(2) YA Navigating the chaos and social groups of adolescent life can be difficult; in this novel, three friends help one another despite feeling "broken" themselves. Four-teen-year-old Oscar, football star at West Beacon Junior/Senior High School (go Mighty Mules!), has recently lost his younger sister to cancer. Riley, who contends with issues of anxiety and anger, has moved with her single mother back to Mom's hometown. Noah--spelling bee champ, artist extraordinaire, mathlete--is dealing with his parents' separation. Both Noah and Riley are new to West Beacon; Oscar, returning to school two weeks after his sister's funeral, doesn't want to hang with the cool kids anymore (he feels more like he's the only member of the "your-little-sister-just-died-and-now-you-sort-of-hate-everybody club"). In Mr. Martin's ceramics class, the three find themselves forming the group they all need. Clay becomes the central metaphor of the story--that which can be created; broken objects that can be fixed; and the things that can't, such as sisters dying, robberies, and families changing. With brokenness as a theme, crushing sadness could have sunk the narrative, but ­Acampora (Confusion Is Nothing New, rev. 7/18) leavens the story with Noah's humor, Riley's tell-it-like-it-is feistiness, and Oscar's openness to receiving help.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(2) 4-6 As his younger sister, Lola, loves to point out, twelve-year-old Arlo is afraid of everything. He has significant reasons to be anxious: his mother has just recovered from cancer; his father (divorced, with a new family) hardly seems to notice him and Lola; and now he, Lola, and their mom are stuck in a weird old-fashioned town after a car accident. Livermore is quaint, with a tiny schoolhouse and open hearths, but behind the vintage allure lies a sinister thread that Arlo picks up on right away. Why is there no cell service? Why don't the townsfolk use electricity? And why do they keep whispering behind closed doors? Arlo must convince Lola and Mom to leave Livermore before it's too late and they learn, perhaps fatally, what nameless horror the town had awakened over a century ago. Equal parts spooky and charming, the story offers plenty of suspense and relatable ties to real-world difficulties. Arlo, Lola, and Mom form a heartwarming triangle of familial loyalty and dogged optimism. Even if readers have worked out the mystery before the story's denouement, the promise of Arlo's growth into bravery will keep pages turning until the very end.

Reviewer: Sarah Berman | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) 4-6 How does a family live with recurring cancer? Would you want to know if you had that same cancer gene? These questions anchor a powerful verse novel in which twelve-year-old Cass copes with her dad's serious illness and her mom's relentless positivity, and counts on best friend Jayla's steady support. Weaving together genetic research, homeschooling particularities, Christian religious beliefs, and baseball fundamentals, Hill's portrayal of Cass's daily life is full of detail. Her inner monologue drives the story forward; free-verse poetry in a variety of forms relies on Cass's clear first-person voice and creative spacing for effect. Cass grapples with the decision of whether to be tested for the gene. Does she want to know the worst (or best) or does she want to live her life in fear and worry about the unknown? Her situation raises existential questions in ways that are palpable and relevant. Hill delicately balances deep sadness with genuine hopefulness in this distinctive and compelling novel.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) YA In this culturally rich romance, Yang (Parachutes, rev. 5/20) revisits themes of gender, class, racism, and identity in another story with elements from her own life. Alternating first-person narrators Serene and Lian, both of Chinese descent, experience their racial and ethnic identities in fully distinct ways. Lian hides his dream of becoming a stand-up comedian from his hard-working, traditional parents. When Serene's successful fashion-designer mother is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Serene becomes the parent, unprepared for the emotional and physical toll of caring for her mom. Unsupported by her sex-obsessed boyfriend and driven to locate her long-lost father, Serene comes to Lian's Chinese club, and the two grow close. The teens support each other through their aspirations and trials, finding strength in their common experiences (e.g., microaggressions at school; the push and pull between ­authenticity and assimilation) while confronting generational expectations. Yang excels at spinning stories with vibrant characters that open ­readers' hearts and invite them to question their own expectations and assumptions.

