MG – The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival

Nadel, Estelle, and Sammy Savos. The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival. Roaring Brook Press. 2024. 978-1-250-24777-3. 272 p. $18.99. Grades 6+.

Enia Feld enjoyed an idyllic childhood in rural Borek, Poland, surrounded by her parents, four siblings, and extended family. She especially loved to sing as she explored the natural beauty of her hometown. Her Jewish family prepared kosher food and observed the Shabbat each Saturday. In September 1939, German troops crossed the border into Poland, and German airplanes attacked numerous Polish towns. It took time to feel the effects of the invasion in Borek, but by December Enia’s life began to change dramatically. A yellow star on her sweater was followed by a raid of her family’s modest home, and then the devastating loss of her sister, brother, and father. World War II had arrived in Borek. Enia and her surviving family members went into hiding, sheltered by brave friends and neighbors who risked their own lives to protect the Felds. Though she had lost so much, Enia would suffer further incomprehensible losses before liberation in 1944, and her challenges continued with a “new beginning” in America (where she became “Estelle”). The Girl Who Sang is a truly unforgettable graphic memoir of hope and survival. Illustrator Sammy Savos cues the color palette to Enia’s emotions, from her bright and sunny young years to the dim and foreboding years in hiding to the subdued panels depicting her first years in New York. Readers will take heart in the return of sunshine in the book’s final section.

THOUGHTS: Estelle Nadel writes in her author’s note, “Someday there will no longer be any Holocaust survivors still living.” Fortunately, books like this one exist to deliver their testimony to new generations of readers. 

Graphic Memoir

Elem. – The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn

Harris, Shawn. The Teeny-Weeny Unicorn. Alfred A. Knopf. 2024. 978-0-593-57188-0. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-2.

Once upon a time, when horses were mythical rarities, unicorns were quite common … but not one as small as the titular teeny-weeny unicorn! He lives with his family in a large (for him, extra-large) castle, where his brother and sister use him in place of a missing piece in their chess game and laugh at the tiny little splash made by his cannonballs into the moat. So, crying teeny-weeny tears, he runs away and gets lost in the vast lawn. There, he’s confronted by an eeny-teeny-weeny gnome whose sports car he just accidentally hoof-stomped. The gnome requests an outrageous $250,000 to cover the damage, so they return to the palace together to ask the teeny-weeny unicorn’s parents for the money. Luckily, his parents have access to a treasure trove of cash that they have no use for. His siblings deliver the gnome home with his new fortune while the teeny-weeny unicorn plays chess and does cannonballs to his heart’s content. A winningly whimsical storyline and evocative chalk pastel artwork will draw readers in!

THOUGHTS: Author and illustrator Shawn Harris delivers an important message about size and perspective – we are all just right! – wrapped up in a fantastical storyline.

Picture Book

Elem. – The Power of Energy (Series NF)

The Power of Energy. Child’s World, 2023. $25.00 ea. $200.00 Set of 8. 32 p. Grades 2-5.

Harkrader, Lisa. Nuclear Power.978-1-503-86498-6.
—.  Wind Power. 978-1-503-86398-6.
Mihaly, Christy. Biomass Power. 978-1-503-86499-3.
Perdew, Laura. Hydroelectric Power. 978-1-503-86497-9.
—. Solar Power.  978-1-503-86495-5.
Rea, Amy C. Coal Power. 978-1-503-86501-3.
—. Natural Gas Power
. 978-1-503-86500-6.
Richards, Patti.  Oil Power.  978-1-503-86502-0.

One of 8 books in The Child’s World’s The Power of Energy series, Nuclear Power offers young readers a balanced introduction to the ins and outs of nuclear energy. Written in a manner that is accessible to the target audience, the book explores what nuclear energy is, its benefits and drawbacks, and its future. The book acknowledges nuclear energy’s history in war as well as its high-profile accidents (Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima).  It is up-to-date with advances in nuclear energy technology and waste management. Solar Power offers young readers a well-rounded perspective on solar power. The book is organized into five chapters: “Capturing the Sun,” “How Solar Energy Works,” “Benefits of Solar Energy,” “Drawbacks to Solar Energy,” and “Into the Future.” Sidebars in several chapters provide glimpses into novel uses for solar power, such as for airplanes. The images and figures chosen compliment and often expand upon the text. Includes a glossary, fast facts, extension questions, suggested reading list, and an index, as well as access to a curated page with web links.   

THOUGHTS: These titles offer updated information to any library looking to add or refresh the information they have available on the topic. The weakest component of the Nuclear Power book was the curated page of web links, whose offerings were only OK, while Solar Power offered three solid options for further investigation. The entire Power of Energy series seems to offers a strong option for libraries looking to update, augment, or create their energy section.  

333 Economics of Land and Energy

Elem. – Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth

Carmichael, L. E. Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth. Kids Can, 2023. 978-1-525-30457-6. 47 p. $18.99. Grades 2-5.

Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth uses a compare-contrast format supplemented by informative features to present a sweeping look at Arctic and Antarctic wildlife and their habitat. The book begins by introducing the geographic locations of the polar regions as well as the impact of the Earth’s tilt on the regions’ daylight. Double-page spreads organized by months of the year that introduce one new Arctic and Antarctic animal as well as a challenge/adaptation for its survival follow the introduction. These spreads are organized by months and are divided into four month periods divided by double-page informative spreads. Each shares more about the region’s seasons, geography, and challenges to the health of the environment. Includes a table of contents, suggestions for taking action, suggested websites, further reading, glossary, index, and a select bibliography.  

THOUGHTS: Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth covers a tremendous amount of ground in its 47 pages, including diverse animals, adaptations that will be familiar to its readers and novel ones, as well as background information on conditions that make the region unique. The level of detail will appeal to students who want to learn more about these regions of the planet. Recommended as a strong addition to established polar collections.

591 Zoology: Specific Topics in Natural History of Animals

YA – The Scarlet Veil

Mahurin, Shelby. The Scarlet Veil. HarperTeen, 2023. 978-0-063-25875-4. $21.99. 640p. Grades 9-12.

Celie Tremblay is making history as the first woman Chasseur. As a huntsman, she reports to her captain and fiance, Jean Luc. Although she assisted her friend Lou, a witch, in the defeat of Morgane, Jean Luc and her friends treat her as a fragile doll that needs to be protected, rather than an equal. When bodies are found in Belterra, drained of blood, Jean Luc tries to keep Celie out of the investigation. However, she is determined to establish herself in the role of a Chasseur and prove that she can help. When she is mistaken for her friend Coco and abducted by vampires, their King, Michal, takes a great interest in Celie. He brings her to his home, the hidden island of Requiem, with the plan to use her as bait to get to her friends. Celie wants to protect them at all costs, so she makes a bargain with Michal. Since he’s investigating the same murders as she is, Celie agrees to help him. As they search for the killer, she becomes inevitably drawn to Michal and the darkness she once feared. 

THOUGHTS: Although Mahurin’s previous trilogy featured  witches, The Scarlet Veil is very much a vampire novel. As the start of a new duology, I do think it’s important for readers to start with the Serpent & Dove trilogy before picking up this one to have a better understanding of Celie and her friends. The events of Gods & Monsters shaped Celie as a character, and I loved watching her grow into her own person throughout the novel. Readers will enjoy the slow burn, enemies to lovers storyline between Celie and Michal, and fans of Sarah J. Maas or any vampire novel will thoroughly enjoy this YA romantasy. 

Fantasy

YA – Warrior Girl Unearthed

Boulley, Angeline. Warrior Girl Unearthed. Henry Holt and Co., 2023. 978-1-250-76658-8. $19.99. 400 p. Grades 9-12.

Perry Firekeeper Birch is looking forward to her summer vacation without any responsibilities. When she damages her auntie’s Jeep, she joins a summer program, along with her twin sister Pauline, in order to pay her back. In addition to her internship placement, she joins team “misfit toys” with some of the other reluctant interns. Together, they compete in team challenges and assist in a police investigation into the disappearance of women from her tribe. When Perry learns about the bones of one of her Anishinaabe ancestors, “Warrior Girl,” being kept at a local university, they come up with a plot to return the sacred remains to where they belong. 

THOUGHTS: Warrior Girl Unearthed is a follow up to Firekeeper’s Daughter. However, enough time has passed between the stories that readers can pick up this novel without having read the other. Readers unfamiliar with Native American ancestral burial rites will gain some insight into NAGPRA and empathy for tribes who are unable to bring their ancestors home. I enjoyed Perry’s journey as she matured and grew and learned more about her tribe’s history. As a protagonist, her actions and emotions will be very relatable to readers as she deals with the injustices of her tribe. The novel’s mystery and powerful messages will keep readers hooked until the very end.

Fantasy

YA – Isles of the Gods

Kaufman, Amie. Isles of the Gods. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-0-593-47928-5. $19.99. 464 p. Grades 9-12.

Selly is a sailor and always has been. Although she has instructions from her father to stay where she is, she decides to board a ship to join him on the open seas. When her ship is commandeered by Prince Leander, she discovers he must complete a ritual and sacrifice on the Isles of the Gods to prevent one of two ancient sleeping Gods from awaking and starting a war. While Selly reluctantly agrees to help Leander along with his former schoolmate, Keegan, who was a stowaway aboard, they embark on a dangerous journey across the sea so the Prince can fulfill his task. There are some, however, who want to see Leander fail. Laskia is on a mission to find the Prince to prevent his sacrifice. Some, like her older sister Ruby, want to start a war, and with the help of Jude, a fighter and former acquaintance of the Prince, they set off after him. Prince Leander has one advantage: he’s an extremely powerful magician, and when he teaches Selly to harness her powers as well, they do their best to outrun their enemies in a thrilling and dangerous race against time.

THOUGHTS: Isles of the Gods is the first book I have read by Amie Kaufman, and I found this story to be wonderfully adventurous. I’d recommend this one to readers looking for action and peril with just a touch of romance. Told from multiple points of view, Kaufman creates an original mythology which adds to the mystery and magic on the high seas within this thrilling novel.

Fantasy

YA – A Ruinous Fate

Smith, Kaylie. A Ruinous Fate. HarperCollins, 2023. 978-1-368-08159-7. $18.99. 432 p. Grades 9-12.

Calliope Rosewood is a witch, and although she could be extremely powerful, she chooses instead to hide her gifts. Her powers to siphon magic from others is forbidden and dangerous, even among other witches. In order to stay alive, Calli deserts her coven and stays hidden with two of her best friends. When she meets Ezra, everything changes, and although she still keeps her powers hidden, she is forced one night to roll a witches die, taking her one step closer to fulfilling a prophecy that will turn her into a blood warrior. Desperate to change her fate, Calli accepts help from Ezra’s older brother, Gideon, and along with her friends, they journey into a dark forest on a quest to find the one named “the witch eater”. Calli and Ezra begin to rekindle the relationship they had previously after revealing startling truths about themselves, but she also feels a connection to Gideon who is trying, like her, to remove his rolls of fate. Together, with old friends and new, the group faces many challenges within the enchanted forest, and Calli has to decide who she can really trust while embracing her true identity and power. Will she be able to change her fate and save her friends, or will she inevitably fulfill the prophecy, start a war, and destroy her people and their magic forever?

THOUGHTS: This is a great recommendation for readers who love Sarah J. Maas. It contains many popular fantasy tropes readers will enjoy at a more, age appropriate level than some of Maas’s later novels. The pages are brimming with strong, female characters, friendships, magic, adventure, peril, and romance. The foreshadowing visions in A Ruinous Fate will have readers coming back to check out the sequel as soon as the last chapter has been read. There is so much more to this story yet to come.

Fantasy

YA – Chaos & Flame

Gratton, Tessa, and Justina Ireland. Chaos & Flame. Razorbill, 2023. 978-0-593-35332-5. $19.99. 336 p. Grades 9-12.

Darling Seabreak is a member of House Kraken, but it wasn’t always that way. Once, Darling was a part of House Sphynx until it was destroyed by House Dragon along with her family and the rest of her people. Darling is determined to take her revenge on House Dragon, and when her adoptive father is kidnapped, she vows to do what she must to save him. During her rescue mission, she’s captured by Talon Goldhoard, the War Prince of House Dragon and brother to Caspian, the high Prince Regent. When Caspian reveals Darling’s history to the world, he plans to restore House Sphynx to its former glory. Darling plays along, and in return, Capian has promised not to harm her father. As she is pulled into Caspian’s games and plots while visiting  the other houses, Talon is as well, and although they are enemies, they cannot deny the attraction that exists between them. In the end, Darling must decide where her loyalties truly lie and if allying with Caspian will save their world, or destroy it.

THOUGHTS: I would describe Choas & Flame as a YA Game of Thrones, and it’s a perfect recommendation for readers asking for the aforementioned series that may not be a part of a high school collection. Alternating point of views among diverse characters add to the mysteriousness of the morally gray Prince Caspian, and his unpredictable actions and prophecies will keep readers guessing. This enemies to lovers fantasy will also keep readers hooked and the dramatic ending will leave them wanting more.

Fantasy

YA – Nightbirds

Armstrong, Kate J. Nightbirds. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2023. 978-0-593-46327-7. $19.99. 480 p. Grades 9-12.

In the world of Simta, there are some women who possess magic, but it’s forbidden for them to use it. The exception lies with The Nightbirds, teenage girls who have the power to transfer their magic to another through a kiss. These girls are protected, and the price for a visit is high. In order to keep them safe, their identities are kept secret. Matilde, Aesa, and Sayer are known only by their Nightbird titles: The Goldfinch, The Ptarmigan, and The Nightingale. When Sayer is attacked by a religious zealot and The Nightbirds take a hiatus from seeing visitors, the girls decide to look for answers about the attacker themselves. When they start asking questions, they discover that not everything they have told about themselves and their magic is true. Although they can share their power, they can harness it as well. Their discoveries about themselves as other magical girls give them a new sense of identity and purpose, and each will have to decide whether they want to stay in their cage or fight for their freedom.

THOUGHTS: Nightbirds is a fantasy, but it’s a fantasy based on the fashion, lifestyle, and prohibition era of 1920s America. In this world, it’s not prohibition against alcohol consumption, but magic use. It’s a unique idea and blends aspects of history and fantasy together. Readers will enjoy the themes of friendship and female empowerment as the mysteries and secrets of this magical world unravel for three, protagonists who grew up in very different worlds. Nightbirds is only the beginning of their stories, and readers will be eager to pick up book two to see where their journeys take them.

Fantasy