Young Adult – YOUNG ADULTING

Playlist: The Rebels and Revolutionaries of Sound by James Rhodes, Illus. by Martin O’Neill

April 13, 2021

Review by Louise Brecht

James Rhodes’ Playlist: The Rebels and Revolutionaries of Sound is a spellbinding introduction to the rock star composers of the classical music era(s). Cleverly crafted to resonate with teen readers unfamiliar with this genre, its message that our current tunesmiths are born from classical roots is potent for lapsed fans or music aficionados, regardless of age. … More Playlist: The Rebels and Revolutionaries of Sound by James Rhodes, Illus. by Martin O’Neill

Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House by Janet Hill

April 6, 2021

Review by Hira Peracha

When Lucy Crisp, who is halfway through her second gap year between high school and university, receives an acceptance letter to the floral artistry program at Ladywyck Lodge, the last thing she expected to come across was a town of witches and fairies.
… More Lucy Crisp and the Vanishing House by Janet Hill

Shine by Jessica Jung

March 2, 2021

Review by Katie Gaston

What’s it like to be a K-pop star? Most of us will never know, but one of the world’s most famous K-pop singers, the legendary Jessica Jung, can help us imagine. … More Shine by Jessica Jung

This Book Betrays My Brother by Kagiso Lesego Molope

February 23, 2021

Review by Shyamala Parthasarathy

First published in South Africa back in 2012, This Book Betrays My Brother follows the life of Naledi, a young teenage girl growing up there in the nineties. She loves her brother, Basi, and all things feminine, but the novel’s title is, as you’ve guessed, as much a spoiler as a warning. … More This Book Betrays My Brother by Kagiso Lesego Molope

Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

February 16, 2021

Review by Rachel Jung

Imagine a small, fragile bead the size of your fist that contains your entire life energy (gi). Now, imagine that one day, its existence only becomes known to you after a messy interaction with a monster ejects it from your body and into the hands of a stranger. … More Wicked Fox by Kat Cho

Stranded by Jocelyn Shipley

February 9, 2021

Review by Hira Peracha

Loss and addiction have a way of overpowering your thoughts. When it seems like the only option available, you sometimes have to seek help from strangers. Kipp learns the hard way that not everyone has good intentions. … More Stranded by Jocelyn Shipley

Half Life by Lillian Clark

February 2, 2021

Review by Sara Francoeur

If you are anything like Lucille Harper—driven to excel at school and diligent about building up your resume for college applications—then having a living replica of yourself might seem like a solution to many problems. … More Half Life by Lillian Clark

Mañanaland by Pam Muñoz Ryan

January 26, 2021

Review by Logaine Navascués

Max doesn’t feel like a regular 11-year-old boy in his hometown of Santa María. His dad won’t let him join the other kids for fútbol practice in a nearby town—even though making it to the local team is Max’s greatest dream—because he’s worried something might happen to him. That he will also disappear, just as his Mother did when he was still a baby. … More Mañanaland by Pam Muñoz Ryan

The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein

January 19, 2021

Review by Louise Brecht

Louisa Adair didn’t know what Sergeant Lind was talking about. None of them did, not really. They’d only wanted to save lives, not hoard the machine that is the key target of a massive British Intelligence operative.
… More The Enigma Game by Elizabeth Wein

The Iron Will of Genie Lo by F. C. Yee

January 12, 2021

Review by Claudine Yip
Last time, she saved the city. Next up: the universe? Or worse: college applications?
… More The Iron Will of Genie Lo by F. C. Yee

YOUNG ADULTING

Serious Reviews of Books for Kids and Teens

Category: Young Adult