​By Piranha T.

The last thing twelve-year-old Flick expects when she moves to the village of Little Wyverns--a far cry from the city life she's grown up with--is a travel agency. And not just any travel agency. Strangeworlds isn't the kind that brings you to the places Flick has always dreamed of going: other continents, countries, cities. Once you've joined the mysterious Strangeworlds Society, you can travel through portals hidden in suitcases into other worlds.

At first, Flick is dubious. After all, if magic were truly real, wouldn't everyone know? But then the Strangeworld Travel Agency's young Head Custodian, Jonathan, shows her some of the other worlds. And Flick discovers, to her astonishment and delight, that it's all true. There are worlds out there--nonsensical worlds filled with eerie forests, scorched deserts, and the most peculiar of impossibilities. Worlds which she can now step into.

And she's going to, because Jonathan needs her help. His father disappeared into one of the suitcases months ago, and he needs Flick's help to find him.

Together, Flick and Jonathan set out on a journey leaping from world to world. But something has been happening to the different places they visit. Things have been changing. And it's up to Jonathan and Flick to figure out what--even as she realizes that all is not as it seems.

Strangeworlds Travel Agency is a fun fantasy novel with the quirky, almost old-fashioned tone of books like The Emerald Atlas and The Box and the Dragonfly. It effortlessly leaps between the modern day and the strangest of strange worlds, carried by two characters--Flick and Jonathan--who make that leap just as effectively, never seeming jarred or out of place in either setting. No matter what Flick does at the travel agency or in other worlds, it always feels natural when she returns home to her irritating younger brother and unpacking moving boxes. I also love the worlds Flick and Jonathan travel into, which are varied, mysterious, and often completely unexpected--they truly made this book come alive. I recommend Strangeworlds Travel Agency to readers ages nine and up looking for immersive, likable fantasy novels.

By SK

Omar has lived in a Dadaab, a Somalian refugee camp, for most of his life, and he can hardly remember a time before he lived in the A3 block, in the tent he shares with his little brother Hassan across the road from their guardian, Fatuma, making meals out of the scant rations and waiting for the day when he, Hassan and Fatuma will be selected to leave for America, where everyone is rich. Where he won’t have to sleep on the ground anymore. Where he can get medicine for Hassan, who barely speaks and used to get terrifying seizures. Where his life can really start. 

When you live in a refugee camp, you spend a lot of time waiting. But that doesn’t mean Omar isn’t busy–he gathers water, plays soccer with his friends, tells stories to Hassan, and studies with his friends Jeri, Maryam, and Nimo. And he’s never stopped looking for his mother, who he hasn’t seen since fighting broke out in his village when he was a little boy. 

As he grows up, Omar experiences danger, disappointment, and the fear that he’ll never leave Dadaab. Yet he also learns that in a world where he sometimes feels powerless, the loyalty and love that connect him with Hassan and Fatuma, his friends, and his community have a power of their own. 

I don’t usually read graphic novels, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one, a story of growing up that is both universal and powerfully unique. The bright, evocative, emotional artwork is gorgeous, and the writing is crisp and concise, creating a vibrant, compelling, sometimes heartbreaking story about childhood in a refugee camp, based on coauthor Mohamed’s own life. (In fact, I realized partway through reading it that I was experiencing the same feeling of total immersion in a story, oblivious to anything around me, that I usually only get when reading standout books in prose!) The characters are deftly woven and immensely believable, and it’s a fast, satisfying, and deeply important read. At once a powerful personal story and an ode to the resilience and courage of the millions of people living in refugee camps today, I would highly recommend When the Stars Are Scattered to readers ages nine and up, especially for books groups and discussions. 

By Piranha T.

​Seventh grader Zoey Albro has never had it easy. On top of homework, she has to take care of her three younger siblings every day after school while her mom works at the pizza parlor. But she can’t really complain. At least right now, her mom has a steady job, and Lenny seems like one of her mom’s better boyfriends. The trailer they live in with him is clean, and even if it’s impossible to get a moment of peace from her siblings to do normal things like finishing homework or hanging out with friends, it’s a lot better than the other places Zoey has lived.

If she were an octopus, Zoey often tells herself, everything would be easier. They’re her favorite animal, and she knows all about them: how they have special muscles to change the texture of their skin, their ability to get into smaller places than other animals…they can even camouflage themselves with their environment. Sure, when they’re nervous, they turn bright red, but not even an octopus can be perfect.

But she isn’t an octopus, and she can’t camouflage herself when she doesn’t want to be seen. Her social studies teacher, Ms. Rochambeau, is always nagging at her to hand in homework, but now she has another focus. She wants Zoey to join debate team—which she knows will be full of all the kids who hand in their homework and don’t have to worry about what they’ll eat for breakfast tomorrow morning. It’s the last place Zoey, even with her octopus camouflage, could ever blend in.

Yet it’s at debate team that Zoey begins to find an unexpected place. It’s from what she’s learned at debate team that she begins to question the world around her. And it’s because of debate team that she might just find the courage to stand up and raise her voice.

Because not even an octopus should blend in forever.

The Benefits of Being an Octopus was an eye-opening, deep, and moving read. There is so much in this book I didn’t expect, beyond the themes of class and social judgement. It discusses everything from gun rights to what it means to be a kid struggling in a world where it feels like nothing is open to you. Zoey is such a strong character, full of determination and grit while still being held back by the people and the world surrounding her. She is extremely realistic, and sees the world in such a different, powerful way than most other characters in middle-grade novels, and I loved reading this story through her eyes. The supporting cast is also very realistic—particularly the first time I read this, at the same age as Zoey, this book rang true to me. Overall, I highly recommend The Benefits of Being an Octopus to readers who love thought-provoking books ages nine and up.

​By Piranha T. 

Indira Story has spent her life in the town of Origin, a character-in-waiting who wants nothing more than to be chosen for a story. So when the Author Borealis arrive and Indira is chosen to go to Fable--home to the school which has trained every Protagonist in literary history--it's like a dream come true. 

But when Indira arrives at Protagonist Preparatory, she's set on the side character track--a far cry from the hero she's always dreamed of being. She's determined to do her best anyway, and impress her teachers, who are all famous protagonists in their own right from Romeo to Odysseus. If she works hard, Indira is sure she can become a protagonist, too. 

Somehow, though, even her best efforts don't seem to be working. She's failing at being just a side character. Indira's future is looking bleak when strange things start happening at Protagonist Preparatory, and she starts putting the pieces together--pieces which someone nefarious is trying very hard to keep hidden. 

Will Indira have it in her to be the hero she's always dreamed of--or will she fail, leaving Fable to a disastrous fate? 

If any part of the above story description sounds the least bit familiar, or even a little cliché, that's the point. Saving Fable plays on the most stereotypical, most traditional, most familiar tropes and mixes them up with a world populated by characters and full of clever literary puns, and the result is extraordinary. There are many books which play off story elements of heroes and books--some favorites of mine include Finding Serendipity and The Thieving Collectors of Fine Children's Books--but Reintgen pulls it off here with spectacular and outstanding flair, full of brilliant jokes and constant humor which is so incredibly self-aware. The brilliant writing craft references, which essentially make up the whole world of Saving Fable, are particularly notable in my opinion, in part because they are so incredibly brilliant but also because they create such an atmospheric, detailed, and truly hilarious world; whether it's references to famous protagonists, brainstorming, or simply the classic hero-versus-antagonist plot, they never fall flat and made me laugh my way through this whole book.

​But part of what makes this book stand out is that you don't have to get all of these jokes to love it--they're more of an undercurrent which makes it even more spectacular. The characters, including Indira, are also awesome, and all seemed to sparkle with something of their own; together with a fully realized world and a bright and even surprising plot, they created a full and complete story which I couldn't put down. I highly recommend Saving Fable to fans of fantasy ages nine and up, particularly those who have read enough books to recognize both the funny and familiar in its story. 

By Piranha T.
 
Ellie isn’t looking forward to starting her new school. It’s not because she begrudges the move; her grandfather has Alzheimer’s, and he needs more help than just Ellie’s grandma. And she’s always liked staying in her grandparents’ trailer, even with the squirrels running across the roof every morning.

No, it’s because she knows the kids at her new school won’t see Ellie for who she is. They won’t see a feisty, ambitious kid who knows that someday, she’ll be a famous cook like the ones she admires on TV. They just see the wheelchair. And then they look away.

But then Ellie starts to make friends, for the first time ever. And she discovers the town’s annual pie competition—a perfect chance to prove her baking skills. Maybe this town isn’t so bad after all. And maybe—just maybe—they’ll be able to stay.

​Roll with It is a fun book which talks about disabilities, but only as one facet of this quirky story with a fabulous set of characters. I love Ellie’s determination and dreams, and she, like the supporting characters, is full of quirks which makes her feel like someone I could know—and who I’d definitely want to become friends with. I highly recommend Roll with It to readers ages nine and up.

By Piranha T. 

Thirteen-year-old Nicki Demere has spent the past five years in and out of foster families. The last thing she expects when two US marshals show up is for them to offer her a family and a home. 

But that's exactly what they do. Nicki is one of a dozen kids to be assigned to families on the run from criminals--families who can fly under the radar much more easily with an extra son or daughter to throw off suspicion. She gets a new name, a new history, a new family--and then her job is simply to fit in. 

And Nicki, as Charlotte Trevor, succeeds... mostly. She gets average grades, makes friends (but not too many), and joins her school's mediocre basketball team. But just as Charlotte Trevor can't quite outgrow Nicki Demere, her new family is struggling to escape their own, much darker, past. And when some of the country's most infamous criminals pick up their trail, it's up to Nicki to preserve her new life--and save the closest thing to a family she's ever known. 

Greetings from Witness Protection! is a quirky, relatable tale of family and friendship told through the eyes of a resilient and funny heroine. The unique premise of this book caught my attention and Jake Burt carried it well; I loved watching Nick/Charlotte tackle the challenges that were thrown at her. I also liked the supporting characters, who felt very real, from Nicki's annoying 'younger brother' to the kids she meets at her new school. I recommend Greetings from Witness Protection! to readers ages nine and up. 

By Piranha T.
 
Twelve-year-old Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, have been on the road for five years, ever since her mom and sisters died in a car crash in her Washington State hometown. They’ve never gone back there, but they’ve been lots of other places, crisscrossing the country in their beat-up school bus-turned-mobile home named Yager. Coyote’s good with this life—with the passengers they pick up throughout their travels, with fruit punch slushies at gas stations, with the rock of the bus as she’s falling asleep. But when she hears the town she grew up in is destroying a childhood park—one where she and her sisters and mom buried a memory box only weeks before they died—she knows she has to get back there and rescue it before it’s destroyed.

The catch: Rodeo won’t go back there for anything. So Coyote has to get him to drive from Florida to Washington, in less than four days, without him realizing what she’s doing.

Along the way, they pick up a motley crew of travelers. They’re all running away, but they’re running towards something, too. And Coyote is going to need all of their help if she wants to rescue the memory box in time.

I read The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise in one sitting, which I think accurately represents how engrossing it is. Coyote is one of the most distinct protagonists I’ve met in realistic fiction novels, full of quirky details and a powerfully unique narrative which reflects her lifestyle and her personality. Each of the characters in this story has their own struggles and challenges, but Gemeinhart writes it in a way that makes it filled with hope for all of their futures, making this novel enjoyable, thought-provoking, and uplifting all at the same time. Coyote’s story feels new and different, and I love it. I highly recommend The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise to readers ages nine and up.

​By Piranha T. 

Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch is the sequel to Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe, and is the second book in the duology. 

[Look out--there are spoilers for the first book!]

Eva Evergreen, Novice Witch, has finally found the source of the Culling--a mysterious and powerful magic storm which sweeps through Rivelle Realm every year and wreaks destruction in its wake. Ever since it began, all the realm's magic-users have been searching for its source, and how to stop it. No one ever would have expected it came from Grand Master Hayato Grottel's tower, the leader of the Council of Witches and Wizards. 

Eva thinks that discovering this will end the Culling for good, but when Grottel escapes, everything goes wrong. The Culling begins striking with increasing frequency, and the efforts of the country's best witches and wizards are barely working as they attempt to reach Grottel's tower. Eva finally gets placed in the group trying to penetrate the tower--and what she discovers there will change everything. 

Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch continues the fun, quirky narrative of Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch to a satisfying series conclusion. Eva remains a realistic, awesome character who is determined to save her friends and family as much as the whole realm, and in this way, her fight to save Rivelle Realm always feels personal and close to home. I recommend the Eva Evergreen series to readers ages nine and up who like lighthearted, engrossing fantasy stories which feel driven by character as much as plot. 

By Piranha T.

For Tess de Sousa, inventing a way to create electricity using seaweed in the basement of Ackerbee’s Home for Lost and Foundlings is nothing out of the ordinary. It’s normal for her to conduct scientific experiments with her best friend Wilf and her pet tarantula, Violet, by her side. But what certainly isn’t ordinary is the arrival of the mysterious, unlikable Mr. Cleat, who claims he’s Tess’s only family.

Tess doesn’t want to leave her beloved home, and certainly not with a man who seems more interested in the peculiar metal object she was found with than her. But she doesn’t have a choice. She finds herself whisked away to Mr. Cleat’s dismal home, where her only relief is covertly discovering the secrets of the object, which she learns is called the Star-spinner—and enables her to travel into alternate realities.

But it seems Tess isn’t the only one who knows the Star-spinner’s secret. And as she learns more about Mr. Cleat, the Star-spinner, and herself, she uncovers a plot which she is at the center of—a plot could affect overlapping realities, which she must stop at all costs.

​The Starspun Web is a fast-paced, well-plotted historical fantasy novel with an interesting world. Tess is a quirky, determined protagonist (I particularly like Violet!), and her ties to a really nice orphanage made this book about friendship and home as well as fantasy adventures and interdimensional travel. It’s also cool how Sinéad O’Hart incorporated the historical backdrop of World War II into this story. Overall, I recommend The Starspun Web to fantasy lovers ages nine and up.

By SK

Aspiring writer Jo March is excited to start eighth grade, but she's also unsure what the year is going to bring--how might she have changed by the time school is over? After all, she feels like a much different "J" than she was last year. But with her sisters Meg, Beth, and Amy at her side, she knows she can face anything--even if Amy is irritating sometimes. 

And the year does turn out to be a good one. The four sisters have fun creating Halloween costumes, decorating hospital rooms for the holidays with their mom, Marmee, telling ghost stories, and more--even if worries about their dad, who's deployed overseas, and Beth, who's in remission, are always present. And when their neighbor's grandson Laurie moves in partway through the school year, they quickly discover a new friend to include in their adventures. Jo is even recruited for her school's newspaper club by a girl named Freddie, where she hones her writing skills and meets other writers. 

Jo and Freddie bond over their shared love of writing, and Jo begins to realize that she's attracted to her new friend, which feels....confusing. Things are made even more so when Laurie tells Jo that he likes her--she doesn't want to ruin their friendship, but she knows she simply isn't attracted to him. 

Jo's family has always been close and supportive--but will they treat Jo differently if she tells them she's gay? What if her world does change this year after all? And is change necessarily a bad thing?

There have been many adaptations of Little Women over the years, but while I was at first a bit dubious about the idea of having a version set in the modern day, I ended up really enjoying Jo. The characters are distinct, realistic, and relatable, and I really appreciated how Gros deftly makes them believable modern kids while staying true to Lousia May Alcott's original characters (I especially liked Jo, a talented budding writer and caring, loyal sister who's determined to be her true self). Similarly, many of the themes and story threads from Little Women are included, but their transposition into the current day feels natural and not at all jarring. I don't read graphic novels too often, but I quite enjoyed this one, and would recommend it to readers who usually read traditionally formatted books as well as graphic novel fans. I read it in a book group where we compared and discussed several different versions of Little Women (both books and movies), which was super interesting--I would highly recommend doing so to other book groups! Jo is an excellent pick for readers ages nine and up looking for a fast, fun, satisfying read. 

By Piranha T. 

Zima knows to put the safety of her pack above all else—and to avoid both the dangerous humans who are intruding upon her forest and Baba Yaga, the witch who every wolf knows will spell them if she gets the chance. But when Zima’s brother is hurt, she must appeal to Baba Yaga to heal him.

The witch agrees, for a price. She needs a wolf’s acute sense of smell to help restore the rightful tsar to the throne, and so she switches bodies with Zima in exchange for healing her brother.

Baba Yaga instructs Zima to stay put in her hut while she’s gone, but when a human girl named Nadya arrives bearing news of a plot to destroy the forest, Zima knows she must act. She sets off, with Nadya by her side, to foil the tsar’s dark plan.

Can she succeed in time? Or will her home—and her family—be destroyed?

A Wolf for a Spell is a beautiful, layered fantasy which reads like a fairy tale, perfect for fans of The Door by the Staircase and Begone the Raggedy Witches. Karah Sutton weaves a complex tale of magic, mystery, and hope full of elements of Russian folktales, creating an atmospheric story perfectly represented by Pauliina Hannuniemi’s beautiful illustrations throughout. The characters, particularly Zima, are all strong and distinct, and the plot is unusual and twisty. I highly recommend A Wolf for a Spell to readers of fantasy ages nine and up. 

By Piranha T.
 
Maybe it’s because she’s spent most of her free time in her dad’s record shop, but twelve-year-old María Luisa O’Neill Morales, known as Malú to her friends, loves punk rock. It’s the rhythm to her life, the thumping music which she pumps through her headphones while making zines, which she dances to in her dad’s apartment above his record store, and which she wishes was playing at home with her mom. But Malú’s mom doesn’t get punk rock; instead, she’s determined for Malú to embrace her Mexican heritage and become a little señorita, which is definitely not punk.

But everything changes when her mom has to temporarily move to Chicago for work—and Malú has to come with her. That’s two whole years away from her friends, her dad, and her life. At her new school, Malú gets bullied for her love of punk rock and her aversion to all things Mexican, as if to better prove Chicago is not the place for her. 

Then her school announces a talent show, and Malú decides to try out punk herself. She starts a band with a couple of classmates to show the school her kind of music. Even as they face kickback, Malú and her bandmates—or are they friends? –keep going, because they have a song to share with the world.

And maybe it’ll help Malú figure out how to be punk and Mexican, at the same time.

The First Rule of Punk is a fun story about music, friendship, and standing out. Malú is a funny, sympathetic and determined main character with a streak of rebelliousness who I wanted to succeed. I particularly like how Celia C. Pérez (author of Strange Birds) weaves so many elements—punk rock, family, divorce, heritage, friendship, and more—into a seamless and natural story. I recommend The First Rule of Punk to readers ages nine and up.

By Piranha T.

Eva Evergreen might be the daughter of one of the country’s most powerful witches, but she only has a pinch of magic. Even when she can invent a spur-of-the-moment spell, they nearly always go wrong, summoning cabbages instead of flowers and leaving her embarrassed and so exhausted that she dozes off immediately afterwards. Nevertheless, Eva’s never wanted anything more than to become a witch like her mother, and she’s determined to pass her Novice Witch quest, the first step in achieving that dream.

There’s only one problem. If she fails, she’ll lose her magic…forever.

Eva’s quest brings her to the seaside town of Auteri, where she’s instructed to help the inhabitants however possible. But nothing goes quite right. Her ‘semi-magical repair shop’ remains customer-less. The magic she does perform goes horribly awry. And then there’s the looming danger of the mysterious Culling, a disaster which strikes yearly which she must somehow barricade Auteri against.

Still, she’s also beginning to form friendships with some of Auteri’s inhabitants. And when disaster strikes, it’s up to her to protect the town she’s grown to love.

Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch is a fun, fresh fantasy novel full of distinct characters and intriguing worldbuilding. Eva is an interesting and motivated protagonist, and Julie Abe uses ideas of witches and spells in a cool way. I particularly liked Auteri itself—this town truly comes alive, with a layered network of characters and plenty of mysteries set up for the sequel. I recommend Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch to readers ages nine and up.

PS: If you like Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch, definitely check out the sequel, Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch! 

By Piranha T.
 
When twelve-year-old Emmy Willick is sent to a boarding school in England, she knows she’s not going to fit in. After all, she knows those kinds of schools are populated by kids who have been in the system all their lives, who take Latin for fun and know everyone in their dormitory, and the school’s name--Wellsworth—hardly does anything to dissuade that notion. Her mom tells her it’s ‘the best’, just like she’s said about all the other horrible schools she’s sent Emmy to, but she always thinks she’s right. After all, her whole job is to give parenting advice. And Emmy’s dad…well, her dad disappeared nine years ago, and she thought he was gone for good. But only a few days before she learns she’ll be going to Wellsworth, she receives a mysterious letter which leads her to a strange set of medallions in the attic—medallions with belonged to her father.

At first, Wellsworth seems like any other school Emmy has attended. There’s difficult coursework, mean kids and nice kids, and competitive interscholastic sports. But with the help of her new friends, Jack and Lola, she learns that her dad went to Wellsworth, too, and for the first time, she’s on the edge of learning something about him. As she begins to dig deeper, though, it becomes clear that his disappearance might have had something to do with his time at the school after all. And then there’s the mysterious and dangerous Order of Black Hollow Lane…

It’s up to Emmy, Jack and Lola to learn the truth about Emmy’s father and the Order of Black Hollow Lane…before the Order stops them from doing just that.

​The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane is a fast-paced mystery novel with lots of twists. Emmy, Jack and Lola are a great trio of main characters, all of them interesting and sympathetic. The slow reveals in this book, especially around Emmy’s father and the Order of Black Hollow Lane, are well-paced and interesting, often raising more questions than they answer in a really cool way. I recommend The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane to readers ages nine and up. 

By Piranha T.

Ever since the disastrous raft ride when Ned’s twin brother died, the villagers have whispered that the wrong boy live. They claim his brother was the smart one, the funny one, the hardworking one; Ned, on the other hand, has a stutter and keeps silent whenever possible. But he can’t stay fully out of sight. His mother, Sister Witch, is the keeper of a powerful, unpredictable cloud of magic. And when she’s away and a group of bandits arrive to steal it, it falls to Ned to protect it.

Áine has a different reason to want to keep the magic away from thieves. Her father, the Bandit King, is searching for it, and she knows if he finds it, the consequences will be disastrous. Ever resourceful, when her path collides with Ned’s, she helps him keep the magic safe. But her top priority is keeping her father. And she’ll do anything it takes to keep him away from the magic.

Ned and Áine’s journey leads them through a dangerous forest, down a rapidious river, and into the presence of the ancient Speaking Stones. But many forces are gathering to steal the magic. And if Ned and Áine are to have any hope of holding onto it, they will have to enlist the help of another power…

Many years ago, I read The Girl who Drank the Moon, by the same author, and loved it. Somehow, it has taken me all these years to finally read the novel The Witch’s Boy. I’m glad I did. It has the same quirky narrative, interesting characters, and unusual magic which I loved so much in The Girl who Drank the Moon. While not making the story overly complex, Kelly Barnhill weaves the stories of many characters and then brings them all together. I love her world and the cantankerous nature of her magic. The characters are also excellent, especially Ned and Áine. I recommend The Witch’s Boy to fans of fantasy and well-drawn characters ages nine and up.