(3) K-3 In this assemblage of collective nouns, Rzezak uses the animal group names as a starting point for an exploration of communal behavior and its links to survival. So, for example, a "cast of spider crabs" protect one another during the vulnerable molting period, and "colonies of penguins" create nurseries for the communal care of their children. The illustrations, which cleverly use a stencil technique to combine uniform forms with slight individual variations, provide both beauty and welcome humor, which offsets the sophisticated and relatively staid prose. Glos.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Illustrated by Timothy Corbett. Bondy's comprehensive overview aims to define terms relating to sexual assault and abuse and to counter pervasive misconceptions about these issues. The book offers practical strategies for survivors as well as thoughtful support for becoming an effective ally. Numerous boxed case studies (both real and fictional situations) help humanize the concepts but make sustained reading difficult. Corbett's illustrations feature artists' manikins as human stand-ins, which elides issues of gender identity but leaves the artwork impersonal. A list of related websites and resources is appended.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Manu Montoya. "There's no cow on the ice" (ie there's no rush) perusing this global survey of twenty-nine idioms, a companion book to Edwards's What a Wonderful Word. American readers will enjoy the introduction to some new turns of phrase (including the giggle-inducing Icelandic "peeing in your shoes will only keep you warm for a short while" and the evocative Japanese "not seeing is a flower") and may be equally intrigued to learn about possible origins for phrases like "to cost an arm and a leg" and "to butter someone up." Whether readers are eager to learn about other cultures (including the phonetic pronunciation of each phrase in its original language) or to take a closer look at phrases they may have always taken for granted, there's plenty of food for thought here. Welcoming illustrations add to the fun.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Illustrated by Fuchsia MacAree. UK-based sex and relationships educator Hancock offers an accessible, positive, down-to-earth introduction to agency and consent, not only as they apply to physical and sexual situations but also as tools to strengthen all kinds of relationships. Bold design built around MacAree's colorful artwork helps underscore humorous moments and emphasize key points. This is a non-threatening way to make abstract concepts not only understandable but also engaging to consider and discuss. A glossary and list of resources concludes the book.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) PS Mundorff playfully portrays collective nouns for animal groups in this good-natured roundup. In addition to the title troop (envisioned as participating in a variety of outdoor activities at Scout camp), there's a "stench of skunks" (complete with smelly locker room), a "business of ferrets" (depicted in a scene that could be straight out of The Office), and twelve more (six of which are listed at book's end). The text might be light on substance, but Mundorff's brightly colored digital-collage illustrations are full of humorous details.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Sex and relationships guru Dr. Drew is joined by his millennial daughter to provide a humorous, intergenerational guide to sex, relationships, and consent. Father and daughter offer their own takes on their shared advocacy of trust, compassion, and boundaries (TCB), which they use as their guiding principle to approach sexuality, gender identity, healthy sexual relationships, and more. Anecdotes and examples are uniformly positive and inclusive of a range of identities, and the narrative offers one model for how parents and kids can discuss tough topics together. An extensive list of books and websites is appended.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) YA Online relationship columnist (and soon-to-be NYU journalism student) Lu suffers severe writer's block when her boyfriend breaks up with her at the end of senior year. Lu hopes that by profiling another couple who jointly plan to part ways before college, she can be inspired--both personally and professionally. Lu's perfectionism and self-absorption grow tiresome, even if her life lessons will resonate with some readers.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) YA Kira enjoys helping her foster mom, Cady, train dogs for search-and-rescue operations. But this work becomes deeply personal when Cady's estranged father shows up, begging the two to help find a girl who's gone missing, in a case that may connect with Kira's own story. A tense mystery plot and strongly drawn setting help compensate for underdeveloped supporting characters.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Ethan's love of movies keeps alive the memory of his late film-professor father. He stokes his cinephilia by working at his local art house cinema, but when budget woes threaten to close the theater, Ethan and his quirky colleagues hatch a plan to keep it afloat. An appealingly awkward romance, a rich and varied set of secondary characters, and plenty of film references make for a winning tale.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Aspiring artist Ivy has always been happy living in best friend Harold's shadow. But when Harold is away for the summer, Ivy delves into the intriguingly anonymous world of VEIL, an online forum for sharing art. Ivy's shyness and altruism are tested when real life and virtual ones collide in the wake of homophobic hate speech. Debut novelist Enni crafts an unusual story with a memorable protagonist.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Tiger is intensely close with her single mom, even if she bristles at times against her mom's overprotective tendencies. When her mother dies suddenly, Tiger is left absolutely bereft, struggling to find her way in the absence of her most foundational relationship. At times, the first-person narrative is almost claustrophobic in its intimacy, making for a painful but powerful evocation of grief and loss.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) YA After her vivacious artist mother disappears (leaving clues that suggest suicide), Minnie's grief manifests itself as monochromacy--she can only see in black and white. This is devastating for budding artist Minnie, who also can't rely on her two sisters, both of whom seem to have moved on. The resolution is perhaps too tidy, but overall this is a sensitive, vivid portrait of grief and mental illness.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Five years after their small Ohio town was devastated by a steel mill explosion, a group of teens united by loss and grief find something new to bond over when they witness strange lights in the sky and decide to investigate. The mystery's paranormal elements combine with narrator Franny's introspection to create a rich and rewarding page-turner fans of Stranger Things will devour.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Seventeen-year-old Lacey, who's never even been kissed, becomes an unlikely sex-education activist. Raised by a sexually open mom, Lacey is aghast that because of her school's abstinence-only sex-ed curriculum, her classmates don't have the same access to important information. Lacey's voice is fresh and funny, and the story offers a sex-positive message, including sensitive depictions of asexuality.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Hirsch explores what happens to ordinary people at the end of the world. After a national crisis strikes on prom night, Lucy and her friends attempt to navigate horrifying new realities and dim future prospects while still engaging in ordinary teen rites of passage. Readers will enjoy seeing a range of responses to impending doom in Hirsch's compelling narrative, marred only by a somewhat hurried ending.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA After years of barely managing, Addie winds up in a juvenile psychiatric ward for help with her severe OCD. There she meets Fitz, a handsome boy whose diagnosis is schizophrenia and whose cryptic utterances intrigue Addie, an aspiring playwright. Addie's witty voice and her burgeoning friendship with Fitz help offset the novel's sober themes.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Harley is tired of her boyfriend Mike's drinking; her frustration boils over when she finds Mike hooking up with her younger sister at a party. She storms out instead of getting them home safely--and her sister winds up in a coma after Mike drives drunk. In narration that alternates between past and present, and with deft and sensitive characterizations, the novel largely steers clear of melodrama.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA McGinnis's frank and frightening novel helps redefine the narrative of opioid addiction. Mickey is a star softball player, but when injuries from a car crash threaten to derail her season, she needs help to power through the pain. Her need for opioids escalates until she's using heroin. Frank depictions of drug use and an all-too-plausible trajectory combine for an intense and vital read.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Twins Ezra and Ellery are sent to their grandmother in small-town Vermont after their mom enters opioid rehab. There, true-crime aficionado Ellery researches two local mysteries--while finding herself on the receiving end of some pretty creepy threats. Ellery's narrative alternates with the viewpoint of Malcolm, a boy who has been implicated in one of the prior crimes. This is an enjoyably twisty whodunit that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Ostrom effectively dramatizes the repercussions of trauma in this carefully drawn account of life after sexual assault. After surviving a rape, Maggie has no desire to return to college, especially since her reporting of the crime has resulted in ostracization by some campus social groups. Moving in with her aunt leaves Maggie isolated and ill-equipped to recover, until she recognizes a professional calling that might enable her to move forward.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl