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 – The Brothers Hawthorne

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    

Elem./MG – The Liars Society

Gerber, Alyson. The Liars Society. Scholastic Press, 2024. 978-1-338-85921-8. 304 p. $14.99. Grades 3-7.

Seventh-grader Weatherby Walker has been taught everything about sailing from her neighbor, Skip, and it pays off. After winning a high-stakes regatta (albeit with unapproved sails), Weatherby is invited to attend the elite Boston School, a prestigious private school in New England, where she will join the sailing team on a scholarship. Weatherby is the child of a single mother. All she knows about her father is his name, Peter Graff, and that he left their family for Switzerland before his untimely death. As Weatherby begins her time at Boston School, she meets an intriguing cast of characters including new best friend Teddie and the ultra-rich legacy, Jack Hunt. There are soon whispers about the Last Heir, a secret elite society recruiting from within the halls of the prestigious Boston School. Things get very real for Weatherby when she receives an unfamiliar voicemail letting her know she has been “tapped” to play a gambit that will gain her entrance into this powerful circle. She now has to play the game with her new crew…or else.

THOUGHTS: I knew I was in for a puzzle-packed treat when I heard the author herself reference The Liars Society as the middle grade version of Knives Out and The Inheritance Games. I was not disappointed. While the story begins with sailing scenes, families, and friendships rather than riddles, Gerber fuels the plot by including coded voicemails and letters filled with anagrams. Soon, I found myself immersed in the mystery unfolding between Hunt family members and their private wooded island, Hart Isle. This story will keep students reading to the end—and quite quickly, I might add. The conclusion, while satisfying, also opens the door for subsequent books in this series. Some diversity among minor characters; main characters cue as white. Highly recommended for all upper elementary and middle school students who love mysteries like The Westing Game and Ali Cross. There’s even a little hint of Carl Hiaasen in here, but I won’t spoil the surprise for you.

Mystery

YA – Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything

Winans, Justine Pucella. Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything. Clarion, 2023. 978-0-358-72164-2. 362 p. $19.99. Grades 7-12.

High-school student, Bianca Torre sums up their own story: “From a gender identity crisis to a goddamn murder.” Mix in anime, manga, Shakespeare, ornithology, the school play, money laundering, a transgender person, first crushes, and over 65 ways to be afraid, and we get Bianca Torre Is Afraid of Everything. Quiet, anxious Bianca couples bird-watching from their bedroom window with people watching. They make a connection with “Mr. Conspiracy,” the tenant across the way; he leaves pictures of birds taped to his window for Bianca to spy with their telescope. What Bianca also gets to see is Mr. Conspiracy’s murder by a person dressed in black robes with a plague doctor mask. When the Los Angeles police brush off Bianca’s witness statement, they enlist their best friend, the popular and straight-A student, Anderson Coleman to help them work out the mystery. Anderson and Bianca do some sleuthing and start to put together clues from a diary found in Mr. Conspiracy’s apartment. Ronan, Anderson’s transgender brother, gets access to the high school’s budget and discovers Valley Quail-mentioned in the diary-is siphoning off funds. The stakes are heightened, though, when Bianca gets life-threatening messages–not a good situation for a person who has a lengthy list of fears that they keep interspersing within the narrative. Besides being a possible murder victim, Bianca is having her own gender identity issues. They are pretty sure they are lesbian and nonbinary, but they have only come out to the Colemans and an admired queer English teacher, Ms. Richards, not to their family. They are absolutely sure they are attracted to Elaine Yoo, a member of the bird club Bianca belongs to; but they are so inexperienced, they lack the confidence to make a move. Coincidentally, the clues to catching the killer include lots of ornithological references, which take Bianca back to the birding hikes. This fast-paced mystery weaves Bianca’s tenuous steps into gender with a whodunit. The ending and some other parts may require a suspension of disbelief, but the humor infused with each plot twist makes it necessary. Recommend this book to those who liked Holly Jackson’s Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. The Colemans and two minor characters are African American; Elaine and some minor characters are Asian-American; all other characters represent as white.

THOUGHTS: Though some plot elements are unbelievable (the ease with which Bianca and Anderson cut class and deal with gun-toting criminals, the nonchalance of Bianca’s parents who leave them with the Andersons while they go stay at a hotel, even after their child has received multiple death threats), Winans’ sense of humor and imagination overpower realistic situations. Bianca’s struggles, too, with coming out to their family and with their fearfulness of almost everything come across realistically. The good news is that everyone to whom Bianca reveals their gender reacts positively. 

Mystery 

MG – The Cursed Moon

Cervantes, Angela. The Cursed Moon. Scholastic Press, 2023. 978-1-338-81401-9. 224 p. $18.99. Grades 3-7.

Tell a great scary story, and you’re cool. Tell a great scary story under a cursed blood moon, and you’re also in big trouble. Sixth grade Rafa has found his niche in composing the best scary stories for his sister, Brianna, and new friends like Jayden. Together, Rafa and Brianna have moved in with their Abuelo and Abuela. Although their incarcerated mother, Nikki, is about to be released and return home, too, the impending reunion is met with anxiety and distrust by both siblings. In the days leading up to Nikki’s return, an older neighbor gives Rafa an ominous warning not to tell any of his scary stories under that night’s blood moon. Despite this plea, Rafa shares a terrifying tale with friends that night: The story of a spirit named the Caretaker who lures people into a local park’s pond to die. Unfortunately, Rafa should have listened to his neighbor. Now, it is too late. The Caretaker has come to life, and it is searching for new lives to claim. Rafa will have to figure out how to make this story have a happy ending…quickly.

THOUGHTS: The Cursed Moon contains just the right combination of creepy details and caring characters for a middle grade reader to thoroughly enjoy. While some of the focus is on the supernatural story action, Cervantes also weaves in lots of great realistic details that help fully form the characters of Rafa and Brianna. Pieces read like a realistic fiction story. At just over 200 pages, this is also an accessible book for developing middle grade readers who like a good thrill and chill!

Elem./MG – Exit 13: The Whispering Pines

Preller, James. Exit 13: The Whispering Pines. Scholastic, 2023. 978-1-338-81044-8. 187 p. $7.99. Grades 3-6.

Lost in the gloom, the McGinn family reluctantly checks into the Exit 13 Motel for the night. Somehow, the young man at the desk, Kristoff, seems to be expecting them… and their rooms are already prepared. Intending only to stay for one night, the family’s stay is extended after Mr. McGinn injures himself and is unable to drive. Since their arrival, the youngest McGinn, Ash, has felt there was something wrong with the motel and is drawn to the woods behind the motel and the wolf-like creature that seems to live in them. As the story develops, the McGinn family seems unable to find a means to leave the hotel area. To escape, Ash and his sister, Willow, along with their newfound friend, Justice, must solve its mystery and that of the woods beyond. Ending on a cliffhanger, this book is part of a series designed to encourage further reading.

THOUGHTS: Lately, my younger students have been requesting “scary books,” and I’ve had a limited selection to offer them. The Whispering Pines presents a balanced scare factor that will appeal to the younger set (without terrifying them) and entice my older readers looking for a quick read. The chapters are short and several graphic novel sequences move the story along, presenting a format that is appealing to fans of graphics but also supporting reluctant readers. Recommended for those seeking to add to their “scary” collections for younger readers or those looking for books with built-in supports for striving readers.

Mystery

YA – Thieves’ Gambit

Lewis, Kayvion. Thieves’ Gambit. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2023. 978-0-593-62536-1. 384 p. $19.99. Grades 8-12.

Ross Quest is about to pull off the biggest heist of her life in order to save her kidnapped mother in this action-packed YA thriller. Ross and her mother have planned many robberies together—as one of the most notorious thief-families in North America, they have a reputation to uphold. When a robbery goes awry, Ross reluctantly must enter into the mysterious and dangerous Thieves’ Gambit, a high-stakes game made up of the best young criminal minds from around the world. If Ross wins, she’ll have one wish granted: in her case, it’s the wish to rescue her mother by paying her mother’s billion dollar ransom. All goes according to plan until feelings for one of the contestants, the handsome British Devroe, threatens to throw Ross off of her game. Filled with twists and turns right until the end, this one will keep your students reading the whole way to the last page.

THOUGHTS: A high-stakes heist must-read title. For teens who love lots of action, twists, turns, and a fast-paced plot, this is the ideal story. Thieves’ Gambit reads like a heist movie on paper as it takes readers on a wild adventure around the world. Ross is a likable and realistic character trying to fulfill quests before time runs out. There is enough romantic tension between Ross and Devroe that will keep romance readers loving this book, too. Ideal for fans of series like The Inheritance Games. Strong diversity and character development.

Mystery

Elem./MG – Camp Sylvania

Murphy, Julie. Camp Sylvania. Balzer + Bray, 2023. 978-0-063-11402-9. 280 p. $18.99. Grades 3-6.

Magnolia “Maggie” Hagen has been waiting for years to attend Camp Rising Star with her best friend, Nora. They’ve just finished their fifth grade year and are ready to start packing, but Maggie’s parents have an unwelcome surprise in store: Maggie will attend Camp Sylvania instead. Camp Sylvania’s website promises a “place for big dreams, big fun, and big weight loss.” Maggie is horrified that her parents are sending her to “fat camp” on the Lake of the Ozarks, and without her best friend. Maggie’s mom knows the founder, Sylvia Sylvania, from her own days at a similar camp called New Beginnings, and believes that losing weight is truly in Maggie’s best interest. Although Maggie initially resents being sent to Camp Sylvania, she makes fast friends with her bunkmates and soon enjoys a sense of belonging, even auditioning for the camp’s musical. She adjusts to the camp’s grueling workouts, Sylia’s patented Scarlet Diet (the cafeteria only serves food that is red), and a blood bank where all campers are encouraged to donate regularly. But when campers begin disappearing overnight, Maggie realizes that something is very wrong at Camp Sylvania. By the time her folks arrive for Parents’ Day, it may be too late, unless Maggie and her friends take drastic action (with a little help from the camp ghost).

THOUGHTS: Julie Murphy’s latest is both a spirited summer camp horror novel and a keen take-down of diet culture. 

Mystery (Horror)

YA – Stars and Smoke

Lu, Marie. Stars and Smoke. Roaring Brook Press, 2023. 978-1-250-85281-6. $19.99. 336 p. Grades 9-12.

Winter Young is the world’s most famous pop superstar. At 19, he has the world at his feet. Everyone wants to attend one of his concerts, and although he has worked hard to get where he is, he’s still not completely happy with his life and can’t shake the feeling that he should be doing something more. When Winter is recruited into a mission to take down a notorious crime boss by performing at his daughter’s birthday party, he accepts and finds himself paired up with Sydney Cossette, a spy who will be acting as his bodyguard. Sydney has no time for Winter’s stardom or charm, but as the mission becomes more dangerous, they must work together to achieve their goal, and soon, Sydney begins to realize there is a lot more to Winter Young than his fame and looks.

THOUGHTS: This was certainly a change from Marie Lu’s typical science fiction novels. I’m a huge fan of her books, and although I liked this one, I felt like it wasn’t enough story for me, and maybe that was done on purpose to make sure I pick up book two (which I will be doing!). I’d recommend this one to readers who like realistic fiction, love stories, and pop music since the main character, Winter Young, is the world’s biggest superstar. The espionage and action will keep readers hooked along with the slow burn romance between the two main characters. It would be a great addition to any Taylor Swift displays as well!

Realistic Fiction   

Elem. – Mr. S

Arnaldo, Monica. Mr. S. Katherine Tegan Books, 2023. 978-0-063-00395-8. $19.99. 40 p. Grades K-3.

As the kids in Room 2B enter their classroom on the first day of school, they become aware that something is missing. There is no teacher present. The chalkboard has the words “Mr. S” written on it. There is a sandwich on the desk with a steaming cup of coffee, but no sign of a teacher anywhere. Half the class is excited, the other half is scared. The class is on the brink of chaos when a ruler falls to the ground startling everyone. Who could have dropped it? Amazingly that sandwich on the desk is somewhat life-like with its olive-eyes and tongue shaped lunch meat slipping out between the slices of bread. Could the sandwich possibly be the teacher? Half the class is convinced it is, half isn’t sure… but one student points to the clue on the board. The sandwich must be Mr. S. And so the students of Room 2B get to work. As they progress through their school day, a whole second story is happening on the other side of the classroom window. Though never mentioned in the text or noticed by the busy class, a car has been hit by a tree in a storm. A distressed man in a suit and tie attempts to rescue the car, but the car gets hit by lightning, and starts on fire. The oblivious students inside continue on with art class, music class, and story time all under the tutelage of their sandwich-teacher. The fire department arrives to put out the flames, but the students inside miss the entire event. When the door to Room 2B bursts open, the students are startled to see a smoky and soaking-wet man in a suit enter and announce that he is… Mr. Spencer… their principal. Mr. Spencer introduces the confused students to their teacher Mr. S. who is indeed a sandwich. The children are delighted to see that they were right all along.

THOUGHTS: This is a hysterical beginning of the school year read aloud and a great way to introduce early elementary students to mystery books. Full of clever visual clues and amusing classroom antics, the story happening outside the window is never mentioned in the text, but keen readers will believe they are seeing clues that will help to solve the mystery.  

Picture Book