(2) YA Illustrated by ONeillJones. An enjoyable graphic novel about friendship, growing up, and all-things-engineering. Thirteen-year-old Mia is excited when her science-camp buddy, Tariq, transfers to her middle school. This turns quickly to anxiety when she discovers that her once-shy friend has blossomed into a cute, confident soccer star. Nevertheless, the two team up to compete in their school's Science Olympics (the plan: design and build an articulated snake-bot). Tension builds as the competition approaches and Mia's best friend, Addy, now hanging out with one of the mean girls, exerts pressure on Mia to act differently ("maybe you should try a little harder to fit in") and to ask Tariq to the school dance. As Mia's confidence wavers, her engineer grandmother reminds her that "some of the luckiest -- and smartest -- people never grow up" and that imagination and creativity can lead to innovation and problem-solving, especially when things don't go as planned. The cartooning is easy to scan, with establishing shots providing context for subsequent panels that use simplified, color-filled backgrounds. The quirky cast, including a sci-fi-loving dad, coupon-cutting scientist mom, and an ant-obsessed sibling, add humor and liveliness to Fantaskey's narrative, which is jam-packed with science references.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(3) 4-6 Intrepid aspiring reporter Isabel, ten, works as a newsgirl on the streets of 1926 Chicago. When she hears a gunshot and runs toward the fray, she becomes embroiled in a possible mob dispute, ultimately working side-by-side with her idol, Chicago Tribune crime reporter Maude Collier. Fast-paced and full of Prohibition-era scene dressing, this girl-powered historical whodunit is perfect for lovers of plucky protagonists.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(3) YA When the head football coach is killed, seventeen-year-old Millie, a school reporter obsessed with Nancy Drew, sets out to learn the truth and clear her assistant-coach father of any suspicion. She gets some unexpected help from dreamy quarterback Chase, who's hiding some secrets. This entertaining sleuth story is a good choice for teens now graduated from books featuring Millie's literary hero.

Reviewer: Meredith M. Sittman

(4) YA In this sequel (Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side), Jess and Lucius, newlywed couple and vampire royalty, are trying to help their old-world ancestors acclimate and unite their warring families. When Lucius is imprisoned, Jess calls on her few allies for support. Fans of the first book may eat it up, but otherwise there isn't much to sink your teeth into.

Reviewer: April Mazza

(3) YA High school science geek Jill Jekel is enamored of her handsome, moody classmate Tristen Hyde; she's thrilled when he agrees to partner up for a science contest. However, their project results in the exposure of devastating secrets stemming from their families' shared lurid history. The contemporary-set tale, told from Jill and Tristen's alternating perspectives, is an effectively eerie, romantic horror story.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Foreign exchange student Lucius wreaks havoc on Jessica's once-normal adolescence when he reveals that she's a vampire princess betrothed to him since birth. After trying to resist her attraction to Lucius, Jessica finally steps into her royal role--and the dangerous world of vampire politics. Despite an underwhelming ending, the mixture of teen romance and exotic supernatural peril is bewitching.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen