A lunchtime party under the bleachers leads to a group of middle schoolers facing a week of detention. Except instead of regular old boring detention, they’re roped into helping out with the school’s new Enviro-Club. In The Greenies by Emma Mills, with art from Sarah Nicole Kennedy, readers meet kids just like them who want to make their world a more environmentally friendly place and have some fun doing it too.
After her parents’ divorce, Violet moved to St. Louis with her mom, where she’s about to start a brand new school halfway through the school year. She’s thankful for having her cousin Kris there to help out but she mostly plans on relying on faking it till she makes it. When she gets invited to the Best Under Bleachers Party of the Century, she figures it’s a great way to meet her classmates. It’s fun, everyone’s having a good time… until they’re caught by a teacher who makes them clean up and assigns a week’s worth of detention to all the kids under the bleachers.
This week of detention turns into forced participation in the Enviro-Club, a group with a very passionate leader but very little interest from other students. The Greenies take on tasks around the school to make it into a greener, more beautiful space. There are some mishaps along the way, including a big one involving the mysterious 4th floor of their school and missing recycling, but there’s lots of joyful and funny moments. One standout is when the group rescues a chipmunk at school, which animal lovers will appreciate. The group also deals with some minor infighting and squabbles, showing readers that even when you’re working together, sometimes personalities and ideas will clash and it’s okay.
As the first book in a new middle grade graphic novel series, much of the action and story in this particular book involves the group as we get to know them, with a special focus on Violet as our main character. She realistically struggles with sharing her true emotions and trying her best to fit in at a new school in a new city. She misses her friends from home and seeing her dad everyday. Mills’ writing does a good job including these emotions in the novel without them overtaking the storyline. Yes, Violet is the main character but there’s more to the story than just her.
Kennedy’s art complements the story perfectly and is pleasantly reminiscent of other popular middle grade graphic novels, a selling point for voracious graphic novel readers. The characters in the book are diverse and expressive, with their facial expressions being a particular highlight for how realistic they are and their part in driving the book forward.
The Greenies is very focused on social responsibility and how small acts can make a difference. This particular aspect of the group makes it a fine choice for a classroom or book club read, where readers can consider what they can do and work together to make changes like the group does. The focus on a neighborhood clean up makes it an excellent springtime choice that may spur middle grader readers into action in the environment around them.
The Greenies By Emma Mills Art by Sarah Nicole Kennedy Macmillan, 2026 ISBN: 9781250815767
Company Age Rating:Â 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13)
Of Swamp & Sea is a delightful series by super spousal team Mia Jay Boulton and Laurel Boulton. It originally premiered as a comic on Web Toon, and Macmillan picked it up for printing. It follows the story of Mercy Harding, a young woman trying to confront the fact that she might not be human any more. A monster hunt gone wrong has lead her to being possessed by a creature simply referred to as “the wolf.” She finds herself partnered up (and maybe pining for) Jonah, the hunter who led her to her current state. In his guilt, he offers to try to rid her of the curse, but feelings of all sorts arise and Mercy isn’t so certain about what she wants anymore.
I don’t know how controversial a statement this is, but here goes: High fantasy and romances are hard sells for me. Of course, your mileage may vary, but for me, I think a lot of it boils down to how the story is told. I am not opposed to formulaic storytelling, but both romance (the exploration of feelings) and high fantasy (world building, magic systems, etc.) tend to rely on a lot of information, but the narrative does not have time to really dig in and explain.
Of Swamp & Sea, at least the second volume, manages to navigate this challenge in a way that is very balanced and satisfying without sacrificing pacing. For me, this title is an example of an ideal fantasy romance.
The art tends to stay pretty tight, allowing the panels to focus on characters and individual emotions. Not to say there is no atmosphere, but this is definitely more about the characters than the overall world. I am impressed with the gestural facial expressions and emotive body language. The color palette is soft and limited from page to page, but not restrictive. In presentation, not content, the art resembles the Critical Role animated series. The characters are diverse in their appearance, the story moves well, and there are many fascinating fantasy creatures and myths that are explored. Vol. 2 is an overall speedy and interesting read.
The book does not contain anything particularly graphic, but I would say there is some violence and some horror-adjacent moments. Recommended for readers aged 12 & up.
It looks like the entire series is no longer available through Web Toon, so Macmillan is the way to go if you want to read more (and I hope you do).
Of Swamp & Sea, Vol. 02 By Mia Jay Boulton and Laurel Boulton Macmillan, 2025 ISBN: 9781250387004Â
NFNT Age Recommendation: Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13) Creator Representation:Â Queer,
All right, everyone, we’re going to have to talk about…
…growing up.
Extra Large acts as a kind of memoir of the author, though the note at the end of the story indicates that it is not a beat-by-beat retelling of his childhood. While on vacation, Tyler wins a shirt at a state fair. The vendor explains he only has extra large sizes left. Too ecstatic about his victory to really worry, Tyler accepts the shirt. It starts out too large on him, and as the story goes on, he finds that it also eventually becomes too small.
Tyler’s life in middle school is disrupted by the complex relationship he has with how he looks. Inevitable, really, but no less jarring for young people. On top of that, he’s really entering the age where you start forming your individual identity, and unfortunately, that can mean sometimes taking cues from social pressures. Tyler doesn’t always act true to what he really feels and thinks is right, but it is in the interest of self-preservation. These things can seem really important in those early teen years, and I bet a lot of young people would be able to see themselves in this story. It’s a collision of body image, self-esteem, health, and bonding at one of the most confusing times in a person’s life.
What I found most relatable about this comic is that it shows the reader how these sorts of opinions about ourselves and behaviors are formed. Tyler didn’t suddenly wake up and think he was too fat or too big or too anything. It started with how his clothes seemed to fit, how his parents viewed and talked bout food and diet, what the bullies at school called him. And these things keep coming up over time; these are not pivotal moments in Tyler’s life, necessarily, so much as they are ongoing events. Like waves that repeatedly shape rock, these events repeatedly shape Tyler’s opinion on himself and others. Despite the conflict coming from several different sources, the story is not convoluted at all. It’s an easy read with depth, if you seek it out.
The illustrations really lean into the look of a 1990s American cartoon. We’re talking bold colors, hard outlines, and those weird little geometric shapes that you saw on plastic cups and fast food wrappers. If you grew up watching the likes of Pepper Ann or Recess, you’ll get the vibe. There are also no visibly obvious signs that Tyler’s weight changes over time, a detail that I appreciate as weight gain can sometimes seem invisible.
I know some readers might be sensitive to subjects like dieting, weight loss/gain, bullying, and related subjects. The narrative mainly focuses on Tyler’s day-to-day school and social life, but I do think people should be aware that these themes are present.
The best element of the overall story is that Tyler realizes what makes him feel good about who he is as a person, and it has nothing to do with his weight. That higher self-esteem does, however, make him want to act in ways that align with his values, which begets more happiness for himself and others.
Extra Large By Tyler Page Macmillan First Second, 2025 ISBN: 9781250851567
Company Age Rating:Â 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13)
On the first day of senior year, Essie Rosen has it all figured out. She has plans for college, supportive friends, and she’s dating the boy next door. But as the school year unfolds, her perfect life starts to fall apart. Her boyfriend breaks up with her, her best friend has stopped responding to her texts, and her college dreams are on the rocks, all while under the scrutiny of her perfectionist mother. Things get even more complicated when she meets Christopher, an alluring junior, whose older brother set her own brother, Gabe, down the path to drug addiction. Essie just wants to know where she belongs, but everyone around her wants to tell her how to live her life.
