The Evil Wizard Smallbone by Delia Sherman

Running away from his abusive uncle, Nick stumbles upon Evil Wizard Books, and its crusty proprietor. Could the old man really be a wizard? Nick doubts it -- until the evil wizard declares Nick his apprentice and enchants him so that he can't leave the property. Nick is sure that Smallbone doesn't mean to teach him any magic -- but maybe he's stubborn enough to learn on his own...

This is an enjoyable read for fans of children's fantasy. It's quirky, with hints of darkness, but not anything that will be too scary or upsetting for sensitive readers. I enjoyed it, but didn't find it so compelling that I couldn't put it down. I think it would be a good, cozy wintertime read.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Best Friends by Shannon Hale

As she enters sixth grade, Shannon is feeling pretty good about things. She’s sharing a locker with Jen, the most popular girl in school, so she’s definitely part of the in-crowd. Things can get confusing, though: the imaginative games she used to love aren’t cool any more, sometimes the popular kids are mean, which she knows is wrong, and then there are boys... and the rules for interacting with them seem to have changed. Sometimes all of these things make her so nervous that her stomach hurts. Plus, next year she will be in middle school. Will all of the rules change again?

This is Hale’s second graphic memoir, and while I’d definitely recommend it to readers who enjoyed the first one, I think it stands well on its own. I really enjoyed it, and I’m sure that the intended audience will love it even more.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer, illustrated by Maurice Sendak

A collection of Yiddish tales, some funny, others quite touching. The title story, the last in the book, was one of the latter, and probably my favorite in this volume. Many are set around Hanukkah, so this would be a perfect read for that time of year. If you have an interest in Eastern European Jewish village tales, or enjoy short story collections in general, this one is actually lovely.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Guts by Raina Telgemeier

In fifth grade, Raina struggles with anxiety-related stomach problems, plus teasing from another girl in her class.

I expect that readers who enjoy Telgemeier's other memoirs will like this one as well, though she's younger here, so readers new to her might benefit from starting with this one. I liked it well enough, though I didn't relate as strongly as I had expected I would. I liked how the book normalized therapy and pointed out that a lot more people go to therapy than talk about it.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks

Deja and Josiah have been pumpkin patch besties all through high school. Now, it's their last night working at the patch, and Deja is determined that it's going to be epic. She's going to eat all of her favorite snacks, and she's going to get Josie to finally talk to the girl from the fudge shoppe that he's been mooning over since the first day of orientation. Hijinks ensue.

As I fully expected, this book was adorable. The ending was satisfying (if not particularly surprising), and I laughed several times. If you enjoy graphic novels with romance and humor, this one is for you. Plus, it's the perfect read to get in the mood for fall.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

Elisabeth grew up in one of the Great Libraries, and her dream has always been to become a librarian, caretaker to the grimoires, dangerous, sentient books of magic. When mysterious events occur, she finds herself caught up in and falsely accused of a plot that could bring to an end the Great Libraries, and the larger world as well. She also finds herself in the company of the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, whom she doesn’t trust... at least, not at first...

I was bound to enjoy this library-centric fantasy. It’s a stand-alone, which is also a point in its favor. My listening experience of the audiobook was broken up because I didn’t get it finished before it went back, and then I had to wait a few weeks to get it again. So, I’m not sure I’m a good judge of the pacing in this case. I will say that I’m not sure what I think of the ending. I like it, but I’m not sure I approve of it. (If you’ve read the book, I’d be glad to discuss what I mean by that!) Recommended for readers of YA fantasy.

(Reviewed from an e-audiobook borrowed through my library system.)

Blubber by Judy Blume

When the mean girl in Jill’s class targets another girl, nicknaming her “Blubber” and playing all kinds of mean pranks, Jill goes along with it, but what will happen when things go too far?

Man, children can be little monsters. Blume captures that in this book; she doesn’t pull any punches (and neither do some of the characters). Protagonist Jill isn’t particularly likable, but she’s a great study of how one can be drawn into bullying behavior even without specific negative intentions. I noted with interest all of the changes in the sorts of freedoms kids had at the time the book was written as compared to now. I’m not sure what modern-day kids would make of this story. I thought I had read it long ago, but maybe I missed this one? I don’t know if I’d recommend it to kids, but I can see it being useful in an anti-bullying discussion, maybe paired with a more recent text.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Camp by Kayla Miller

Olive and her friend Willow are off to summer camp, and Olive is super excited about all of the fun activities to try and the new friends she will make. Willow is a bit more apprehensive, and when they arrive at camp, she becomes clingy and controlling, wanting Olive to do everything with her. Can their friendship survive two weeks of this tug-of-war?

This sequel to Click stands fine on its own and can be read independently of the other book. It's another great, realistic exploration of the kind of friendship issues that a normal, outgoing kid might face, without buying into the common tropes of bullies and mean girls and friends growing apart at puberty. It's also a fun summer camp story that embraces all of the positive experiences camp can offer, but doesn't really touch on any of the inconveniences (so it's a very different sort of summer camp story than, for instance, Vera Brosgol's Be Prepared). Kids who enjoy Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale will eat this up.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Last Bus to Everland by Sophie Cameron

Life's not going so great for Brody: his family is in financial difficulties, the neighborhood mean girls have picked him as their favorite target, and he'll never be as smart or important or appreciated as his genius brother James. One day, when the mean girls have kidnapped his beloved cat, he's unexpectedly rescued by a boy with enormous blue papier-mâché wings, Nico, who invites Brody to come to a specific place at a very specific time. Intrigued, Brody shows up, half expecting that he's been the butt of yet another unkind joke -- but then Nico and his friends arrive, and together they step through a door into another world. Everland is a place of pure wish-fulfillment, where nobody can get hurt and everybody can be whoever they want to be. However, as time goes on, Brody learns that the doors that lead to Everland from different parts of their world are disappearing. Before their door disappears, Brody and Nico must make a choice. Nico is determined to stay in Everland, but can Brody leave behind his family and real-world friends?

I loved this gritty, bittersweet fantasy. In general, I'm a fan of books that play with the tropes of portal fantasy, as this one does. Brody's hardships felt legitimate, and it was hard to guess what decision he would make in the end. If you enjoy this sort of fantasy, this one is highly recommended.

(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher.)

Ordinary Girls by Blair Thornburgh

It’s a tumultuous year for sisters Ginny and Plum, as Ginny agonizes over college applications, their family struggles financially, and Plum forms a secret friendship (or maybe more?) with one of the most unlikely boys she can imagine.

I had heard that this was inspired by Sense and Sensibility, and while there is a practical sister and a high-strung one, a dead father and problems with money, don’t go into this expecting a retelling. That’s not to say it isn’t charming! I thought the relationship between the sisters was particularly well done, and the story revels in classic literature references (Austen, the Brontës, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, Rilke, Rossetti, Dickinson...) and a handful of film and classical music grace notes. (They also watch a lot of HGTV, which cracked me up a little every time.) If this sort of family drama is your thing, you’ll love this book.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Click by Kayla Miller

Olive is the kind of kid who gets along with everyone. She has a group of friends she sits with on the bus, a different group she eats with in the cafeteria, and another group she plays with at recess. What she doesn't have is a specific best friend. And this hasn't been an issue . . . until the fifth grade variety show comes along, and everyone seems to have a group act, except for Olive. She doesn't want to have to ask to be included in someone's group, and she really doesn't want her mom to call her friends' parents and fix things that way. It isn't until a weekend visit with her cool Aunt Molly that something clicks, and Olive realizes what she really wants to do in the variety show.

This delightful graphic novel is another lovely exploration of middle-grade friendship, and the drama that can exist even when things are going well. Recommended to fans of Shannon Hale's Real Friends and other realistic middle-grade graphic novels that focus on friendship.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

The Good, the Bad, and the Bossy by Caroline Cara

Bree, Dot, and Malia are actually enjoying their babysitting enterprise, but life is getting busy for all three: Bree has new cat dreams, Dot has science fair ambitions, and Malia has internship dread. How can they keep their babysitting clients and still accomplish all of the things that life is throwing at them? Sub-contract, of course! The problem is, the three sitters that they hire do their jobs a little too well. Brody fits into Bree's family a little better than Bree does, Pigeon proves even more talented at science than Dot, and Sage gets the attention of Malia's long-time crush. Now, the original three need to figure out how to get rid of the new sitters, without losing their clients when they go.

This series continues to be light and fun, if you can suspend your disbelief on some of the more outrageous elements (a 12-year-old with an internship?). I liked the new characters they introduced here, and the plot was fun. I probably won't read more in this series, but I had a galley of this book, so thought I would give it a try. Recommended to readers who enjoyed the first book in the series.

(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher.)

Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins

This book follows a group of friends on the cusp of adolescence, as they explore new ideas, find new interests, and form first crushes. The plot structure is very loose and episodic; the content is rooted in nostalgia. There are occasional illustrations that don't do a whole lot for the story. Set in a small town in the 1970s, I found myself wondering what sort of appeal this book would have for young readers today. It won the Newbery Medal in 2006, inexplicably. This reads like a book for adults who grew up in the 1970s, and not a book for children at all. The writing is good, and the characters are interesting, if not always fully realized (I had trouble distinguishing some of the boys, particularly, and Debbie's best friend Patty has no personality to speak of), but there's so little action that I really had to push myself to stay engaged. I wouldn't recommend this for kids, but adults who were teenagers in the '70s might find it a nice walk down memory lane.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Best Babysitters Ever by Caroline Cala

Malia, Dot, and Bree need to make some money for an epic joint birthday party. When Malia is inspired by an old paperback in a library discard box, the three turn to babysitting, even though they've never actually done any babysitting, and are not really even sure they like kids. Things start out well enough, until Malia's evil older sister steals their idea and runs with it. Can the three original babysitters get their clients back, or will they lose the babysitting business and their friendship, as well?

This is a light, fun read. The adults in this book are the absolute worst, but I'm sure that won't bother the target audience. It was cute to see the Baby-Sitters' Club re-imagined for a new generation, including some shade cast at the original ("Is this seriously what people found fun in the '90s?"). An enjoyable, if inessential, read.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Let's Talk About Love by Claire Kann

After a rough breakup, Alice isn't sure she ever wants to be in a relationship again -- until she meets Takumi, who breaks the mental scale she's used for years to measure cuteness. Alice is bi-romantic asexual, and unpacking that with any potential romantic partner is always a lot of work. Plus, Alice and Takumi are immediately such good friends that she doesn't want to ruin anything. Meanwhile, Alice is fighting with both her parents (who want her to go to law school, when she has no interest in that) and her best friends, who are getting married (to each other) and may be accidentally excluding Alice sometimes.

There are lots of things to like about this book, but it has a few issues as well. For the most part, I liked the characters, especially Alice (which is good, since the reader spends so much time in her head). She's super cute, and I really want to be her friend. Takumi is a little too perfect for me to believe in him, and Feenie (Alice's bestie) is just confusing to me. Lots of people are loving this book for the diverse representation, which is awesome. Though I can't personally judge how well it's done, the fact that it exists seems like a good thing. My main issue with the book was the plot, or lack thereof. If you require a book with a lot of action and progression, this one probably isn't for you. Alice does stuff, or more often, avoids stuff, so if people having problems communicating is a pet peeve for you, this book also probably isn't your thing (it's a pet peeve for me, but if I didn't read any books where communication issues were a key point, what would I read?). I also didn't feel that the ending wrapped things up particularly well, which is fairly true to life, but doesn't make for an entirely satisfying reading experience. If you like slice-of-life stories with diverse representation, give this a try.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

My Almost Flawless Tokyo Dream Life by Rachel Cohn

Elle's life hasn't been going very well, ever since her mom got addicted to painkillers and subsequently sent to prison. Elle has been in a series of heinous foster homes ever since, until her sixteenth birthday, when she gets the news that her father, whom she has never met, wants her to come live with him in Tokyo. Suddenly, Elle is thrust into the glamorous life of a wealthy expat teen, attending the International Collegiate School, falling in with the popular crowd, and living in her father's penthouse apartment in the luxury hotel and office skyscraper that he owns. The downside? Her father works pretty much all the time, her Japanese grandmother is cold and unfriendly (and racist), and the popular crowd isn't welcoming to some of the other friends Elle has made. As Elle experiences all of the wonders of her new city, she can't help but wonder: how long will this dream life last?

I must admit, I didn't care for this one very much. Elle sure does whine a lot. Plus, there's a lot less plot and a lot more description of Elle doing touristy things, like going to a cat cafe and a robot restaurant. None of the characters have much depth, and none of Elle's actions appear to have consequences, so she never gets so much as a telling off, nor does she have that internal moment of realization that maybe she didn't do the right thing. There's no indication that her actions aren't a good strategy to get her way. On top of that, I thought that there were some problems with the writing.  The perspective is first person, but often in describing the sights of Tokyo, the author uses vocabulary that Elle probably wouldn't have. She doesn't always sound like a believable teenager to me.

Also . . . look, I'm sure there are some dreadful foster homes out there, and I realize that the narrator needed a terrible situation for Elle to be rescued from. But, having recently watched a colleague go through the arduous process of getting approved to provide foster care, I did wonder how much research the author did on the current state of foster care before writing this book. (She had Elle placed in not one, but three, terrible foster homes, and mentioned that Elle's friend Reggie had also experienced nothing but terrible foster homes, so it wasn't supposed to be an isolated case.)

I'd only recommend this book for Japanophile readers who are fascinated with the culture and want to read something like a Tokyo travel guide with a bit of a plot.  I know very little about the culture and nothing about the language, so I can't speak to the accuracy of those parts of the book. For a similar but better read, I'd recommend Seven Days of You by Cecelia Vinesse.

(Reviewed from an e-audiobook borrowed through my library system.)

Nate Expectations by Tim Federle

Nate has loved everything about being on Broadway, but when his show closes, he must return to the Pittsburgh suburbs his family calls home. He dreads attending public high school, but is surprised to find that it’s not quite what he expected. His Broadway experience seems to have given him a certain amount of... could it be? ... popularity? As he attempts to stage an ambitious musical version of Great Expectations with the help of long-time bestie Libby, he starts to worry that his secret New York City boyfriend is pulling away from him.

A fun ending to Federle’s Nate series. Though Nate is a little older than he was in the first book, the tone and content are still appropriate for upper elementary and middle school readers. I thought the character development was lacking a bit, especially concerning a certain new relationship, where I just didn’t feel any emotional connection. Still, I’d recommend this to readers who enjoyed the first two books.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Archenemies by Marissa Meyer

Nova remains undercover with the Renegades, while Adrian has his own secret identity as the Sentinel. If either secret is discovered, it will mean disaster. But the two find themselves drawing closer, despite the secrets that they can't share. Meanwhile, the Renegades develop a new weapon, and Nova struggles to find something to help the Anarchists achieve their goals.

I don't know, I just feel like this book has a bad case of Middle Novel Syndrome. It has some action, but none of the big plot twists of the first book. I'm also not terribly invested in the love story. I listened to the audiobook, and had a big gap in the middle of listening, and I found I wasn't anxious to get back to the story. Most of what happened seemed to be setup for the final book, which I look forward to reading -- especially since none of the predictions I made in my review of the last book were fulfilled in this one, but I still think they will be in the next one!

(Reviewed from an e-audiobook borrowed through my library system.)

Juana & Lucas: Big Problemas by Juana Medina

For as long as she remembers, Juana's immediate family has consisted of herself, her Mami, and her dog Lucas. But, suddenly, things are changing. Mami is wearing her hair in a different, fussy way that Juana doesn't like, and Mami is also wearing perfume and lipstick more often. Mami also has a new friend, Luis, who likes photography and jazz and occasionally takes Juana and Mami to his country house for a weekend. (Actually, Juana finds that she also likes photography and jazz, and she really likes the country house where she and Lucas can have lots of messy outdoor fun.) But still, she's not sure about Luis. One of her cousins says that her Mami and Luis will probably get married. What will that mean for Juana and Lucas? Will she have to wear a fussy, itchy dress and be a flower girl? (Not if she doesn't want to, Mami promises.) Will Luis move into their apartment -- or are even bigger changes on the way?

This illustrated chapter book, like the first book in the series (Juana and Lucas), is a pleasant story, great for newly independent readers, especially those who know a little (or a lot of) Spanish, as Spanish words are sprinkled, untranslated, throughout the text (definitions are not provided, but most can be inferred from context). Recommended to readers who enjoyed the first book in the series.

(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher, via the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.)

Eventown by Corey Ann Haydu

If you could escape grief by giving up your memories, would you? Something terrible happened to Elodee’s family, and now her parents have decided to move to Eventown for a fresh start. Elodee and her twin sister Naomi are initially excited about the things they remember from a visit a few years ago: the amazing ice cream shop, the beautiful views at the end of a hike, the way the air always smelled like roses. But while Naomi is eager to embrace the perfection and blend in to life in Eventown, Elodee misses her creative, imperfect way of doing things. In Eventown, she can use the recipes she was given to cook perfect meals every time, but she’d rather try her own wild flavor combinations, even if they don’t always turn out the way she wants. And she would rather remember the things Eventown wants her to forget, even if the memories sometimes hurt.

I thought the premise here was interesting, but it felt to me like the author belabors the point. For a relatively short book, it dragged at times, and the narration rambled. I got sidetracked by details: a rose bush is described as blooming in March, in a place where Elodee mentions the need for down coats? (In Eventown the roses apparently always bloom, but this rose bush was blooming in their old town.) Elodee’s cooking skills are pretty advanced, but otherwise she and the other kids seem young for their age. Also, considering that one of the main messages of the book is about embracing discomfort and the messiness of life, I thought the ending was a little too neat. All in all, this didn’t entirely work for me, but it’s gotten great reviews and a lot of people love it. If you enjoy juvenile fiction with magical realism, and don’t mind concept trumping plot, you might like this better than I did.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee

Tash is at her sister’s graduation when Unhappy Families, the web series she wrote and directs, goes viral. Suddenly, instead of a few hundred people watching her modern adaptation of Anna Karenina, she has over forty thousand subscribers. Over the course of the summer, Tash will deal with drama onscreen and off, balancing filming schedules and the delicate egos of temperamental actors, family drama, friendship drama, and a tentative text and email relationship with another vlogger — except Tash is asexual, so she’s trying to figure out how that might work when they meet in person.

These characters are so great — realistically flawed and sometimes awful to each other, but you find yourself rooting for them all the same. I loved all of the parts about filming the web series, which rang true to me in terms of actors and techies interacting. I also loved Tash’s warm and (mostly) loving family, and the fact that a certain plot twist regarding them really came as a surprise to me. Plus, it’s set in Lexington, Kentucky, my favorite place, so I got an extra thrill when familiar spots were mentioned.

One small quibble: Ormsbee chose to make Tash’s dad Eastern Orthodox, so Tash mentions that a few times, but I never get the sense that the author knows much about Orthodoxy and how it differs from other branches of Christianity. For instance, Tash talks about hearing a certain Bible verse at an Easter service, but the readings for Pascha (Orthodox Easter) are set, and don’t include that verse. Later, she mentions attending services at “Christ Church Cathedral,” but that’s not a very likely name for an Orthodox cathedral, which would typically be named for a saint or a feast of the church. Lexington has a Greek Orthodox Church, Panagia Pantovasilissa (Holy Mary Queen of All) and an Antiochian Orthodox Church, St. Andrew. I can totally see why the author would want to use a fictional church name rather than a real one (she made up a fictional high school, though mentioned real establishments elsewhere in the book), but she could have chosen a name that fits existing naming conventions. But I’ve already written more about Orthodoxy in this review than the author did in the entire book, so like I said, it’s a very minor issue. All in all, an enjoyable book that I stayed up late to finish, and one I’d recommend if you enjoy realistic YA fiction.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow

Morrigan thought it would be so simple once she was accepted into the Wundrous Society. She would have a place in the world, a purpose, and eight friends who would stick as close as family. She would learn how to use her astonishing abilities. Of course, nothing goes as expected...

This book was just as good as the previous one, with tantalizing hints of future wonders and complexities. I could hardly put it down, and I’m itching to pick up the next one (if only it were published)! For those hesitant to start an unfinished series, let me reassure you that there’s no cliffhanger here — this book’s plot wraps up satisfactorily, though of course there are plenty of hints about future adventures.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend

Morrigan Crow is cursed. She’s always known it, just as she’s always known that she, like all of the other cursed children born on the last Eventide of the previous Age, will die on the final Eventide of this Age. But, when Eventide arrives, Morrigan is swept away by the charismatic Jupiter North, to be a candidate for entrance into the Wundrous Society. Only nine places are available, so the 500+ candidates must face four trials. There’s one big problem: the fourth trial requires each candidate to display a knack — something good, and interesting, and useful. Morrigan doesn’t have one. Jupiter says he will take care of it, but how can he? And of course, those first three trials won’t exactly be a walk in the park...

I knew I would like this book. Other readers whose opinions I trust recommended it to me. Reviews and summaries and blurbs all appealed to me. I carried it with me on at least two vacations, but never started it. Had it been overhyped? Would it prove a disappointment?

Reader, it did not disappoint. I loved it: the whole mad, creative world of Nevermoor and the Hotel Deucalion in particular, prickly Morrigan and her happy-go-lucky pal Hawthorne, the trials, the plot twists, the hilariously funny lines throw in here and there — oh, just everything! It’s not entirely like Harry Potter, but I would recommend this to readers who enjoy Harry Potter — and I know that’s a dangerous comparison to make. You may have noticed that I don’t make it often.

Also? Jupiter North. He’s infuriating. I think I love him.

(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher.)

New Kid by Jerry Craft

Jordan's parents are excited to send him to prestigious Riverdale Academy Day School. Jordan, not so much. He'd rather attend an art-focused school, but he promises his parents he'll give RADS his best shot. As it turns out, he's one of a small handful of minority students, which adds a whole extra level of difficulty to being the new kid.

This is a great and timely addition to the realistic graphic novel shelf, and fans of Raina Telgemeier's books are sure to gravitate to it. It has the potential to be a good discussion starter, and will give readers a lot to think about without being heavy-handed. There are plenty of fun, funny moments, and the strong characters have lots of appeal. Recommended.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede -- Tired of life as a princess, with all of its rules and traditions, Cimorene runs away to be a dragon's princess, and finds herself much more suited to that life. While in the caves of the dragon Kazul, Cimorene uncovers a plot by the Society of Wizards, and befriends a witch, a fellow captive princess, and a prince who has been partially turned to stone.

This is an old favorite of mine, one I turn to when I need a light read that I am sure to enjoy. It always does the trick. If you're a fan of humorous, fairy-tale-inspired fantasy, I recommend this book.

Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede — Mendanbar, King of the Enchanted Forest, has a problem: someone appears to have burned a large chunk of his domain, and he thinks it might have been the dragons. At the advice of a witch, he goes to see Kazul, the King of the Dragons. Kazul is missing, and Mendanbar and Cimorene set out to find her.

This is a delightful quest that expands on the world established in the previous book. Readers get to learn more about the Enchanted Forest and its magic, as well as meeting some of the colorful residents of the surrounding area. New characters Mendanbar and the magician Telemain are just as much fun as returning favorites. Readers who enjoyed the first book should pick this one up as soon as possible.

Calling on Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede — The wizards are up to no good again, and this time it starts with a seven-foot-tall rabbit named Killer who ran afoul of the residual effects of a spell. The wizards have stolen Mendanbar’s sword, and Cimorene, Morwen, Kazul, and Telemain set out on a quest to recover it — along with a couple of Morwen’s cats and Killer, who seems to have an absolute genius for getting into magical mishaps.

There’s so much to love here. The interactions between characters are fantastic, the humor is delightful, and the plot moves briskly on through various twists and turns. This is my favorite book of the series, even though it does end in a whopping big cliffhanger. Read it, but have the sequel at hand.
 

Talking to Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede — On the day when a wizard destroys the front door of their house, Daystar’s mother hands him a sword and tells him not to come home again until he can explain why she sent him away. Questing his way through the Enchanted Forest, Daystar befriends a lizard, a fire witch, and a young dragon, and encounters elves, dwarves, witches, wizards, and many others before his quest is complete and he learns the truth about his extraordinary sword.

Not my favorite of the series, but still a very good book, and it does an admirable job of answering the questions left unanswered at the end of the previous book. It’s a good ending to the series, but I never want the series to end — maybe that’s why I don’t love this book best of all?

(Reviewed from my personally purchased copies.)

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Teen poet Xiomara grapples with first love, questioning faith, and her fraught relationship with her mother.

I almost gave up on this book early on. The angst was nearly too much for me. However, I gave the book a second chance, and I’m glad I did. Xiomara is a character who really struggles and earns the things she accomplishes by the end of the book. There’s a lot of powerful, raw emotion here. Recommended.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Boy, a hunchback goatherd, is taken into service by a pilgrim in his way to Rome. The pilgrim is on a quest to recover seven relics of St. Peter, and needs Boy to help him. Along the way, the reader will learn that both travelers have their secrets...

I very much enjoyed this medieval quest tale. It's a quick read with some lovely moments and an interesting twist (I thought I knew Boy's secret after the second chapter, but as it turns out, I was quite wrong!). I'm not sure how much appeal it will have for kids, but it would make a good readaloud. And it's definitely the sort of book I'd recommend to adults who enjoy the occasional juvenile title.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu

Identical twins Iris and Lark are always together. So, when they get their fifth-grade classroom assignment, they are sure that there has been some mistake: for the first time ever, they will be in different classes at school. Lark, always the more shy and quiet of the two, retreats into herself in the face of bullies and a teacher who wants her to be more assertive. And Iris, who has always made it her mission to defend her sister, is unmoored and feels out of control without Lark to anchor her. Meanwhile, strange things are happening around them: crows leave small, shiny gifts for Lark. A strange antique store with an even stranger sign opens nearby. Small items start disappearing from the girls' house, and large items start disappearing from nearby museums. What do all of these things have to do with Iris and Lark? And will they ever find their way in their new situation?

