Review by Logaine Navascués
Sons can bring good fortune and prosperity to a Taiwanese family, so what could be better than having ten of them? But if we look a little more closely, we see that their quiet sister also shines, despite growing up in the shadow of her siblings. … More Ten Little Dumplings by Larissa Fan, Illustrated by Cindy Wume
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
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
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
Review by Charmaine Lee
Finally, a tribute to young adults who have been herded into reading romance novels, but repeatedly feel disappointed by them, and have no idea why. … More Loveless by Alice Oseman
Review by Logaine Navascués
What is home? Is it a place? A people? A refuge? Or the memory of a smell you can almost taste? For Salma, a young Syrian girl who just immigrated to Canada, it’s all that and more: it means making her Mama smile again.
… More Salma the Syrian Chef by Danny Ramadan, Illustrated by Anna Bron
Review by Jieun Lee
Myra Louise is a very good thinker, reader, and best of all, listener. But other people only notice she’s quiet. In a society that views extroversion and vocalized opinions as signs of strength and success, thoughtfulness is not always valued or understood. … More Why Are You So Quiet? by Jaclyn Desforges, Illustrated by Risa Hugo
Review by Natasha Zippan
Me and Banksy is the sort of book that I wish existed when I was younger, because I was as precocious as its protagonist. This middle-grade novel is smart, sophisticated, sardonic, and filled with modern art, social justice, and friendship.
… More Me and Banksy by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
Review by Jennifer Irvine.
In this mystery, IT nerd Kya Caine and social media expert Fuse Fallon are bitter rivals for Paris Secord, famously known as DJ ParSec’s, attention. Then, 16-year-old ParSec is found lying dead on her turntable and Kya and Fuse happen to both be at the murder scene.
… More Spin by Lamar Giles
Review by Micah Killjoy
It’s 2003 and 19-year-old Juliet Palante is a queer Latinx babe living in the Bronx who’s got a newfound power in her womanhood and can call herself a feminist. Or can she really? … More Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
YOUNG ADULTING 