Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino - ADVISABLE

Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino, 320 pages. G.P. Putnam' (Penguin), 2023. $12

Language: PG-13 (19 swears, 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (underage drinking, teenage kiss, innuendo; Violence: PG (police encounter where a character is injured and arrested)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SOME

17yo Lilah, a soon-to-be high school senior, is struggling with her identity as a Deaf person who has been raised in a hearing world. She struggles to follow conversations with her hearing friends, but she also doesn’t feel “Deaf enough.” The only time when she really fit in was at Camp Gray Wolf, a summer camp for the deaf and blind. She gets the opportunity to return the camp as a junior counselor. Camp Gray Wolf is staffed by a diverse group, including Isaac (who helped her learn ASL years ago) and Mackenzie (who is hearing and studying to be an interpreter). It’s not quite as easy to fit in now as it was as a camper, but Lilah does her best--with a little help from Isaac. On top of this, Camp Gray Wolf is out of money and might be shut down after this summer. Over the course of the camp, Lilah gains acceptance, falls in love, makes friends, learns responsibility, and gains empathy for the other campers and counselors.

I liked the representation of Deaf culture and that it was written by a Deaf author, the cute romance, the length of the book, and that it is kind of a Hi-Lo book at 720 Lexile. I didn't like that there were big consequences for breaking curfew ,but no one cared that the counselors went out drinking, including several who were underage. The swears also seemed unnecessary - thrown in to up the maturity. The main character is presumed white, but her love interest is part Dominican and speaks Spanish along with English and ASL. The head counselor is also hispanic. There are side characters with other races, disabilities, and sexual orientations.

Lindsay Blowers, Teacher 

Marcel's Masterpiece: How a Toilet Shaped the History of Art by Jeff Mack - ADVISABLE

Marcel's Masterpiece: How a Toilet Shaped the History of Art by Jeff Mack. PICTURE BOOK Henry Holt (Macmillan), 2022 $19. 9781250777164 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

In the 1910's, Marcel Duchamp wasn't interested in that art that was - he wanted something different. So he took a urinal, turned it upside down and called it "Fountain" - entering it into a very prestigious art show and making some people mad and a lot of people think. Who decides what art is, anyway? 

A precursor and supported of dadism, Marcel's story is set off perfectly by Mack's multimedia illustrations. I know my art teacher will want to share this with her students. Marcel is white. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian 

Never Never by Colleen Hoover - OPTIONAL

Never Never by Colleen Hoover, 416 pages. Canary Street Press, 2023. $12

Language: R (192 swears, 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (implied sex); Violence: PG-13( bloody death) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: MANY

Silas and 17yo Charlie have no memory of their lives. They become aware in class but don’t know who they are or who anyone else is. Charlie and Silas eventually talk and realize they’re both dealing with the same problem. They search and find some answers but within 48 hours, they’ve lost their memories again, which becomes a pattern. The two are desperate for answers and they won’t give up until they find them.

I enjoyed the clever humor. The character development was strong. Silas and Charlie are interesting and complex characters. Ethnicity cues to white.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah 

The Diablo’s Curse by Gabe Cole Novoa - OPTIONAL

The Diablo’s Curse by Gabe Cole Novoa, 400 pages. Random House Books for Young Readers (Penguin Random House), 2024.  $20.

Language: R (66  swears, 4 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13 (stealing souls, one on-page non-graphic sex scene); Violence: R (frequent bloody & gruesome on-page deaths);

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Dami - a nonbinary demon who longs to be human, Silas - a cursed boy who wishes to be free of his family curse, along with Marisol - a trans-fem girl shipwrecked on a magical murderous island, band together to hunt down Captain Kidd's pirate treasure. Will they each find what they are looking for, before the island kills them all?

I liked this LGBTQIA fantasy action story, with some romantic elements, but I didn't love it. I liked the BIPOC and queer representation in Dami and Marisol’s characters. I thought it was interesting how being a demonio allowed them to shift fluidly between how they presented themselves, depending on how they were feeling. I felt like there was too much happening with the plot and the worldbuilding. My biggest complaint was the violence in the story. The repeated violent and graphic deaths on page were jarring. I could see how the action and violence in the story might be appealing to some readers, but for me, it was too much.

Reviewer: Kiera Beddes, ELA  #bookswithbeddes

An Ocean of Courage and Fear by Jerry Borrowman - OPTIONAL

An Ocean of Courage and Fear by Jerry Borrowman, 239 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2024. $27.

Language: PG (2 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS Salt Lake City participated in battles across the Pacific during WWII. From Lieutenant Commander Justin Collier on the bridge to Lieutenant Riley Bracken in a scout plane to Al Jowdy swabbing the deck, no one knew when the war would end—or whether they would live to see it.

Borrowman includes real events and first-hand accounts throughout the book (including Jowdy’s experiences), though the main characters (like Collier and Bracken) are fictional. Points of view from all over the Naval ship, and even a couple from different branches of the military, are included and give readers a good idea of what it would have been like to fight in WWII or be the loved ones left at home, even while Borrowman spares readers the gory details. While reading of the sacrifices can be heartbreaking, those who continued to move forward in doing their duty are all heroes.

The characters are American and Japanese. The mature content rating is for alcohol use and kissing. The violence rating is for blood and gore, assault, gun and bomb use, discussions of war, death, corpses, and mentions of suicide.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Beastly Beauty by Jennifer Donnelly - OPTIONAL

Beastly Beauty by Jennifer Donnelly, 336 pages. Scholastic Press, 2024. $17

Language: R (83 swears, 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: PG-13 (bloody fighting) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

19yo Beau rides with a group of thieves who saved his life and expects him to earn his way by stealing, even though he only wants to get away and retrieve his younger brother Matti from the orphanage. 18yo Arabella is a daughter of a Duke, living in a cursed castle with a dangerous beast that appears at midnight. When Beau and his group arrive at the castle, no one is around but the dining table is set for a feast. They eat until a beast arrives, then run, leaving Beau behind. What Beau finds, as he’s trapped in the castle, changes his life forever.

Donnelly’s story contains good messages. The clever names of the court ladies were fun to figure out. The romance could have been more developed. Beau is Spanish and Arabella is white.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian, Delta, Utah

True True by Don P. Hooper - OPTIONAL

True True by Don P. Hooper, 384 pages. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2023. $17 

Language: PG-13 (67 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Subject matter. Smoking. Drinking); Violence: PG-13 (Bullying)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

17yo Gil Powell lives in Brooklyn, NY. He is interested in robotics but there is no robotics program at his school. There is a private school in Manhattan that has an intense robotics program. Gil advocates for himself and gets accepted to Augustin Prep school and receives a scholarship. Also, Gil is a martial arts expert and participates in a neighborhood martial arts studio with local friends. Gil is targeted by a fellow student and "forced" to display his martial arts skills. He gets in trouble and is placed on probation. Other students of color at APS are isolated and they form a club and demonstrate against the inequalities at the prep school. Gil turns to the book The Art of War to devise a plan to keep his placement at APS. 

Gil is a likable character, and his work ethic is admirable. Some of the instances he has questionable ethics in his interpretation of what is allowable and not allowable. The angst between the neighborhood and friends and those at the prep school seem fairly typical. The students at the prep school work well together to create and devise plans to teach the prep school community about their racism from people and the institution. Gil is a second-generation Jamaican living in a Jamaican neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY. He lives with his grandmother, who is suffering from dementia, and his mother. His father is in Jamaica trying to secure legal status in the US. 

Bryant Baird, Librarian 

Chasing Pacquiao by Rod Pulido - OPTIONAL

Chasing Pacquiao by Rod Pulido, 272 pages. Viking Books for Young Readers, 2023. $19

 Language: R (100+ swears 3 'fs'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Bullying) Violence:  PG-13 (Boxing violence, Teenagers fighting) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: SOME 

Agbayani Bobby is a gay, Filipino student at Westlake High School in Southern California. He keeps in the closet until he is outed by a fellow student. Rather than deny or cover up he decides to come out. He is bullied by fellow students who steal his bicycle. The bicycle is an important memento to Bobby as it was a gift from his deceased father. His best friend is Rosie, a quick witted, fierce, and loyal Latina friend. Bobby decides to counter the bullies by signing up at a local boxing gym. He gets a job there to pay for the fees. Luke, the owner of the gym, becomes Bobby's boxing coach and instructor. 

This is a heartfelt story of coming to terms with who you are and how to make your way in the world while navigating tricky events that occur. I loved that the chapters were called "Rounds". The story flows and is good. There is a lot of bullying. The plot seems predictable, and the characters are what might be expected. Bobby grapples with being gay in high school and culturally not acceptable. His hero the Filipino boxer, Manny Pacquiao, is running for political office and denounces homosexuals, which crushes Bobby. 

Bryant Baird, Librarian 

Seven Ghosts by Chris Priestley - ADVISABLE

Seven Ghosts by Chris Priestley, 135 pgs. Union Square Kids, 2019. $9

Language: G (no swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (mention of accidental deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS-ADVISABLE

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL

Every year, Grimstone Hall hosts a tour for finalists in their ghost story writing contest. As Jake, and the other finalists, are guided through the halls of the spooky manor, they are told about the seven ghosts that haunt the grounds. Jake feels that the tour guide is behaving suspiciously toward him while at the same time, he notices shadows that seem to be following him. When the tour winds to a close, he will realize that maybe the stories are not just stories.

A quick and spooky tale that weaves past misdeeds with present hauntings. A perfect story for Spooky Season, or any dark night, that will delight readers of all ages.

AEB

By Any Other Name By Erin Cotter - OPTIONAL

By Any Other Name by Erin Cotter, 464 pgs. Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2023. $22

Language: R (100+ swears, no ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (minimal mention of alcohol consumption); Violence: R (sword play (bloody), murder (off page), poisoning deaths (on page), torture (off page), threatened execution, assault (bloody), person run over by a horse and cart (bloody), crossbow shootings (on page, bloody))

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS-OPTIONAL

APPEALS TO: SOME

Will is a 16-year-old actor who has become too old to play the female roles and too young to be the male lead. Desperate for money, he asks his good friend, Kit Marlowe, for help. While meeting with Kit at a pub, he watches as his benefactor is brutally murdered in front of him. This will launch Will on an adventure of spying, royal intrigue, and love, as he seeks to avenge his friend.

Unfortunately, the only strong part of this book is the positive, although historically inaccurate, LGBTQIA+ relationship portrayal. Otherwise, the reader will find a plot with many characters and storylines that are underdeveloped, plot twists that fall flat, and biographical unease. The main characters read well above their stated ages with the main character’s story bogged down by numerous overdramatic inner monologues. 

AEB

Make Me A Liar by Melissa Landers - OPTIONAL

Make Me A Liar by Melissa Landers, 250 pages. Hyperion, 2023. $18 

Language: R (94 swears 1 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (mild crude talk and innuendo throughout book);  Violence: PG-13 (fighting, threats and use of stun gun and knife, no gore, mentions child abuse) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Tia, a high school senior, is an immersionist which means she can head-hop into other people and take control of their body. After head hopping into a classmate to help with a bullying problem, she heads home to switch back into her body when she sees a special news bulletin. There has been a shooting on the steps of the courthouse and one victim has been confirmed dead. Then she sees her body kneeling on the ground, confessing and giving herself up to the police. Tia is momentarily paralyzed and can’t believe what she is seeing. Who took her body? As she races home to verify that her body is gone she wonders who would know where to find her body and how would they know she was head-hopping at that moment? There are not very many people who even know her secret and she’s pretty sure none of them would tell anyone. Now Tia has to decide who she can trust and solve the mystery to clear her name. 

The author writes a mystery that unfolds at a good pace with a few surprises, and an added bit of science fiction, although I would have liked more background on Tia’s ability. That being said, the story is engaging with smart, clever characters, some romance and funny parts which all add up to a very satisfying read. One character is described as having dark skin, but most are not mentioned. 

RB reviewer 

Royal Scandal (Royal Blood #2) by Aimee Carter - APPEALS TO MANY

Royal Scandal (Royal Blood #2) by Aimee Carter, 416 pages. Delacorte Press, 2024. $18 

Language: R (41 swears 0 'f');  Mature Content: G (Holding hands, hugging) Violence: PG-13 (bloody death)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: MANY 

18yo Evan is in the United Kingdom with her family, royal and not royal. She’s recovering from the assault by Jasper and has great support from her boyfriend Kit and her family. Evan is starting to feel more at ease with her royal surroundings until a shooter misses her and hits Kit as he protects her. Evan receives secret anonymous threats and she starts to hear voices that are threatening her also. Her mother has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and she’s worried she’s hallucinating since no one else sees or hears the threats. Each day the threats and danger build until Evan is terrified she will lose her life and the people she loves.

I love Evan and Kit and their relationship. The royal premise adds heightened intrigue to the mystery. This second book of the series is just as good as the first.  The ethnicity is predominantly white. 

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian

I Hope This Doesn't Find You by Ann Liang - ADVISABLE

I Hope This Doesn't Find You by Ann Liang, 309 pages. Scholastic Press, 2024. $20 

Language: PG-13 (60 swears 0 's'); Mature Content: PG-13 (underage drinking, intense kissing) Violence:  G 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Sadie, a senior in high school, has spent her life working hard to be at the top of her class. Her one hurdle is Julius. According to Sadie, he is arrogant and self-absorbed, and has been competing with her since they were 7 years old. It doesn’t help that he simply infuriates her. She would like to let him know how mad he makes her, but would also rather avoid any kind conflict. Instead, she writes him emails, but Julius isn’t the only person on the receiving end of her scathing emails. She furiously writes emails to plenty of other classmates and teachers. Of course, she doesn’t send the emails out. Until the day they do mysteriously get sent out to everyone at the school. Now everyone is upset with Sadie. 

This was a light, easy, romance with a healthy dose of humor and I was surprised at how much I liked Sadie. She was such a contradiction. So intense and driven on one hand, and trying so hard to be genuinely nice on the other. The author adds depth to the story with family and friend issues, although I found it a little vague on how easily the emails were sent out. Overall, it was a good read. The characters are Asian. 

RB reviewer 

Plan A by Deb Caletti - OPTIONAL

Plan A by Deb Caletti,  402 pages. Labyrinth Road, 2023. $19.

Language: R (97 swears 33 'f'); Mature Content: R (abortion decisiuon, nudity); Violence: PG-13 (sexual assault mentioned.) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Ivy, a 16yo junior from Texas, finds herself pregnant at the end of her junior year. With her mother's permission, Ivy has made a tough decision and embarks on a road trip to Oregon with the support of her boyfriend, Lorenzo, to stay with her grandmother while she undergoes an abortion. As they journey together, Ivy grapples with complex emotions, confronts societal stigmas, and ultimately finds empowerment in making her own choices about her future.       

I liked how supported Ivy was by her boyfriend and family. She received the emotional support she needed to make a decision that was best for her. I also liked how the author wove facts about abortion and women's history throughout the story. I didn't like that Ivy and her boyfriend roadtripped from Texas to Oregon so Ivy could receive the abortion. I can see some readers romanticizing the road trip. I also think the relationship between Ivy and her boyfriend is more mature than the majority of high school relationships actually are.           

Mary - Middle School CTE Teacher 

Wild Wishes and Windswept Kisses by Maya Prasad - OPTIONAL

Wild Wishes and Windswept Kisses by Maya Prasad, 468 pages. Hyperion, 2023. $18 

Language: G (1 swear 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Character mentions that she is no longer a virgin; birth control and a condom was used. Content also includes passionate kissing and hands under clothing. There is also underage drinking) Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

The Singh sisters, Nidhi, who has started college; twins Rani and Avani, seniors in HS; and 10th grader Sirisha, embark on a journey of self-discovery over the course of a single, wind-swept November day. Each sister confronts their diverging paths and dreams of the future. Together, they navigate the turbulent waters of love, loss, and the unbreakable ties that bind them. This narrative weaves a tale of embracing change, finding strength in sisterhood, and the enduring power of family. 

This narrative weaves a tale of embracing change, finding strength in sisterhood, and the enduring power of family. Loved reading about 4 South Asian American sisters. Each sister had a unique voice and the author did a great job detailing different challenges faced in romantic relationships. The book takes place in one day and the sisters stories move back and forth between chapters. I found that to feel a little rushed and chaotic. Nidhi, Rani, Avani, Sirisha and their father are South Asian American. Sirisha is queer. 

Mary- Middle School CTE Teacher 

Dread Detention by Jennifer Killick - OPTIONAL

Dread Detention by Jennifer Killick, 200 pages.  Delacorte (Random House), 2022. $18 

Language: PG-13 (36 swears, 0 "F") Mature Content: G Violence: PG (bullying, spider attacks) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO SOME 

Four seventh graders are assigned to a Saturday detention. Their detention turns deadly when their teacher disappears and they suddenly seem to be hunted by carnivorous giant spiders. If they don't set aside their differences and work together, they could be spider bait. 

The cover is fantastic. I really wanted to like this book, but the kids don't seem nearly traumatized enough. Their ability to crack jokes while being tracked by killer spiders seems out of place and loses the tension. Possibly the scariest part is that the students had to turn their cell phones in for detention, and had to face spiders without them. The four students come from a variety of ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Hidden Yellow Stars by Rebecca Connolly - OPTIONAL

Hidden Yellow Stars by Rebecca Connolly, 274 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2024. $27.

Language: PG (1 swear, 0 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

The longer the Nazis occupy Belgium, the more of Andrée’s students go missing—Jewish students. Ida isn’t a practicing Jew, but the Germans don’t care and still make her life difficult—despite Ida’s marriage to a non-Jew. Taking on false names and risking everything, Andrée (21yo) and Ida (40yo) join the Belgian resistance and hide Jewish children, taking them from their families to keep them safe—they hope.

Connolly highlights the experiences of these two remarkable women doing dangerous work amidst Nazi occupation, and the suspense is palpable—by the end, I became as paranoid as those in the resistance. The story feels more like a collection of experiences than a typical novel with a plotline, but I was still invested in wanting to know what would happen next. Honestly, I still want a couple more chapters talking about what happened next when the Germans pulled out of Belgium and how reuniting families was handled. The stories told are heart-wrenching and heartwarming, with enough details to get the reality—and cruelty—of the Nazis across without being graphic.

Most of the characters are Belgian, Jewish, both, or German—and a couple are even Jewish Germans. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol and for nudity. The violence rating is for gun use, assault, and mentions of war, bombs, child abuse, gas chambers/ovens, and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean - OPTIONAL

The Return of Ellie Black by Emiko Jean, 320 pages. Simon & Schuster, 2024. $29.

Language: R (57 swears, 19 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Then-seventeen-year-old Ellie disappeared over two years ago, and Detective Chelsey Calhoun has never been able to let Ellie’s case go. And then Ellie turns up again. Despite Ellie shutting down every conversation with her, Chelsey presses forward, determined to close the case this time, and finds more than she thought possible.

Jean tells the story in alternating points of view, mostly giving readers just enough of the past and present to stay a step behind Ellie so that readers are in the same desperate state as Chelsey. The twists and turns that make the book thrilling were fun, even if I’m having a hard time buying into the final, climactic reveal. Despite that hang up, the conclusion is still a satisfactory ending.

Chelsey is Japanese, Daniel is Chinook (Native American), and Sam and Valerie are lesbian. The mature content rating is for alcohol use (including underage drinking); scary elements; illegal activity; mentions of drugs and overdose, nudity, and rape; and sex. The violence rating is for blood; gun use; mentions of domestic violence and suicide; assault; bomb use; and murder.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Starring Steven Spielberg by Gene Barretta and Craig Orback - ADVISABLE

Starring Steven Spielberg: The Making of a Young Filmmaker by Gene Barretta, illustrated by Craig Orback. PICTURE BOOK NON-FICTION, BIOGRAPHY Christy Ottaviano (Little Brown), 2022. $18. 9780316338981 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SEVERAL 

Shy, skinny, anxious Steven grew up in a loving, creative family that gave him the tools to survive the bullying he experienced and the imagination to create worlds on film for others to also escape into. 

I love how Barretta weaves Steven's career into his childhood, so that we have a singular whole instead two different acts. Orback's illustrations feel flat, which is almost minor, considering how much Spielberg fans will enjoy his picture book biography. I love that Baretta shows the struggles and rejections as being an important part of the whole - sending the blockbuster movies as scenery, not the focus. Any school with a film class should have this biography. Steven is white and Jewish. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS 

Small Shoes, Great Strides by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and Alex Bostic - ADVISABLE

Small Shoes, Great Strides: How Three Brave Girls Opened Doors to School Equality by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by Alex Bostic. PICTURE BOOK NON-FICTION Carolrhoda (Lerner), 2023 $20. 9781728419237 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Leona, Tessie, and Gail were the first three black students in New Orleans, Louisiana, to enter a previously segregated public elementary school. By the end of the first day, they were the only children left in the class, and by the end of the day, they were alone in the school. For the whole year they remained alone with their teacher. 

Nelson dives deep into the details of the three girls' first couple of years as the pioneers of desegregating New Orleans schools. The story continues in the extensive back matter, following their subsequent years and the horrors they faced each day. The text is particularly dense - this is not a casual read. But it is also important, as it gives a deeper look at the struggle and danger it was to integrate schools in extremely reluctant communities. While I doubt most students will read this on their own, if you are in a middle school or high school that covers the material, I would check this out to a teacher immediately. The main characters are Black, with some white protestors depicted. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS