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Post-It Note Reviews: Quick Looks at New Books
If you told me my dogs were secretly powerful witches who only used their powers to generate new and strange ways to get me sick and keep me home from work, so I’d be forced to stay in bed with them...
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Book Review: Alterations by Ray Xu
Publisher’s description For fans of Gene Luen Yang’s American Born Chinese and Svetlana Chmakova’s Awkward, this funny yet poignant middle-grade coming-of-age story highlights the struggle of feeling...
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Book Review: Lost Kites and Other Treasures by Cathy Carr
Publisher’s description Cathy Carr’s Lost Kites and Other Treasures is a moving and heartfelt middle-grade novel about mental illness, the transformative power of art, and the ever-changing...
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Book Review: Drawing Deena by Hena Khan
Publisher’s description From the award-winning author of Amina’s Voice and Amina’s Song comes a tenderhearted middle grade novel about a young Pakistani American artist determined to manage her...
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Book Review: Hummingbird Season by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic
Publisher’s description A poignant and necessary story about finding hope during difficult times, set in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Archie’s life—and the whole world—is turned upside...
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Book Review: Freshman Year by Sarah Mai
Publisher’s description A stylish graphic novel about the unique angst, humor, and self-doubt that comes with going away to college—perfect for fans of Heartstopper. Everyone gets a fresh start. Who...
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Book Review: Bunt!: Striking Out on Financial Aid by Ngozi Ukazu, Mad Rupert...
Publisher’s description Molly Bauer’s first year of college is not the picture-perfect piece of art she’d always envisioned. On day one at PICA, Molly discovers that—through some horrible twist of...
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Book Review: Averil Offline by Amy Noelle Parks
Publisher’s description A fun, fast-paced story about a girl determined to cut the cord with her helicopter parents. Twelve-year-old coder Averil can’t do anything without her parents knowing. That’s...
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Book Review: Unstuck by Barbara Dee
Publisher’s description From critically acclaimed author Barbara Dee comes a middle grade novel about a girl whose struggles with anxiety and writer’s block set off unexpected twists and turns, both...
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Book Review: The Partition Project by Saadia Faruqi
Publisher’s description In this engaging and moving middle grade novel, Saadia Faruqi writes about a contemporary Pakistani American girl whose passion for journalism starts a conversation about her...
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Book Review: Free Period by Ali Terese
Publisher’s description This middle-grade Moxie centering period equity is Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret for the next generation! Helen and Gracie are pranking their way through middle school...
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Book Review: Warrior on the Mound by Sandra W. Headen
Publisher’s description Narrated by twelve-year-old Cato, this intense and evocative story of racial unrest in prewar North Carolina ends with a dramatic match between white and Black little league...
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Book Review: One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome
Publisher’s description Three women narrate a perilous wagon journey westward that could set them free—or cost them everything they have—in this intergenerational verse novel that explores the history...
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Book Review: Lo Simpson Starts a Revolution by Melanie Florence
When I’m reviewing books for professional publications, I stay quiet about them on social media. I’m always really excited once a review comes out to be able to talk about the book, finally! Here’s...
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Book Review: The Color of Sound by Emily Barth Isler
Publisher’s description Twelve-year-old Rosie is a musical prodigy whose synesthesia allows her to see music in colors. Her mom has always pushed her to become a concert violinist, but this summer...
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Eating Disorders Don’t Discriminate: A Review of John Schu’s Louder Than...
When my older daughter was in eighth grade, she came home one day and told me about a boy in her class who had been hospitalized due to an eating disorder. “He became anorexic after kids teased him...
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Post-It Note Reviews: 12 Quick Reviews of New Books
In an ideal world, I’d be able to write long, thoughtful reviews of every book I read. That world would also come with more hours in each day—specifically, more hours afforded for reading and writing....
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Book Review: Timid by Jonathan Todd
Publisher’s description A semiautobiographical middle-grade graphic novel about frenemies, fitting in, and finding your voice.Cecil Hall and his family have just moved from Florida to Massachusetts,...
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Book Review: Just Another Story by Ernesto Saade
Publisher’s description “This is the story of Carlos and Elena, the story of thousands, the story of my country . . . This is just another story.” When Carlos was nineteen years old, his mother...
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Book Review: Trouble at the Tangerine by Gillian McDunn
Publisher’s description Award-winning author Gillian McDunn pens a delightfully quirky mystery that examines the meaning of home, perfect for fans of The Vanderbeekers series. Simon’s family is always...
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