By Super Kitty

​Ten-year-old Ailey Lane is determined to get the part of the Scarecrow in his school's production of The Wiz, and not only because his dance moves are just begging for the spotlight, and he loves coming up with impromptu raps. It's because he always messes things up, and the more people he tells about tryouts, the more he realizes that no one expects him to get it right this time, either.

Everything is shaping up perfectly, though--until it's Ailey's turn at tryouts and he freezes up. Bad. He might be a class clown, but it's totally different having all those eyes on him when he's not just goofing off, and it's like they hit an erase button in his mind. Maybe everyone was right, after all.

Ailey decides he'll never dance again, and when his family asks him how auditions went, he expects a grown-up pep talk about persistence and practice and so on. But Grandpa surprises him--that night, he tells Ailey that when he was younger, he loved tap dancing, and was so good that Bojangles himself tapped with him once and loaned him his tap shoes, saying to bring them back when Grandpa was ready to give performing a shot. But he never mustered the courage to do it, and the shoes, which Bojangles said have a smidgen of magic, are tucked away in a closet, a mark of the regret that Grandpa has carried throughout his life. He has always wondered how far he might have gotten if he had been brave enough to do what he loved. He tells Ailey that he doesn't want him to have regrets, too.

Later that night, Ailey can't stop thinking about Grandpa's story, and he finds the shoes and tries them on. And Bojangles was definitely right about the "smidgen of magic," because when Ailey opens his eyes, he's in Harlem. Harlem in 1939, to be exact.

Which happens to be when and where Grandpa lived and tapped when he was a boy. When and where his greatest regret began.

When Ailey finds a talented boy called Taps performing on the street, he knows that he must have been brought here to give him the encouragement he needs. But nothing seems to go right--Taps definitely isn't convinced that his future grandson has come from the future, Ailey has no idea how to persuade him to take up Bojangles' offer, and there's still the problem of how to get home.

But the two boys have more in common than being family. Taps can tap dance like he was born for it, and Ailey can come up with raps without even trying. On their own, neither quite has the nerve to get up on stage--but maybe together, they can push each other to change their stars.

Ailey and Taps' enthusiasm is infectious, and although I personally am not particularly interested in tap dance, I thoroughly enjoyed The Magic in Changing Your Stars! I liked the combination of time travel and family, and how Ailey meets many members of his family from a few generations back that he's heard stories about--and a few kids and teens he knows as adults from his own time. Every character is named after famous Black people from history, especially performers, and the book includes a list of all of the people mentioned along with a short blurb about their achievements, which was an excellent extra layer. The book itself also has lots of historical tidbits, and many readers might not be able to resist learning more about them! I would recommend The Magic in Changing Your Stars to readers ages eight and up looking for an amusing, engaging celebration of family, friendship, and the courage it takes to do your best. 

By Piranha T.

Twelve-year-old Bryn has always known she wants to be a Seeker. Ever since her father, a Seeker himself, told her stories when she was young about the magical creatures who live within the Wild Realm, she’s known she wants to follow his footsteps. Only Seekers can enter the Wild Realm, where they help heal the plants and animals which live there, and protect its magic from outsiders.

When one of the Seekers retires, with Bryn finally old enough to compete for his place, she jumps at the chance to fulfil her dream. There’s just one problem: Bryn is the first girl ever to join the Seeker competitions. And not everyone’s happy she’s participating.

When Bryn is kicked out of the training sessions—and therefore her best chance of becoming a Seeker—she thinks she might not be able to win after all. But then she meets Ari, her fellow competitor, who agrees to help her train—if she helps him care for an illegal baby dragon who he’s hiding outside the village.

Bryn knows that if they’re discovered, she and Ari will be disqualified. But this is her best chance at winning, even though Ari refuses to tell her where he got the dragon egg.

But then she and Ari begin to uncover unfolding secrets in their village, and Bryn realizes this is about much more than who becomes a Seeker. It’ll decide the fate of the Wild Realm.

Seekers of the Wild Realm is a fast-paced fantasy novel somewhere between First Test and Septimus Heap. Bryn is a brave and likable protagonist, and I like how the story unfolds as she uncovers mysteries. I particularly like Alexandra Ott’s worldbuilding—the Wild Realm feels interesting and magical, and the magic the villagers have is a little different than anything I’ve come across before. I’m looking forward to reading book two! I would recommend Seekers of the Wild Realm to readers ages nine and up. 

Note: If you like Seekers of the Wild Realm, check out our interview with author Alexandra Ott! 

We're thrilled to announce our final 2020 Book of the Year: Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga! 

What it’s about: When tensions rise dangerously in Jude’s home city in Syria, she and her mother fly to America, where they move in with her aunt and uncle in Cincinnati. As Jude struggles to adjust to a new culture, language, school—a new life—she learns that America is different than it seems in the movies. Everything is big and loud and shiny, clamoring for attention. She learns that some people expect her to be a certain way before they even meet her, or seem to treat her differently when she starts wearing a headscarf. But in America she also finds friends, allies, hope for her family in Syria and a connection with those in America. She finds a place which, slowly but surely, begins to feel like home.

Why we chose it: Every now and then I’ll randomly stumble across a book, decide to give it a try, and end up completely adoring it. Other Words for Home is definitely one of those. A combination of gorgeous free verse, a multilayered plot, and a protagonist who I completely loved creates a poignant, inspiring story about finding a new home and growing up. The story never gets violent or dark, but still honestly faces the realities of being a young Middle Eastern refugee. I’ve connected with many book characters in different ways over the years, but Jude touched me more deeply than any have in a long time, and I utterly adored her. Her fears for her family and the future make her immensely relatable, but it’s her courage, dreams, and unquenchable spark which truly make her shine. 

We've selected the fantasy novel The Thickety: A Path Begins by J. A. White as one of our 2020 Books of the Year! 

What it’s about: There are two sources of dark magic feared in Kara Westfall’s village: the Thickety, a dangerous forest which lies not far from the town, and the nefarious witches who are rumored to all be dead, but some claim still live. Kara’s mother was condemned for reported witchcraft seven years ago, and although Kara herself has never displayed the same skills, people whisper that she can cast spells, too. 

Witchcraft is the last place Kara would ever turn, but then she’s lured into the Thickety by a one-eyed bird which leads her to a grimoire--a magical book which she believes belonged to her mother. She knows she must destroy it, but with it, she learns she can cast spells, and its power begins to pull at her, turning her actions strangely. As she becomes deeper enmeshed in a web of secrets threading through the village, Kara must uncover the truth of what happened seven years ago--or become the witch the villagers have always feared she’ll become. Read our full review here! 

Why we chose it: The Thickety: A Path Begins is a fully imagined, engrossing fantasy novel. The plot is full of twists and questions, unpredictable in the best sort of way. White’s world is unique, multilayered and well-developed. Kara’s inner strengths and struggles drive this book and intertwine with other elements of this novel, helping it become fast-paced, sympathetic, and dimensional. We’ve selected A Path Begins as one of our Books of the Year because it expertly fulfills all my hopes as a reader--a detailed setting, a complex plot, and a determined protagonist which together make this story a standout. 

Our favorite nonfiction book from the past year is Rad Girls Can ​by Kate Schatz and Miriam Klein Stahl! 

What it’s about: All over the world, girls are making headlines, whether they’re breaking records, giving speeches, or fighting for social justice. Some have become celebrities, while others have worked against inequality in their own communities. And of course, there are those who are now grown up, but changed the course of history when they were girls. Rad Girls Can celebrates the accomplishments of almost fifty amazing young women, all under the age of twenty, who have in some way changed the world for the better.

Why we chose it: I’ve read many books celebrating the accomplishments of young people, feminists, etc., but Rad Girls Can remains my favorite. I first read Rad Girls Can several years ago, and it inspired me to learn more about a lot of the girls it profiles, many of whom I had never heard of before. Short, informative, engaging pieces about a variety of vastly different young women are combined with unique, expressive illustrations, resulting in a fascinating, empowering, and fun exploration of just how much a girl can do when she puts her mind to it. As Marley Dias, founder of the #1000BlackGirlBooks campaign, said, “You don’t have to be very old to start trying to fix the problems you see in the world around you.” 

Our favorite For Older Readers (young adult) novel we reviewed this year is the fantasy book Seraphina by Rachel Hartman! 

What it’s about: Sixteen-year-old Seraphina Dombegh is hardly like others in the land of Goredd, and not just because of her extraordinary musical talent. Her mother was a saarantras—a dragon in human form—and although the Goreddi-dragon treaty signed forty years ago frames the two species as allies, intolerance remains rampant between them. Seraphina can only keep this secret by remaining out of the spotlight, but when she becomes the assistant to the court musician, Viridius, and begins to be caught up in the multilayered intrigues of Goredd’s royal family, it becomes much more difficult. Yet she might be the only one able to uncover the plot against the dragons, the royal family, and the treaty itself. Read our full review here! 

Why we chose it: Seraphina is a multilayered, engrossing fantasy novel full of well-defined characters and intricate worldbuilding. Seraphina herself is one of my favorite protagonists, equal parts sympathetic and flawed, and her emotional journey makes this book beautiful and strong: it’s about more than dragons and court intrigue, it’s about a girl who is, despite her mixed ancestry, deeply and beautifully human. The plot is full of twists and intricacies, similar to a mystery, and the world of the Southlands introduced in this novel is detailed and multifaceted. This is my favorite teen fantasy from this year--I highly recommend it! 

Our next favorite from 2020 is the first of two fantasy books: The Turnaway Girls by Hayley Chewins! 


​What it’s about: The turnaway girls live in a cloister outside of the city Blightsend, under the watchful eye of Mother Nine, where they learn how to make gold, or shimmer, out of the music Masters play outside the walls. They learn to do as they’re told. They learn to be silent. Only girls are allowed to make shimmer, silently creating treasures for the Master who chooses them. And only boys are permitted to be Masters, the makers of music who live free, outside the cloister.

Twelve-year-old Delphernia has been raised in the cloister, but she’s never been like the other turnaway girls. She can’t make shimmer, and she can sing pure magic. She’s always asking questions. When she is chosen by a Master to leave the cloister, it seems that her dreams have come true--but there are shadows in the city, ones which threaten all she has gained. In order to save her new friends--and her city--change will have to come. And Delphernia is no stranger to speaking up when no one else will. Read our full review here! 

Why we chose it: ​Luminous and absorbing, The Turnaway Girls explores the silence which girls are often taught to keep, and the courage and importance of those who speak out anyway. Although it’s written in prose, it’s written so beautifully that it sometimes reads more like poetry. I loved Delphernia’s development over the course of the story, and her growing confidence and courage, and the other characters are wonderful as well, making the cast irresistible. We have selected The Turnaway Girls as a Book of the Year because of its intricate, enchanting writing and storyworld, and its deftly woven tale of a girl finding her voice, which is both timely and timeless. 

Our first Book of the Year is the first of two realistic fiction novels: Emmy in the Key of Code by Aimee Lucido! 

What it's about: Twelve-year-old Emmy loves music, but no matter how hard she tries, she’s never been able to carry a note or play a tune. After years of musical disappointments, she decides she can’t pretend to be what she isn’t, and when she enters a new school, she’s placed not in a music class, but in Computer Science. But from the first time Emmy enters the computer lab, she discovers a new type of music: the music of a keyboard and lines of code. Coding brings Emmy a new sense of self, a teacher she cares about, and even a best friend. But just as she’s beginning to find a place in her new school—one made from lines of code, not notes of music—the last thing she expects happens, and she’s left struggling to come to terms with an event which changes everything. Read our full review here! 

Why we chose it: Emmy in the Key of Code is one of my favorite realistic fiction books, period. I love how Emmy develops and discovers her true talents as a coder, but I truly connected with her because of her realism: her struggles with self-confidence, her interactions with other characters, and her love of science and art, instead of fitting neatly into one box. Written in rhythmic free verse interspersed with lines of code, this book combines elements of coding, music, women in science, bullying, moving, friendship, and self-discovery in a truly outstanding and original way. 

Now that 2020 has drawn to a close, we're excited to announce our second annual Books of the Year, where we recognize our favorite books which we've reviewed in the past year. 

Over the next five days, beginning later today, we'll announce our favorites in four categories: two Fantasy, two Realistic Fiction, one Nonfiction, and one from our For Older Readers page. Stay tuned for our recent favorites!