Category: Tween Reads

Posted in Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Tween Reads

Welcome to the Galactic Peacekeepers Society!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Ami and the Galactic Peacekeepers: Book One, by Frances Lee, (Feb. 2026, Levine Querido), $15.99, ISBN: 9781646145799

Ages 8-12

Welcome to the Galactic Peacekeepers! This first book in a new sci-fi trilogy for middle grade introduces readers to a trio of Galactic Peacekeepers: Ami, a human girl trying to get back to her mother and dog on Earth, and her friends Sumo, a sensitive alien who resembles a giant bunny, and Rosa, a slightly caustic, sharklike alien. Together with an AI called M.O.M., the Peacekeepers travel throughout the galaxy helping their galactic neighbors: delivering birthday gift s (and teaching lessons about gratitude), escorting the planet Saturn to a shooting star show, helping displaced aliens; that sort of thing. Ami also acts as a go-between for Sumo and Rosa, who need help regulating their emotions and behavior from time to time. At the heart of Ami’s story, though, is a desire to get back home; to do that, she needs to learn which galaxy houses Earth, so she can find a way there. Ami is protective, caring and defending both of her friends and anyone else who needs her help. Lee’s illustration is bright, bold, and eye-catching, with loads of adorable new aliens to discover. Endpapers feature The Galactic News, a newspaper reporting on stories that give readers some extra context on Ami’s universe. A fun first entry; graphic novel fans will enjoy this one.

 

Posted in History, Middle School, Teen, Uncategorized, Young Adult/New Adult

A powerful history of the Armenian genocide: Armaveni by Nadine Takvorian

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Armaveni: A Graphic Novel of the Armenian Genocide, by Nadine Takvorian, (March 2026, Levine Querido), $18.99, ISBN: 9781646146536

Ages 12-18

Nadine Takvorian’s semi-autobiographical graphic novel, Armaveni, is a powerful story of the Armenian genocide of 1915 and its reverberations to this day. High schooler Nadine wants to know more about her family’s Armenian and Turkish history, but it’s too painful a subject for her parents, whose families were directly affected, to talk about. When her parents finally decide it’s time to tell their families’ stories, Nadine and her brother, Sayat, want to know more. They join a church group visit to Armenia and book a side trip to visit family in Istanbul, where they learn the true horror of the genocide. Fundamentally changed, Nadine returns home and confronts her teacher’s prejudice. Takvorian tells her family’s story in a strong voice that moves between history and contemporary – the novel is set in 2001 – to give readers a full historical document. The mythical phoenix is a symbol running through the story that describes for both Nadine’s awakening to herself as an Armenian-American with a full understanding of her history and the history of the Armenian people. As put by Nadine herself, “Armenians exist.Welcome home.” Back matter includes photos, an author’s note, a glossary, and resources for further reading. Armaveni deserves a place on graphic novel memoirs including Persepolis, Maus, and March. A recommended first purchase.

Posted in Fiction, Middle Grade, Teen, Tween Reads

Tales from the TBR: Dear Mothman by Robin Gow

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Dear Mothman, by Robin Gow, (March 2023, Amulet Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781419764400

Ages 10-14

Noah is a sixth grader whose best friend, Lewis, has recently died in a car accident. Lewis was also the only other trans boy in their school, leaving Noah bereft. Remembering Lewis’s favorite cryptid, Mothman, Noah begins writing to Mothman as he works through his feelings and hopes Mothman will eventually connect with him. As Noah works through his grief, he starts making new friends at school, but is reticent to share Mothman – or, inititally himself – with them. When he decides to make his science fair project about Mothman, his classmates laugh at him and his teachers attempt to steer him in another direction, but Noah is focused: he believes Mothman is in communication with him, and he’s determined to find him. He heads off into the woods to find the cryptid for himself. Written in verse in the form of journal entries and characters’ thoughts, Dear Mothman is an aching exploration of grief and identity. There are beautiful moments, like the formation of Noah’s new friends and relationships and deeply moving moments as Noah delves into his loss, being open about his identity, and his fledgling relationship with Hanna, a fellow classmate. I loved every single moment I spent with this novel. A paperback version released in October 2024. Cryptids are a surprising and fun trend for tweens these days, so take the opportunity to engage your readers and put this one on your shelf.

Dear Mothman has starred reviews from School Library Journal and Booklist. It was a Bookpage selection, an Indie Next pick, and a 2024 Lambda Literary Award Winner (LGBTQ+ Middle Grade).

Posted in Adventure, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

BookMail is the best mail!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Who doesn’t love seeing a box with your name on it just waiting for you? Lately, I’ve gotten some really good book mail. I started off the month with a box of goodies from Scholastic (including candy!) in anticipation of their Spring Releases Party, which was pretty awesome. Next up, more Scholastic mail: I requested a kit promoting the new graphic novel, Snowlands, by Morr Meroz with art by Collin Fogel.  Look at this awesome box!

 

The kit includes packs of laptop stickers, posters, a shelf-talker, and packs of trading cards. The paperback release is coming up this week, so I may surprise the kids with a book release party when my branch’s copies arrive. Scholastic has a Snowlands webpage with coloring and activity sheets (plus a trailer and excerpt); maybe I’ll come up with a fun wolf craft for extra giggles. Let’s see!

Snowlands is the story of Feba, an orphaned wolf cub whose white fur is perceived as a bad omen. She’s forced away from her pack, and meets a group of animals while on the run. Together, this found family of wolf, leopard, and wildcat face danger on the Snowlands. A Blood Moon is the first in this new series!

Next up, I received this awesome box with goodies promoting Dan Santat’s next graphic novel, Sashimi (coming out in April). Look at this box!

 

A Fishboy Named Sashimi is about a fishboy creature who pretends to be a real kid. It’s the first in a new series that’s “all about friendship, embracing your inner weirdness, and just having a lot of laughs”. This sounds like a great read, and not just because Dan Santat is on my shortlist of authors from whom I would read a grocery list and pronounce it great. Look for a post on this soon, because the box also came with an advanced reader copy, a water bottle, and Chum Chow Fish Flakes, which I’m intrigued by… it’s gotta be candy, right?

Posted in Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, picture books, Teen, Tween Reads

Scholastic brought the party!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Scholastic has been bringing the party to librarians and bookish folk! First, we had the in-person Graphix celebrations and Comic-Con parties, and now we had a virtual LLX (formerly the American Library Association’s Midwinter conference, then LibLearnX) party where we got to see authors and Scholastic editors talk about some exciting upcoming Spring books. For those folks who got their responses in early, we got a box of ARCs AND candy!

Sour Patch Watermelon! (There was a Hershey bar, too, but that didn’t make it to the photo.)

There’s a great spread of books in this box and I’m hoping to read and report back on all of them. There are picture books: Mac Barnett and Carson Ellis’s newest collaboration, a retelling of Rumpelstiltkin; Rhea’s Rodeo, Laekan Zea Kemp and Raissa Figueroa’s gorgeous look at Mexican women’s rodeo; Mama Says I’m Fine, Brittney Cooper and Tanisha Anthony’s love letter to moms (their interview had me sniffling back tears: this book is just wonderful), and Chana Stiefel and Susan Gal’s Awe, which evokes that exact feeling with each turn of the page. 

Next, we have some graphic novels: Midsummer Sisters from Niki Smith; a moving story about the impact of divorce on stepsiblings who are as close as siblings and best friends, and Opting Out from Maia Kobabe and Lucky Srikumar, who bring us Saachi, a kid who is dealing with the usual friendship, sibling, and crush dilemmas, but also wants nothing to do with “blue-and-pink binaries”. This conversation was so good that I can’t wait to dive into these books… dare I bring them home this weekend and jump the TBR line?

Novels in verse are up next: Aida Salazar’s Stream, where two rising ninth graders meet after being sent to Mexico by their parents to unplug from the online world. If you’re thinking a sweet resort where they’re going to hang out by the pool all day, you’re wrong: they’re in locations without electricity or running water! Then we’ve got Perfect Enough by Meg Eden Kuyatt, a companion to Good Different (2023). Selah, the main character in Good Different, is back (still a dragon) and looking forward to spending her summer at writing camp… until she discovers that Ezra, her bully, is there too.

Finally, we have a YA novel that sounds outstanding: Goldenborn, by Ama Ofosua Lieb, which draws from Ghanian mythology to tell Akoma Ado’s story. She’s a teen investigating magical crime when she’s made an offer she can’t refuse by trickster god Anansi. It’s romantasy and I am here for it.

More goodies to come!

Posted in Graphic Novels, Realistic Fiction, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

Tales from the TBR: Graphic Novels edition

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Hey all, I know pretty much everything is going to be Tales from the TBR for a bit. I know I’ve been away for a while, and trust me, it’s been on my mind.

Last year was a tough year. For all of us, I know, but I needed to give myself some grace and pull back for a bit. Work has been amazing, but in working on some exciting projects, I needed a little downtime for my mental health. I wanted to read more big-people books, so I took some time and am doing just that.

That said, I still love writing about kidlit here, so I want to keep doing that. I may not be as regular as I once was, but I will still be here. And I’d like to talk about other stuff I’m doing: games, outreach, fun programming. So please keep an eye out.

Thanks for sticking around.

Heartbreak Hotel, by Micol Arianna Beltramini/Illustrated by Agnese Innocente, (Sept. 2025, Maverick), $14.99, ISBN: 9781545820421

Ages 14+

Imagine having your heart broken and waking up in a hotel that will give you time to live inside your head; to weave your own illusions that help you cope. Heartbreak Hotel tells the stories of four teens, each experiencing heartbreak; it’s time to check out of the hotel, though, and to do that, they must find one another, witness their stories, and move on. While each one suffers from some kind of loss, you’ll see that losses don’t always equate a death. Two-color watercolor washes define each character’s present; brighter watercolors bring readers to the past, giving memories a livelier tint; usually, it’s the memories that are subdued. Characters include a girl mourning the love of her life; a girl who never wants to grow up; a boy whose Instagram filters tell the story he wants people to see, and a boy who just wants to stop. Alice in Wonderland nods run throughout the story: the four playing card suits; a caterpillar, and a rabbit all appear, as does a plastic cat named Neko, who acts as one character’s guide to the hotel. Themes touch on grief, moving on, memory, and self-esteem. A good pick for social-emotional collections.

More Weight, by Ben Wickey, (Sept. 2025, Top Shelf Productions), $39.99, ISBN: 9781603095600

Ages 16+

Wickey worked on this book for a decade, and the labor of love comes through. Centered in Salem, the heart of the story lies with Giles Corey, who famously demanded “more weight” as he was pressed to death during the Salem Witch Trials. We don’t get a rosy picture of Corey, who was neither good nor kind; he is altogether human and flawed, as are most of the people in Salem, from the men making decisions on murdering women to the young girls who feigned being under attack, sending women to their deaths. With this event serving as the story’s nucleus, Wickey builds the history of Salem and the American ability to turn the most gruesome of events into pop culture phenomena. We meet the ghosts of Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who hold thoughtful conversations as they stroll Salem’s streets, and we see modern-day Salem as a hub for witchcraft aficionados and Hocus Pocus fans: but do they understand, truly understand, what happened there? Wickey’s thoughtful dialogue may make readers take another look at the merchandising of the Salem Witch Trials and come away with a more sobering outlook. Illustrations go between a woodcut look for Corey’s tale and more realistic artwork for Hawthorn, Longfellow, and modern-day Salem, infusing Colonial Salem with a historical look and feel that makes readers feel like they’re reading long-lost library tomes. Meticulously researched and flawlessly presented, this is a brilliant work of historical fact and fiction that deserves a place on shelves in teen and adult graphic novel collections.

More Weight has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Shelf Awareness, and Booklist.

Posted in Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Non-Fiction, Teen, Tween Reads

All I Want for Christmas is… a pile of awesome books!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

It’s that time of year, everyone! If you’re stumped on what to get the kids, tweens, and teens in your life, books are always a great gift. I’ve been reading some good stuff lately, so I’ll be spotlighting them here. I bet they’d each look lovely in a stocking or wrapped up with something a little extra.

J.R.R. Tolkien: The Father of Modern Fantasy (Pocket Portraits), by Don Marshall, (Nov. 2025, Adams Media), $17.00, ISBN: 978150722417

Ages 12+

This was my first foray into the Pocket Portraits series, and I am HOOKED. The fact that the very nice person at Simon & Schuster asked me if I wanted to look at a Tolkien biography makes me think this was serendipity, for starters. First of all, the book is so beautifully crafted. It’s a small book – about 6″ x 4.5″ – and will fit into a coat pocket as easily as it will tuck into your bag. The die-cut cover is sturdy and feels great in your hands, and the book cover’s portrait of JRR himself is beautifully showcased by the die-cut. I was in love from the second I took the book out of its envelope when it arrived.

If you have tweens and teens who balk at biographies – you know I do! – this Pocket Portraits series is for them. J.R.R. Tolkien: The Father of Modern Fantasy captures key moments in Tolkien’s life, interspersed with quotes and brief excerpts from his work and interesting facts. Marshall is known as the Obscure Lord of the Rings Facts Guy and is an excellent choice to create this easily readable, informative, and comprehensive overview of Tolkien’s life and work. Beginning with Tolkien’s childhood, Marshall identifies the moments in his life that influenced his work: the loss of his parents in childhood; the trauma of World War I; falling in love with his wife, Edith; his friendship with C.S. Lewis. Readers see Tolkien’s lighter side as Marshall touches on his reputation as a prankster, and we read about his letters to his children, particularly his son Christopher, who carried on his father’s literary legacy.

There are several other Pocket Portraits books in the series, with more on the way. And they fit easily into a stocking! (I checked.) There’s no shortage of LOTR gifts out there: wrap up a set of the series or check out some creators on Etsy to find the perfect companion gift!

 

 

The Arrival, by Shaun Tan, (May 2025, Scholastic Graphix), $16.99, ISBN: 9780439895309

Ages 9+

Shaun Tan’s classic is available in paperback release, and this is a modern classic that deserves a spot on every shelf. A moving story of immigration with a touch of the fantastic, The Arrival is told with beautiful pencil illustrations that resemble old sepia photographs. A man leaves his wife and daughter, traveling by locomotive and steamship to… a new world. In Tan’s universe, images we are familiar with: Ellis Island, families sleeping on crowded trains and ships, close-ups of frightened and hopeful faces, share a world with fantastic creatures both adorable and dreadful. Completely wordless, Tan’s illustrations speak volumes as we see the man struggle with learning a new language and the companion animals that seem to accompany the residents of this new land. Tan taps into the immigrant experience in a way that reaches readers’ hearts as well as their minds. An Author’s Note goes deeper into Tan’s inspiration. Pair with a sketch pad and pencils for a budding artist.

The Arrival received multiple awards, including a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Locus Award; it was designated a 2007 Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Picture Book of the Year; received the 2008 Angoulême International Comics Festival Prize for Best Comic Book (for the French edition), and received recognition from The New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books.

The Great LEGO® Puzzle Book: 120 Creative Building Challenges, by Jacob Berg, (Sept. 2025, No Starch Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9781718504226

Ages 8+

No Starch Press is my go-to publisher for LEGO books. They have such fun and inventive ideas. When I received a robotics grant from work, I loaded my shelves with No Starch LEGO Mindstorms books. They’re that good. Now, we’ve got The Great LEGO® Puzzle Book, chock full of the coolest building challenges. There are 3-D challenges; fill the hole challenges; create your own challenge type challenges, even challenges that test readers’ ability to match shadows! Every challenge has full-color photo illustrated walkthroughs with detailed descriptions of bricks needed to compete in each challenge. Tips throughout keep builders’ brains working with thought-provoking suggestions. If you have LEGO groups at your library, this is the perfect book for a group challenge activity.

If you’re putting this on your holiday shopping list, pair with – what else? – a fun LEGO set! Consider getting the “classic creative” sets that just include random bricks so your recipients can dive right into some of these challenges.

 

Posted in Fiction, Middle Grade, Middle School, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads

On the Block: A middle grade anthology set in one building

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

On the Block: Stories of Immigrant Families, edited by Ellen Oh, (Oct. 2025, Penguin Random House), $8.99, ISBN: 9780593648476

Ages 8-13

Published in partnership with We Need Diverse Books (WNDB) and edited by award-winning author Ellen Oh – a founding member of WNDB – this can’t-miss anthology’s stories bring together the lives of a group of families living in the Entrada apartment building in New York City (if my reading of a few landmarks serves me right). The author’s list is a who’s-who of kidlit, including Tracey Baptiste, Adam Gidwitz, Sayantani Dasgupta, and Debbi Michiko Florence. Chapters are named for apartments where each family lives, giving readers a glimpse into different cultures and lived experiences. Characters from one story will pop up in another, providing a fun sense of continuity.

Who lives in the Entrada? There’s Lila Sooklal in Apartment 5B. Newly arrived from Trinidad, Lila explores the building and meets her neighbors while her family wanders flea markets in search of furnishings for their new apartment. Tumpa Ray in Apartment 4C is almost 12 years old and hasn’t learned to ride a bike yet; when her grandmother arrives from Bengal, she’s determined to change that. Yaniel Fernandez in Apartment 6C is eating popsicles until he’s sick to his stomach in order to make a bridge for class… and learns that there is much more to his grandmother than he ever imagined.

Living and working in an urban area of Queens, these are my library kids’ stories. Readers will laugh and cheer with these characters; they’ll identify with them, and they’ll feel seen. If you didn’t catch the hardcover release of On the Block (then subtitled Stories of Home) last year, put it in your cart for this year.

On the Block has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Booklist.

Posted in Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads

Middle Grade Must-Read: Smoke & Mirrors by Rosalyn Ransaw

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Smoke & Mirrors, by Rosalyn Ransaw, (June 2025, Amulet Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781419770135

Ages 8-12

Andy Carter is having a lousy summer. He’s spending the summer with his aunt because his father’s parole hearing was postponed. He’s the only Black kid in a small Midwestern town, and he ended up taking the fall for a dumb prank that set at neighbor’s barn on fire. To repay the damage, Andy must help Mr. Gilbert – the barn’s gruff owner – renovate his crumbling home, a mansion with a mysterious history. As Andy and Mr. Gilbert work on the house together, Andy learns that the house was once owned by a magician called the Red Knave. In 1954, the Knave was a suspect in a murder that shook the town, but he disappeared before he could be questioned, leaving generations of townsfolk to believe he was guilty. It doesn’t make sense to Andy, who starts his own investigation into the mystery. It’s a mystery that necessitates him teaming up with someone he doesn’t trust: one of the kids who was there the night he took the fall for the burning barn. There are incredible twists that readers won’t see coming in this incredibly readable mystery that also takes a look at the culture of contemporary racism in the American Midwest. Characters are beautifully brought to life; Andy, in particular, has depth and backstory that immediately endears him to readers. Do not miss this one.

Smoke & Mirrors is a debut novel from Ransaw and received starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist.

Posted in Horror, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

Cosmic horror lets loose in the Hamptons?! You’ve Awoken Her

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

You’ve Awoken Her, by Ann Dávila Cardinal, (June 2025, HarperCollins), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063299559

Ages 12+

HOLY COW, folks, you are going to love this book. I’ve been on a bit of a spooky kick for a little bit, and this tale was everything I needed between two tidy covers. Gabriel – Gabi to his friends – is a kid living in Astoria, Queens. His best friend, Ruthie, has moved away and is living the posh life in the Hamptons, and he’s on his way to spend some time with her, despite a warning from a complete stranger on the train platform that “they’ve awoken her”. It’s New York, he figures it’s nonsense – despite that creepy feeling in his gut – and heads to the Hamptons, where he sees Ruthie is a party girl and so different from the girl he knew. And he’s not thrilled with her smug rich-boy boyfriend, Frost, either. When a woman drowns by the water at one of Frost’s parties, AND he sees what looks suspiciously like a tentacle near the drowning woman – he starts digging into the town’s secrets. When more residents start dying, Gabi knows that his discomfort is about so much more than Hamptons society: he’s sure Frost is behind this somehow. Now, he just has to convince Ruthie that he’s not jealous of her new boyfriend or new lifestyle. Cardinal hooks readers from page one and doesn’t let up, introducing exciting characters and creepy scenarios. She also takes on Lovecraft by reframing cosmic horror in an inclusive, diverse lens: Gabi is Puerto Rican; there are LGBTQ+ characters in the story. More importantly, Cardinal addresses Lovecraft’s shortcomings within the story while creating a new way of reading and enjoying works influenced by his ideas. Don’t miss this book – it’s a good one.