But then, the summer before middle school begins, Uncle Roderick dies. And the ghosts aren’t just cold spots and strange noises anymore: There’s a new ghost — one who seems to have an urgent message for Bug. Too Bright to See is the debut novel from librarian and children’s author Kyle Lukoff. … More Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff
Alice Choy has never had trouble expressing herself through song. But even she isn’t prepared when a casual night out singing karaoke with her little sister in Seoul ends with an offer to audition for one of the top K-pop entertainment companies in the world. … More Idol Gossip by Alexandra Leigh Young
Review by MacKenzie Sewell
O’Donoghue gives readers a slow but thorough introduction to tarot and occult magic along with Maeve. The flashback to witches of the nineties, complete with the mystery of the cassette and the shopkeeper’s sister, adds a generational element that puts the magic of the world into a larger, environmental perspective. As each piece of the puzzle comes together, we start to realize just how powerful and disastrous the magic that Maeve has uncovered can be. … More All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue
Review by Claudine Yip
The anthology Once Upon an Eid celebrates the Muslim holiday of Eid. … More Once Upon an Eid: Stories of Hope and Joy by 15 Muslim Voices, ed. S.K. Ali and Aisha Saeed
Review by Shyamala Parthasarathy
When sixteen-year-old Nishat comes out to her Bengali and Bangladeshi immigrant parents as a lesbian, she is met with stony silence. Things get worse when her childhood friend-turned-business rival, Flávia, sets up a henna stall for their school project. Nishat must untangle her complicated feelings about Flávia while grappling with what it means to be Muslim and gay—two identity markers that everyone tells her do not go together. … More The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar
Review by Claudine Yip
Who says real life can’t hold as many fantasies as fiction? A family of dreamers lies at the core of this biographical picture book. … More Flying Paintings: The Zhou Brothers: A Story of Revolution and Art by Amy Alznauer, illustrated by ShanZuo Zhou and DaHuang Zhou
Review by Jocelyne Gregory
There’s no better way to spend a rainy day than with a good detective story. Super Detectives by Cale Atkinson is just that. Meet best friends Simon—a ghost with an obsession for writing detective novels and watching classic detective movies—and Chester—a young human who seeks adventure. … More Super Detectives by Cale Atkinson
Review by Hira Peracha
Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen is a mystical story inspired by West African mythology. … More Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
Review by Logaine Navascués
Can even ghosts be scared sometimes? Gustavo is such a kid—a ghost kid—who doesn’t seem to fit in to the loud and playful world of his monster classmates. … More Gustavo the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago
Review by Elizabeth Leung
As resources that explain disabilities to youth are hard to come by, The Disability Experience is a true gem of non-fiction. Author Hannalora Leavitt, who herself is legally blind, provides a succinct overview of the culture and history of disability for young readers. … More The Disability Experience: Working Toward Belonging by Hannalora Leavitt, Illus. by Belle Wuthrich
YOUNG ADULTING 