Category Archives: Contemporary

Review: 16 Forever by Lance Rubin

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16 Forever by Lance Rubin

16 Forever
Lance Rubin
Publisher
Published January 6, 2026

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About 16 Forever

It’s the morning of Carter Cohen’s 16th birthday, and everything’s going his way.

He’s psyched and ready to get his driver’s license, his little brother’s not hogging the bathroom, and, man, something smells good for breakfast…

But when Carter bounds downstairs, Mom bursts into tears. It happened again. It’s Carter’s 16th birthday—for the sixth time. Every time he’s supposed to turn 17, he loops back a year. His memory gets wiped clean, his body ages backward—the rest of the world moves on, just not him.

… Continue reading →

Review: Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung le Nguyen

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Angelica and the Bear Prince by Trung le Nguyen

Angelica and the Bear Prince
Trung le Nguyen
Random House Graphic
Published October 7, 2025

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About Angelica and the Bear Prince

At her lowest point, a teen girl finds solace and a potential crush in her local theater’s mascot’s DMs, sparking a quest to uncover the true identity of this mysterious figure. From the bestselling author of The Magic Fish comes a new fairy tale romance with a twist.

What do you do when you’re the girl who can do it all, and suddenly you can’t?

After burning out last year, Angelica is ready to get … Continue reading →

Review Once for Yes by Allie Millington

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Once for Yes by Allie Millington

Once for Yes
Allie Millington
Feiwel & Friends
Published March 25, 2025

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About Once for Yes

The Odenburgh, an old apartment building made of brick and blunt opinions, is the last of its kind in a swiftly changing neighborhood. After years of putting up with people and their many problems, the Odenburgh knows there’s no point in getting attached. They all just leave eventually. A truth that comes all too soon when the building is sold and slated for demolition, giving tenants a month to move out.

No one is more troubled by … Continue reading →

Review: Nothing But the Truth by Avi

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Nothing But the Truth by Avi

Nothing But the Truth
Avi
Scholastic
Published January 1, 2010 (Orig. 1991)

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About Nothing But the Truth

When Philip Malloy starts humming along to his school’s daily playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner”, his insistence on continuing to do so even after his teacher, Miss Margaret Narwin, asks him to stop sets in motion a chain of events that will soon ripple out beyond anything Phil or Miss Narwin could have imagined. Phil’s friends, his teachers, and the school administration are soon swept up in the controversy…and that’s just the beginning!

Distinctions and Praise For Nothing But the Truth: … Continue reading →

Review: Linus and Etta Could Use a Win by Caroline Huntoon

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Linus and Etta Could Use a Win by Caroline Huntoon

Linus and Etta Could Use a Win
Caroline Huntoon
Feiwel & Friends
Published

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About Linus and Etta Could Use a Win

Linus is the new boy at school, and he’s trying to keep it quiet. After coming out as trans last year and managing the attention that came with it, he’s more than happy to fade into the background of his new middle school.

Etta isn’t like other kids at school, and she’s proud of it. The class misanthrope and the owner of the greenest hair at Doolittle Middle School, she’s still reeling … Continue reading →

Review: Monster by Walter Dean Myers

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Monster by Walter Dean Myers

Monster
Walter Dean Myers
HarperCollins
Published May 1, 2001 (Orig. 1999)

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About Monster

This New York Times bestselling novel and National Book Award nominee from acclaimed author Walter Dean Myers tells the story of Steve Harmon, a teenage boy in juvenile detention and on trial. Presented as a screenplay of Steve’s own imagination, and peppered with journal entries, the book shows how one single decision can change our whole lives.

Fade In: Interior: Early Morning In Cell Block D, Manhattan Detention Center.

Steve (Voice-Over)
Sometimes I feel like I have walked into the middle of a movie. Maybe I can … Continue reading →