By Super Kitty and Piranha T. 

​Amina Khokar has never been one for raising her voice. Everyone who truly knows her--from her best friend Soojin to her Pakistani family--tells her that she’s a beautiful singer, but she’s never found the courage to perform in front of a crowd. Now less than ever, what with the visit of her strict uncle from Pakistan, who doesn’t believe music is good. And since she started middle school, Amina is less sure of herself. Her friend Soojin, who she always knew she could rely on before, wants to change her name to something more ‘American’, and is making new friends in the popular girls who have always made fun of Amina and Soojin and their cultural heritages. At least she still has her friends at the Islamic Center, who she sees on the weekends at Sunday School. But even that peace is shattered when someone breaks into it, shaking Amina to her core.

Amina’s world is changing fast. But maybe in the midst of it all, she’ll find the courage to raise her voice.

This is one of the (many!) books which have been on my reading list for years, and I'm so glad that I finally have! The story is inspiring and hopeful, and Amina is relatable and caring. I especially liked how Amina's struggle to adjust to middle school and her experiences with her family--especially Thaya Jaan--balance and contrast with each other, giving the story depth and complexity. Although I'm several years older than the main characters (and target audience), I felt a strong connection to all of the characters, especially Amina, whose dreams, fears, and growing courage feel deeply real. It's an excellent choice for book groups and fans of Grace Lin's The Year of the Dog or Meg Medina's Merci Suárez Changes Gears. I would highly recommend Amina's Voice to readers ages eight and up looking for a satisfying story about friendship, family, and growing up in a complicated world.

​By guest contributor FalconX, age 12

The Scroll of a Thousand Prayers, an ancient scroll with mysterious powers, is coveted by many. A thousand years ago, magical and unspeakable things happened. A new age is dawning. And now, many different forces, both good and bad, are after the scroll and the power it can give whoever holds it in their hands.

Yumeko was raised by monks in the Silent Winds temple. As a half kitsune, half human, she has natural instincts to be tricky like the fox she shares DNA with. Her skills with illusion and mischief constantly exasperate the monks. She has trained her whole life to pretend that she is human. But one day, her peaceful isolated world in the mountains comes to a fiery, violent end.

Kage Tatsumi is a trained and dangerous samurai, fighting demons day and night for the unseen masters of the Shadow Clan. He always puts duty first, no matter what it costs him. When he receives orders from the very top of his Clan to retrieve the scroll, it means endangering his life for this crucial mission.

Yumeko is carrying the temple's most prized possession as she flees the burning site. A piece of the scroll. When Tatsumi and Yumeko meet by chance, a skeptical alliance is formed. Tatsumi doesn't know of Yumeko's secrets. Yumeko is unaware of Tatusumi's true nature and mission.

​In this thrilling tale of demons and deception, Julie Kagawa weaves together a brilliant and heart-pounding fantasy adventure novel. It will have you turning page after page deep into the night. I liked how it embodied a part of ancient Japan in its complicated web of legends and monsters. It gave it a slightly historical edge, so the story wasn't completely fanciful. I would recommend this to middle-grade readers who have a thirst for demon-slaying and secrets. You won't want to put this book down as you follow the pair on their journey, gaining allies and enemies. This is the first book in a series, so be prepared for the cliff-hanger and plot twist at the end.

By Piranha T.

When fifth grader Mika first enters middle school, she doesn’t expect to like math class. Her favorite subject has always been art. But her math teacher, Mr. Vann, gives them ‘math journals’, in which he encourages them to solve problems ‘using words, numbers, and/or pictures,’ not just formulas. And it’s in Mr. Vann’s room that she gets to know two new friends, Dee Dee and Chelsea. So it’s no surprise that math class swiftly becomes one of her favorites.

Nevertheless, although Mika seems on her way to enjoying fifth grade, life is more complicated than just numbers. And when she’s confronted with a problem that equations alone can’t solve, she begins to wonder if her life will ever be the same again.

Solving for M has the same coming-of-age feeling as Lucy Castor Finds Her Sparkle, and elements of math similar to The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl. This book is about family and friendship and math, but maybe more than any of those, it’s about growing up. Mika is a very relatable main character to kids in many different situations, whether or not they’re experiencing the same things she is. I recommend Solving for M to readers ages nine and up who love math and stories which feel very real.

By guest contributor FalconX, age 12

Darleen is a twelve-year-old girl living in the early 1900s. Silent films are her family's business, and she stars in her own show: The Dangers of Darleen. Despite her age, she dangles off of cliffs, jumps from train car to train car, and flies off in mysterious hot air balloons.

​Although Darleen can pull off stunts with ease, is unafraid to be featured in theaters everywhere, and shows the world what a strong character she is, her heart lies with her father in their small farm house next to their family-owned film studio, Matchless. Her mother disappeared from her life when Darleen was younger, breaking the hearts of her daughter and husband. Darleen's mother was a tightrope performer, until she settled down with Darleen's father. But before the family had a long time together, Darleen's mother was gone due to inflamed lungs. Aunt Shirley and Uncles Charlie and Dan run the studio. Her father works in the laboratory developing the film.

Everything is going well, except their film studio needs more attention to rise above their competition. Aunt Shirley comes up with an idea to boost publicity. It's this: Darleen will get "kidnapped" at the grand opening of the brand new theater. Only, things don't go exactly as planned and Darleen ends up escaping a building, catching a snake, and finding out the dark secrets of someone she thought was a good person. She does this all with an orphan called Victorine, who is now her new friend. In the end, they thwart the villains, save the studio, and learn the truth about Darleen's strange dreams.

This charming historical fiction novel both educated about the world of early silent film and thrilled readers with the fast-paced adventure. Darleen thought she was only pretending to be Daring, but in the end, her unique skills saved everyone. I liked how there was a never-ending series of plot twists and discoveries that led to the eventual solution to the mystery. Although the ways of the 1900s were a bit different than now, Anne Nesbet still found strategies to make the story relatable and understandable. I would recommend this book to grades 4-8.

 By Piranha T.

Sixth grade is only just over, but Virgil Salinas already regrets the rest of middle school. This is the day he believes he’s officially a Grand Failure. The quietest kid in a seemingly flawless family, he’s always felt different. His only sources of comfort are his grandmother Lola, who loves to tell him the stories from the Philippines which she heard growing up, and Gulliver, his pet guinea pig. But when Virgil and Gulliver end up in danger, and no one knows where they are, everything changes.

Valencia, a girl who’s deaf who Virgil has always admired for her courage and daring.

Kaori, a self-proclaimed psychic who believes she’s a reincarnated freedom fighter from Bangladesh.

Chet, a school bully who pulls the trick which gets Virgil in trouble in the first place.
They’re four middle school misfits, who barely even know each other. But when their paths collide in what might just be fate, their lives are changed forever.
​
Hello, Universe was sometimes funny, sometimes thought-provoking, but always with themes of friendship and acceptance. With chapters narrated by Virgil, Valencia, Kaori and Chet, by the end of the book, I felt like I knew each of them in a really personal way. This is a book you read less for the plot, although it was quite engaging, and more for the interesting, relatable characters, who truly formed the heart of this story. Hello, Universe won the Newbery Medal, and I’m not surprised; it is a truly excellent book. I recommend Hello, Universe to readers ages ten and up. 

By Super Kitty

As one of the Nameless, Coin has one goal in life: to survive. In the city of Seriden, citizens are divided into three distinct classes (one royal, one working-class, and the Nameless), and the Nameless are at the bottom of the hierarchy, often living on the streets and stealing to support themselves. They aren’t even granted official names, instead choosing words which they think fit them. Coin is unusually talented at cons and pickpocketing, and like many Nameless, she uses her talents to get by.

When the old king of Seriden dies and his heir doesn’t immediately come forward, the city goes into an uproar. At first, Coin isn’t concerned—after all, since they’re not official citizens, a Nameless could never inherit the throne. That’s when she discovers the black crown tattoo that has appeared on her arm. The tattoo passed down to each ruler of Seriden.

It’s impossible, but before she knows it, Coin has been pulled into the complicated political world of the Royals, calling her past and identity as Nameless into question. She has six weeks before the Assassin’s Festival, where she will be expected to pass the tattoo to someone deemed more suitable for the role of queen. But danger is closing in around Seriden—Nameless are disappearing, Royals are feuding, and an enemy is closer anyone expects. And Coin might be the only person able to stop it.  

All eyes are on Coin as she navigates the six weeks leading to the Assassin’s Festival—the impossible, rising, Nameless queen.

Action-packed, original, and highly entertaining, Nameless Queen kept me guessing until the final page. Coin is a brilliant protagonist—a skilled fighter, quick thinker, and loyal friend, always full of clever quips—and the quirky cast of supporting characters balance her excellently. I also enjoyed the vivid worldbuilding and culture, and how although the story was often dark, it’s also—thanks to Coin’s hilarious sense of humor—really funny. Overall, I would highly recommend Nameless Queen to fantasy lovers ages 12 and up.

By Piranha T.

For generations, Aileen’s ancestors have been the Wise Women of Skarr. She’s always expected she’ll become one too, and follow in the footsteps of her Aunt Beck, but instead, she fails her initiation. And before she has a chance to try again, she and Aunt Beck are summoned by Skarr’s king to embark on a dangerous mission.

For years, a barrier has stood between the three Islands of Chaldea and the neighboring island of Logra, blocking trade and travel alike. But there is a rumor that, if the barrier can be breached by someone from each island, it will be broken.

Aileen and Aunt Beck set off through the Islands of Chaldea to attempt just that. Along the way, they are joined by, among others, a mysterious cat with strange powers, a reluctant Prince of Skarr, and a determined inventor who believes there is indeed a way to cross the barrier. But something much darker is brewing in the Islands and Logra alike. Will Aileen be able to uncover the barrier’s secrets—and understand her own powers—in time?

I first read The Islands of Chaldea several years ago, and when I reread it, I discovered it is every bit as good as I remembered. Aileen is a capable, smart, and brave heroine, and the other characters are amusing and unique. The Islands of Chaldea is the kind of high fantasy novel I love, with whimsical magic and multilayered settings. I’d highly recommend The Islands of Chaldea to fantasy lovers ages nine and up.

​Note: Diana Wynne Jones is the author of many acclaimed fantasy novels, including Howl’s Moving Castle, which I also recommend if you enjoy this book.

By Piranha T.

This year, Emma’s first day of school is different. It isn’t because it’s fifth grade, or it’s a new school. It’s because she hasn’t gone to public school before in her life. Ever.

​She and her older brother Owen have always been homeschooled. But last year, Owen gave public school a try, and now, Emma’s doing it too. She’s looking forward to everything, but most of all, she wants to make a best friend.

The night before school starts, Emma and her dad rescue a honey-colored rabbit caught in a fence. Emma knows they can only keep him until they learn who the real owners are, but she names him anyway—Lapi. Buy the next day, she can’t imagine ever letting him go.

Then school starts, and it’s harder than Emma expected. Everything is so new to her that she can’t keep track of it all. She has a hard time meeting people. At last, she devises a way that Lapi can help her make friends. But will even he be taken from her?

In her author’s note, Cynthia Lord explains that her daughter went from school to homeschooling, and much of her experiences were part of what shaped Because of the Rabbit. I’m not surprised. This book held a vivid, realistic portrayal of what it would be like to go to school for the first time. It was sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, sometimes sad, but felt completely real. Emma is a great main character who I really like. I highly recommend Because of the Rabbit to readers ages eight and up. 

By Super Kitty

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. She knows from Mother Nine’s countless tales what happens to girls with singing throats—they get swallowed by the sea. But she can never bring herself to be completely silent.

When Delphernia is chosen by a Master to leave the cloister, it seems that her dreams have come true. And sure enough, she meets friends and allies, including a girl who makes forbidden music and a boy who carves birds out of stone. But there are also shadows in the city, from the Custodian of Blightsend, who wears silence like a cloak, to the Childer-Queen, who knows far too many of Delphernia’s secrets. Delphernia has been taught to stay quiet and submissive, but since she left the cloister, she’s learned to hope, to trust, and a spark of courage has begun to grow within her. In order to save her friends—and her city—change will have to come. And Delphernia is no stranger to speaking up when no one else will.

After all, secrets can’t fight cruelty. And silence can’t bring freedom.

​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. The other characters are wonderful as well, making the cast irresistible. The story is fairly straightforward, but intricately detailed, and will enchant older readers as well as younger ones—I would highly recommend it to readers ages nine and up.

Note: Check out our interview with Hayley Chewins, author of The Turnaway Girls, here! 

By Piranha T.

For twelve-year-old Milo Pine, winter vacation is a time to relax. His adoptive parents run Greenglass House, a smuggler’s inn, but no one ever stays there during the winter. But then guests begin appearing at the front door, and before long, Greenglass House is full of mysterious lodgers, all of whom seem to have their own reason for being there. And none of whom seem the least bit ordinary.

A perplexing map. A potential thief. Missing belongings. As the snow piles up outside and the mysteries deepen, Milo teams up with the cook’s daughter, Meddy, to uncover the secrets of the strange guests, the stories they tell, and the one thing they all seem to have in common: Greenglass House itself.

Greenglass House was a brilliant mystery with complex characters and multilayered histories. Milo and Meddy were awesome protagonists, and the puzzles they were solving kept me turning the pages until the very end. The entire cast was exceptionally quirky and enigmatic, in a way which reminded me of Nooks and Crannies, The Mysterious Benedict Society, or The Westing Game. Additionally, this mystery was unusual because it had hints of magic while still being set in this world, a combination I only remember reading in Knightly and Son, and was extremely well-done. I would highly recommend Greenglass House to lovers of brilliant plot twists and unusual characters ages ten and up.

Note: If you like Greenglass House, Kate Milford has written several sequels and companion books, many of which I’ve read and loved! 

By Piranha T.

Eleven-year-old Trinket’s father was a teller and a bard. He would tell stories for a living, traveling the countryside, but he would always return to Trinket and her mother, and their house by the sea. But for five years, he hasn’t returned. And Trinket is determined to find him.

With the help of Thomas the Pig Boy and a map which her father left when he disappeared, Trinket travels across the countryside, finding the seven stories she needs to become a true bard herself. She tangles with Gypsies and a seer girl, helps rescue a child stolen by selkies, aids a skilled young dancer bargain with faeries, and has many other adventures besides. But as her search turns up no trace of her father, she begins to wonder if she’ll ever find a trace of him—until she hears a story which changes everything she believed.

​The Seven Tales of Trinket was a fairytale-like tale of a girl searching for her father intertwined with Gaelic folklore. Shelley Moore Thomas creates a vivid world of magic in the stories Trinket finds, from faeries to banshees to selkies and more, very much in the flavor of the Celtic myths much of the story was drawn from. I loved the stories and adventures Trinket had, which were vivid and multilayered, all standing easily alone but intertwined into her adventure in different ways. I would recommend this to readers nine and up, especially those who love folklore or The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander, or anyone who loves a lyrical, enchanting stories of family, quests and adventure.

By Super Kitty
 
Seventh-grader Isabelle Perez and her older brother Julian love spending hours together, playing maracas or working on her wind-harnessing project for the school science fair. Sure, Julian (who has an extreme type of epilepsy) might not be able to do all the things which other kids can, but he’s still the best brother ever. When one morning Julian has an enormous seizure and is rushed to the hospital, Isabelle is afraid that he’ll never be the same.

The night that Julian comes back from the hospital, he and Isabelle are transported to Las Brisas, a magical place where Julian doesn’t have epilepsy. Every night after that, the two of them go to Las Brisas, where Julian can talk, run, swim, and more. As Isabelle gets to know him in a whole new way, she begins to truly understand his struggles at home—and his incredible hope, determination, and love for her and her parents.  

Back in the real world, Julian is slowly adjusting to his new seizure medicine, and seems more and more distant. Isabelle’s parents are struggling to figure out what’s best for him, and Isabelle wonders if things will ever go back to the way they used to be. In the midst of seemingly endless worries, Isabelle will need all of the courage which Julian gives her to find her voice—and help Julian discover his, too.

I had gotten multiple recommendations to read What the Wind Can Tell You, and I’m really glad I did. Isabelle’s journey explores what it’s like to have a disability, the struggles of growing up, and what it means to be a family. Isabelle and Julian are both strong protagonists and relatable siblings, and I loved their relationship. The story is relatively simple, yet beautifully told, and I wholeheartedly enjoyed it—it’s an excellent pick for book groups and discussions, or for any readers ages 9+ looking for an inspiring, moving, lyrical story.

Note: Click here to read our interview with Sarah Marie A. Jette, author of What the Wind Can Tell You​! 

By Super Kitty

Hoping,
I’m starting to think,
might be the bravest thing a person can do. 
                                  - Excerpt from Other Words for Home


Before the protests began, Jude lived with her family in Syria. She watched old American movies with her  best friend and walked on the beach with her older brother. She dreamed of being an actress like the ones in her favorite movies. That was before.

As tensions rise in Jude’s home city, 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.

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, 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 countless book characters in different ways over the years, but Jude touched me more deeply than any have in a long time. 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.

Although it’s a middle grade book, Other Words for Home can easily be enjoyed by readers of all ages—it’s also great for discussions or book groups. I would highly recommend it to readers ages 10+ looking for a story brimming with strength, courage, and hope for a better future.

By Piranha T.

When seventh grader Nora Tucker’s school announces this year’s summer homework—a contribution to a town-wide time capsule—she doubts anything worth writing about will happen. Wolf Creek may be home to a secure correctional facility, but the most interesting things which happen are cookouts and carnivals.

But when two prisoners break out of the Wolf Creek Correctional Facility, Nora’s life becomes much more tense. Suddenly, her mom doesn’t let her go outside, police are pouring into town, and her little brother has her check for inmates under his bed.

She also meets Elidee Jones, an African American girl from New York City whose brother is in the prison. And as the search continues and tension runs higher, Nora begins to realize that no matter how welcoming Wolf Creek believes itself to be, it’s still prejudiced—both inside the correctional facility and out.

Breakout was an unusual book which confronted issues of criminal justice and racial prejudice in a way which felt completely natural and was very well done. Kate Messner narrated it in a series of documents submitted by Nora to the time capsule project, mainly by Nora, her best friend Lizzie, and Elidee. This gave the book an unusual feel and depth, and uniqueness, too—there are few books effectively told completely in documents! But instead of becoming dry, it was a really engaging format.

​This book was recommended to me, and if it hadn’t been, I don’t know if I would have read it; however, I’m glad it was. Breakout was an interesting book which covered a lot of issues which I don’t often see in middle-grade books. For anyone who remotely likes realistic fiction, this is a book which is good to read. I would highly recommend Breakout to readers ages ten and up.

Note: Check out our interview with Breakout's author, Kate Messner! 

By Piranha T.

Francie knows there are other worlds besides the one she’s grown up in. Like the big city over the river, where children don’t have to scavenge the streets to find trash to sell to the local junkman, and people have enough to eat. But what would it even be like to live there? All she’s ever known is life on the streets, where her hardworking mother can barely make enough to support her family: Francie, her mother, her younger brother Neely, and their occasionally working father, widely acknowledged as an alcoholic. The world beyond the ragged streets of Brooklyn is unreachable to Francie and the others who live in New York’s slums.

Francie dreams of visiting the city, although she knows it is impossible. There is little hope of leaving Brooklyn, even as her family gathers pennies in a milk can, imagining gathering a whole fifty dollars to buy their own land. She has a hard life, but she accepts it. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is the story of how she grows up, overcoming hardships, finding work, learning the ways of that world and the one outside Brooklyn, too.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a partially autobiographical account of the author’s life in Brooklyn, New York just after the turn of the twentieth century. It is an amazing, compelling, and beautiful story. I don’t often prefer historical fiction, but this book was unusual; instead of focusing on the times themselves, it highlighted what happened in them. Although outside events were mentioned, this is a personal story, one of the rare books which makes you feel like the character and live her world as she would have a hundred years ago. Francie is a strong and sympathetic protagonist. This book makes you not just love it, but feel it, too. It is one of those classics which has stood the test of time, remaining accessible and real to the modern reader. I would highly recommend A Tree Grows in Brooklyn to readers ages eleven and up.