Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
Fairest of All offers a haunting backstory for Disney’s Evil Queen, exploring how heartbreak and manipulation led her down a path of darkness. Valentino balances fantasy and tragedy, showing how grief and insecurity can transform love into obsession. While the story could dive deeper into the Queen’s inner turmoil, it’s still an engaging read for fans of fairy tale retellings and moral complexity. Perfect for readers who enjoy exploring what makes a villain.
Nurah and her family move from Karachi, Pakistan, to Peachtree City, Georgia, where she struggles to fit in while holding on to her cultural identity. Her accent, clothing, and faith set her apart from her peers, but swimming becomes her refuge and strength.
Will Chambers is the only “round kid” in a school full of thin ones. He hides behind oversized hoodies and avoids the cafeteria, struggling with shame and self-doubt. When a cruel comment in fourth grade triggers years of pain, Will begins to spiral, using food restriction to cope.
Teen Josie Black, known as J.B., begins noticing strange memory lapses that her mother dismisses as stress. When she investigates, J.B. uncovers a shocking secret—she has been unknowingly trained as a spy by her mother and a covert organization.
Throughout World War II, in the conflict fought against Japan, Navajo code talkers were a crucial part of the U.S. effort, sending messages back and forth in an unbreakable code that used their native language.