Category Archives: Contemporary

Review: Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp by Rachel M. Marsh

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Grandpere's Ghost Swamp by Rachel M. Marsh

Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp
Rachel M. Marsh
Greenwillow Books
Published March 24, 2026

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About Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp

Ferris meets Ghosts of Tupelo Landing in this cozy ghost story about family, environmental activism, food, and friendship.

Basil Theriot has spent her entire life in New Orleans—in her family’s famed Cajun restaurant in the French Quarter, really—but she’s never been out to the bayou where her grandfather grew up. She’s also never seen a ghost, even though dozens of ghost tours pass by the restaurant every day and her best friend Tommy is determined to be a ghost hunter.

But then Grandpere’s ghost appears. And he has a mission for … Continue reading →

Review: Three Keys by Kelly Yang

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Three Keys by Kelly Yang

Three Keys (Front Desk #2)
Kelly Yang
Scholastic Press
Published September 15, 2020

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About Three Keys

The story of Mia and her family and friends at the Calivista Motel continues in this powerful, hilarious, and resonant sequel to the award-winning novel Front Desk.Mia Tang thinks she’s going to have the best year ever.She and her parents are the proud owners of the Calivista Motel, Mia gets to run the front desk with her best friend, Lupe, and she’s finally getting somewhere with her writing!

But as it turns out, sixth grade is no picnic…1. Mia’s … Continue reading →

Review: The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson

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The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson

The Scammer
Tiffany D. Jackson
Quill Tree Books
Published October 7, 2025

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About The Scammer

A ripped-from-the-headlines thriller, following a freshman girl whose college life is turned upside down when her roommate’s ex-convict brother moves into their dorm and starts controlling their every move.

Out from under her overprotective parents, Jordyn is ready to kill it in prelaw at a prestigious, historically Black university in Washington DC. When her new roommate’s brother is released from prison, the last thing Jordyn expects is to come home and find the ex-convict on their dorm room sofa. But Devonte needs a place to stay while he gets back on his feet—and how could … Continue reading →

Review: Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian

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Only This Beautiful Moment by Abdi Nazemian

Only This Beautiful Moment
Abdi Nazemian
HarperCollins
Published May 9, 2023

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About Only This Beautiful Moment

From the Stonewall Honor–winning author of Like a Love Story comes a sweeping story of three generations of boys in the same Iranian family. Perfect for fans of Last Night at the Telegraph Club and Darius the Great Is Not Okay.

2019. Moud is an out gay teen living in Los Angeles with his distant father, Saeed. When Moud gets the news that his grandfather in Iran is dying, he accompanies his dad to Tehran, where the revelation of family secrets will force Moud into a new … Continue reading →

Review: A Wolf Called Fire by Rosanne Parry

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A Wolf Called Fire by Rosanne Perry

A Wolf Called Fire (A Voice of the Wilderness #4)
Rosanne Parry
SparkPress
Published February 4, 2025

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About A Wolf Called Fire

The stand-alone companion to Rosanne Parry’s New York Times bestseller A Wolf Called Wander tells the wilderness survival story of the wolf pup known as Warm and is illustrated in black and white throughout. This Voice of the Wilderness Novel features extensive back matter, including a map.

Warm is the smallest pup, the one his father calls the heart of the pack. But all Warm sees is his bigger brothers Sharp and Swift, even his sisters Pounce and … Continue reading →

Review: One Word, Six Letters by Adib Khorram

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One Word, Six Letters by Adib Khorram

One Word, Six Letters
Adib Khorram
Henry Holt & Co
Published March 17, 2026

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About One Word, Six Letters

Two teen boys grapple with identity and accountability and set off a ripple effect within their community after a school assembly is disrupted by a shouted slur.

Freshmen Dayton and Farshid couldn’t be more different—or so it seems.

When Dayton takes a dare and shouts the f-slur at a visiting author during a school event, it sets off a chain reaction that forces both boys to face parts of themselves they’d rather ignore.

Dayton, grappling with … Continue reading →