I wanted to love this book, because I love Breadcrumbs. But, ultimately, I just liked it fairly well. The plot didn't pull together as cohesively as I would have liked (though there was one unexpected plot twist that I appreciated), and I found it difficult to relate to Iris, who is the main perspective character of the story. I would have liked to have seen more of Lark's point of view. I would still recommend this book, especially to young readers who enjoy stories about sibling relationships, and books set in our world but with touches of magic. The occasional illustrations by Erin McGuire are charming. It's just that my expectations for this book were very high, and it didn't quite rise to meet them.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

Merci can't help but notice the ways in which her life is different from those of her classmates. At her private school, she must do extra hours of community service in return for her scholarship. None of her classmates lives in a chain of little houses with their extended family. And, while her classmates may go on fancy vacations during school breaks, Merci's family hardly ever goes anywhere -- she's probably spending her vacations babysitting her little cousins, or helping with her father's painting business in order to save money for a new bike. And now that she is in sixth grade, everything seems to be changing, from the way her classmates interact (suddenly, some of the girls are acting like the boys they always played with at recess seem fascinating and somehow forbidden), to the way her beloved grandfather sometimes gets confused and irritable. Merci doesn't like any of the changes, but must learn that they are part of life, and that they can bring good things as well as bad.

I enjoyed this book, winner of the 2019 Newbery Medal, but I'm not sure I'd say it's the best book of the year. (Ah, the price of success! If it hadn't won, would I be saying that about some other book? Probably, but I digress.) There are several moments both touching and funny, and the characters are rounded and interesting. Merci's own character development is a pleasure to read. If you have an interest in children's literature, I'd recommend this book.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

A Winter's Promise by Christelle Dabos

Ophelia runs a small museum and possesses an unusually strong ability to “read” an object’s history with her hands. She’s never had any interest in marriage, but when the Doyennes, the matriarchal heads of her extended family, arrange a marriage for her with a powerful foreigner, she is forced to accept her fate. She is sent with him and a chaperone to his home, where political machinations and scandals are a way of life, and the backstabbing can be literal as well as figurative. Can Ophelia trust anyone in this place — including her enigmatic fiancé?

With a delightfully labyrinthine plot and intricate world building, the nearly 500 pages of this book flew by for me. I’m a sucker for a good Beauty and the Beast-type story, and those elements are present here, though whether there will ever be romance for Ophelia and Thorn is still in question (Ophelia reads as asexual, at least so far, and it will be interesting to see where the author goes with that element of her character). It’s the first book in a projected quartet, so there are plenty of questions left unanswered at the end — we can only hope that the next volume arrives soon!

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library.)

The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi

Maya's horoscope promises a marriage of death and destruction, so she has resigned herself to life as a scholarly spinster in her father's harem. Then, one day, he announces that he has assembled all of his political rivals there, ostensibly so that she might choose a bridegroom from among them. Any choice will result in disaster, as those not chosen will retaliate violently against the kingdom. When the ceremony descends into chaos, a stranger, not one of the assembled bridegrooms, sweeps Maya away to his own kingdom, a mystical place with many secrets that Maya is not permitted to learn until the new moon. When she begins exploring on her own, disaster follows, and she sets out on a quest to make right her mistakes.

I love the Indian-inspired aspects of this fantasy -- it's lush and original. However, the writing is flowery and convoluted to the point that I had a hard time following the story. I sometimes couldn't figure out what was real and what was metaphorical, and some things just didn't make sense. For instance, at one point this sentence appears: "Amar's gaze was downcast, fixed on the sky." Was he standing on his head, then? Things like that took me right out of the story. Too bad -- I wanted to like this one, but I just couldn't wrap my brain around the writing style.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson

Despite recent tragic events, Stevie still dreams of solving the Ellingham mystery... which may prove difficult, as her parents have removed her from Ellingham. When an opportunity to return comes from an unexpected source, Stevie makes a bargain she may come to regret.

I’m not sure what I think about this book, or what I can say that won’t constitute a spoiler. The mystery is not solved (for the reader, at least) at the end of the book, but it felt to me like it was very close. I was wishing for another 30 pages, but instead we get to wait for another book. This book shares the strengths of its predecessor, particularly in characterization and setting. I’d probably recommend reading the entire trilogy once the final book comes out, as I was wishing I had done a reread of the first before diving into this one. A good read, but with a rather frustrating ending.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

Frances dreams of making fabulous creations, rather than the ordinary dresses sewn in the shop where she works. When she creates a shocking masterpiece for a customer, she almost loses her job, but an intriguing (and lucrative) offer from a stranger takes her to the palace itself. She will be Prince Sebastian’s seamstress. The Prince has a secret known only to his valet: occasionally, he likes to wear dresses. As Lady Crystallia, he wows society with Frances’s daring creations. But as long as his identity is secret, Frances must remain unknown as well. And if it became known that Prince Sebastian was Lady Crystallia, what would happen?

I’d been hearing good things about this graphic novel, and it was indeed just as charming as I had heard. The artwork is lovely (plenty of gorgeous swirling fabrics, for one thing) and the story is sweet. If you enjoy graphic novels with a romantic plot line, I definitely recommend this one.

(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)

Blended by Sharon Draper

Isabella’s parents are divorced, so she is swapped between families each week. As a pre-teen, she’s confronting issues of identity: being biracial, should she identify as Black? White? Both? An unpleasant incident at school brings these questions to the forefront, but she’s also wrestling with feelings about changes in her family, plus the normal turmoil of growing up.

A powerful and well-written story, Draper does a great job with characterization as always. Isabella reminded me strongly of other pre-teen girls I have known. If you enjoy realistic juvenile fiction, add this to your list. I’d also say this is a great book to recommend to young readers who are not quite ready to read The Hate You Give.

(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher.)

The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth

"A Woodlands heart always finds its way home."


It's what Cervus the Great Stag told Philippa, Jamie, and Evelyn when they arrived in the Woodlands, called out of the misery and terror of hiding in a London bomb shelter into the beauty and serenity of the forest. And it's what Cervus told them, five and a half years later, when he sent them back and told them that he would not be able to call them again. Life after the Woodlands has been an adjustment for all three of them. Jamie has set his mind on conquering academics and making his way in this world, and Philippa has done the same, albeit with lipstick and nylons and school projects and social clubs. But Evelyn's Woodlands heart refuses to accept the return to this world, and she pines for what she considers her true home. She wanders the forests around her boarding school late at night, often without shoes or coat, yearning for the same call that drew her away before -- and Philippa, outwardly so collected and sophisticated, has been doing all she can to help Evelyn adjust. But now Philippa has gone away to school in America, leaving Evelyn on her own for the first time since they returned. Will Evelyn be able to finally make her way in this world?

This is a beautiful book, full of deep emotion and difficult choices. One gets the sense that there can't really be a happy ending for these characters, though one hopes for certain outcomes above others. The narration follows Evelyn for the first half of the book, immersing the reader in Evelyn's desperate longing for her other world, and then switches to Philippa for the second half of the book, adding complexity to the emotional tone as one learns more about both sisters. Layered in with Evelyn's narration are snippets of their lives in the Woodlands, and interspersed with Philippa's are memories of life after the Woodlands but before the book's current events. Both sisters relate strongly to art (poetry for Evelyn, visual art for Philippa) as a means of making sense of their lives and emotions.

Though you certainly can understand and enjoy this book without having read The Chronicles of Narnia, if you have read those books, you can't help but see how this book takes those events and characters and asks, "What if?" What might happen after Narnia, to someone like Lucy who loved that world with all her heart? Why might Susan have made the decision to become very grown up, as far from her fantasy-realm self as possible? I felt that this book was both a love letter to and a criticism of Narnia. However, I didn't find the Woodlands sections themselves very compelling, which is why I'd rate this book 4.5 instead of 5 stars -- there just wasn't enough depth there to really convey why Evelyn felt such an emotional connection. Understandable, since this book isn't really about the Woodlands, it's about life after. Still, I felt that those portions paled in comparison with the rest of the book, which brought tears to my eyes more than once. Highly recommended both to those who loved and still love Narnia, and to those who loved but found themselves disillusioned by it later on.

(Reviewed from my personally purchased copy.)