About Kasey

Reads things. Writes things. Fluent in sarcasm. Willful optimist. Cat companion, chocolate connoisseur, coffee drinker. There are some who call me Mom.

Review: #MeToo and You by Halley Bondy

MeToo and You by Halley Bondy

#MeToo and You: Everything You Need to Know About Consent, Boundaries, and More
Halley Bondy
Zest Books
Published February 2, 2021

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About #MeToo and You

The #MeToo movement has changed the way many people view the world, but how well do tweens understand it? Middle-grade readers are ready to learn about consent, harassment, and abuse, as well as healthy boundaries in all their relationships.

#MeToo and You includes essential terminology, from consent to assault, from just plain yes to just plain no. Author Halley Bondy explores the nuances of emotions, comfort, and discomfort in sexually charged and emotionally abusive situations. Detailed scenarios, both real and hypothetical, provide … Continue reading

Review: A Question of Holmes by Brittany Cavallaro

A Question of Holmes by Brittany Cavallaro

A Question of Holmes (Charlotte Holmes #4)
Brittany Cavallaro
Katherine Tegen Books
Published March 5, 2019

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About A Question of Holmes

Charlotte Holmes and Jamie Watson think they’re finally in the clear. They’ve left Sherringford School—and the Moriartys—behind for a pre-college summer program at Oxford University. A chance to start from scratch and explore dating for the first time, while exploring a new city with all the freedom their program provides.

But when they arrive, Charlotte is immediately drawn into a new case: a series of accidents have been befalling the members of the community theater troupe in Oxford, … Continue reading

Review: She Came to Slay by Erica Armstrong Dunbar

She Came to Slay by Erica Armstrong Dunbar

She Came to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman
Erica Armstrong Dunbar
37 Ink
Published November 5, 2019

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About She Came to Slay

Harriet Tubman is best known as one of the most famous conductors on the Underground Railroad. As a leading abolitionist, her bravery and selflessness has inspired generations in the continuing struggle for civil rights. Now, National Book Award nominee Erica Armstrong Dunbar presents a fresh take on this American icon blending traditional biography, illustrations, photos, and engaging sidebars that illuminate the life of Tubman as never before.

Not only did Tubman help liberate hundreds … Continue reading

Review: The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

The Belles (The Belles #1)
Dhonielle Clayton
Disney-Hyperion
Published February 6, 2018

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About The Belles

Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend … Continue reading

Review: The Case for Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro

The Case for Jamie by Brittany Cavallaro

The Case for Jamie (Charlotte Holmes #3)
Brittany Cavallaro
Katherine Tegen Books
March 6, 2018

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About The Case for Jamie

The hotly anticipated and explosive third book in the New York Times bestselling Charlotte Holmes series.

It’s been a year since the shocking death of August Moriarty, and Jamie and Charlotte haven’t spoken.

Jamie is going through the motions at Sherringford, trying to finish his senior year without incident, with a nice girlfriend he can’t seem to fall for.

Charlotte is on the run, from Lucien Moriarty and from her own mistakes. No one has seen her since that fateful night on the … Continue reading

Review: Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle by Robin Stevenson

Pride by Robin Stevenson

Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle
Robin Stevenson
Orca Book Publishers
Published March 24, 2020

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About Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle

Like the original version, this new edition of Pride: The Celebration and the Struggle celebrates the LGBTQ+ community’s diversity and the incredible victories of the past 50 years–but it also has a larger focus on activism, the need to keep fighting for equality and freedom around the world and the important role that young people are playing.

The new edition has been updated and expanded to include many new Proud Moments and Queer Facts as well as a profile of LGBTQ+ refugees from Indonesia, a story … Continue reading