(2) 4-6 Young Jordan hasn't always had the best luck when it comes to teachers, but he's fairly sure his fourth-grade teacher Mrs. Fisher loathes him. His mother gets the same impression during their parent-teacher conference, but things come to a head when Mrs. Fisher slaps him. He transfers to another school on Staten Island, one that is bigger and more diverse--he's not the only Jewish kid in his class--and his new teacher, Miss Tuff, unlocks Jordan's creative potential. A strong reader with a love of comics and music, Jordan discovers magic in Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising and aspires to be a writer one day. That day comes sooner than he thinks when Miss Tuff invites him to write and perform skits for the class, and his comedic talent shines bright. There are genuine moments of hilarity throughout ­Sonnenblick's (Notes from the Midnight Driver, rev. 9/06; The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade, rev. 9/17; and others) memoir: pranks with friends, plenty of self-deprecation, and a running pet-snake situation. These are balanced with some pathos as well: health problems, tension between his parents, and big events in the background (the nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island, the American Airlines Flight 191 crash, the Iranian Revolution). Sonnenblick's trademark blend of wit and sensitivity mines even the darker elements for humor and imbues this memoir with a sense of hope and optimism.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(4) 4-6 Roxanne, who wants to be an all-American girl, wishes her Israeli American family was more like the Brady Bunch. New neighbor Liat teaches Roxanne to have self-confidence and be proud of her heritage. Readers might not recognize the copious (and increasingly tedious) seventies and eighties references, but Roxanne's angst about growing up and her desire to fit in are timeless.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) YA Heart-stopping heroics and excitement for hardcore fans of gore fill this fast-paced, violent, and often scary adventure in which grotesque, ravenous rats try to take over New York City. A brother-sister combo and their widower father work furiously to save themselves and their city from destruction--and in the process solidify their own uncertain family relationships. Shades of previous Zindel thrillers permeate the repetitive story.

Reviewer: Jack Forman