Category: Tween Reads

Posted in Fantasy, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

Divining the Leaves is magical

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Divining the Leaves, by Shveta Thakrar, (March 2025, HarperCollins), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063255265

Ages 13+

Ridhi is a 17-year-old young woman deeply connected to nature: she blends flora into delectable scents, wears flower crowns, and feels the trees as if they speak to her, and she wants desperately for the nature spirits – yakshas – to allow her entry into the enchanted forest. Nilesh is a young man who used to be her friend but has veered away from the “weird girl” with flowers in her hair. Nilesh’s world falls apart when he discovers that not only are his parents divorcing, but that their marriage has been an illusion for years. He gets suspended from school and sent to live with Ridhi’s family while his parents sort themselves out. While staying with Ridhi’s family, Nilesh encounters Kamini, part of the Yaksha court. He’s smitten, but Kamini’s affections may not be all they seem to be. Meanwhile, Ridhi has made connections of her own in the Yaksha world, striking up a deal with one of the noblewomen of the Yaksha court. The nobles are playing the mortals like chess pieces, but the mortals have their own agendas. Rich with Hindu and Buddhist mythology, Thakrar allows Divining the Leaves readers to get lost in the beauty of the writing. She creates a story that invites readers – like her main characters – to escape from the frustrations of daily living to get lost in the magical beauty of the enchanted forest and the Yaksha court and Night Market. Invite readers to create their own flower crowns and nature-inspired art projects to extend an activity for this beautifully woven story. Invite your fantasy readers to get lost in this world.

Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Tales from the TBR: On the Island of the Mad Magician

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

On the Island of the Mad Magician: An Interactive Tale from the Realm of Goblin, by Eric Grissom/Illustrations by Ava Grissom, (Oct. 2023, Frankenstein’s Daughter), $8.99, ISBN: 978-0988951679

Ages 8-12

One of my favorite books to come out in 2021 was a graphic novel about a goblin on a quest for vengeance that became a journey of self-discovery. It’s called Goblin, and there’s a sequel, The Wolf and the Well, that came out last summer. I start with that because Eric Grissom was wonderful enough to send me a PDF of his then-upcoming book, On the Island of the Mad Magician, just as I had a few ups and downs that kind of sent me out of control of my inbox, reviews, and life for about a year. But as I get on top of my inbox, past and present, I’m trying to do right by folks, and Mr. Grissom is on the top of that list.

On the Island of the Mad Magician is a choose-your-own-adventure type story, which is just so much fun. I grew up with the Choose Your Own Adventure series which has made a comeback in recent years. I enjoy choose your own adventure-type storytelling because 1) it puts decisions in the readers’ hands, and 2) it’s basically an RPG (role-playing game), which is awesome, because I teach kids RPGs here at my library.

Here’s the story: told in the first person, you are a kid working at your family’s inn, when a strange old man shows up on the same night that there’s a huge storm. Your mom puts him out when he tries to pay for lodging with what looks like a trinket; you follow as you do your clean-up for the evening, and quietly accept the man’s trinket: SURPRISE! It’s not just a trinket, it’s mysterious crystal pendant that transports you to an island. Now, it’s up to you: your choices will either steer you safely around dangerous adventures and return you home, or… not. There are over 40 possible endings, with a heck of a lot more choices on the way through. This is a book that you’re going to enjoy again and again, whether you burn up in a library (sigh… of course I did) or safely find your way off the island. Black-and-white illustrations from Ava Grissom add to the atmosphere and make this an overall fun read. Give this one an add to your fantasy shelves… heck, host a read-aloud and turn it into an RPG. It’s that much fun.

Posted in Fantasy, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

2025 is all about the dragons: A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

A Language of Dragons, by S.F. Williamson, (Jan 2025, HarperCollins), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063353848

Ages 13+

Dragons have always been popular, but 2025 is shaping up to be THE year for Dragon Lit. We all know about Onyx Storm hitting shelves later this month, but do you know about A Language of Dragons? Pull up a chair, let’s talk. Set in an alternate London in 1923, dragons are in the world but it’s an uneasy existence with humans. A rigid class system is in place that moves people up and down among classes like chess pieces. Viv Featherswallow isn’t concerned with any of this, though. She’s got a level of privilege as a member of the Second Class, and has her life sorted: she’s going to get a summer internship studying dragon languages and attain a comfortable job as a dragon translator. She may have done some awful things to keep her comfortable spot, but she did what she has to do. Until the night her parents are arrested for being part of a rebellion. Viv’s world is turned upside down; desperate, she leaves her sister with family friends, focused on one task that will destroy evidence against her parents. All she has to do is free one dragon. By midnight, she’s sparked a civil war. Viv is brought to Bletchley Park as a codebreaker – translate the dragons’ hidden language, and she and her family will go free. But it’s never that simple, and the more Viv discovers about the hidden language, the more she learns about the Peace Agreement between Britannia and the dragons, and the corruption that goes all the way to the top: the Prime Minister. Will Viv give the Prime Minister the information she needs, putting all of dragonkind at risk, or will she risk her family’s safety? A Language of Dragons has it all: a conflicted heroine, a romance, and a richly layered story with very high stakes. Unputdownable for fantasy fans and dragon aficionados.

A Language of Dragons has a starred review from School Library Journal.

Posted in Animal Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Teen, Tween Reads, Young Adult/New Adult

STOP THE PRESSES! NEW MOUSE GUARD INCOMING!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Holy cow, was this a great announcement to read. Mouse Guard is an Eisner and Harvey Award-winning graphic novel and comic book series; it’s a fantasy setting similar to Brian Jacques’s Redwall books. The Mouse Guard was formed to protect mice against predators. It’s a great series; my son (now in his mid-20s) was a tremendous fan when he was a kid, which naturally got me reading it. We were both hooked!

Anyway, the great news from BOOM! Studios: in honor of Mouse Guard’s 20th anniversary, we are getting a NEW Mouse Guard adventure! Here’s the scoop from BOOM!:

LOS ANGELES, CA (December 19, 2024) – There are few series as lauded and beloved as David Petersen’s Eisner Award-winning and New York Times bestselling Mouse Guard. Now, in celebration of the 20th anniversaries of both Mouse Guard and BOOM! Studios, David Petersen, along with Eisner-nominated artist Gabriel Rodríguez (Locke & Key), bring a brand new chapter to life in this sprawling saga with MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE.

The origins of the legendary Black Axe are revealed in this prequel story set in the earliest point in the Mouse Guard history. Adventure with the ancient weapon’s first mouse wielder and champion, Bardrick, as he sets off on an epic quest of good versus evil!

“Getting to write this Mouse Guard lore of the forging of the Black Axe and it being handed to Bardrick (first of eleven wielders) while getting to do so with the brilliant Gabriel Rodríguez drawing Dawn of the Black Axe has been a thrill,” said Mouse Guard creator David Petersen. “He’s going above and beyond with his inked pages and storytelling while I’m just trying to keep up coloring them and still do them justice. Gabe was top of my list when we started pitching names for this spin off project, and I postponed it for a long time until his schedule opened up––I didn’t want to do this first one with anyone else.

“I’ll continue to work on the next volume in the main Mouse Guard series: The Weasel War of 1149, but I also hope this is first of many more Mouse Guard books like this one, where I get to explore the other past wielders of the Black Axe with exciting and extremely talented collaborators like Gabe.”

“I’ve been a fan of David Petersen’s work since the first time I saw a volume of his astonishing Mouse Guard books. We became friends as soon as we met,” said Eisner-nominated artist Gabriel Rodríguez. “Almost a decade ago we started daydreaming about working together on the story of the first wielder of the mythical Black Axe. That dream finally came true, and I’m humbled, grateful and excited to share it with the faithful legion of Mouse Guard readers.”

MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE #1 features main cover art by series artist Gabriel Rodríguez, and variant covers by Mouse Guard creator David Petersen, and celebrated artist Goñi Montes (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers).

MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE is the newest release from BOOM! Studios’ award-winning Archaia imprint, home to inspiring graphic novels such as Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Ryan North, and Albert Monteys; The Sacrifice of Darkness by Roxane Gay, Tracy Lynne-Oliver, and Rebecca Kirby; Big Black: Stand at Attica by Frank “Big Black” Smith, Jared Reinmuth, and Améziane; The Killer by Matz and Luc Jacamon; We Served the People by Emei Burell; New World by David Jesus Vignolli; Eighty Days by A.C. Esguerra; Better Angels: A Kate Warne Adventure by Jeff Jensen and George Schall; The Short While by Jeremy Sorese; About Betty’s Boob by Vero Cazot and Julie Rocheleau; Flavor Girls by Loïc Locatelli-Kournwsky; I’m Still Alive by Roberto Saviano and Asaf Hanuka; and licensed series including Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes; Lev Grossman’s The Magicians; and Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, The Storyteller, and Labyrinth.

MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE #1 will be available in comic shops March 19, 2025. It is available for pre-order at your local comic shop. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including Kindle, iBooks, and Google Play.

For continuing news on MOUSE GUARD: DAWN OF THE BLACK AXE and more from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to www.boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on X.

About David Petersen:

David Petersen is the creator of the New York Times Bestselling and critically acclaimed Graphic Novel series Mouse Guard.  He was the 2007 Russ Manning Award recipient for Most Promising Newcomer and has since gone on to win three Eisner Awards and two Harvey’s for his continued work on the Mouse Guard series. David has done covers for Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Jim Henson’s Storyteller, Star Wars, TMNT, and Usagi Yojimbo as well as recent work for Magic the Gathering: Bloomburrow.

David and his wife Julia live in Michigan.

About Gabriel Rodríguez:

Gabriel Rodríguez is a Chilean comic book artist and writer. He’s the author of Sword of Ages and co-creator Locke & Key, Onyx, and the Eisner Award-winning Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland at IDW. He’s also drawn titles such as Adventures of Superman for DC Comics, Locke & Key/Sandman: Heaven and Hell for IDW/DC, Le Gouffre Des Resurrections for Les Humanoïdes Associés, and illustrated for Marvel, BOOM! Studios, Skybound, Oni Press, Heroic Signatures and Clover Press. He has also contributed illustrations for novels by Stephen King and Joe Hill. He lives and works in Santiago, Chile. You can find Gabriel on Instagram at @gr_comics.

Posted in Teen, Tween Reads, Young Adult/New Adult

Being a Jane Austen Murder Mystery Spin-Off: In Want of a Suspect by Tirzah Price

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

In Want of a Suspect (A Lizzie & Darcy Mystery), by Tirzah Price, (Nov. 2024, HarperCollins), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063278028

Ages 12+

The Jane Austen Murder Mysteries brought some of the author’s favorite characters to cozy mystery life, but author Tirzah Price gives us more in a new spin-off starring Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy! In Want of a Suspect features Lizzie, working as a solicitor in her father’s firm, and Darcy working as a solicitor in his family’s firm, Pemberley. Lizzie’s called in to investigate a suspicious warehouse fire and locate a person of interest seen at the location… which leads Lizzie to a woman Darcy once courted. When the key suspect turns up dead and Lizzie doggedly refuses to give up her investigation, she may be putting her own life on the line next. The interaction between Lizzie and Darcy makes the story. It’s alternately playful and cautious as the two blend their personal and professional lives and navigate expectations of young men and women in Austen’s time. Lizzie’s feelings for Darcy are in direct conflict with the knowledge that she would be expected – not by Darcy, but society – to leave her work and become a homemaker; Darcy feels the pressure to declare his intentions to Lizzie’s parents if he calls on her at home, relying instead on accompanying her on her investigations. The mystery itself is perfectly cozy, with the deaths occuring off-page; plot twists keep the whodunnit moving. You don’t need to have read the Jane Austen Murder Mysteries to jump into In Want of a Suspect, but it will be helpful as Price refers to previous events. Other characters from Austen’s novels make appearances. If you have mystery fans and Austen readers – YA and beyond! – this is a great add to your shelves.

Posted in Early Reader, Realistic Fiction

The Backyard Detectives are on the case!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Mystery on the Sidewalk (Backyard Detectives, Inc. #1), by Ann Biedenharn, (Nov. 2024, Daisy Hill Publishing), $26.15, ISBN: 979-8-9897014-0-7

Ages 5-7

Alec is a young Backyard Detective with a secret partner: a British mouse named Flint, and the two kick off a fun new series when they attempt to solve the mystery of the purple goo that shows up on his grandmother’s sidewalk one morning. Through observation and deduction, the two arrive at a hilarious conclusion that’s sure to get laughs from readers while teaching fun lessons about nature and color. Black and white illustrations include splashes of purple for effect; easy-to-read text makes this a great Easy Reader for kids who may still be a little young to dive into Nate the Great, but are ready to move on from Young Cam Jansen. Back matter includes an author’s note and “Flint’s Investigation Station”, containing discussion questions and a challenge for readers. Mystery on the Sidewalk is the first in a planned series, and currently available through Daisy Hill Publishing’s website, where readers and educators can find additional resources for exploring mysteries in their own backyards and public green spaces. A cute book for burgeoning readers.

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

Native American Heritage Month Books Worth Reading: The Flicker

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Flicker, by H.E. Edgmon, (Sept. 2024, Feiwel & Friends), $9.99, ISBN: 9781250873965

Ages 9-12

A year after a solar flare – The Flicker – scorched the Earth and ended life as we know it, step-sisters Millie and Rose are orphaned. Millie, convinced her grandmother – a Seminole elder – is alive, convinces Rose to join her and their baby half-brother, Sammy, on the journey. Rose isn’t sure about how she feels, but joins Millie and Sammy, hoping to find the location of the rumored Sanctuary she hears codes from over the radio. They meet a group of kids called The Lost Boys and their leader, Ben, who was their counselor at theatre camp when the flare hit; Ben agrees to give them a lift to Millie’s grandmother’s home, but the land is full of terrors. Aside from the scorching heat and risk of wildfires, there’s The Hive: a shadowy corporation that militarized during the flare. The Hive’s soldiers hoard supplies so their people can live as if nothing ever happened, and they’ll go to any lengths to keep their people comfortable. Edgmon excels in his middle grade debut, exploring Indigenous identity through Millie and her memories of her grandmother, who has strong ties to the land. Edgmon introduces us to fully realized characters that readers will want to spend time with; Millie, though outwardly strong, is tender and vulnerable, locking all her feelings “deep inside her belly”; Rose wears her feelings on the outside for everyone to see, much to Millie’s aggravation. Sammy unites the two in their determination to protect him. Touching on themes of climate change, gender identity, and survival, The Flicker is unputdownable. An essential for middle grade collections, especially where survival fiction is popular. I loved this book.

The Flicker has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.

Posted in Middle Grade, Middle School, Non-Fiction, Non-fiction, Teen, Tween Reads

Native American Heritage Month Books Worth Reading: Stealing Little Moon

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Stealing Little Moon: The Legacy of The American Indian Boarding Schools, by Dan Sasuweh Jones, (Sept. 2024, Scholastic Focus), $19.99, ISBN: 9781338889475

Ages 9-12

As we move into Thanksgiving week, I find myself thinking of Native American Heritage Month and what that means. Yes, it’s a celebration of Native American culture, contributions (like keeping colonists alive), language, and traditions. It’s also a time to reflect on what the First Nations’ generosity cost them. Stealing Little Moon is my foray into learning more about the American Indian boarding schools. Four generations of Jones’s family attended one of these schools: Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in Oklahoma. Created in the 1880s as a way to indoctrinate Native children into white society, the schools were initially populated through force, as armed agents and soldiers would show up without warning to Native homes, grab the children – sometimes, handcuffing or hog-tying them – and load them onto wagons. Sometimes, the children never returned home. Jones’s great-grandmother, Little Moon There Are No Stars Tonight, was four years old when she was torn away from her family and sent to Chilocco, where she and the other students were removed from their culture and forbidden to speak their language; their names were changed, their punishments were brutal, and the conditions were inhumane. The goal of the schools were to “Kill the Indian in him, and save the man”; those in power seemed to relish their duties too much, as stories from survivors relate physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.

Jones writes with a passion and sadness that communicates the horror of the schools, noting the schools’ responsibility for generational trauma, as some students went on to abuse their own families as they were abused. He also discusses key figures in the American Indian fight for reparations, including Clyde Warrior, Russell Means, and Dennis Banks. Jones goes further into Chilocco’s evolution into a school for American Indians, run by American Indians, with his own family working there until the Bureau of Indian Affairs determined in 1980 that running the school was too expensive for so few students. As superintendent C.C. Tillman wrote in the school’s last yearbook that “Chilocco is another in a long list of broken promises”. Extensively researched and containing interviews and photos, Jones creates a testament that all students should read and discuss. Back matter contains a comprehensive bibliography.

Stealing Little Moon: The Legacy of The American Indian Boarding Schools has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, and is designated a Book of Special Distinction by the The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books.

Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

Apocalyptic Bargains! Check out Aisle Nine!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Aisle Nine, by Ian X. Cho, (Sept. 2024, HarperCollins), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063206809

Ages 13+

Jasper is a 17-year-old checkout clerk working in the local discount store. He puts up with all the things store clerks do, like bickering customers or customers who want to use one coupon for an entire shelf’s worth of toilet paper. The one thing that sets Jasper apart is that his store has a demonic portal in Aisle 9. It’s been closed off to the general public, sure, but every now and then, something will come through and he has to help shut the store down until the entity is dealt with. Jasper also has amnesia, so he has no idea what his life was like before, but he’s heard from everyone around him that Hell Portal Day – the day portals opened up all over the world and the demons attacked – was pretty terrible. He’s pretty sure, from the claw marks in his carpet, that he lost his parents on Hell Portal Day, too. His store manager lets staff know that the coming Black Friday – the start to holiday shopping season – is going to be the biggest one in recent memory, and as Jasper tries piecing together bits of his memory, he learns more and more about Hell Portal Day, the corporate entity that claims to protect the citizenry from the demons, and even the people he work with. Bitingly witty, Cho introduces us to a hero we can root for while taking aim at corporations monetizing terror in a way that readers will laugh at and shake their heads in agreement with. Supporting characters, including an adorable sidekick and a strong female love interest, make things even more interesting. Cho deftly mixes comedy with horror and a touch of romance in a dystopian setting. This is a great choice for YA collections.

 

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

Teleportation and Other Luxuries, for STEM Geeks Everywhere

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Teleportation and Other Luxuries, by Archie Bongiovanni & Mary Verhoeven, (Nov. 2024, Mad Cave Studios), $14.99, ISBN: 9781545812242

Ages 12+

A group of brainy misfits come together to win a science competition sponsored by a nefarious coroporation in this original graphic novel from Bongiovanni (A Quick & Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns) and illustrator Verhoeven. Tyler, a trans teen with a penchant for social media and scientist parents who won’t accept anything less than total success, feels the pressure to keep up appearances for his family’s reputation’s sake. Gabby is a nonbinary student in the competition for far greater reasons than the scholarship money and the fame; her distrust of the corporation and science overall puts her at odds with Tyler. Allegra is a shy genius who hides her intelligence so she can fit in, and LJ is from a small town where he just learned to do everything because no one else could. Each member of the group has a hidden and personal agenda; when they realize a monumental breakthrough, though, they must weigh the cost of entering a project they know will win, but is unsafe. Blamazon, the megacorporation sponsoring the contest, is quick to wave their fears aside. A very human story with four queer teens at its heart, Bongiovanni explores their relationships with one another and with the world outside Blamazon’s walls. It becomes a story that encourages readers to ask themselves what really matters most. Cartoon-realistic illustration keeps pages turning along with the smart dialogue. A solid STEM story with realistic characters and situations at its center.