(2) YA It's 1977, and fifteen-year-old Vinnie moves from Queens to Long Island. He finds next-door neighbor Patsy's unlisted number on the ground; on the phone they enjoy a flirty chemistry, and their in-person relationship also gradually develops. The story moves to a satisfying conclusion as Vinnie's identity is revealed. Couloumbis's novel, refreshingly sweet and nostalgic, is a solid choice for teenage romantics.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2012

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Julia Denos. Lexie's father asks a "friend," Vicky, and her two sons, to join their father-daughter vacation. All of a sudden Lexie feels like a visitor in her own summer home. Small details define the novel, told from Lexie's introspective point of view. Couloumbis wisely doesn't end with everyone living happily ever after, suggesting instead that Lexie just makes the best of her situation.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2011

(3) 4-6 Ten-year-old Jake's only family is his widowed mom, a limitation he feels keenly when a broken leg lands her in the hospital. When his barely known grandfather comes to stay, the boundaries of Jake's family begin to expand. Set at Christmastime, this is a quiet novel peopled with adult characters; the burgeoning relationship between Jake and Granddad is believably and poignantly drawn.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(1) 4-6 A Nazi colonel moves into the house of Petros, twelve, and Zola, fifteen. Zola, defiant, coordinates distribution of secret messages; Petros, under cover of feigned play, assists the resistance fighter hiding in the family's well. Akila Couloumbis's memories come alive with details of Greek village life, an authentic stage for vivid characters who must navigate conflicting loyalties to establish viable wartime roles.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2009

(4) YA Elvira's father takes off to compete in an Elvis impersonator competition. Her pregnant mother follows suit, dragging Elvira and her little sister to meet their estranged grandmother. Quirky characters abound, as do revelations about the intricacies of family relationships. The novel has its charms, but the intriguingly messy family dynamics are tied up too neatly in the end.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(3) 4-6 Outlaw Maude, her sister (narrator Sallie), and reformed desperado Marion take off again one step ahead of the law in this sequel to The Misadventures of Maude March. Riding to help Uncle Arlen fend off poachers, they meet snake oil salesmen, a "dimer" novelist, and many a "Mad Maude" impersonator in this colorful Wild West escapade filled with warmth and humor.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) YA Not long after the Kent State shootings, thirteen-year-old Grace's older brother torches his draft card. Grace's father, a Korean War vetern, throws Collin out of the house, causing a terrible rift in the family. This is a thoughtful book about one American family during the Vietnam War, individuals made real through small details of character and their rough affection for one another.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2005

(2) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Casey is left to fend for herself when her stepmother runs off with a no-good boyfriend. Scared, lonely, and desperate for money, Casey lets teenage neighbor Paulie talk her into helping him rob an elderly woman. Short chapters suit the novel's apprehensive mood, and Couloumbis quickly sketches in character and situation in this gripping story.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2002

(2) 4-6 Ever since well-meaning but bossy Aunt Patty swooped in and declared Mama unable to care for the girls, headstrong Willa Jo has struggled with her, followed everywhere by Little Sister, who "hasn't said word one since Baby died." Plainly worded but evocative descriptions give life to the characters and tender poignancy to even simple observations in a story that honors the importance of finding one's own way through grief.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 1999