review – 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

Tough Like Mum by Lana Button, Illus. by Carmen Mok

April 1, 2021

Review by Logaine Navascués

What does it really mean to be tough? Despite her young age, Kim has already learned that faces are not always a reflection of the feelings people carry inside. … More Tough Like Mum by Lana Button, Illus. by Carmen Mok

The Boy and the Gorilla by Jackie Azúa Kramer, Illus. by Cindy Derby

March 25, 2021

Review by Logaine Navascués

Sometimes, grief fills up everything in and around us, like an enormous dark gorilla standing in the middle of the room: present and inevitable, yet still unimaginable.
… More The Boy and the Gorilla by Jackie Azúa Kramer, Illus. by Cindy Derby

Parked by Danielle Svetcov

March 23, 2021

Review by Sara Francoeur

When someone you love is struggling with a big problem, all you want to do is help. But what if they don’t want your help? In Parked by Danielle Svetcov, two 12-year-olds develop an unlikely friendship while tackling hardships that would challenge most adults. … More Parked by Danielle Svetcov

Here in the Real World by Sara Pennypacker

March 16, 2021

Review by Claudine Yip

Have you ever gotten in trouble with a parent or teacher for drifting off into your own world? The disapproving look that follows is an expression eleven-year-old Ware is more than familiar with. … More Here in the Real World by Sara Pennypacker

Pine Island Home by Polly Horvath

March 9, 2021

Review by Sara Francoeur

After the sudden death of their missionary parents, the four McCready sisters between the ages of eight and fourteen are sent from their home in Borneo to faraway west-coast Canada to live in a seaside village on fictional Pine Island. Upon arrival, they find themselves on their own again. … More Pine Island Home by Polly Horvath

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

YOUNG ADULTING

Serious Reviews of Books for Kids and Teens

Category: review