Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
Take an epic 5-star road trip in Mexikid! Pedro Martín’s graphic memoir is a hilarious and heartfelt journey into his Mexican heritage. As his family squeezes into a Winnebago to fetch their legendary grandfather, Pedro discovers that heroes don’t just exist in his comic books. With eye-popping, stylized art and a relatable cast of siblings, this is a must-read for anyone navigating the beautiful chaos of family and identity.
Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures is a 5-star masterpiece that feels like an instant classic. When Christopher saves a baby griffin, he is pulled into the Archipelago—a hidden world of fading magic and ancient legends. This lyrical, high-stakes adventure explores the bravery required to protect a dying world. Perfect for fans of Narnia or His Dark Materials, it’s a breathtaking tribute to the mythical and the courageous heart.
Get ready for a “heady” and serpentine mystery with the K Team! In Good Dog, Bad Cop, Corey Douglas and his K-9 partner Simon Garfunkel take on a cold case to clear a mentor’s name. This 4-star procedural is witty, complex, and skillfully woven. While the human characters take center stage, the canine hero Simon Garfunkel is the true star of this Paterson, NJ investigation. Perfect for fans of complex puzzles.
Jared Reck delivers a 5-star masterpiece of humor and heart. Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love follows Oscar, a teen navigating grief and the pressures of fitting in, while running a Swedish food truck with his grandfather. A perfect pick for middle and high schoolers, this story explores the many ways we express love when words fail us. It’s an essential tool for counselors and educators looking to support emotional literacy and empathy.
For middle schoolers who aren’t quite ready for Stephen King but crave a real chill, Harrow Lake is the perfect “bridge” horror. Kat Ellis delivers a suspenseful, supernatural thriller featuring a “bone tree,” mysterious disappearances, and the unsettling Mr. Jitters. As the daughter of a horror filmmaker enters a town obsessed with a slasher film, students will be hooked by the cinematic atmosphere and nightmarish plot twists.