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Summer Reading 2019
Need suggestions for beach reading or books to bring to summer camp? Here are some of our top books for different age ranges, all ideal for the season. For the complete list, download our printable PDF.
(1)
K-3
The "strongest guys in the whole forest" are the Little Guys--small pastel-colored creatures with acorn-cap hats and stick arms and legs. This presumed root-for-the-underdog story takes a humorously unexpected turn as close observation shows the Little Guys obnoxiously stealing food from the other forest animals ("None for you! All for us!"). Brosgol's jewel-toned mixed-media illustrations are imbued with humor both subtle and exaggerated, enhancing and extending the spare text.
Reviewer: Emmie Stuart
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2019
(1)
K-3
Illustrated by
Van Thanh Rudd.
A child in an unnamed village "where we live inside our mud-for-walls home" describes the diversions of daily life, including zooming about with "my crazy brothers" on a "patchwork bike" built of scrap. Clarke's spare, mellifluous language is hand-lettered on Rudd's rough, tactile paintings composed of heavy acrylic paint on recycled cardboard. The illustration choices reflect the book's theme--exposing the harsh reality of life while acknowledging the resilience that comes from homemade joy.
Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2018
(1)
K-3
Die-cuts serve useful and playful purpose in this blue- and beige-colored introduction to Earth's various meetings of water and landforms. A boy fishes on a pond while a girl plays ashore; turn the page, and the pond becomes an island where the girl is stranded. The cleverness continues as a bay becomes a cape, a strait an isthmus, etc., with funny little human dramas to encourage close examination.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2018
(2)
K-3
The "scrumptious scent" of grandmotherly Omu's thick red stew wafts out her apartment window; a little boy inquires after the delicious smell, followed by a peckish police officer and more until Omu's generosity means that she has no stew left for dinner. But everyone returns, this time to share with Omu. Mixed-media layers give the collage illustrations depth. Mora times her story perfectly, and repetition will encourage group participation.
Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2018
(1)
K-3
Two "migrantes," a mother and her infant son, arrive on "the other side." Here they meet cultural challenges (customs, language) that are resolved at the San Francisco Public Library, with its "unimaginable" wealth of books that offer paths to literacy, community, even a career. Occasional Spanish words enrich the succinct, gently poetic text, illustrated with rich and vibrant pen-and-ink, acrylic, and collage art. Back matter sets the narrative in personal and historical context. Concurrently published in Spanish as Soñadores.
Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2018
(1)
K-3
Illustrated by
Zeke Peña.
When Papi gets home from work, young Daisy grabs their motorcycle helmets, eager to zoom through the neighborhood before the sun goes down. Joyous digital and hand-painted watercolor illustrations capture the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and colors. The text's nuanced alliteration, its use of Spanglish, and the realistic linguistic mix in the illustrations (even the cat says both meow and miau) mark the specificity shaping Daisy's memory-making. Also available in Spanish.
Reviewer: Lettycia Terrones
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2019
(1)
K-3
Colors by Elaine Bay. Little Lobo and his dog Bernabé deliver goods to their friends in the mercado. Detailed comics-style illustrations feature anthropomorphic creatures, objects, and places; colors are largely muted so they don't compete with the many items on the riotously bustling and crowded pages. Most objects are labeled in Spanish, like a visual dictionary, and cultural references (a cinema called Buñuel; Cantinflas and Frida Kahlo puppets) are interspersed throughout. Glos.
Reviewer: Alicia K. Long
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2019
(1)
K-3
Robinson offers a smart, sly, and imaginative wordless story about a girl and her cat embarking on a fantastical adventure. The girl follows the cat through a portal into another dimension--and another and another, each time prompting readers to turn the book. After encountering her own double, the girl (plus cat) finally makes it back home. A subtle visual punch line at book's end will reward careful viewers.
Reviewer: Megan Dowd Lambert
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2019
(2)
K-3
Illustrated by
Mercè López.
Divided into four sections by season, these "riddle-ku" poems use innovative language to represent something traditionally associated with each one. (For back-to-school in fall, for example: what is "a yellow train / carrying thoughts from your brain / to the waiting page?" A pencil.) In addition to helping readers solve the puzzles, the supporting acrylic and digital illustrations capture movement and texture through strong lines and seasonal hues.
Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2019
(1)
K-3
Illustrated by
Iris Deppe.
Soviet dogs Belka and Strelka became, in 1960, among the first animals to return, alive, from orbital flight. Southgate and Deppe tell and show their story with suspense, enthusiasm, and little anthropomorphism. The automatically appealing narrative is bolstered by useful scientific facts ("Strelka's puppies prove spaceflight is not harmful"). With a zip equal to the story, the pictures use well-outlined, simple forms in depicting the dogs in various visual configurations. Timeline.
Reviewer: Roger Sutton
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2019
(2)
K-3
Time to Read series.
In each of these lively beginning-chapter-book whodunits, Detective Paw, a Hercule Poirot–esque canine, and Patrol Officer Prickles, an action-oriented porcupine employing crime-fighting gadgets, follow the same procedural pattern to solve a robbery (Bank) and a band instrument theft (Drumsticks). Given the illustrations' visual hints, young readers may well guess the straightforward outcomes, but in doing so they’re also working each case and learning that reading is an active process. Review covers these Time to Read titles: Detective Paw of the Law: The Case of Piggy's Bank and Detective Paw of the Law: The Case of the Stolen Drumsticks.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2018
(2)
K-3
Time to Read series.
In each of these lively beginning-chapter-book whodunits, Detective Paw, a Hercule Poirot–esque canine, and Patrol Officer Prickles, an action-oriented porcupine employing crime-fighting gadgets, follow the same procedural pattern to solve a robbery (Bank) and a band instrument theft (Drumsticks). Given the illustrations' visual hints, young readers may well guess the straightforward outcomes, but in doing so they’re also working each case and learning that reading is an active process. Review covers these Time to Read titles: Detective Paw of the Law: The Case of Piggy's Bank and Detective Paw of the Law: The Case of the Stolen Drumsticks.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2018
(1)
K-3
Following I Am Pan!, here comes Pan’s father, Hermes, the messenger god, eager to tell his own story. This Hermes is handsome, insouciant, impulsive, and bursting with self-esteem (his first word: “Gimme!”). These are bright, noisy, fast-moving adventures decorated with contemporary touches, and Gerstein proves himself a genius of the comics form, especially of the speech balloon, as he creates layered conversations, rich with interior monologue, gossip, and prevarication.
Reviewer: Sarah Ellis
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2019
(2)
K-3
Illustrated by
Richard Jones.
The thirty-three poems in this anthology range from the whimsical (Monica Shannon's "How to Tell Goblins from Elves") to the practical (April Halprin Wayland's "How to Ride a New Bike"). Each is genuine poetry and not a didactic lesson, with rhythm, expression, and evocative phrases. Digitally edited paintings capture the tone and feeling of each piece while still being unified overall with color choices, soft edges, and keen observations of nature.
Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2019
(2)
4-6
Translated by Edward Gauvin.
Jun's graphic novel for young readers begins with Yu'er, a Chinese girl who dreams of swimming in the Special Olympics. When her swim-class application is rejected because of her disability, Grampa has an ingenious solution. Heartwarming relationships, moments of levity, and magical elements also mark the remaining three vignettes. The earth-toned watercolor illustrations seem quiet at first glance, but dynamic perspectives and compositions provide lively energy.
Reviewer: Roxanne Hsu Feldman
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2018
(2)
K-3
Ready-to-Read: The Adventures of Otto series.
After watching bird Tweet fly, mouse Pip becomes inspired to try it. Several page-turns (and much fruitless flapping) later, robot friend Otto comes up with a clever remote-control drone solution that allows Pip's dreams to take flight. This latest series entry's extremely limited vocabulary provides effective new-reader support, the comic timing is spot-on in the repetition and pacing, and the clean illustrations are both understated and hilarious.
Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2019
(2)
K-3
Illustrated by
Amy Schimler-Safford.
Real octopus Inky was caught in a Pacific Ocean lobster trap and transferred to a seemingly blissful life at a New Zealand aquarium. Yet when the opportunity arises, Inky squeezes himself through a loose tank cover gap, into a drainpipe, and out into the Pacific, where he (presumably) lives today. Montgomery weaves detailed science into Inky's story. Schimler-Safford's brightly colored illustrations effectively hint at Inky's intelligence. Reading list.
Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2018
(2)
K-3
Illustrated by
Gordon C. James.
Nelson and James's engrossing picture-book biography of African American cowboy and bronc buster George Fletcher (1890–1973) mainly focuses on the major event of his riding life: the 1911 Pendleton Round-Up. Folksy language ("Ranching fit George like made-to-measure boots") brings readers right into the era, and bold brushstrokes give the illustrations a dynamic feel suitable for the subject. Back matter provides further information about the round-up and its participants. Bib., glos.
Reviewer: Autumn Allen
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2019
(1)
PS
The relationship between this book's ginger-haired boy and lop-eared, ginger-furred dog evolves as the dog morphs from pet to pal to parent figure. The text begins with familiar commands: "Sit"; "Stay." Gradually, they become more elaborate and unlikely--"Cook"; "Serve"--until the dog accompanies the boy on a trip to the moon ("Go"). An original premise, bare-bones text, perfect picture-book pacing, and deliciously transparent watercolors combine for an emotional punch.
Reviewer: Sarah Ellis
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2019
(2)
K-3
Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! series.
In this metafictional easy reader, pachyderm Harold suggests to his porcine friend Hog that they pretend to be Gerald and Piggie. He pops an over-snout pig nose on Hog while he tries to act like Gerald--the joke being that exuberant Harold is as un-Gerald-like as they come, and that skeptical Hog is nothing like Piggie. Amidst the riotousness are welcome messages about appearances, behavior, relationships, and expectations.
Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2019
(1)
1-3
Illustrated by
Emily Hughes.
This third Charlie & Mouse book spotlights Mom's approaching birthday. Over four chapters, the siblings "help" Mom make pancakes, Dad takes the kids shopping for the perfect present ("Does Mom like tape?" "Everyone likes tape"), and party preparations humorously go awry before the surprise happily comes to fruition. Hughes's graphite and Photoshop illustrations convey lots of affection for this relatable family, including its everyday harried moments.
Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2019
(1)
4-6
When child chimney sweep Nan Sparrow gets stuck in a flue and nearly dies, she is saved by a "soot golem." Nan and the kind, gentle "Charlie" escape from her cruel master and make a home in an abandoned mansion. Weaving together strands of Jewish folklore, Blake's poetry, Frankenstein, child-labor reform, and magical realism, Auxier crafts a beautiful, hopeful story from the ugly realities of nineteenth-century British life.
Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2018
(2)
4-6
Illustrated by
William Goldsmith.
This creatively rendered biography-in-comics, with Muir's imagined voice as narrator, is filled with the naturalist's adventures, from his childhood in Scotland to his pioneering conservation work and formation of America's National Parks. Illustrator Goldsmith's Muir is a feisty character, portrayed in loose pencil sketches with one or two accent colors. Vibrant spreads in the chapter transitions and interludes capture the stunning landscapes in which Muir found his purpose. Timeline. Glos.
Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2019
(1)
4-6
Louisiana Elefante's flighty, unstable grandmother abandons her at a motel, leaving behind a letter revealing that Louisiana is a foundling whom she rescued and raised. Louisiana (Raymie Nightingale) is a resilient and sympathetic character, and the juxtaposition of her down-to-earth observations with Granny's capriciousness lightens the narrative and allows for a good deal of humor. Overarching themes addressing forgiveness, love, friendship, acceptance, home, and family ring honest and true.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2018
(2)
4-6
Illustrated by
Geneva B.
Jax meets Ma--who has just received a package containing three dragons. The dragons cannot stay in Brooklyn ("They came from one world, and they're on their way to another"), and the pair's quest to deliver the creatures takes several unexpected turns involving time travel, magic, and a host of vividly portrayed characters. This suspenseful illustrated novel is a welcome addition to the underpopulated genre of African American middle-grade fantasy.
Reviewer: Jonda C. McNair
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2018
(2)
4-6
Illustrated by
Dapo Adeola.
Like many kids, African American cousins Otto and Sheed Alston want just one more day of summer vacation. They get their wish when they accidentally freeze time and find their town visited by denizens from the "interdimensional community." Giles presents a page-turning magical fantasy adventure with broad appeal in which his protagonists use their considerable talents to save not only their town but also themselves.
Reviewer: Dean Schneider
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2019
(2)
4-6
Spanish-language edition translated by María E. Santana. Three amusing and enlightening folktales ("Martina Martínez and Pérez the Mouse" was written by Alma Flor Ada) are presented in a lively comic-book format. Expressive characters and colorful tones add to the stories' playfulness. F. Isabel Campoy's introduction places the tales in the context of folktale traditions of the Americas; primary sources and contextual facts are appended. Also available in Spanish. Bib.
Reviewer: Alicia K. Long
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2018
(1)
4-6
Narrator Caleb and older brother Bobby Gene meet Styx Malone, a mysterious, lanky, smooth-talking teenager who adds excitement to their otherwise humdrum summer in small-town Indiana. The boys embark on a journey that encompasses rule-breaking, laugh-out-loud humor, and nail-biting adventure, while exploring the importance of family ties and deep friendships. Spending time with Styx, Caleb, and Bobby Gene is an experience no reader will soon forget.
Reviewer: Monique Harris
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2018
(2)
K-3
Illustrated by
Dan Santat.
This collection of twenty-three irreverent, kid-pleasing poems by Miller (singer/songwriter of the alt-country band Old 97's) covers familiar subjects: a case for staying home "sick" from school, a tyrannical Little League coach/dad, sibling rivalry, etc. With expressive caricatures and varied compositions, Santat's boisterous illustrations amp up the absurdity and enhance the subversion. A solid offering, providing an all-star lineup of mostly relatable, occasionally thought-provoking, and always entertaining reflections.
Reviewer: Kitty Flynn
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2019
(1)
4-6
In this highly entertaining, brilliantly plotted fantasy, orphaned ten-year-old Bronte must embark alone on a multi-kingdom visit to her many aunts, a trip minutely scripted by the terms of her parents' will. With storytelling aplomb, humor, imagination, and many twists and turns, readers will want to begin rereading this spellbinder just as soon as they finish it, to find all the clues and connections and coincidences Moriarty drops throughout.
Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2018
(2)
4-6
In this humorous, action-packed, comics/novel hybrid set in the Middle Ages, troubadour's apprentice Max longs to become a knight--but girls aren't allowed to. Then Max discovers she's prophesied to save the kingdom. With help from new friends (who dub themselves "the Midknights"), she sets off on a hero's journey. Peirce's accessible, enlightening narrative flows seamlessly between regular text and speech bubbles in the black-and-white comic panels.
Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2019
(1)
YA
Illustrated by
Eugene Yelchin.
Historian and diplomat (and spy) Brangwain Spurge has been sent from Elfland to the neighboring goblin kingdom. He befriends his host, goblin archivist Werfel. Unbeknownst to them both, however, their nations are preparing for war. Pen-and-ink illustrations resembling medieval lithographs represent Spurge's not-always-reliable spy reports; with touches of humor, whimsy, irony, and menace, they're well suited to both the acerbic wit and the affecting tenderness of Anderson's prose.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2018
(2)
4-6
A trio of not-particularly-capable sitters appropriates the central business model of Ann M. Martin's Baby-Sitters Club books. Much of the humor in this over-the-top send-up of lesson-laden kids' pop culture comes via the hyperbolic traits of its sometimes misguided characters. Believable friendship dynamics and motivations balance out the silliness. The source material serves as a jumping-off point, so familiarity with Martin's series isn't necessary.
Reviewer: Shoshana Flax
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2019
(2)
4-6
Scientists in the Field series.
Humans are encroaching on black bears' natural habitat in and around Asheville, North Carolina. In this encouraging account, Cherrix accompanies a team of biologists conducting the North Carolina Urban/Suburban Black Bear Study. Photographs capture the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain environment and the care scientists take in collecting data to manage the bear population. A chapter on wild animals in other communities emphasizes the problem's global nature. Websites. Bib., glos., ind.
Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2018
(1)
4-6
This timely and powerful anthology was created to help young people cope with the hate currently being unleashed against, among others, people of color, people with disabilities, and those of different faiths. More than thirty essays, poems, and letters are presented on beautifully designed and -illustrated double-page spreads by fifty-two contributors in all. The accessible presentation will pull kids in; the wisdom inside will keep them engaged--and, hopefully, motivated. Ind.
Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2018
(1)
4-6
Thirteen-year-old Rachel feels the pressure of several issues at once: her parents' money troubles; her best friend Micah's romantic feelings (though she's told him she doesn't think she likes boys); her job tending her dilettante "farmer" neighbors' menagerie. The novel's tight focus on time and place--everything happens within the range of a bike ride, in the beginning of summer--magnifies the intensity of Rachel's circumstances and her emotional response.
Reviewer: Thom Barthelmess
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2019
(2)
YA
In this sensitive coming-of-age graphic novel, Bina's BFF/next-door neighbor Austin is away at soccer camp (and ignoring her texts) the summer before eighth grade. Bored, impressionable, guitar-playing Bina starts hanging out with Austin's older sister, who shares her love of music, and she's pushed outside her comfort zone (e.g., babysitting, boys). A monochromatic palette with sunny oranges plus unobtrusive panels and lettering allow Larson's believable dialogue to shine.
Reviewer: Elisa Gall
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2018
(2)
4-6
Thirteen-year-old Min has a powerful secret: she's a fox spirit disguised as a human; she can shape-shift and use magic to alter others' perceptions. Min enthusiastically wields these powers when she ditches her "dismal life" on the barren planet Jinju to track down her brother Jun, a Space Forces cadet who's gone AWOL. Lee's richly detailed, cohesive, original vision is a lively mash-up of outer-space sci-fi and Korean culture and folklore.
Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2019
(1)
4-6
Clarry, her brother Peter, and their beloved cousin Rupert were introduced in a WWI London–set Binny in Secret subplot; here, McKay gives us their full story. When soldier Rupert is declared MIA, "presumed dead," Clarry sets off to find him. This exceptional novel is both broad and deep, sketching the scope of the Western Front but drawing us into Clarry's heart and mind as she valiantly grows up. Bib.
Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2018
(1)
4-6
Cuban American Merci's life in south Florida consists of spending time with her extended family (including her abuelo, Lolo, who no longer seems like himself) and attending elite Seaward Pines Academy, where she does community service to pay for her tuition. Medina brings depth, warmth, and heart to her characters, never shying away from portraying this family's flaws. Accurate, natural use of Spanish builds authenticity.
Reviewer: Sujei Lugo
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2018
(2)
YA
Twelve-year-old Simon believes aliens have made regular contact with humans. When this belief is terrifyingly confirmed on a camping trip, the truth seems too much to bear. Escaping into computer games and his own fantasy writing, Simon finds some comfort but no resolution to his increasingly frequent abductions by aliens. Simon's first-person narration sustains the story's strong forward momentum toward a climax that will chill readers straight to the bone.
Reviewer: Eric Carpenter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2019
(1)
YA
High school senior Emoni Santiago (an aspiring chef) and her two-year-old daughter live with Emoni's abuela. Emoni signs up for a culinary arts class that culminates in a trip to Spain--and she begins to see a path forward, if only she dares follow it. Acevedo creates beautifully realized characters with complex lives. A few recipes (such as "When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemon Verbena Tembleque") are interspersed.
