Waiting on Wednesday: The Survivor Wants to Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

The Survivor Wants to Die at the End by Adam Silvera. 720. The Both Die at the End #3. Quill Tree Books/ HarperCollins Publishers, May 6, 2025. 9780063240858.

Waiting on Wednesday features The Survivor Wants to Die at the End by Adam Silvera. I really loved They Both Die and the End and The First to Die at the End. Here's the publisher synopsis: Paz Dario stays up every night, waiting for the Death-Cast call that would mean he doesn’t have to keep faking his way through this lonely life. After a devastating day, Paz decides he’s done waiting around for Death-Cast. If they say he’s not dying, he’ll just have to prove them wrong. But right before Paz can die, a boy saves his life.

Alano Rosa is heir to the Death-Cast empire that encourages everyone to live their best lives, but he doesn’t feel in control of his own existence thanks to his father. And with a violent organization called the Death Guard threatening Alano, his End Day might be closer than he thinks. It’s time to live.

Fate brings Paz and Alano together, but it’s now up to the boys to survive the tragic trials ahead so no one dies at the end.

This book contains themes that some readers may find difficult.

Happy reading!

Teen Tuesday Audiobook Review: Skyhunter by Marie Lu

Image: Macmaillan

Skyhunter by Marie Lu. Unabridged audiobook, ~12 hours. Narrated by Natalie Naudus. Macmillan Audio, September 2020.  Macmillan Young Listeners, September, 2020. 9781250777485. Review of downloadable audio borrowed from the public library. 

I don't know how I stumbled upon this audiobook, but I'm so glad that I did. I've been a huge fan of Marie Lu since reading her debut, Legend. I haven't read everything, but I have read a lot of her books. My students are huge fans of the Legend series, as well as her Warcross duology. A quick glance at the publication date tells me that this is one of many books that were lost in the pandemic. For me, I was a fifth/ sixth grade LA teacher in September of 2020, so I lost touch with books that were releasing then. 

This is the first-person story of Talin, a young, elite fighter for Mara, one of the last nations defending itself against the onslaught of the Karensa Foundation. Talin and her mother are refugees in Mara, having fled their native Basea some ten years earlier. Against all odds, Talin has been chosen to become a Striker, an elite fighter and first line of defense against the ghosts, zombie fighters that the Karensa Foundation use.

This plot-driven dystopian hits the ground running and doesn't let go. Suspense runs high and the world is totally believable. Fans of Ms. Lu will love this. I'm kind of sad that I'm retired now and can't grab the students who would love this book!

Middle Grade Monday and Arc Review: Spelling It Out by Margaret Finnegan

Image: Simon & Schuster

Spelling It Out by Margaret Finnegan. 208 p. Atheneum Books for Young Readers/ Simon & Schuster, May 13, 2025. 9781665969673. Review of arc courtesy of Blue Slip Media.

This story takes place in 1985, but is narrated by an adult Ben Bellini, who reminisces about his summer of freedom spent in San Francisco with his grandmother. After twelve-year-old Ben wins his sixth grade spelling bee, then his school's bee without much preparation or worry, he finds himself disappointed to lose the regional bee. He worries that liking spelling might get him labeled a nerd, but he really likes the adrenaline rush of competing. 

He lives in Southern California with his older sister and younger brother and rather overprotective parents. When his grandmother, a retired maverick architect, calls with the offer of having Ben stay for the summer so that a friend of hers can coach him, his parents are appalled and Ben is intrigued. This friend of Gran's actually won the National Spelling Bee some time ago! 

After his parents secure promises that Ben will be well supervised, Ben is placed on a plane to San Francisco. Only, his Gran isn't at the gate, and doesn't arrive for quite a while. This is just the first of many little slips to come.

And Gran's friend, Roger? He is nasty and abusive and doesn't seem interested in coaching Ben at all. When he finds refuge at the public library, he meets a kindred spirit. Asha spends her days there studying for the spelling bee!

I'm not sure why this coming-of-age novel had to be narrated by adult Ben, but readers who enjoy character-driven, gentle novels will find him very relatable. He's insecure, but smart and perceptive. He wants to do the right thing, but it takes him a while to realize what that is. He needs to learn to stand up to Roger. He needs to learn how to be a good friend. Most of all, he needs to realize that something is truly wrong with his grandmother. 

Contemporary readers' minds may be blown by Ben's freedom in a big city as much as by life before cell phones and gps. They will also appreciate the humor and heart. 

Spelling It Out will be released on May 13. Happy reading!

The Right Call by Tommy Greenwald

Image: Abrams

The Right Call by Tommy Greenwald. 272 p. Game Changers series. Amulet Books/ Abrams, April 15, 2025. Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher. 

Cal Klondike was a middling to bad baseball player until he wasn't. Even he can't explain where his arm came from. One day, he just started getting better, throwing harder, throwing faster. This earned him an invitation to join Waltham Baseball Academy as their rising star. Cal is fine with the pressure. He has his best bud, Luis to pitch to and loves the game; but with each win, rumors of scouts - not just college scouts, but pros - rise and his dad starts to get a little weird. He's more intense. He starts arguing with umpires and even Cal's coach. 

This important story is told in multiple formats - texts, emails, transcripts of Cal's sessions with his guidance counselor and a trial, sports news articles and Cal's own free verse poetry. The reader's attention is grabbed by a news article about an umpire who was seriously injured after a disputed call, then flashes back. Cal is likable and relatable. He's a kid who has raw talent and a love of baseball. Unfortunately, expectations rise too high, too fast. This situation is so relatable in this day and age of focusing on one sport all-year-round in elite and expensive travel leagues. Instead of learning other sports at a recreational level, many student athletes are not developing well-rounded skills and may be asking too much of their growing bodies. I was totally drawn into this story from the first page and seriously did not expect to finish it in a puddle of tears.

On a personal note, when sons # 2, 3, and 4 were coming up, there were travel teams and rec teams and they were all on both for soccer, and just rec for basketball and baseball. They were better at soccer, but enjoyed the other sports. Then, came an elite travel soccer league and time got tight. Suddenly there was indoor soccer in the winter and spring soccer. They also attended music school and were good musicians. Oy.

Son #2 got to play at Carnegie Hall with his orchestra, but had to change into his baseball uniform in the car and rush to a game afterwards. Another time, there was a conflict with soccer that couldn't be resolved and my husband got mad and told me that he wasn't going to be Itzhak Perlman. When I relayed this message to his violin teacher, she responded with, "He's more likely to be Itzhak Perlman than Pele." This stuck with me. He's now a neurosurgeon who specializes in minimally invasive spine surgery. Sorry, proud mom moment.

The point is, it was getting out of hand almost thirty years ago and the pressure cooker has only gotten worse. Many of my former students were very busy with school teams, and elite teams and often had trouble getting homework done and sometimes even had trouble staying awake in class. And, this competitiveness is not just relegated to sports. Elite music students are often exhausted from hours of practice and music competitions. 

So, this book hit home for me as a parent, and I'm sure it will resonate with student athletes. I have enjoyed Tommy Greenwald's books ever since a fifth grade teacher read Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to (Not) Reading to her class. I found out about the book because when her class came into the library for the first time and I asked what their favorite book was, most of them shouted that title. I was unfamiliar with it and they were more than happy to tell me all about it. 

The Right Call hits a slightly older audience and it's part of a series of companion books called Game Changer. They are all told in multiple formats and explore the impact of high expectations and rising violence in sports. This might be Tommy Greenwald's best book yet. 

The Right Call belongs in every school, classroom and public library. 

Book Mail

I received an email from Tommy Greenwald last week telling me about his newest book, Right Call, and asking if I'd be interested. No brainer! Woot! It arrived Friday and I'm about to dive in. I've been a fan since reading Mr. Greenwald's debut, Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to (Not) Reading.

Image: Abrams Books

The Right Call: a Game Changer Companion Novel by Tommy Greenwald. 272 p. Amulet Books/ Abrams Books, April 15, 2025. 9781419772856.

Publisher synopsis:From award-winning author Tommy Greenwald comes a thrilling companion novel to Game Changer that explores the growing pressures in youth sports, and the lengths some parents will go to make sure their kid comes out on top.

Cal Klondike’s life revolves around baseball. He’s the Walthorne Baseball Academy’s star pitcher, and everyone from his coach to his dad to the town sports blogger is telling Cal he has an unlimited future in the sport. But with all this attention comes a lot of added stress, especially as the season kicks into high gear and college and pro scouts start to show up at the games. Inevitably, tensions that have been bubbling under the surface finally boil over, culminating in a confrontation that could change Cal’s relationship to baseball forever.

Told through a combination of transcripts, articles, texts, and emails, The Right Call is a gripping, fast-paced story for middle grade readers about our split-second decisions, facing the consequences, and the courage it takes to forgive.

Waiting on Wednesday: Partypooper by Jeff Kinney

Image: Abrams 

Partypooper by Jeff Kinney. Diary of a Wimpy Kid #20. Abrams Books, October 21, 2025. 9781419782695.

Wow! Wimpy Kid #20! I cannot wait! Here's the publisher synopsis: Over the years, Greg Heffley has chronicled his mishaps and misadventures in a series of diaries—make that journals—but book 20 of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, Partypooper, really takes the cake! Expect gobs of fun and over-the-top antics as Greg throws an epic birthday party for none other than himself. So come celebrate and laugh alongside Greg, his family, and the entire world of Wimpy Kid fans.

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Grief in the Fourth Dimension.by Jennifer Yu

Image: Tantor Media

Grief in the Fourth Dimension.by Jennifer Yu. Unabridged audiobook, ~8 hours, 45 minutes. Tantor Audio. Read by Tim Lounibos and Raechel Wong. July, 2024. Review of audiobook downloaded and borrowed from public library.

Kenny Zhou and Caroline Davison may have been classmates, but they existed in two completely different orbits. He, an introverted science nerd, worked in his immigrant parents' restaurant. She, an extroverted, popular athlete came from a life of privilege. When Kenny ends up in a stark, white room containing a chair and a huge, wall-mounted flat screen tv, any doubts that he has died are put to rest when the television broadcasts his funeral. 

Caroline, on the other hand, believes she's suffering from a fever dream, until the television shows her otherwise. Then, she believes the two are in purgatory - purgatory with a sense of humor as the room sends them cryptic notes and seems to grant them wishes. Of course, the two wish to communicate with their respective families, but communication is garbled. 

This intriguing speculative fiction made me think of a favorite book of mine called Layover Land, with its unique view of the afterlife, redemption and grief. Oh, and its snarkiness was quite amusing, but soon gave way to poignance as details unfold. 

The shifting POV between Kenny and Caroline kept me engaged and guessing. Supporting characters are beautifully rendered, especially Kenny's friend, Iris. 

Mr. Lounibos' narration gave Kenny such an achingly real vulnerability and Ms. Wong's portrayal of Caroline's journey from confident to angry to contemplative was well wrought. Many themes are explored here from privilege to mental health to justice through this story. 

Thoughtful teen fans of speculative fiction and the afterlife will adore Grief in the Fourth Dimension.

Middle Grade Monday: The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Fusco Newton

Image: Penguin Random House

The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Fusco Newton. 368 p. Knopf Books for Young Readers/ Random House Children's Books, January, 2025. 9880593121771. Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media. 

Middle Grade Monday features The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Fusco Newton. This historical fiction is set in 1930 and is narrated by Hurricane, a quiet tween who is familiar with loss. She lives with her nineteen-year-old sister, since her mother died of tuberculosis. Her father died in the Great War. She hates school and is convinced her teacher hates her as well, but she confides all this in her journal. She takes comfort in running with her dog along the beach and the fact that her sister, Bronte, will speak for her. Only Bronte has TB and needs to go to a sanatorium to recover and Hurricane must leave her beloved dog and beach to live in the city with great Aunt Claire. She is fussy and her house is unforgiving, but her chauffeur is kind and gets her. 

Hurricane's voice is achingly relatable as she navigates the uncertainties in her life. I highly recommend this gentle, first-person novel for tween readers. Absolutely lovely.

Picture Book Review: So-Hee and Lowy by Anna Kang

Image: Amazon

So-Hee and Lowy by Anna Kang. Illustrated by Christopher Weyant. unpgd. Two Lions, April 22, 2025.  9781542036658. Review of fng courtesy of MB Communications.

So-Hee lives in an apartment with her mother and just longs for connection. She's chosen last for things at school and she has not friends. She's severely allergic to fur and the usual pets are off the menu. No friends, not pets, what's a lonely tween to do? Luckily, her local pet store has the answer! Her mom agrees to bring home a yellow python and So-Hee names it Lowy and the two soon become inseparable, until they aren't.

This sweet story works on so many levels. It's about loneliness and friendship and community. The warm illustrations add to the story by depicting lots of little details, both humorous and heartwarming about So-Hee's life. 

I'm a huge fan of Ms. Kang and Mr. Weyent's books. So-Hee and Lowy is a keeper. Loved it. It's a great addition to home and pre-school and elementary libraries. 

#tbt: X: a Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon

Image: Candlewick Press

X: a Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon. 384 p. Candlewick Press, January, 2015.  

#tbt features X: a Novel by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon. Written in the first-person present tense, readers follow young Malcolm Little as he leaves Lansing, Michigan for Boston, hoping to make a new start only to find doors closed, but the streets welcoming. While Malcolm hustles, he flashes back to key moments of his childhood, like his father's death, a teacher's harsh words and seeing the body of a lynched man.

The novel ends when Malcolm converts to Islam while in prison, but an author's note adds historical context. X: a Novel won a Coretta Scott King Honor and the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children's Literature. Ms. Shabazz also wrote two other books about her father - a picture book and a middle grade novel, as well as a middle grade novel about her mother. 

Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Malcolm Lives by Ibram X. Kendi

Image: Macmillan Publishers

Malcolm Lives: the Official Biography of Malcolm X for Young Readers by Ibram X. Kendi. 400p. Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR. May 13, 2025.

I'm so excited for this biography. I'm a fan of Dr. Kendi. This news just inspired my #tbt post for tomorrow!

Publisher synopsis: In collaboration with the Malcolm X Estate, this powerful biography for young readers is a modern classic in the making, written by #1 New York Times-bestselling, National Book Award-winning author Ibram X. Kendi.

Published 100 years after his birth, Malcolm Lives! is a ground-breaking narrative biography of one of the most influential Americans of all time.

Dr. Kendi expertly crafts a propulsive telling of Malcolm X’s life—from birth to death. He provides context for both Malcolm’s choices—and those around him—not just painting an intimate picture of a famous figure, but of the social and political landscape of America during the civil rights movement.

Ultimately, Malcolm's true legacy is a journey toward anti-racism. Just like history, Malcolm lives.

With short, evocative chapters, exclusive archival documents, photographs from the Malcolm X Collection at the NYPL Schomburg Center, and extensive backmatter,this is a thoughtful and accessible, must-read for all Americans.

Teen Tuesday: The Second Chance of Darius Logan by David F. Walker

Image: Scholastic Inc.

The Second Chance of Darius Logan by David F. Walker. 384 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., July, 2024 9781338826425. Review of arc courtesy of publisher. 

Life since being orphaned in "the attack" eight years earlier has not been easy for Darius Logan. He was abused by his uncle, then moved in and out of a series of foster homes. School went by the wayside as he struggled to survive. The struggle included petty theft and arrests. His caseworker is the only person in his life who sees any good in him. But even she cannot help when he's literally caught holding the bag in a drug bust. It wasn't just any drug though. It was eXXeLL, which if caught, carries a mandatory long prison sentence. The fact that Darius is under-age won't help him. The knowledge of this compels him to resist arrest, assault a police officer and flee. He is saved by none other than the superhero, Captain Freedom of the Super Justice Force.

Captain Freedom runs a program called Second Chance and proposes that Darius enter the program. This program is usually for ex-convicts, but Captain Freedom remembers Darius from a time before "the attack," when he was named Student of the Year. Not everyone is in favor of this, especially Chuck Maslon, who is rooting for Darius to fail.

While the novel's opening is quite atmospheric, the world building resorts to info-dumping as Darius goes through his training. Still, Darius is a likable character and slowly gains friends and trust in them and himself. 

This debut should have wide appeal in middle and high school libraries. I switched to reading it by ear about 2/3 of the way through and regretted the decision. The narrator's choice of voices and accents, though varied, did not appeal to me, especially his female voices, which were stereotypically simpering. 

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly. Unabridged audiobook download. ~ 5 hours. Read by Ramón de Ocampo. HarperAudio/ HarperCollins, March, 2024. 9780063337343. Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.

Middle Grade Monday features The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly. This time travel story alternates between the year 2199 and 1999. Ridge, the genius son of a scientist perfecting a time travel device in 2199, decides to test it out without authorization, to visit his favorite year in history, 1999. The 2199 parts are transcripts of conversations between Ridge's mother and his siblings as they frantically try to return him to there time and worry about the repercussions of Ridge's actions in the past. 

Most of the book takes place in 1999. Ridge ends up in the Fox Run apartments and catches the eye of twelve-year-old Michael Rosario. Michael is bi-racial (Filipino/ white) and lives with his single mother in the apartment complex. He has a crush on his babysitter, Gibby. He's also anxious and obsessed with the doomsday scenarios around the turning of the century, and has been stealing supplies. When he finds out the Ridge is from the future, and also has a book that maps the next twenty years, Michael is torn between helping Ridge to return to his time and finding out what happens. 

Time travel stories are not my favorite. This one was engaging and featured interesting, fleshed-out characters. It also fleshed out some provocative themes. Ramón de Ocampo's narration moves seamlessly between times and characters. 

The First State of Being won the 2025 Newbery Medal and was a National Book Award finalist last fall. It will appeal to fans of the author as well as fans of time travel books. Happy reading! 

#tbt: Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle

Simon & Schuster

Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle. 288 p. Nate #1. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, February, 2013. 9781422446892.

#tbt features Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle. This book marked Federle's MG debut and features Thirteen-year-old Nate Foster doesn't fit in well in Jankburg, PA. He's a bit overweight, not into sports and adores Broadway musicals even though he's never been to even one. Luckily for Nate, he has one bff who shares his passion. Libby is his ride or die and Nate's alibi when he decides to take a bus to Manhattan to answer an open audition for ET: the Musical. 

Often laugh-out-loud funny, Nate's voice is earnest and endearing and believable. The book was named a Stonewall Honor and the audiobook, which was narrated by the author won an Odyssey Honor. Every budding theater kid should get to know Nate. 

Waiting on Wednesday: When We Ride by Rex Ogle

Image: Norton

When We Ride by Rex Ogle. 334 p. Norton Young Readers, March 25, 2025. 

Waiting on Wednesday features. When We Ride by Rex Ogle. I've been a huge fan ever since I read his debut, Free Lunch. HIs latest releases on March 25. Here's the publisher synopsis:

Rex Ogle explores bonds of loyalty and friendship and how they’re tested by drugs and violence in this propulsive novel-in-verse.

Diego Benevides works hard. His single mother encourages him to stay focused on school, on getting into college, on getting out of their crumbling neighborhood. That’s why she gave him her car.

Diego’s best friend, Lawson, needs a ride—because Lawson is dealing. As long as Diego’s not carrying, not selling, it’s cool. It’s just weed.

But when Lawson starts carrying powder and pills and worse, their friendship is tested and their lives are threatened. As the lines between dealer and driver blur, everything Diego has worked for is jeopardized, and he faces a deadly reckoning with the choices he and his best friend have made.

Award-winning memoirist and poet Rex Ogle’s searing first novel-in-verse is an unforgettable story of the power and price of loyalty.

Middle Grade Monday: Popcorn by Rob Harrell

Image: Penguin Random House

Popcorn by Rob Harrell. 288 p. Dial Books/ Penguin Young Readers Group, September, 2024. 9780593697924. Review of book borrowed from public library.

It's picture day for seventh grader, Andrew Yaeger and he's anxious. It doesn't take much for Andrew to feel anxious. He even has a scale of anxiety, with a kernel of popcorn as the barometer for how anxious he feels. His mom is anxious as well. She wants a good school picture and has even gotten Andrew a new shirt. She's also starting a new job that day as well, one that pays better. Maybe the family will even be able to move to a larger apartment. Things have gotten a bit cramped since G., Andrew's grandmother moved in. He loves G., but sometimes she doesn't recognize Andrew and now he has to sleep on the couch.

This charming, touching, often hilarious novel is told from Andrew's POV and accompanied by spot art and comic panels that add humor to the narrative. It takes place during one school day. Andrew's voice is authentic and immediately relatable. His best friendship with Jonesy is changing, thanks to her being a star on the basketball team, but they are trying to keep things going. Thankfully, he has teachers and the school nurse around who notice and care. 

I can't think of a reader who wouldn't love this book. Popcorn won the Schneider Family Book Award for Middle Grade Fiction this past January. I think it will begin showing up on many state book lists soon. Highly recommend!

Picture Book FNG Review: That's Not Funny, David! by David Shannon

Image: Scholastic Inc.

That's Not Funny, David! by David Shannon. 32 p. Orchard Books/ Scholastic Inc., March 4, 2025. 9781546123187. Review of fng courtesy of publisher.

It's hard to believe that it will be 27 years this September, since boisterous, rambunctious little David burst on the scene in all his triangular-toothed glory. Has he grown either physically or emotionally? No. Is he still a perpetual motion machine? Yes. As the author/ illustrator notes in his introduction, humor is subjective. David definitely goes for low-brow and provocative. His antics will delight his fans.

Book Mail

Receiving book mail is always exciting! Thanks to Blue Slip Media for sending me this.

Image: Simon & Schuster

Spelling It Out by Margaret Finnegan. 208 p. Atheneum Books for Young Readers/ Simon & Schuster, May 13, 2025. 9781665930116.

Publisher synopsis: A rising seventh grader visits his grandmother in San Francisco for a whirlwind summer of spelling bee training, only to begin suspecting she has Alzheimer’s, in this witty and compassionate middle grade novel for fans of Al Capone Does My Shirts.

Ben Bellini didn’t mean to become a champion speller—after all, he’s not a nerd—but he sure does like spelling bee glory now that it’s found him. He might even be good enough for the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC! And what better way to prepare than to train with a professional spelling coach in San Francisco, where his nan lives?

Through his adventures, Ben gets to know the city—and competitor Asha Krishnakumar, who’s equally determined to spell her way to victory. But Ben also starts having odd interactions with his nan that leave him feeling like he’s missing something. Where is Nan’s forgetfulness coming from? And will anyone even believe him if he tries to get help?

Between showing up for his loved ones and pursuing his own dreams, Ben will need to spend this summer figuring out what he owes others…and what he owes himself.

I've enjoyed Ms. Finnegan's four titles for young readers and looking forward to reading this one.

#tbt: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Image: Scholastic Inc.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. 544 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., March, 2007. 9780439813785.

Hugo, a twelve-year-old orphan, lives in the Paris train station and works to keep the clocks on time. He also harbors secrets and is a thief. He steals items he thinks might help him repair an automaton. One day, he is caught by a grumpy, old toymaker and is brought to the man's home, where he meets, Isabelle, the man's goddaughter. It seems the toymaker has secrets as well, and Hugo and Isabelle work together to uncover them.

Selznick, no stranger to the Caldecott, having won an Honor for illustrating Barbara Kerley's The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins in 2002, turned the children's literature world upside down when this 500+ page book received the Award. 

This is a book I loved to give reluctant readers. Their eyes would widen with disbelief that they could ever get through such a brick! Then, once shown that it was mostly illustration, they happily checked the book out. 

The book was adapted for film and I was privileged to be invited to a screening, which included a talkback with the author afterwards. The film was gorgeous and quite faithful to the book. Selznick even had a cameo in the final scene. 

Waiting on Wednesday: North of Tomboy by Julie A. Swanson

Image: Simon & Schuster

North of Tomboy by Julie A. Swanson. 256 p. She Writes Press/ Simon & Schuster, September 25, 2025. 9781684633302.

Publisher synopsis:For fans of Kacen Callender, Lin Thompson, and Kyle Lukoff, comes a middle grade novel set in 1973 about a child who feels more boy than girl and is frustrated that people act blind to that when—aside for her stupid hair and clothes—it should be obvious!

Shy fourth grader Jess Jezowski turns the tables on her mom when she’s given yet another girly baby doll for Christmas. This time, instead of ignoring or destroying it, she transforms it into the boy she’s always wanted to be—a brave, funny little guy named Mickey. Making him talk, Jess finally lets the boy in her express himself.

But when Mickey evolves to become something more like an alter ego whose voice drowns out her own and the secret of him escapes the safety of her family, Jess realizes Mickey’s too limited and doesn’t allow the boy part of her a big enough presence in the world. She must find a way to blend him into her—so she can be that side of herself anywhere, around anyone.

Jess tries to wean herself from the crutch of Mickey’s loud, comical persona, and to get her family to forget about him, but she struggles to do both. What will it take for her to stop hiding behind Mickey and get people to see her for who she truly is? Based on the author’s experience growing up on Michigan’s rural Leelanau Peninsula in the ’70s, North of Tomboy includes artwork throughout.

Teen Tuesday and ARC Review: Run Away with Me by Brian Selznick

Image: Scholastic

Run Away with Me by Brian Selznick. 320 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., April 1, 2025. 9781339035529. Review of arc courtesy of publisher.

It is the summer of 1986, and our narrator is a sixteen-year-old lonely young man forced to move, yet again due to the nature of his single mother's rather esoteric job as a rare books expert. After wandering sullenly around Rome, he takes refuge in a cathedral to get out of the heat and falls asleep. When he awakens, he is struck by paintings of two angels seemingly staring at each other across the room. Haunted by these images, he resumes wandering and, at an intersection comes across a statue, which, unlike the many others in Rome, lacks beauty. As he turns away, he hears someone shout, "Wait!" and thinks for a moment that it is the statue. He finds a folded piece of paper jammed into the statue and upon unfolding it, finds that it is a map with a location circled. He makes his way to an elephant obelisk and meets the creator of the map, who looks exactly like the angel he just saw, and this angel speaks perfect English. Suddenly, Rome has become interesting. This mystery person names our narrator Danny, short for Dante, the sculptor of the elephant and Danny names his guide, Angelo, for the angel in the church. 

The next weeks unfold dreamily for Danny as he aches to reunite daily with Angelo, who is filled with anecdotes about Rome, not all of which Danny can believe. Angelo is secretive, but so is Danny, especially with his mother. 

Lies and truths intermingle in this intense story of first love, and identity. There are stories within the story that are utterly enchanting and heartbreaking. The narrative feels occasionally forced, especially when Angelo disappears and the cause is revealed. Sorry, the nurse in me is especially critical of medical stuff. This will not be noted by intended audience. 

The narrative is bookended by Selznick's signature pencil drawings that are so incredibly detailed they feel architectural and dreamy at once. 

Run Away with Me publishes on April 1. Mr. Selznick's YA debut is impressive. 

Middle Grade Monday: Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller

Image: Penguin Random House 

Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller. 160 p. Philomel Books/ Penguin Young Readers, April, 2024. Review of copy borrowed from public library.

Middle Grade Monday features Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller. Ten-year-old Magnolia does not have high expectations for her summer. Her only friend moved away and she wouldn't call the classmates that patronize her parents laundry, friends, especially, Austin. She doesn't mind though. She has created a "Lost Sock" display in the laundromat and is hoping to reunite the missing sock with their owners. Enter Iris. She and her mother just moved from California and Iris is not impressed with New York. The two team up to find the owners of the missing socks. 

This gentle read hits all the notes: relatable characters, humor, illustrations, and two kids on the loose in NYC. Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All was named a Newbery Honor, an ALSC Notable Book, a Kirkus and NYT Best Book. Happy reading!

Fact Friday: Call the Bee Doctor: How Science is Saving Honey Bees by Sandra Markle

Image: Lerner Publishing 

Call the Bee Doctor: How Science is Saving Honey Bees by Sandra Markle. 48 p. Millbrook Press/ Lerner Publishing, October, 2024. Review of copy borrowed from public library. 

Fact Friday features Call the Bee Doctor: How Science is Saving Honey Bees by Sandra Markle. In 2013, veteran science writer, Markle published a book called The Case of the Vanishing Honeybees. In it, she described how the honeybee population was threatened by something called Colony Collapse Disorder. In this update, Ms. Markle describes the work of apiologists, or, bee doctors in their search for a cure of CCD.

The photos are the stars here as they help readers further understand the rather technical prose. The glossary may also be consulted frequently. Ms. Markle details the process of scientific inquiry and highlights the highs and lows. She makes the connection between honeybees and their importance to agriculture and the effect of climate change and use of pesticides on their survival. She might even inspire some middle school students to become apiologists!

In addition to a great glossary, the back matter includes additional sources, making this book a valuable resource for young researchers. Long live the queen!

#tbt: Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar

Image: Penguin Random House

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar. 279 p. Dutton Children's Books/ Penguin Young Readers, July, 2005. 

#tbt features a favorite book of mine, Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar. Scott Hudson is entering high school. He thinks his bffs will be in his classes and help with the transition. Unfortunately, Scott is in honors classes, and his friends are not.  He's small. He's bullied. He's also suffering because of his older brother's less than stellar reputation. Then, there's Julia, an acquaintance from kindergarten, who has morphed into a goddess, so Scott joins everything that Julia joins with hilarious results. Scott thinks things can't get much worse until his mother announces that she is pregnant and Scott decides to write a user's manual - not a diary - to help his future sibling navigate freshmen year. 

I wasn't blogging in 2005, when I read it, but I have book talked this book whenever I had the opportunity, especially to eighth graders getting ready for high school. There is a companion novel, Sophomores and Other Oxymorons, which was published in 2015. 

This is the original cover, which I prefer. Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Huda F. Wants to Know by Huda Fahmy

Image: Penguin Random House

Huda F. Wants to Know by Huda Fahmy. 224 p. Penguin Young Readers, April 1, 2025. 9780593855614.

Waiting on Wednesday features Huda F. Wants to Know by Huda Fahmy. This is the third Huda F. graphic novel based on the author's experience growing up in Michigan, and I can't wait. 

Here's the publisher synopsis:In the hilarious and poignant follow-up to National Book Award Finalist Huda F Cares?, Huda's life and worldview is turned upside down when her parents announce they're divorcing.

Huda Fahmy is ready for junior year. She’s got a plan to join all the clubs, volunteer everywhere, ace the ACTs, write the most awe-inspiring essay for her scholarship applications. Easy.

But then Mama and Baba announce the most unthinkable news: they’re getting a divorce.

Huda is devastated. She worries about what this will mean for her family, their place in the Muslim community, and her future. Her grades start tanking, she has a big fight with her best friend, and everything feels out of control. Will her life ever feel normal again? Huda F wants to know.

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt. Unabridged audiobook, ~ 3 hours. Read by Zachary Roe. Clarion Books/ HarperCollins Publishers, December, 2021. Review of audiobook borrowed from public library.

Teen Tuesday features Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt. I first read this with my eyes back in August of 2016. It was published in fall of 2015. I was still giving stars to my GR posts and gave five with the comment: Okay, officially gutted. I swear, there are not many authors who can do what Gary D. Schmidt does in so few words. The economy, beauty, imagery and heart in his writing is astonishing.

After I read Jupiter Rising, I realized that I couldn't really remember the details of Orbiting Jupiter. It was, after all, about 2500 or so books ago, so I decided to reread it with my ears. 

This is the first-person narration by Jackson Hurd. A sixth grader who lives on a dairy farm with his parents, who have agreed to foster Joseph Brooks, a thirteen-year-old who has fathered a child, spent time in a juvenile detention facility and doesn't like to be touched or approached from behind. Jackson and his parents give Joseph the space and time he needs, but also chores, such as milking the cows, which he also needs. Unfortunately, other adults in the community, have prejudged Joseph, starting with the school bus driver, so Joseph and Jackson walk to school in the bitter cold.

As Joseph slowly thaws with the Hurds, they learn his story and are more committed than ever to helping him. All Joseph wants is to see his baby, who is in foster care since her mother, Maddie, has died.

This emotionally intense, character-driven novel packs a punch. Have tissues handy. The narrator was different than the one for Jupiter Rising. He was measured and fine, except he mispronounced the name of a character several times, which annoyed me. 

Orbiting Jupiter was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book, an ALA Notable as well as quite a few state award lists. It has become a TMS favorite over the years and a book I highly recommend. Happy reading.

Middle Grade Monday: Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston

Image: Bloomsbury

Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston. 304 p. Bloomsbury, January 16, 2024. Review of finished purchased copy.

Middle Grade Monday features Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston. Seventh-grader Sharkita, "Kita" Lloyd is reliable, dependable and devoted to her two younger siblings. Her eight-year-old brother, Lamar has special needs due to having fetal alcohol syndrome and her five-year-old sister, Lilli is spirited and curious. Even though her mother seems to be doing fine, it is Kita who gets her siblings ready for school, who makes sure there's food in the house and that the bills are paid on time. Kita never wants to be separated by the foster care system from her brother and sister again. Kita's mom even gives her permission to join the twirl team and Kita begins to feel like a normal seventh grader. But then, her mom begins to party again.

This emotionally intense, character-driven novel authentically depicts the experience of a child who assumes the role of parent and can't or won't reach out. It received many starred reviews, was named a Kirkus Prize Finalist and a Schneider Family Book Honor for Middle Grade Fiction. 

Fact Friday: Everywhere Beauty is Harlem: the Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava by Gary Golio

Image: Astra Books/ Calkins Creek

Everywhere Beauty is Harlem: the Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava by Gary Golio. Illustrated by E.B. Lewis. unpgd. Astra Books for Young Readers/ Calkins Creek, January, 2024. 9781662680557. Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.

I have to open this review with an apology. I received this finished copy over a year ago, and while I read it immediately, posted it as a 2023 favorite and wrote, "perfect in every way," I never blogged about it. I set it aside with the intention of posting, but my health issues got in the way. Last weekend, I was sorting stacks of books, came across it, and sat down to reread. I wondered if it would get any Youth Media Award love and put it on my spreadsheet for today's "Fact Friday" post. Happily, E. B. Lewis received a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for his stunning illustrations this past Monday.

Writing in the present tense, using his signature spare and evocative language, Gary Golio describes a "day in the life" of photographer, Roy DeCarava. He worked a day job, but once work was over, "Roy's time is his own now." He loads his camera, he looks for subjects, and Harlem is brimming with them. Mr. Lewis' watercolor illustrations bring Harlem and its inhabitants to life. Each spread invites the reader to pause. 

Back matter includes further information about Mr, DeCarava, a black and white photo of the photographer, a timeline, a photograph of his camera and a photo of a Harlem street scene. A bibliography is included along with a list of museums featuring his photos. 

Everywhere Beauty is Harlem would be a terrific addition to my picture book biography unit and any school, classroom or public library. 

#tbt: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

Image: Penguin Random House

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. 464 p. Ember in the Ashes series #1. Crown Books/ Penguin Random House, April, 2015. 9781595148032.

#tbt features An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. This thrilling dystopian grabs the reader from page one and doesn't let go. It is told in alternating viewpoints by Laia, a Scholar in the Marital Empire whose brother was imprisoned and who is reluctantly acting as a spy for the resistance, and Elias, an elite soldier, who is training to become an assassin in the notorious Blackcliff Academy. 

An Ember in the Ashes was Ms. Tahir's debut in 2015. It was named a YALSA Best Book for Young Adults as well as a Goodreads People's Choice and quite a few state book award lists. It has three sequels, A Torch against the Night in 2016, A Reaper at the Gates in 2018, and A Sky Beyond the Storm in 2020. 

Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Dear Manny by Nic Stone

Image: Penguin Random House

Dear Manny by Nic Stone. 244 p. Crown Books for Young Readers/ Random House Children's Books/ Penguin Random House, March 4, 2025. 9780593308011.

Waiting on Wednesday features Dear Manny by Nic Stone. Fans of the author's Dear Martin and Dear Justyce will be happy to learn of this sequel that is due out on March 4.

Here's the publisher's synopsis: From the New York Times bestselling author of Dear Martin comes the thrilling final installment of the series, set in college. Jared (white, Justyce's roommate, woke) is running for Junior class president. With his antiracism platform, he's a shoo-in. But he's up against the new girl, Dylan. Will Jared have to choose between his head and his heart?

Jared Peter Christensen is running for president (of the Junior Class Council at his university, but still). His platform is solid—built on increased equity and inclusion in all sectors of campus life—and he’s got a good chance of beating the deeply conservative business major he’s running against.

But then a transfer student enters the race and calls Jared out for his big-talk/little-action way of moving. But what’s the right way to bring about change? As the campaign heats up, feelings are caught, and juicy secrets come to light, and Jared writes letters to his deceased friend Manny, hoping to make sense of his confusion. What’s a white boy to do when love and politics collide?

New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone writes from a new perspective in this exciting final chapter of the Dear Martin series that examines privilege, love, and our political climate.

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Heir by Sabaa Tahir

Image: Penguin Random House

Heir by Sabaa Tahir. Unabridged e-audiobook. ~18 hours. Narrated by Vidish Athavale, Esme Lonsdale, Joe Pitts, Marco Young, and Rachel Perladwala. Books on Tape/ Recorded Books/ Penguin Random House, October, 2024. Review from e-audiobook borrowed from public library.

Teen Tuesday features Heir by Sabaa Tahir. This duology picks up 20 years after the events of Ms.Tahir's propulsive debut trilogy, An Ember in the Ashes. While it is a stand-alone, I enjoyed seeing where Elias, Laia and Helene ended up. 

Heir is told from three points of view and the timeline is nonlinear, which I found a bit confusing at first, but made for quite the plot twist later on. Quil is the reluctant heir to the empire. He is Helene's nephew and she has trained him well. Sirsha is an exiled Jaduna, who has been forbidden to use her magic on the pain of death. She has been hired to track a child killer and reluctantly binds herself to the job, increasing the chance that her people will find her. Aiz is an orphan living in extreme poverty, but under the gentle care of clerics devoted to Mother Div. She's a storyteller, entrusted by the clerics to tell the eight tales and she half-believes Mother Div will come and rescue the Kegari people.

As in the Ember series, the world building is rich and vivid and the characters are well-drawn. There's plenty of violence left in the empire, and the serial killings are quite brutal. The romances were a miss for me. They didn't feel organic. They felt convenient. Also, the detail and frequency of couplings made this series more appropriate for a high school, rather than a middle school audience. Still, it's a nit, which will not bother the intended audience, and I will definitely be reading the conclusion of the duology. 

I'm glad I read this one with my ears as the pronunciation of names and places wouldn't have been what I chose and was happy for knowing how the author intended them to be pronounced. The narrators all gave well-paced performances. 

Happy reading!

Miiddle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera

Image: Recorded Books

Alebrijes by Donna Barba Higuera. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~10 hours. Narrated by Cisco Fernandez and Frankie Corzo. Recorded Books, October, 2023. Review of e-audio borrowed from public library. 

Thirteen-year-old Leandro and his nine-year-old sister, Gabi are Cascabeles, living in extreme poverty and at the mercy of the Pocateles, the ruling elite in what seems to be California in a post-apocalyptic world. What little food that can be farmed from the once fertile land, goes to the Pocateles. But, Leandro has grown up with stories about the once fertile lands and has a plan to get out with his sister. Unfortunately, that involves pickpocketing, and when Gabi gets caught, Leandro steps up to take the fall. Judgement is swift and severe - banishment outside the city, where wyrms burst from the soil to swallow any who walk there. But, Leandro has been given a reprieve, of sorts. If he agrees to leave his body behind, a doctor will remove his essence and implant it into the body of a hummingbird drone, leftover old-tech from the before-times. She wants Leandro to find and return her daughter. 

This dystopian adventure grabs you by the throat, lets up from time to time, but doesn't let go. Vivid world building and sympathetic characters kept me listening. The narrator sounded convincingly youthful and I appreciated the fluent shift to Spanish words that I would've butchered had I read with my eyes. I will reread it with my eyes soon, though. The physical book, which I have/ had in my library is utterly gorgeous, with its  intriguing die-cut cover and illustrations. 

Alebriges was a "Best of the Year" book for Kirkus, Booklist, New York Times and the Chicago Public Library. It was also named a Pura Belpré Honor Book. Happy reading!

Fact Friday: Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming. 384 p. Scholastic Focus/ Scholastic Inc., March, 2024. 

Fact Friday features Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming. During World War II, the Axis powers sent coded messages that were very difficult to crack due to their use of Enigma machines. The British government sent telegrams to hundreds of young women from all walks of life, many of them teens to Station X at Bletchley Park. There, they were sworn to secrecy and embarked on work attempting to decode intercepted messages from the enemy. Ms. Fleming introduces the reader to ten of those extraordinary women in this intense and fascinating work of narrative nonfiction. Some of the women were skilled in mathematics and others spoke several languages. All worked tirelessly to turn the tide of the war. Their work was instrumental in the British Navy's defeat of the Italian Navy as well as during the planning of the D-Day invasion. 

The book is chock full of photos, side stories and information about codes and ciphers. Any new book by Ms. Fleming was an automatic purchase for my school library. This should have wide appeal and one I highly recommend. Happy reading!  

ETA: Here's a short video of the author talking about Enigma Girls.