Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer - OPTIONAL

Hearts Still Beating by Brooke Archer, 336 pages. PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2024. $15 

Language: R (75 swears 7 'f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing, mention of underage drinking); Violence: R (repeated bloody violence and deaths)

BUYING ADVISORY:  HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO SEVERAL 

Apocalyptic USA! The Tick is rampant and turning people into zombies but there’s a new medicine that turns the effects around, as long as it’s taken consistently. 17 yo Mara has turned and then been given the medicine so she’s now considered one of the Altered. The Altered are coherent and human acting while taking the medicine consistently but if they miss a few doses, they can turn and become dangerous. Mara is brought back to her godparents since her parents are dead. The community doesn’t trust the Altered but circumstances change quickly when a human makes decisions that are deceptive and dangerous. 

Archer has created an interesting world. The dystopian premise and zombies will intrigue young adult readers. I enjoyed the suspense that came along with the mystery of the killings. The ethnicity falls to white with a brown skinned side character. 

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian

Beautiful Noise: The Music of John Cage by Lisa Rogers and Il Sung Na - ADVISABLE

Beautiful Noise: The Music of John Cage by Lisa Rogers, illustrated by Il Sung Na PICTURE BOOK NON-FICTION Anne Schwartz Books (Random House), 2024 $19.00 9780593646625 G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO AVERAGE 

Born in 1912, John Cage thought that all sounds were beautiful - not just the sounds of a professional orchestra, but also city sounds, country sounds - and the sounds heard in silence. Many people did not have his quirk of imagination - audience members and even orchestras were known to walk out of his performances, but he persisted. 

Listening to a John Cage piece is an experience you will never forget - whether you share in his vision or not. Music teachers with avantgarde attitudes, or those willing to explore what music means, should enjoy sharing the book and then Youtube videos of the performances with their students. John is white. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Running Past Dark by Han Nolan - ADVISABLE

Running Past Dark by Han Nolan. 324 pages. Simon and Schuster, 2023. $20 

Language: PG-13 (28 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Addiction, alcohol abuse, and rape); Violence: PG-13 (Physical attack, sexual attack,-reference, not graphic) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO SOME

17yo 12th grader Scottie O'Doul suffers emotional abuse from the citizens of her hometown after a fatal car crash that took the life of her twin, Cait, and the head football coach. The town blames her sister for the accident as a murder/suicide and Scottie for declaring that the coach had raped Cait. During her grieving process, Mr. Senda, a teacher, encourages Scottie to run ultra marathons as a way to focus and move forward. As Scottie tries to unravel all that she knows about her twin and the incidents leading up to her death, persecutions and trauma continue in her life. Scottie holds tight to mentors and friends that support her as she learns the awful truth and finds ways to overcome her circumstances. 

Han Nolan deals thoughtfully with the sensitive subject of sexual abuse by a trusted teacher. She provides hope for those abused by showing how her heroine, Scottie, learned to follow her psychologist's advise, to trust other caring adults in her life, to focus on developing her skills, to trust herself and forgive others, and to find strength in friends and family. The ending of the book draws an optimistic outcome for all involved in the tragic tale, thus giving hope to those who have suffered similarly. Scottie is a white female. 

Michelle McKnight- FACS teacher 

Beastly Beauty by Jennifer Donnelly - ESSENTIAL

Beastly Beauty by Jennifer Donnelly, 336 pages. Young Adult Scholastic Press (Scholastic), 2024. $19 

Language: R (75 swears, 0 "F"); Mature Content: PG (robbery, implied seduction) Violence: PG (peril)

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS, ADULT - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO MANY 

Arabella has been told all her life how to live it: what to say and what not to say, to be the perfect future bride. But Arabella want so much more. Her wildest hopes and dreams come to a screaming halt when her attempt to control her emotions brings a curse on herself and those around her, trapping them in their castle. Enter a handsome thief named Beau who also has a troubled past. Those in the castle are hopeful he will be the one to break the curse. 

