Book Review - Instructions for Dancing

  📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖

Instructions for Dancing
by Nicola Yoon
After her parent's divorce, Evie Thomas no longer believes in love. However, she feels justified in her belief after the strangest thing happens one day. After seeing couples kiss, she gets visions of their relationships, leading right up to how they end. It all started when Evie found a ballroom dancing book that led her to a studio where the opportunity to take lessons occurs. Her partner is the owner's grandson, called X, and while Evie doesn't plan to fall for him, that appears to be happening.
If you're not a fan of fantasy, you're in luck because this isn't fantasy. It is magical realism, as the only unbelievable part is Evie's visions. The characters are all likable and feel real (ignoring the vision part). Evie and X's budding romance is the core of the story. Still, Evie's family drama, and her relationship with her friends, are also significant to the story. Oh, and without spoiling too much, you might want to have tissues on hand once you hit the second part of this book.

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Book Review - Blackout

  📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

Blackout

by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Ashley Woodfolk, Angie Thomas, and Nicola Yoon

Six interconnected short stories written by six talented best-selling authors. When a blackout hits New York City, black teen love starts to shine. From two teens on a long walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn to two more helping out in an elderly home, to more. Things change when the lights go out.

Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Ashley Woodfolk, Angie Thomas, and Nicola Yoon are the brilliant minds behind this book. While Clayton, Stone, Woodfolk, Thomas, and Yoon all have one-and-done short stories, Stone’s story is broken into chapters woven throughout the book, helping bring them all together. Each story is fabulous on its own, but together, they’re phenomenal. The characters in the book are all Black teens but vary in gender and sexuality. While, at its heart, the story is a romance, there is some humor thrown in. This book is one you can’t go wrong reading.

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Book Review - Little & Lion

 📖Recommend for Grades 10 and up📖

Little & Lion

by Brandy Colbert

Suzette returns home to L.A. after spending the year at boarding school in New England. Between the fact that L.A. is where her friends and family are and an incident that occurred right before heading home, she isn't sure she wants to return to boarding school in the fall. Her stepbrother Lionel also needs her support, having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Things get complicated when Suzette finds herself not only crushing on her old friend Emil but on this new girl she met. This girl is the same one who Lionel is also crushing on.

Little and Lion is an excellent portrayal of how mental health often affects a person's living life and their loved ones. This book covers many aspects of diversity regarding race, religion, ability, and sexual orientation. While's mental illness is a significant plot point, the other is Suzette coming to terms with her sexual identity. The story's main plot takes place over the summer, but there are flashback chapters included that are important to the story.

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Book Review - Keep It Together, Keiko Carter

 📖Recommend for Grades 6 and up📖

Keep It Together, Keiko Carter

by Debbi Michiko Florence

Keiko Carter is looking forward to starting seventh grade with her two best friends Audrey and Jenna. When Audrey suggests the girls each find dates for the school's annual Fall Ball, a rift in the friend group occurs. Keiko is okay with finding a date, hoping her new crush will ask her, but Jenna is sick of catering to Audrey's demands. Keiko finds herself in the middle of her two best friends and isn't sure what to do.

If you are looking for a cute middle school novel filled with friendship, crushes, and drama, you found what you are looking for in this book. Keiko is a likeable character and readers will enjoy trying to figure out what she will decide. 

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Book Review - Happily Ever Afters

 📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

Happily Ever Afters

by Elise Bryant

Tessa Johnson has only ever seen herself as the leading lady in the stories she writes. Stories she only shares with her best friend, Caroline. After moving to a new town, Tess is accepted into a prestigious Creative Art School. She is finally ready to share her stories with others, except Tessa has been met with major writer’s block. Luckily Caroline has a plan, get Tessa’s crush Nico, who also happens to look like the love interest in Tessa’s story, to fall in love with her for inspiration. As the plan goes on, and it looks like Tessa may be getting what she wants. She also finds that she may be losing things, such as her sweet new neighbor Sam.

Tessa’s story is a sweet and fun read. Readers will have fun choosing sides if they want Tessa to end up with Nico or Sam. This book may be a love story, but it also deals with many other factors, including family and friendship. Tessa’s older brother Miles has disabilities, which is a significant aspect of her life, and affects her relationship with her parents. A wonderful part of this book is that it features a diverse cast of characters. Racism and Ableism do exist in this book, but they do not control the narrative. Oh, and just a side warning, Sam is a baker, so be prepared to be craving the yummy treats he makes throughout the book.

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Book Review - Rent a Boyfriend

  📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖

Rent a Boyfriend

by Gloria Chao

Hoping to get out of accepting a proposal from the wealthy (and slimy) Hongbo, a young bachelor in their tight-knit Asian American community, Chloe Wang hires a fake boyfriend. Rent for Your' Rents, specializes in matching female members of the Asian community with boyfriends their parents would approve. The relationships are pretend and often just temporary. Chloe hires Drew, or Andrew, when working, to come home with her for Thanksgiving. Things go well, and the pair end up talking after the gig is over, and Chloe hires him for other holidays. As the two get to know each other, they begin to fall for each other. Unfortunately, Drew doesn't know if Chloe is falling for Drew or Andrew.

Told through both Chloe and Drew's perspectives, this is a fun romantic comedy for those who enjoy the genre. Chloe and Drew's dynamic is enjoyable. The dynamic between Chloe and her parents is realistic and relatable. The book is based on a premise that actually occurs in Asia but is a fictionalized version taking place in the United States.

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Book Review - From the Desk of Zoe Washington

   📖Recommend for Grades 6 and up📖

From the Desk of Zoe Washington

by Janae Marks

On her twelfth birthday, Zoe Washington receives a letter from her estranged father, Marcus. Without her mother's permission, Zoe responds to Marcus, but what do you say to a man who has been in prison your whole life for murder? As the two correspond, Marcus shares with Zoe that he is innocent. With her friend and neighbor Trevor's help, she sets out to prove her father's innocence. Trying to help Marcus means putting a lot of the line. This includes jeopardizing the possibility of her mom and step-dad, allowing her to audition for a baking show.

This book is a fantastic read with an equally excellent main character. Zoe is Black and does face some microaggressions. Readers get an age-appropriate look at wondering if Marcus would have been treated differently if white. This book is a beautiful story encompassing racism, family, friendship, and a love of baking. A fun element of this book is that in each letter, Zoe's father includes a song for her to listen to, so readers will have a playlist of songs themselves by the end of the book. As previously mentioned, Zoe is a huge fan of baking, and the book involves a lot of cupcake talk, so be prepared to be craving them.

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Book Review - Early Departures

 📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

Early Departures

by Justin A. Reynolds

Jamal’s best friend Quincy, aka Q, dies in a freak accident just to be brought back to life by a mysterious organization. The thing is, Q is just going to die again, as reanimation only gives him a limited amount of more time. Also, Q is technically Jamal’s former best friend, as the pair haven’t been friends since Jamal’s parents died, and he planned Q for what happened. With this second chance, Jamal is determined to make things right with Q, but there are complications as Jamal can’t fully explain why. Only a few people know Q is reanimated and set to die again, and Q isn’t one of them.

Though longer than it needs to be, this is still an intriguing read that will make you question how you would handle this situation if you were in it. While this book is a work of science fiction, it isn’t heavy into it beyond the reanimation itself, making it a lighter sci-fi novel. Despite the impending sadness of Q’s death, there is humor in the story, including transcripts of videos the boys made back when they were initially friends. If you can get past the slow start, this is worth the read.

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Book Review - Charming as a Verb

   📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

Charming as a Verb

by Ben Philippe

Henri “Halti” Haltiwanger can charm anybody, except for his neighbor and classmate Corinne Troy. After uncovering Halti’s dog walking scheme, Corinne decides to blackmail him into helping her improve her image at school and getting her a better recommendation to her dream school. As the two spend time together, Halti discovers he enjoys hanging out with Corinne and that maybe she may provide a way to help him get into his own dream school.

A fun romantic comedy that starts with a nice dose of blackmail. The story is told from Halti’s point of view. Readers will get insight into what it’s like for him to be a first-generation Haitian-American looking to meet his father’s expectations. While Halti and Corinne are terrific and likable characters, Halti’s friend Ming often steals the scene or makes it better. Readers will love the authenticity of the characters and the ways they can relate to them.

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Book Review - A Place at the Table

 📖Recommend for Grades 6 and up📖

A Place at the Table

by Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan

In many ways, sixth-graders Sara, a Pakistani American, and Elizabeth, a Jewish girl, are different. When the two end up kitchen partners in a South Asian cooking class taught by Sara's mom, a friendship takes form. Despite their cultural differences, the girls learn that they do have similarities, such as both their mothers being immigrants. Together they face the challenges the world throws at them all while trying to come up with an award-winning recipe.

A wonderfully written story about two young girls and how they can find similarities and form a friendship despite their different cultural backgrounds. The book alternates between both girl's perspectives giving intriguing insights into both their thoughts and feelings. There is some anti-Semitism in this book, but it is handled in an age appropriate manner. The story involves the girls have to create a recipe, and it is included in the back for readers to try for themselves. 

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Book Review - Class Act

   📖Recommend for Grades 6 and up📖

Class Act

by Jerry Craft

Drew is in the minority at his prestigious school, both racially and economically. It doesn't help his good friend Liam is one of those privileged kids and realizing it causes Drew to start to feel weird around him. The boy's mutual friend Jordan hopes to keep the friends together, but he just isn't sure how. Can Drew learn to accept his friends and himself?

If you loved New Kid, you need to read Class Act. If you haven't read New Kid, read that then Class Act. This book isn't a sequel per se. Still, it is a companion novel, and readers will better appreciate the story having read the first book. The story is superb, and the illustrations are beautiful. Readers are likely to either empathize or sympathize with Drew and his story. This book does tackle race and racial injustice but does so in a way suitable for the age group.

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Book Review - A Song Below Water

  📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖

A Song Below Water

by Bethany C. Morrow

Tavia and Effie are like sisters, and each has secrets and challenges they must face. Tavia is a siren, but she has to keep her powers a secret as most people do not like sirens. Effie faces demons from her past and isn't sure what she is, just that she might not be merely human. When a siren is murdered, and the trial rocks the nation, their world begins to unravel.

 In Tavia and Effie's alternate narratives, this story takes on real-world discrimination but as fantastical elements in an interesting way. There are different mythical creatures in this book. Some are basically celebrated, some tolerated, and others discriminated against, such as sirens, which are exclusively Black females. Warning, though, these groups may be a little hard to keep track of while reading. Readers will enjoy figuring out what happened too Effie in the past and what her story is. As for Tavia, readers will be intrigued by her story as well.

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Book Review - Darius the Great Deserves Better

📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

Darius the Great Deserves Better

by Adib Khorram

Darius Kellner from Darius is the Great Is Not Okay is back in Darius the Great Deserves Better. A lot has changed since returning from his trip to Iran, and it’s all looking good. But is it really? Darius soon finds that not everything is what he thought. His dad is traveling for work resulting in his grandmothers coming to stay. His relationship with Landon is getting complicated, and his friendship with Chip may have something to do with it.

Though a sequel, this book can also stand on its own if you’re not interested in its predecessor. The first title is more about Darius and his dealings with his mental health, cultural identity, and family relationships. While the second also deals with family relationships, it also focuses more on his sexual identity and romantic relationship. Oh, and both books have a heavy focus on his love of tea. Most of the characters from the first are back in the sequel and some great, and so no great additions. 

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Book Review - Now That I've Found You

  📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

Now That I’ve Found You

by Kristina Forest

Evie Jones is going to be a big Hollywood star like her grandmother Gigi. That is until her supposed best friend leeks a video that gets Evie fired from an upcoming job and blacklisted. When she gets the chance to present a lifetime achievement award to her grandmother, Evie thinks it could help get her back in the spotlight for good reasons. When her grandmother takes off without sharing where Evie finds herself in a situation with only Milo, the cute musician Gigi helps out, to help her.

This story is a fun and adventurous one taking place mainly over a week with some personal growth thrown in. Evie isn’t the most likable character, but readers will still route for her. Milo, on the other hand, is incredibly likable, and his dynamic with Evie is envy-worthy. The story isn’t neat and pretty, but it is light-hearted. You also don’t have to be knowledgeable of NYC to fall into Evie’s journey around it, searching for Gigi.

One of the aspects of this book that I love is that it’s about a black teen girl just being. Her issues have little to nothing to do with the color of her skin. We need stories like this in addition to ones where race plays a significant role.

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Book Review - The Voting Booth

📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖

The Voting Booth

by Brandy Colbert

Having always been driven to change the world, Marva Sheridan is thrilled to vote in her first election. Duke Crenshaw knows that voting is essential, but he just wants to get it over with in order to get ready for his band’s gig that night. When Duke discovers he actually isn’t registered to vote as he thought, and Marva overhears, she makes it her mission to get his vote counted. After all, she didn’t spend months getting people registered only to watch somebody get turned away. The two now find themselves on a road-block-filled adventure for Duke to exercise his right to vote. And while they may start off as strangers, they also may have found something more.

Readers may not be old enough to vote themselves, but they can still enjoy and benefit from this story. While Duke’s being not registered was an accident, their journey to get his vote includes experiencing and hearing about types of voter suppression that do exist in our country. There is also talk about while it is important to vote and how it is especially important for Black people like Marva and Duke too. This book also demonstrates how those who can’t yet vote can maybe help others who can. While this is also a love story that takes place in less than 24 hours, don’t let that stop you.

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Book Review - You Should See Me in a Crown

📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

You Should See Me In A Crown

by Leah Johnson

Unable to pay for college, Liz decides to run for Prom Queen in hopes of winning more the scholarship that comes with winning than the actual crown. The problem is Liz isn’t your typical Prom Queen contender, being too awkward, poor, and Black. Liz isn’t thrilled about running, and the only thing that makes it less painful is the cute new girl Mack.

A truly amazing story about an equally amazingly inspiring teen. The book is broken down into each week of events leading up to and including Prom allowing readers to have the easy option of reading a week at a time. Readers will quickly find more than one character they love in this book. While there are some stereotypes found throughout the story, readers will also find characters and events that break them. Whether you read it now or wait till Prom season, this is a book worth the read.

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Book Review - 10 Things I Hate About Pinky

📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖

10 Things I Hate About Pinky

by Sandhya Menon

Pinky Kumar and Samir Jha, who readers met in There’s Something About Sweetie, are back in their own story in the When Dimple Met Rishi universe.

When it comes to social causes, Pink is a crusader. She also enjoys pushing the buttons of her conservative parents. Samir is somebody Pinky’s parents would love with his carefully scheduled day and dreams of becoming a lawyer. When Samir’s summer internship falls through, he doesn’t know what to do. Then he gets a text from Pinky inviting him to her summer home where she needs him to be her fake boyfriend, as she suddenly finds herself needing to prove something to her parents. Having not always gotten along in the past, and conflicting personalities, they are both in for one exciting summer.

Told in the alternating viewpoints of Pinky and Samir, this is a fun read with amusing characters. This book tackles several topics but not in a messy jumbled way. These topics are Pinky and Samir’s fake relationship, Pinky’s parental issues, a social justice project they find themselves involved in, and the growth of the main characters throughout the story. Fans of the previous books in this series and/or fake dating troupes should not miss this book. If you haven’t read the previous books, it’s okay, as this story stands on its own.

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Book Review - Stand Up, Yumi Chung!

 📖Recommend for Grades 6 and up📖

Stand Up, Yumi Chung!

by Jessica Kim

Yumi Chung is a shy eleven-year-old Korean-American who dreams of being a stand-up comic. Her parent's high expectations, though, don't include jokes. One day after a prep session for a private school scholarship exam, Yumi discovers there is a new comedy club in her neighborhood. Inside, Yumi discovers a kid's comedy camp, and she gets mistaken for missing camper Kay Nakamura. After a fantastic day of camp, Yumi finds herself living a double life. One as Yumi Chung and one where she is pretending to be Kay Nakamura.

This book is a delightful and entertaining story about struggling with what you want and what your parents expect of you. Readers may be able to relate to Yumi's struggle between balancing two cultures, which can be beneficial to their own growth. The cast of characters is diverse and amusing. There is also a lot to laugh about in this story. The humor is not just from the jokes and improv done by Yumi and the other campers.

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Book Review - I'll Be The One

📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖

I’ll Be The One

by Lyla Lee

For most of her life, Skye Shin has been told she couldn't do certain things because she was fat, with her mother being her harshest critic. Skye's dream is to be a K-Pop star, and she secretly auditions for You're My Shining Star for both singing and dancing. Turns out, auditioning was the easy part. Sky has to deal not just with the other contestants, but a fat-shaming judge, negative media attention, and the fact that her dance partner is famous Henry Cho. Skye isn't about to let anybody get in her way.

An inspiring read for all readers who have ever been told they can't do something. This book may be a romantic comedy to some, but it's got tons of drama too. While the story is about Skye's journey to become a K-Pop star, you don't have to know or like K-Pop to enjoy this. Skye truly is a fantastic character and readers won't be able to help falling in love with her or her journey.

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Book Review - Dear Haiti, Love Alaine

📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

Dear Haiti, Love Alaine

by Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite

After her school presentation goes horribly wrong, Alaine is suspended from school. Her parents decide to send her to Haiti, where her mom has been living since her on-air explosion. While in Haiti, Alaine is to spend her time interning at her aunt's non-profit and learning about the local culture and her family's heritage. A heritage that includes a curse that Alaine feels explains what is happening to her mother.

The story is told in multiple formats, including e-mails, postcards, texts, and diary entries, which excellently presents the story. Alaine is a smart and witty teen, who readers will come to love if they don't do so from the beginning. While Alaine and her family are fictional, readers will get an intriguing look into Haiti and its culture.

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