(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova. Thirteen-year-old Sofia, a cancer survivor, is the newest Guardian of "The Bestiary," an ancient book of monsters. While protecting the world's fearsome creatures is difficult, navigating middle school post-cancer proves even harder. Sofia's real fears and insecurities are mirrored in the fantastical events of the book, as she battles conformity and self-acceptance in both worlds. Occasional black-and-white illustrations give life to Sofia's monsters.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes