Tag Archives: Sisters

YA – Beth is Dead

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Bernet, Katie. Beth is Dead. Sarah Barley Books, 2026. 978-1-665-98869-8. $19.99. 386 p. Grades 7-12.

This modern Little Women-inspired novel follows the March sisters (college freshman Meg, high school senior Jo, and 15-year-old Amy) as they try to figure out who murdered their 17-year-old sister, Meg. Told in multiple perspectives from all four sisters then and now, this fast-paced thriller tells a story where everyone is a suspect. The story begins with their bestselling author father leaving after he publishes a controversial book in which he tells the coming-of-age story about his daughters – violating their privacy and infuriating the family as well as fans of his books, and leaving Beth dead at the end of the novel. When Beth actually is found dead on New Year’s Eve after a party, everyone (including the sisters) is a suspect including Meg’s piano-teaching boyfriend, Beth’s quiet boyfriend Henry Hummel, party host Sallie Gardiner, and Laurie, Jo’s best friend and neighbor to the March’s. The alternating chapters explain personalities and relationships and motives as the story is fleshed out and becomes more clear as the book hurtles to the end.  

THOUGHTS: Students do not need to be familiar with Little Women in order to enjoy and appreciate this fun, suspenseful murder mystery.  Readers who are familiar with the original classic will enjoy the author’s ability to keep the sisters’ character traits and ambitions true to the story and will also recognize names of minor characters from Louisa May Alcott’s book.

Mystery

YA – The Moss

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Lueddecke, Lisa. The Moss. Simon & Schuster. 2025. 978-1-665-98449-2. $20.99. 293 p. Grades 9-12.

There’s something dangerous about a misty Maine bog that local residents call, the Moss. Emma Carver should know. Her house is on the edge of it, and she was always told not to go in. Her father even built a fence at the edge of the yard. Despite that, Emma’s mother disappeared and a few years later, her sister did too; everyone presumes they went – or were taken into – the Moss. Emma and her father both experience the grief from their disappearances, but only Emma seems to see the ghosts, hear the voices, and feel the unyielding pull of the mist. Emma decides she must find out what happened to her mother and sister, no matter what.

THOUGHTS: Fans of ghost stories will appreciate this book’s terrifying and beautiful descriptions of the supernatural visitors and the eerie atmosphere of this unique setting. Emma is a determined heroine haunted by uncertainty. The story slows in the middle as it seems she’s figuring out what to do and wallowing in her grief, but the beginning and the end are propelled by her resolve to discover the history of her old house and her dangerous trek through the bog. An author’s note mentions that this book originated during the pandemic, and the bog makes a brilliant metaphor for the feelings of disorientation and loss that many of us experienced during that time.

Mystery

YA – Build a Girlfriend

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Luz, Elba. Build a Girlfriend. Simon and Schuster, 2025. 978-1-665-94253-9. $19.99. 357 p. Grades 9-12.

Amelia Hernandez just graduated from high school and finds herself single – again. She blames it on her family curse – her mom, aunts, and sisters are all destined to be alone and while they have accepted their fate, Amelia has not. Determined to figure out why her relationships keep failing, she embarks on the “Hernandez Romance Boot Camp” with the help of her invasive family. Amelia’s plan is to contact her exes to see where she went wrong and how she can use that information to improve her future relationships. When she unexpectedly runs across Leon, the one ex that got away, she decides to implement a little revenge plot against him, but her complicated feelings start to get in the way. Combine that with the fact that she plans on leaving her family and their new bakery business to complete a gap year program (but hasn’t broken the news to them yet), Amelia has a lot to deal with and just wants to make it through the summer. 

THOUGHTS: Luz does a great job of creating a book that focuses on a women-centric Puerto Rican family and the love and humor they bring to each other’s lives, even if they can drive each other crazy. YA readers will enjoy reading about Amelia and how she navigates these interesting familial relationships and how she develops throughout the book to the point where she finally is able to decide what she really wants and is able to communicate her needs to her family.

Romance

YA – The Education of Kia Greer

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Bennett, Alanna. The Education of Kia Greer. Alfred A. Knopf, 2025. 978-0-593-80610-4. $19.99. 420 p. Grades 9-12.

Kia Greer is the daughter of a successful Black actor and his white wife – together they have four daughters and a long running reality TV show, “Growin’ Up Greer.”  Kia is the quiet one of the group – the introvert who could go without all of the attention and press their family receives. When she falls for Cassius Campbell, an up-and-coming pop star, her “momager” is thrilled as the relationship takes the pressure off Kia’s older sister and her cheating husband. She encourages Kia to continue the relationship for the positive PR it receives, and Kia and Cassius fall for each other – for real. As the pressure mounts the more Kia is in the spotlight due to her love interest, the more anxious and depressed she becomes as she desperately tries to figure out who she really is and who she wants to be in the future.

THOUGHTS: This story has definitely taken a page from the Kardashian story – their reality show and sibling relationships have a very similar vibe, although the characters in this story are warmer and more relatable despite their wealth and notoriety. Young adult readers will enjoy the pop culture aspects of this book, but it does have a serious level to it as the author explores Kia’s mental health and her desire to make decisions for herself and separate herself from the damaging Hollywood mentality.  

Romance

MG/YA – (S)kin

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Zoboi, Ibi. (S)kin. HarperCollins, 2025. 978-0-062-88887-7. $19.99. 387 p. Grades 7-12.

Marisol and her mother, Lourdes, are Haitian immigrants new to New York City. They work in a bakery and work hard to make ends meet. Marisol and Lourdes also happen to be soucouyant—shapeshifters that transform into fiery, hungry beings every new moon. Shapeshifters that have the power to harm others as they slowly pull away the life source of humans. After some changes at the bakery, Lourdes gets a new job caring for Kate and Daniel’s infant twins. Genevieve’s family, Marisol discovers that Lourdes has a deep, longstanding connection with Genevieve’s father, Daniel. Genevieve is biracial, and she knows Kate is not her biological mother. When Lourdes helps Genevieve begin to heal from a painful skin condition, Genevieve begins to wonder: Who is this woman, and why does she seem so familiar?

THOUGHTS: Looking at the cover of this novel in verse, I knew it would likely be about a pair of sisters. I expected it to be realistic fiction. I didn’t expect the fantasy-fueled twists and turns (including the ending!). Elevated, poetic language and a wholly unique, magical premise set this novel in verse apart (and above) from the crowd. Apart from some profanity, this is an accessible and captivating story for advanced, mature middle school readers as well. Told from alternating perspectives that twist and merge as the story progresses. Recommended for addition to libraries serving secondary students.

Fantasy
Novel in Verse

In (S)kin,  noted author, Ibi Zoboi explores the myths of Caribbean folklore. Set in present day Flatbush, this novel-in-verse features alternate voices of seventeen year old, biracial Genevieve and fifteen year old Black Marisol. As each chapter progresses, the reader is drawn into the dark world of the soucouyant, the lougarou, the old hag. New immigrants, Marisol and her mother, Lourdes, eke out a meager living above the Island Bakery. At the full moon, they take their turns shape shifting into a fiery creature that roams the earth feeding off others, especially babies. Their transformation requires them to leave their earthly skins in a mortar for their journey; they soak in ice baths to cool down their bodies on their return. Though she loves her, the dark and brooding Marisol wishes she could escape her mother. Just when the pair seem destined for the streets, Lourdes secures a job as a live-in housekeeper at the home of  the well to do Genevieve. Her stepmother, Kate, hired her sans references to help with her twin infants. Genevieve is a beautiful, aspiring dancer who suffers from cystic acne and burning eczema. She longs for her White father’s full attention and information about her biological mother beyond knowing her father met her on his repeated visits to the Caribbean. When Lourdes appears at their doorstep during a critical moment that she easily fixes, both Genevieve and her father sense something is different about their new employee. Lourdes quickly moves in her daughter Marisol, and secrets are revealed. The girls are half-siblings and Genevieve, too, is a soucouyant who is primed for her first transformation. Zoboi has the talent to blend this fantasy with a realistic world of characters who express resentment, jealousy, yearning, and anger. Despite their roles as shape-shifters, the two protagonists reveal relatable feelings and insecurities. Perhaps the twist at the end is Zoboi’s way of telling readers that we should try to live in each others’ skins to understand each other better.

THOUGHTS: Students who like a fantasy with more world building, may not find this title their cup of tea. (S)kin chooses to explore different levels of the real world: the poor and the entitled. It also examines self-image and what is considered beautiful and ugly. I liked the possibility of exploring the metaphor about skin and identity. 

Fantasy   

Elem. – Tenacious Won’t Give Up

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Vaughan, Pam. Tenacious Won’t Give Up. Illustrated by Leanne Hatch. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2025. 978-0-593-64521-5. 40 p. $18.99. Grades PreK-2.

Tenacious can do anything especially when she puts her mind to it, everything that is except for riding her bike. She is used to trying her hardest to accomplish her goals, but this method doesn’t seem to work when it comes to bike riding, and she keeps crashing. She is worried that she’ll never be ready for the wheel parade later that day. Her sister Sage, a talented wheelchair basketball player, suggests that instead of trying her hardest, Tenacious instead visualizes herself riding her bike with the other kids and not crashing.

THOUGHTS: This is such a great story about perseverance. I really loved how inclusive the story is, especially in the portrayal of Sage as a mentor figure telling her to “try your smartest” instead of your hardest. A great addition to SEL collections.

Picture Book

Elem./MG – My Sister the Werebeast

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Tysoe, Alina. My Sister the Werebeast. First Second, 2025. 978-1-250-89669-8. 320 p. $23.99. Grades 4-6.

Set in a world where magic has been defeated and outlawed, My Sister the Werebeast, opens in the home of Mira, Rosie, and Peanut. Their parents are off on an adventure and leave the two older siblings to care for toddler Peanut while also juggling school and adventurer trials. But something’s not quite right with Peanut. Strange things happen when Peanut gets emotional, like flooding the entire house with her tears or breathing fire when she’s angry. When she transforms into a soft and fluffy, possibly menacing creature, Mira and Rosie decide to keep her home until they can reach their parents. Chaos ensues as Peanut’s powers become more unpredictable and a monster hunter shows up to town.

THOUGHTS: My Sister the Werebeast has the perfect blend of humor and fantasy mixed with sibling dynamics. Tysoe also carefully depicts the issues kids face – struggling with absent parents and being suddenly thrown into adulthood when they’re still children – with humor and care. This title releases in October and is perfect for readers who like fantasy-spooky stories rather than horror.

Graphic Novel

MG – The Serpent Rider

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Dino, Yxavel Magno. The Serpent Rider. Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2024. 978-1-547-61513-1. 263 p. $17.74. Grades 5-8.

Tani wants to be a serpent rider, just like her father and the rest of her village. She also wants to protect her sister, Ligaya, as she is responsible for remembering all the village’s stories and history. After a horrible monster attack, Tani is ready for her elemental serpent to hatch, but it just is not happening. She makes a deal with someone who maybe doesn’t have the best of intentions. What follows is an epic adventure that leads Tani to find out what is really important and shows her that maybe saving her family isn’t as impossible as she thinks it is.

THOUGHTS: This is a quick fantasy stand alone that would be great for readers wanting to get into the fantasy genre.

Fantasy

YA – Flawless Girls

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McLemore, Anna-Marie. Flawless Girls. Feiwel and Friends, 2024. 978-1-250-86963-0. 279 p. $20.99. Grades 8-12.

Isla and Renata Soler are known for their brash, rebellious, and headstrong behavior which has been fostered by their grandmother. They don’t fit into “traditional” polite society and that doesn’t bother either of them, until they both get accepted into Alarie House. Their grandmother knows that the girls will need to be turned into ‘proper’ girls in order to get anywhere in the world.  Isla, the younger sister, lasts one day at Alarie House, but Renata stays. Months go by and when her older sister returns, she is not the same Renata that Isla knew, and things get stranger when Renata disappears. Isla decides the only way to figure out what happened to her sister is to go back to Alarie House and find out for herself. What she finds is darker and more sinister than she could have imagined. At the center of this is a bewitching girl named Paz, and Isla can’t figure out if Paz is making these things happen or doing what Alarie House bids her to do.

THOUGHTS: This is a creepy and twisty story that can be slightly confusing at times. The magical realism that Anna-Marie McLemore throws in makes the whole plot feel completely sinister, and it adds to the overall story very well. The romance that blooms between the characters is so well done and the author’s note at the end really adds to the reader’s understanding of the characters. Fans of Anne-Marie McLemore’s other works will love this one just as much if not more, and this book could be a great segway for new readers of her work.  

Mystery (Horror)
Fantasy (Magical Realism)

YA – Little Moons

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Storm, Jen. Little Moons. Illustrated by Ryan Howe and Alice R.L. HighWater Press, 2024. 978-1-774-92107-4. 60 p. $20.95. Grades 9-12.

13-year-old Reanna’s life is turned upside down when her sister Chelsea goes missing. Despite searching for her both in and out of the reservation, her family cannot find her. Phone calls to her cell phone go unanswered. Posts on social media inquiring about her whereabouts eventually stop garnering comments. Reanna and her family have no choice but to try and move on as much as they can. Her mother believes moving to the city and starting a new life is the best way to dull her grief. Reanna and her siblings stay part time on the rez with their father and part time in the city with their mom, which Reanna hates. The only solace she finds from her grief is from diving into her First Nations culture, especially when she powwow dances in Chelsea’s beautiful regalia that she beaded herself. Only the youngest sibling, Theo, feels and sees Chelsea’s spirit in the form of a little moon. As Reanna’s mother distances herself from the tragedy, Reanna finds other ways to honor her sister’s life and make peace with the fact that she may never know her sister’s fate. 

THOUGHTS: Little Moons is a beautiful story about grief and how it impacts a family. Once readers know that Theo sees Chelsea in the form of a little moon, they will want to go back through all the pages to find where this little moon appears in the illustrations. Readers looking for a book with a neat, happy ending will not find it with this book. There is a content warning in the front as the book deals with the subject of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two Spirit People (MMIWG2S), so take care when recommending to students.

Graphic Novel
Realistic Fiction