Jennifer Donnelly writes that this book isn't for heroes or princesses but for the screw-ups and the courage it takes to choose hope over despair. Beautifully written, it carries a message of hope to those who may be lacking it and reminds us that sometimes the cruelest prisons are the ones we build ourselves. This take on Beauty and the Beast will appeal to almost anyone and is a book I would reread and underline. The main characters are European. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Something Kindred by Ciera Burch - OPTIONAL

Something Kindred by Ciera Burch, 304 pages.  Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)/Macmillan, 2024. $17 

Language: PG-13 (32 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (Mention of sex, and underage drinking); Violence: PG (mention of domestic abuse) 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO SOME 

17yo Jericka travels with her mother to her hometown of Coldwater, Maryland to see her dying grandmother. Jericka’s grandmother left her children when they were young and her mom hasn’t seen her since; she’s still extremely hurt and angry but willing to help her own mother deal with her situation. Coldwater has a history, and a not-always-believed legend of Echoes, ghosts that project their grief onto the living that make women want to leave the town. These ghosts are from the schoolhouse for freed slaves being burned many years ago due to prejudice. While Jericka deals with her family, boyfriend, new friends and the mysterious town, she learns a lot about herself and what she wants in her future. 

I expected the book to be more spooky. Jericka wants others to be open, honest, and straightforward but she isn’t that way with others. I enjoyed getting to know Jericka’s family. The mysterious echoes add an interesting element to the story. Jericka and her family are Black and the community of Coldwater is mixed with Black and white people. 

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian

Alterations by Ray Xu - ADVISABLE

Alterations by Ray Xu, 238 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Union Square, 2024. $25 

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO SOME 

Kevin is in middle school and is struggling to fit it. He is one of the few Asian kids at his Canadian school and he thinks his grandmother, who has just recently arrived from China, is weird. Kevin's single mother is struggling to make ends meet, his older sister resents him, and he is picked on in school. Kevin thinks he might be able to make things better at the class trip to the local amusement park. 

Kevin is a believable character, based off the author's childhood. Most readers will be able to relate to the common issues he faces, such as family issues, bullying, and finding one's place. While all of Kevin's problems don't magically go away, the book ends on a positive, realistic note. Kevin is of Chinese descent. 

 Michelle in the Middle 

The Thieves Gambit by Kayvion Lewis - ESSENTIAL

The Thieves Gambit by Kayvion Lewis, 364 pages. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2023. $20 

Language: PG-13 (29 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (underage drinking, mentions of sexual topics, and drugging of a character); Violence: PG-13 (characters getting beaten up and shot; some mentions of blood)

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ESSENTIAL 

APPEALS TO MANY 

17yo Rosalyn Quest has been trained since childhood to be an expert thief by her family of thieves, who dominate the North American crime world. In a heist gone wrong, her mother gets kidnapped just as Rosalyn planned to leave the family business. To save her mom, Rosalyn enters the Thieves Gambit, an exclusive competition for thieves she was invited to compete in. If she wins, her prize is the fulfillment of any wish. With her desire to rescue her mom in mind, she is desperate to win and faces challenges not only to her abilities as she faces off with the best teen thieves in the world but also to the beliefs that her mother has instilled in her about herself and the world. 

The Thieves Gambit was gripping from the beginning and had great action, twists, and excitement throughout.  I read it in a day because I couldn't put it down. The characterization and emotional journey of Rosalyn was realistic as she deals with real-life struggles—not just ones connected to her thieving lifestyle—and these elements were integrated well into the fast pace of the book. Sometimes Rosalyn gets in her own way, which is annoying, but also felt true to her age. The side characters come from around the world and were delightful, and I only wished that we had been able to have more from them. My only slight negative was that some of the physical descriptions of the action were confusing to me, but it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. The book resolved, but it was left open for the next in the series, which I'm looking forward to reading! Rosalyn is black and from the Caribbean. Devroe is black and from England. Noelia is from France. 

Marinda, librarian  

Wander in the Dark by Jumata Emill - OPTIONAL

Wander in the Dark by Jumata Emill, 400 pages. Random House Children's/Delacorte Press, 2024. $17 

Language: R (154 swears 64 'f'); Mature Content: PG-13 (drugs, underage drinking, talk of hooking up); Violence: PG-13 (bloody death and violence) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

APPEALS TO SOME 

17yo Amir is accused of murder and his 16yo brother Marcel is determined to prove Amir’s innocence. One of their classmates was murdered in her home and Amir has been placed under house arrest under suspicious circumstances. Living in New Orleans, Amir and Marcel both attend a private school because their family wants the best for them. Being Black, they’re a minority in their mostly white, rich high school. When the girl is murdered, the white community immediately blames Amir but when horrible secrets are revealed, the tables turn. 

The bad grammar representing the local community in the book is annoying but necessary to the setting of the story. I like the strong loyalty between the brothers, Marcel and Amir. The mystery was enjoyable to read. The ethnicity is a white and Black community. 

LynnDell Watson, DHS Librarian

Unstuck by Barbara Dee - ADVISABLE

Unstuck by Barbara Dee, 272 pages. Simon and Schuster, 2024 $18.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO SOME 

7th grader Lyla is so glad to be in Ms. Bowman's class because she's getting to work on her fantasy novel in Creative Writing! (Last year her teacher was all about 5 paragraph essays - ugh). She is full of ideas, but can't seem to get anything down in her notebook, except a list of names, a "family tree" and a map. She's got a lot on her mind this year, her best friend went to a different school, her parents and her sister seem to be always fighting, and she hasn't yet made any real friends - just Journey, who she really only eats lunch with. She's stuck; her teacher calls it writers block and has lots of suggestions to break it, but Lyla thinks they won't work. She wants to have something to enter into the library's writing contest but so far she has only a great first sentence. 

I really love Barbara Dee's stories. Lyla drives me crazy, always so hard on herself, but not accepting any help or trying new ideas. I know some kids who can relate. There's also a subplot about figuring out her friend situation and dealing with some problems at home that keep the book moving. Not full of tough topics as some of Dee's recent works have - Anxiety (Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet), Bi-polar - (My Life in the Fishtank), Sexual Harassement - (Maybe He Just Likes You). The characters default white. 

Lisa Librarian 

A Pocketful of Stars by Aisha Busby - ADVISABLE

A Pocketful of Stars by Aisha Busby, 236 pages. Carolrhoda, 2019. $20. 

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE 

APPEALS TO: SOME 

Struggling to connect with her mom, 13yo Safia chooses to live with her dad post-divorce, facing frequent arguments during weekend visits with her mom. Cultural differences between her Kuwaiti mom and English dad exacerbate their conflicts.  After a severe argument, Safia discovers her mom has had a stroke. Dreaming, she learns about her mom's youth in Kuwait, believing that sharing these memories could help her mom recover. Despite a dire prognosis, Safia dedicates hours at her mom's bedside, sharing stories.

I really enjoyed this book and it made me think about how we treat our families and those around us. We should always be kind.

Ellen-Anita Librarian

I'm Trying to Love Germs by Bethany Barton - ESSENTIAL

I'm Trying to Love Germs by Bethany Barton. PICTURE BOOK NON-FICTION Viking (Penguin), 2023. $19. 9780593326725 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

With the help of a talking germ, learn all about microbes and pathogens and the ways they can harm or help us. 

 Barton's 5th book is as cute and informative as the rest of them. I would buy any of the books that correlate with the curriculum at your school. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Skybound! by Sue Ganz-Schmitt and Jacopo Bruno - ADVISABLE

Skybound! Starring Mary Myers as Carlotta, Daredevil Aeronaut and Scientist by Sue Ganz-Schmitt, illustrated by Jacopo Bruno. PICTURE BOOK NON-FICTION, BIOGRAPHY Calkins Creek (Astra), 2024 $19. 9781635928150 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Mary Myers had her head in the clouds - literally! She dreamed of flying and worked with her husband on the science of aeronautics - even helping create a new fabric for balloons, even though it was dangerous to formulate. It isn't until she is 30 that she finally goes up in a balloon of her own - on her own - and doesn't ever stop. 

How fabulous! I love that Ganz-Schmitt and Bruno have brought Mary forward from the fringes of history and back into the limelight she so deserves. Our 9th graders build hot air balloons with tissue paper every spring, so I am very excited to be able to share this with them. The main text is exciting to read and view. The back matter is a great supplement, with a few photographs and artifacts of "Carlotta" and her exploits. Carlotta is white. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Fabulous Fannie Farmer by Emma Bland Smith and Susan Reagan - ADVISABLE

The Fabulous Fannie Farmer: Kitchen Scientist and America's Cook by Emma Bland Smith, illustrated by Susan Reagan. PICTURE BOOK NON-FICTION, BIOGRAPHY Calkins Creek (Astra), 2024. $19. 9781635926125 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

After a bout of polio when she was 16yo, Fannie turned to her love of cooking. It wasn't until she was 31 that she entered the Boston Cooking School, going on to become the principal. Dissatisfied with cookbooks of her day, Fannie and her students started experimenting and standardizing the measurements and instructions for recipes - pioneering a new standard and helping home cooks for generations. 

While text heavy, Smith still keeps the story simple and engaging, supported by Reagan's old-fashioned illustrations. Every cooking class would welcome this addition. Fanny is white. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Fastest Drummer: clap your hands for Viola Smith by Dean Robbins and Susanna Chapman - ADVISABLE

The Fastest Drummer: clap your hands for Viola Smith by Dean Robbins, illustrated by Susanna Chapman. PICTURE BOOK, BIOGRAPHY Candlewick, 2024. $18. 9781536224863 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

As part of her family's all-girl jazz band, Viola loved the drums and would always talk to other, more seasoned, drummers at their shows, trading tips and tricks. When the other girls left to pursue other interests, Viola formed her own band and advocated for women in music throughout her 107 year life. 

Viola's enthusiasm shines through a rare combination of enthusiasts text and swooping illustrations. What a fun book for any music class. There are some videos of Viola on the internet - so a great way to back-up the picture book with footage of her playing. Viola and her family are white; some of the other drummers are Black. 

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Wrong Kind of Weird by James Ramos - OPTIONAL

The Wrong Kind of Weird by James Ramos,  320 pages. Inkyard Press, 2023.  $19.

Language:  R   (100+ swears, 67 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13 (teenage sexuality e.g. frequent make out sessions, heavy petting, references to losing virginity throughout, several drug references); Violence: PG (one minor physical conflict at school);

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Cameron is a bicultural senior (mom is latina, father is black), who has a small group of geek friends in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They even have a club (GANU - Geeks And Nerds Unite) where they watch anime, design cosplays, and celebrate that #geeklife. However, when one of the most popular girls in school starts working with Cameron, he tries to break down the rigid clique system at his school to make their relationship more acceptable to their different friend groups. However, Cameron's complicated web of half-told truths and posturing catches up with him and falls to pieces around him. Can Cameron figure out who he really is and what he really wants?

This was not my favorite contemporary YA rom-com that I’ve ever read. I had a hard time getting into it and the storyline kept jumping back and forth, from the summer when Cameron and Karla first met to the current school year, without a lot of rhyme or reason. Add to that, there was a LOT of language throughout the book. The one thing I liked about it was the celebration of multicultural students in geek culture. It shouldn’t be that revolutionary, but it was nice to see someone other than sickly white boys being the nerds.

Reviewer: Kiera Beddes, #bookswithbeddes

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson - HIGH

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson, 448 pages. Random House Children's/Delacorte Press, 2024. $16

Language: R (53 swears 121 'f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing); Violence: PG-13 (assault) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Rachel Price, mother of 18yo Bel, has been missing for over sixteen years. Bel’s father needs money to care for his elderly father, so he decides to participate in a documentary about the disappearance of his wife, Rachel Price. Bel doesn’t want to rehash everything over and over again but she wants to help her dad. She wonders if the documentary will help find her mom by rekindling the investigation. Also, Bel can’t shake the thought that her mom abandoned her all those years ago and that she just might be alive somewhere. The documentary is just the beginning of the chaos that's to come.  

I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery! The character development was interesting and the author showed Bel’s coping mechanisms of cruelty and shoplifting small items as a way to deal with the abandonment she’s had in her lifetime. The documentary idea was great as it helped show the changes in the family and Bel’s perspective of the situation. The ethnicity is predominantly white with mention of a brown skin background character.

LynnDell Watson, DHS Library

Murtagh by Christopher Paolini - HIGH

Murtagh by Christopher Paolini, 690 Young Adult, Adult Fiction Knopf (Random House), 2023. $30 

Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; R (graphic killings, torture, cults, possession) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Murtagh and his dragon, Thorn, are outcasts following the toppling of Galbatorix and their forced role in his reign of terror. There are whispers of evil in the brittle ground and brimstone in the air. Sensing an unknown danger, Murtagh and Thorn risk their lives as they face down a witch and those who follow her. 

 Murtagh is a complex character and a dark hero that you will end up rooting for. Both he and Thorn have to overcome the fears and trauma faced in their formative years. If you haven't read Eragon for awhile, there is just enough recapping to understand this book without having to reread the first series, but a more recent read through would make this book more compelling. The action is fast paced and well written. There are definitely dark moments, but fans of Eragon will eat this up. While the book concludes well enough, a second book is surely lurking, just like the danger that would overthrow Alagaesia. There are many cultures and races in the book as befits a fantasy novel 

Michelle in the Middle 

A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat - OPTIONAL

A Place for Vanishing by Ann Fraistat, 456 pages. Delacorte (Random House), 2024. $20 

Language: R (114 swears 4 'f') Mature Content: PG-13 (suicide attempt, self harm, mild sexual content); Violence: R (graphic violence) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS, ADULT - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

16yo Libby, her 13yo sister, Vivi, and their mom, are moving into a derelict Victorian mansion that has been in the family for years for a fresh start following Libby's suicide attempt. There have been many disappearances connected with the house: it has creepy stained glass windows, a strange bug infestation, its own hedge maze, and unusual blue roses. Libby soon discovers that the secrets that the house holds could destroy all of them, though she may have to harness a power beyond her own to fight back. The cover is beautiful and the premise promising. The house is appropriately creepy. Libby is a relatable character, but at over 400 pages, the book seemed long. The ending was unbelievable for me, but readers who have a healthy fear of bugs may enjoy the creep factor. Race is never specified. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Evil Spy School: The Graphic Novel by Stuart Gibbs and Anjan Sarkar - ADVISABLE

Evil Spy School: The Graphic Novel by Stuart Gibbs, illustrated by Anjan Sarkar, 352 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Simon and Schuster, 2024. $25 

Language: G (0 swears) Mature Content: G Violence: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

13yo Ben Ripley just got expelled from spy school. Luckily (or unluckily) he gets picked up by the evil organization, SPYDER. They begin training Ben but he's not sure for what. Turns out Ben is so deep undercover in SPYDER, not even he realizes it at first. He will have to make his new evil companions trust him while finding a way to communicate to his CIA friends. 

 As the graphic novel rendition of the book, this is fabulous. It is well illustrated and the pictures help tell the story. The story is fun and keeps. you guessing. I loved Ben's new evil friends and their quirks. There's plenty of humor to go with the high adventure and kids will be wishing they had spy missions of their own. The Spy School novels just got another reason to cheer. Race is never stated, but most of the characters are white. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Bright Red Fruit by Safia Elhillo - ESSENTIAL

Bright Red Fruit by Safia Elhillo, 368 pages. Young Adult, Book in Verse Make Me a World, Penguin Random House, 2024. $20.

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: PG (kissing) Violence: PG13 (sexual assault attempt) 

BUYING ADVISORY: HS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

16yo Samira has an unearned bad reputation. When she was younger, a boy she knew bragged a lie, and now adults and others in her community believe the worst. She's not yet even kissed a boy, but who she's with, and what she's wearing are reported to her mother, who doesn't believe Samira. So she's closely watched. Samira is a poet, and wants to go to college and New York where her life can be different. She meets a poet "Horus" online, and although he's much older she agrees to meet him IRL when he comes to D.C. for a reading. 

I love that Samira's story was told in verse, although I know they aren't for everyone. Samira is young and naive, but trying to break free of the strict rules of her culture, so it's no wonder she gets caught up in the excitement of this older man. Considering the topic, I was pleasantly surprised that the story is told without swears or adult content. Elhillo has woven the Persephone myth throughout which was genius. Oh, I loved this so much. Highly recommended.

Samira is Sudanese, many of her friends attend Arabic school with her. 

Lisa Librarian