(3) K-3 Illustrated by Maggie Caton. On the ocean floor, lonely Blobfish dreams of a life full of excitement, friends, and "delicious treats." To that end, Blobfish proclaims, "Deep-sea party! Bring a treat to share!" and inadvertently begins a wild game of telephone that spans the entire planet--and beyond. The conclusion is sweet (literally) and satisfying, and animated illustrations in candy colors bring the squishy pink protagonist to life.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(4) YA Shay (Crave) discovers she's half human, half vampire. She and love Gabriel are confident in their relationship--until Shay meets Gabriel's vampire family. Gabriel must face the ultimate decision whether to choose family or love. Touching on themes of hope, rejection, and the power of love, the story is satisfying, if melodramatic.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(4) YA When carefree Zahra meets Kali and Syd in group counseling, she's surprised to learn that they all have the same deceitful boyfriend. Brokenhearted--and angry--they form Love, Inc., a consulting service for relationships, breakups, even revenge. Though too much is crammed into the story, it does raise some thoughtful questions. Sympathetic characters and an accessible writing style enhance the book.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(3) YA After her mother dies, fifteen-year-old Abi is forced to be a servant in Greave Hall, a mansion governed by decrepit Lord Greave and his tyrannical housekeeper. Abi senses a lurking supernatural presence in the house; when a dark family secret is unveiled, everything Abi knows is transformed. With crisp prose and suspenseful drama, Ford weaves a straightforward yet chilling Victorian London ghost story.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(4) 4-6 World Heritage series. This series discusses UNESCO World Heritage sites around the world, focusing on archaeological discoveries of ancient civilizations. Each double-page spread gives a very brief overview of the site, with an emphasis on historical importance and site preservation. The text, while accessible, can be choppy. Vibrant photographs and "Fact File" and "Did You Know?" text boxes enhance the presentation. Timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(4) 4-6 World Heritage series. This series discusses UNESCO World Heritage sites and the animals and wildlife that call them home. Each double-page spread gives a very brief overview of the site, with an emphasis on protecting species, preventing extinction, and preserving plant and animal life. Vibrant photographs as well as "Fact File" and "Did You Know?" text boxes enhance the presentation. There are some typos in the texts. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these World Heritage titles: Protecting Ecosystems, Protecting Earth's History, and Protecting Threatened Animals.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(4) 4-6 World Heritage series. This series discusses UNESCO World Heritage sites and the animals and wildlife that call them home. Each double-page spread gives a very brief overview of the site, with an emphasis on protecting species, preventing extinction, and preserving plant and animal life. Vibrant photographs as well as "Fact File" and "Did You Know?" text boxes enhance the presentation. There are some typos in the texts. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these World Heritage titles: Protecting Ecosystems, Protecting Earth's History, and Protecting Threatened Animals.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(4) 4-6 World Heritage series. This series discusses UNESCO World Heritage sites and the animals and wildlife that call them home. Each double-page spread gives a very brief overview of the site, with an emphasis on protecting species, preventing extinction, and preserving plant and animal life. Vibrant photographs as well as "Fact File" and "Did You Know?" text boxes enhance the presentation. There are some typos in the texts. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these World Heritage titles: Protecting Ecosystems, Protecting Earth's History, and Protecting Threatened Animals.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(4) 4-6 World Heritage series. This series discusses UNESCO World Heritage sites around the world, focusing on human construction (Masterpieces) and "great human ideas" (Story). Each double-page spread gives a very brief overview of the site, with an emphasis on historical importance, protection, and preservation. Vibrant photographs and "Fact File" and "Did You Know?" text boxes enhance the presentation. There are some typos in the texts. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these World Heritage titles: Protecting Human Masterpieces and Protecting the Human Story.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(4) 4-6 World Heritage series. This series discusses UNESCO World Heritage sites around the world, focusing on human construction (Masterpieces) and "great human ideas" (Story). Each double-page spread gives a very brief overview of the site, with an emphasis on historical importance, protection, and preservation. Vibrant photographs and "Fact File" and "Did You Know?" text boxes enhance the presentation. There are some typos in the texts. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these World Heritage titles: Protecting Human Masterpieces and Protecting the Human Story.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(4) YA Wolf Springs Chronicles series. After her mother's death, Katelyn moves to Wolf Springs, Arkansas, to live with her grandfather. As Katelyn adapts to small-town life, the supernatural secrets of Wolf Springs are unveiled after a student is killed. Crisp narration keeps the book going, but quicker plotting would have raised the stakes.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(3) YA Terrorized by brutal dreams, Aimee tries to uncover the cause of her mother's death. Alan, who is part-Navajo, taps into his mysterious powers. When Alan's cousin and Aimee's best friend, Courtney, becomes possessed by a river demon, Alan and Aimee come face to face with a terrifying truth. Written in alternating first-person perspectives, the story is a page-turner.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(3) YA Anna is haunted by her mother's drowning years before. When her father takes a job in the town where her parents fell in love, Anna learns a secret about her mother that has been buried deeper than the moonglass Anna collects from the beach. Kirby's debut novel benefits from subtle unraveling of plot, well-rounded secondary characters, and a poignantly drawn protagonist.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(3) YA Lenzi is a Speaker who can hear the voices of unsettled souls; Alden is her Protector. Resisting her gift, Lenzi struggles to maintain her normal high school life--until an evil spirit forces her to make a decision. Lindsey's characters are original, and her plot is fast-paced.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(3) YA When Miranda, sixteen, and her family visit York, England, she meets potential love interest Nick, but she's more interested in a mysterious ghost boy across the street. As the connection between the boys is revealed, Miranda discovers that only she can prevent a deadly plan. The straightforward plot, accessible writing, and supernatural elements ensure appeal to a range of readers.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(4) YA Abby is living in the shadow of her sister Tess, who's in a coma. When she meets Eli, she's convinced he can bring Tess back; she just never planned on falling for him. While fighting her feelings, Abby discovers a life-changing secret. There's an overabundance of melodrama and angst throughout; however, readers will be gratified to witness Abby restarting her life.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(3) YA In this quirky, original tale, Jennifer Van Der Berg tells the real story of her life, not the one Eileen Codlin wrote in her bestselling (but baloney) book. Jennifer did have a fairy godfather and had to kiss a vampire to stay alive, but Eileen never mentioned that the fairy godfather ruined Jenn's life. A snarky, witty narrative voice enhances the story.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(4) YA Melody is a teen rock star. Beresford can't remember his past or why he hides in the crawl spaces of an apartment building. When Melody moves to the building, Beresford falls in love. As they grow closer, they discover deadly secrets all around them. Strieber sets up a dramatic mystery but the solution is over the top.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(3) YA When Shane's father is arrested for money laundering and commits suicide, Shane's distress is obvious. As his world collapses, the high school sophomore struggles with school, family, friends, and his inability to focus on the mound. Deuker effectively uses baseball as a metaphor in this engaging novel about teams, families, and individuals who thrive despite the odds.

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham

(4) YA Diseases and People series. These books discuss each condition's history, detection and diagnosis, treatment, social implications, and current research. Attention is also given to outlining challenges to improving the health of sufferers. A few careless errors in Schizophrenia detract from an otherwise informative text. The serviceable black-and-white photos often bear little relevance to the text. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Diseases and People titles: Eating Disorders and Schizophrenia.]

Reviewer: Kayla Cottingham