Elem. – Big

Harrison, Vashti. Big. Little Brown and Company. 978-0-316-35322-9. 32 p. $19.99. Grades K-3. 

When you’re young, hearing that you’re “a big girl” is a compliment. People marvel when you grow and become independent. Being big is good, until it isn’t. This story chronicles an unnamed girl’s experience with body image and ultimately, self-acceptance. She is a dancer, and pink words, including “caring,” “graceful,” “smart,” “creative,” “kind,” and “imaginative” float around her. However, as she grows older, she also becomes conscious of others’ reactions to her and the words they use to describe her. “Whale,” “moose,” “cow,” and “too big” float around her in black, and these words make her feel small. The words sting, and they’re hard to forget. The young girl begins to feel out of place, and her self-esteem plummets. She finally lets all her emotions out and makes the brave choice to hold on to the affirming pink words and hand the hurtful black ones back. The final spread features her dancing peacefully and confidently, once again comfortable in her own body. The predominantly pink illustrations are created digitally and with chalk pastels, and the main character is the only one portrayed in color – all other adults and children appear in shades of brown and gray in the background. 

THOUGHTS: This is a book to share with guidance counselors as they discuss ideas like body image and self-esteem with students. It could also be used during Morning Meetings to tackle topics such as the lasting or harmful impact our words can have on others. 

Picture Book

YA – Dear Medusa

Cole, Olivia A. Dear Medusa. Labyrinth Books, 2023. 978-0-593-48573-6.  377 p. $18.99. Grades 9-12.

This feminist novel in verse interspersed with texts details the aftermath of Alicia, a young white girl, presumably from Ohio, who has been sexually abused by a seemingly affable, popular teacher whom the reader never meets. Alicia’s parents are recently divorced because of her father’s infidelity; her mother is depressed and her once-accomplished older brother takes to hanging out with a less desirable, racist group of boys. Traumatized by her sexual experience which she has kept secret, Alicia has lost her best friend, dropped out of her beloved track team, and resorted to bad behavior and casual sex with random partners, often men older than she. She is well aware of her bisexuality and her sensual effect on men. Now in her junior year of high school, she starts getting unsigned notes in her locker implying a commiseration. She takes some refuge in her job at the fast food restaurant, Meat Palace–at least when her creepy manager isn’t present, and the support of two new friends: Deja, a straight-talking African American asexual girl and Geneva, a intuitive Pakistani girl who proves to be Alicia’s love interest. As the school year progresses Alicia grows deeper into depression. Though readers are given no description of the abuse, they learn that Alicia returned to her abuser several times. Alicia infers her feelings of guilt and compunction for this conduct.When she is chosen to be part of special all-female study led by a charismatic visiting professor, she starts to find her voice and finally makes a connection with the secret note-writer who has also suffered sexual abuse from the same teacher. The professor encourages the girls to accept their sexuality and speak frankly of sexual matters. In the end, the other girl reveals the abuse to the authorities, but Alicia finds a new sense of freedom and a new connection with her mother.

THOUGHTS: This dark story takes the reader within the mind of a sexually abused girl who reacts to this trauma by taking random sexual partners, often older than herself. It contains some foul language, but no graphic descriptions of her sexual encounters. The writing is the highlight of this novel, but the story is a sad and troubled one. Not many adults come off well in this story, only Alicia’s mother finally comes to her aid and one older co-worker at the Meat Palace.

Realistic Fiction      

YA – Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story

Myer, Sarah. Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story. First Second, 2023. 978-1-250-26880-8. 272 p. $17.99. Grades 9-12.

In Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story by Sarah Myer, the author shares their story as a “visible, transracial adoptee” growing up in rural Maryland, where they faced challenges both external (racism and bullying) and internal (mental health and self-esteem struggles). Born in Korea, Sarah was adopted by a white couple as a baby, and this memoir spans the author’s early childhood through their departure for college. Despite their parents’ steadfast love and support, Sarah experienced feelings of abandonment and internalized many negative messages about their ethnicity. Sarah’s recognition of their queer identity (and her classmates’ harassment because of it) adds another element to their navigation of high school’s choppy waters. Myer’s mental health struggles manifest as a monster that grows larger and more horrifying as her inner narrative reflects ever deeper self-loathing. Fortunately, art and anime offer a constant refuge, a source of joy, and one life-changing message. Monstrous has elements that are both deeply personal to the author/illustrator, and also wholly universal. This is a fantastic example of what a skilled artist and storyteller can do with the visual memoir format.

THOUGHTS: A must-read, particularly for readers of Robin Ha’s Almost American Girl and Rosena Fung’s Living with Viola

Graphic Novel
Memoir

Elem – You Are Loved: A Book About Families

O’Hair, Margaret. You Are Loved: A Book About Families. Scholastic, 2023. 978-1-338-85007-9. 36 p. $18.99. Grades K-3. 

The idea of families coming in all shapes, sizes, and combinations is beautifully celebrated in this inclusive picture book. This title is inspired by Down syndrome advocate Sofia Sanchez, and the story begins with an introduction to her multicultural adoptive family. Readers also learn that love holds families together, and no two families look the same. Families can be loud or quiet, big or small, similar looking or not, and family members might all live together or be spread throughout the world. Vibrant illustrations feature people of all races, religions, abilities, genders, and ages. Backmatter includes a note from Sofia Sanchez’s mother explaining how Sofia’s adoption completed their family. 

THOUGHTS: The important ideas of family loving you just the way you are and families being made of people who care for you no matter what take center stage in this uplifting book. The text also touches on the idea of people in a school and community caring about you and being part of your family too. This is a valuable addition to library collections and should also be shared with school counselors. 

Picture Book

Elem. – When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left

Colagiovanni, Marc. When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left. Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Orchard Books, 2023. 978-1-338-83118-4. 40 p. $18.99. Grades PreK-3.

In the beginning of this book, nothing is going right for our main character, no matter what they do. So they decide to go left. As the book goes on, the reader can see all the things the main character left behind and how that affects each decision they make moving forward. When they finally get to the end, they discover that their fears, worries, and concerns are smaller and they just need to make sure that they keep an eye on them so they don’t get out of control again. Throughout the book, there is a little bird that follows the main character, which is a nice addition in an otherwise minimalistic style of illustrations.

THOUGHTS: This is a great addition to any elementary school collection, and would be a great read aloud to discuss what to do if things aren’t going right. This would also be great to use with any art lessons about more minimal illustrations, or if you were doing an illustrator study on Peter H. Reynolds.

Picture Book

Elem. – A Little Ferry Tale

Otis, Chad. A Little Ferry Tale. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2022. 978-1-534-48769-7. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades PreK-1.

Hey look, Little Toot, there’s a newcomer on the dock and her name is Little Ferry. Ferry is a small boat with big aspirations, and her job is to carry passengers from the mainland to the island and back again. She looks at other vessels in the harbor and observes people admiring the sailboat’s gracefulness, the tugboat’s fearlessness, and the speedboat’s power. Ferry never receives such accolades and feels insignificant compared with the other watercraft, wishing she could trade places with them. She decides to follow in their wake by going fast, facing large boats, and being carefree, but Ferry finds she has trouble doing that. As the little boat sadly returns to the pier with her passengers, Tugboat raises an alarm of fire on the island. All of the boats in the harbor know that animals live there and rush to rescue them. Speedboat and Tugboat frighten the animals as they approach the shore, and Sailboat gets hung up on the rocks. Only Little Ferry, after summoning up her courage, is able to bring all of them on board and transport them safely to the dock. The small boat realizes that her patience and carefulness are qualities that also have value. The message here is to be true to yourself. The author-illustrator has created digital illustrations that bring out each boat’s personality. The drawings of the characters with their large eyes and expressive mouths will draw in young readers.

THOUGHTS: This charming picture book will be a hit with children, who will want to read it again and again. It is a good example of personification. Pair this marine newcomer with the classic Little Toot for a nautical themed story time. Recommended.

Picture Book           Denise Medwick, Retired, PSLA Member

MG – If You Read This

Getten, Kereen. If You Read This. Delacorte Press, 2022. 978-0-593-17004-5.$16.99. 168 p. Grades 4-7.

It has been three years since Brie’s free-wheeling, spontaneous, loving mother succumbed to cancer. Papa buries himself in work at the Jamaican resort he manages, and Brie feels invisible to him and her Nana. Only her good friends, Smiley and Femi keep her going. When Brie’s twelfth birthday arrives, she is unhappily surprised by a big party with everyone she knows from her close knit island neighborhood. Only the bestowal of a special gift from her deceased Mama makes the day memorable. Inside a box, Brie finds letters from her Mama taking her on a treasure hunt to her Grandfather Brim’s home in search of a secret door. Her father arranges for the trip, which turns into a family affair with aunt, uncle, grandmother, and best friends, but he does not accompany them–disobeying her mother’s directives. Grandfather Brim’s home is magical and organic with tree-chairs, fairy lights, and bright colors. Brim has dementia, though, and now lives in a care facility. With each letter, Brie receives another clue to finding the secret door; but can’t shake her disappointment that her Papa isn’t with her, convincing her that he must not care about her. In one of the letters, Mama tells Brie of a key which leads to a visit to Grandfather Brim at the care home and his abduction by Brie. Her actions enable her to get the necessary key, but incur Papa’s anger. Brie finds the secret place her Mama intended for her and discovers her father’s hand in this special gift. This revelation helps to restore Brie’s and Papa’s relationship and secure a plan to include Brim and this unique place in her life. This heart-warming story of loss and love includes Jamaican dialect and cultural traditions that create an authentic setting.  

THOUGHTS: Author Kereen Geffen creates strong characters, from Brie’s effusive mother, to her insightful friend Femi, to the town’s bus driver, Jackfruit–all are described deftly. In addition to dealing with her grief and consequent feelings of inadequacy, Brie has to cope with her grandfather’s dementia. He recognizes Brie as his daughter. Brie remembers her mother’s cavalier ways fondly, but Papa had to deal with some negative backlash from his wife’s impulsivity. The vehicle of the letters leading to the secret room is different, especially since it entails only three letters with clues to a specific place. Readers who like family stories or who have suffered the death of someone close may like this book.

Realistic Fiction          Bernadete Cooke, School District of Philadelphia

YA – Some Kind of Hate

Littman, Sarah Darer. Some Kind of Hate. Scholastic Press, 2022. 978-1-338-74681-5. 336 p. $18.99. Grades 7-12.

Content Warning: “The contents include white nationalist ideas based on antisemitic conspiracy theories, Islamophobia, racism, misogyny, and violence.”

Declan Taylor is at the top of his game – literally. His school baseball team just won the state tournament, and he was their star pitcher. If Declan just could figure out how to talk to his longtime crush, Megan, he would be set. When an attempt to impress Megan during an end of the school year celebration goes horribly wrong, Declan’s summer plans derail. No more baseball means no future for Declan, at least not the future he was envisioning. Drowning in self-pity while the rest of his family is working long hours, Declan spends most of his day gaming. His baseball friends, including his best friend and longtime teammate Jake, are too busy with summer league and don’t understand Declan’s situation or his anger. Plus Jake seems to be spending more time with his friends from synagogue than worrying about how Declan is doing. With their family’s finances crumbling, Declan is forced to get a summer job. Now he’s spending more time away from home and with his co-workers. Finn and Charlie introduce Declan to a better way to escape the lack of acceptance from his family and friends. It’s in the game world that Declan is able to avoid reality and find understanding: The world needs to wake up to the globalists who are tipping the scale in their favor and stealing opportunities from families like Declan’s. Though his twin sister and baseball friends question some of the things Declan has been saying, Declan’s anger surfaces and he writes them all off, opting to join his new friends in fighting back. Will Declan lose himself to his anger, or is there hope that he can crawl back and redeem himself?

THOUGHTS: Told in alternating chapters between Declan and Jake, this novel explores how, given the right conditions, one’s hate can blossom. Haunting and at times difficult to read, this story will stay with readers and belongs in every YA collection. It would pair well as a modern tie-in to Night, To Kill a Mockingbird, and other classics that deal with social issues. Highly recommended.

Realistic Fiction          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

MG – The Supervillain’s Guide to Being a Fat Kid

Wallace, Matt. The Supervillain’s Guide to Being a Fat Kid. Katherine Keagen Books, 2022. 978-0-063-00803-8. 261 p. $16.99. Grades 4-7. 

Max, the main character of this heartbreaking and heartwarming story, is a great kid with one problem; he’s a fat kid, and he endures constant bullying and ostracization at school because of his weight. He and his equally-bullied friend, Luca, spend each day at their new middle school waiting for the next attack from the biggest and most popular bully, Johnny Pro. The situation seems hopeless until Max decides to reach out to Master Plan, a notorious supervillain who was recently put in jail because of his villainous deeds. Through letters between Max and Master Plan, Max learns confidence as the older supervillain teaches him to dress well and defend himself, but when Max gets a great opportunity to appear in a popular TV baking show, he begins to wonder who is really helping who in their unusual mentoring relationship. Eventually Max decides that Master Plan did help embrace his good qualities and improve his friendships, but that he, not his supervillain hero, must take responsibility for his own happiness and success.

THOUGHTS: The body-positivity and anti-bullying messages in this book are skillfully incorporated into a funny, charming and thought-provoking tale about a kid who has to deal with a bully. The dialogue and action in this story is realistic, and students who enjoy hero-and-villain tales will appreciate the way Master Plan mentors Max and helps him find his own style and his own voice. This is ultimately a light-hearted tale that contains some excellent messages.

Realistic Fiction          Erin Faulkner, Cumberland Valley SD

MG – Freddie vs. the Family Curse

Badua, Tracy. Freddie vs. the Family Curse. Clarion, 2022. 978-0-358-61289-6. $16.99. 256 p. Grades 5-8.

Freddie Ruiz–AKA “Faceplant Freddie”–is plagued by the family curse in Freddie vs. the Family Curse. Unlike his talented, popular cousin next door, Sharlene (Sharkey) Mendoza, Freddie cannot bust a move on the Wylde Beast breakdance team, make friends with the other Robo-Warrior card players, or join any sports team because he risks injury or humiliation. His academic career is not filled with high grades and trophies but a collection of embarrassing moments and pratfalls. Just when it seems his luck cannot get much worse, he discovers an amulet while searching for glue to complete a last-minute school project on family trees. Great grandmother, Apong Rosing, calls the coin on a leather strap/cord an anting- anting and explains in a strange mix of spirituality and Filipino superstition that its magic can be unleashed through a priest and recognizes the coin as the one worn by Domingo Agustin (Ingo), her deceased older brother’s best friend. During Mass at Holy Redeemer Academy, the amulet becomes activated. Great Grand Uncle Ramon materializes, visual only to Freddie, Sharkey, and Apong Rosing.When the Japanese invaded the Philippines, seventeen-year-old Uncle Ramon went off to fight in World War II and died from an infected cut on the Bataan Death March. Through the warm and often humorous relationship Freddie develops with his newly found uncle, the seventh grader discovers the source of the curse was Uncle Ramon’s transgression, and the only way to banish the curse and keep Freddie alive is to return the amulet to its rightful owner–within a 13- day timeline! When Sharkey becomes collateral damage for the Ruiz curse, Freddy’s best solution to deliver the amulet is to master his dance moves and fill in at the breakdance championship in Las Vegas. In his chase against time, Uncle Ramon helps Freddie realize he has the talent and cleverness to make his own luck.

THOUGHTS: Author Tracy Badua involves some Filipino history in a heartfelt story of an underdog struggle to believe in himself. Story includes information about the Rescission Act, the unkept promise the U.S. government made to the Filipino soldiers to make monetary recompense. As Freddie works out how to break the curse, the reader finds a close knit Filipino-American family with their customs and folklore. The relationship between Freddie and his great grandmother and uncle forms an opportunity for an intergenerational perspective. In the beginning of the story, the author seems to include many descriptive details as though she were remembering her own family: grandmother wears a purple shawl when she goes for her dialysis, Freddie’s family observes the Filipino custom of not sweeping the floor at night for fear of “sweeping out the fortune.” Lead students who like this book to Erin Estrada Kelly’s Lalani of the Distant Seas for their next choice.

Fantasy (Magic Realism)          Bernadette Cooke, School District of Philadelphia