1
Bibliography
Brandi N. Prater
Department of Library Science, Sam Houston State University
LSSL 5330: Collection Development
Dr. Beverly Edwards
December 4, 2021
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Annotated Bibliography
Anderson, C. (2021). What beauty there is. Roaring Brook Press. $16.36
Living in harsh poverty during a brutal Idaho winter, Jack searches for the drug money
that sent his father to prison to keep his brother out of foster care, while Ava, under the
control of her merciless father, makes a wrenching choice to help the brothers survive.
Kirkus Reviews starred (March 1, 2021)
“If you had one chance to save everything that mattered to you, would you grab hold of it?”
When Jack, 17, comes home from school to find his mother hanging from a ceiling fan, his first
concern, once he realizes he cannot save her, is to protect his brother, second grader Matty.
Jack’s been holding the family’s increasingly untenable situation together for 7 years, since his
meth-dealing daddy went to prison and his mama spiraled into addiction. Now Mama’s dead,
Child Protective Services is calling, and their house is about to be auctioned. The only way
out Jack can see is to find the briefcase of drug money his father supposedly hid before his arrest.
Meanwhile, a second narrative voice, opening each chapter, is revealed to be that of Ava,
daughter of Jack’s father’s partner in crime. Ava knows her father is a murderer and a
psychopath whom she’ll never escape; Jack remembers, but can no longer connect with, a father
who loved him. Ava understands their connection though Jack does not—she aligns herself with
Jack and his search in an effort to break free of her fate despite believing his efforts are doomed.
Intense, brutal, and searingly honest, Anderson’s debut features intricate plotting and action that
hold up against the best thriller novels, yet it is all the more remarkable for its tender,
multidimensional characterization, and sharp, crystalline prose. Main characters read as White.
Riveting and unforgettable. (Fiction. 14-adult)
3
Asphyxia. (2021). The words in my hands. Annick Press. EBound. $24.99
The Words in My Hands is the story of Piper: sixteen, smart, artistic, and
rebellious, she’s struggling to conform to what her mom wants for her to be; normal, to
pass as hearing, and get a good job. But in a time of food scarcity, environmental
collapse, and political corruption, Piper has other things on her mind.
Booklist starred (November 1, 2021 (Vol. 118, No. 5))
Organicore’s position of prominence in Australia is slipping now that the nutrient-rich, cancereradicating additive used in its manufactured meals appears to have some long-term side effects.
For 16-year-old Piper McBride, daughter of the additive’s inventor, this fall from grace upends
her life in countless ways. Now living in a renovated shed, Piper and her newly unemployed
mother struggle with hunger and to live normal lives. The latter has always been more of a
challenge for Piper, who is deaf but generally able to pass as hearing thanks to her hearing aids,
lip-reading skills, and speech-therapy lessons. When Piper decides to learn how to grow “wild
food,” new worlds open to the teen, both in the philosophies of the guerilla-gardening movement
and finding her place in the Deaf community, which teaches her to sign. She channels her
passion for art into these new endeavors, and her illustrated journal (aka the book in readers’
hands) contains visual guides to gardening and searing anti-government images that become
posters for the movement. Asphyxia, herself Deaf and an artist, has done an outstanding job of
relating the experience of being Deaf in this near-future story of a young woman grappling with
her identity and finding her voice. The authenticity of this experience and that of being a teen
navigating changing friendships and first love make Piper a relatable protagonist whose inner
strength will inspire. (Grades 8-12.)
4
Bhuiyan, T. (2021) Counting down with you. Inkyard Press. $16.36
A reserved Bangladeshi teenager has twenty-eight days to make the biggest decision of
her life after agreeing to fake date her school’s resident bad boy.
How do you make one month last a lifetime?
Kirkus Reviews (March 1, 2021)
Sixteen-year-old Bangladeshi American Karina Ahmed lives by a different set of rules than all
of her friends. Her Muslim parents insist that she go to medical school even though Karina
would prefer to major in English—and they’re planning to arrange her marriage. Although she
chafes against their restrictions, Karina is also terrified of disappointing her parents, a situation
that has led her to a self-diagnosis of anxiety. Karina always assumed she would bend to her
parents’ expectations until two events converge: Her parents leave for Bangladesh for a month
and her English teacher asks her to tutor White student Alistair “Ace” Clyde, the school’s
notorious bad boy. At first, Ace does little to endear himself to Karina: He doesn’t take studying
seriously, and he announces to his parents that they are in a relationship without asking Karina’s
consent. But as the two get to know each other, they start to realize that they have more in
common than they thought. As their friendship deepens into a romance, and as her parents’
return grows closer, Karina must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice to satisfy them.
Karina’s experiences are raw and conveyed empathetically, encompassing as they do real
issues of gender inequality in South Asian communities. While the narratorial voice is strong,
exposition explaining scenes that already shine with depth and meaning slows down what would
otherwise be an action-packed plot. A promising and insightful romance. (Romance. 13-18)
5
Britz, A. (2017). Obsessed: A memoir of my life with OCD. Simon Pulse. Follett
eBook. $15.00/annually (single user)
Until sophomore year of high school, fifteen-year-old Allison Britz lived a comfortable
life in an idyllic town. It started with avoiding sidewalk cracks and quickly grew to
counting steps as loudly as possible. Unable to act "normal," the once-popular Allison
became an outcast. Finally, she allowed herself to ask for help and was diagnosed with
obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Kirkus Reviews (June 15, 2017)
Can a girl fall off a cliff in s-l-o-w motion? That’s how Allison’s life seems to plummet during
her sophomore year of high school in this fine debut memoir. After awakening from a terrible
dream, Allison is abruptly afflicted with obsessive-compulsive disorder—although
she doesn’t truly understand the reason that she’s suddenly associating commonplace objects and
activities with brain cancer. First she has to avoid cracks in floors, but this rapidly devolves into
restrictions on every aspect of her life—controlling her behavior, relationships, eating, sleeping,
and personal hygiene, and completely derailing her ability to do well in school. Within weeks,
she goes from being an excellent student positioned socially on the fringe of the popular group to
a pariah who may fail her classes. That her obvious distress flies under the radar of her parents
and teachers for so long is especially distressing. After her parents finally do intervene, she
begins seeing a specialist whose treatment, combined with Allison’s brave determination, makes
all the difference. Depicted with affecting honesty (and including quite a lot of dialogue),
Allison’s journey is at once gripping and agonizing. Allison is white; her trials are a universal
experience. Readers willing to share Allison’s evident pain and humiliation may gain insight into
a troubling disorder, but it’s the joy of her slow recovery that they’ll savor. (Memoir. 12-18)
6
Cartaya, P. (2019). Each tiny spark. Findaway World. Follett Digital Audiobook. $45.00
Sixth-grader Emilia Torres struggles with ADHD, her controlling abuela, her mother's
work commitments, and her father's distance after returning from deployment. Emilia has
a wandering mind. It's hard for her to follow along at school, and sometimes she forgets
to do what her mom or abuela asks. When Dad returns from deployment, Emilia expects
that her life will get back to normal. Instead, it unravels.
Booklist (August 2019 (Vol. 115, No. 22))
If you've ever wondered how it is inside the mind of a person with inattentive type ADHD, this
book offers a peek. Emilia Rosa struggles with her distractibility, but when something interests
her, like tinkering with old cars or the controversies surrounding some district rezoning in her
Georgia town, she latches on and digs deep. Her middle-school social studies project on local
tourism brings out the activist in her, leading to a chain reaction that causes some minor
hullaballoo in her school. Meanwhile, Emilia is trying to reconnect with her father, who's home
from active duty; missing her mother, who's working away from home; and struggling to
understand her abuela. This story covers themes like honoring your roots, seeking the truth,
cultivating empathy, and being a good communicator. Besides a look at a distractible thinker's
thought processes, this book also offers insight on the immigrant experience. For Emilia, all it
takes is one, tiny spark to get the ball rolling, and plenty of kids will relate to her passion and
perseverance. (Grades 5-8)
7
Choi, M.H.K. (2021). Yolk. Simon & Schuster. $17.20
Jayne and June Baek are nothing alike. June's three years older, a classic first-born. Jayne
Baek is barely getting by. Once thick as thieves, these sisters who moved from Seoul to
San Antonio to New York together now don't want anything to do with each other. That
is, until June gets cancer. And Jayne becomes the only one who can help her.
Kirkus Reviews (February 1, 2021)
A young woman struggles with body image, sexuality, identity issues, and her place in the world.
College student Jayne Baek majors in marketing at an unnamed New York City fashion school
and strives to belong to in-crowds even as her first-person narrative voice delivers searing
appraisals of artifice and curated personae contrived to attract attention and adoration. Jayne’s
perfectionist streak combines with her hunger for acceptance and affirmation, feeding into
obsessive, compulsive—and ultimately self-destructive—behaviors, including hookups and
rituals of bulimia, all providing only the illusion of control. Accustomed to an heir-and-spare
dynamic with her elder sister, June, who got a full scholarship to Columbia and a hedge fund job,
Jayne’s existential insecurity crystallizes upon learning the shocking news that June has cancer.
Jayne’s fancily attired therapist emphasizes co-pays before referring her to a support group, with
the advice that people—not places—will make Jayne feel at home, offering the opportunity for
nuanced commentary. Reconnecting with Patrick Jang, an acquaintance from her San Antonio,
Texas, childhood who is also of Korean descent, becomes an emotional salve and anchoring
influence for Jayne, especially as mutual consent is sought at every stage of their intimacy.
Portraying intergenerational immigrant experiences with a Korean cultural focus, this poignant
story underscores self-sacrifices that prove to be life-sustaining in the name of sisterly love.
Intense, raw, textured. (Fiction. 14-18)
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Cline-Ransome, L. (2018). Finding langston. Holiday House. $14.69
When eleven-year-old Langston's father moves them from their home in Alabama to
Chicago, it feels like he's giving up everything he loves. Langston's mother has just died,
and now they're leaving the rest of his family and friends. His new home has one fantastic
thing, a public library. Hiding out after school, Langston discovers another Langston, a
poet whom he learns inspired his mother enough to name her only son after him.
Kirkus Reviews starred (May 1, 2018)
A Great Migration novella with a vivid, believable protagonist. When Langston’s mother dies in
1946, his father feels that Alabama has nothing left for him and moves himself and Langston to
Chicago, where Negroes could make a living wage and avoid the severe discrimination so
prevalent in the South. A sensitive boy who loved his mother deeply, Langston has spent so little
time with his father that he doesn’t really know him. When he becomes the target of schoolyard
bullies who call him “country boy,” his loneliness sends him to the George Cleveland Hall
branch of the Chicago Public Library, where he learns that African-Americans are welcome,
which is different from Alabama. A kind librarian helps him find books—including poetry by
Langston Hughes, for whom she assumes he has been named. From snooping into letters his dad
has saved, he realizes that his mother loved the poetry of Langston Hughes, which inspires him
to read everything Hughes has written. Cline-Ransome creates a poignant, bittersweet story of a
young black boy who comes to accept his new home while gaining newfound knowledge of the
African-American literary tradition. Langston’s heartfelt, present-tense narration, which assumes
a black default, gathers readers so close they’ll be sad to see his story conclude. A fascinating
work of historical fiction that showcases a well-developed, likable protagonist and presents
Cline-Ransome at her best. (Historical fiction. 9-13)
9
Day, C. (2021). The sea in winter. Findaway World. Follett Digital Audiobook. $46.32
After an injury sidelines her dreams of becoming a ballet star, Maisie is not excited for
her blended family's midwinter road trip along the coast. But soon, Maisie’s anxieties and
dark moods start to hurt as much as the pain in her knee. How can she keep pretending to
be strong when on the inside she feels as roiling and cold as the ocean?
Kirkus Reviews starred (November 15, 2020)
A Native American (Makah/Piscataway) girl learns about her inner strength. Maisie Cannon’s
knee injury has disrupted her happy life in Seattle and kept her from doing what she loves most:
ballet. Now, instead of practicing arabesques with friends, Maisie’s after-school activities have
been taken over by physical therapy and awkward conversations with her parents about struggles
at school. Ever since her injury, Maisie has been unmotivated and restless in class. During a
family trip to the Olympic Peninsula, Maisie’s stepfather, Jack (Lower Elwha Klallam), shares a
bit of history about contact between the Duwamish people and early colonizers. When Maisie
tells him she doesn’t know what he’s talking about, he asks, “What the heck kind of history are
they teaching you in school, then?” She replies, “The Treaty of Paris.” It’s the same in her other
classes; none of what she’s learning seems relevant to her. Her grades have dipped, her
relationships with her friends feel strained, and she’s gotten snippy with her parents. She feels
bad about her behavior, but all she can think of is resuming dance classes. This meditative story
about a middle school girl’s courageous journey toward healing follows a family as they navigate
the complexities of supporting a tween’s life-changing injury. In her second novel, Day offers a
heartening glimpse into the immense patience and love required to endure limitations, build
strength, and repair damage. An insightful, stirring read about healing and resilience. (author's
note, publisher's note) (Fiction. 9-13)
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Dee, B. (2021). Violets are blue. Aladdin. $15.52
After Wren is going through some difficult changes: Her father left and started a new
family, and she and her mother have moved to a new city. She fills her time watching
and trying to recreate the special effects makeup of a popular YouTuber. While
Wren navigates her tween life, her mother is also incredibly secretive. Wren realizes that
her mother has a serious problem—a problem that can’t be wiped away or covered up.
Kirkus Reviews (August 15, 2021)
Wren and her recently divorced mom have moved into a new community near Chicago, and
things are not going well. Wren has made a new friend, Poppy, and found a new interest—
learning about makeup by following Cat FX’s YouTube tutorials. But her mom always seems
tired, even for an ER nurse, to the point where 12-year-old Wren can sense something is wrong,
although it takes her quite a while to figure out what it is exactly. In the meantime, Wren, steady
and dependable, succeeds in keeping up with her schoolwork and practicing her new hobby, with
some help from her dad and his new wife, far away in Brooklyn. Still, her mom’s growing
problems lurk in the background of everyday life. Luckily for readers and Wren, her passion for
her art, the encouraging voice of Cat FX, and the chance to do the makeup for the school
performance of Wicked keep her going. Wren makes great efforts to show her unhappy mom that
she continues to love her and doesn’t favor her dad’s new family and their lifestyle, free of
financial worries. She also navigates new relationships at school, learning to reassess some of her
first impressions. Wren’s problems and her pluck will keep readers interested in this sincere
story about starting over. Most main characters are White; Wren’s father’s Jewish, and one of
her new school friends is Black. A touching, realistic story about a mother-daughter relationship
and its ups and downs. (Fiction. 10-13)
11
DiCamillo, K. (2018). Louisiana’s way home. Candlewick Press. $14.69
When Louisiana Elefante's granny wakes her up in the middle of the night to tell her that
the day of reckoning has arrived and they have to leave home immediately,
Louisiana isn't overly worried. After all, Granny has many middle-of-the-night ideas. But
this time, things are different. This time, Granny intends for them never to return.
Separated from her best friends, Raymie and Beverly, Louisiana struggles to oppose the
winds of fate (and Granny) and find a way home.
Booklist starred (July 2018 (Vol. 114, No. 21))
Last seen in Raymie Nightingale (2016), Louisiana Elefante, daughter of dead trapeze artists and
prone to fainting, is awakened in the middle of the night by her grandmother, who orders her into
the car. Granny has been told in a vision that they have a date with destiny, an opportunity to
reverse the family curse, but they must immediately hit the road. Once over the Florida border
into Georgia, Granny’s aching teeth become an emergency. Louisiana, 12, is forced to get behind
the wheel and locate a dentist in the small town of Richford. Once there, she finds a friend, but
loses both her bearings and her history when family secrets are disclosed, whereupon she
discovers she has more moxie in her small body than she thought possible. DiCamillo, in an
unusual turn for her, tells Louisiana’s story in first person, bringing the reader close to what’s in
the girl’s head and heart—including pure anger at the disruption of her life. The writing is terse,
with short paragraphs and even shorter sentences. DiCamillo offers a master class in how to tell
and shape a story once all fat has been cut away. Though set in the mid-1970s, there’s a fairy-tale
quality to this, with heroes, helpers, villains, and one princess looking for a home. HIGHDEMAND (Grades 4-7)
12
Forna, N. (2020). The gilded ones. Delacorte Press. $16.36
Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that
will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from
everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can
finally feel like she belongs. But on the day of the ceremony, her blood runs gold, the
color of impurity-and Deka knows she will face a consequence worse than death.
Kirkus Reviews (April 15, 2020)
Sixteen-year-old Deka seeks acceptance and absolution. Every year adolescent girls in the
patriarchal kingdom of Otera prepare for the Ritual of Purity that determines whether they can
join their communities as pure-blooded women or be cast out and branded impure monsters.
Brown-skinned, gray-eyed Deka yearns to prove she belongs, but when her blood runs gold,
she’s revealed to be an alaki—a near-immortal woman warrior—and is carted away to become
the front line of defense for the people who’ve discarded her. With measured focus, debut author
Forna creates a provocative world filled with fantastical creatures, centuries-old divine conflict,
and overt feminist messaging around gender inequity and “purity.” Also compelling is Forna’s
ability to capture feelings tugging on the consciences of many, telling them they are unworthy of
life, liberty, and unconditional love because of who they are. The character development is a bit
superficial, unfurling quickly with movie montage–like speed. There is celebration of diverse
body types, some peripheral queer representation, and ethnic diversity that roughly correlates
with the real world. The plot-twist climax is hinted at throughout the book, held just out of reach
until the pieces fall neatly together. Unfortunately, the energy then peters out for the falling
action and epilogue. An adventurous and relevant fantasy that strives for gold but settles, in the
end, for silver. (map) (Fantasy. 13-18)
13
Gilbert, K. L. (2020). When we were infinite. Simon & Schuster. $17.20
All Beth wants is for her tight-knit circle of friends — Grace Nakamura, Brandon Lin,
Sunny Chen, and Jason Tsou — to stay together. With her family splintered and her
future a question mark, these friends are all she has — even if she sometimes wonders if
she truly fits in with them. Besides, she’s certain she’ll never be able to tell Jason how
she really feels about him, so friendship will have to be enough.
Kirkus Reviews starred (January 15, 2021)
High school senior Beth Claire knows what it’s like to lose someone you love. Ever since her
White father left, after her parents’ divorce, Beth has blamed her Chinese American mother for
the end of their marriage. Striving not to repeat her mother’s mistakes, Beth does her best to be
someone who is wanted and needed by those around her, especially her four closest friends,
Brandon, Grace, Jason, and Sunny. She cherishes the closeness of their group and wants nothing
more than for them all to stay tightly bonded through the year and even beyond graduation. Then
Beth and Brandon accidentally witness Jason’s father assaulting him. Jason brushes off the
violence, but Beth is devastated by the realization that she was unaware of her friend’s family
situation. She becomes anxious when she and her friends are unable to devise a way to help
Jason. The story is told retrospectively by an older Beth, whose tenderness toward her younger
self contrasts with high school Beth’s critical and self-effacing demeanor. Her desire to be
enough—competent enough, Chinese enough, accommodating enough—is described with the
clarity of hindsight and vivid emotion, particularly when it comes to Jason, who was able to see
past Beth’s carefully cultivated mildness to understand her in a way that the others do not.
Brandon, Grace, Jason, and Sunny are all Asian American; Sunny is pansexual. Beautifully,
achingly cathartic. (resources) (Fiction. 13-18)
14
Glasgow, K. (2021). You’d be home now. Delacorte Press. $20.89
For all of Emory's life she's been told who she is. In town she's the rich one--the greatgreat-granddaughter of the mill's founder. At school she's hot Maddie Ward's younger
sister. And at home, she's the good one, her stoner older brother Joey's babysitter.
Everything was turned on its head, though, when she and Joey were in the car accident
that killed Candy MontClaire. The car accident that revealed just how bad Joey's drug
habit was.
Booklist starred (August 2021 (Vol. 117, No. 22))
Everyone in Mill Haven has secrets—even smart, rich Emory Ward, kid sister to the beautiful
Maddie and troubled Joey. The night she and Joey were passengers in a car crash that killed
Candy MontClair, Emmy thought Joey was just drunk; no one knew the extent of his drug
addiction until then. When Joey comes home after months of rehab, their mother instructs Emmy
to be with Joey 24/7 to make sure he adheres to the suffocating volume of rules laid out for him.
Emmy loves Joey and wants to help him stay strong, but she has her own secret struggles. With
the help of unlikely but welcome allies, Emmy’s love and support for her brother remain
constant, especially when he feels lost and at his most fragile. Meanwhile, the realities of
“ghosties”—homeless and drug addicted people living by the town’s river—are exposed, compel
action, and give new meaning to community. Told by Emmy, who courageously begins to shed
the labels thrust upon her, Glasgow’s new novel compassionately illustrates the profound power
of love and how deeply the opioid crisis and addiction affect families and the towns in which
they live. The play Our Town and the author’s own recovery are the inspiration behind this
remarkable and engrossing novel of life’s balance and imbalance between struggle and
joy. (Grades 9-12.)
15
Henley, A. (2021). A face for picasso: Coming of age with crouzon syndrome. Farrar SG. $16.36
At only 8 months old, identical twins Ariel and Zan were diagnosed with Crouzon
syndrome -- a rare condition where the bones in the head fuse prematurely. They were the
first twins to survive the disease. Growing up, the sisters endured numerous appearancealtering procedures. Surgeons would break bones in their heads and faces to make room
for growing organs. The physical aspect of their condition was painful, but it was
nothing compared to the emotional toll of navigating life with facial disfigurement.
Kirkus Reviews (October 1, 2021)
This memoir of a young White woman with Crouzon syndrome explores growing up with facial
differences in an ableist, beauty-obsessed society. Ariel and her twin sister, Zan, were born with
a rare condition that affected the growth of their skull bones. Crouzon syndrome not only has
medical repercussions—Zan and Ariel have seizures and problems with breathing, hearing, and
vision—but a profound influence on the way the sisters look. From infancy, they were treated by
physicians who were excited at the chance to work with such a rare condition and who
sometimes couldn’t distinguish between aesthetic and medical motivations. As Ariel shows in
her narration of the story of their childhood and adolescence, every milestone was touched not
just by health difficulties and prejudice, but by the constant, ongoing surgeries the twins
underwent beginning when they were 8 months old. In Ariel’s thoughtful and poignant telling,
her own emerging awareness of and realizations about Western beauty standards didn’t change
how she wanted to be perceived by the world; internalized fatphobia may seem almost mundane
amid all this trauma, but the mistreatment resulting from “being fat and disfigured” ends up
causing just as real a crisis. Though many events feel only loosely connected and the work reads
almost like a series of essays, a narrative about Pablo Picasso and cubism ties together many
otherwise fragmentary episodes. (Memoir. 12-18)
16
LaFleur, S. (2018) Counting to perfect. Findaway World. Follett Digital Audiobook. $38.00
Julia used to be the perfect big sister: she played great games and took good care of
Cassie. Now life at home revolves around Julia and her daughter, Addie. No one pays
much attention to Cassie: not to her competitive swim meets, and not to what's gone
wrong with her friends. After the 3 of them run off one summer, Cassie has
to wonder: Could the sister who seems to be the source of all her problems also be the
friend she's missed the most?
Kirkus Reviews (August 1, 2018)
A road trip with her older sister and her sister’s baby help a seventh-grader understand her place
in her complicated, well-meaning family. When Cassie’s sister, Julia, became pregnant at only
17, her parents rallied to support her and enable her to graduate high school. Now that goal has
been achieved, but the girls’ parents are still in full support-Julia mode while seemingly
unconscious of the toll their dictates have taken on Cassie. She has had to miss important swim
meets to attend family prenatal classes, and some of her friends are no longer allowed at her
house. Cassie loves her niece but is rattled by the changes in her relationship with her
sister. Meanwhile Julia’s friends and boyfriend are heading to college, while she’ll be
commuting part time. Fed up, Julia grabs the baby and hits the road—and at the last
minute Cassie comes along. As they hop from place to place, always finding somewhere for
Cassie to swim, they gradually begin to communicate better. Julia gains confidence as a mother,
and Cassie sees in Julia’s love for Addie a reflection of the love Julia and her parents have
always held for Cassie. Told from Cassie’s first-person point of view, it’s a nice reflection on the
messiness of even strong relationships. All of the characters seem to be white. A quiet story that
will resonate with quiet readers. (Fiction. 8-14)
17
Lockhart, E. (2013). We were liars. Delacorte Press. Follett eBook. $15.00/annually (single user)
Spending the summers on her family's private island off the coast of Massachusetts with
her cousins and a special boy named Gat. Teenaged Cadence struggles to remember
what happened during her 15th summer when she was involved in a mysterious accident
that left her with debilitating migraines and memory loss. When she returns to
Beechwood, she recovers snippets of memory, secrets and lies – as well as issues of guilt
and blame, love and truth – all come into play.
Kirkus Reviews starred (April 1, 2014)
A devastating tale of greed and secrets springs from the summer that tore Cady's life apart. Cady
Sinclair's family uses its inherited wealth to ensure that each successive generation is blond,
beautiful and powerful. Reunited each summer by the family patriarch on his private island, his
three adult daughters and various grandchildren lead charmed, fairy-tale lives (an idea reinforced
by the periodic inclusions of Cady's reworkings of fairy tales to tell the Sinclair family story).
But this is no sanitized, modern Disney fairy tale; this is Cinderella with her stepsisters' slashed
heels in bloody glass slippers. Cady's fairy-tale retellings are dark, as is the personal tragedy that
has led to her examination of the skeletons in the Sinclair castle's closets; its rent turns out to be
extracted in personal sacrifices. Brilliantly, Lockhart resists simply crucifying the Sinclairs,
which might make the family's foreshadowed tragedy predictable or even satisfying. Instead, she
humanizes them (and their painful contradictions) by including nostalgic images that showcase
the love shared among Cady, her two cousins closest in age, and Gat, the Heathcliff-esque figure
she has always loved. Though increasingly disenchanted with the Sinclair legacy of selfabsorption, the four believe family redemption is possible--if they have the courage to act. Their
sincere hopes and foolish navet make the teens' desperate, grand gesture all that much more
tragic. Riveting, brutal and beautifully told. (Fiction. 14 & up)
18
Miller, S. (2018). A lite too bright. Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins. $15.52
Arthur discovers a journal written by his grandfather, after being sent away to live with
his aunt and uncle. His grandfather went missing the last week of his life and died
hundreds of miles away from their family home. What happened in that week—and how
much his actions were influenced by his Alzheimer’s—remains a mystery. But now
Arthur has his grandfather’s journal—and a final sentence containing a train route and a
destination.
Kirkus Reviews starred (March 1, 2018)
A boy with a muddled past embarks on a cross-country journey to uncover the mystery behind
the last week of his famous grandfather’s life. Arthur Louis Pullman the Third is the grandson of
Arthur Louis Pullman, a Beat-generation writer renowned for producing a singular work of
literary genius before withdrawing from the outside world and losing himself in a fog of
dementia. Five years earlier, Pullman mysteriously disappeared from his son’s cabin in
California only to wind up dead a week later in Ohio, his whereabouts during the intervening
period unknown. Reeling from his own present-day trauma, grandson Arthur discovers a clue to
his grandfather’s travels and sets off by train to follow it, hoping to learn more about his famous
forebear’s life and death. Jumping from clue to clue and train to train across the country, Arthur
stumbles upon extraordinary discoveries, from long-lost family members to secret societies, and,
ultimately, the truth not only about his grandfather, but himself as well. He is helped along the
way by an enigmatic British-Indian girl named Mara who has motives of her own and strains
against being pigeonholed as a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. The Pullman family is white. This fresh
incarnation of the great American road trip novel is bursting with big ideas, enigmas, poetry, and
flashes of humor. (author’s note) (Fiction. 14-adult)
19
Nivens, J. (2015). All the bright places. Alfred A. Knopf. $16.36
Violet, a writer and member of the popular crowd, has withdrawn from her friends and
from school activities since her sister died in a car accident nine months earlier. When
Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves
whom. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start
living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.
Booklist (November 1, 2014 (Vol. 111, No. 5))
Violet and Finch meet on the ledge of their school’s clock tower, both thinking about jumping.
For frenetic Finch, who constantly alters his appearance, suicide is often on his mind, and the
barrage of bullying he receives, from his classmates and his own father, doesn’t help matters.
Violet, on the other hand, is in a daze after the untimely death of her sister. They don’t jump, but
their chance meeting leads to a partnership on a geography project visiting Indiana roadside
oddities. Their friendship grows into a sweet romance, and Violet feels invigorated—she starts
feeling engaged with her life and even takes up writing again, something she gave up after her
sister died. Despite Finch’s desperate desire, their burgeoning love is not enough to solve his
wild, emotional ups and downs, behavior that’s not called what it is—bipolar disorder—until
very late in the novel. Niven’s first novel for teens tackles a big topic with sensitivity (suicideprevention resources are included), and teens will likely swoon over Finch and Violet’s doomed
oddball romance. (Grades 9-12)
20
Quintero, I. (2014). Gabi, a girl in pieces. Cinco Puntos Press. Follett Digital
Audiobook. $56.00
Gabi’s family life is unbalanced. Her father is a drug addict who comes in and out of her
life sporadically. Her mother tries desperately to keep her tethered to the values of her
traditional Mexican heritage. Gabi’s weight, her desire to go away to college and her
blossoming sexuality are all at odds with what she feels are expected from her as a young
Mexican-American woman.
Booklist starred (September 15, 2014 (Vol. 111, No. 2))
Reading Quintero’s debut is like attending a large family fiesta: it’s overpopulated with people,
noise, and emotion, but the overall effect is joyous. Presented as the diary of 17-year-old
Mexican American Gabi, it covers a senior year ostensibly filled with travail, from a first kiss to
first sex; from dealing with a meth-head father to a constantly shaming mother; from the
pregnancies of two classmates to Gabi’s own fear of becoming “Hispanic Teen Mom
#3,789,258.” But that makes the book sound pedantic, and it’s anything but. Unlike most diaryformat novels, this truly feels like the product of a teenager used to dealing with a lot of
life’s b.s. Sure, she is depressed at times, but just as often she is giddy with excitement about her
new boyfriend (and then the one after that), or shrugging at the weight she just doesn’t feel like
losing. If there is a structuring element, it’s the confidence-building poems Gabi writes for
composition class, which read just like the uncertain early work of a nonetheless talented
fledgling writer. Quintero, on the other hand, is utterly confident, gifting us with a messy,
complicated protagonist who isn’t defined by ethnicity, class, weight, or lifestyle. Gabi is purely
herself—and that’s what makes her universal. (Grades 9-12)
21
Septetys, R. (2022). I must betray you. Philomel Books. $16.36
Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by
isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an
informer. He's left with two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves--or use his
position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.
Kirkus Reviews starred (December 1, 2021)
A rare look at the youth-led rebellion that toppled Romania’s Ceaușescu. Seventeen-year-old
Cristian Florescu, with his spiky hair, love of poetry and English, and crush on Liliana Pavel, is
as much of a rebel as it’s possible to be in Bucharest, Romania, in 1989. Communist dictator
Nicolae Ceaușescu has been in power for 24 years, and most Romanians live in poverty,
exporting what they produce to unknowingly fund Ceaușescu’s obscenely extravagant lifestyle.
Wild dogs attack children in the streets, and secret agents are everywhere. When an agent
confronts Cristian with evidence of treason—a single dollar bill tucked inside his notebook—and
also offers medicine for Bunu, his sick grandfather, Cristian agrees to spy on the American
diplomat family whose son he’s become friendly with. But as young Romanians gradually
become aware that other countries have gained freedom from communism, they rise up in an
unconquerable wave. Sepetys brilliantly blends a staggering amount of research with heart, craft,
and insight in a way very few writers can. Told from Cristian’s point of view, intercut by secret
police memos and Cristian’s own poetry, the novel crackles with energy; Cristian and his friends
join the groundswell of young Romanians, combining pragmatism, subterfuge, hope, and daring.
While the story ends with joy on Christmas Day, the epilogue recounts the betrayals and losses
that follow. The last line will leave readers gasping. Compulsively readable and brilliant.
(Historical fiction. 12-18)
22
Smith, N. (2021). The golden hour. Little, Brown and Company $21.38
Struggling with anxiety after witnessing a harrowing instance of gun violence, Manuel
Soto copes through photography, using his camera to find anchors that keep him
grounded. His days are a lonely, until he's teamed with his classmates, Sebastian and
Caysha, for a group project. As Manuel aides his new friends in their preparations for the
local fair, he learns to open up, confronts his deepest fears, and even finds first love.
Horn Book Magazine (November/December, 2021)
This tenderhearted graphic novel explores the traumatic aftermath of gun violence experienced
by a teen, Manuel, who had witnessed his teacher being threatened at gunpoint. On his road to
recovery, he slips into panic attacks brought on by dreams, video games, and random images
from the scene of the crime. While hanging out at a farm with his friends Caysha and Sebastian
to work on a group project for art class, Manuel copes by using photography as a form of
therapy; snapshots from his camera phone deliver parts of the visual narrative. Intermittent
flashbacks reveal disturbing details from the incident, much like fragmented memories that lie
buried until they rise to the surface. Scenic rural landscapes infused with shades of deep blue and
rosy pink create a calming mood and tone. Vivid panels rendered in black, gray, and white
magnify Manuel's increasingly intense disassociating episodes as the plot progresses before
coming to some resolution and healing. This moving story touches on themes of friendship,
coping, and self-discovery amidst a haunting experience. J. Dear Nov/Dec 2021 p.116
23
Torres, V.L. (2022). The turning pointe. Knopf Books for Young Readers. $16.36
When sixteen-year-old Rosa Dominguez pirouettes, she is poetry in pointe shoes. And as
the daughter of a tyrant ballet Master, Rosa seems destined to become the star principal
dancer of her studio. But Rosa would do anything for one hour in the dance studio
upstairs where Prince, the Purple One himself, is in the house. After her father announces
their upcoming auditions for a concert with Prince, Rosa is more determined than ever to
succeed.
Kirkus Reviews (December 1, 2021)
A love letter to Prince and 1983 Minnesota. Sixteen-year-old Rosa’s days revolve around ballet,
but her heart’s not in it. She yearns for funky beats, and Prince is her hero, but under the abuse of
Master Geno and the Minnesota Dance Company, she still shines as a ballerina. Master Geno
also happens to be her alcoholic father who abandoned her family after he couldn’t deal with the
aftermath of an accident 18 months ago. The accident left Gloria, Rosa’s sister, mostly paralyzed
and only able to say two words. Rosa feels responsible and is only going through the motions of
living, until hope comes in the form of two things: a boy called Nikki and the opportunity to
dance with Prince when he performs at a local nightclub. Nikki introduces her to sexy dance
moves and the world that’s lived on the corner of her street but that she’d ignored until now: a
world where boys who wear makeup get beat up, and queer men die from AIDS. The novel is
vivid with historic details, making Minneapolis’ Block E neighborhood a character in itself and
setting the atmosphere for a relatable main character to learn what her truth is and what it means
to live it. Rosa is Mexican American, and Nikki is Puerto Rican; Spanish is seamlessly woven
throughout, adding cultural texture to the story. A powerful story of overcoming expectations
with a hopeful ending. (Fiction. 14-18)
24
Trehan, M. (2021). The view from the very best house in town. Walker Books. $15.52
Asha and Sam, both autistic, are inseparable. A perfect pair of friends whose differences
complement well, and whose main similarity, autism, means they understand each
other. But when Sam is accepted into elite Castleton Academy, leaving Asha to navigate
public middle school alone, she begins to wonder if the things she is certain about are so
fixed after all.
Booklist (November 1, 2021 (Vol. 118, No. 5))
Welcome to an unusual tale of a girl, a boy, and a mansion. Best friends and both autistic, Asha
and Sam have known each other since they were wee. Asha adores Donnybrooke, a grandiose
mansion at the highest point of town, but she is banned from going there, making it all the more
attractive. The story is told in alternating points of view (with a running commentary from the
mansion), and readers learn why Asha isn’t allowed on the property; how these friends become
disconnected after Sam’s mom pushes him to attend the elite Castleton Academy; and about the
cruelty of Prestyn, whose family inhabits Donnybrooke. When Prestyn and her minion terrorize
Sam, Asha comes to the rescue, but will she be in time to save him? And will Donnybrooke
survive the disgrace of it all? This debut novel from Trehan presents intriguing, achingly real
characters in the persons of Asha, Sam, and Prestyn, though the adults are somewhat less
genuine. That quibble aside, the original presentation and complex young characters carry this
compelling exploration of friendship and home. (Grades 4-7)
25
Warga, J. (2021). The shape of thunder. Findaway World. Follett Digital Audiobook. $54.05
Cora hasn't spoken to her best friend, Quinn, in a year. Despite living next door to each
other, they exist in separate worlds of grief. Cora is still grappling with the death of her
beloved sister in a school shooting, and Quinn is carrying the guilt of what her brother
did. On the day of Coras twelfth birthday, Quinn leaves a box on her doorstep with a
note. She has decided that the only way to fix things is to go back in time to the moment
before her brother changed all their lives forever and stop him.
Booklist (April 1, 2021 (Vol. 117, No. 15))
Grades 5-8. Gun violence isn’t a topic that has made its way into many middle-grade novels,
though it is a reality that too many American children have had to face, if not directly then
nonetheless intrusively when enduring lockdown drills. Warga, in her first book since her
Newbery Honor–winning Other Words for Home (2018), wades into the trauma left by a highschool shooting. Seventh graders Cora Hamed and Quinn McCauley had been best friends since
they were toddlers, but they haven’t spoken since Cora’s sister, Mabel, died. Quinn
understands—it’s her brother Parker’s fault that Mabel’s gone—but Quinn has an idea that can
fix everything: time travel. The catch is she and Cora will have to work together to make it
happen. Chapters alternate between Quinn and Cora’s perspectives, gradually revealing the
details of what happened the day of the shooting, as well as the complex and messy emotional
process of grieving in a healthy way. Warga also touches upon hate crimes, white nationalism,
and Cora’s struggles with her Lebanese American identity. This will spark meaningful
discussions.
26
Zarr, S. (2022). A song called home. Balzar + Bray. $14.69
Lou and her family don't have much, but for Lou it's enough. It would be better if Dad
could stop drinking and be there for her and Casey. When her mom remarries, they pack
up an move farther from Dad than ever. When she receives a guitar on her
birthday, she’s sure it’s from her Dad. As she leaves home, she starts to believe that if she
can learn to play it, maybe she can bring a piece of him, and of her old life, home.
Kirkus Reviews (December 15, 2021)
Louisa Emerson copes with the sadness and stress of her alcoholic dad, remarried mom, new
stepdad, and a move to the suburbs. Fifth grader Lou loves her small apartment in San Francisco;
her mom; her 15-year-old sister, Casey; her BFF, Beth; sad books; and, despite the pain and
uncertainty he causes, her usually drunk dad. Lou’s life is being uprooted, however, because Mom
is marrying oversolicitous Steve, a man from church who proposed after only three dates. Since
Steve lives in his large childhood home in Pacifica—and Lou’s family is barely getting by
financially in the city—they are moving in with Steve, and only Mom and Steve seem happy about
that. On her 11th birthday, Lou anonymously receives a guitar that she believes is from her dad.
After the Emerson girls move, Lou befriends Marcus and Shannon, a charming couple with three
young kids who live on Steve’s block. They quickly become the sisters’ trusted adults, and Marcus
gives Lou guitar lessons. In her middle-grade debut, noted YA author Zarr writes exactly the sort
of kid Lou herself favors: one that thoughtfully tackles tough issues like substance abuse, parental
abandonment, the difficulties of change, and blended families. The story also features church and
Christian themes in a refreshingly positive and affirming way. Lou’s family is White; supporting
characters include Chinese American Beth and Filipino American Marcus. A tender, honest, and
beautifully written story about family, faith, and friendship. (Fiction. 9-13)