Beverley, Bat Your Service by Kelly Collier

Beverley Bat lives in an old abandoned house. He loves to entertain, but no one comes to visit until one day a car pulls up with people in it. Excited to entertain, Beverley reads about how to host people guests. Beverley sprays a welcoming scent of eau de rotten eggs and cooking Bolognese de millipede for dinner. The humans didn’t appreciate all of his efforts.

A fun, not so spooky story. The use of thought and speech bubbles and onomatopoeia draws readers into the text. The illustrations are colorful and the characters are expressive.

Zombees by Justin Colón

A swarm of zombees invade a town on Halloween night. They are a ghastly green and drag a glowing sack. Did they come to eat our brains? The town gets out their smokers to ward off an attack. The text is rhyming and leads us on a frolicking tale with a twist at the end.

The illustrations are color and bright with the “ghastly green” drawing readers in. Each page contains two lines of rhyming text.

Perfect choice for a not so spooky Halloween read. Fans of Creepy Carrots will delight in this tale.

A Tempest of Tea By Hafsah Faizal

Reviewed by Emilyn 10th grade – This book wraps you up and never lets you go! It has a strong and relatable heroine, as well as mostly light-hearted fun with underlying themes of colonialism and bigotry. With a ragtag group of protagonists you can’t help but root for, the rich and immersive world will stay with you long after you finish it!

How to Lose a Best Friend: a novel By Jordan K. Casomar

Reviewed by Jaelyn 12th grade – How to Lose a Best Friend is a real and honest book that more teenagers, especially the “Gen Z” generation should read. Zeke and Imogen were best friends for as long as anyone could remember. Everyone wanted them to get together, including Zeke. Imogen didn’t feel the same. This book was labeled as fiction which I do agree with but the concept of the story, the plot twist, and emotions were all very real. I really liked the storyline of the book and how on the back it says “What would you do if you were in love with your best friend… and they didn’t love you back?” It’s something I’ve experienced and I think many others have as well. This book could be used as a life lesson. I didn’t like how this book gave us “2 years later” but only lasted for a few pages. There should have been more or a second book.

Chronically Dolores by Maya Van Wagenen

Reviewed by Baylie 12th grade – Chronically Dolores is centered around a girl, Dolores Mendoza, who suffers from a chronic bladder illness. The book follows her daily struggles and her slow path to self-acceptance. Dolores befriends Terpsichores-Jones, an autistic homeschooled girl, making a pact to help each other in their challenges. Dolores wishes to rekindle her old friendship with her friend Shae, while Terpsichore hopes to attend public school. Waganen’s use of first person helps connect you with Dolores, feeling the exact emotions she feels when she is embarrassed/self-conscious about her illness. I liked when Dolores reviewed bathrooms, as that is something with a bladder disease would do that is also funny to think about. This book shines in its lack of a concrete ending. It instead focuses more on the challenges and the growth of Dolores and Terpsichore Berkenbosch-Jones. They grow more confident in themselves about their respective disabilities, learning to accept themselves for who they are even if they don’t get the exact results that they aim for in their “pact”. This is something that I would recommend for people to try something new, as when most go for fantasy or horror fiction, this book shows that realistic stories can still be just as entertaining. Would read again!

Out of My Dreams by Sharon Draper

Reviewed by Michelle, a high school student

Out of My Dreams is an outstanding continuation of the Out of My Mind trilogy. It details Melody’s journey following an exciting accomplishment regarding the aid of an elderly neighbor. After being called for an interview on television, she goes through physical and emotional challenges, feeling excited and scared through the process. She provides a unique perspective on the issues and stigmas surrounding the world today, and a perspective from a one-of-a-kind source. The novel will empower young minds to strive towards excellence and overcome obstacles in their way. Overall, this story is an excellent read for teens, and is a necessity in middle-grade libraries.

Happy & Sad by Alex Thayer

Reviewed by Michelle, a high school student

This story presents a thoughtful story about two friends, Dee and Juniper, who have drifted apart. Dee misses her friend and wants to hide from difficulties in the school bathroom. She later discovers a talent in helping and listening to other people. The novel offers a perspective on introverted and quiet teenagers who are unable to speak out about their problems, but secretly have hidden talents. Readers who may be confused about identity and their changing friendships will enjoy and relate to this story. The novel provides a superb view on companionship and relationships that many may overlook. The modern problems this story presents will relate to a plethora of teens struggling with connections with their fellow peers. All in all, this tale is an excellent book for middle school readers and an outstanding read overall.

All My Bests by Britnee Meiser

Reviewed by Michelle, a high school student

All My Bests is an excellent middle-grade novel by Britnee Meiser that demonstrates the importance of the balance between romantic relationships, familial relationships, and friendships. Fans of Every Last Word or Real Friends will enjoy a coming-of-age story about a young girl named Immie who is entering high school. She discovers difficulties in new friendships and long-standing relationships as she navigates a new world, and begins to steer through new, foreign emotions. Readers who enjoy stories of perseverance, companionship, and transformation will enjoy this story of self-discovery. The simplicity of this story provides a strong account of the difficulties in growing up that many teenagers will relate to. This novel is endearing and an outstanding book in middle-grade literature.

Unstoppable John: How John Lewis Got His Library Card and Helped Change History by Pat Zietlow Miller

John Lewis wanted a books. Lots of them. John’s family couldn’t afford books and his school didn’t have very many books. What John needed was a library card, but in 1956 John, age 16, was denied a library card at Pike County Public Library in Troy, Alabama. There were many laws that were unfair to Blacks and John decided to fight against them. He organized sit-ins at lunch counters and stand-ins at movie theaters.

This biography of civil rights leader John Lewis follows the storyline of his desire to read and get a library card. It shows how he fought back against the unjust laws of the time and the impact he has had on our nation. At the end, there is a timeline of John Lewis’s life and a bibliography to learn more.

Outside Mom, Inside Mom by Jane Park

A young child is about to start at a new school. Instead of wearing his favorite red shoes, he chooses sneakers to fit in. Others comment on how quiet his mom is, but he knows that at home she is different. The story shows how the mom and the boy show different sides of themselves when they are in public and when they are at home. Finally the boy is brave and wants to be his authentic self which encourages the mom to be as well. The illustrations were more muted in color when talking about outside mom and vibrant when we learned about inside mom. I like the message of the story, but it seemed a little disjointed in parts and left me with questions.