Huw Aaron, a Welsh cartoonist, debuted in the US with the picture book, Sleep Night, Disgusting Blob. His first middle grade graphic novel shows a similar sense of humor along with skillful plotting and exuberant art.
After introducing the world of The Garden and the Tree Fairies who live in Oakhold, the story immediately jumps into the Root Stores where an enthusiastic brawl is taking place and we meet Pip, a red-haired, nobody fairy who has wandered into the Root Stores. He’s taken in by the outcast fairies there, but quickly realizes it’s not the place for him (after about four minutes) and happily agrees to take important news up the tree to “The Department.” On his journey he’ll meet a plethora of characters, from a lowly receptionist who always follows the rules to a guard recruit trying to live up to their father’s reputation, to the most important fairies of all. Of course, being Pip, along the way there is chaos galore until he finally saves the day and becomes the hero… or does he? The story ends with a shocking revelation that paves the way for a sequel.
Aaron’s art is bright and the action moves rapidly from panel to panel. Pip is shown as a diminutive, white creature with pointed ears, a wild fluff of red curls and an irrepressible grin. Along the way he meets fairies and creatures of all colors, from green to brown, and body types that range from round and squishy to sharp and pointy. The characters range from grotesque to cute and their backgrounds are messy scrawls of orange, brown, green, and blue. The action-packed panels are periodically interrupted by full spreads showing detailed drawings of the garden, oak tree, or large scale images of important events like meetings of the council or a battle with the vegetable fairy sheriff, a swollen orange character with a leaf toupee.
Although the story is, on the surface, a light-hearted tale of Pip’s anarchic tendencies and goofy antics that drive his new friends wild and accidentally save the day, there’s also a lot of thoughtful commentary below the surface about abuse of power, the dangers of following rules without question, and questioning authority.
Readers who like Dog Man-style antics and enjoy goofy fantasies will be delighted by this series starter and eager to read more of the misadventure of Pip and the fairy world of Oakhold.
Unfairies: A Graphic Novel By Huw Aaron Penguin Random House, 2026 ISBN: 9798217005758
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13)
A lot of the graphics I’ve read recently are BIG stories: epic adventures, fantastic settings, or, in more realistic pieces, life or death stakes. It’s easy to make even a straightforward coming of age tale a BIG story with the angst, drama, and anxiety of even the most bog standard puberty. What’s hard is telling an entertaining small story, one that feels honest and real and intimate, something that at once feels universal and unique. Turning Twelve by Kathryn Ormsbee and illustrated by Molly Brooks is a small story. And it is completely lovely.
This follow up to Growing Pains by the same pair and released by Penguin Random House in October 2024, picks up with central character Katie as she turns twelve. Twelve is looking to be a big year for her: the threat of her first period is lurking around every corner, she’s going to her youth groups annual retreat, she gets to start babysitting, and she’s positive she’ll be cast as the lead in an upcoming musical. The Obsessive Compulsive Disorder that was central in the first book still buzzes in the background, but Katie is learning to accept that as part of how her brain works. Things turn sideways for Katie quickly—her best friends move out of town, she doesn’t get the lead in Annie, and things that felt natural and easy last year are filling her with questions and doubt. The biggest question is her new friend Grace. Grace is pretty. Really pretty. Really really pretty and nice and talented and makes her heart go thump thump thump. This is a big problem for Katie whose church makes it very clear that being gay is not okay.
Visually, Turning Twelve is nearly a perfect middle grade graphic. The art is cute and there are a few recurring visual themes that do a lot of story work, like the thumps of Katie’s heart or the buzzing bees of her anxious thoughts. The panels have a smooth, clean layout that moves the story along at a quick clip. This is a really quick read which is good because there isn’t really a lot going on in this story. Even in slow moments, the story doesn’t drag or meander. Katie is a very compelling character who breathes life into the story and gives the reader a solid anchor into the world of the story. Katie is so well developed in fact that the other characters don’t get much beyond a surface level treatment. Hazel, the would be new youth group friend, is never more than just there, and even Grace, the object of Katie’s confusing affection, doesn’t get a whole lot of characterization. The reader never really sees Katie’s parents so there’s no sense of how founding her stress in her awakening sexuality is. This is Katie’s story and Katie’s conflict and the other characters aren’t given much beyond her lens.
When I say Turning Twelve is small, that’s not to say it’s not saying big or important things. It absolutely is. But it’s not trying to solve those big important things. There are no big confessions or clear answers. Just like the mental health struggles Katie had in the first book, there are no fixes in this story because there is nothing to fix, just new ways for Katie to interact with her world and an acceptance of herself. The story ends with the hope that that world will be kind to our main character and that, while her road may still be bumpy ahead, Katie is going to be okay.
Turning Twelve Vol. 2 By Kathryn Ormsbee Art by Molly Brooks Penguin Random House, 2024 ISBN: 9780593650066
Company Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13) Creator Representation: Lesbian, Character Representation: Lesbian, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Michael Regina’s debut in 2021, The Sleepover, established him as a creator of thoughtful horror stories for a middle grade audience. His sophomore effort, Deepwater Creek, repeats this theme but with a new group of kids.
It’s the last fishing trip of summer and brothers Wade and Andrew and their friends Camilla and Tommy are determined to enjoy themselves with the brothers’ dad, despite the recent destruction of a hurricane and the resultant rumors that… something… is causing problems in the river. The dynamic of the brothers – Andrew, hesitant and cautious, Wade, constantly pushing him past his boundaries – is established during the trip while Camilla and Tommy are more background characters. Then disaster strikes. A strange fog rolls in, the fish start looking strange, and Andrew and their dad go overboard. Wade manages to help them escape, but there’s… something… in the water, seen only dimly as a blacker shape with three gleaming red eyes and a sharp horn against a cloud of shadows.
In the aftermath of the accident, Andrew withdraws into himself but Wade refuses to leave him alone and eventually convinces him, and their friends, to make another trip up the river and face their fears. Their journey will lead them into a terrifying world of strange underwater creatures and dark secrets from the past, forcing them to confront not only the monsters hiding in the fog but also their own fears.
Regina’s art has a distinctive, swirling look, due to the watercolors used to paint it. Regina’s medium is perfect for the story, with dirty grey fog drifting throughout the images and terrifying shadows lurking under the dark, murky water. Even the sunny day at the very beginning has ominous yellowish clouds in the sky and the story grows darker and darker as it progresses, with monstrous shapes only partially glimpsed through the clouds until they are briefly but fully revealed, evil red “eyes” blazing against churning teeth and whipping tentacles. When the group flees the monster, pushing through the fog to find the deserted wreck left from the monster’s last incursion, the art shifts to sepia tones. They encounter a “survivor” who tells the story and its disastrous results. After this sequence builds to a terrifying revelation, the small group plunges back into the fog, desperately trying to survive, the increasing darkness pierced only by strange sparks of light. The story ends in the dark water, now cleansed of the monster, as the two brothers together swim towards the bright light of the day and future.
This is classic horror, the monsters shown as both a very real menace and a dark, terrifying mystery with a deeper layer to the story reflecting on the hidden layers of the characters involved in the story. Both Wade and Andrew have layers of feelings they are hiding, especially Wade, who covers his anxieties over future change with his pushy insistence on Andrew “getting over it” and sticking with the group of friends. Andrew and Wade’s mom speaks Spanish, Tommy is Black, and Camilla is white with blonde hair. Although secondary characters, both Tommy and Camilla are fully realized people; Camilla has her own scientific agenda and can take over leadership when needed and Tommy has a dry sense of humor, firm loyalty, and a determined, practical streak that keeps the group going through their adventure.
Readers who ventured into Regina’s previous book will be excited and nervous about stepping into another one of his strange worlds, where a new group of intrepid kids overcome their fears and venture forward to face both the monsters that lurk in the shadows and their own insecurities. The story will remain in readers’ imaginations long after they finish it, not just for the delicious thrill of what might be hiding in the shadows, but also for the hope of seeing the light beyond the darkness of fear, change, and grief.
Deepwater Creek By Michael Regina Penguin Random House, 2025 ISBN: 9780593117378
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11), Tween (10-13)
Who isn’t fascinated by dinosaur facts? I’m old enough to have been part of a large portion of the general population that grew up with an understanding of dinosaurs that came from Jurassic Park or The Land Before Time. Both good movies in their own unique ways, but the point is: when I was growing up, it was generally accepted that dinosaurs were giant reptiles and they definitely didn’t have feathers.
The Magic Tree House Fact Checkers is a series of nonfiction books that are written by Mary Pope Osborne together with either her husband Will Osborne and her sister Natalie Pope Boyce. These books break complex subjects down into simple concepts that young children can readily comprehend. They help develop a child’s skills at reaching conclusions through the logic of cause and effect. But the most fundamental gain of the nonfiction Fact Trackers is that they give children an appreciation for the wonders of the “real” world and inspire a curiosity for learning more about history and natural science.
Jack and Annie are your guides – they narrate and explain their time traveling adventures to the reader while dropping facts about where they happen to be visiting. Red vocabulary words are highlighted and defined in the corners of certain panels, mindful and considerate of its target reader. And although informative and well-rendered, do not expect this graphic novel to contain scientific illustrations. But do expect some basic scientific language – such as “megalosaurus,” how to pronounce it, and what it translates to – the history of dinosaur archeology specifically (including how we humans got it all wrong), the history of the planet, and a little bit about what we still don’t know.
Magic Tree House Fact Tracker Graphic Novel: Dinosaurs is a solid start to a basic and foundational understanding of paleontology. The information is laid out simply in an organized fashion and the pictures that accompany it are engaging and rendered in full color.
Magic Tree House Fact Tracker Graphic Novel vol. 02: Dinosaurs By Mary Pope Osborne, Will Osborne Art by Jomike Tejido Penguin Random House, 2025 ISBN: 9780593705841
The adorable duo, Pencil & Eraser, are back again in their second adventure! This time, Pencil is super excited that they will be joining their human Stella for her karate class. Joining… as in being along for the ride in Stella’s backpack since they’re her school supplies. While practicing some ninja moves, Pencil performs a jump – right out of Stella’s backpack and onto the sidewalk. Of course, Eraser won’t abandon Pencil and is right behind her. Now, they need to find the dojo in order to reunite with Stella. Luckily, Eraser brought along a map…
Pencil & Eraser: Lost and Frown! is the charming sequel to Jenny Alvarado’s Pencil & Eraser: We Have a Dull-emma! While in the first story, readers were introduced to Pencil and Eraser with an adventure in the classroom, in Lost and Frown!, Pencil and Eraser must navigate the outside world. They encounter a couple of helpful squirrels who are very curious about what type of wood Pencil is, escape a shiny arcade, and navigate the karate class to make it back to their beloved Stella, though they face one last unexpected twist!
The structural and narrative formats of Lost and Frown! are similar to We Have a Dull-emma!, which is a good thing. Alvarado had a winning formula in the first installment – simple panels, clear text, joke breaks – so it was good to see the formula continuing with a new refreshing and fun story. It’s notable that Alvarado includes a cute little table of contents and chapters, elements that are common in longer regular novels as opposed to graphic novels. Not only do they help ground the story and break up scenes for young readers, but they also familiarize emerging readers with elements that they’ll see in novels. That familiarity could make prose novels less intimidating for emerging readers.
In addition to the narrative strengths, Alvarado’s art remains the heart of Pencil & Eraser. The two main characters are expressive, able to be both funny or endearing depending on what situation in which they find themselves. The backgrounds are simple but effective – Alvarado utilizes gradients frequently when focusing on the characters, but she uses lined backgrounds to express movement or action. However, she is also able to draw a detailed background when she needs to convey where Pencil and Eraser are. Alvarado includes a how-to-draw bonus at the end of this book as well, which fans and aspiring artists will love.
The publisher’s age rating for Pencil & Eraser: Lost and Frown! is ages 5-8, the perfect age group for the Pencil & Eraser series. Readers who enjoyed We Have a Dull-emma! will love this follow-up, and readers who are meeting Pencil and Eraser for the first time will have no trouble following the story and will be thrilled to know there is another book in this series for them to read. The Pencil & Eraser series continues to be an excellent choice for emerging readers and for readers searching for another cute pair of characters to adore like Narwhal and Jelly. Lost and Frown! is a must for any library, as is its predecessor. Pencil and Eraser will bring a lot of joy and laughter to young readers.
Pencil & Eraser: Lost and Frown! By Jenny Alvarado G.P. Putnam’s Sons, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2025 ISBN: 9780593699812
Maxwell Dark hunts monsters—but only in your dreams. He’s recently showed up in Gloomy Elms, a spooky town with a nightmare problem and he’s found the perfect client, if only she’ll let him into her dreams.
Sid, a middle schooler who’s just living her life, is freaked out when a weird kid shows up and claims he can “help” her. But her nightmares are getting worse and no matter how much her friends make fun of him, it’s starting to look like only Maxwell can help. Together, they dive into Sid’s worst nightmares, filled with grotesque monsters, to search for the nightmare that’s causing all the trouble. However, Sid’s nightmares are getting worse and they’ve had no success in tracking down the cause, plus Maxwell’s no closer to his own quest, finding his lost sister who vanished into the dream world years ago. Can Sid defeat her nightmares, with Maxwell’s help?
The human characters are all drawn very similarly, with round faces, big eyes, and light skin tones. A few kids in the background at Sid’s school have darker skin or chunkier builds. Maxwell’s eyes look vaguely distressed and his black hair, outlined with thick white borders, sweeps over one eye. Sid has light brown skin and a cinnamon roll of hair on top of her head. At night, it has a purple tinge, but it’s brown in the daylight. Although the town of Gloomy Elms has some stereotypically spooky elements, the really gross horror shows up in Sid’s nightmares. Tentacled and fanged creatures in vivid hues smash through a grotesque world, splashing Sid and Maxwell with unidentifiable substances. Although they are splashed with blood at one point, there’s no realistic, human-based horror – even the nightmare versions of Sid’s “friends” are obviously not real, looking like zombie caricatures.
The caricature horror, leaning more towards the gross than the truly terrifying, plus the somewhat simplistic plot – Maxwell is twelve and is wandering between towns and orphanages to travel into people’s nightmares – put this firmly in middle grade territory. There are moments where Sid stops in the middle of fleeing from monsters to reflect on what true friendship is and Maxwell’s behavior often comes off as more socially awkward than dramatic or heroic. However, although this will certainly not be a good choice for parents who dislike all forms of scary stories and horror, it will be very popular with kids who have grown up with cartoon horror and are fans of the Five Nights at Freddy’s world but don’t want something too serious.
Nightmare Hunter By Brady Smith Penguin Random House, 2025 ISBN: 9780593751183
Once Stella and the other students leave the classroom, Pencil and Eraser are ready to introduce themselves to the reader! Pencil is exuberant, friendly, and determined. Eraser is subdued, pragmatic, and loyal.Eraser is also observant and notices that Pencil is a little… dull. Pencil needs to be sharp and ready for Stella when she gets back. The journey to the sharpener has begun!
Pencil & Eraser: We Have a Dull-emma! is a humorous yet sweet graphic novel for elementary school age readers. It is a story of two school supplies, Pencil and Eraser, who wake up once the kids leave the classroom à la Toy Story. However, they immediately break the fourth wall and welcome the reader into their world. Pencil is definitely excited to say hello, but Eraser is a little more reserved. Eraser happens to notice that Pencil’s tip is dull. A page-sized panel subtly shows Pencil’s worry that Stella may not be happy with a dull pencil, and so Pencil is determined to “sharpen up,” as Eraser suggests. This sets in motion the “dull-emma” of the story: Pencil, who is determined and Eraser, who is slightly begrudging, must find a sharpener and figure out how to get to it before the students return to class.
Pencil and Eraser’s story is divided into short chapters that showcase various parts of their adventure. Each chapter is followed by a joke break. Though the story is carried by the comedy, the friendship between Pencil and Eraser is what makes the journey worth it. From the aforementioned panel showcasing Pencil’s worry about Stella’s reaction to a later panel featuring Eraser, who may be a little grumpy, being there for Pencil no matter what, the duo’s dilemma is full of hijinks but also heart.
The art of Pencil & Eraser: We Have a Dull-emma! is bright and adorable. Alvarado has a particular talent of taking simple panels, which are beneficial in helping young readers follow along with the story, and allowing her dynamic characters to take over them in a friendly manner that draws the reader in and almost makes them part of the story. Alvarado’s expressive eyes on both Pencil and Eraser help distinguish their different personalities. Small characteristics like Pencil’s eyelashes and Eraser’s hair tuft accentuates their personalities that are being conveyed through the text. Alvarado includes a fun how-to-draw Pencil and Eraser section at the end of the graphic novel.
Even their little arms and hands, which are so simple, help flesh out their characters. In one panel, Pencil has their hands clasped near their face as they try to persuade Eraser to introduce themselves; in another panel, Eraser balls their hands into little fists as they try to get Pencil’s attention. Little artistic details like these serve as context clues for readers and help them to understand the text.
The publisher’s age rating for Pencil & Eraser: We Have a Dull-emma! is ages 5-8, which is just right. Emerging readers will enjoy the comedy and gentle lesson and will be able to easily follow along with the story thanks to Alvarado’s charming art and concise writing perfectly presented in simple word bubbles with an accessible font type and size. Young readers who love puns, jokes, and a buddy duo with the flair of Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie will want more adventures with Pencil and Eraser.
Pencil & Eraser: We Have a Dull-emma! By Jenny Alvarado Penguin Random House, 2024 ISBN: 9780593699768
What “counts” as a graphic novel or comic? It’s an interesting question, especially with the proliferation of the graphic style into a number of different formats and genres. It’s easy to identify some nonfiction as being a graphic, especially those that have a strong narrative like memoirs, history, or the Science Comics series, which use a fictional narrative structure. It gets a little more confusing when it comes to illustrated nonfiction, like Lindsey Leigh’s latest book, but I, personally, stick by what I tell the kids—if it has speech bubbles, it’s a comic!
If we stick with that, Leigh’s book is definitely a comic as not only does it include speech bubbles it also divides information up into panels with something of a narrative structure. Her previous comic-style nonfiction book explored the depths of the ocean and this title explores the depths of the earth and the strange life-forms to be found in caves.
After introducing the concept of caves, the bulk of the book explores the three different types of cave animals, troglobites, troglophiles, and trogloxenes. Leigh then gives an overview of memorable caves around the world, and finishes up with the human history of interaction with caves and the need for conservation efforts around caves. The book ends with an index of the creatures introduced.
The spread on olms, a troglobite and blind salamander found in European caves, is a good example of Leigh’s work. The background colors are a swirling mix of deep purples and greens. Against these, the lavender olms, with pink, filly gills, stand out well. Two panels on the first page introduce them and their habitat, showing them zipping through a cave habitat. Below the panels, two olms are shown cuddled together, saying “Time for an olm cuddle puddle!” The following page includes another set of panels, demonstrating the olm’s ability to go dormant for long periods, and the spread finishes with a comparison of olms and axolotls, with the two declaring “We don’t wanna grow up!”
The olms are drawn in a curvy, comic style, managing to look cheerful even without facial features other than a hint of a curving mouth. Leigh plays with lettering to great effect, using an ornate, slightly spooky font for the heading, a bold uppercase font with letters picked out in purple for the speech bubbles, and a lightly curved, smaller font for the larger blocks of text.
Readers more accustomed to nonfiction presented in blocks of text, rather than the more graphic-style layout of the text being fully incorporated into the artwork, may struggle with the colored backgrounds and tracking down all of the different speech bubbles, short paragraphs, and sections of information. However, kids who are used to the comic format will have no problem devouring this new style of nonfiction and will easily remember the cool facts they learn about caves throughout the book.
It’s always been ideal to have a mix of formats for kids to experience reading and gathering information and the growth of graphic formats in nonfiction is just one more tool for librarians and teachers to impart information. Leigh’s humor, fun artwork, and presentation of information, helpfully reinforcing key points, makes her work a must-have for most library and school nonfiction collections.
The Dark! Wild Life in the Mysterious World of Caves By Lindsey Leigh Penguin Random House, 2024 ISBN: 9780593662595
There’s more to being a great basketball team than mere talent. In Hena Khan and Safiya Zerrougui’s We Are Big Time, Aliya and the Peace Academy Girls Varsity Basketball Team had a headline worthy season. As the team gained confidence and became recognized for their basketball talents they also strengthened their Muslim identities and combated stereotypes. Not only does this story capture the everyday struggles of growing up, but it also highlights the complexities of identity in a relatable storyline.
Moving from Tampa to Milwaukee was a big change. For Aliya this move meant giving up her school, friends, and everything she had ever known. Little by little Aliya adjusts to her new life in Milwaukee especially when she tries out for the all-Muslim Peace Academy Girls Varsity Basketball Team. In the beginning, the girls struggle to connect as a group. After hours of conditioning, skill building, team bonding and extra practices they finally begin to learn what it means to be a team. They soon realize that their commitment to basketball was “more than the score” and that what unites them most is that they are in this together. Throughout their basketball season, the Peace Academy Girls Varsity Basketball Team are forced to navigate judgements and stereotypes placed on them for being Muslim women by other players and journalists. The girls find strength in playing as a team and combating these stereotypes by fighting for respect both on and off the court. In the end they shift assumptions of what people think an all-muslim team can be and the future of the sport in America.
Hena Khan retells the real-life experience of the all-hijab-wearing Salam School Girls’ Varsity High School Basketball Team. Khan has adequately captured an Own Voice story that centers the team’s dedication through` the fictional characters and storyline of We Are Big Time. In order to create this story she conducted several interviews that allowed the voices of these girls to shine through the book. Khan has painted a beautiful portrait of what entering a new school environment can entail and the struggles and triumphs that can come with growing up.
Safiya Zerrougui’s art is joyful and expressive and brings this memorable story and cast of characters off the page. Zerrougui’s visuals and comics use a format that readers of Swim Team and The Tryout are familiar with. She uses a warm purple, yellow and red color scheme, allowing the basketball team spirit to truly shine. For example, in the cover of the book Zerrougui encapsulates the movement of basketball by highlighting the team’s spirit.
For fans of attention-grabbing graphic novels that revolve around teens who share a common goal, and characters that confront racism in their daily lives, this is the story for you. Hena Khan’s voice is distinctive and fun, and as Zerrougui exclaims, this story is sure to inspire more Muslim girls to get into basketball. Public and school libraries should consider this book for their juvenile collections. All in all, readers gear up for an engaging story about unexpected talents and being seen for who you truly are.
We Are Big Time By Hena Khan Art by Safiya Zerrougui Penguin Random House, 2024 ISBN: 9780593430484
Publisher Age Rating: 8-12
NFNT Age Recommendation: Middle Grade (7-11) Creator Representation: Pakistani-American, Muslim, Character Representation: Pakistani-American, Muslim ,
Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day by Dan Nott (author and artist) is an enlightening nonfiction graphic novel divided into three main parts. The first part explains the development and infrastructure of the internet. Next, Nott outlines the history and current forms of electricity. He closes with an examination of water systems, which includes the natural water cycle and how humans use water. These three systems are hidden in plain sight and taken for granted until they malfunction, or cease to function altogether. Nott’s goal is to provide an understanding of how these vital systems actually work and how we need to improve them to reduce harm to the environment and to communities. In doing so, we can also sustainably ensure necessary access to all people.
The book is well organized with a table of contents, symbols key, introduction, conclusion, citations and a bibliography. The book is text-heavy, but the historic and scientific explanations are well supported by the illustrations. The panels are mostly in a grid pattern with artwork that depicts people inventing and interacting with various technologies as well as the physical components that comprise these infrastructures. Humorous facial expressions and asides make this book fun and encourage the reader to pay close attention. The restrained color palette keeps the packed pages from looking cluttered. Overall, Nott’s artwork is detailed and wrought with care.
Hidden Systems is cataloged as a children’s book. I found many concepts in this book to be complex and better suited for older readers and teens. Some of these concepts include colonialism and inequity of access. For example, communications systems that began with telegraph lines map geographically with colonial outposts that used communication to maintain control. Much of today’s infrastructure still follows those original lines, so that places of power are more advanced with communications while historically subjugated places are trying to catch up (p. 26-31). Another complex concept is that poorer communities and communities of color typically bear the burden of ill health caused by emissions from coal-burning power plants (p. 113). A mention of dams being financed with debt by the World Bank (p. 210) could confuse the reader who lacks knowledge of the global economy. A teacher, parent, or other adult may help a younger reader parse through these facts.
Recommend Hidden Systems to curious older kids and teens with interests in engineering, inventing, and science in general.
Hidden Systems Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every Day By Dan Nott Penguin Random House, 2023 ISBN: 9780593125366
NFNT Age Recommendation: Older Teen (16-18), Teen (13-16), Tween (10-13) Creator Representation: Queer,
stakes. It’s easy to make even a straightforward coming of age tale a BIG story with the angst, drama, and anxiety of even the most bog standard puberty. What’s hard is telling an entertaining small story, one that feels honest and real and intimate, something that at once feels universal and unique. Turning Twelve by Kathryn Ormsbee and illustrated by Molly Brooks is a small story. And it is completely lovely.
Michael Regina’s debut in 2021, The Sleepover, established him as a creator of thoughtful horror stories for a middle grade audience. His sophomore effort, Deepwater Creek, repeats this theme but with a new group of kids.
Who isn’t fascinated by dinosaur facts? I’m old enough to have been part of a large portion of the general population that grew up with an understanding of dinosaurs that came from Jurassic Park or The Land Before Time. Both good movies in their own unique ways, but the point is: when I was growing up, it was generally accepted that dinosaurs were giant reptiles and they definitely didn’t have feathers.
problem and he’s found the perfect client, if only she’ll let him into her dreams.
exuberant, friendly, and determined. Eraser is subdued, pragmatic, and loyal.Eraser is also observant and notices that Pencil is a little… dull. Pencil needs to be sharp and ready for Stella when she gets back. The journey to the sharpener has begun!
style into a number of different formats and genres. It’s easy to identify some nonfiction as being a graphic, especially those that have a strong narrative like memoirs, history, or the Science Comics series, which use a fictional narrative structure. It gets a little more confusing when it comes to illustrated nonfiction, like Lindsey Leigh’s latest book, but I, personally, stick by what I tell the kids—if it has speech bubbles, it’s a comic!
There’s more to being a great basketball team than mere talent. In Hena Khan and Safiya Zerrougui’s We Are Big Time, Aliya and the Peace Academy Girls Varsity Basketball Team had a headline worthy season. As the team gained confidence and became recognized for their basketball talents they also strengthened their Muslim identities and combated stereotypes. Not only does this story capture the everyday struggles of growing up, but it also highlights the complexities of identity in a relatable storyline.
Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet, and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Every
