(2) YA Protagonist Niki has been best friends with Ava since the latter moved to their small Maine island in third grade. So Niki is crushed when, in eighth grade, Ava suddenly ditches her for the popular girls. She blames herself: she didn't give Ava enough attention; she's immature; she's annoying; and so on. Niki has a tendency toward negative self-talk; she dreams of having a time machine to "erase all my dorkiness." What's worse, she isn't sure what to do about the fact that she like-likes her next-door neighbor, and she's worried about her younger brother, Danny, who's undergoing testing for an autism diagnosis. To her surprise, however, Niki discovers that she isn't alone: her best friend before Ava, Holly, is there for her. And Holly is totally different from Ava; she shows Niki what having a real friend is like, teaching her that mistakes are, if not erasable, then forgivable. Through her protagonist's pitch-perfect narration, Vail re-creates the experience of being thirteen, from the awkwardness to the cutthroat friendship dynamics to the slang ("I'm fully tragic," Niki explains to her classmates about needing glasses). The subplot about Danny adds warmth to the drama; it's clear that Niki is a compassionate sister in a loving family, even though she doesn't always see it that way. With a few missteps, she gains confidence; by book's end, when she is finally able to stand up to Ava, it's with the knowledge that she is complete--and cool!--without her.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Paige Keiser. Second grader Elizabeth (younger sister of Vail's Justin Case) confronts the inequities of alphabetical order, deals with the downside of her longer first name, and learns how excluding classmates hurts feelings and complicates friendships. Friendly halftone illustrations grace these gentle stories of classroom dynamics, family, and friendship--perfect for newly independent readers. Review covers these titles: A Is for El!zabeth and Big Mouth El!zabeth

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Paige Keiser. Second grader Elizabeth (younger sister of Vail's Justin Case) confronts the inequities of alphabetical order, deals with the downside of her longer first name, and learns how excluding classmates hurts feelings and complicates friendships. Friendly halftone illustrations grace these gentle stories of classroom dynamics, family, and friendship--perfect for newly independent readers. Review covers these titles: A Is for El!zabeth and Big Mouth El!zabeth

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(1) 4-6 Gracie realizes she like-likes AJ Rojanasopondist. AJ like-likes Gracie's best friend, Sienna. Despite nursing a mild heartache, Gracie helps Sienna compose texts to AJ, whose messages feel oddly familiar--kind of like Gracie's close friend Emmett. Gracie's breakneck narration (presented in and out of text messages) folds in an effortlessly diverse cast. Through Gracie's rollicking commentary, Vail captures the anguish and hilarity of middle school.

Reviewer: Anastasia M. Collins | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2017

(2) YA Vail brings her sharp observations and wry humor to the world of eighth-grade friendships. Truly Gonzales is so thrilled to be asked by former best friend Natasha to sit at the popular table that she completely ditches her current best friend Hazel. Everything is exacerbated when prickly Hazel takes her revenge to social media. Shifting perspectives allow the story to unfold quickly.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Justin finds more to worry about in fourth grade when new kid Cash moves in and best friend forever Noah feels slighted. Balancing everyone's feelings, being true to himself, and getting himself out of "huge kerfuffles" once again makes Justin impossibly endearing--his mom, too (even when she's on his "Things I Hate" list). Cordell's sketches are perfectly suited to the diary format.

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Yumi Heo. Best friends Katie and Jennifer were inseparable. Then Jennifer chooses to play with Roy at recess and Katie is so "flabbersmashed" that her "whole self felt like a bruise." The first-person narration and emotive child-inspired art astutely capture the anger and hurt of a child being left out, as well as Katie's relief at the kindness of her new "walk-in-from-recess buddy."

Reviewer: Carrie Harasimowicz Sullivan

(3) PS Illustrated by Jeremy Tankard. Pig Liam's parents aren't exactly thrilled with his aspirations: "Hello, my name is Liam and I’ll be your Easter Bunny." His big sister has even less patience: "You are a piglet . . . Deal with it." Fortunately, Liam's grandparents (and the Internet) lend a hand in this laugh-out-loud celebration of individuality and imagination. Eye-catching illustrations feature bold black outlines and whimsical touches (Dad sports a handlebar mustache).

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) YA In this frothy sequel to If We Kiss, the boy who gave Charlie her first real kiss has become her stepbrother, and she has to share living space and a family with him while the two of them, possibly, rekindle their romance. Charlie's predicaments and the sitcom-like supporting characters lack depth, but she's still a likable narrator.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Justin (Justin Case: School, Drool, and Other Disasters) decides to spend the summer after third grade at the athletic Camp GoldenBrook. Obsessing about everything from where to sit on the bus to swimming in the deep end, Justin's worries overwhelm the beginning of the book but culminate in a satisfying conclusion. Cordell's sketches provide context for young readers.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(3) YA Quinn has always been the level-headed, dependable, studious daughter. But it's a difficult image to maintain, especially since she's anxious about her family's financial problems and impending move. The theme of accepting imperfection--both for Quinn herself and for her parents--is a relatable one, and a little romance doesn't hurt, either. A satisfying ending to the Avery sisters trilogy.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Justin shares his third-grade year in an illustrated diary of drop-dead funny observations. He reveals his worries, even worrying "about what to worry about," but, predictably, third grade isn't the disaster Justin imagines. The diary format creates multiple starting and stopping places, the characters and situations cover familiar territory, and the narrative moves at a lively pace.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2010

(2) YA In this companion to Lucky, Allison sells her cell phone to the devil in exchange for beauty. Chosen as a semifinalist in a modeling competition, she thinks the devil's just holding up his end of the bargain. Meanwhile, there are family dramas and crushes to deal with. Allison is self-effacing and funny, privileged yet vulnerable; she and her friends are completely authentic.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2009

(3) PS Illustrated by Yumi Heo. Katie's sunny preschool life is darkened when the Jibberwillies come at night. In a comforting conclusion, Katie and her mother collect these night fears in a bucket and throw them out the window. Heo's mixed-media illustrations nicely reflect the story arc, as cheerful background colors turn to black and page design becomes hectic when the creatures frighten the little girl.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis

(3) YA Everyone calls Phoebe "lucky"--her family is upper-class, she's part of the A-list group at school, and she and her friends are throwing the party of the year. Then her businesswoman mom is fired, and Phoebe and her sisters are forced to confront some tough financial realities. Phoebe is entitled but still entirely sympathetic in this strong first book of a planned trilogy.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Righty and Lefty are two very different feet on one person. Band-Aided Lefty prefers galoshes, while Righty dreams of a vast shoe wardrobe; Righty's more energetic, while Lefty would rather rest in bed. Despite these differences, they still work together and care for one another. The playful tone of the story and the whimsical watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations nicely avoid didacticism.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(2) YA Fourteen-year-old Charlie (Charlotte) has a crush on Kevin, but complications surface when Charlie's best friend Tess starts going out with Kevin. Discovering that her mother and Kevin's father, both divorced, are romantically involved only heightens Charlie's feelings of guilt, anger, and confusion. Nuanced characterization and down-to-earth humor keep the whole entertaining mess from degenerating into soap opera.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2005

(2) YA In alternating chapters, Vail and Avi take on the personae of fraternal twins with nothing in common except their disdain for each other. As screwball comedies go, this one is consistently entertaining, and the dual narrators remain sympathetic and genuine-sounding even as the plot's convolutions reach absurd levels.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2004

(4) PS Illustrated by Yumi Heo. When a normally well-behaved girl has a destructive fit of rage, she thinks of herself as Bombaloo instead of Katie. Although her behavior is extreme, some young readers may be able to relate to Katie's hateful and violent feelings, which are reflected in the vigorous, stylized, whirling artwork. However, the author's attempt to portray the girl's angry voice results in a choppy text.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Steve Bjorkman. Mama Rex and her son T discover that with just a little effort homework can be fun and bad play dates can turn into good ones. The text in these two books is too difficult for those just starting out, and the picture book format isn't inviting to established readers. Nevertheless, the topics are familiar to beginning readers, and the humorous stories and artwork are appealing. [Review covers these titles: Mama Rex and T: Homework Trouble and Mama Rex and T: The Horrible Play Date.]

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden