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The Problem with Prophecies (Celia Cleary, Book 1) by Scott Reintgen (2022)

10/24/2022

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By Ella

Celia Cleary has always known that on her 4,444th day alive, she'll inherit the power of prophecy, just like generations of Clearys  before her. She's been looking forward to it, too. But none of her grandmother's stories have prepared her for the shock of finally having her first vision--and watching the boy down the street, Jeffery, die. 

Celia knows she has to save him. She might not know him well, but she's always been sure she should use her prophetic powers for good. So, despite her grandmother's warn-ings, she saves him--and immediately sees another vision of him dying. And another. 

Apparently death is set on its quarry, but Celia isn't going to let this happen--particularly as she gets to know Jeffery better, and might even begin to feel some-thing for him. But as her seventh-grade year dissolves into fortune-telling chaos, and Celia learns more about her power, she must decide whether she can keep outwitting death forever--or if some things simply can't be changed. 

The Problem with Prophecies is a clever, magical, and ultimately bittersweet tale of friendship, growing up, and family. I loved the Cleary family's gifts and the stories Celia's grandmother tells about their ancestors, which are both hilarious and clever (the excerpted page from 'the Cleary Family Guide Book' on the back cover may be one of my favorite book jacket accents) and always firmly secured in the modern day. Scott Reintgen (who also wrote the fantastic middle-grade Talespinners series) deftly creates a tale both lightly humorous and moving; I can't wait to see what he writes next! I recommend The Problem with Prophecies ​to readers ages ten and up, particularly those who enjoy fantasy grounded in the real world. 

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Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations, Book 1) by B. B. Alston (2021)

10/17/2022

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​By Ella

Everyone believes that Quinton Peters is dead, but his younger sister, Amari, has never been convinced. He just disappeared--she's sure he's out there somewhere. So when she discovers a suitcase from Quinton with her name on it--and an invitation inside from somewhere called the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs--she's certain that whatever it means, it holds the key to discovering what really happened to Quinton. 

But the Bureau, an organization which keeps magic and the magical world hidden from everyone else, isn't exactly handing out information about the disappearance of one its top agents--even if Amari is his sister. It quickly becomes clear that if Amari is going to learn what really happened to Quinton, she's going to have to compete for a spot in the Bureau against far more experienced candidates--not all of whom think Amari deserves a place here at all. 

Amari must forge some unlikely friendships and uncover the plans of one of the most dangerous magicians of all time if she wants to find a place at the Bureau, and learn what really happened to Quinton. But doing so may destroy her tentative acceptance in the Bureau--and keep her from seeing the most perilous deception of all. 

I've heard so much about Amari and the Night Brothers​, and I'm so glad I finally read it--it not only lived up to my high expectations, but exceeded them. Many of Amari's story elements are familiar, but Alston's strong characters and absorbing world-building make them feel utterly new, creating an exciting page-turner that left me wishing I already had book two. I utterly loved this world--full of small, quirky details and stunning descriptions, I was completely engrossed in the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Its flaws and prejudices made it deeper and layered, and helped it feel far more realistic than an idealistically perfect society. Amari's determination and love for Quinton truly drive this story, and I'm glad I'll be able to enjoy more books about her--and the supporting cast (particularly Elsie and Dylan), who are equally awesome! This story had more than one twist that truly surprised me, and I loved how the mystery of what really happened to Quinton unfolds. I highly recommend Amari and the Night Brothers to readers ages ten and up who love fantasy books full of clever plotting and strong characters. 

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Author Interview: Janae Marks

10/10/2022

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Janae Marks is the author of the highly acclaimed middle-grade novels From the Desk of Zoe Washing-ton and A Soft Place to Land. Her next book, On Air with Zoe Washington, will be released next February. We loved From the Desk of Zoe Washington's thoughtful plot, realistic characters, and compelling writing, so we were thrilled to interview Janae Marks this month! 


Rapunzel Reads: What inspired From the Desk of Zoe Washington?

Janae Marks: I was actually first inspired by a podcast! Back in 2014, I listened to the first season of the podcast Serial, which told the story of a man who's in prison after being convicted of murder, but many people believe he's innocent of the crime. The podcast got me thinking about wrongful convictions--when someone is convicted of a crime they didn't commit. Since I like writing for kids, I started to wonder what it would be like to be the child of someone who may have been wrongfully convicted. Zoe was born from there! Because I love watching baking competition shows for fun, I decided to make her an aspiring pastry chef.


RR: The characters in From the Desk of Zoe Washington are layered and feel completely     real,     particularly     Zoe 
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Author photo credit: Jerri Graham Photography

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Small Town Pride by Phil Stamper (2022)

10/3/2022

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By Ella

Jake has just gotten used to being the first openly gay kid at his middle school, though he only recently told his parents. There just never seemed to be a good time, no matter how accepting he knew they'd be. 

But ​Jake's dad is the type to...overcompensate. And when Jake comes home from school, he discovers a pride flag in front of their house he's pretty sure could be seen from an airplane. 

Not everyone's pleased--but there's a lot of support, too. And Jake begins to wonder: what if he can throw the first pride parade in his small Ohio town? 

With the help of his best friend and the mayor's son, Jake might just convince his hometown to celebrate who he really is--and, in the process, figure out what pride really means. 

Small Town Pride ​is a sweet story about friendship, identity, and being yourself. I liked Jake and his friends' efforts to start a pride parade and their enthusiasm; their determination was palpable throughout. The fact that this was set in a small town was also awesome--instead of setting it in a city, the backdrop of a place where everyone knows each other and not much has changed for a long time both made Jake's struggles more realistic, and made it more fun to read about. I recommend Small Town Pride to readers ages nine and up. 

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    Book Reviews By & For Teens

    Everyone knows that Rapunzel spent her early years locked up in a tower. We like to think she read plenty of books to while away the time, and that she’d appreciate our favorites.
     
    We’re two teen siblings who have been reviewing and recommending great middle-grade (MG) and young adult (YA) books since 2014 (over ten years!). We’re particularly passionate about fantasy, queer books, and any story beautifully told.
     
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    ​Looking for more YA recommendations? Until 2022, we had a separate For Older Readers page, where we highlighted over two dozen awesome YA books. Check it out here! 


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