​By Piranha T. 

Eighth grader Nicki Ames knows that Ava is her best friend. That's how it's been since third grade: Nicki and Ava sleeping over at each other's houses, partnering up in classes, and hanging out after school. When their gym teacher tells everyone to pair up with their best friend, Nicki doesn't have to consider. 

Only Ava walks over to Britney--one of the popular girls--instead. 

Maybe Nicki's been abandoned in front of her whole class. Or maybe Ava is just branching out, right? Maybe Nicki is reading into it too much. Ava will just explain everything soon, and the world will be normal again. 

But she doesn't, and it isn't. Ava barely talks to Nicki, leaving her confused and unsure. If Ava is being a bad best friend, does that mean Nicki should just wait for her to come around? Or is this her opportunity to strike out on her own? 

Bad Best Friend is one of the most realistic, relatable novels I've read in a long time. Everything from conversations to characters to events feels spot-on and complicated in all the right ways. Nicki's struggle to decide who she is beyond Ava--and whether she wants to find out--never felt forced, and I like her as a character for her many layers and feelings which often conflicted with one another. Her family dynamic was also extremely well-drawn. I highly recommend Bad Best Friend to readers ages ten and up looking for an incredibly authentic and engrossing realistic fiction novel. 

By SK

​Former best friends Cora Hamed and Quinn McCauley haven't talked in almost a year. That's how long it has been since Cora's older sister Mabel was killed in a school shooting, a tragedy made even worse by the fact that the shooter was Quinn's older brother. 

What sort of traitorous sister would talk to Quinn after that? Cora ignores Quinn completely, throwing herself into school and Quiz Bowl practice--and trying not to think about Mabel's lip gloss and stuffed animals in their shared bedroom which she can't bring herself to pack up. 

No one at school talks to Quinn, and no one in Quinn's family talks about what Parker did. Her mom blames her dad for owning guns in the first place, her dad blames the terrible things Parker read online, and secretly, Quinn is certain that it was her all own fault for not preventing the shooting when she had the chance. It's been almost a year since it happened, and when she thinks of her brother, Quinn is still torn between horror and fury and treacherous threads of love for the boy Parker used to be. 

But soon, none of that will matter. Because Quinn has a plan to fix everything. The only problem is that she needs help from someone else to execute it, someone she trusts who is smart and imaginative and would understand just how important this is. And there's only one person who fits that description.

Cora is a very smart, very logical person who is very sure that she will never be friends with Quinn ever again, and at first she ignores Quinn's attempts to reach out. Besides--time travel? Changing the past to fix the future? It seems impossible--but maybe only the impossible can make things right. And working with Quinn on her plan isn't betraying Mabel, since they're trying to save her, right?

As Cora and Quinn brainstorm, research, and experiment, flickers of their old friendship begin to resurface, and their growing closeness seems like less and less of a problem--after all, soon enough they'll have fixed the past, and there'll be no reason for them not be be best friends anymore. But wormholes are considerably harder to come by than they expected, as is overcoming the grief, anger, and blame which is still between them.  

Time travel itself might not fix everything. But trying to figure it out might just be the key to finally beginning to heal. 

The Shape of Thunder both exceeded my high expectations, and was completely different from what I was expecting, and its exploration of loss, friendship, grief, and healing is original, timely, and ultimately hopeful. The plot is relatively straightforward, yet the story has striking depth, and is written with compassion, eloquence, and a laudable willingness to explore complexity. I really loved Cora and Quinn, each of whom are flawed and struggling, but also full of love, loyalty, and determination, and are distinct both from each other and from the protagonists in the many other books I've read. The supporting characters are also excellent, and Mabel and Parker (or rather, the other characters' memories of them) are particularly skillfully portrayed and interestingly layered. The Shape of Thunder is an excellent selection for book groups or discussion, and the Author's Note includes resources for how to get involved in ending gun violence. A heartbreaking, beautiful story about friendship, tragedy, the love which can tear us apart, and the love which puts us back together again, I would highly recommend The Shape of Thunder to readers ages ten and up. 

Note: Jasmine Warga is also the author of Other Words for Home. 

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.
 
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 SK

When twelve-year-old Reena's family decides to move from the city to coastal Maine, Reena imagines lupines and lobsters and beautiful rocky coastlines. She is definitely not anticipating her and her younger brother Luke being enlisted by a prickly, reclusive neighbor to help her take care of her animals, particularly an ornery cow named Zora. But like it or not, that's exactly what happens.

Maine is lovely, just like Reena had imagined. But cows? Not so much. Zora is irascible, stinky, and stubborn--not to mention ENORMOUS--and is as, er, uninterested in getting to know Reena as Reena is in taking care of her. But there's more to "that cow" than meets the eye, and with the help of two kids from a local farm, Reena and Luke slowly begin to feel a sense of belonging--with Zora, with Mrs. Falala, and with their new home.

Written in an engaging combination of free verse and prose, Moo is a warm, satisfying story about siblings, friendship, and the magic that can happen when you step out of your comfort zone. The writing is spare, but each character is deftly created and irresistible--including the cows! Like Reena, Creech lives in Maine, a fact that's made clear from her evocative descriptions of Reena's town and local county fairs, and while the basic plot isn't one I've never seen before, her distinctive storytelling makes the story fresh and amusing. Hopeful and heartwarming, I would highly recommend Moo to readers ages eight and up.  

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 SK

When eleven-year-old Viji runs away from home with her twelve-year-old sister, Rukku, she hopes to find a better life in the city, and maybe even the chance to someday fulfill her dream of becoming a teacher. But the city is nothing like she expected, filled with a flood of noise and trash and movement--and very few opportunities for two inexperienced girls who are suddenly on their own. And she has to be careful to keep Rukku away from anyone who might try to put her in a "mental institution," a possibility which she has always feared. The reality of surviving on the streets seems grim, to say the least.

But then the sisters meet Arul and Muthi, two boys who are also homeless, and are introduced to a new world--one of struggling to find food, and gathering trash to sell from Himalayas of garbage, yes, but also of sleeping on an old bridge above a glittering river at night, not being ordered around by anyone, and forming a bond which quickly becomes unbreakable. With every day she lives on the streets, Viji feels her dreams of being a teacher, and of ever finding a better life, drifting farther and farther from reach. But with Rukku, Arul, and Muthi by her side, life's obstacles seem more like adventures than problems, and she and Rukku are the happiest they've ever been--until everything they've worked so hard to build begins to come apart. 

The Bridge Home is rich with compassion, hope, and humanity. The irresistible characters aren't deeply complex, yet are filled with life and energy and motion; Viji is strong, determined, and fiercely loyal, and Rukku is incredibly lovable, kind, and far more talented than most people bother to find out. I was struck by how despite frequently facing dire circumstances, the protagonists still manage to have fun and be silly, ordinary kids. Their moments of triumph and true happiness make their heartbreaking ones even more wrenching (I cried quite a bit!), and the story gives a glimpse into the lives of millions of children whose stories aren't often told. In the author's note, Venkatraman notes that The Bridge Home is based on real stories she gathered from a variety of interviews and conversations, which I wasn't surprised to learn, given how deftly she brings the story to life. A piercing, beautiful story of survival, loss, friendship and sisterhood, I would highly recommend The Bridge Home to readers ages ten and up. 

By Piranha T.
 
The Florida town of Sabal Palms is known for few things. Mostly, it’s famous for being home to the rich DiSanti family, who made their fortune from oranges, and the Floras, an uptight club dedicated to helping the community.

Lane DiSanti isn’t interested in the Floras or her family, after being sent to her Florida grandmother while her parents file for a divorce. But she doesn’t want to spend the summer with only the peacocks near her house for company, either.

Ofelia Castillo’s school friends are all gone on vacations, and so she’s left with the prospect of going with her mom to work at the opulent DiSanti mansion. Only one thing keeps her going: a journalism contest which she’s determined to win—if she can just get her overprotective parents to sign the permission form.

Aster Douglas has always been homeschooled by her grandfather; she enjoys baking and frequent trips to the library. But this coming fall, she’ll go to public school for the first time, and she’s certain that she’ll be the only kid in the seventh grade who doesn’t have any friends.

Cat Garcia might belong to the Floras, but she wants no part in the organization; she’d much rather birdwatch and research the Migratory Bird Treaty Act than sell cookies to her neighbors. After she unofficially ditches the Floras, she has to find a way to keep her parents from knowing—and to get rid of the Floras hat, a symbol of the club which is adorned with feathers of endangered species.

When these four outsiders are brought together in an unused treehouse, they form a fast friendship over apricot ladyfingers, the correct terms for peafowl, and superstitions about minerals. Lane, Ofelia, Aster and Cat may not appear to have much in common, but when they begin a shared mission which they’re determined to complete, these four strange birds might just have found a place where they belong.

​Strange Birds: A Field Guide to Ruffling Feathers was well-written, engaging, and hilarious. Lane, Ofelia, Aster and Cat, all of whom narrated chapters, were all excellent and distinct. At first, it was a little hard to keep track of them, but it became clear before long. This book felt very authentic, even surrounding the harder parts of each character’s life, which I appreciated. I especially loved the themes of bird protection and civil disobedience; although you can read this seeing those deeper meanings, it’s also good for those who just want a lighthearted, fast-paced novel about summer and friendship. I highly recommend Strange Birds to readers ages ten and up. 

By Piranha T.

Why did Mrs. Olinski choose this particular sixth grade Academic Bowl team?

The question has been posed to Mrs. Olinski many times, and despite no dearth of good answers—their quickness to learn, their willingness to study, their ability to work together—none of them can quite explain how she decided to pair Noah Gershom, Nadia Diamondstein, Ethan Potter and Julian Singh. She doesn’t know herself.

But the lives of these four unlikely sixth graders began to collide long before Mrs. Olinski began preparing her team for the Academic Bowl, and these are the stories which unfold as overlapping flashbacks while they ascend through the ranks of the Academic Bowl championship.

​Noah accidentally becomes best man at a wedding. Nadia rescues sea turtles on a trip with her grandmother. Ethan takes a ride on the bus with someone he’s never met before, and Julian makes a choice backstage in the school auditorium. These are the tales which lead up to Mrs. Olinski’s decision: tales of their differences, their friendships, and the experiences they all have in common.

I first read The View from Saturday years ago, and rereading it, I’m not surprised it stayed with me. E. L. Konigsburg expertly crafts four intersecting stories, one for each character, which delve deeply into Noah, Nadia, Ethan, and Julian, so as a reader, you know each of them intimately. Although at first these stories seem unrelated, they pull together in a truly amazing way. I especially love the elements of the Academic Bowl—having participated in a similar competition, it felt extremely realistic to me. I highly recommend The View from Saturday to readers ages eight and up. 

By Super Kitty

Charlie Thorne knows over a dozen languages. She's an extraordinary coder and inventor. Her IQ is quite simply off the charts, and she might be the only person alive capable of uncovering an equation discovered and hidden by Einstein himself--one which has eluded every intelligence agency in the world for decades. But after a not-100%-legal use of her talents which left her a multi-millionaire, she has been using them only to stay undercover.

And oh, yeah--she's twelve years old.

Under normal circumstances, the CIA wouldn't so much as consider sending a headstrong twelve-year-old into the field (especially one with such a...questionable history). But Einstein's last equation--better known as Pandora's Box--is said to have improved upon E = MC^2 so ingeniously that anyone who had access to it could easily create nuclear power, and the CIA's leaders have reason to believe that a small terrorist organization called the Furies has figured out its location. And, well, desperate times call for (very) desperate measures.

Charlie has absolutely no intention of working with the CIA--in fact, she's put a great deal of energy into avoiding them for the last few years. Yet she can't resist her curiosity, and as she begins to unravel clues left by Einstein himself, she's pulled into a mission that will cross the globe, race the Furies, and shape the fate of the world as she knows it. (No pressure or anything....) But the equation means something different for everyone--from sustainable energy to nuclear bombs--and the closer she gets to finding Pandora's Box, the more Charlie realizes that trusting humanity with the box could be its undoing. 

Clever, funny, and engaging, Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation is a fun, fast read. Charlie is stubborn, witty, and highly amusing, and I like how she uses her abilities and knowledge creatively to succeed in seemingly impossible situations--her ability to "see the numbers" is useful not just for unraveling equations, but also for outwitting her enemies and carefully calculated skateboard getaways. While most of the characters are likable but fairly straightforward, I really liked how each one has a logical goal and perspective which, instead of leading to a "good guys vs. bad guys" climax, results in a web of conflicting motivations, strategies, and factions that make the story highly entertaining, particularly the ending. I also liked the villains--most authors would have made the Furies into a brilliant underground network of evil which spanned the globe, but Gibbs instead made them simply a handful of average people, yet ones brimming with racism and blinding hatred. They aren't geniuses, but they don't need to be to be seriously dangerous and concern the CIA, which made them much more believable and interesting--I enjoyed seeing Charlie face off with them! I would recommend Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation to readers ages ten and up who enjoy complex clues, historical and scientific tidbits, and action-filled adventures. 

Note: Check out our interview with Stuart Gibbs, author of Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation! 

By Super Kitty

Bett Devlin: 12yo. Loves animals + being outside + adventures. Is a daredevil + proud of it. Lives in California with her dad near the ocean (which is AWESOME, by the way!!)

Avery Bloom: Twelve years old. Enjoys reading, writing, and learning medical facts. Has some "excessive worries" which really aren't that unreasonable and include drowning, getting a disease, and the fire hazard posed by paper lampshades which are too close to the light bulb. Lives in New York City with her papa. 

Both Bett and Avery are quite happy with their lives just the way they are. So when they find out their dads are dating, they're both horrified--both are just fine with staying the center of their dads' lives, thank you very much. But their dads have other (inexplicable) plans, and send them both to a camp in Michigan called CIGI ("Challenge Influence Guide Inspire") while they go on a trip to China to get to know each other better. (Yup, you read that right: CHINA.) They think it'll be a wonderful way for Bett and Avery to get to know each other and become friends--in fact, they might soon become family. 

In other words, things are getting desperate. 

Bett and Avery might seem like opposites, but they do have one very important thing in common: neither has ANY intention of becoming friends (and DEFINITELY not sisters). United by a shared determination to never see each other again, they plot ways to get their dads to break up and forget about each other. But things quickly get far more complicated than they were expecting, and they realize they'll need some very clever plots indeed to get everything to work out the way they want them to....

When I started the first few pages of To Night Owl From Dogfish, I was immediately hooked, but was expecting a light, fast read about two girls who are determined to hate each other, yet, over the course of one fateful summer, become best friends--a fun plotline, but not a particularly new one. However, that's only the very beginning--it's a delight to see the layers and twists unfold, so I haven't gone into more detail in my review, but suffice to say that every time a plotline began to feel like something I'd seen before, a twist (often a hilarious new take on an old cliché) would take the story in a new, unexpected direction, with surprises and mishaps until the very end. The authors manage to combine a handful of classic themes into a story that is both original and comforting, with two quirky, refreshing main characters (Bett and Avery sometimes remind me of Aru and Mini from Aru Shah and the End of Time) who feel like real twelve-year-olds--stubborn, passionate, flawed, caring, and (eventually) inseparable. Although Bett and Avery aren't biological sisters, I've categorized this book under the "Sisters" category on the blog, a decision which I firmly stand by (read it and you'll understand!)

The whole cast is deftly drawn and appealing, and it's a joy to watch as the characters overlap, argue, plot, and connect to form a quirky, sprawling family that none of them were expecting. The story is written through emails, and while I don't always enjoy epistolary stories, this one was cleverly done and highly engaging, and added an extra layer of uniqueness. Ultimately, To Night Owl From Dogfish is an ode to big, messy, wonderful families--biological and not--and I would highly recommend this fresh, winsome, and highly amusing tale to readers ages nine and up. 

 By Piranha T.

There are plenty of ways that Zenobia July is different from her fellow students when she starts Monarch Middle School. Her skills at tech, for example, developed over long days sitting at home when her father wouldn’t let her leave the house. The fact that she’s not living with her parents but with her two eccentric aunts. Or that although Zen was born a boy, in her new home in Maine, she’s been able to transition publicly to the girl she’s always been inside. Despite all the hardships she’s faced, though, Zen finds new challenges in middle school—girls who make fun of her, a boy who despises her for her skill at technology, and the constant fear that someone will learn she’s transgender. The only comforts lie in Arli, a self-proclaimed word geek, and the familiar riddles of Cyberlandium.

Then the school website is hacked, and it changes everything. Because although Zen knows she can find who did it, she’s also aware that success may not make her popular with her classmates. And as she delves deeper into the mystery, it makes her question the place she’s started to find for herself at Monarch Middle School.

It’s a multilayered puzzle which requires both cyber skills and determination. And Zenobia July may be the only one who can stop it before the hacker strikes again.

Zenobia July is an amazing book, one I’m so glad I’ve read. It’s the tale of a transgender girl figuring out who she is and navigating an unfamiliar world, but it’s also a cyber mystery with a strong friendship storyline. Lisa Bunker creates a many-layered, real story with an interesting, engaging plot. Her characters were well-drawn and unique, and every part of the story felt natural and smooth. To readers ages ten and up who like mysteries or books with diverse protagonists, I highly recommend Zenobia July.

By Super Kitty

Twelve-year-old Charlie has grown up hearing stories of her relatives who were killed in the Holocaust, especially her grandmother's sister Charlotte. So when her history teacher assigns a family history project, she knows just who she wants to research--Charlotte, better known as Lottie, who was an extraordinary violinist and played for the Vienna Philharmonic in her teens. It's not just because she's Charlie's namesake, or their shared love of violin. It's because she disappeared, and though her family tells her that she was almost certainly lost in the Holocaust, Charlie wants to find out what really happened.

As she digs deeper, Charlie begins to piece together more of Lottie's life, and learns more about her family--both those she's researching and the ones she lives with. But her discoveries only lead to more questions, and she begins to wonder: Was Lottie really killed? Or could she still be alive? 

And is there really any way, over sixty years later and an ocean away, to find the truth? 

I've read many books about the Holocaust, but this was the first which explored its effects on the second and third generations of families, and although the story is relatively straightforward, as an older reader I also really also enjoyed it. Charlie is an immensely likable protagonist, and I loved how the mystery of Lottie's story unfolded, and the combination of historical and contemporary plot threads. The ending was particularly well done--although it's a happy ending, it also felt believable, and I liked her balance between connections and open-endedness. I would recommend Searching for Lottie to readers ages eight and up looking for a warm, engaging, and satisfying story about family connections and keeping memories of loved ones bright.

By Piranha T.

Back home in Kansas, everyone was used to the fact that Aven Green doesn’t have any arms. She was born like that, and even though it’s never stood in her way—her adoptive parents have always helped her figure things out on her own—she’s always been different in the eyes of other kids.

So when her parents take a job managing a decrepit cowboy-themed park in Arizona, Aven isn’t surprised when her armlessness is the first thing everyone sees in her. Still, she finds a friend in Connor, a boy who’s as isolated as she is, and together, they begin to uncover an unexpected mystery in Aven’s new home—one which seems suspiciously connected to herself.

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus is a funny, eye-opening, entertaining book. Author Dusti Bowling seamlessly tackles difficult themes of disabilities and exclusiveness while simultaneously crafting a hilarious story about friendship, mystery, and change. Aven is a funny and relatable main character who truly carried this book. Unlike many other thought-provoking novels, it didn’t feel like Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus was about Aven not having arms. Instead, this was simply one part of it, a section of Aven’s life which was a part of the story without taking it over, which was extremely well done. Overall, I would recommend Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus to readers ages nine and up, whether you’re looking for a thought-provoking read or simply a relatable realistic fiction book. 

By Super Kitty

Seventh grader Castle Crenshaw, aka Ghost, can run. For him, sprinting isn't something he's trained for, it's just something he can do--something he's had to do. Because he's not one of those rich kids he sees practicing on the local track after school. And his earliest memory of sprinting as a gun went off isn't from a race. 

Ever since his dad chased Ghost and his mom from their apartment years ago, pointing a gun straight at them, something in Ghost changed. Not something obvious. More like a scream that's caught inside him, anger and fire that can spring to the surface at a moment's notice.

When he gets recruited for the Defenders, one of the best track teams in the city, the whole thing feels like some scene from a sports movie. Ghost can run, yeah, but that doesn't mean he wants to spend hours training with a bunch of kids he's never met--kids whose clothes and shoes and just about everything make it clear that they'll never be friends. But (somehow) his mom agrees to let him join, and before Ghost knows what's happened, Coach has promised he won't get into any trouble at school if he wants to stay on the team. 

Here's the thing: Ghost tries. He really does. But when kids like Brandon Simmons, the biggest bully in his class, start mouthing off at him, sometimes he just loses it. How's he supposed to be the bigger person--stay calm--and still stand up for himself, anyway? 

As Ghost attempts to stay cool at school and figure out the new track team, he starts to get to know the other newbies, who have more in common with him than he thinks.   

But as pressure rises from all sides, each mistake has bigger consequences, and he wonders how far he'll go to fit in. 

Maybe he needs to come to peace with his past before he can tackle his dreams for the future. 

I've heard a lot about the Track series, but I only read Ghost recently--I've never done track, and I thought it would be one of those books which is centered purely on a sport, which I don't usually enjoy. After reading several of Jason Reynolds' other books and loving them, though, I decided to give them a try, and (of course) I was completely blown away. Reynolds has that rare ability to truly capture the voice of a middle schooler, and reading each book in the Track series is like having a conversation with a friend--or seeing yourself. Track plays an important role in each book, but that's certainly not all they're about; school, friendships, and finding yourself are all major components as well, just to name a few. There's a perfect balance between depth and humor, and I love the way that the "newbies"--Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu--connect over the course of the series. An outstanding series, which I would highly recommend to readers ages ten and up--each book is about a different newbie, and they're each distinct and different, yet all are amazing.