Reviewer: J. Elizabeth Mills | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Frances Ives. "It's not fair. I never got to say goodbye." This first-person account of bereavement is narrated by a child helping to care for a beloved uncle who is undergoing cancer treatment. When Uncle Mike is feeling up to it, the two spend time by the shore. One day the child finds a hermit crab and adopts it as a pet. Then the time comes when Uncle Mike must stay in the hospital; the child cannot visit his new "germ-free room"due to age restrictions, and, sadly, misses the chance to say a final farewell. Frustrated by platitudes (e.g., that Uncle Mike is in "a better place": "What place could be better than Uncle Mike's house on the beach?"), the child takes comfort from the seaside and its treasure trove of memories. With the help of the hermit crab, Uncle Mike's yellow baseball cap, and Mom's hug, the child is finally able to say a unique and heartfelt goodbye. Zollman's text is honest, compassionate, and non-saccharine, with apt metaphors ("The ocean with its white-caps looks upset, too"). Ives's beautiful, subdued mixed-media illustrations gently underscore the story's theme. With its honest presentation of death and loss, this book will serve as a good resource for adults hoping to start a conversation, in terms that children can understand.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) YA It's 1983, and thirteen-year-old Reha feels she has "two lives." In one, she's a serious student who tries to make her Indian immigrant parents proud but is seen as an outsider (who speaks "Indian") at her predominantly white school. In her other life, Reha, who doesn't actually speak her parents' native languages, feels that "no matter where I go, / America or India, / I don't quite fit." These feelings intensify when her Amma (mother) is diagnosed with leukemia, goes through several rounds of chemotherapy, and, ultimately, succumbs to her illness. Composed of short, metaphor-rich poems, this verse novel weaves together complex narrative strands with sophistication. It does the double duty of giving voice to the hyphenated American experience and navigation of dual identities, while also representing the illness and loss of a parent with tenderness and fidelity to the stages of grief. Blood is a predominant metaphor, but it's not off-putting. The "red, white, and whole" of the title refers to "whole blood...the precious river in our arteries, our veins, our hearts," and represents both Amma's illness and Reha's more abstract yearning to belong wholly to one place. Give this emotionally powerful novel to immigrant, third-culture kids or anyone experiencing grief and loss.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(1) YA This moving and candid graphic memoir offers a refreshingly honest portrayal of grief and growing into adulthood "for anyone struggling with loss who just wants someone to GET IT." Through narration, flashbacks, and playful graphic elements, Feder depicts her experiences before, during, and after her mother's cancer diagnosis and subsequent death in 2009, when the artist was a sophomore in college. The typeface of the first-person text appears hand-lettered, within and around panels that are not-quite-straight, creating an intimacy and immediacy that highlight the narrator's casual, vulnerable, and sometimes comical voice. ("Not to be melodramatic, but it was THE WOOORST.") Reflections on mental health, Jewish identity, and adjusting to college life make Feder's memoir feel distinct and genuine. She includes "the good, the bad, and the awkward" moments, too; in one scene, family members smile cheerily for a photo while simultaneously sitting shiva and celebrating a birthday. Back matter includes photographs and mementos. Sincere but not sappy, this bittersweet and affecting meditation on the author's experiences also serves as a heartfelt celebration of her mother's life.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(3) YA Illustrated by Marianne Ferrer. The fifteen-year-old narrator reflects on her leukemia diagnosis and five years of treatment as she waits for her latest test results. Strong bonds with her parents, boyfriend, favorite nurse, and fellow patient Maxine help her cope with pain, fear, stress, loss, and "helpful" comments that are more alienating than encouraging. Stylized, often surreal illustrations in a palette of muted blues and greens with deep red accents heighten the story's emotional impact.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(1) YA Four teens are connected by "The Freak," a mysterious girl who offers prophetic messages. Interspersed among the protagonists' voices are vignettes about a wealthy old married couple, whose sale of a legacy potato farm has brought no happiness; and two violent brothers hiding a sinister secret. With her trademark surrealism and sharp prose, King confronts her narrative concerns (racism, patriarchy, colonialism, white privilege) directly through her characters' unique (and sometimes twisted) worldviews.

Reviewer: Jennifer Hubert Swan | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) YA When Astrid's brain tumor comes back, she doesn't want to go through chemo and hospitals again. Instead she investigates cryopreservation as a possibility and road-trips from Massachusetts to Arizona to tour the cryopreservation facility, posting vlog updates along the way. Astrid's matter-of-fact voice contains a good amount of gallows humor, and the existential questions she raises are thought-provoking and ripe for discussion. Her eventual decision, while it feels inevitable, is devastating.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(3) YA With Aether Corporation's nefarious time-travel project destroyed (in Future Threat), Elena looks forward to normalcy and stability. Then her boyfriend, Adam, colludes with Aether to advance his cancer research; when the cure falls into the wrong hands in the future, Elena must time travel once more to save Adam and preserve life as humanity knows it. A compelling and satisfying conclusion to the time-hopping sci-fi trilogy.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) YA Gottfred's third offbeat romance (a standalone companion to Forever for a Year and The Nerdy and the Dirty) stars CrossFit-practicing girl Zee and vivacious, fashion-obsessed boy Art, both presumed gay by classmates. Despite this, Art quickly falls for androgynous "mythical creature" Zee. Gottfred's signatures--quirky co-narrators, witty dialogue, frank sex-positivity--will draw teens to this often funny exploration of gender expression and sexuality.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Maurizio Zorat. Eleven-year-old Conor MacRae has two passions: ice hockey and his dog, Sinbad, who has been diagnosed with cancer. Sinbad's expensive medical treatment eats into the limited money that also must fund Conor's hockey participation, so Conor earns money by washing cars throughout his Southern California neighborhood. The first-person, present-tense narrative juxtaposes Conor's enthusiastic hockey commentary with tender, character-focused interactions with his cop single father and his dog.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(2) YA "This is a victim impact statement." Readers immediately learn the victim is thirteen-year-old Lizzie but not the precise circumstances of her situation. What is known is that Lizzie spent the summer in the Adirondacks with Uncle Davy and her friend Matias, who has proportional dwarfism. Cliffhanging chapter endings hint there's always more to be told, as Lizzie's voice, alternating between stream-of-consciousness and emotional outbursts, invites readers to participate in structuring this powerful narrative.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(3) YA Since her twin brother was diagnosed with leukemia at age nine, Parker has known that she'll attend Harvard, then become a doctor. But when she quits a prestigious summer internship to work at a pottery studio (and spend time with a guy from her childhood), Parker cautiously imagines a new future. Beautifully written, the novel sensitively portrays a complex sibling relationship.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(3) 4-6 Twelve-year-old narrator El has just had the best first day at her new Manhattan school when she gets bad news: her little sister, Echo, has a rare and fast-growing cancer. The novel documents El's sadness, fear, anger, and loneliness as she and her family struggle to cope. Although there are lighter moments, the tone is quite dark as the book confronts significant grief head-on.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) YA Although Sasha's been dying of cancer for months, Raquel ("Rocki") is still stunned when her best friend is finally gone. But irrepressible Sasha reaches out from beyond the grave via a series of letters through which Rocki meets Sasha's biological brother. Young impressively balances an exploration of grief with the adventure of a scavenger hunt, but the novel's ending feels a little too neat.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) YA When Jack begins having visions of a dangerous world where he is king, his best friend August comes to believe in them, too. The story of the boys' disturbingly intense codependency, quest to save Jack's kingdom, and eventual arrest and institutionalization unfolds in nonlinear micro-chapters interspersed with various mixed-media elements. The effect is appropriately disorienting (is Jack's world an alternate reality, or a hallucination?) but occasionally difficult to parse.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) YA Two teens grapple with profound loss: Damon's best friend committed suicide and Melanie's mother died from cancer. Through artistic endeavors--photography (Damon), painting (Melanie), and acting in a school production of Othello (both)--each forges a path through complex grief and a romantic relationship soon develops. Dual first-person narratives heighten emotional intimacy in this deft, sensitive exploration of loss and healing.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) YA This series of personal essays from BuzzFeed writer Chack is frequently funny, even (or especially) when she discusses her experiences with Hodgkin's lymphoma after being diagnosed at age nineteen. Chack flips back-and-forth between events from her childhood and early adulthood; adolescents curious about what's next will likely welcome Chack as a wise (if inept with a menstrual cup) older sister.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax