Category Archives: Book Review and Content

Review: Into the Bright Open by Cherie Dimaline

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Into the Bright Open by Cherie Dimaline

Into the Bright Open (A Secret Garden Remix)
Cherie Dimaline
Feiwel & Friends
Published September 5, 2023

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About Into the Bright Open

In the Remixed Classics series, authors from marginalized backgrounds reinterpret classic works through their own cultural lens to subvert the overwhelming cishet, white, and male canon. This queer YA reimagining of The Secret Garden subverts the cishet and white status quo of the original in a tale of family secrets wonderful and horrifying.

Mary Lennox didn’t think about death until the day it knocked politely on her bedroom door and invited itself in. When a terrible accident leaves her orphaned at fifteen, … Continue reading →

Review: Finch House by Ciera Burch

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Finch House by Ciera Burch

Finch House
Ciera Burch
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published September 5, 2023

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About Finch House

Encanto meets Coraline in this spooky middle grade story that deals with family ties, fear of change, and generational trauma as it follows a girl who must convince an old, haunted house to release its hold on her and her family.

Eleven-year-old Micah has no interest in moving out of her grandfather’s house. She loves living with Poppop and their shared hobby of driving around rich neighborhoods to find treasures in others’ trash. To avoid packing, Micah goes for a bike ride and ends up at Finch House, the decrepit Victorian that Poppop … Continue reading →

Review: The Bravest Warrior in Nefaria by Adi Alsaid

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The Bravest Warrior in Nefaria by Adi Alsaid

The Bravest Warrior in Nefaria
Adi Alsaid
Aladdin Books
Published September 5, 2023

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About The Bravest Warrior in Nefaria

Phineas and Ferb meets the Despicable Me series in this hilarious and heartwarming middle grade debut from acclaimed author Adi Alsaid about a wannabe hero who lives in a goofily evil kingdom where nefarious schemes abound.

Welcome to Nefaria, where nearly every day the kingdom faces another evil scheme.

Most are harmless, though, so the citizens of Nefaria simply learn to live with the latest hijinks and go on with their lives. This includes Bobert Bougainvillea, who is much more concerned with the fact … Continue reading →

Review: Milk Bar: Kids Only: A Cookbook by Christina Tosi

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Milk Bar: Kids Only: A Cookbook by Christina Tosi

Milk Bar: Kids Only: A Cookbook
Christina Tosi
Clarkson Potter Publishers
Published October 27, 2020

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About Milk Bar: Kids Only: A Cookbook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER – Over 85 stellar, totally do-able desserts and other fun-fueled treats for kids (or adults!) to make, from Christina Tosi, founder of Milk Bar and MasterChef Junior judge!

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW AND FOOD NETWORK

Dedicated to the next generation of young bakers, Milk Bar: Kids Only presents more than eighty-five fun and empowering recipes to inspire imagination in the kitchen, from Apple Pie Waffles to PB&J … Continue reading →

Review: Deephaven by Ethan M. Aldridge

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Deephaven by Ethan Aldridge cover shows a boy holding up a torch and standing in front of an opened gate. Behind and above him lurks a shadowy monster with glowing eyes and tentacle-like hair.

Deephaven
Ethan M. Aldridge
Quill Tree Books
Published September 5, 2023

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About Deephaven

From Ethan M. Aldridge, bestselling creator of ESTRANGED, comes a gothic middle grade prose novel that follows a nonbinary student who is drawn to their boarding school’s forbidden east wing, where something stalks the shadowy corridors. Perfect for fans of J. A. White and Mary Downing Hahn!

When Guinevere “Nev” Tallow receives an acceptance letter to the exclusive Deephaven Academy, … Continue reading →

Review: Only on the Weekends by Dean Atta

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Only on the Weekends by Dean Atta

Only on the Weekends
Dean Atta
Balzer + Bray/HarperTeen
Published May 24, 2022

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About Only on the Weekends

From the Stonewall Award-winning author of The Black Flamingo comes a romantic coming-of-age novel in verse about the beautiful–and sometimes painful–fallout of pursuing the love we deserve. The ideal next read for fans of Kacen Callender, Elizabeth Acevedo, and Becky Albertalli.

Fifteen-year-old Mack is a hopeless romantic–likely a hazard of growing up on film sets thanks to his father’s job. Mack has had a crush on Karim for as long as he can remember and he can’t believe it when gorgeous, popular Karim seems into him too.

But … Continue reading →