By Ella

Everyone seems to have their own opinion on Marlene’s frizzy hair. For Marlene’s mother, it’s that curly hair should be straightened every week at the salon, yanked and prodded by a much-hated stylist. To her family, it’s only remotely manageable and presentable when it’s styled her mother’s way, but even then, it’ll never live up to her cousin’s Diana’s gorgeous, flowing, straight golden locks. And for Marlene’s classmates? Her hair is just something else to make fun of her for.

Marlene just wishes that she didn’t always have to be so careful to keep her hair tame like the whole world seems to want her to—no running, no dancing, and definitely not any attempts to style it her own way. But with the help of her best friend Camilla and her beloved tía Ruby, Marlene begins to realize that her hair is most beautiful when she wears it the way she wants to—and that maybe she can show everyone else just how lovely it can be, too.

​Frizzy is absolutely wonderful. The sweet, pithy writing of Claribel A. Ortega (also the author of Witchlings) blends with Rose Bousamra’s beautiful, evocative illustrations to create a moving, lovely graphic novel about the prejudices of those around us and the capacity of each of us to be beautiful. Quirky and relatable, I couldn’t help but read Frizzy in one sitting—I was pulled into Marlene’s story from the first page thanks to her struggles with self-identity and how others perceive her, universal questions that gave the book such depth. Perhaps best of all was the realism of Marlene’s interactions with other characters, particularly her family; ranging from awful to heartwarming, they truly brought the story alive with dimensionality and authenticity. I highly recommend Frizzy to readers ages eight and up, particularly more reluctant readers or those looking for an affirming, realistic story. 

By Ella

Ellen likes everything to be organized and planned out ahead. And thanks to her parents and her best friend, Laurel, that’s never been a problem, just like it’s never been a big deal that she likes girls and is autistic. But lately, Laurel has been spending less and less time with her, and Ellen isn’t sure what to do. The class trip to Barcelona seems like the perfect time to reconnect with her best friend.

But Ellen’s careful plans go awry almost immediately. Laurel hangs out with her new friends instead of Ellen, and even though she invites her to hang out, Ellen feels out of place with the other girls. A new nonbinary classmate who Ellen can’t help but like leaves her questioning the categories she’s always used to think about the world. And on top of it all, the trip’s schedule turns out completely differently than Ellen expected when they get separated into teams to go on a treasure hunt across Barcelona—and Laurel isn’t on Ellen’s team.

This summer won’t be anything like Ellen expected, but maybe she’ll be able to find somewhere new she belongs—and discover a few things about herself, too.

​Thoughtful, sensitive, and engrossing, I loved Ellen Outside the Lines. A. J. Sass’s debut, Ana on the Edge, was one of my absolute favorites last year, and Ellen Outside the Lines fully lived up to the expectations that book set. Ellen was an awesome protagonist—her voice was so strong throughout the novel, and her questions and struggles felt utterly familiar and sympathetic. I loved the setting, too, particularly as Ellen and her friends explored Barcelona; the vivid descriptions and sprinkling of Spanish and Catalan made me feel as though I was walking the streets right beside her. Sweet, relatable, and exciting, I highly recommend Ellen Outside the Lines to readers ages nine and up. 

By Ella

The snowstorm of a century has hit Atlanta. Every radio station and TV channel is advising everyone to stay home. But for Stevie, staying home is not ​an option--not when tonight is her last chance to apologize to her girlfriend, Sola, and show her how much she means to her. And she's not going to be able to pull off something this big on her own. 

Told through a set of overlapping, intertwining stories, Whiteout is the story of Stevie and her friends' attempt to reunite her and Sola in a way so big, so meaningful, that she won't be able to help but forgive her--and each of them falling in love along the way. 

​I don't usually read romance novels, but I love short stories, particularly intercon-nected ones, and so I couldn't resist Whiteout​! It didn't disappoint. With each chapter a mini-story centering around a different character's role in Stevie's grand plan (and each character written by a different one of the book's authors), every character's tale felt different and unique, offering a different angle and layer of storytelling which led to a book which felt well-rounded, unique, and satisfying. Although I liked all of the characters, Stevie was definitely a favorite, whose love of science, sometimes painful flaws, and determination helped make her a protagonist I was committed to seeing succeed. I recommend Whiteout to readers ages twelve and up who enjoy romance or interconnected short stories. 

​By Ella

It's been a long time since twelve-year-old Gabriela felt right in the world. Between not having any friends at school, their beloved single mom's depression, and Gabriela's increasing discomfort in their own body, life has just become harder lately. 

But when they meet Abbie and Héctor at the beginning of the new school year, who introduce them to the LGBTQ+ community for the first time, Gabriela begins to find the language to put to how they've always felt--and to understand who they really are. 

The One Who Loves You the Most is a warm, sweet novel that explores identity, friendship and family in a relatable, engaging way. I loved the characters of Gabriela, Abbie and Héctor--they all felt authentic and relatable, and their friendship forms the core of the story. I recommend The One Who Loves You the Most to readers ages ten and up who like realistic fiction with LGBTQ+ characters. 

By Ella

Note: For this review, I used pronouns consis-tent with Ana's perceived gender identity at the beginning of the book. 

Twelve-year-old Ana Jin might be last year's US Juvenile girl's figure skating champion, but that doesn't mean she likes the dresses most skaters are forced to wear during competitions. Far from it--and when Ana discovers that the program she's expected to perform at nationals this year is princess-themed, she can't figure out why it feels so wrong to her. Sure, Ana has never liked wearing dresses, but no one else at the rink seems to have a problem with it. Why should she?

But everything changes when Ana meets Hayden, a transgender boy who's just starting to learn how to skate. Especially when he mistakes her for a boy--and Ana doesn't correct him. Somehow, this feels way better than everyone just assuming she's a girl. But what does that even mean? 

As the nationals qualifier draws nearer, Ana must figure out who she really is--and decide whether the world knowing her identity is worth sacrificing years of training in an uncompromisingly gendered sport. 

​I can't believe it took me two years to read Ana on the Edge. Thoughtful, lovely, and utterly affirming, Ana's journey is both beautiful and fast-paced, and even if I had wanted to put it down (I didn't!), I don't think I could have managed to. I absolutely loved this book. From the first page, Sass waves together figure skating, friendship, family, change, and understanding one's own identity into a story so relatable and realistic that I feel as though I could meet Ana on the street. The characters are all layered and complex, and their interactions and conflicts were spot-on. I particularly loved Ana, whose gradual understanding of her nonbinary identity felt incredibly true, and whose questions, concerns, and feelings over the course of this story made me fall in love with her. The window on the world of ultra-competitive figure skating was also very interesting, and the nuance of Ana's worries about how her mom will pay for her increasingly expensive coaching made it feel both immediate and very real. This is one of the very best realistic fiction novels I've read in a long time. Heartwarming, authentic, and beautifully true, I highly recommend Ana on the Edge to readers ages ten and up, particularly those who love realistic fiction or are considering their own gender identity. 

By Lina

​When first year Malena Malavé Rosario is punished for not wearing a bra to school---an option a vicious sunburn rendered impossible---she's enraged, but feels helpless to protest. She's facing too much already: trying to build a new life with her mother, less than a month after Hurricane María ravaged her beloved island, and navigating a new school, all while worrying about her father, who's still in Puerto Rico, helping others rebuild. Besides, given the slights and stereotypes that she has already experienced, she's not sure anyone would listen to her.     

Senior Ruby McAlister is an outspoken feminist who has always wanted to make a difference---she's just never quite been sure how. And after years of being outshone by her older sister Olive (who has reached step five of her perfectly planned-out life: change the world) and being pressured by her overenthusiastic parents, she's not sure that she has what it takes. But when she stumbles upon a freshman getting targeted and body-shamed by the school administration thanks to the school's sexist dress code, she's determined to get involved. 

Malena is wary of Ruby's plan to protest the dress code at first---but she's also very, very tired of being seen as poor, helpless María Malena. And it's beginning to feel as though if she doesn't claim her voice now, it'll disappear forever. So she agrees. 

Malena and Ruby quickly strike up a friendship, and both are determined to stop the sexism and body-shaming the dress code enables. But pushing for change is complicated---especially in a system where some girls are treated differently than others. As their fledgling high school movement rapidly gains momentum, media coverage, and vicious backlash, they must examine their personal biases, privilege, and fears if their protests are to truly fight for justice. 

Few books present such a believable, empowering, multilayered tale of contemporary youth feminism, in all its messiness and complexity and passion and power, as Does My Body Offend You?, and it's a true joy to read a tightly-plotted, character-driven story that explores and celebrates it. It's refreshing to read a book about normal teens embracing feminism and fighting for change in their community, and even more so to read one which doesn't shy away from examining how race, economic status, and other factors influence the sexism they experience and fight---as well as how they themselves approach and understand it. Espousing support for intersectional feminism is one thing, but actually living it is often quite another, and Does My Body Offend You? does a truly excellent job of exploring how privilege infiltrates and influences work against misogyny, and promoting the importance of listening and allyship as an essential part of feminism. Malena and Ruby are both strong, compelling characters with distinct narrative voices and arcs, and I absolutely loved their friendship; the supporting cast is excellent as well (I want to be friends with so many of the characters!) The story is deftly woven and skillfully balanced between the two perspectives, making it a fast, highly engaging read. Ruby offhandedly complains about the irony of women policing other women's bodies as the beginning of the book---but it's far more complex than women simply enforcing sexism, a concept which the book explores beautifully without ever sounding preachy or contrived. Does My Body Offend You? delves into many key pieces of modern feminism in an insightful, accessible way, while never just feeling like a vehicle for explaining them---rather, it examines them through the lens how they intersect with the characters' lives. We need more books like it! An engrossing, nuanced, empowering story of activism, friendship, allyship, and finding your voice, I would highly recommend Does My Body Offend You? to readers ages twelve and up. 

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. 

By guest reviewer Jo March

​​No one new every comes to Fawn Creek, Louisiana. The same thirteen kids have been in the same class all the way through seventh grade. Twelve, now that the infamous Renni Dean has left. And now another change is on the horizon: Orchid Mason, the new girl.

Soon, everyone in school is talking about Orchid. Orchid wears a flower in her hair. Orchid has lived in New York, Paris, and Venice, places the kids from Fawn Creek could only dream of. Orchid goes to the woods every day after school. No one knows where she lives.

Nothing every changes in Fawn Creek. Will Orchid be the thing that breaks that spell?

This is definitely one of the books I'll remember reading this year. Erin Entrada Kelly paints a true picture of the humid, leafy Louisiana town, and creates a lovably flawed and complex cast of characters. This book is about a single event that will change their lives forever; and its ending is so sweet and ambiguous that you'll feel that whatever happens to the characters next, it will be something that they make for themselves. Definitely recommend to anyone ages 9-14 (and older!).

By Ella

​Ever since second grade, twelve-year-old Lilla and her best friends, Vivi and Knox, all wish on dandelions at the end of the school year--and whoever blows the hardest gets to declare a summer challenge for the others. Vivi and Knox are the only ones who are really competing, of course; where Vivi is determined and Knox is funny, Lilla is just quiet. She'd rather say nothing and make everyone happy than risk throwing herself out there. 

But when Vivi declares it the Summer of Brave, that's exactly what she wants Lilla to do. And this summer, there's a lot not to be brave about. 

There's her parents' divorce, of course, where they're intent on what they think is best for her rather than asking her what she really wants. And she can't help but lie about the prestigious high school they're already intent on getting her admitted to, because how can she tell them she doesn't want to go when they're so proud of her qualifying for an application? And then there's a catcalling college student who's a supervisor at her summer volunteer job, whose harassment everyone dismisses as no big deal. 

Lilla's sure that talking about these things will just make her life more difficult. But maybe telling the truth is what she needs most. 

Unflinching, realistic, and beautiful, Summer of Brave manages to say so much in a relatively short book, and I loved every word of it. Navigating friendships, feminism, academic pressure, divorce, girls in STEM, and so much more is tied together into a quiet, brave story which gains its power from both when Lilla speaks up and when she feels she must remain silent. Many books about being brave seem to present it from a single angle, which includes becoming constantly, effortlessly confident, but this book doesn't--Lilla remains quiet and shy while still becoming brave, a powerful and too-rare nuance which was part of why I loved her character so much. I also loved how Lilla feels the seemingly conflicting pressures to be 'girly' and smart/groundbreaking, and her struggle with what everyone seems to think is the 'right' way to be a girl. This story never feels preachy or contrived; instead, it paints a realistic portrait of the many layers of Lilla's life with compelling honesty. In addition to Lilla, the supporting characters, especially Vivi, Knox and Lilla's parents, were very realistic, and even when I didn't agree with them, I understood where they were coming from. I highly recommend Summer of Brave ​to readers ages ten and up, particularly those who enjoy thoughtful realistic fiction. ​

By Lina

​When thirteen-year-old Ava is surfing with her best friend Phoenix, nothing else matters. She can forget it all---her mother making her volunteer at the hospital she works at to gain experience in a career she doesn't want, the bullies at the beach who think a teenage Persian American doesn't belong on their shore, her father's mailed birthday present coming unsurprisingly late again, the nagging, neverending feeling that she doesn't belong. It all fades away, replaced by sparkling waves and the one person who makes her feel at home, who she can count on to trade mixtapes and surfing tips with, and who encourages her love of singing. Laughing with her friends on the beach, singing, Rumi's poems--they remind her that she, too, has a place in this world. 

When Phoenix's lymphoma resurfaces, Ava must draw on every bit of resilience and hope within her to help him fight for survival. It feels like everything is falling apart--but as she and Phoenix have always reminded each other, surfboards ready, poised for the next wave: if you don't take the drop, you miss the ride. 

Eloquent, heart-wrenching, and tender, Wave is a standout for several reasons. Firstly, Ava is a believable, multilayered protagonist; despite differing ages, decades, and interests, her insecurities and victories ring piercingly true to me as she grapples with the tension between her own vision for her life and future and those which others push her toward. The characters are deftly drawn and distinct, and the relationships between them truly make Wave shine; the connection Ava develops with an elderly, poetry-loving patient is particularly touching, while her bond with Phoenix centers and grounds the story---just as it does Ava herself. I've never surfed (personally, I think it sounds terrifying!), but Farid's exquisite free verse turns the ocean into a friend, a sparkling world so beautiful that I found myself rereading passages again and again, and feeling the sea to be a home, just as it is to Ava. And the story's moving, lyrical exploration of grief and healing mark it as a modern Bridge to Terabithia, one perfect for book groups and discussions. In a word: gorgeous. I would highly recommend Wave to readers ages eleven and up.

By Lina

Xiomara. 1. One who is ready for war. 2. The name her mother gives her when she bursts into the world fighting so hard she has the whole barrio praying for her to survive labor. She'll swear she thought it was a saint's name. Always take her daughter to the church she lives for, tell her constantly to listen, be good, build her a cloister of accusations and arguments and punishments. Her daughter will question the church, question the men who run it, question her mother's stinging authority. And she will never be enough. Instead, she will become a fifteen-year-old girl catcalled for her curves, known for her fists and ferocity, hiding her vulnerability, hiding her exhaustion, because no one, no one else is ever going to protect her from a world that thinks it owns her. 

X. What Xiomara's secret more-than-friend from bio class calls her, warming her every time he says it, a sweet secret warmth laced with the fear of what will happen when Mami finds out and this relationship, dream, hidden grasp for freedom shatters into a million painful shards.

The Poet X. A dream. An impossibility. An escape. A girl scribbling frustrations and fears and fragments of ideas of who she really is and who she wants to be on the pages of a battered notebook when her mother isn't looking. A girl on a stage, speaking the words she hides at school, chokes down at home. A girl taking up space and speaking her truth--and loved for it. 

I absolutely adored The Poet X, a spare, piercing, perfectly balanced exploration of family, friendship, growing up and learning to live your truth when the whole world seems intent on holding you down. I'm constantly amazed by the depth that can be attained in free verse through so few words; Acevedo, a decorated slam poet, does so with ease. The characters are multilayered and deftly complex, and the family dynamics are especially well-executed, a tangle of anger and bitterness and silence made both heartwrenching and authentic by the threads of painful, complicated love embedded within it. Xiomara's voice is authentic and vibrant, and it's a true joy to watch her learn to love herself and take up the space she so wholeheartedly deserves as the story progresses. I would highly recommend The Poet X to readers ages thirteen and up, especially for discussion or book clubs. 

​By Ella

Zoe Washington is sure her twelfth birthday will be her favorite so far. After all, she's gotten a party at a local bakery, and since Zoe loves baking--she dreams of being a contestant on Kids Bake Challenge!--it's just about the best thing she could have hoped for. But then she gets a letter from her birth dad, Marcus, in the mail. 

Marcus has been in prison for years. Zoe has never heard from him before, let alone met him. But he sounds nice. Caring. And he says he didn't even commit the crime he's in prison for. 

Zoe doesn't think such a thing is possible, and she doesn't have anyone she can really ask, not when her mom would be furious if she knew she was writing to Marcus. So she tries to focus instead on a bakery internship, avoiding her ex-best friend...and hiding her letters to Marcus from her mom. Because she can't stop writing to him, not when she might be able to figure out if Marcus is really innocent. 

And if he is--can she help clear his name? 

From the Desk of Zoe Washington is a thoughtful and realistic story. The plotline of incarceration feels nuanced and developed, not shying away from it but also never leaving solid middle-grade territory or feeling preachy. Zoe is much more than the protagonists in some middle-grade novels, created solely to illustrate a theme or issue; she has her own preferences, interests, and personality, and feels as though she has a whole life outside of the pages of this book, which I really appreciated. I recommend From the Desk of Zoe Washington to readers ages ten and up looking for an realistic, well-written, and compelling story. 

By Piranha T.
 
For Rahul Kapoor, the beginning of seventh grade isn’t looking good. Yes, it will mean he’ll be able to see his best friend Chelsea even more regularly than he has over the summer. But he’ll also be at the mercy of bullies like Brent, who make fun of him for being Indian American. When he talks to his grandfather, Bhai, a week into the school year, he gives Rahul a piece of advice: find something, and become the best at it. Then nobody will be able to stop him.

No matter how hard Rahul tries, though, none of the activities he tries are quite right—until one of his teachers convinces him to join the Mathletes. Although he’s always dismissed its members as nerds, he begins to realize that math really can be fun. But what if he still can’t become ‘the best at it’? And even if it can, will it really help him figure out who he is?

The Best at It is an awesome, deeply relatable realistic fiction novel. Rahul is an incredibly sympathetic and real protagonist—his journey to accept all the parts of who he is really resonated with me, and I think it would with most middle schoolers, too. I highly recommend The Best at It to readers ages ten and up. 

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.