Throwback Review - Let Me Hear a Rhyme

  Throwback Book Review

Miss. Amanda still thinks you should read this!

📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖

Let Me Hear a Rhyme

by Tiffany Jackson

            Steph is gone. Killed before he could have the music career he dreamed of, that his two best friends and sister feel he should have had. But who says the world can’t hear Steph’s music? Using tracks Steph recorded before his death, Quadir and Jarrell hatch a plan to share and promote the songs under the alias The Architect. They enlist Steph’s sister Jasmine to help and before they know it Steph’s music is circling the neighborhood. As time goes on, the three realize that keeping their secret may not be so easy.

            Set in the ’90s not long after the death of Tupac and Biggie Smalls, this book is a love letter to Brooklyn and Rap Music. The story alternates between Quadir, Jarrell, and Jasmine’s narration as well as insights from Steph’s perspective prior to his death. Readers won’t know where the story is going and what will happen with the secret our main trio is keeping. This book is a must-read for many.

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Book Theme Graphic - Stories told from Multiple Perspectives

 

Book Review - A Thousand Questions

  📖Recommend for Grades 6 and up📖

A Thousand Questions

by Saadia Faruqi

Mimi and her mother are spending the summer in Pakistan with the grandparents she has never met in person. She secretly hopes to find her estranged father and uses her journal to write him letters she will never send. Sakina is the daughter of Mimi’s grandparents’ cook, who longs to go to school, though her family can’t afford it. When the two girls meet, they discover they can help the other out, leading to an unlikely friendship.

An excellent and beautiful story about friendship, culture, and learning to judge others. The story alternates between Mimi and Sakina’s perspectives which gives a fun view into what they think about the other and what they are thinking. Classism plays an important role in this book, as does judging others with little to no knowledge. Readers will not be disappointed with Mimi, Sakina, or their story.

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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 - The Cousins

📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖

The Cousins

by Karen M. McManus

Twenty-four years ago, the four Story children were disinherited by their mother with contact cut off. Now their children, who are basically strangers, are curiously invited to her island resort for the summer. Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah have no choice but to go, as their parents are hoping this invitation means something good for them. The longer the cousins spend on the island, the family secrets they brought with them start to come out. There are even more family secrets that they discover along the way.

Fans of Karen M. McManus will not be disappointed by her latest stand-alone novel. The story alternates not just between Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah's perspectives, but also Aubrey's mom Alison back in 1996. The primary and supporting characters are an intriguing mixed bunch that will have you wondering if you should like them or not. This page-turning thriller will keep readers on their toes till the very end.

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Book Review - We Are Not Free

   📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖

We Are Not Free

by Traci Chee

After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, things changed for Japanese ancestry people living in the United States. That following February, American residents of Japanese descent living on the west coast were forced to leave their homes and move to internment camps. This book is the fictional story of fourteen teens and young adults who have grown up together in Japantown, San Francisco. Now they are among those who were relocated to Japanese Internment Camps. Throughout the years, they face many ups and downs, and they and their families are forced to make tough decisions.

Intriguing and eye-opening, this is a wonderfully written book and portrayal of Japanese-American experience during World War II. The author pulled from the stories of family members who went through this experience. The story is told from fourteen different perspectives that follow each other in chronological order.  Except for one character, each view occurs just once in the book. We Are Not Free is not an easy story to read as the character’s experience and witness many emotional and difficult situations. Readers who feel they can handle the topic, especially if they are Historical Fiction fans, should give this book a read.

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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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - The War Outside

📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

The War Outside

by Monica Hesse

It’s 1944, and Japanese-American Haruko, her sister, and their mother are voluntarily heading to Crystal City to be reunited with their father/husband. Crystal City is unique as this WWII internment camp is for both Japanese and German families. German-American Margot is attending the federal school at the camp because the German school doesn’t have certified teachers, and it’s there she and Haruko meet. The pair forms an unlikely friendship, but complications at the camp make things even more complicated than just being different.

