YA – Nightbirds

Posted on March 4, 2024 by pslamediaselectionreview

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

Elem. – The Brothers Zzli

Posted on March 4, 2024 by pslamediaselectionreview

Cousseau, Alex. The Brothers Zzli. Illustrated by Anne-Lise Boutin. 1st American ed., Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-0-802-85609-8. $17.99. Unpaged. Grades K-3.

The brothers Zzli, three bears who have been driven from their home, are looking for somewhere to live. A little girl who lives alone in the forest generously decides to take them in. The brothers Zzli prove to be wonderful houseguests. They are cheerful, complimentary, and gracious. They help around the house and tell hilarious stories. When they organize a party for the neighborhood, however, no one shows up except the girl and her bat-friend. When the girl and her bat-friend go to see the neighbors, they are told that the bears are dangerous, unwanted, and will overrun the forest if this carries on. The neighbors complain to the police, and shortly after a police officer shows up at the girl’s door, her house is destroyed by a suspicious fire. Ultimately, the brothers Zzli and their generous hostess must decide whether to rebuild or set off in search of a more welcoming community.

THOUGHTS: A profound allegory with an invaluable message about acceptance and inclusion, this is a unique take on the subject of immigration and prejudice.

Picture Book

Elem. – The Snow Man: A True Story

Posted on March 4, 2024 by pslamediaselectionreview

Winter, Jonah. The Snow Man: A True Story. Illustrated by Jeanette Winter. Beach Lane Books, 2023. 978-1-665-93239-4. $18.99. Unpaged. Grades K-3.

Based on a true story, this book tells the tale of billy barr (he doesn’t capitalize the first letters of his name), who has lived most of his life in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. When he first came to the mountains as a young man, billy’s only companions were wild animals. Without anyone to talk to, billy was bored, so he started measuring the snowfalls. Year after year, he recorded these measurements, along with the dates of the first snowfall and the first wildflower blossoms each year. He noted when animals came out of hibernation and when certain birds arrived each spring. After many years, he started to notice an interesting trend: year after year, there seemed to be less snow than there had been in past years. When he shared his findings with a local scientist, the scientist was amazed. Today, billy’s meticulous measurements and notes have proved to be a vital contribution to the study of climatology. An author’s note provides additional information about the real billy barr, as well as a list of sources for further reading and research.

THOUGHTS: Young readers will be fascinated by billy’s lifestyle and findings. This would be an excellent title for introducing climate change or measurement to elementary students.

921 Biography
508 Natural History

YA – Bring Me Your Midnight

Posted on March 4, 2024 by pslamediaselectionreview

Griffin, Rachel. Bring Me Your Midnight. Sourcebooks Fire, 2023. 978-1-728-25615-3. $9.49. 416 p. Grades 9-12.

Mortana Fairchild is a witch. She lives with her coven on an island separated from the mainland, and although they practice magic, they only expel small quantities at a time in order to keep the peace between witches and mainlanders, who have been distrustful of witches in the past. As a result, Tana and her coven purge their excess magic once a month into the ocean, and although they have noticed its negative effects on the water, the tradition continues. When Tana misses the midnight ritual due to a run in with a stranger named Wolfe, she must find a way to purge her magic on her own before it kills her. When she discovers that Wolfe and his hidden coven still practice “dark magic” on the other side of the island, she unwillingly accepts his help in order to stay alive. Their relationship becomes complicated when she begins to develop feelings for him because Tana is engaged to Landon, the son of the mainland governor. This arrangement will create an alliance between the witches and mainlanders, and even though Tana knows how important this union is to her coven, she’s torn between her duty and her desire. As she starts to question what she’s been taught about using magic and the powers she has, her world begins to unravel, and her choices will not only determine her future, but the future of her island and her coven.

THOUGHTS: Although Bring Me Your Midnight is a part of the fantasy genre, I would highly recommend this one to readers looking for a love story. It has a bit of everything that kept me reading late into the night: an arranged marriage, a forbidden “enemy to lovers” romance, and an intriguing mystery surrounding the use of magic in Tana’s world. Bring Me Your Midnight is a stand-alone fantasy that exceeded my expectations, and I think this is a must have title for any YA, library collection.

Fantasy

Elem. – Beautiful Noise: The Music of John Cage

Posted on March 4, 2024 by pslamediaselectionreview

Rogers, Lisa. Beautiful Noise: The Music of John Cage. Illustrated by Il Sung Na. Anne Schwartz Books, 2023. 978-0-593-64662-5. $18.99. Unpaged. Grades K-3.

In this uniquely written biography, avant-garde composer John Cage is introduced to young audiences through the use of several “what if” questions. For example, what if all the sounds you heard – garbage trucks screeching, cats hissing, balls bouncing, and so forth – sounded like music to you? The answer to this question (and all of the other questions posed in the book) is “Then you’d be like John Cage.” Using this format, the author introduces John Cage’s atypical style of writing music, his unusual instruments, and several of his notable concerts and performances. Na’s illustrations mirror Cage’s quirky style, placing vibrant, brightly colored dots, squiggles and lines on top of background drawings done in a more muted palette. Further information about John Cage is included in the author’s note, and a list of sources for further exploration is also provided.

THOUGHTS: This unique biography is sure to inspire students to learn more about John Cage and to think outside of the box themselves. Perhaps they’ll even want to experiment with everyday items to make their own distinctive music. A solid addition to any library looking to grow its biography or music sections.

921 Biography
780 Music

YA – The Brothers Hawthorne

Posted on March 4, 2024 by pslamediaselectionreview

Barnes, Jennifer Lynn. The Brothers Hawthorne. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-0-316-48077-2. $19.99. 480 p. Grades 9-12.

The Hawthorne brothers had a rather unusual upbringing. Their wealthy grandfather pushed them to be the best that could be in any given situation and challenged them each and every day. After he passed away, leaving his vast fortune to a stranger, both Grayson and Jameson Hawthorne are trying to find their new place in the world. When Grayson discovers his half sister has gotten into some trouble, he doesn’t hesitate to help her out. Although he has no intentions of getting to know her or her twin sister and has vowed to have no emotional connections with them whatsoever, he struggles to protect the Hawthorne family secrets as he attempts to keep his new family safe. On the other side of the world, Jameson Hawthorne, along with Avery Grahams, has discovered secrets about his father’s family as well. Jameson’s father finds him in London, and after asking for his help, Jameson and Avery must join and infiltrate an inclusive, mysterious London club in order to win back a family estate Jameson’s father gambled away. They have the chance to win it back for him if they are invited to play in a dangerous game, and luckily, Jameson has been raised to win, no matter the cost. In the end, the brothers must each face some of the most difficult challenges of their lives and decide what and who truly matters the most.

THOUGHTS: As a continuation of The Inheritance Games, I think readers will enjoy this one only after finishing the original trilogy. I liked the back-and-forth narration between Grayson and Jameson, and readers will find The Brothers Hawthorne full of mystery, intrigue, adventure, puzzles, and dangerous games as they discover even more Hawthorne secrets and family history that has not been previously revealed. This mystery thriller also sets the tone for Barnes’ next edition in The Inheritance Games collection: a set of novellas which will be published at the end of this year, and in addition, a new series, The Grandest Game, will be released in the summer. I’d highly recommend this saga to any reader looking for something to keep their interest and keep them guessing!

Realistic Fiction

YA – Foul Heart Huntsman

Posted on March 4, 2024 by pslamediaselectionreview

Gong, Chloe. Foul Heart Huntsman. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2023. 978-1-665-90561-9. $21.99. 560 p. Grades 9-12.

It’s 1932 in Shanghai. Rosalind Lang, also known by her code name Lady Fortune, has been exposed. As an immortal assassin, she had a purpose, and she had her missions. Now, she has nothing. Orion, her mission partner who posed as her husband, has been taken by his mother and his mind is now fully under her control. Although their marriage was only a ruse, her feelings for him were not, and she sets off on a new mission to find him and bring him home, even with an impending attack from Japan looming over her every move. With the help of Orion’s sister, Phoebe, who is an agent herself; her ally Alisa Montagova; and her sister, Celia, Rosalind encounters many dangers and ghosts from her past on her journey to save Orion, but she’s determined to find him, no matter the cost.

THOUGHTS: This novel brings the Foul Lady Fortune duology to an end. Based on Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Foul Heart Huntsman is a continuation of Gong’s These Violent Delights, and I would advise readers to start with that series before reading this one. The book is equal parts science fiction, fantasy, action, espionage, and romance in an alternate, historical setting. The series as a whole features diverse and LGBTQ+ characters, and readers will love the reunion scenes between all characters in Gong’s Secret Shanghai world.

Fantasy

YA – A Curse for True Love

Posted on March 4, 2024 by pslamediaselectionreview

Garber, Stephanie. A Curse for True Love. Flatiron Books, 2023. 978-1-250-85120-8. $20.99. 448 p. Grades 9-12.

Evangeline Fox has lost her memories. She knows very few things to be true: she traveled to Magnificent North, she married Prince Apollo, and they live seemingly happily together in the castle. However, she knows that something has happened, something involving a mysterious Lord Jacks. Apollo has told her to stay away from him because he is dangerous and the reason her memories are gone. Little does she know that Apollo is the one who stole her memories and wants to keep Evangeline all to himself. In order to keep the secret, he must kill Jacks once and for all. Through the alternating point of views of Apollo, Jacks, and Evangeline, Apollo’s plan starts to fall apart as Evangeline starts to ask questions and is unequivocally drawn to the mysterious stranger, Archer, that comes to her rescue and encourages her to remember who she is. As the prince slowly becomes the villain and the villain the hero, Evanegline will have no choice but to listen to her heart and trust that true love will guide her along her way to her fairy tale ending. “She was the moth, and Jacks was still the flame.”

THOUGHTS: My expectations for the finale of this series were high. Maybe too high? Although I still loved every moment of this book, I was left feeling as if the story was unfinished as there were still many unanswered questions as I finished the last few pages. However, with the way the book ended, I’m hoping for more stories from the Magnificent North and maybe a bit more of Jacks and Evangeline in future, companion novels. As with the previous two books in the series, its pages are filled with magic spells, deceptions, forgotten stories, danger, curses, and above all, the power of true love. “Other stories were brewing in the Magnificent North.”

Fantasy

Elem. – Mira and Baku

Posted on March 4, 2024 by pslamediaselectionreview

Truuvert, Sara. Mira and Baku. Illustrated by Michelle Theodore. Annick Press, 2023. 978-1-773-21756-7. $18.99. Unpaged. Grades K-3.

Mira’s Papa has been absent for quite awhile, but he has never missed her birthday before. However, when her birthday is only five days away, her mother tells her that Papa won’t be back for it. Mira is extremely upset by this news, so she asks Baku, her imaginary friend (and a creature from Japanese folklore), to help her find Papa. Together, they fly over mountains, fields, oceans, and villages. Throughout their travels, they discover clues as to Papa’s whereabouts, such as their abandoned house and his abandoned shop. As they search for Papa, Mira relives many fond memories of collecting stones with her father. Finally, her birthday arrives, along with a surprise. Although Papa is unable to be there in person, he has found a way to let Mira know she is loved. Colorful illustrations of the Canadian countryside are interspersed with more neutral, washed out spreads that reflect Mira’s somber mood. Back matter includes an author’s note describing Japanese Canadian internment in more detail, as well as a list of websites where readers can find more information on the topic.

THOUGHTS: Young children will probably need some background information and guidance to fully understand why Mira’s Papa is absent (he is being held in an internment camp). However, this book will resonate with any child experiencing family separation, whether their family member is in the military, incarcerated, or deceased. Mira’s way of coping with her father’s absence (turning to Baku and reminiscing about the happy times) could potentially provide comfort to other children who are experiencing a similar separation.

Picture Book

Literature Review

Part of the Pennsylvania School Librarians Association (PSLA)

YA – Nightbirds

Elem. – The Brothers Zzli

Elem. – The Snow Man: A True Story

YA – Bring Me Your Midnight

Elem. – Beautiful Noise: The Music of John Cage

YA – The Brothers Hawthorne

YA – Foul Heart Huntsman

YA – A Curse for True Love

Elem. – Mira and Baku