Stories that Shape Us
A place where CL/R SIG reviewers share annotations and insights on books that matter.
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Jackie Arnold, Tracey S. Hodges, Julia López-Robertson, Leslie Morris, Sharon Pratt, Bethany L. Scullin In the second of two columns, members of the 2026 Notable Books for a Global Society committee proudly present reviews of 12 outstanding books for readers in PreK to 12th grades from this year's list. These books explore themes of home and advocacy, bringing readers into stories where displacement, identity, and justice intersect as each one reflects the depth and diversity of global literature.  And They Walk On. Kevin Maillard. Illus. by Rafael López. (2025). Roaring Book Press/Macmillan. A young boy wonders where his grandmother has gone after she "walks on." He moves through her home, where her jacket still hangs by the door, her shoes remain on the floor, and her starlight mints sit by the bed, as though she has simply stepped out. Room by room, memory by memory, he begins to understand that those who walk on stay present through the moments and experiences shared with the people they loved. The text is written in lyrical stanzas and introduces readers to an Indigenous expression for death that feels both tender and expansive. The detailed illustrations complement the text and offer an honest and moving portrayal of grief and loss. (PreK–Gr 3) -BLS  Brave. Weshoyot Alvitre. (2025). Kokila/Penguin Random House. A young Indigenous boy dreams of wearing his hair long like the men he sees dancing at powwows and like his father, who carefully brushes his hair each day. At school, however, he is teased and shamed for his appearance. Through conversations with his father, he learns that his father was forced to cut his hair and that his grandfather was forbidden from practicing their traditions and was called a “Brave.” Inspired by their resilience, the boy decides to reclaim his identity by growing his hair and honoring his culture. Paired with Alvitre’s powerful illustrations, this story reminds readers that identity is something to celebrate. It delivers a meaningful message: we are strong, we are brave, we are loved, and we should never be ashamed of who we are. (Gr K-4) -LM  Displaced. Patrick Ochieng. (2025). Carolrhoda Books/Penguin Random House. Kimathi loses his father, his best friend, and his home in an instant when post-election violence tears through his Kenyan city. Forced to flee with his mother and sister to a nearby refugee camp, he must navigate the harsh realities of displacement and his own grief. The conditions in the camp are stark, with overcrowded tents, scarce food and water, and little sense of what comes next. Told in a graphic novel format, the story captures Kimathi's inner world with care, including the nightmares and dizzy spells that follow him from the violence he witnessed. The storytelling is honest and restrained, letting the human moments speak for themselves. A grounded and affecting look at political conflict, forced migration, and survival. (Gr 4–8 ) -BLS  The Freedom Seeker. Ruchira Gupta. (2025). Scholastic Press/Scholastic. Twelve-year-old Simi is vying for captain of her hockey team in India when her life changes drastically. Her father has to leave suddenly to establish a home for them in the United States, as they seek to escape threats from the community related to her parents’ interfaith marriage. Although his goal was to later bring Simi and her mother over to join him, asylum restrictions delayed the process. Instead, Simi and her mother seek passage into the US through dangerous and uncertain immigration routes from Mexico. They both experience heat and dehydration, as well as separation from each other. Simi also barely misses being caught in a child trafficking ring before she is sent to different shelters within the United States. After she endures the conditions in the shelters, Simi must hold on to hope that her family will find their way back to each other. (Gr 3–7) -SP  King of the Neuro Verse. Idris Goodwin. (2025). Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster King of the Neuro Verse by Idris Goodwin is a rhythmic novel in verse that centers a Black teen with ADHD who is tired of being defined by what school says he cannot do. Pernell is back in summer school again, and the stakes feel real. If he cannot pass, graduation slips further away. In the classroom, his mind is treated like a problem to manage, but during lunchtime cyphers, his quick thinking and restless energy become assets. As he works to earn respect and chase the title of Cypher King, he is also navigating family pressure, friendships, and the vulnerability of first love. This book invites readers to see neurodivergence through a strengths-based lens while still acknowledging the barriers kids face in systems not built for them. (Gr 6–9) -TSH  My Home Is in My Backpack. Eugenia Perrella. Trans. by Sally Polson. Illus. by Angela Salerno. Floris Books/Spotlight Publishing . Clara and her family have left their home in Venezuela behind, carrying what matters most in backpacks as they journey on foot toward safety. Along the way, her mother offers a quiet but lasting reassurance, explaining that home is not a place, but the people you love and the memories you carry with you. The story draws directly on the real experiences of Venezuelan refugees, giving it an authenticity that feels present throughout. The illustrations show both the enormous distances traveled and the quieter moments in between, including singing, storytelling, and pausing to notice the natural world. Joy and hardship exist side by side, and the family's love for one another remains steady even in the most uncertain moments. Back matter offers additional context on the story behind the book. (Gr K–3) -BLS  A Place for Us. James E. Ransome. (2025). Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Random House. Ransome’s wordless picture book follows a mother and son through what first appears to be an ordinary day. After school, they share a meal at a fast-food restaurant, then head to the library to complete homework, staying until closing. While these moments feel familiar, the story takes a quiet turn when they go not to a home, but to a park. There, the mother stays awake through the night, watching over her son as he sleeps on a bench. In the morning, he washes in a fountain, combs his hair, and prepares for school. Through vivid, emotional illustrations, the story reveals a powerful truth that many families experiencing homelessness live unseen within our communities, reminding readers to look with greater empathy and awareness. (Gr K–3) -LM  Rez Kid. Andrea Landry. Illus. by Isabella Fassler. (2025). Kids Can Press. Rez Kid explores the hurt of prejudice and the healing power of heritage. The story follows an Indigenous girl who faces daily teasing on her school bus. Seeking comfort, she turns to her family during traditional activities like beading and harvesting medicinal plants. Her relatives each offer their own wisdom, encouraging her to respond with kindness, teach others, or walk away with pride. Ultimately, the protagonist chooses a courageous path of radical hospitality, inviting her classmates to the reservation to experience her culture firsthand. This shift transforms painful prejudicial stereotypes into a bridge for empathy and connection. Enhanced by Isabella Frassler’s emotive illustrations, the book celebrates family strength and the profound impact of sharing one’s identity to overcome misunderstanding. (Gr K–3) -JA  Rosa, By Any Other Name. Hailey Alcaraz. (2025). Viking Books for Young Readers/Penguin Random House. Set in 1955 in Arizona during the civil rights era, this Romeo and Juliet-inspired retelling follows Rosa Capistrano, a light-skinned Mexican American girl secretly passing as white at her predominantly white high school. Hoping to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist, Rosa carefully keeps her two worlds apart-until her childhood best friend Ramón and her school friend Julianne, the sheriff’s daughter, fall in love. When the couple is tragically murdered before they make their relationship public, Rosa is left as the sole witness, thrust into the center of a town-wide scandal. Drawn to Ramón’s brother, Marco, through shared grief and a powerful drive for justice, Rosa must ultimately decide whether to protect her carefully constructed future or risk everything to find the courage to speak the truth. (Gr 10 Up) -JLR  A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvare. María Dolores Águila. (2025). Roaring Book Press/Macmillan Against the backdrop of the Great Depression and the Mexican Revolution era, this novel in verse brings to life the remarkable true story of Roberto Alvarez, a twelve-year-old born in the United States as the first American-born child in his family. Structured in the tradition of a corrido, the narrative beautifully honors the strength and solidarity of the Latino community in the face of deep injustice. Fueled by anti-Mexican prejudice, the Lemon Grove School District sought to push Mexican students out of mainstream education into a makeshift ‘Americanization’ school in a converted barn. Refusing to be silenced, even under threat of deportation, the affected families banded together as the Comité de Vecinos and took the district to court. Their bravery yielded a landmark outcome as the first successful school desegregation ruling in U.S. history, won nearly two decades before Brown v. Board of Education. It is a profound, yet long-overlooked, triumph in the ongoing struggle for civil rights. (Gr 3–8) -JLR  The Story of My Anger. Jasminne Mendez. (2025). Dial Books/Penguin Random House. The Story of My Anger by Jasminne Mendez is a novel in verse about identity, resistance, and the powerful work of finding one’s voice. The book follows Yulieta “Yuli” Lopez, a Dominican American teen in Texas who dreams of being cast in a lead role in her high school drama club but is repeatedly overlooked because of her race. When her favorite teacher’s curriculum comes under attack by the school board, and books that reflect her experience are banned, Yuli’s simmering anger ignites into action. Inspired by the activism of her family and friends, she and her peers form a guerrilla theatre troupe to challenge discrimination and censorship in their community. By braiding poetic text with scenes written as plays, Mendez’s narrative captures Yuli’s journey from silence to self-assertion, inviting discussions about racism, art, and social justice. (Gr 7 Up) -TSH  The Teacher of Nomad Land. Daniel Nayeri. (2025). Levine Querido/Chronicle Books.
Set in Iran in 1941, this novel follows thirteen-year-old Babak and his younger sister Sana after their father is accidentally killed by British soldiers. Determined to stay together and carry on his work, Babak straps his father's chalkboard to his back and sets out to teach the nomads crossing the mountains. The journey is difficult from the start as British and Soviet forces occupy the country, food and water are scarce, and trust is hard to come by. When the siblings encounter a Jewish boy being tracked by a Nazi soldier, the situation becomes considerably more dangerous. Communication across languages is rarely straightforward, and yet small acts of decency surface in unexpected places. The war is ever-present but never overshadows the story's core, which remains fixed on two children determined to keep moving forward and stay together. (Gr 3–7) -BLS
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Jackie Arnold, Tracey S. Hodges, Julia López-Robertson, Leslie Morris, Sharon Pratt, Bethany L. Scullin In the first of two columns, members of the 2026 Notable Books for a Global Society committee proudly present reviews of 13 outstanding books for readers in PreK to 12th grades from this year's list. United by themes of environmentalism and language representation, these winning books honor the diversity of global literature, inviting readers into stories where identity, land, and language are celebrated, protected, and reclaimed.  Alberto Salas Plays: Paka Paka Con la Papa. Sara Andrea Fajardo. Illus. by Juana Martinez-Neal. (2025). Roaring Book Press/Macmillan. What makes the humble potato so extraordinary and why is it under threat? Discover the answers through a game of paka paka con la papa (the Quechua way to say ‘hide and seek’) and hunt for potatoes alongside Peruvian agricultural scientist Alberto Salas. Dr. Salas’ boundless curiosity and deep love for both his homeland and this remarkable crop are infectious. This lyrical biography sweeps readers through the breathtaking Andes Mountains of Peru, weaving together the rich history and surprising wonder of the potato along the way. Stunning illustrations by Juana Martínez-Neal bring every page to life, drawing readers into urgent conversations about environmental challenges while keeping them thoroughly enchanted by the spirited game of paka paka con la papa. Pick up this gorgeous, captivating book and see for yourself who comes out victorious! (PreK–3) -JLR  he Black Mambas: The World’s First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit. Kelly Crull. (2025). Millbrook Press/Lerner Publishing. The Black Mambas: The World’s First All-Woman Anti-Poaching Unit by Kelly Crull introduces readers to the courageous women of South Africa’s Black Mambas, a groundbreaking group of unarmed rangers who protect wildlife in the Greater Kruger National Park. Through engaging narrative and striking photographs, Crull follows these women as they patrol vast landscapes, spot signs of poachers, and safeguard endangered animals such as rhinos and pangolins. The book highlights how the Black Mambas combine traditional tracking skills with community awareness to deter poaching without weapons, reshaping expectations about who can be a conservation leader. Quotations from the rangers and dynamic images invite readers to appreciate both the challenges and triumphs of their work. Informational sidebars and accessible text make this title a compelling choice for elementary. (Gr 2–5) -TSH  Call Me Gray. Andrew Larsen & Bells Larsen. Illus. by Tallulah Fontaine. (2025). Kids Can Press. Call Me Gray by Andrew Larsen is a tender, affirming story about identity, self-advocacy, and the courage it takes to name yourself. Told through the perspective of a child who feels unseen, the story follows Gray as they navigate a world that keeps calling them by a name and identity that do not fit. At school, at home, and among peers, Gray wrestles with the discomfort of being mislabeled and the weight of others deciding who they are. When Gray finally says, “Call me Gray,” the moment becomes an act of clarity and self-trust. As adults and classmates begin to listen, the story models what affirmation and respect can look like in community. Thoughtful and accessible, this book invites conversations about dignity, belonging, and creating classrooms where every child is seen and valued. (Gr K–4) - TSH  The History of We. Nikkolas Smith. (2025). Kokila/Penguin Random House In The History of We, Nikkolas Smith employs a combination of lyrical verse and vivid acrylic paintings to map out a global lineage rooted in Africa. The narrative serves as a historical reclamation, using double-spread illustrations highlighting Africa’s foundational contributions to essential human advancements like medicine, agriculture, and artistic expression. Each page captures how these early innovations eventually traveled across the globe, shaping the modern world. The journey concludes with a powerful visual of a diverse, united community, reinforcing the idea of a shared human identity. Supplemented by detailed backmatter and an author’s note, the book directly challenges the historical erasure of African origins in traditional education, asserting instead that the entire human family tree finds its primary strength and beginnings on the African continent. (Gr K–8) -JA  Hopeful Heroes: More Poems About Amazing Latinos. Margarita Engle. Illus. by Juliet Menéndez. (2025). Godwin Books/ Macmillan.. Hopeful Heroes is a vibrant collection of poems paired with bold, colorful illustrations celebrating 20 influential Latino men and women. Spanning from 1474 to the present and representing cultures across Latin America, these individuals demonstrate remarkable strength, resilience, and determination. Through poetry, readers meet heroes who defended their lands, championed education, studied the stars, earned Olympic medals, protected the environment, created powerful works of art, and received Nobel Prizes. Each poem offers a glimpse into the courage and accomplishments of these inspiring figures while highlighting the richness and diversity of Latino history and culture. The book also includes helpful backmatter with short nonfiction biographies of each Hopeful Hero, giving readers the opportunity to learn more about the real people whose stories continue to shape and inspire the world today. (Gr K–4) -LM  The Interpreter. Olivia Abtahi. Illus. by Monica Arnaldo. (2025). Kokila/Penguin Random House. Reflecting a situation that many children of immigrants know all too well, Cecilia moves fluidly between identities, shifting from carefree kid to capable interpreter whenever duty calls. She is a modern-day superhero whose remarkable superpower is bilingualism! As a language broker for her family, Cecilia bridges two worlds, translating between English and Spanish during parent-teacher conferences, doctor’s appointments, and countless other everyday moments that adults rely on her to navigate. The lively, expressive illustrations vividly capture the growing strain that this weighty responsibility places on Cecilia’s young shoulders. The emotional burden becomes impossible to ignore until her family finally recognizes the toll it is taking on her childhood. Together, they find a healthy balance, one that still allows Cecilia to use her gift, just not all the time. (Gr K–3) - JLR  Kahoʻolawe: The True Story of an Island and Her People. Kamalani Hurley. Illus. by Harinani Orme. (2025). Millbrook Press/Lerner Publishing. The story of Hawaii’s smallest island is told through rich illustrations and descriptions that are appropriate for a range of readers from elementary through high school. How the island was formed by volcanic eruptions and settled by Polynesian voyagers demonstrates the history of the island predates any U.S. involvement. Across many decades, the island’s environment and ecosystem have been devastated by invasive goats, WWII bombings, and occupation by the U.S. military for target practice from 1941 to 1993. Beginning in the 1970s, activists led nonviolent protests seeking transfer of the island’s land back into Hawaiian control. Successful activist efforts are narrated in detail, revealing their determined resilience and passion for the conservation, restoration, and preservation of Kaho-Olawe. These efforts may inspire readers to advocate for preservation of their own local lands that are rich in cultural and geographic history. (Gr 2–5) -SP  My Heart Speaks Kriolu. Stephanie Foster Brown. Illus. by Keisha Morris. (2025). Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. My Heart Speaks Kriolu by Stefanie Foster Brown is a reflective story about family, language, and what it means to belong. Each Saturday a young girl walks with her grandfather through their Massachusetts neighborhood, listening as he speaks of returning someday to their ancestral home in Cabo Verde. Papa encourages her to speak Kriolu, the Portuguese creole of their heritage, but she stumbles over the words and worries that not speaking it perfectly might keep her from truly knowing where she comes from. As she spends this time with him, she begins to feel the language in the sounds, smells, and rhythms around her, and she discovers that home lives in the heart as much as in any place. (Gr PreK–3) - TSH  rigin. Nat Cardozo. (2025). Red Comet Press/Spotlight Publishing. This quietly powerful nonfiction picturebook introduces readers to 22 Indigenous communities across five continents. Each two-page spread pairs a first-person narrative with a breathtaking portrait of a child's face, woven together with the landscapes, animals, and plants of their homeland. Brief notes on territory, population, and language add helpful context without turning the book into a fact list. The recurring themes of community, reciprocity, and environmental stewardship tie the entries together, and the writing is consistently honest about the real challenges these communities face in protecting their land, language, and ways of life. Originally published in Spanish, the translation reads smoothly and keeps the prose clear and direct throughout. Backmatter includes a world map locating the featured communities and a section for further reading with additional context on several of the groups. (Gr 3–7) -BLS  Please Pay Attention. Jamie Sumner. (2025). Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster. Loosely based on the Covenant School shooting in Nashville, author Jamie Sumner’s hometown, Please Pay Attention is a powerful novel in verse about grief, resilience, and healing after tragedy. Sixth-grader Bea loves being a “buddy” to her “little” Josie, a shy kindergartner Bea hopes will learn to make friends. At home, Bea finds comfort with her older sister and close neighbors. But everything changes when an active shooter enters her school. Thrown from her wheelchair but unable to hide, Bea survives, but must face the loss of classmates, teachers, and a sense of safety. In the aftermath, she struggles with depression and PTSD, unsure if she can ever return to school. Over time, with support and by working with a therapy horse, Bea slowly begins to heal and realizes that both she and Josie still have a future worth fighting for. (Gr 4–6) -LM  Radiant. Vaunda Micheaux Nelson. (2025). Dutton Books for Young Readers/Penguin Random House. Radiant inspires readers to consider how finding one’s unique way to shine should involve both individual assertiveness and empathy for others. This middle-grade novel in verse depicts everyday life for Black people in the 1960s through the perspective of a fifth grader. Cooper lives in a predominantly white suburban neighborhood in Pennsylvania, and she perceives both color blindness and racial discrimination are impacting her relationships in school and the community. Cooper poignantly narrates how she comes to better understand a difficult life situation of a classmate she believes is bullying her because of her mother’s job as a cleaner in their home. We also see, through Cooper’s experiences, the impact historical events of the 1960s had on children and their families, including Kennedy’s assassination, the Birmingham church bombings, and Beatle fandom. (Gr 5–9) -SP  Song of a Blackbird. Maria van Lieshout. (2025). First Second/Macmillan. In this gripping graphic novel, Dutch author and illustrator Joris van Lieshout crafts a transformative story that bridges two eras of time. When Annick discovers her grandmother requires a bone marrow transplant, the subsequent search for a donor uncovers a shocking family secret: Oma is not biologically related to her siblings. Driven by a desperate need to save her grandmother’s life, Annick begins to investigate the fragments of Oma’s past, a collection of architectural prints depicting Amsterdam. Assisted by her friend Koenji, whose mother is from Japan, Annick works to decode these visual clues, a journey that ultimately transports the reader back to the harrowing events of the mid-1940s. Unfolding through the unique perspective of a blackbird, the author uses striking illustrations and authentic primary source materials to present an immaculately researched history. This deep dive into the past reveals the wartime experiences that shaped the lives of Oma, Annick, and many others, offering a poignant reflection on how historical legacies continue to impact the modern world. (Gr 7–12) -JA  Together, A Forest: Drawing Connections Between Nature’s Diversity and Our Own. Roz MacLean. (2025). Henry Holt/Macmillan.
Joy is anxious during a class trip to the forest when her teacher asks each student to choose just one thing to study. While her classmates quickly find their footing, drawn to towering trees, insects, and streams, Joy struggles to find her own connection. The story moves quietly but purposefully from that simple assignment toward something larger: an exploration of how difference strengthens a community. The forest itself carries much of that message, illustrated in rich and layered detail. Roots intertwine, fungi communicate underground, and no two leaves are identical, reinforcing the idea that variety is both natural and necessary. The parallel between the forest's ecosystem and human diversity never feels forced or heavy-handed. Backmatter includes an author's note and a kid-friendly explanation of "All Kinds of Minds," offering helpful context for classroom and home conversations. (Gr K–3) -BLS Nancy Brashear and Carolyn Angus Here is a baker’s dozen of our favorite books for older readers published in 2025 that did not receive Children’s Literature and Reading reviews—books we would like to see added to middle school and high school library collections.  Away (Alone #2). Megan E. Freeman. (2025). Aladdin. In this companion to Alone (2021), the entire community of Redhawk, Colorado, is rounded up overnight because of “imminent threat.” Herded onto trains and with phones confiscated, they are transported to Camp Rogers, an evacuation center with armed guards. It is there that four young people (ages 11 to 14) meet, their suspicions melding them into an investigative group searching for the truth, especially after the governor’s Council for Displaced Coloradans pressures their families to sell their homes. As evidenced through their multiple points of view augmented by introspective free-verse poetry, film scenes scripts, journal articles, letters, radio broadcast transcripts, newsletters, camper interviews, and incident command advisories, they uncover an unimaginable conspiracy and devise an ingenious scheme to save their families, city, and state. (Gr 6-8)  Bold Words from Black Men: Insights and Reflections from 50 Notable Trailblazers Who Influenced the World (The Bold Words #2). Tamara Pizzoli. Illus. by Desire Cesar “El’Cesart” Ngabo. (2025). Denene Millner. In this companion to Bold Words from Black Women (2022), Pizzoli spotlights 50 Black men from a variety of backgrounds and experiences including Olivier Rousteing, Nelson Mandela, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Jesse Owens. Each inspiring entry includes a digitally-created portrait of the person on either the recto or verso page of a colorful double spread with his quotation in bold print, brief biographical information, and a statement about the quote on the opposing page. The final double spread cements the book’s message with the words “BELIEVE IN BLACK MEN” in bright orange against a vivid turquoise background. (introduction) (Gr 6 Up)  The Corruption of Hollis Brown. K. Acrum. (2025). Harper. In this novel-in-verse horror story, troubled 17-year-old Hollis Brown, who feels trapped in dead-end rural and haunted Rose Town, encounters Walt Eidelman, a 100-year-old ghost from the 1900s who has body-hopped into more than 200 people over the decades. Before Walt possesses Hollis’s body and moves into his mind, they make a deal: Hollis gets a personality “do-over” from Walt, and the ghost-visitor gets a safe place to “ride” inside him. The boys learn to work together amidst growing romantic feelings, and, with the help of Hollis’s two best gal friends, they must find a way to break Rose Town’s curse for a better future for all. (resources for recipes in the text, author’s note) (Gr 9-12)  Fascinating Fungi: Nourishers, Killers, Connectors, and Healers. Karen Latchana Kenney. (2025). Twentieth-First Century. Kenney provides an intriguing account of the evolution of fungal organisms once classified as plants but now recognized by scientists as belonging to their own kingdom, the Fungi Kingdom. The engaging format of short chapters with interest-catching titles, informative text boxes, and captioned full-color photographs and diagrams explores the diversity of species in the fungal world. In the final chapter, “Planet Savers, Future Builders,” Kenney considers some of the possibilities of mycorestoration as scientists continue to discover ways to use fungi to help solve environmental problems and restore balance in nature. (ways to connect with mycophiles, glossary, source notes, selected bibliography, further resources, index) (Gr 6 Up)  How the Word Is Passed: Remembering Slavery and How It Shaped America (Young Readers Edition). Clint Smith. Adapted by Sonja Cherry-Paul. (2025). Little, Brown. Cherry-Paul’s engaging and accessible adaptation of Smith’s How the Word Is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery in America (2021) takes readers on a tour of landmarks and monuments to explore the legacy of slavery in America: Monticello Plantation, the Whitney Plantation, Angola Prison, Blandford Cemetery, Galveston Island, New York City, and Senegal’s Gorée Island. Smith’s personal account of visits to these historical sites and the conversations he had with people he met encourages reflection on how the history of enslavement in America relates to our present-day lives. (author’s note, afterword, glossary, selected sources, index) (Gr 6 Up)  The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze. Derrick Barnes. (2015). Viking. Black 13-year-old Henson Blayze, a talented football player who is only an eighth grader, is recruited for Midnight High School’s varsity team of mostly white boys in Great Mountain, Mississippi. After a stellar performance during the first half of the Midnight Marauder’s opening game, Henson is outraged to learn that his ten-year-old friend, Menkah Jupiter, has been badly beaten by state troopers. When he informs the cheering crowd at halftime that he is heading to the hospital to see the boy, they turn on him. “Just. Play. BALL!” In the midst of Henson’s fall from grace, racial dynamics create high tension and a near-death experience, and his father’s revelation about the family trust and legacy forces Henson to make hard choices about his future. (author’s note) (Gr 6-8)  The Invisible Wild. Nikki Van De Car. (2025). Running Press Teens. Sixteen-year-old Emma Arruda, who lives on the Big Island of Hawai‘i, comes upon a non-sensible teen she nicknames “Hilo” living in a shack in the woods and agrees to secretly help him stay hidden. Emma realizes that she has reawakened her lost childhood gift of seeing the menehune, the legendary spirits and original island inhabitants, whose home is threatened by construction in the old forest in which they have always dwelled. When menehune leader, Koa, expresses his anger at Hilo and Emma for perceived slights against nature, he declares that the only way he will forgive them (and lift Hilo’s curse) is by their stopping the deforestation and development before the sacred land of the menehunes is destroyed—or by finding a new solution. (author’s note) (Gr 9-12)  The Last Bookstore on Earth. Lily Braun-Arnold. (2025). Delacorte. In this post-apocalyptic world, 17-year-old Liz has not left the suburban New Jersey bookstore where she worked (or its upstairs apartment) throughout the year following the acid-rain Storm that killed her family and destroyed the town, leaving it deserted and without electricity or water. Occasional travelers stop by to trade food, batteries, or other useful items for books, stories, and mail. When an intruder, Maeve, breaks into the store, Liz reluctantly lets her stay, unaware of the angry gang in pursuit of her. Using Maeve’s construction skills, they work on Liz’s repair to-do list, and, together, they raid deserted stores and homes for supplies. When the gang finds them and a second Storm hits, Liz and Maeve must use their wits to survive. (Gr 9-12)  Mindworks. Neal Shusterman. (2025). Simon & Schuster. The intriguing design of the jacket of Mindworks, “an uncanny compendium of short stories,” will grab the attention of both fans and those new to the writings of Schusterman, a master at crafting speculative fiction. The 43 short stories are organized in seven sections with equally intriguing titles: Forces of Nature; Angels, Demons, Monsters, and a Tree; The Wheel of Destiny; Attics, Basements, Windows, and Walls; The Living, the Dead, and the Undecided; I’m Not Myself Today; and You Reap What You Sow (The World of Scythe). Because of its length, moving around in Mindworks, rather than a straight-through reading, should be most satisfying. (Gr 6 Up)  Phenomenal Moments: Revealing the Hidden Science Around Us. Felice Frankel. (2025). MiTeen Press. Science photographer and Massachusetts Institute of Technology researcher Frankel introduces readers to a collection of full-color photographic images related to patterns in the world around us. Phenomenal Moments includes five themed sections: light and shadow, form, traces, transformations, and surfaces. Each section includes five or six entries with two double spreads: a strip of a photograph of an object or scene and the question “What Do You See?” set against a solid-color background followed by a double-spread page with a close-up photograph and “Moment” (why and how she made the photo) and “Phenomenon” (the science involved in what you see) text boxes. (“About the Chapter Openers”) Gr 6 Up)  The Raven & Other Writings (Monstrous Classics Collection). Edgar Allan Poe. (2025). Aladdin. This collection of writings of Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1848), who is best known for his classic gothic horror short stories and poems, includes 11 chilling and macabre tales (such as “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” and “The Tell-Tale Heart”) and16 poems (such as “The Raven,” “To One in Paradise, and “Annabel Lee”). Two other new books in the Monstrous Classics Collection were published simultaneously: Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow & Other Stories and Gaston Leroux’s The Phantom of the Opera.” (Gr 6 Up)  (S)kin. Ibi Zoboi. (2025). Versify. Inspired by Caribbean magical folklore, (S)kin, a fantasy-in-verse told through the first-person points of view of two teens in alternating chapters, entwines the fates of Black 15-year-old Marisol (and her mother, Lourdes), poor recent immigrants from Haiti, and 17-year-old Genevieve (and her father—a professor of the occult, stepmother, and twin baby half-siblings) in Brooklyn. Marisol and Lourdes come from a proud ancestral line of soucouyants (skin-shedding, flying fireball witches who sip on the life force of their victims); Genevieve, whose biological mother was a Black woman, lives with her privileged White family and battles daily against burning skin. After Lourdes and her daughter move into Genevieve’s home to help with the babies, dark secrets are exposed, fiery nights and revenge explode, and the girls literally get to see the world through each other’s eyes. (author’s note) (Gr 9-12)  Who Owns the Moon?: And Other Conundrums of Exploring and Using Space. Cynthia Levinson & Jennifer Swanson. (2025). Margaret Quinlin. Levinson and Swanson address a series of intriguing questions such as “Why go back to the Moon now?” and “So how can people govern themselves and others to maintain peace and order there?” The format of the narrative text with informative insets and text boxes accompanied by a wealth of captioned photographs and diagrams offers readers a timely and accessible history of space exploration and the present-day conundrums related to new technologies to get to the Moon and how to govern activity in space as well as opportunities for space-related careers. (acronyms, authors’ note, picture credits, source notes, further resources, bibliography, index) (Gr 6 Up) Nancy Brashear is Professor Emeritus of English at Azusa Pacific University, in Azusa, California. Carolyn Angus is former Director of the George G. Stone Center for Children’s Books, Claremont Graduate University, in Claremont, California.
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AuthorsThese reviews are submitted by members of the International Literacy Association's Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG). Categories
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