Category Archives: Recommend

What if you fall for me first?

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by G. F. Miller

Sofia Santini and Holden Thomas meet in the eighth grade year of middle school,. Sofia is desperate to catch the attention of her school crush Mark Chen, a popular guy within the school. Holden agrees to help out but only  in return for letting him add the transformation to his YouTube channel. Somewhere along the way both Sofia and Holden catch feelings for each other rather than making Mark Chen have feelings for Sofia. This wonderful romance novel captures the sweet love and romance of middle school teenagers. This book will capture the mind of true romance novel readers, or even those who are looking for love. The well-developed writing between the constant waiting for love and the anticipation of it happening really kept me on my toes and wanting to turn to the next page.What I thoroughly enjoyed throughout the book was the drawn out mystery of the true feelings between the two main characters Sofia and Holden. Honestly? It’s hard to find something that I disliked about the book!  If I’m being honest I wasn’t the biggest fan of how long it took for the two main characters to finally fall for each other! But that’s just a patience problem.

Reviewed by Bailey M., 8th grader at Komachin Middle School

Sueños salvajes (Wild Dreamers) (Spanish Edition)

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by Margarita Engle

The story is written in short verse- easy to read and detailed with nature and historical references in the last few years in Cuba. It is  a short romantic story of two young Cubans struggling to fit in at school and finding themselves with nature, wildlife, and the naturalization process of real events in CA.  A romantic story of two adolescents trying to find safety and cultural identity. The poems contain realistic nature facts and past Hispanic historical events stretching back to the 1400s. This book is best for older teens who might have more connections to understanding the historical events.There is a lot of history to take in with this short novel.  It is easy to read because of the verse style. I did not like the open ending because there was no closure.

The book was read & reviewed in Spanish by Mabel T., Komachin Middle School staff

Schoolbot 9000

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by Sam Hepburn

James lives with his recently widowed mother and their new Homebot who is designed to do many tasks in the home. James’ mom is thrilled with the new addition to their home since both humans are sad about the recent loss of James’ dad. James does NOT like the homebot who tries to micromanage James. In addition, James’ school is about to become part of a trial bringing in Schoolbots to train with the human teachers. They quickly start to take over the school and begin to replace them. Like with the Homebot, some people like the Schoolbots and others do not. Unsurprisingly, teachers begin to be transferred away from the school and the robots take over their jobs. While the graphic novel is told in humorous, light images, the subject matter is much heavier under the comic disguise – much like the “friendly” looking robots. There are serious topics under the surface – Artificial intelligence and its place with human beings. How much do we turn over to machines without losing the human interaction we all need? Book two appears to have James homeschooled by Schoolbot and monitored at home with his family Homebot – because we know how well it went to have students taught at home with computers…I went into this book thinking it would be a light, funny story about a homework machine, and closed it feeling a bit disquiet. While the story shows both the positive and negative sides of technology helping in our homes and schools, the human cost rings loud and clear. I’m interested to see where the second book goes.  I think this is a positive addition to a middle school graphic novel collection as we forge forward with A.I. more and more in our lives. How we interact with and integrate technology is going to be a huge issue in the future.

Can You Guess? Series

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This series geared towards 1st through 3rd grade asks if you can identify an animal by a body part. Can you guess an animal by looking at its feet? Each book in this series looks at a different body part and has the reader guess the animal from three choices. The next page gives the answer along with information about that animal and how that body part is important to them. The information is provided in different text boxes around the page with bold text and a glossary at the back. There is quite a bit of text per page which may be better for 2nd and 3rd grade.

Who Is Cuter? series

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This series geared toward Kindergarten through third grade readers compares two different adorable baby animals. Throughout the books, the similarities in the animals physical characteristics and behaviors are highlighted. The text is simple with two sentences on a page. Bold text highlight words that may be unfamiliar to the reader and a glossary is included in the back of the book. The colorful photographs include labels pointing out the characteristics of the animals. There is a brief photo synopsis at the end asking the reader which baby animal is cuter and includes a website where the reader can vote for their favorite. This series currently has 16 different book.

A Tree for Me

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A boy, his dad, and their dog take a nature walk and identify the many interesting trees they pass. The unique and identifying characteristics of each tree is described in a four line stanza The poplar has rough bark, the huckleberry has hairy leaves, the quaking aspen have fluttering leaves. Through the course of the book, they identify 8 different trees. At the end of their walk they end up in a nursery so the boy can choose small tree to plant in their yard. It is unclear what tree he chose.

The illustrations reinforce the joyful and soothing aspects of a nature walk. End paper include three identifying photos for each type of tree. In the Why We Love Trees section, the reader can learn of some of the benefits of trees.

Lucas and the Capoeira Circle

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Lucas wakes excited for his capoeira moving up ceremony. Getting ready to go in the morning, he eats his breakfast and practices. His little sister tries the moves too, but fall and loses her ginga, or her confidence. As Lucas waits his turn during the ceremony, he starts to wonder what would happen if he lost HIS ginga. And when it happens, he’s not sure he will be able to earn his new cordas like his friends. This story shows the importance of family, community, and capoeira’s movement and music in the Brazilian community. It also speaks the importance of perseverance, effort, and the support of community in self improvement. In the end, Lucas earns his new cord and his nickname.

The inclusion of Portuguese words enrich the cultural experience of the book. The pictures portray the art and motion of capoeira with dynamic expressive illustrations.

Tell My Why Series

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The Tell Me Why series invites young readers to stay curious about the everyday wonders of the world. In Set Two, students explore fascinating questions about food and science—like how we taste different flavors and what makes a cake rise.

With lively text, colorful photos, and playful illustrations, these books make complex ideas easy to understand and fun to explore. The engaging question-and-answer format encourages inquiry-based learning and supports classroom discussions in science, reading, and critical thinking. Ideal for grades 2–5, this series is a great choice for classroom libraries and STEM lessons, helping students see that learning starts with one simple question—why?

Jump!’s Digital Wellness Series

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The Digital Wellness series from Jump! helps young readers learn how to stay safe, smart, and balanced when using technology and the internet. Each book introduces an important topic—like identifying false information online, practicing kindness on social media, and keeping personal information private—through clear, leveled text that’s accessible for students as young as 2nd grade.

With colorful photos, SEL connections, and hands-on activities such as Grow with Goals and Try This!, these books encourage reflection and real-world application. Each title also includes a glossary, index, and tips for educators and caregivers. Perfect for grades 2–5, this series is a worthwhile addition to any classroom or library collection for teaching digital citizenship, media literacy, and overall digital wellness.

Where the Deer Slip Through by Katey Howes

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Where the Deer Slip Through

Follow a day on a woodland farm as animals slip through a gap in the hedge, bringing the farm to life. Told in a repeating, cumulative style, the story introduces woodland animals familiar to the Pacific Northwest. Beth Krommes’ stunning scratchboard illustrations capture every detail of the animals and the landscape, making this book perfect for read-alouds, nature-themed lessons, and library collections.