Tag Archives: California

YA – Forget Me Not

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Derrick, Alyson. Forget Me Not. Simon and Schuster, 2023. 978-1-665-90237-3. 308 p. $19.99. Grades 9-12.

Set in western Pennsylvania, this LGBTQ+ romance takes an unusual turn. A senior at the local Catholic high school, Stevie is biracial with a Korean-American mother; Nora attends public school and helps out on her family’s cattle farm, although she herself strives to be vegan. Madly in love, the pair plan to escape their conservative town and parents once they graduate. Stevie has been accepted at a California college, and Nora has secured an apartment where they can begin their new lives, free of the judgment of their homophobic families and neighbors. Unlike Nora, Stevie seems to come from a close-knit, albeit conservative, family. She lies to be able to see Nora; and during one of those outings, Stevie falls off an embankment, hits her head, and suffers amnesia. Though her parents are understandably grateful to this girl who saved their daughter’s life, they have no clue of their relationship. And when she eventually awakens, neither does Stevie. This non-recognition pains Nora, so she takes to writing–but not delivering–letters to Stevie describing their romance. Derrick meets well the challenge of Stevie’s reckoning with her life as it is laid out before her when she comes to and her gradual realization that Nora is her true love. The two lovers fulfill their dream and Stevie has the added comfort of her parents’ unconditional love.

THOUGHTS: Long listed for the National Book Award, Forget Me Not reads like a fluent movie script where the reader is privy to thoughts, conversations, and feelings. Stevie’s insistence on hiding her sexuality and her relationship from her parents is understood when the reader discovers she did come out to her mother who was dismissive. Her parents’ rejection of Stevie’s revelation is blamed on their Catholic religious views; though, Pope Francis isn’t homophobic. Stevie and Nora engage in heavy kissing and one scene where they (almost) have sex until Nora’s mother catches them and beats Nora. Stevie and her (boy)friend, Ryan, are Asian, but most other characters seem white. Alyson Derrick lives in Pennsylvania; and, yes, Greenville, Pennsylvania, exists in Mercer County.

Realistic Fiction

MG – Parachute Kids

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Tang, Betty C. Parachute Kids. Graphix. 2023. 978-1-338-83269-3. 288 p. $24.99. Grades 3-7.

It’s February, 1981. Feng-Li Lin is ecstatic to accompany her older brother, sister, Mama, and Baba on the family’s first trip to America! The best vacation ever takes an unexpected turn when Baba announces that he must return to Taiwan for work while the kids remain in California with their mother. The children enroll in school, and Feng-Li (Ann) begins fifth grade – and the process of learning English – at Mountain View Elementary. Weeks later, Mama reveals that her travel visa has expired, and she must also return to Taiwan. With the help of family friends, sister Jia-Xi (Jessie), brother Ke-Gāng (Jason), and Feng-Li will continue with school and do their best to run the household while managing a modest budget. When even the family friends relocate to another state, the three “parachute kids” must rely on each other not only to survive but succeed in school, learn a new language, and make new friends. However, complicated sibling dynamics, their undocumented status, and a series of big missteps threaten to tear them apart before the Lin family can be reunited. Author and illustrator Betty Tang depicts her characters with warmth and empathy, even when they make mistakes. She represents dialogue in Chinese with red text and English with black text. It’s an effective technique that allows readers to experience the challenges of communicating in a new language. 

THOUGHTS: Parachute Kids is a stellar graphic novel with similar themes to Robin Ha’s Almost American Girl and Kelly Yang’s New from Here. Tang writes in her Author’s Note that this is “not a memoir, but a mixture of fiction, my family’s first experiences in America, and anecdotes of immigrant friends I met along the way.” It deserves to be widely read and will become a favorite of many readers!

Graphic Novel

MG/YA – You Bet Your Heart

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Parker, Danielle. You Bet Your Heart. Joy Revolution, 2023. 9780593565278. 307 pp. $18.99. Grades 7-10.

Sasha Johnson-Sun (SJ) and Ezra Davis-Goldberg were best friends back in grade school, then he moved from Monterey, California, to live with his physician father for two years. Now, he is back and has become SJ’s competition for valedictorian. African-American-Jewish Ezra proposes three wagers to decide who will take the coveted position. As the bets mount, SJ feels the chemistry between them grow stronger. Though Ezra admits his feelings for her, the financially-strapped SJ cannot subdue her ambition and desire to receive the $30,000 scholarship attached to the valedictorian position. Not only does her family need the money since the death of her beloved African-American dad a few years’ prior, but also the Korean side of her family expects to be proud of her. SJ has spent so much of her life working toward her academic goals; she has a difficult time opening up to love and happiness. Even her best friends, Chance and Priscilla, think her reasoning to thwart Ezra is wrong-headed. This light romance may be predictable, but the connection between SJ and Ezra is interesting to watch and the inner thoughts of SJ are interesting to follow. Since both main characters are driven academically, readers will learn about different societal issues and philosophies as the pair compete. 

THOUGHTS: Author Danielle Parker has a good ear for teen-speech and habits, which will appeal to readers. Ezra and Sasha come from different financial backgrounds, but the novel doesn’t take a deep dive into that side of their relationship. SJ works hard in school to make both her deceased father and Korean relatives proud. Ezra’s motivation seems to be only to get close again to SJ. Readers will know SJ will eventually come around and wind up with Ezra, but the well-drawn characters will keep them interested. A good pick for older middle school readers who want books with romance.

Realistic Fiction     

MG -Finally Seen

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Yang, Kelly. Finally Seen. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-1-534-48833-5. unpaged. $17.99. Grades 3-7.

When her parents emigrated to the United States with her young sister Millie, Lena Gao stayed behind in the “waiting city” of Beijing with her beloved lao lao (grandmother). In the opening pages of Finally Seen, Lena is on a flight to Los Angeles to be reunited with her family! But five years is a long time, and Lena has a lot to learn about her own family, not to mention the English language and American culture. Lena quickly realizes that nothing has been perfect for her parents in California either. Her dad works very long hours on an organic farm, back rent will be due in a few short months when COVID-19 rent relief expires, and their green cards are hung up in red tape. To make ends meet, Mom and Millie make bath bombs to sell on Etsy, and Lena happily joins in the family business. At school, Lena begins to learn English with the help of an empathetic ELL teacher and Flea Shop, a graphic novel that offers Lena a mirror of her own life. But Lena’s joy at being “finally seen” in a book also finds her caught in the midst of a culture war over what books are appropriate for students to read. 

THOUGHTS: Kelly Yang delivers another charming and relatable middle grade novel rooted in the real experiences of so many young people in the United States and beyond. Her Author’s Note describes the impact of attempts to ban her novel Front Desk, and her steadfast belief in the freedom to read books that offer windows, mirrors, and sliding doors.

Realistic Fiction

YA – Friday I’m in Love

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Garrett, Camryn. Friday I’m in Love. Alfred A. Knopf, 2023. 978-0-593-43510-6. 272 p. $18.99. Grades 8-12.

California teen Mahalia Harris missed out on the sweet sixteen party of her dreams due to finances; she and her single mom just couldn’t cover the cost. She decides on a coming out party instead, planning to reveal her queer identity to her closest friends and family at a big bash instead of one by one. Naturally the cake, invitations, and custom dress will reflect a rainbow theme! Despite Mahalia’s careful budgeting plans, everything is complicated by her mom’s unexpected medical needs, a landslide of schoolwork, tension with her bestie, and a flirty but unavailable new girl at school. Siobahn, who has recently relocated to San Diego from Ireland, seems interested in Mahalia but is currently dating another classmate, Danny. Although Mahalia’s crush is undeniable, she doesn’t know for certain if Siobahn is attracted to girls as well as boys … at first. Camryn Garrett’s third novel (and first romantic comedy) includes plenty of genuinely comedic moments to balance out the relationship angst. The author also realistically portrays the financial burdens that so many teens face. One criticism: throughout Friday I’m in Love, Mahalia references her curves. It’s unfortunate that the cover art, which depicts Mahalia’s fabulously proud 2custom dress, does not accurately reflect the character’s shape.

THOUGHTS: Fans of queer romantic comedies, especially readers of Leah Johnson’s You Should See Me in a Crown, will not want to miss this one! 

Realistic Fiction

MG – Twin Cities

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Pimienta, Jose. Twin Cities. RH Graphic, 2022. 978-0-593-18062-4. 248 p. $12.99. Grades 4-7.

Sibling dynamics are at the heart of Jose Pimienta’s cleverly titled middle grade graphic novel, Twin Cities. Fraternal “Lu-Lu” twins Louisa Teresa and Luis Fernando Sosa opt to attend different middle schools, on different sides of the U.S. / Mexico border that divides Mexicali and Calexico. Teresa, who is very focused on her education and future opportunities, gets up extra early and spends long hours on homework in order to succeed at her Catholic school in Calexico, California. Fernando prefers the familiarity of his local school in Mexicali. The siblings grow apart as Teresa establishes her own identity with a new set of school friends. Fernando, meanwhile, is befriended by another boy who may lead him down a dangerous path of dealing illegal drugs. Bickering between siblings gets serious when Teresa discovers her brother’s secret, and he accuses her of being a “pocha” (abandoning her culture to assimilate on the U.S. side). Author/illustrator Pimienta employs side-by-side page spreads to portray the daily experiences of each twin. It’s also a great tool for depicting the varying characteristics of a city divided by an international border. Pimienta’s “Notes on a Particular Word” provide background on their decision to use the pejorative term “pocha” in the book.

THOUGHTS: Twin Cities is full of vibrant colors, authentic details, and relatable sibling tension. It’s one of many recent, outstanding graphic novels for middle grade readers that is not to be missed!

Graphic Novel          Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD

Twin siblings Fernando and Teresa choose to go to two different schools for 7th grade, with Fernando staying in Mexicali, the Mexican town where the family lives, and Teresa choosing to commute with a classmate across the border each day and attend school in Calexico, California. The new school year does not go as smoothly as the twins hoped; Fernando feels alone without his sister and struggles to find healthy friendships, while Teresa strives for academic excellence but feels like her family doesn’t understand how hard she works to maintain both her American school life and her Mexican home life. Eventually they both realize that the family bond they share is stronger and more important than any individual problems they experience, and they begin to support each other in this new stage of their lives.

THOUGHTS: The twins in this graphic novel cope with all the difficulties of adolescence in middle school throughout this compelling graphic novel. Issues such as making new friends, bullying, exposure to drug use (although neither sibling uses drugs personally), and tensions with parents are all part of the story, but the overarching message is very positive and the twins learn and grow from the problems they face throughout the school year. The illustrations are bright, engaging, and really evoke the range of emotions the characters experience during the story. This is an excellent addition to collections where graphic novels and realistic fiction, especially with Latinx characters, are popular.

Graphic Novel          Erin Faulkner, Cumberland Valley SD

YA – Squad

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Tokuda-Hall, Maggie, and Lisa Sterle. Squad. Greenwillow Books, 2021. 978-0-06-294314-9. 224 pp. $14.99. Grades 9-12.

Becca’s single mom recently moved to Piedmont, California, so Becca could graduate from an outstanding high school and enjoy a safe, upper-class community. To her own surprise, Becca is befriended by Piedmont High’s most elite “squad” of girls, led by ultra-rich Arianna. But these girls have a secret, alluded to in the graphic novel’s vibrant cover art: they are werewolves. Becca loves belonging to a tight clique, but their collective hunger has a price. On the full moon they must feed, usually on the overly aggressive boys they meet at parties. When Becca accidentally kills one of Piedmont’s own (Arianna’s unfaithful boyfriend Thatcher) the squad risks exposure, and everyone’s loyalty is put to the test. Squad features ethnically diverse characters (Becca is depicted as Asian American, fellow squad member Mandy is Black), a healthy dose of camp, and delightful snark. Arianna helpfully informs Becca, for example, “You’re way too pretty to be dressing like a Santa Monica basic.” Comparisons to Heathers, Teen Wolf, and Riverdale are all well-earned!

THOUGHTS: Beneath Lisa Sterle’s fabulous jewel-toned artwork readers will discover powerful messages about consent and the perils of following the pack.

Graphic Novel          Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD

YA – A Shot at Normal

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Reichardt, Marisa. A Shot at Normal. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2021. 978-0-374-38095-3. 352 p. $17.99. Grades 9-12.

Juniper Jade is the oldest child in a family that grows their own organic foods, homeschools their children, and goes without many of the everyday things others have (plastics, cell phones, and vaccinations). Often passing the local high school, Juniper longs to feel normal, but she respects her family’s values and doesn’t question them (too much) until she contracts the measles and unknowingly passes the virus to others. Then tragedy strikes, and suddenly, Juniper isn’t so sure about her family’s lifestyle. With the help of Nico, a friend who may be more than a friend, Juniper decides she’s going to be vaccinated. Despite her parent’s wishes. She isn’t quite prepared for their reaction, though, and Juniper really has to consider how much she’s willing to risk to get her vaccines.

THOUGHTS: Readers who are looking for a little more independence from the adults in their lives will connect with Juniper. With the vaccine debate at a pinnacle (though this book is not about COVID), A Shot at Normal deserves a place in high school collections.

Realistic Fiction          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

Elem. – Sarah and the Big Wave: The True Story of the First Woman to Surf Mavericks

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Tsui, Bonnie, and Sophie Diao, illustrator. Sarah and the Big Wave: The True Story of the First Woman to Surf Mavericks. Henry Holt and Company, 2021. 978-1-250-23948-8. unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-2.

Sarah Gerhardt grew up surfing little, medium, and big waves (her favorite!) on Oahu’s North Shore, which is famous for its huge waves, some of which top the height of a five-story building. As one of just a few girl surfers, Sarah struggled to find the right size surfboards and wetsuits; luckily, she found a circle of friends that included a surfboard shaper who made boards that were just right for her. She later moved to California, where her new home was near Mavericks, the famous big-wave surf break. With its monster waves, “Mount Everest meets Niagara Falls” was a dangerous place to surf, and no woman had ever done it … until Sarah! Illustrator Sophie Diao captures Sarah’s history-making ride, and its epic scale, in a made-for-storytime flip-up page. Throughout Sarah and the Big Wave, Diao’s digitally rendered artwork beautifully captures the ever-changing colors of the ocean and the power of its biggest waves. A timeline of milestones in the history of women and surfing complete this fantastic picture book biography.

THOUGHTS: This upbeat, inspiring true story is positively swell.

Picture Book Biography          Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD

MG – War and Millie McGonigle

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Cushman, Karen. War and Millie McGonigle. Alfred A. Knopf, 2021. 210 p. 978-1-984-85010-2. $16.99.  Grades 4-6.

Mollie McGonigle is a twelve year old girl who lives with her family in San Diego. It is the autumn of 1941 and with war raging in Europe, Millie worries that the conflict will come to California. The young girl is grieving for her grandmother, who died on Millie’s birthday. Her grandmother’s gift was a diary, and she suggested that Millie “use [it] to remember the good things in this world…things that seem lost or dead-keep them alive and safe in your book.” Millie interprets this to mean that she should keep a list of dead things and explores the beach and neighborhood to find or hear about something to write down. When not looking after her younger asthmatic sister and energetic brother or doing chores, Millie finds time to be with her friend Rosie from Chicago, who is temporarily living with relatives. Then, Pearl Harbor is attacked, and Millie becomes even more alarmed about a possible invasion, as do others in the town. With Rosie’s help, Millie comes to terms with her anxiety about the world and the loss of her grandmother, realizing that “whatever is lost stays alive when we remember it.”

THOUGHTS: This novel explores the effects of grief and anxiety about a world turned upside down. The story is not all doom and gloom, as Cushman has included some comic relief in characters like Aunt Edna and MeToo. Millie is a likeable character and readers who enjoy books about sensitive issues and friendship will like this one.

Historical Fiction          Denise Medwick, Retired, PSLA Member