This book is an intriguing story of family, friendship, and betrayal that will have readers wondering what happens next. While Haruko and Margot’s stories are fictional, Crystal City was a real place, and some events did happen. Readers will get an eye-opening look at life during WWII for Japanese-American and German-Americans through this great fictional lens. Haruko and Margot are both intriguing characters, as is their individual and combined stories. 

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Book Review - Clap When You Land

📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖

Clap When You Land

by Elizabeth Acevedo

Camino Rios favorite time of year is summer, as that is when Papi comes back to the Dominican Republic. On the day he is set to return, she goes to the airport only to find people crying. Yahaira Rios was having a typical school day when she is called to the principal’s office, where her mother is waiting to take her home. Her father, her hero, has died in a plane crash. Little do these girls know, the man they are grieving is the same one. Kept apart by distance and secrets, their lives are forever altered by his death in this plane crash, and the discovery of each other. 

Written in-verse, this story alternates between Camino and Yahaira’s perspectives. In the last section, the girl’s voices are blended. The girls are both wonderfully distinct but yet contain certain similarities. The plane crash in which the girl’s father passes away is loosely based on the real crash of American Airlines 857 that crashed in Queens on November 12, 2001. The story though is about the girls and how their father’s secrets have affected their lives.

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Book Review - The Leaving

📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖

The Leaving

by Tara Altebrando

After the first full day of Kindergarten, six children never came home. Now, eleven years later, five return with no memory of where they have been or the sixth child Max. Scarlet returns home, where her mother thinks aliens had abducted her. She seems to remember Lucas, who also seems to remember her. Lucas also returns to a life turned upside down. Then there is Max’s sister Avery. She can’t figure out why her brother hasn’t returned with the others and thinks they are hiding something.

Scarlet, Lucas, and Avery narrate this story with Scarlet and Lucas not exactly being reliable ones. However, wondering if they are lying or not is all part of the story. This book does have its flaws, but it is still a page-turner. Readers will be itching to figure out why the six had been taken, where they were, why they returned, where Max is, and why they don’t remember him. 

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*Please note that UPL does not currently own a physical copy of this book but you can request it from another library

Book Review - We Didn’t Ask For This

📖Recommend for Grades 8 and up📖

We Didn’t Ask For This

by Adi Alsaid

Every year the students of Central International School look forward to lock-in night, and the magical feel students have. Little do the staff and all but five students know, this lock-in night involves students actually being locked in for real. Sadden and angered by the earth's changing climate and the effects on her beloved coral reefs, Marisa Cuevas decides to take action. She is the one who organized this protest where she and four other students chained themselves to the doors until demands are met. This protest receives mixed reactions from confused parents, students angered by the change in plans, and some rallying to Marisa's side. This story gives perspectives from many students in third-person narration. These students both locked inside the school and a couple who were outside when the doors closed. Certain characters are more likable than others, but even those readers can't stand playing significant roles. The level of protest may come across as unrealistic in Marisa's amount of preparedness and the faculty's lack of being able to unlock the students safely. Readers will be left wondering how they think they would feel and react if they were part of the lock-in.

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Book Review - We Are the Wildcats

📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

We Are the Wildcats

by Siobian Vivian

The Wildcat varsity field hockey squad was undefeated until last season. Now, 24 hours until their first scrimmage and the start of a new season, the girls have a chance to start over. They think that their annual psych up night will be just like any other until they discover their coach swapped their jersey for the practice pinnies. Now, the girls find themselves on a wild night of hijinks in order to prove to their coach they have what it takes to be Wildcats, unaware of just how much influence he has over the night and them.

Told in alternating chapters of six different players' perspectives and told over just 24 hours will have readers wondering what will happen next. While the book is about a lacrosse team, this book has very little to do about the sport itself. This story is more about the girls themselves and the bonds they have created and will. Each girl is both flawed and realistic, which aids the story. Readers should be aware the coach in this book is toxic, and his texting with two girls on the team is inappropriate but safe to be read by teens.

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*Please note that UPL does not currently own a physical copy of this book but you can request it from another library

Book Review - Of Curses and Kisses

📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

Of Curses and Kisses

by Sandhya Menon

A contemporary spin on Beauty and the Beast, this story tells the tale of Princess Jaya Rao and His Lordship Grey Emerson, who come from feuding families. Years ago, the Emerson family stole a ruby from the Rao's, and Jaya's great-grandmother put a curse on it and the Emersons. After his mother dies in childbirth, Grey's father believes the curse to be real. Grey is then sent away in the mountains at St. Rosetta's International Academy to not have to deal with him. When a photo of Jaya's sister Isha gets leaked to the press, their parents also send them to St. Rosetta's unaware Grey goes there. When Jaya discovers an Emerson, who likely leaked the photo is Isha, attends her new school, she plans to make him fall for her, all to break his heart. Grey can't shake the feeling Jaya is hiding something, and he thinks it has something to do with her ruby rose pendant. As the pair spend time together, they start to question things they thought they knew.
Alternating between both Jaya and Grey's point of view, this is a fun fairytale retelling. Both characters are fun and distinct, and the dynamic between them is enjoyable. Readers will enjoy the similarities to the fairy tale it's based on but often in different takes. Though this is a fairy tale retelling and has the mention of curses, it is not a fantasy novel but does have hints of possible magic.

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E-books - Multiple Perspectives

• Far from the Tree by Robin Benway
• Also available on Hoopla
• Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson
• Also available on Hoopla
• Infinite in Between by Carolyn Mackler
• When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
• Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Book Review - The Upside of Falling

📖Recommend for Grades 9 and up📖

The Upside of Falling

by Alex Light

When Becca's former best friend teases her for not dating anyone, Becca lies and says she does have a boyfriend. Overhearing this lie, Brett steps in and pretends to be the guy Becca is dating. Having been pressured himself to have a meaningful relationship, he sees this as mutually beneficial. Now the pair are pretending to be a couple. Still, as they start to spend time together to keep up appearances, things get complicated. It doesn't help that both Becca and Brett have family issues going on at the same time. If you are a fan of books involving fake relationships, this isn't the best, but maybe worth a shot. At times the plot seems rushed and flawed, but the story is still at times cute and intriguing. It is, however, a relatively quick read and decent escape. The story alternates between Becca and Brett's point of view, so readers get insight into both characters. Just a warning, this book may cause you to crave cupcakes or other baked goods.

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*Please note that UPL does not currently own a physical copy of this book but you can request it from another library

Book Review - Yes No Maybe So

📖Recommend for Grades 7 and up📖

Yes No Maybe So

by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed

Jamie Goldberg and Maya Rehrman may not be old enough to vote in the special election. Still, they aren’t too young to get roped into canvassing for one of the candidates. Not a fan of public speaking and talking to strangers, Jamie is as thrilled about canvasing as he is giving the speech at his sister’s upcoming Bat Mitzvah. Maya is only canvasing in hopes her parents will get her the promised card, plus her summer can’t get any worse. As the pair knocks on doors together, the friendship they had as young children resurfaces. They also discover there is more to their canvasing then getting votes for their candidate.
Told in the alternating viewpoints of Jamie and Maya, this story tackles many topics without being super preachy about it. Jamie is Jewish and Maya Muslim, so culture and religion play a significant role in their stories and the story as a whole. Both characters have their annoying moments but are overall great characters. Though Jamie’s sister and grandmother both often steal the scenes in which they appear.  

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Book Review - Every Other Weekend

📖Recommend for Grades 7 and up📖

Every Other Weekend

by Abigail Johnson

Due to the grief of losing the oldest child, Adam’s parents have separated. Adam and his brother Jeff now have to spend every other weekend with their dad at his new apartment. On those same weekends, Jolene has to spend her time there due to her parent’s messy divorce, even though he is never home. During their time spent at the building, Adam and Jolene form a friendship that helps them get through this time. Little do either of them just how important they will become to one another.

Alternating between Adam and Jolene’s perspectives, this story is told primarily during their shared time together at the apartment building. There are some snippets of time in-between though, often told through text messages. While both the main characters are forced to spend their time where they don’t want to, their circumstances for it are very different. These differences make this book great when it comes to sharing various stories. The differences in their situation make it difficult for Adam and Jolene to fully understand what the other is going through, which aids the story. 

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