Category Archives: Contemporary

Review: The Ribbon Skirt by Cameron Mukwa

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The Ribbon Skirt by Cameron Mukwa

The Ribbon Skirt
Cameron Mukwa
Graphix
Published November 12, 2024

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About The Ribbon Skirt

A joyful coming-of-age middle-grade graphic novel by debut Indigenous creator Cameron Mukwa about the journey of a two-spirit kid who wants to create a ribbon skirt for the upcoming powwow.

Ten-year-old Anang wants to make a ribbon skirt, a piece of clothing typically worn by women in the Anishinaabe tradition, for an upcoming powwow. Anang is two-spirit and nonbinary and doesn’t know what others will think of them wearing a ribbon skirt, but they’re determined to … Continue reading →

Review: Wilderness Hacks by Joslin Brorsen

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Wilderness Hacks by Joslin Brorson

Wilderness Hacks
Joslin Brorsen
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published March 31, 2026

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About Wilderness Hacks

Hatchet meets Survivor in this high-action, humor-filled middle grade adventure about two kids stranded in the wilderness, whose annoyance with each other rivals the roaring rapids and ferocious predators they must face.

12-year-old Sadie Hahn didn’t plan to eat grubs on camera to win a contest. And she definitely didn’t plan to win first prize—a guest appearance on a Youtube show hosted by America’s favorite 13-year-old survivalist Radley Shaw. But she’ll do anything to cheer up her little brother Silas, … Continue reading →

Review: Finish Lines by Sarah Broyles

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Finish Lines by Sarah Broyles

Finish Lines
Sarah Broyles
First Second
Published June 16, 2026

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About Finish Lines

Miranda needs something to write about in her college application essays. But what?

Miranda has a plan: ace her junior year, get into an Ivy League school, and skip anything that doesn’t look good on a college application. But the pressure is getting to her, and now her parents have cut her off from every club, competition, and committee she’s a part of.

Desperate to get back on track, Miranda sets her sights on the Texas Water Safari—a 260-mile canoe race her mom was set to do with her granddad. With her mom sidelined by … Continue reading →

Review: Lake Life by Tanya Boteju

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Lake Life by Tanya Boteju

Lake Life
Tanya Boteju
Quill Tree Books
Published May 26, 2026

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About Lake Life

Perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli, this charming, chaotic romance follows two teens who agree to fake-date when stuck together one summer in a quirky, scenic lake town.

This is definitely not how Maya wanted to spend the summer—depressed at her once-beloved cabin in Spruce Lake, and unable to avoid seeing her lifelong best friend, Rashida, after confessing her woefully unrequited love to her last year. Maya can’t decide if she wants to escape, or convince Rashida they’re still meant to be.

Gabe is sent to Spruce Lake by her mom in hopes she … Continue reading →

Review: If You Were Here by Abigail Johnson

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If You Were Here by Abigail Johnson

If You Were Here
Abigail Johnson
HarperCollins
Published April 28, 2026

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About If You Were Here

A charming and emotional standalone grumpy/sunshine romance set during a Nantucket summer. Lili needs Wren’s help to complete her father’s research and save her family’s reputation–but working together leads to more discoveries than either of them bargained for.

Lili Gardner hasn’t been back to Nantucket, her dad’s favorite place, since her parents divorced six years ago. But Dad passed away recently, leaving her a house on the island and an unsolved mystery about a maligned Gardner ancestor. Lili … Continue reading →

Review: Shards of Silence by Brian Lee Young

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Shards of Silence by Brian Lee Young

Shards of Silence
Brian Lee Young
Heartdrum
Published May 5, 2026

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About Shards of Silence

In his first YA novel, award-winning author Brian Lee Young (Diné) bridges the generational divide between a Navajo teen at an elite prep school and his great-grandmother’s experience at a federal boarding school for Indigenous students. The book is an eye-opening call for community healing and a profound coming-of-age story.

Even if it hurts to leave behind his friends and family in Navajo, New Mexico—especially his great-grandmother, Mildred—Derrick knows his scholarship to an elite East Coast boarding school is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Sagefield Academy is … Continue reading →