You Belong Here, written by debut author Sara Phoebe Miller and illustrated by Morgan Beem, is a coming of age teen drama that explores family and personal relationships, sex, and mental health while navigating the end of high school in a small town. Miller’s story is relatable and engaging. Even though familiar tropes show up, like enemies-to-lovers, there are twists and turns in the narrative that keep things fresh. It’s hard to see how things will turn out for Essie as she zooms through her senior year, but her character development is satisfying. Beem’s beautiful ink and watercolors make the world feel lively, even when there are minimal backgrounds. Beem is particularly talented at expressing characters’ emotions through their facial expressions and movements and every page is visually captivating.
There’s a great deal of diversity among the characters, positively representing several different cultural identities. A discussion between Essie, who is Jewish, and Christopher, who is Chinese American, hints at racism in their small, suburban town, but racial tensions are largely left out of the narrative. This quick reference might have had more impact if it had been explored more deeply, but feels more like an afterthought than a feature of Essie’s world.
One of the most refreshing things about this book is that Essie is drawn fat. Her story, however, has almost nothing to do with her weight. She brings up her size once as a reason she’s been discriminated against in acting roles, but she gets to be a typical teenager, she gets to attract boys and pursue sex, she gets to wear what she wants and be who she is. And no one, not even her mother, who nitpicks every other aspect of her life, tells her to change her body. In a world full of stories about fatness being a problem to be fixed, this is a breath of fresh air.
The publisher gives an age range of 14 to 18, but some content readers may wish to know about include mentions of drugs, addiction, and rehabilitation, depression, underage drinking and smoking, language, and an attempted sexual assault on Essie by an older male stranger. There is no overt nudity, but two teenagers do attempt to have sex. Even with all these tough issues, Essie’s story of drama and romance is a fun read and would be a good addition to a teen graphic novel collection.
You Belong Here By Sara Phoebe Miller Art by Morgan Beem Macmillan, 2025 ISBN: 9781250822307
Company Age Rating:Â 14 – 18
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16) , Character Representation:Â Jewish ,
JieJie and her little brother DiDi live in a desert wasteland outside of a bustling metropolis known as Oasis City. Their mother works long, grueling hours in order to get her children admitted to the city. JieJie does her best to keep her little brother in good spirits and acts as sister, best friend, and mother. But this is no job for a child. Scavenging for water, enduring sandstorms, and trying to make nutritious meals from dry packets weigh heavily on JieJie. Things change when the children come across a scrapped AI robot in a junkyard. This new addition to the family is able to do pretty much everything their original mother can and the children begin to develop a familial love for her. Despite the story’s dark premise, it ends on a very hopeful note.
I do want to draw attention (pun intended) to the beautiful illustrations in this book. The character designs are minimal and delicate – the people in this story have a cartoonish, child-friendly design that is almost evocative of dolls or toys and I think the whole vibe endears them to the reader. The harsh environments and settings are realistically rendered, and Goujing makes excellent use of color and highlight to bring out the despair and hope in the story.
Oasis has a lot of potential for dark storytelling, but ultimately leaves these plot threads behind to favor a saccharine ending. I feel that there was a rich vein to mine about AI, environmentalism, the nature of work in capitalist societies (a very haunting connection is drawn between the children’s mother and the AI robot), and how all of those things have the potential to just slam together and what sort of disasters it might create.
But really, this book is not necessarily trying to speak to me personally. As the author states, the book was inspired by the “left-behind children” of China—children who live in rural areas while their parents seek work in cities. A happy ending is what we want to give these children who are so far away from their parents, and it’s easy to see that desire reflected in the story. The publisher describes it as “filled with equal parts hope and suspense,” and I am inclined to agree.
