Chickenpox by Remy Lai - ESSENTIAL

Chickenpox by Remy Lai, 240 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. Henry Holt, 2025. $23. 9781250863300

CONTENT: PG(fighting, nosebleed)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

12yo Abby Lai is the oldest of 5 siblings. To Abby, being surrounded by immature younger siblings feels like living in a zoo! All she wants is to spend as much time as she can with her two best friends, away from the "wild animals." But when all 5 Lai kids get the chickenpox in 1994 Indonesia, before the vaccine is available, and have to stay home together for 10 whole days, Abby really starts to wish she was an only child. Will Abby and her siblings learn to get along, or at least survive being cooped up together?

I enjoyed this middle grade graphic novel. Fans of Megan Wagner Lloyd's Squished will love Chickenpox. I related to Abby's struggle of having to always be the ""good big sister."" I also liked the process Abby went through when she said something hurtful to her friends--we all need good conflict-resolution models. 

Abby and her family are Indonesian. 

Rachel, Elementary library specialist 

Winterset by Tiffany Odekirk - ADVISABLE

Winterset by Tiffany Odekirk, 272 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $19.

Language: PG (1 swear, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

After faking her own death, Kate continued to live at the house her family had been renting, Winterset, with only two loyal servants for company. But Winterset does not belong to her. It belongs to Mr. Jennings. And after years of absence and neglect, Mr. Jennings is finally coming to the residence, threatening Kate’s hidden life.

Reading both points of view of Kate trying to get rid of Mr. Jennings and Mr. Jennings trying not to believe his house is haunted was highly entertaining. And then, of course, readers finally get swept into the romance as the couple attempts to keep themselves and their relationship from the world and hide out in their own little bubble. With humor, healing, unexpected love, and even threat of murder, Odekirk gives her readers a little bit of everything. Winterset is a companion to Odekirk’s Summerhaven, and it is referenced (and another good read) but not necessary to enjoy this story.

The majority of characters are English. The mature content rating is for alcohol use and kissing. The violence rating is for assault, gun use, sexual assault, murder, and mentions of suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson 

The Snowman Code by Simon Stephenson - ADVISABLE

The Snowman Code by Simon Stephenson, 238 pages. Simon and Schuster, DECEMBER 2025. $18.

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Blessing is sad - her mother is depressed because even though it is March there is no sign of spring and Blessing is afraid that she will be placed in foster care again.  Also, the Driplet Triplets have been making her life miserable.  Blessing decides to write a letter to school saying they are moving to Australia, so now Blessing can skip school every day.  Wandering the park one day, she sees a snowman frolicking and she stumbles upon  Albert and the Snowman Code - part of which involves helping children in trouble. Maybe Blessing can help Albert, too.  Albert has been looking for his lost love - every year snowmen are reborn in new places, so they haven’t found each other for 600 years. Rumor is that Clementine is right here in NYC.

I found Albert absolutely adorable. He has some mixed up ideas about the world, but it is from a snowman’s point of view.  I would love to read this to a 2, 3, 4th grade class. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen - OPTIONAL

Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung Le Nguyen, 224 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL. RH Graphic (Random House), 2025. $18.

Language: PG13 (21 swears, 1 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Angelica (17yo) could do it all, classes and extracurriculars and friends and helping with her mom’s food truck, until the day she couldn’t. What helped was messaging Per the Bear, the mascot for the local theater. Trying once again to show up, Angelica accepts an internship at the theater, hoping to lean into the good thing in her life—and maybe meet the person behind the bear too.

Obviously, Angelica is the main character, but she is not the only point of view readers get. As we peek into the lives of Angelica, her parents, her new and and old friends, and even the owner of the theater, we find that everyone is dealing with grief in their own ways. The timeline in the first chapter was unclear, but it worked itself out after that, and the illustrations complement the story with lines and curves that somehow manage to feel soft and soothing.

Angelica and her family are implied Asian, and there are various skin tones depicted in the illustrations. Gable is described as nonbinary, and Richard and Phil are gay. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol and smut as well as for innuendo.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

Victim #8 by Traci Hunter Abramson - OPTIONAL

Victim #8 (Luke Steele #2) by Traci Hunter Abramson, 320 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2025. $28.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

As an FBI agent, Amberlyn is accustomed to being privy to top secret information—though this is the first time the president has given her top secret information personally and the first time she can’t discuss it with her boss. Amberlyn is assigned to work with Luke once more, something she is looking forward to after their last assignment, but Luke isn’t sure if he wants her friendship—or anything more.

While the national threat that Amberlyn and Luke deal with in this book is completely separate from the conflict in the prequel, the first book is necessary for understanding Amberlyn and Luke, as both of them are dealing with grief stemming from events in the prequel. Abramson refers to some current events, lending relevancy to the fictional conflict. The book focuses more on the relationship between Amberlyn and Luke than the imminent threat of nuclear missiles, though there is plenty of action and espionage to keep the pages turning.

The majority of characters are either American, Russian, or Turkish, though characters of other nationalities are included. The mature content rating is for kissing and illegal activity. The violence rating is for assault, gun use, mentions of terrorism and nuclear weapons, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Johnson

The Book of Frights for Spooky Nights by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe, illustrated by Eva Sanchez Gomez - OPTIONAL

The Book of Frights for Spooky Nights by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe and Eva Sanchez Gomez. 54 pages. NON-FICTION BOOK. Wide Eyed Editions (Quarto), 2025. $25. 9780711287679

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Stumbling upon an abandoned house, the reader is locked in the attic with a chest of books - especially the Book of Frights - the last words of research by an intrepid ghost hunter, who followed spooks all over the world.

Stewart-Sharpe has tried to create a book that feels like a ghost hunter who has traveled all over the world, but I just never felt the spookiness. The font tries to look like handwriting, so it is a bit more difficult to read.  And there are a lot of sites covered, most of them in very small ways, so few things are well-explained. I’m sorry that I couldn’t buy into the premise.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

https://www.kingsenglish.com/item/RxEI5wohXcdhshRLnPWuOQ

Every Borrowed Beat by Erin Stewart, - ESSENTIAL

Every Borrowed Beat by Erin Stewart, 352 pages. Delacorte Press (Random House), 2025. $20

Language: PG (5 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: G (none)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS, ADULT - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

16yo Sydney Wells has spent years waiting on the transplant list for a new heart. Alongside her best friend Chloe, she created a blog called ""The List"" to share the raw realities of living with chronic illness and the endless wait for a second chance. Then, at last, the call comes—Sydney receives her new heart. But life after the transplant isn’t as simple as she imagined. She finds herself fixated on Mia, the girl who died so Sydney could live. Determined to learn everything about Mia, Sydney seeks out Mia’s best friend, Clayton. Together, they make a plan to honor Mia’s memory, but Sydney soon finds her feelings for Clayton growing stronger. Torn between her secret and her heart, she must decide whether to reveal the truth—or risk losing both Clayton and the fragile new life she’s been given."

I really liked this book! Through Sydney’s thoughts and feelings, you get to see what it’s like to go through the struggles and heartache of waiting for—and finally getting—a heart transplant. Even though the topic is serious, the author adds humor and a little bit of romance that make the story fun to read. I also liked how Sydney wasn’t sure if she should tell Clayton the truth, which made her feel real and relatable. Teens will definitely connect with Sydney while also learning what it’s like to face such a big life challenge. The story moves along smoothly and is easy to read—I think a lot of students will really enjoy it!

Sydney, Clayton, Chloe and Mia are all presumed to be white.

Jessica Nelson CTHS Librarian

Death by Whoopie Cushion by Vicki Grant - OPTIONAL

Death by Whoopie Cushion by Vicki Grant, 256 pages. Tundra (Penguin Canada), 2025, $18.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (explosion at school, custodian killed, not graphic, kids in peril, murderer on the loose) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

12yo Manya wants to be a scientist. She loves everything about science. Her parents own a moderately successful prank shop, but when her dad tries to increase revenue by producing artisan pranks, specially made for big tricks and they start to go awry, Manya's parents find themselves in big trouble. They were preparing to show their pranks at a big assembly at the school and an explosion happened in the auditorium killing the custodian, and now they have been arrested and charged with murder. Manya knows it can't be them, but with all the evidence clearly pointing at her parents, Manya may have to solve this crime herself. 

An interesting plot - are there still prank shops? Do people do that? How many chattering teeth and exploding cans of popcorn have we seen in the last decades? I was hoping for a laugh out loud mystery, but the situations and the jokes are not all that funny, and the fact that someone died makes the story not funny at all. Also, I read along with the audio book and didn't love the narrator's character voice choices. I found many way too silly. When I tried to just read the book, I was still hearing the voices. All in all, the mystery turned out OK, a lot of coincidences moved the story along, so I didn't love the resolution.  Manya defaults white. 

Lisa Librarian  

The Dragonslayers by Bruce Coville - OPTIONAL

The Dragonslayers by Bruce Coville, 122 pages. Aladdin (Simon and Schuster), 2025 (originally published by Minstrel books in 1994.) $18 

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

There is a dragon that must be destroyed. Unfortunately, none of the knights feel up to it, so an aging squire, promoted to knight and his new young squire, Brian, set off into the forest. Their reward is 1/2 the kingdom and the 14yo Princess Wilhelmina's hand in marriage. Wilhelmina (Willie) is disgusted by the whole thing and sets off in disguise to hunt the dragon herself. It will take all of them to bring down a dragon and the witch who created it. 

The story is predictable, but a nice ride. Readers may like seeing their predictions come to pass. The shortness of the text will appeal to some readers but also doesn't allow for much character development. This is a quick, fun read with some nice black and white drawings that add to the story. Race is unspecified, though medieval royalty is typically white. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Schooled by Jamie Sumner - OPTIONAL

Schooled by Jamie Sumner, 218 pages. Atheneum (Simon and Schuster), 2025. $18. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G Violence: PG (a bad sunburn described) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Lenny is starting 6th grade at a new school. His mother has recently passed and his dad has taken a job teaching Latin at a college so they've moved from New Jersey to Tennessee. Along with 4 other children his age, all kids of college professors, Lenny is enrolled in The Copernicus school were his education is primarily self discovery, meditation, observing campus life and auditing college classes. Lenny and his dad are grieving for his mom in different ways and are not getting along. He doesn't want to be part of anything, his dad, this school, or Tennessee. 

Schooled is a bit different from Sumner's usual writing. It took me a bit to get into, and it was an adult connection rather than one kids would gravitate to. Lenny meets a professor on campus who invites him to audit his Fairy Tales class (but then the content of the class is more Mythology). Lenny is stuck unable to grieve his mother's death because his dad is in denial? can't manage his own feelings? unable to see Lenny's needs? What I really think - it's sad and readers picking it may be disappointed it's not like her other books. Lenny is white, his friends are a variety of races including Asian, Black and Hawaiian. 

Lisa Librarian 

Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor - OPTIONAL

 

Rebel Girls of Rome by Jordyn Taylor, 320 pages. Harper Collins, 2025. $16

Language: R (35 swears, 1 ‘f’); Mature Content: R (on page sex); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Lilah, a college student, is still reeling from the death of her beloved mother and her grandfather refuses to open up to her and talk about any of his history. Then Lilah receives a surprise email from a boy who lives in Rome - he has what seems to be an heirloom of Lilah’s family. Together Lilah and her grandfather travel to Rome to discover the connection. Meanwhile, in the past, Bruna is devastated the day her beloved younger brother goes missing and as she is searching for him, her parents are hauled off by the Nazi’s to a death camp. Now in hiding, Bruna joins the resistance, rediscovering Elsa, a crush from before and the two passionately reconnect amidst the horrors of World War II.

I am so disappointed that Taylor decided to unnecessarily graphically describe the girls’ passion. The rest of the book is as good as the author’s Paper Girl of Paris, but less accessible.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The House of Quiet by Kiersten White - OPTIONAL

The House of Quiet by Kiersten White, 304 pages. Delacorte Press (Random House), 2025. $20

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: PG-13 (bloody wounds)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

17yo Birdie was only ten when she left her sister Magpie and their parents. Birdie set out to work as a housemaid, so she could earn money and help her parents pay for Magpie’s procedure. She hasn’t seen them in eight years. Birdie has manipulated her way from house to house, finally being sent to the House of Quiet, hoping to find her sister. When Birdie arrives, she finds more questions than answers.  

I didn’t really understand the concept of the House of Quiet and its purpose or the procedure that kept being referred to. I liked the characters Birdie and Forest and the strength they showed. I also liked the cute crush they have on each other. I would like to know more of what the houses were like that Birdie previously worked at and more of her experiences there.

The ethnicity consists of brown skin, light brown skin, and pale skin.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

The Blue Dress by Rebecca Morrison - ADVISABLE

The Blue Dress by Rebecca Morrison, 272 pages. Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Macmillan), MARCH 2026. $19

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Ever since she hit puberty, Yasmin has been gaining weight.  And her mother’s weekly weigh-ins and constant sniping about her size is making Yasmin binge eat in secret and choose to purge to hide her eating - and other drastic dieting choices. Tension at school is not much better.  First there is Yasmin’s personal mean girl, Zoe.  Strangely Yasmin and Zoe have a n interaction that gives them both some empathy, but angers Yasmin’s best friend, Carmen, who has stuck with Yasmin through everything. While everything is so messed up, there are glimmers of hope amongst the set-backs as Yasmin reaches out for help, however reluctantly.

While the cover doesn’t lend itself to insta-attraction, if you can get one girl to read this, I think it will gather a small following. Morrison captures the tension between Yasmina nd her mother, Yasmin and Zoe, and even Yasmin and Carmen so well.  While the issues need to be addressed and somewhat solved within the time of the book, it doesn’t feel like “magic” solutions - the setbacks feel authentic.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Let Them Stare by Jonathan Van Ness and Julie Murphy - OPTIONAL

Let Them Stare by Jonathan Van Ness and Julie Murphy, 336 pages. Harper Collins, 2025. $23

Language: R (100+ swears, 15 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: G

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

When their dream summer internship implodes on the day they were supposed to be leaving their po-dunk town, 18yo Sully is devastated.  As the most out and proud gay person in Hearst, the other being Brad, or “Bread” as Sully prefers to call him, Sully has been proudly waving the queer flag. To console himself he buys a rare and valuable bag at the local thrift store - which comes complete with a ghost. Rufus, the ghost, also grew up in Hearst as a gay man in the 1950’s.  He has no idea how he became tied to the beautiful bag. As Brad drives Sully around town investigating the mystery, Sully begins to learn more about his nemesis and about the secrets hiding in his own town.

Fans of Murphy will probably love the chaos that Sully brings to the page.  I do love how the author’s used Rufus’s history to highlight history and challenges of being gay in the 1950’s. Whether student readers will appreciate the history - I don’t know.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

 

The Queen’s Granddaughter by Diane Zahler, - OPTIONAL

The Queen’s Granddaughter by Diane Zahler, 304 pages. Roaring Brook (Macmillan), MARCH 2026. 

Content: G (mild danger) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: FEW

When 12yo Blanca finds out that her grandmother, dowager Queen Eleanor, is on her way to her home of Castile to choose her older sister Urraca as the bride for Louis the IX, the heir of the French throne, Blanca is devastated.  She is even more devastated when Eleanor instead chooses Blanca to be that bride. Together the two, with an entourage, embark on a perilous journey from Castile to Paris. While Blanca is also accompanied by her maid and friend Suna, a Castilian Jew, danger, in the form of Eleanor’s enemies.

As much as I usually like historical fiction, I was not interested in Blanca’s story.  Historical fiction can already be hard to interest students, but this story lacks a heart and drama that will normally draw them in. I found Zahler’s Wild Bird to be more interesting, but still hard to sell.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Mysterious Virginia Hall: World War II's Most Dangerous Spy by Claudia Friddell - ADVISABLE

The Mysterious Virginia Hall: World War II's Most Dangerous Spy by Claudia Friddell, 160 pages. Astra, 2025. $19. 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Born to a well-to-do family in Maryland near the turn of the 1900’s, Virginia, or “Dindy” as her family knew her, her dream was to become an ambassador for the United States. She loved traveling and was up for any adventure. Even losing a foot after a hunting accident didn’t deter her. When World War II broke out in Europe, Virginia was determined to involve herself in the fight in any way she could.  And she became a prolific spy and saboteur, constantly putting herself into danger. 

