Review: Monster Locker by Jorge Aguirre and Andrés Vera Martínez

Monster Locker by Jorge Aguirre and Andrés Vera Martínez

Monster Locker (Monster Locker #1)
Jorge Aguirre
Illustrated by Andrés Vera Martínez
First Second
Published October 1, 2024

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About Monster Locker

In this first volume of a thrilling middle grade graphic novel series, a sixth-grader named Pablo discovers his locker is a portal to the realm of monsters!

For hundreds of years, something in the basement of Glenfield Middle School has waited for its chance to open a portal into the realm of monsters. Now its time has come, and the school is going to need a hero. Pablo Ortiz . . . isn’t that guy. … Continue reading

Review: Rust in the Root by Justina Ireland

Rust in the Root by Justina Ireland

Rust in the Root
Justina Ireland
Balzer + Bray
Published September 20, 2022

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About Rust in the Root

The author of the visionary New York Times bestseller Dread Nation returns with another spellbinding historical fantasy set at the crossroads of race and power in America.

It is 1937, and Laura Ann Langston lives in an America divided—between those who work the mystical arts and those who do not. Ever since the Great Rust, a catastrophic event that blighted the arcane force called the Dynamism and threw America into disarray, the country has been rebuilding for a better future. And everyone knows the future is industry and … Continue reading

Review: The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck at Ada’s Reef by Michael D. Beil

The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck at Ada's Reef by Michael D. Beil

The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck at Ada’s Reef
Michael D. Beil
Pixel + Ink
Published February 1, 2022

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About Wreck at Ada’s Reef

Twelve-year-old Lark Heron-Finch is steeling herself to spend the summer on Swallowtail Island off the shores of Lake Erie. It’s the first time that she and her sister will have seen the old house since their mom passed away. And while her stepfather and his boys are okay, the island’s always been full of happy memories–and now everything is different.

When Nadine, a close family friend, tells Lark about a tragic boat accident that happened off the … Continue reading

Review: The Hollow Inside by Brooke Lauren Davis

The Hollow Inside by Brooke Lauren Davis

The Hollow Inside
Brooke Lauren Davis
Bloomsbury YA
Published May 25, 2021

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About The Hollow Inside

Phoenix and mom Nina have spent years on the road, using their charm and wits to swindle and steal to get by. Now they’ve made it to their ultimate destination, Mom’s hometown of Jasper Hollow. The plan: bring down Ellis Bowman, the man who ruined Nina’s life.

After Phoenix gets caught spying, she spins a convincing story that inadvertently gives her full access to the Bowman family. As she digs deeper into their secrets, she finds herself entrenched … Continue reading