Miss Quinces

Miss Quinces

Kat Fajardo

Graphix/Scholastic, 2022

256 pages

Grades 4-Up

Graphic Memoir

Suyapa wants nothing more than spending her summer with her nerd-pals, discussing and creating graphic novels. They all have plans to go to the same summer camp and Sue longs to go, only her very strict and old-fashioned mother won't allow it. To make matters worse, Mami insists on the whole family traveling to Honduras to visit relatives. Once there it's even worse than Sue remembers. The family is loud and embarrassing, her little cousins are annoying, and the countryside is boring. The one bright spot is Abuela, an artist that Sue considers a soul-sister and adores. When Abuela lets it slip that the family is planning a quinceaneras for Sue, she is livid. Fancy parties and poofy dresses are just not her "thing". Smart Abuela suggests a compromise:  Sue goes through with the quinceaneras and Mami allows her to go to sleepaway camp. The party is on and the family is in a flurry of preparations. An unexpected tragedy sets back the plan, but finally all gets pulled together--in satisfyingly surprising ways. Sue learns to appreciate her heritage, all while forging new relationships with her loved ones and learning what is really important in this life.

Debut middle grade graphic novelist, Fajardo offers a semi-autobiographical account of her own bicultural youth. This book has received excellent reviews and for good reason. The main character is one that many graphic novel fans will relate to. Embarrassing families and parents forcing us to do things we don't agree with are universal feelings. As Sue learns to appreciate her culture, her family learns to appreciate what makes her special. Fajardo's full-color illustrations are capable and clear with easily scannable panels. At the end we see Sue's illustrated travelogue of her journey, both physically and emotionally. More backmatter offers a note from the creator about her own experience and information about quinceaneras for the reader to learn more. What I really liked was how the book was designed to indicate which language was being spoken. English is in black type, while Spanish is printed in blue. Though it took me a minute to figure it out, once I did I was able to fully appreciate the code-switching involved for kids of two cultures. A well presented package that readers will enjoy as they learn a bit about the world beyond.

Love Radio

Love Radio
Ebony LaDelle
Simon & Schuster, 2022
320 Pages
Grades 8-Up
Romance

Alternating points of view tell the story of Danielle and Prince as they finish out their high school experiences in a creative arts magnet school in unban Detroit. Prince is the youngest DJ on air at a popular radio station. His show Love Radio helps people sort out love problems, all while spinning great tunes. His life is further complicated by a tricky ex-girl friend and family obligations stemming from his single mother's struggle with multiple sclerosis. Danielle is a budding writer with dream of moving to New York City. She has distanced herself from social activities since a "friend" put her in a dangerous situation, leaving her feeling violated and betrayed. Danielle is not ready for a relationship, but when Prince, who is harboring a long-time crush, challenges her to three dates to fall in love with him, she decides to go for it. Prince has three dates to convince the girl of his dreams that he's worth taking a chance on. Will he be able to break through to Dani and get her to share her heart? And how will he reach his music dreams without much hope of continuing his education?

Debut author, LaDelle dishes out a new teenage romance with some serious contemporary themes. Both of the young people are dealing with some real issues (Danielle with assault/Prince with supporting his family), yet are still teenagers and manage to forge a new relationship that improves each of their lives for the better. Through Dani's story we see the impact of assault and the associated feelings as she works through them. The reader will cheer as she re-establishes her healthy friendships and slowly learns to trust again. We also feel the relief right along with Prince as he shares a bit of his burden and begins to make a plan for his future. I like that although there are disappointing adults in the lives of these young people, there are also great ones, who help them to sort out their problems. Both teens have loving families who can be counted on. They also have a terrific supporting cast of friends with distinct personalities, who I can see having their own stories in the future. The reader is left with a sense of hope for both Dani and Prince. Will they stay together forever? It doesn't really matter. The relationship did what it was meant to do and they are now both better for it as they step into their next chapters.

Double, Double, Twins and Trouble

Witches of Peculiar: Double, Double, Twins and Trouble
Luna Graves
Aladdin, 2022
144 pages
Grades 3-5
Horror/Humor

Welcome to Peculiar, Pennsylvania, where supernatural families live alongside traditional human ones. Witch twins Bella and Donna are new sixth grade students at a private middle school for magical and monster kids. Starting middle school is bad enough, but it's even worse when you haven't yet learned to control your magic. After and unfortunate incident in spell casting class that both sets a desk on fire and causes a destructive rain storm, the twins already have a bad reputation with the administration and their fellow students. Lunch looks like a lonely preposition until young monsters sit with them and a tentative friendship is formed. As the quartet solidifies more adventures ensue stemming from accidentally raising the mayor's cat from the dead. Can the witch twins keep their new friends, lean to work together, solve the problem of the dead--now alive--cat, and escape detection from the authorities? If they get in trouble again their two fathers may have to move them to a new town and that would be a nightmare for everybody.

Young readers will love this new series starter that combines horror, humor, and a lot of sass. Y.I.K.E.S.S.S, the supernatural middle school, is reminiscent of Hogwarts and will make readers long to attend. Bella and Donna have a rough start to their school experience, but it doesn't seem to slow them down and they keep diving into new experiences and try to fix their mistakes. The twins have distinct personalities and at one point have a bit of a realistic sibling-clash, that many kids will relate to. We see them work it out, and through the story learn how to cooperate with each other. The premise of the series has a lot of room for exciting adventures and readers will want to go on in the series. The twin's have two dads and one of their friends is non-binary, offering a LGBTQ+ connection. The cover is interesting, the book includes some pictures, and the author's name (which must be a pseudonym) is pretty cool, making this title attractive to browsers and reluctant readers. The second entry in the series Thriller Night is already available and an except is included at the end of the first installment.

Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party

Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party

Saadia Faruqi

Abrams, October 2022

144 pages

Grades 2-4

Realistic Fiction

Marya Khan series #1

Every year Pakistani-American Marya spends her birthday by inviting her best friend Hana over and enjoying pizza. This is fine, but she longs for something different and special. To further complicate these feelings  Marya's next door neighbor and frendemy, Alexa, has a birthday two days before her big day. Alexa always has over-the-top parties and this year is no exception. Marya decides that she should have a splashy birthday as well. She tells the kids at school that she will be having a henna party and they are all invited, only her parents aren't on-board with the idea. With work and three kids, mom and dad have their hands full. They do not agree to the splashy party and Marya's attempts to win them over with good deeds backfires. Finally the day of Alexa's party arrives and Marya reluctantly goes next door for the big event. To her surprise Alexa isn't having as much as one would anticipate. Maybe all that glitters is not gold? Meanwhile, Marya's family has a surprise for her, showing their love and appreciation. The birthday turns out to not be a bust after all and Marya has made a new friend in the bargain.

Faruqi, of Yasmin fame, offers a new series opener for kids outgrowing the Yasmin books and ready for something new. Much in the vein of Ivy and Bean and Junie B, Marya makes hilarious sense of her world within a Muslim framework. Serving a community with a growing Muslim population, I appreciate new books coming out to address their needs. This new series features Muslim characters without making religion or culture the main focal point of the story. All kids will relate to Marya's troubles and enjoy her attempts of securing a splashy birthday celebration and finally getting the leg-up on privileged Alexa. Both Marya and the reader learn a lesson about Alexa and may become kinder friends for it. Emerging chapter readers will feel right at home with this new series and relate to Marya, all while laughing as she gets it wrong. Plentiful illustrations will help to make this book an easy sell and attract readers. A fun new series with a sparkly protagonist that is sure to find a readership within the target audience.

Reader, I Murdered Him

Reader I Murdered Him

Betsy Cornwell

Clarion, November, 2022

288 pages

Grades 9-Up

Historical Fiction

A new Take on Jane Eyre from the young charge of Jane's point of view. Adele is a small child in France in the late 1800's raised by her dancer/courtesan single mother. When her mother shows signs of the final stages of consumption, an unknown English father appears and whisks her off to the moors of England. Adele's childhood is now dreary and lonely, further complicated by a seemingly tortured ghost, who visits her by night. Her life improves significantly once a governess is hired. Jane is efficient and kind and Adele finally feels seen. Things get strange and complicated with Dad and Jane, but eventually they marry and send Adele off to boarding school in London. It is here that Adele fully realizes the limitation of being a woman in Victorian England. New friends and a pen-pal in Jamaica keep her afloat, but she still does not feel in control of her own destiny. Life is difficult for young women of this time and place, where they are being groomed to marry brutal and abusive men. Will she be forced to marry an unwanted and unkind suiter or will she manage to break free of cultural norms?

Cornwell presents a feminist take on Victorian England within the framework of the classic novel Jane Eyre. This fresh look maintains the gothic mood and settling, all while bringing a contemporary sensibility to the story. Adele is a super-strong character, who makes her own way in the world despites its limitations. She becomes a champion for her friends, who are prisoners of their social constraints, and lives life on her own terms. This is at its heart a LGBQ+ romance and Adele is brave enough to embrace non-traditional love, as well as finding companionship outside of her social class. Maybe because of her early days at the Moulin Rouge, she is not afraid to do what is need--including murder. The Jane Eyre connection is interesting, but not the whole crux of the novel. Adele's story is her own and she breaks away to tell it. The father continues to be despicable to the bitter end and, actually, there is little to recommend any man within these pages. The story went a bit too dark for me, but teen readers will love it, even those not familiar with Jane Eyre. The cover and the title will draw them in and the fast moving plot will keep them going to the satisfying conclusion.

Ride On

Ride On
Faith Hicks
First Second, August, 2022
224 pages
Grades 5-7
Graphic/Friendship

A new girl arrives at Edgewood Stables who seems to be a fellow horse enthusiasm and Norrie welcomes her to the fold with open arms, even though she is coming from a rival stable. To her surprise Victoria is rude and rebuffs Norrie's gesture. Norrie then decides to shun the new girl, dragging her friends Hazel and Sam (one of the only boys at the stables) into it as well. Eventually Victoria and Hazel connect and discover common ground over a love of Beyond the Galaxy (a show simular to Star Trek). The gang loves Beyond the Galaxy and Victoria fits right in with them, once the shun is lifted, watching old episodes, sewing costumes for a new season after a long hiatus, and making a splash at the Renn Faire in said costumes. Victoria finally reveals that she was disappointed in friendship by a best friend at her previous stable who was afforded more opportunities and judged Victoria for lack of commitment. Victoria is trying to find more of a balance in life, beyond horses and riding, and with her new pals she has discovered like-minded individuals at last.

This new volume by a veteran comic creator will find a ready audience with middle grade readers who are clamoring for more graphic friendship stories in the vein of Babysitters Club and Raina Telgemeier. Ride On offers an extra appeal as it will rope in horse lovers, though non-horse lovers will enjoy it too. There is diversity within the cast and I appreciate that this friend-group allows for each other's individuality, all while enjoying the bonds in which they share. There is gentle humor, especially demonstrated by spirited Norrie, who made me laugh everytime she ran around "shunning" Victoria. Kids who march to the beat of their own drummers will find courage to be themselves and hope that they will also find such a like-minded and supportive crew. The full color illustrations are expertly drawn and help to move the story along. Themes include being yourself, second chances, being open minded about new people, and not conforming to gender norms. The families are supportive and older siblings turn out to be helpful, not just torturers. Best of all, readers will learn, right along with Victoria, that you can be different things and you don't have to stay in your lane with just one interest. This is a fun and heartfelt book that will easily find a readership. 

James and the Giant Peach

James and the Giant Peach
Roald Dahl
Knopf, 1961
146 pages
Grades 3-6
Fantasy/Classic

James finds himself an orphan and is sent to live with his two terrible aunts Spiker and Sponge. He longs for a way out, but is trapped. One day a mysterious man offers James a bag of magic that can change his situation. Suddenly James's life is filled with hope--until he trips by the old peach tree and spills the bag's magical contents. All seems lost, until something incredible begins to happen: the tree grows an enormous peach that eventually drops to the ground. Late at night James explores the peach and discovers a secret tunnel, which leads him to an interior cavern. It is here that he meets giant, yet friendly, insects, made huge and able to communicate through the magic. The peach eventually breaks loose from its branch and rolls down the hill and into the sea. What follows next is an exciting, magical and hair-raising adventure across the sea where James and his new friends must keep their wits about them if they want to survive. Eventually they make it to a distant land and a new life, but will the residents of this new land accept them? And is there a place in the world for giant talking insects and an orphaned boy?

I felt it time to rediscover this classic by master storyteller, Roald Dahl. I remember being read this book aloud by my fourth grade teacher and it has since become one of my comfort stories. As with all works by Dahl, this story is very British, in the best possible way. The witty humor throughout is subtle and can never quite be captured in movie renditions. This is high fantasy, with giant talking insects, a house-sized peach, and ridiculous characters, situations, and coincidences. There is the characteristic Dahl language of clever made-up words that make kids, and adults, giggle. Many young people find themselves in unhappy situations of which they have no control over. What a fantasy to escape in a giant peach with new friends to distant lands! Weather disturbances are explained in a humorous way and kids will enjoy spending time in James simple world where the absurd makes perfect sense. The story may be a bit quaint and quiet for today's readers, yet it still makes an excellent read aloud and begs to be shared at bedtime or after lunch in the classroom when kids imaginations are open and they are ready to dream.