(2) 4-6 In this prequel to OCDaniel, Sara Melvern keeps a list of all the things that "normal" kids do that she can't because of the myriad disorders she experiences. Sara's parents, teachers, and therapist try to convince her that these ­disorders--bipolar disorder, depression, ­generalized ­anxiety disorder, mild schizophrenia, and selective mutism--are not her fault. She copes with attacks and triggers by ­playing "games" that unfortunately lead to her ostracism at school. Sara feels as though her disorders are exposed by joining group therapy, but she is ­pleasantly ­surprised when she is able to tick a couple of "normal" things off her list by making a friend and developing a crush on a fellow therapy seeker. As the story unfolds, Sara ­witnesses her parents' crumbling marriage and unwittingly drives a wedge between herself and her only friend. Sara also takes herself off of her medication without consulting any adults, believing it a step to becoming "normal," but the book doesn't address the ­consequences of her risky decision. More positively, by surviving heartache and a fraught friendship, Sara is emboldened to be part of a larger social circle.

Reviewer: Maija Meadows Hasegawa | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(4) 4-6 Government drones chase Marcus through a portal into a parallel world in which dragons and magic exist. When the drones start killing humans and dragons alike, Marcus teams up with a dragon-riding girl to stop the machines and find his long-lost father. Despite the characters' engaging personal stories, the incongruous blend of genres never quite gels.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(3) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old Daniel is secretly terrified that he's crazy. Sara, a kindred spirit who knows she's mentally ill, asks for help investigating her father's disappearance. This mystery plot line is engaging--and ultimately very sad--but Daniel's ups (friendships, newfound football success, completing his novel) and downs (increasingly disruptive thoughts and rituals) are the true focus of this complex, affecting portrait of a young teen coping with undiagnosed OCD.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher

(3) 4-6 Tween loner Jonah is shocked to wake up on a spaceship as the Incredible Space Raiders' newest recruit. As they approach the Dark Zone, Jonah suspects that he and his new friends have not been told the entire truth about their mission--so he decides to investigate. Beneath its humorous surface, this compelling space adventure packs a solid emotional punch.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(2) YA After switching allegiance to the League of Heroes in The Vindico, the five ex-supervillain protégés await their official superhero induction. The book quickly shifts into full-throttle action when the Feros learn about the kidnapping of League members. King throws a lot into the mix, but it all works, in part because he humanizes his heroes and villains.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2013

(2) YA The nefarious Vindico are hell-bent on destroying the League of Heroes. Their plan? Kidnap five kids and train them to be the next generation of supervillains. With the Vindico characters' backstories, King grays the line between good and evil. At book's end, King does retreat from some of this thought-provoking ambiguity, but he never loses his knack for humorous--and teen-friendly--dialogue.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2012