(2) 4-6 In this novel set in 2001, Jade's family has recently moved to Atlanta thanks to her journalist mom's new job. Their new house is bigger (no more sharing a room!), and there is a nice backyard with a path into the forest. But Jade had to leave behind her best friends and her abuela in Chicago, and to make matters worse, Abuela soon suffers a stroke. Amid all these changes, Jade doesn't find it too strange when during a walk in the forest she meets Itztli, a mysterious old man who also appears in the shape of a jaguar, and who invites Jade to listen to his story, a story that connects him to her family and her Mexican ancestors. The third-person narration flows naturally, sticking closely to the authentic point of view of a middle-school girl as she faces the challenges of growing up during a turbulent time. The novel is deepened through Méndez's characterization of Jade's family as rich in cultural traditions and strong relationships and by the presence of magical elements and stories of the Mexica and other Indigenous cultures. "A Note on Research" provides further reading.

Reviewer: Alicia K. Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(3) YA After her father's death, New Yorker Ruth moves with her mother and younger sister to Mom's hometown, Atlanta. It's 1958, and Ruth takes to the debutante scene. Unfortunately she must hide her Jewishness (Dad was Jewish; Mom converted)--until a synagogue bombing forces the issue. Carlton paints a vivid portrait of time, place, and family. An appended author's note elaborates on the story's inspiration.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) 4-6 In a Little Women-inspired novel, thirteen-year-old Jameela lives with her Muslim family in Atlanta. This Eid holiday their beloved father is away; a (good-looking) nephew of a family friend visits; and Jameela butts heads with her school newspaper's editor, who never approves her hard-hitting pitches. Then her sister is diagnosed with cancer, and Jameela must reevaluate her priorities. This modern-day Pakistani American family-story retains the charm, familial warmth, and appeal of Alcott's classic.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(3) YA In this compelling reimagining of Carroll's famous heroine, we are introduced to a black Alice who courageously battles monsters appropriately called Nightmares in the dream realm of Wonderland. Alice also battles grief in the loss of her father, violence in her Atlanta neighborhood, and a clingy mom. In this action-packed fantasy remix, readers will simultaneously cheer our heroine and hang on for the ride.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) YA In this follow-up to Honor Girl, Thrash recounts details from her junior year: she's depressed and failing high school; her beloved cat disappears; her federal-judge father and blue-blood mother are oblivious; and she believes there's a teenage ghost in her Atlanta home. Illustrated with a muted palette, Thrash's graphic-novel mash-up of memoir and ghost story contemplates loss and connection with ample wit and candor.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Sharee Miller. With Nancy Ohlin. African American girl Shai learns more lessons about life and friendship, supported by her performing-arts-school friends and loving family. In Pants, Shai is determined her tap routine will win a dance competition; Shai and bestie Emmie prep for a fundraising concert in Rescue. The plots and illustrations aren't anything outstanding, but they're satisfying and feature lots of cultural markers and appealing details for performance-loving readers. Review covers these titles: Shai & Emmie Star in Dancy Pants! and Shai & Emmie Star in To the Rescue!

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Sharee Miller. With Nancy Ohlin. African American girl Shai learns more lessons about life and friendship, supported by her performing-arts-school friends and loving family. In Pants, Shai is determined her tap routine will win a dance competition; Shai and bestie Emmie prep for a fundraising concert in Rescue. The plots and illustrations aren't anything outstanding, but they're satisfying and feature lots of cultural markers and appealing details for performance-loving readers. Review covers these titles: Shai & Emmie Star in Dancy Pants! and Shai & Emmie Star in To the Rescue!

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) YA After Hurricane Katrina destroys her beloved Louisiana bayou hometown, Evangeline Riley and her family move temporarily to Atlanta. The turmoil of relocation, entering a new school, facing a loss of income, and adapting to an almost foreign culture wears on everyone in her family. The sense of place is vividly evoked, and Evangeline's circumstances authentically reflect the experiences of Katrina refugees.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(4) YA Strange series. During Winship Academy's science expo, someone is dealing drugs and the student body's African American president is gored by deer antlers. Benny and Virginia's investigation leads them to disturbing discoveries, both personal and societal (involving Atlanta race relations). The sleuths' relationship deepens in subtle, authentic ways in this more-convincing but still over-the-top mystery following We Know It Was You (later titled Strange Truth).

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) 1-3 Illustrated by Sharee Miller. With Nancy Ohlin. Best friends Shai (who's African American) and Emmie (white) audition for Once on This Island, the third-grade musical at their Atlanta performing-arts school. Shai's dreams of stardom are threatened when a new girl from Hollywood goes for the lead. Co-written by teenage actor Wallis, the story is rather pat, but aspiring actors will be drawn to this new series; grayscale illustrations provide visual breaks.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) YA Wing idolizes her older brother Marcus, a popular and talented athlete. Then Marcus drives drunk after a party, killing two people and ending up in a coma; while he's in the hospital, Wing discovers running as an outlet for her pain and grief. Wing's quest to find out who she is apart from her brother is poignant and beautifully told.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(2) 4-6 Photographs by Caitlin O'Connell & Timothy Rodwell. O'Connell and co-photographer Rodwell present an in-depth (and in this case favorable) view of the workings of a major zoo--Zoo Atlanta--and the personalities of many of its residents. Through her first-person narration, full of curiosity, enthusiasm, humor, and respect for animals, O'Connell exposes a biologist's thinking process. The final chapter emphasizes the important conservation and education missions of zoos. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2016

(3) 4-6 Fact Finders: First-Person Histories series. These well-conceived texts use primary-source accounts to access moments in American history. Pages with bold two-tone color schemes offer diary excerpts, archival photos and period illustrations, vocabulary definitions, and relevant sidebars. An introduction provides historical context for the account; back matter includes a timeline juxtaposing the subject's life with political history and Common Core critical thinking questions. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Fact Finders: First-Person Histories titles: Diary of Carrie Berry and Diary of Charlotte Forten.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(3) YA Charlie and Wren start dating just after high school graduation. They have an immediate intellectual bond, sharing secrets and dreams, as well as a quick sexual connection. They spend the summer growing closer, uncertain of what will happen when fall comes. The explicit but tender sex scenes feel honest in this story of love, trust, and finding your path.

Reviewer: Amanda Mc. MacGregor

(4) YA Pearce sets Andersen's "The Snow Queen" in her contemporary world of werewolves (Sisters Red; Sweetly; Fathomless). When Ginny's love Kai disappears with the mysterious Mora, Ginny chases after him, encountering a werewolf hunter, a beauty queen, gypsies, and more. The intricate plot can be hard to follow, and Ginny is a rather weak heroine. Still, devotees of Pearce's fairy-tale retellings will be satisfied.

Reviewer: Janet Daniels

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Emily Osborne. A Lancashire boy transplanted to Georgia after his parents' deaths, Darwen acquires a mirror from mysterious Mr. Peregrine that allows him to travel to the fantasy world of Silbrica. Trouble there seems connected somehow to trouble in Darwen's new private school. Although the novel's emotional events are either underdeveloped or overdramatic, the plot is still imaginative enough to attract readers.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) YA Frequently uprooted, Camille arrives at a new school in the middle of her senior year and tries to stay detached, tired of making and leaving friends. A random kiss and its fallout connect her to Becca, the girlfriend of the boy Camille kissed. The two teens alternate narration of affecting verse chapters as they struggle toward separate realizations about friends, relationships, and future plans.

Reviewer: Amanda Mc. MacGregor

(2) YA Attacked by a Fenris (werewolf) as children, Scarlett and Rosie, now teenagers, don red capes and hunt the creatures. For Scarlett, killing Fenris is her whole life; Rosie is torn between devotion to her sister and desire for a different existence. This modern, urban "Little Red Riding Hood" interpretation, told from the sisters' alternating perspectives, includes plenty of violence, action, and plot twists.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2010

(2) YA Sophomore Carly is determined to hold onto "realness"--a challenge in her wealthy Atlanta suburb. She's eager to show her little sister the ropes, but Anna, with her new "Hooters-esque boobs," gets plenty of attention on her own. With humor and empathy, Myracle explores the hazardous trails of evolving friendships and devastating crushes--and the elastic bonds of sisterhood that outlast them all.

Reviewer: Lauren Adams | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2009

(3) YA Fourteen-year-old Bliss, transplanted to her grandmother's Atlanta home, begins hearing an ominous "blood voice" in her head at her new school. Bliss slowly uncovers its origins as her new friend Sandy, disturbed to begin with, comes unhinged under its influence. Late-1960s societal issues (notably racial tensions and Charles Manson's trial) and a truly creepy antagonist drive this gripping thriller.

Reviewer: Amanda Mc. MacGregor