Oasis By Guojing Macmillan, 2025 ISBN: 9781250818386
Company Age Rating:Â 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11) Creator Representation:Â Chinese, Character Representation:Â Chinese,
A fictionalized story of Edita “Dita” Adlerova, The Librarian of Auschwitz follows the daily life and motivations of Dita as she lives through World War II as a Jew and eventually is forced to move to Auschwitz with her family. Upon arrival, they are forced to strip for disinfection and given tattoos. But they are not subjected to the same horrible existence as the other camps. In the Family Camp, BIIB, Dita can see her family every day, wear her own clothes, and keep her hair. She also meets a man named Fredy, who works to keep the camp orderly and stands up to the Germans and the Kapos to get the prisoners various privileges.Â
Dita’s first job is being the replacement stage prompter in the children’s block, but after the performance, Dita is no longer needed until Fredy approaches her with a dangerous request: to become the camp’s librarian. In charge of the small number of books that are forbidden within the camp and carried with them a death sentence. Dita took her job very seriously and cared for the books and made sure people had access to them. She even starts setting up meetings with living books (people who tell stories from memory or share their own experiences). Before the end of the war, Dita experiences the loss of her parents, hunger, illness, and hard manual labor in addition to the constant threat of death. Fortunately, she was able to make a friend, Margit, who she reconnected with once the war had ended.Â
Included in the end material is a note from the adapter, who explains what types of changes were made for the graphic novel adaptation as well as a brief historical dossier about the novel’s creation and biographical information about some of the key characters.Â
I haven’t read the original novel this adaptation was based on; however, I did find the story easy to follow. The illustrations keep a good balance between showing stark truths and maintaining suitability for younger readers. To that end, there are some panels that show naked bodies, but nothing gory or sexual is on page. Mengele’s experiments are spoken of in order to showcase the terror felt by the prisoners but never explained in detail or in illustration. I liked the way the artist used muted neutral colors throughout the story. It set the tone and brought the reality of this part of our history into stark light.Â
This adaptation could be shared with readers as young as third grade and would appeal to readers through sixth grade. It would make an excellent addition to any public or school library in the historical fiction section.Â
The Librarian of Auschwitz: The Graphic Novel By Antonio Iturbe, Salva Rubio Art by Loreto Aroca Hollendonner Godwin Books, 2023 ISBN: 9781250842985
Publisher Age Rating:Â 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Tween (10-13) Creator Representation:Â Spanish, Character Representation:Â Jewish
Everyone knows that ghosts can be terrifying. Many can rattle off stories about wandering spirits and vengeful entities that chilled the blood, but some might forget that ghosts aren’t always scary. One could point out that being a ghost is like having red hair or being double-jointed; it’s an aspect of that person’s (or spirit’s) character but it’s not the totality of it. The overall ghost story might tone down the terror for the audience or because the author wants to tell a different kind of story involving ghosts and the afterlife. Such is the case of Ghost Book, written and drawn by Remy Lai, a book about ghosts that speak to kids while also tackling some complex topics like grief and friendship.
The story begins with two children who were born on the same day, and are tied together due to some cosmic shenanigans. July Chen is considered eccentric by many of her classmates, when they notice her at all. She has what’s called Yin Yang eyes, which allow her to see ghosts, including the hungry ones that come out during Hungry Ghost Month. Despite her father’s insistence that ghosts aren’t real, she still sees them and William, who is not a ghost but a wandering spirit caught between the realms of the living and the dead. July tries to help her new friend get back to his body, but the price to save him may be too high.
Young readers will find a plucky protagonist in July Chen, who is considered by many of her peers to be “weird” but is still a brave, resourceful heroine when it counts. She is also dealing with the loss of her mother, who died when she was born, and a father who practically refuses to talk about July’s mother. As July tries to protect William, readers will also see a friendship that begins because both children are terribly isolated (William, because of his condition, and July, because of her reputation), but that bond grows more as they go on a quest into the realm of the dead where many terrors await them.
The art does depict some unsettling images of hungry ghosts. Looking like rejected sketches while Edvard Munch was painting “The Scream,” their empty eyes and repetition of the word “hungry”—all drawn in a sickly gray speech balloon—make them seem even more inhuman and terrifying. They become especially frightening when they are drawn toward William as a potential snack. However, the book balances the frights with lighter fantasy elements, like the bumbling Ox-head and Horse-face, who look exactly like their names imply. They are collectors of wayward spirits and are also pursuing July and William, but they are also more interested in eating dumplings than meeting their quotas.
The book exists in a world of Chinese mythology while also dealing with some universal truths. Ghost Book is a Orpheus-like descent into a fantastical underworld while also serving a moral about the hold grief can have over the living. Its simplistic artwork does imply that this story is for children, those who might see a little of themselves in William or July, but it also doesn’t pander to its audience and should be a part of any children’s graphic novel collection.
Ghost Book By Remy Lai Macmillan, 2023 ISBN: 9781250810434
Publisher Age Rating: 8-12 years
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Older Teen (16-18) Creator Representation:Â Indonesian,
Lucy has always been her older sister Olivia’s biggest fan, always wanting to be just like her. But when everything starts changing, their relationship moves in ways that Lucy isn’t ready for. In Smaller Sister, Maggie Edkins Willis tells the sisters’ story across several years, showing how their relationship fluctuates as their lives do.Â
Like many younger siblings often do, Lucy wants to be an important part of Olivia’s life, starting from their earliest days. Olivia is outgoing and athletic with lots of friends. If they spend more time together, maybe those qualities will rub off on Lucy and she’ll finally be able to make some friends that stick. She’s trying her best to emulate her sister when their parents throw their world into disarray by announcing they’ll be switching to a new school, a smaller one where both sisters can shine. This is the first of two school changes the sisters must deal with in the book, with the second involving a move to a new state as well.Â
Lucy uses art to express herself and to discover who she is. Her expectations and desires for who she wants to be are shown in her doodling. She attempts to change her personality by mirroring Olivia or the popular girls at school before meeting people who appreciate and value her exactly as she is. Both sisters find that there is no perfect body, no perfect way to be a teenage girl, and that finding a space for yourself to be your authentic self is one way to crush your self doubt.Â
Smaller Sister covers several years and deals with a lot of topics. Perhaps the most notable is Olivia’s struggle with anorexia. The book begins with a content warning for eating disorders. Changing schools and moving is never easy, especially when you’re also dealing with the realities of being a tween. Lucy doesn’t quite understand what’s going on with her sister for some time and this creates a rift between the sisters, making Lucy feel even more lost and distant from Olivia. As Lucy gets older herself, she also begins to struggle with disordered eating and the overwhelming need to have an ideal body staring back at her in the mirror. It is not the main topic of the book, but it is a significant one, and important to note to potential readers.Â
One of the most endearing parts of Smaller Sister is the notes between the sisters written in their Secret Sister Code. Each note is written in their special code, with a translation box offered. The sisters share their secrets and concerns with each other through these letters, some of which go unanswered. The detail of these is great and their inclusion is consistent throughout the story. Their code reinforces their connection and why Lucy is so upset when Olivia is drifting away from her.Â
The art is very appealing and reminiscent of other middle grade realistic fiction graphic novels. You see the growth of the characters, both age and personality wise. The colors are bright and vibrant when the story calls for it, muted and darker when the mood changes. The characters’ expressions jump off the page and are very realistic.Â
The book is a story of growing up and the time when you go from a child to a teen. Readers will find themselves relating to one of the sisters’ struggles, as they deal with everything from the aforementioned disordered eating to first crushes to being left out of friend groups. There are also brief mentions of not wanting to be around anymore while Olivia is in treatment for her eating disorder. Because of this, it is recommended for an older middle grade or younger young adult audience.Â
Readers of Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham’s Friends: The Series and Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm’s Sunny series will likely be instant fans of Smaller Sister.Â
Prunella, a young girl raised by an image obsessed mother, finds community among monsters she was raised to fear. Prunella and the Cursed Skull Ring, written and illustrated by Matt Loux, is a fun middle-grade read about the power of acceptance and the danger of fear.
Prunella’s town has been consumed by fear against dangerous monsters just outside the city walls. In fact, those city walls aren’t enough, they must make them taller to protect against evil invading their town. Prunella isn’t interested in the fear mongering, instead she runs home to work on her backyard garden, where she uncovers a strange red skull ring. Out of curiosity, Prunella tries the ring on, the ring gets stuck, and Prunella turns into a skeleton.
Everyone in town, including her own mother, see a monster instead of a young girl and willfully ignore her pleas for help. Prunella is literally kicked out of town, exiled to the forest beyond the city walls. She is alone and lost in a place she has been taught to fear. With nowhere else to turn, Prunella decides to follow a small group of wisps who lead her deep into the forest to a thriving monster community. This monster community is everything her town is not. Instead of fear, they accept and instead of defensiveness, they help.
Upon learning Prunella’s story, a kind pirate skeleton offers to lead her through the monster territories for help with the cursed ring. Along the way she meets a number of monsters who each in their own way are happy to help her on her journey. The story is filled with moments of silly humor with clear examples of kindness and acceptance. Young children who are forming their sense of justice (and humor) will enjoy this fantastical journey. There are clear connections with politics and news stories that focus on fear and walls against neighbors across borders. The young children reading this book, however, will focus on the young girl who does not fit into her at home and instead is embraced by loving monsters.
Real danger is in a community controlled by fear. The monsters, of all kinds, are warm and welcoming to Prunella, open to learning more about her and quickly accepting her differences and strengths. For a story that is so clearly about the benefits of diversity and accepting the other, I wish there was a little more intentionality in descriptions. For instance, the different monster groups are described as tribes, a term that is often used as an othering term for non-western cultures. The monster city, Cedarton, includes Japanese inspired architecture and food. I appreciated the references and thought the illustrations of these scenes were beautiful, but I am also not really qualified to speak on the handling of those elements and diversity in the book as a whole.
Prunella is a hand-painted comic and I particularly appreciate the illustrations in the darker and more intense scenes of the story. In a dark forest, when Prunella is without a home or community, and deep in a cave with little hope, Loux uses dark blue and green hues. Most of the illustrations have a brighter color palette, so the pages filled with blue shadows immediately shift the tone and mood of the scenes.
Prunella and the Cursed Skull Ring is a very fun comic to read, and I imagine many young comic readers will appreciate the humor, fun illustrations, and affirming story. I recommend it for children’s and elementary graphic novel collections.
Prunella and the Cursed Skull Ring By Matt Loux Macmillan First Second, 2022 ISBN: 9781250162618
Victoria loves horses. She used to share that love with her best friend, Taylor, when they rode and competed together. But when Victoria decided she’s more interested in riding for fun, while Taylor stayed intensely focused on competing, a rift opened between them that wound up destroying their friendship.
Which is why Victoria has left the elite stable where she used to ride for a smaller, more relaxed stable. Here she can enjoy spending time with the horses. No competitions . . . and no so-called friends. Victoria has been focused on horses for a long time, in part because riding and competing were Taylor’s all-consuming interests and the basis of their friendship. So, Victoria wants nothing to do with the other riders at Edgewood Stables. At least, not until she realizes that her peers at this stable aren’t like Taylor: they have other interests in common than just horses, and they value friendship above competition. It’s not until the kids at her new stable start talking about “Beyond the Galaxy”—a low-budget sci-fi TV show that Victoria used to love—that she realizes she can bond with people over more than one thing. Hicks notes that parts of the story are inspired by her own years as a Horse Girl, as well as her own experience with being hurt by a childhood best friend.
This is a story about finding your people and embracing your interests, as well as about horseback riding and silly sci-fi fandom fun. We also get glimpses of the various family dynamics that Victoria and her friends go home to: Victoria lives with her big sister and mentions that she got into “Beyond the Galaxy” because she would escape to her grandmother’s house to watch it when her parents fought. Victoria’s new friend Norrie resents her accomplished older brother for setting such a high bar academically, but when Norrie gets in trouble, he ends up being more supportive than she expected. Another new friend, Sam, has two rowdy older brothers who tease him a lot, but also show up for him and cheer him on.
There is no violence in the story and no action more harrowing than a brief topple off a horse. No sexual content and only the faintest hint of a possible future romance. The book does touch on some sad situations, like Victoria’s broken friendship with Taylor, but ends on a happy and hopeful note. The characters’ ages are not stated, but they seem to be about thirteen.
The art will be familiar to fans of its Eisner-award-winning creator. Like her other original graphic novels, it has a style of expressive, slightly simplified realism, with rich backgrounds and characters drawn in poses that look natural and dynamic. This book includes a lot of horses along with the human characters, and many of the settings are horse-centric, but we also get scenes at characters’ homes, a library, and other places. The colors are generally natural and realistic, but sometimes bright backgrounds are used to reflect a character’s emotional state or add drama to an action sequence.
This uplifting, realistic story will appeal to fans of other contemporary graphic novels that feature tween girls navigating friendships and feelings. Hand it to readers of of Raina Telgemeier, Jennifer L. Holm, and Victoria Jamieson.
Ride On By Faith Erin Hicks Macmillan First Second, 2022 ISBN: 9781250772824
Publisher Age Rating: 10-14
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13)
boring detention, they’re roped into helping out with the school’s new Enviro-Club. In The Greenies by Emma Mills, with art from Sarah Nicole Kennedy, readers meet kids just like them who want to make their world a more environmentally friendly place and have some fun doing it too.
Mercy Harding is a monster.
All right, everyone, we’re going to have to talk about…
On the first day of senior year, Essie Rosen has it all figured out. She has plans for college, supportive friends, and she’s dating the boy next door. But as the school year unfolds, her perfect life starts to fall apart. Her boyfriend breaks up with her, her best friend has stopped responding to her texts, and her college dreams are on the rocks, all while under the scrutiny of her perfectionist mother. Things get even more complicated when she meets Christopher, an alluring junior, whose older brother set her own brother, Gabe, down the path to drug addiction. Essie just wants to know where she belongs, but everyone around her wants to tell her how to live her life.
long, grueling hours in order to get her children admitted to the city. JieJie does her best to keep her little brother in good spirits and acts as sister, best friend, and mother. But this is no job for a child. Scavenging for water, enduring sandstorms, and trying to make nutritious meals from dry packets weigh heavily on JieJie. Things change when the children come across a scrapped AI robot in a junkyard. This new addition to the family is able to do pretty much everything their original mother can and the children begin to develop a familial love for her. Despite the story’s dark premise, it ends on a very hopeful note.
lives through World War II as a Jew and eventually is forced to move to Auschwitz with her family. Upon arrival, they are forced to strip for disinfection and given tattoos. But they are not subjected to the same horrible existence as the other camps. In the Family Camp, BIIB, Dita can see her family every day, wear her own clothes, and keep her hair. She also meets a man named Fredy, who works to keep the camp orderly and stands up to the Germans and the Kapos to get the prisoners various privileges.
Everyone knows that ghosts can be terrifying. Many can rattle off stories about wandering spirits and vengeful entities that chilled the blood, but some might forget that ghosts aren’t always scary. One could point out that being a ghost is like having red hair or being double-jointed; it’s an aspect of that person’s (or spirit’s) character but it’s not the totality of it. The overall ghost story might tone down the terror for the audience or because the author wants to tell a different kind of story involving ghosts and the afterlife. Such is the case of Ghost Book, written and drawn by Remy Lai, a book about ghosts that speak to kids while also tackling some complex topics like grief and friendship.
Lucy has always been her older sister Olivia’s biggest fan, always wanting to be just like her. But when everything starts changing, their relationship moves in ways that Lucy isn’t ready for. In 
Prunella, a young girl raised by an image obsessed mother, finds community among monsters she was raised to fear. Prunella and the Cursed Skull Ring, written and illustrated by Matt Loux, is a fun middle-grade read about the power of acceptance and the danger of fear.
Victoria loves horses. She used to share that love with her best friend, Taylor, when they rode and competed together. But when Victoria decided she’s more interested in riding for fun, while Taylor stayed intensely focused on competing, a rift opened between them that wound up destroying their friendship.
