(2) YA Door of No Return series. Continuing the story of a Black family's trials, from Ghana to the United States, Alexander (The Door of No Return, rev. 9/22) sets this installment in Jim Crow era Virginia. Charlene "Charley" Cuffey is an avid follower of baseball's Negro Leagues and aims to be the first female player in the sport. Her grandfather, the supportive Nana Kofi, listens to Charley's triumphs on the diamond and tells her about the skill he showed as a swimmer in Ghana. He also teaches her Twi, his native language, and shares his favorite sayings and stories -- some stories, anyway. Charley's parents have decided she's too young to hear about how Nana Kofi was captured and brought to America, or why "the wonderfuls" (as Nana Kofi ironically calls white people) seem so uneasy around them. When Charley and her best friend, "Cool" Willie Green, challenge the neighborhood bully to a baseball game, it only makes sense that they use the new field in town -- but this decision could cost Charley and Willie more than they ever thought possible. Alexander has created a world that fully immerses readers in the time period and keeps them riveted by this family's continuing story. Charley's first-person verse narrative (with Nana Kofi's recollections interspersed in prose poems) incorporates institutions and notable figures from the era, including Marcus Garvey and Mary McLeod Bethune. A memorable and moving second book in the trilogy.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

(4) 4-6 Seekers: Return to the Wild series. Lusa, Yakone, Toklo, and Kallik travel back to Great Bear Lake for the Longest Day. Although pleased to be home and seeing old friends, they are fearful of the schism they find in the bear community. Series fans won't want to miss the classic Hunter mix of fantasy and adventure in this final installment of this formulaic Seekers-spinoff series.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(4) 4-6 Seekers: Return to the Wild series. After besting his father in a fight to reclaim his home territory, Toklo decides to journey to Great Bear Lake with Lusa, Kallik, and Yakone for the Longest Day Gathering. Unfortunately, they run into some flat-faces (people) along the way, complicating their journey. Series fans will enjoy the formulaic exploits of the familiar bear characters in this fifth adventure.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(4) 4-6 Seekers: Return to the Wild series. The bears reach Toklo's birthplace and now must decide whether to stay together or seek their respective natural habitats. The dangerous titular wolves, an injury to Yakone's paw, and changes to Toklo's cubhood home further complicate their decisions. Toklo's longtime followers will appreciate references to his past, but all is explained clearly enough that new readers may enjoy this formulaic installment as well.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) 4-6 Seekers: Return to the Wild series. Kallik and Yakone join Toklo and Lusa on their return home, and the trip south highlights the differing needs of polar bears and other species. The motivations for the journey might not make much sense to those unfamiliar with the back story, but series fans should enjoy the clearly realized relationships among the bears on their often dangerous passage.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) 4-6 Return to Titanic series. Illustrated by Scott Murphy. Titanic artifacts in a museum magically transport eighth-grade friends Tucker and Maya to the ship's doomed voyage, where they make it their quest to save a young third-class passenger named Liam over the course of these two installments. Sharp designs, finely detailed illustrations, and appended "historical files" bring more to life than do the predictable plots and bland narratives. Review covers these Return to Titanic titles: Stowaways and Time Voyage.

Reviewer: Brittany Schlorff

(4) 4-6 Return to Titanic series. Illustrated by Scott Murphy. Titanic artifacts in a museum magically transport eighth-grade friends Tucker and Maya to the ship's doomed voyage, where they make it their quest to save a young third-class passenger named Liam over the course of these two installments. Sharp designs, finely detailed illustrations, and appended "historical files" bring more to life than do the predictable plots and bland narratives. Review covers these Return to Titanic titles: Stowaways and Time Voyage.

Reviewer: Brittany Schlorff

(4) 4-6 Seekers: Return to the Wild series. In this spin-off series, the remaining bear friends set out to return to their homes and families. New friendships and the question of whether the different bear species should remain together provide most of the drama. Series fans won't want to miss these first (Island) and second (Melting) installments, even though the adventures, at this point, have become repetitive. Review covers these Seekers: Return to the Wild titles: Island of Shadows and The Melting Sea.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) 4-6 Seekers: Return to the Wild series. In this spin-off series, the remaining bear friends set out to return to their homes and families. New friendships and the question of whether the different bear species should remain together provide most of the drama. Series fans won't want to miss these first (Island) and second (Melting) installments, even though the adventures, at this point, have become repetitive. Review covers these Seekers: Return to the Wild titles: Island of Shadows and The Melting Sea.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) 4-6 Return to the Library of Doom series. Illustrated by Bradford Kendall. In Dictionary, the Librarian faces adversaries including Wordsmith and Forger. In App, the Librarian and the Specialist save unsuspecting citizens from a flock of ravens conjured by an app called Ravenwing. There's not a lot of depth, but the format--easy-to-read texts interspersed with comic-style drawings--add interest for reluctant readers. Discussion questions and writing prompts are appended. Glos. Review covers these Return to the Library of Doom titles: Dictionary of 1000 Rooms and Killer App.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 Return to the Library of Doom series. Illustrated by Bradford Kendall. REVIEW MISSING

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg