Category Archives: Contemporary

Review: This Thing of Ours by Frederick Joseph

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This Thing of Ours by Frederick Joseph

This Thing of Ours
Frederick Joseph
Candlewick Press
Published May 12, 2026

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About This Thing of Ours

“Both heartening and heartbreaking, this richly layered, sensitive YA fiction debut from Joseph unflinchingly confronts systemic racism, classism, and homophobia via a powerful story of self-discovery and social justice that aims, shoots, and scores.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

In an instant, Ossie Brown’s entire future is in jeopardy when a torn ACL ends his promising basketball career. Now that basketball is no longer a major part of his identity, Ossie—a Black teen who doesn’t come from wealth and privilege—must navigate his new place in the social and academic ecosystems of … Continue reading →

Review: Listen to the Girls by Chrystal D. Giles

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Listen to the Girls by Chrystal D. Giles

Listen to the Girls
Chrystal D. Giles
Random House Books for Young Readers
Published May 5, 2026

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About Listen to the Girls

When Calla finds out her favorite teacher has been accused of inappropriate conduct, she decides to take action in this powerful story about growing up and speaking up, about listening to others and learning to listen to yourself. Because the more Calla listens . . . the more she realizes that maybe she has something to say too.

“Important and empowering—this story is a testament to the power of girls supporting one another.”—Kate Messner, New York Times bestselling author

What if … Continue reading →

Review: Chris Makes a Friend by Alex Gino

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Chris Makes a Friend by Alex Gino

Chris Makes a Friend
Alex Gino
Scholastic Press
Published November 4, 2025

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About Chris Makes a Friend

From the award-winning author of MELISSA, a sweet and tart story about unexpected friendship and family reconciliation.

Chris does not want to be spending the summer with their grouchy grandmother and social butterfly sister. But they don’t really have a choice, once their mom leaves them at Grandmother’s house. They can, however, try to escape whenever they want to — into the woods, where they encounter another kid who is the friend they need to survive the summer.

Only… there’s more to this friend than … Continue reading →

Review: Killing Sadie by Rachel Peterson

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Killing Sadie by Rachel Peterson

Killing Sadie
Rachel Peterson
Simon Pulse
Published August 4 2026

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About Killing Sadie

Perfect for fans of How to Survive Your Murder and Dead Girls Can’t Tell Secrets, this young adult thriller unspools the truth behind a tragic murder through multiple unreliable narrators who all have secrets to keep.

Here’s what we do know: there was another infamous barn party at the McClain family farm last night, and things went horribly wrong. By the end of the night, there were two dead bodies in the old barn: seventeen-year-old Sadie Cooper and her killer, Mason Vreeland. The murder was … Continue reading →

Review: City Spies: Forbidden City by James Ponti

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City Spies: Forbidden City by James Ponti

City Spies: Forbidden City (City Spies #3)
James Ponti
Aladdin
Published February 1, 2022

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About Forbidden City

In this third “thrilling” (Kirkus Reviews) installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies help a fellow agent in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls.

After taking down a mole within their organization, the City Spies are ready for their next mission—once again using their unique skills and ability to infiltrate places adults can’t. The sinister Umbra has their sights set on recruiting a North Korean nuclear physicist by any … Continue reading →

Review: Dare You to Dance by Rebecca Mock

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Dare You to Dance by Rebecca Mock

Dare You to Dance
Rebecca Mock
Random House Graphic
Published July 28, 2026

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About Dare You to Dance

From the award-winning illustrator of The Four Points series comes a heartfelt middle grade graphic novel about a small-town ballerina attending a prestigious dance workshop. Determined to push herself, she picks the best dancer in class to compete against—only to discover that what her rival really needs is…friendship.

Gracie is ready to take on the ballet world — starting with the Young Dancer Summer Workshop in New York! It’s a two week summer course, and while she … Continue reading →