Fresh Reads, Honest reviews, Educator-approved
High stakes on the fencing strip! Following sixth-grader Lucy and her eighth-grade sister GiGi, a bitter cafeteria clash triggers an official fencing showdown. Underneath the dramatic school factions and athletic competition lies a deeply touching, realistic study on sibling dynamics, shared family grief, and the long road to mutual forgiveness.
A devastatingly beautiful tribute to unconditional love. Serving as a companion to Free Lunch, this poetic masterpiece chronicles Ogle’s survival through horrific childhood abuse at the hands of his mother, anchored entirely by the tender, complicated, and lifesaving sanctuary of his grandmother’s home.
Step into the shadows of the overgrown woods! When young Zoey saves a friendly feline from her unkind, witchy neighbor, she unlocks a dangerous web of sinister magic. A spooky adventure that blends classic gothic atmosphere with unexpected twists that will keep cat lovers hooked.
When worry takes on a life of its own! This graphic novel personifies a middle-schooler’s anxiety as a chaotic, shadowy twin named Viola. Blending the trial of changing schools with the complex cultural pressures of growing up in a Chinese immigrant family, it offers a visually striking, deeply poignant look at finding coping strategies and seeking clinical help.
New Kid meets The Baby-sitters Club in this graphic novel series opener about the Curlfriends, four inseparable Black girls who show us the meaning of true friendship—and being your true self.