at 60 pages shorter than The Lady is a Spy (https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2019/06/the-lady-is-spy-by-don-mitchell.html), Hall’s story is even more accessible in Friddell’s hands, and is enthusiastically endorsed by Virginia’s own family. If you study WWII, or have a curious free reader population, Hall’s story is a great one to add. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Press 1 for Invasion by J.A. Dauber, - ADVISABLE

Press 1 for Invasion by J.A. Dauber, 308 pages. Aladdin (Simon), 2025. $18

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (threats of cooking and eating the humans, laser blaster fights, alien deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

10yo Matt is so excited to find the phone on the way to school - so excited that he doesn’t even think about trying to find the owner and return it.  Continuing on his way, he snaps some pictures - leading to a discovery that rocks his world - turns out that aliens have invaded his neighborhood! Not just the kindly crossing guard - but even one of the cafeteria ladies. The cafe alien wants his help - her race is about to conquer Earth as food - because Earthlings are delicious!  But she has come to like Earthlings and doesn’t want them destroyed. Matt will have to get the help of Marleea, a girl he admires, in order to concoct a plan to save the entire world. 

The constant mentioning of cooking Earth people, eating Earth people how delicious Earthlings are is nerve-wracking, not annoying. It really ramps up the tension.  The final solution is full of mis-fired plans and constant danger.  If you have students who will read science fiction, here is a good choice.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Safe Harbor by Padma Venkatraman - ADVISABLE

Safe Harbor by Padma Venkatraman, 157 pages. NOVEL IN VERSE. Nancy Paulsen (Penguin), 2025. $18

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Geetha and her mom have moved to the United States after her parents’ divorce. Moving is not easy for Geetha, especially because she is having a very hard time finding anyone friendly at her school.. Instead, she has people like the shiny-smile girl who seems to be Geetha’s personal bully, hiding behind a  supposedly friendly face. Then one day Geetha is at the beach when she and a boy, Miguel, find a stranded harbor seal pup.  This chance encounter leads to a new friendship and a cause to support, giving Geetha things to look forward to and some courage to address some things in her life which are out of balance.

As much as I enjoyed Geetha’s story, I will always be disappointed by a novel in verse which is not poetic. Had I listened to this as an audiobook I would have had no idea it was supposed to be poetry. I like the environmental messages that are present without being in-your-face.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Into the Wild Magic by Michelle Knudsen - OPTIONAL

Into the Wild Magic by Michelle Knudsen, 355 pages. Candlewick, 2025. $19. 

Content: G (mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

11yo Bevvy has no friends, but she does have bullies.  When she makes tentative overtures to a new girl, she isn’t immediately rebuffed, but it isn't easy going, either. Then Cat, the new girl, is spooked by a strange car cruising by and the two girls end up through a doorway Cat opened into another world. Cat’s world is a brief joy and total mystery for Bevvy - it has magical beings like dragons and unicorns, but the creatures seem to be out to kill humans. The world has been taken over by a man who wants all of the magic for himself - regardless of the cost. While Cat has some skill that may be useful in defeating him, Bevvy also has a special perspective that can help -  if they can convince the rebels to listen and trust.

Bevvy’s story is a lot of book for a small payoff. I found Cat’s world-building lacking in things that really drew me in and feeling invested. Definitely more for a busy fantasy library collection.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Grin by D. W. Gillespie - ESSENTIAL

Grin by D. W. Gillespie, 264 pages. Delacorte (Random House), 2025. $18. 9780593814888

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (possession, some blood, lots of tension)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ESSENTIAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

13yo Danny is so excited to be spending a week with his uncle Bill, who owns a successful video arcade - video games are his jam and now he will be able to play for hours every day. On the way, he is listening to one of his favorite games that is so obscure, it is more of an urban legend - Grin - a game that supposedly brings death along with it.  Imagine Danny’s surprise when Uncle Bill unveils his newest purchase  - Grin. Danny has gotten into a lot more than he bargained for during his arcade week.  He is going to have to gather a few allies if he is going to defeat the evil that wants his Uncle.

I love that GIllespie front loads the possibility of danger and then jumps right into making us afraid - just the kind of scare that builds the most anticipation/anxiety in the reader. I will happily recommend to my students who are craving a good scary book.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS