Hello Lighthouse
Hello Lighthouse illustrated and written by Sophie Blackall
Dig
Dig by A.S. King Dutton Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House Five teenagers’ disparate lives weave together, unveiling long-buried secrets within a complex shared history. King’s surrealistic narrative confronts themes of white privilege and its dark legacies.
Tiger Lily
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson A brief review by Gabriella Shetreet Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson is a novel following Tiger Lily, the adopted daughter of a shaman in Neverland. Tinker Bell narrates the novel, and she cannot speak, but follows Tiger Lily everywhere. Tiger Lily has been told her whole life to beware … Read more
Scythe
Scythe by Neal Shusterman A brief review by Brianna Mastro Scythe tells the story of the haunting duties befalling a group of individuals known as Scythes, tasked with periodically cleansing the world, one gleaning (death) at a time. Scythes, both feared and awed, live in a post-modern society where technology has solved all problems and … Read more
The Beast Player
The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi, translated by Cathy Hirano Godwin Books/Henry Holt, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group. Orphaned Elin learns to use her ability to communicate with animals as she navigates through political unrest. The beauty and power of the natural world are at the heart of this captivating, nimbly translated Japanese … Read more
Merci Suárez Changes Gears
Newbury Award – 2019 Medal Winner Merci Suárez Changes Gears, written by Meg Medina, published by Candlewick Press. Using humor and grace, Merci, a charming and plucky protagonist, cycles through life’s challenges with the support of her inter-generational family. This richly nuanced novel tackles the complexity of navigating a multicultural identity amidst changing family dynamics. “Meg … Read more
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me
Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me, by Mariko Tamaki, illustrated by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell First Second/ Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group Freddy is enamored with the magnetic Laura Dean, but their on-again, off-again relationship is far from healthy. Through soft-hued illustrations and cinematic scope, this graphic novel captures the intoxication of teenage love and the search … Read more
Ordinary Hazards: A Memoir
Ordinary Hazards: A Memoir by Nikki Grimes Wordsong, an imprint of Boyds Mills & Kane Grimes’ verse memoir traces her development through a tumultuous childhood as she finds her voice as a powerful storyteller. Themes of family, belonging, and identity combine to tell a story of faith and resilience.
Where the World Ends
Where the World Ends by Geraldine McCaughrean Flatiron Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers In 1727, a group of men and boys from St. Kilda sail to a remote sea stack on a fowling trip, only to find themselves stranded. McCaughrean’s exceptional tale evokes the harsh beauty of its setting and the warm humor of … Read more
The Book of Boy
Newbury Award – 2019 Honor Book The Book of Boy, written by Catherine Gilbert Murdock, illustrated by Ian Schoenherr, and published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. From Murdock’s first line, readers are swept into an epic quest across Europe in 1350 with Boy and a mysterious pilgrim, adventuring to recover seven relics … Read more