Reviewer: Christina L. Dobbs
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2019
(1)
YA
After the Greek god Hephaestus catches his wife Aphrodite, goddess of love, in a passionate affair during WWII, Aphrodite defends her actions by relating--with pathos and wit--two intertwined love stories involving four mortals swept up in WWI. Masterful storyteller Berry's tight, short, descriptive chapters span years, continents, and multiple perspectives. This poignant saga will make readers by turns laugh, cry, and swoon. Extensive historical notes on WWI appended. Bib.
Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2019
(1)
YA
This companion verse memoir to Enchanted Air provides a glimpse into Engle's teen years in Los Angeles and early adulthood. Engle addresses head-on the impact of the Vietnam War; the injustices prevalent in society at the time; the resistance of students and workers; and black and brown solidarity. The poems display Engle's customary sincerity and reflect the parallels and divergences between her two worlds--her Cuban and American heritages.
Reviewer: Sujei Lugo
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2019
(2)
YA
Jordan, helped by classmate Max, tries his hand at the food truck business to help his unstable mother make mortgage payments. Despite their differences, the two boys develop a friendship that quickly blossoms into a romance; they work together in the boiling summer heat of Mesa, Arizona, and date each other in the evenings. Konigsberg portrays gay teen relationships in a way that is consistently authentic, compassionate, hopeful, and empowering.
Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
May, 2019
(2)
YA
Monty's sister Felicity (The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue) dreams of becoming a doctor, but she's been rejected by every hospital board (this being eighteenth-century Britain). In a last-ditch effort, she hitches a ride to the Continent with pirates to plead her case with her medical idol. Amid occasional fantasy elements, Lee keenly observes unsavory realities of the times while naturally incorporating casual diversity and a strong feminist credo.
Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2019
(2)
YA
Nalah, a.k.a. Chief Rocka, is the leader of the all-girl gang Las Mal Criadas, which owns the streets of Mega City. Worn out from fighting, she dreams of a different path. Rivera weaves a story of self-discovery, blood relations and chosen families, substance addiction, and race into her sci-fi tale, including details from Afro and Indigenous Caribbean culture and history. A dystopian mixtape of boldness, sisterhood, and questioning the status quo.
Reviewer: Sujei Lugo
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2019
(2)
YA
Illustrated by
Corban Wilkin.
Neri's comics-format "second-hand memoir" is about his cousin Gail Ruffu, a former horse trainer who horse-napped thoroughbred Urgent Envoy to rescue him from racing on a fractured leg. Neri details events preceding the fateful Christmas Eve evening and the legal battles that followed. Expressive, dynamic brown-and-white ink panels bring immediacy to the emotional and financial turmoil Ruffu endured. The intense, candid story underscores the risks and rewards of uncompromised activism.
Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2019
(2)
YA
Reckoner series.
Even though high-schooler Cole stopped a serial killer in Strangers, saving many lives in his Cree community, he still feels unwelcome. Now, a murderous supernatural being is roaming the forest, devouring all in its path, while guards from a nearby laboratory have locked down the community's health clinic. The story is mysterious enough to generate plenty of momentum, and Robertson's depiction of the close Cree relationships provides a strong underpinning.
Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 2019
(1)
YA
Sixteen-year-old Bri attends a public arts high school and dreams of being a rapper like her late father. After winning a rap battle in her neighborhood, doors start to open--but at a price Bri isn't sure she's willing to pay. Thomas's sharp, even piercing, characterization includes a remarkably well-rounded cast. A richly woven love letter to hip-hop, with Bri's lyrics and her thought process behind them included throughout.
Reviewer: Christina L. Dobbs
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2019
(2)
YA
This serial webcomic turned epic graphic novel follows two alternating, far-future timelines, each initially distinguished by a different limited palette. In the first, eighteen-year-old Mia seeks her place among the tight-knit crewmates of a spacecraft; five years earlier, at an intergalactic boarding school, Mia falls in love with new arrival Grace. Walden immerses readers in a uniquely imagined, compelling universe with a cast that's matter-of-factly female-centric, orientation-inclusive, and racially diverse.
Reviewer: Katie Bircher
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2018
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