death of his younger brother, and he’s determined that if he can’t prevent Isaiah’s death, he can at least mend their relationship.
Isaiah has basically been holed up in his room for the past four years, playing video games and eating Lucky Charms. He’s distrustful of Alex’s overtures at first, given that his older brother has shown no interest in him up to this point, but eventually the walls come down and Isaiah shares that he, too, has had a special power since the accident— he is able to see the past and discern people’s regrets.
A great-great-great ancestor has shared with Isaiah the fact that the magical powers go back about 400 years, to the time when Taaka asked the orisha of the afterlife for help. Taaka got a little greedy in his requests, and the curse? blessing? has been passed down in their family ever since. Alex and Isaiah decide that since the accident— an event involving great fear— triggered the magic in each of them, they need to intentionally face a great fear to have the spell broken.
The whole thing is fairly convoluted, but I could suspend disbelief if the characters were more convincing. Alex is the only one remotely fleshed out— his brother, his girlfriend, and his aunt are all there to move the plot along. The racist neighbor is a caricature, and there’s way too much telling instead of showing.
More nuance and focus could have made this novel a standout.
Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for the electronic ARC....more
Prepare to have your mind stretched as only A S King can stretch it. Things will not make a lot of sense in the first 40 pages or so, but that’s okay, Prepare to have your mind stretched as only A S King can stretch it. Things will not make a lot of sense in the first 40 pages or so, but that’s okay, because you know it will come together eventually and will be worth the wait. Appreciate the slow reveals. Appreciate the opportunity to embrace Zeno’s Arrow and Zimbardo’s time perspective theory and Plutchik’s wheel of emotions. Appreciate anomalies. And Bertrand Russell. And breakfast burritos. Appreciate the teens in your life. The Class of 2020, to whom the book is dedicated. And the Class of 2021, also having a fold-in-time kind of year. Appreciate the power of giving a shit about each other.
Thank you, Dutton and Edelweiss, for the advance readers copy....more
The title of the book had me envisioning a novel in the vein of Erin Morgenstern— combine a Night Circus with the bookish, storied elements of the StaThe title of the book had me envisioning a novel in the vein of Erin Morgenstern— combine a Night Circus with the bookish, storied elements of the Starless Sea, and you get a Midnight Library, right?
But Matt Haig doesn’t give us a rich, sweeping fantasy novel. Instead, he draws on his own experiences with mental illness to bring us Nora Seed, a 35-year-old who has reached such a level of hopelessness, of feeling like a failure at every aspect of her life, that she swallows a lot of pills. And wakes up in a library where she is forced to come to terms with her countless regrets for what might have been. Her old school librarian, Mrs Elm, is her guide to opening the books that will send her to the alternate versions of the lives she would have lived given different decisions along the way.
A story of multiverses and relationships and pain and self-discovery. The more I read from Matt Haig, the more I want to read....more
Getting to know Effie and her aunts and her new friends in this series opener was a real treat. Gorgeous full-color art allows the characters and theiGetting to know Effie and her aunts and her new friends in this series opener was a real treat. Gorgeous full-color art allows the characters and their emotions to leap off the pages. Quirky and sweet and with a lot of appeal for middle grade through young adult....more
If you had told me my probably-favorite book of 2020 would be a Bildungsroman starring a 40-year-old pudgy and balding bureaucrat, I would not have beIf you had told me my probably-favorite book of 2020 would be a Bildungsroman starring a 40-year-old pudgy and balding bureaucrat, I would not have believed it. But holy cow, T J Klune has created a story that defies categorization. It combines the charm of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone with the quirk of Terry Pratchett. A touch of romance, a dash of hopefulness, threads of social justice, and it all comes together beautifully. It’s a story that has appeal for just about any age, 8 to 88. And as several folks have mentioned, excellent reading during this time of COVID: escapism with heart.
Thanks, Andria Amaral, for getting this on my radar a while back ...more
I haven’t seen the Netflix series yet, although now I’d like to watch it to see how it brings the book to life. I greatly enjoyed the novel. Walter TeI haven’t seen the Netflix series yet, although now I’d like to watch it to see how it brings the book to life. I greatly enjoyed the novel. Walter Tevis’s depiction of Beth, an orphaned, lonely, addiction-prone chess prodigy, was stronger than I expected it to be. Watching Beth navigate the adult world into which she was thrust— not always successfully— made this a mesmerizing read. I had a rudimentary knowledge of chess going into this. Readers with no chess knowledge might not enjoy the story as much....more
Mind-bending, time-twisty, heartbreaking, beautiful. David Arnold’s novels are reminiscent of A. S. King’s: you never quite know where you’re going to Mind-bending, time-twisty, heartbreaking, beautiful. David Arnold’s novels are reminiscent of A. S. King’s: you never quite know where you’re going to end up, but it’s always worth the ride....more
A worthy prequel to The Hate U Give, focusing on Starr’s dad Maverick during his senior year of high school. He’s navigating the legacy of his own fatA worthy prequel to The Hate U Give, focusing on Starr’s dad Maverick during his senior year of high school. He’s navigating the legacy of his own father, who’s in prison, the hierarchy of the King Lords, unexpected fatherhood, and his relationship with Lisa. The authentic dialogue and fully-fleshed characters will draw teens in, and Mav’s fraught journey into manhood will keep the pages turning.
Thanks to Balzer + Bray and NetGalley for the electronic ARC....more
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