(2) YA This psychological mystery with hints of a feminist utopia taps into and explores contemporary live-wire issues: gender warfare, abuse, power, vigilantism, and disillusionment with society. The novel opens in dark wilderness with an am-bush by “the law” on feral-seeming thirteen-year-old Talia and her mother Pola, a “dangerous” fugitive who’s arrested on the spot. In the present day, six-teen-year-old Talia lives with her maternal aunt’s family; she’s misunderstood and desperate to return to the isolated community where she was raised. Flash-back sections cover life at the Neves, an abandoned hotel at a once-grand Jewish resort hidden in the Catskills, as it grows into a self-sustaining commune and an underground haven for abused women and daughters. Teenage Talia’s story line in the “flatlands” centers on a search for truth and understanding regarding Pola’s crimes, Aunt Rachele’s intentions, her cousin Lake’s increasingly traumatic romantic relationship, and what really happened at the Neves. Elements of magic and surrealism dip in and out of the storytelling, furthering the dizzying nature of Talia’s narration -- clouded by naiveté, brainwashing, or something less worldly. Suma’s (A Room Away from the Wolves, rev. 9/18) novel is an emotion- more than plot-driven story, with plenty in which readers will luxuriate: the lush atmosphere and breathtaking setting of a modern fairy tale; the alluring pipe dream of this feminist community; and catharsis in the cast of antihero(ine)s’ modes of revenge and self-determination.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(2) YA D (short for 'Wayne; the D is "invisible"), who lives in a somewhat off-kilter version of Baltimore, keeps to himself and doesn't care about much. Half his life ago, his mother left the family during a serious depression. Then D enters a coveted health study and gets to know his crush and fellow participant Jane, who is autistic and who can relate to D's loss. An oddball, conspiracy-heavy mystery begins as D, Jane, and D's tech-and-surveillance-hobbyist bestie, Kermit, investigate the clandestine study's purpose and intentions. The storytelling leans into absurdity and surrealism as the trio seeks answers about the shadowy operation through obstacles such as cartoonish adult characters (be they villainous or clueless) and distractions from their eccentric peers. Told in short chapters, dialogue scripts, screenshots, footnotes, and more, a trippy plot unspools in unpredictable directions. Cleverly placed motifs, unique turns of phrase, plays on stereotype and archetype, and meta elements (the mall sells "experiences"; a selfie theme park) together enhance the book's timely themes: identity, ableism, the stigmatization of mental illness, and the impact of technology on human experiences. Vacharat's debut is a standout work of speculative fiction and a foreboding social satire about unethical governing and the corrosive values of Big Tech.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(3) YA The summer before sophomore year, Tre Brun is grieving the accidental death of his older brother as well as living in his shadow -- Jaxon was beloved and idolized for his varsity basketball stardom within the Brun family and throughout the entire Red Lake Reservation. Tre is also on a mission: dedicating himself to rigorous training in hopes of making varsity and, alongside Jaxon’s former teammates, bringing their rez team to the Minnesota State Basketball Championships. Ojibwe author Graves's Morris– and AILA YA Award–winning debut is at once an exhilarating sports thriller, an underdog story, a grieving-family portrait, and a relatable high-school social dramedy. That it is set on a contemporary Native reservation is both a casual detail and a noteworthy aspect of the book, thanks to Graves's authentic depictions of the socioeconomic, racial, and cultural specifics of Tre's lived reality. A YA novel with massive commercial appeal that also opens windows -- hell, wide, welcoming gates -- to an underrepresented community.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Kaja Kajfež. This idiosyncratic biography of women who defied gender-normative clothing (for reasons strategic, practical, personal, etc.) is full of tantalizing historical details and a curious tone that acknowledges historical records are often imprecise, incomplete, or misleading. Twenty subjects, from ancient history (Amazon warrior Hypsicratea, first century BCE) through the twentieth century (African American pro baseball player "Toni" Stone), are profiled in surprising depth in each six- to eight-page chapter. The entertaining narratives are supplemented with archival images and quirky sidebar anecdotes, as well as full-page illustrated portraits. Meticulous source notes, an extensive bibliography, and an index (unseen) are appended.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Marc Brown. Brown compiles capital-L Life Lessons from everyone's favorite aardvark. On double-page spreads, Brown's words pair with a picture-book page or TV still (original sources labeled) meant to exemplify the lesson. Loosely organized into thematic sections, the book's coverage is broad and ranges in depth. Many of the pairings offer genuine wisdom or insight on topics from racism to disinformation to appreciating childhood; other spreads feel didactic; some are theme synopses. The volume should be useful as bibliotherapy and also as an annotated visit with the beloved characters. Back matter includes biographical notes, including "How Arthur Came to Be."

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Supriya Kelkar. A young American desi (someone of South Asian descent living elsewhere) compares the disparate parts of her own cultural makeup. "Pavadais in bright gold colors / Jersey shirts and faded jeans / Swapping, changing, feeling seen... / Which is the color of me?" While the child's voice is initially curious, there's never any hint of self-consciousness, and the tone becomes proud and grateful. The gently rhyming text uses a dynamic refrain ("Finding the sounds of me," "Blending the flavors of me," etc.) to empower cultural identities of all kinds; Kelkar's rich collages, a potpourri of paper, fabric, and other media, are wonderfully suited to this celebration of "blending, merging, taking wing..."

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Diana Toledano. In the early-1900s, lonely Edith dressed animals (real ones and toys) in whatever she could, gradually building a collection of fabric scraps ("[her] greatest treasure"). During high school in L.A., she falls in love with the movies; persevering through a long career full of rejections, Head eventually becomes an (eight-time!) Oscar-winning costume designer. Well-versed in female-artist-underdog stories (Ablaze with Color; Maya Lin), Harvey's plainspoken narrative conveys Head's scrappy determination and a humble personality content out of the spotlight. Toledano's hand-rendered illustrations utilize different techniques--including what appears to be, fittingly, fabric collage.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Erin K. Robinson. Descended from generations of dressmakers in the Deep South, Ann Lowe attended a segregated design school in 1917 NYC--and was "best in her class"; her genius remained underrecognized until she designed gowns for "the wedding of the year" (Jaqueline Bouvier to JFK). The narrative varies its tone to echo both talent and tenacity: flowery descriptions of Lowe's couture (silk roses "soft as dew") trade with tighter passages on process ("Measure, snip, pin up the hems"). The digital illustrations can look slick but do justice to the rich colors and textures.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Andrea Pippins. From childhood in segregated Georgia to millinery school in Chicago during the Great Migration to small-business success in mid-century Philadelphia: hatmaker Mae Reeves's biography also conveys much about Black American history writ large. Rhuday-Perkovich's sonorous language ("Hats were a way for these queens to be SEEN") is further strengthened by repetition of the titular theme: "Mae, like so many, made a way out of no way." Pippins's digital art has an abstract design aesthetic befitting the fabulous hats and accessories. Material from the related Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture exhibit is appended, along with a bibliography.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) PS Illustrated by Wazza Pink. In the same vein as the authors' A Bucket of Blessings (retelling an Indian myth) and The Wheels on the Tuk Tuk, the mother-son coauthors recast Mother Goose classics for an audience of culturally South Asian tots. "Jai Be Nimble," "Humpty Dumpty," "Pat-a-Naan," and more: each nursery rhyme maintains the original's characteristic rhythm while subbing-in one or more Hindi words (defined with pronunciation below). In parallel with the Sehgals' English-Hindi mashups, the digital illustrations include both familiar Mother Goose imagery and South Asian cultural details, such as traditional clothing and lotus design motifs.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) YA The Disability Visibility Project, founded by Wong in 2014 as an oral history project, grew into an online community and later an anthology of thirty-seven personal narratives; this is the abridged young-readers' volume. The selections are well organized into four topical sections ("Being," "Becoming," "Doing," "Connecting"); when appropriate, a content note warns of potentially distressing subject matter within a story. Wong emphasizes in her introduction--as do many of the contributors--that the book is not meant for instruction or inspiration. Rather, the seventeen essays provide powerful and empathetic windows into living with (or, often, learning to live with and coming to terms with) a broad range of disabilities.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Rachel Stubbs. In this beginner's cookbook, Atherton (2019 winner of The Great British Baking Show) uses an encouraging tone to present doable recipes with kid-pleasing gimmicks (e.g., "Octo-Pizzas" with breadstick tentacles). True to the book's subtitle, the recipes are generally healthy and nutritious, and many manage to include oft-dreaded veggies in creative and not-unappealing ways: in bear-shaped banana pancakes, half a cup of spinach "gives them their fun greenish color." The book is organized by meal type and includes an illustrated equipment list, glossary, and helpful tips. Stubbs's sweet spot art adds to the cozy, welcoming vibe.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sarah Horne. Ostensibly walking readers though writing a book about his dog, Barton introduces elementary-age readers to nonfiction publishing. From research to writing to minute steps in a book's life cycle, an impressive amount of information is cleverly cloaked in entertaining meta storytelling. Horne's slapstick illustrations work in perfect tandem throughout; occasional vignettes use flow-chart arrows as the would-be "book" moves from agent to editor and on. Even "people whose names don't...appear on the cover" (typesetters! proofreaders!) get a shout-out--all without a dull moment.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Maryann Cocca-Leffler. Coauthor Leffler (the adult daughter of Cocca-Leffler), who was born with cerebral palsy, describes how she loved attending public school. Sadly, "it hadn't always been that way" for kids with disabilities. In 1971, seven kids (each named in a tidily illustrated vignette portrait) were denied schooling until their families' outcries led to Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Columbia, which secured the right to public education for children with disabilities. The text describes events and facts gently while making a strong case for the ruling; the illustrations showcase people with disabilities on every spread. A wealth of appended contextual material, including a timeline and selected sources, enriches the historical account.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Ms. Prichard's students--including Amelia, who's upset by "loud noises" and "weird smells"--adore their teacher's service dog, Harley, but respect the rules, such as: no petting him when he's wearing his vest. During a fire, Harley shows his service chops by finding Amelia and helping her and Ms. Prichard safely out of the burning school. This picture book, inspired by a real elementary teacher with an invisible disability (PTSD), sensitively discusses disabilities kids may encounter in peers and adults while also clarifying etiquette around service dogs on the job. The sweet illustrations add informative details (e.g., Amelia's noise-cancelling headphones).

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Betty C. Tang. Brayden Harrington has techniques that help with his "bumpy speech," but public speaking still causes stress and embarrassment sometimes. When he meets Joe Biden at a presidential campaign event, Brayden is astonished when Biden tells him: "'When I was your age, I had bumpy speech, too.'" The encounter inspires both Brayden and the soon-to-be president, who invites the thirteen-year-old to (virtually) address the 2020 Democratic National Convention. Like Harrington's viral speech, his autobiographical account is sympathetic and moving, with cheery digital illustrations that emphasize feelings of hope. Appended with tips and other information on stuttering.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat. The narrator and her sister marvel at the beautiful saris that Ammi (mother) and Abba (father) make to sell at the haat (market); an intricate and laborious art form, one sari can take months to complete. The girls decide that Ammi deserves to keep one for herself--and when their piggybank savings don't cover the cost, they raise the rest themselves. A sweet family story about appreciation, sacrifice, and generational traditions is woven into an overview of this centuries-old regional artisanship in Northern India. The bright digital illustrations do justice to the rich colors and patterns of sari-weaving. More about "The Saris of Kaithoon" and a glossary are appended.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) PS After a child with brown skin is asked a mystifying question--"What are you?"--the spare text and childlike illustrations cleverly posit the many (often opposing) whats she is. "I am dark. I am pale" appears over three small (differently melanized) hands reaching into a huddle-circle; the opposite page shows one set of bare tan-lined feet: "In summer I am many colors." The girl is also, for example, a "scaredy-cat" (mid-thunderstorm) then "brave" (catching bugs), and "not mischievous / (most of the time)." A note from the Indian American author explains the dehumanizing nature of the question and expands on the themes of dialectical self-images and identities.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile. This graphic-novel adaption of Alexander's Newbery Medal–winning verse novel, about African American twins and middle-school b-ballers Josh and JB Bell, retains all the on-court drama, swaggering narrative voice, and poignant emotional pitches of the original. The basketball action comes alive in the angular, motion-filled art, in shades of black, white, and (aptly) orange; the art also captures the story's more tender social interactions, moments of familial intimacy, and later scenes of heartbreak surrounding the boys' father's death.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2014; November, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Aimée Sicuro. Brown's debut picture-book biography of Abstract Expressionist Helen Frankenthaler (1928–2011) limns her creative childhood, dutiful art study, and early career in mid-twentieth-century NYC. Once Frankenthaler develops her trademark "soak-stain" technique, the rhythmic text mirrors that kinetic process: "Helen grabbed a bucket of crimson and...POURED...setting her colors FREE." Sicuro's watercolor, ink, and charcoal-pencil illustrations reinforce the ideas of movement and color saturation. An appended art project helps everything seep in. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019