(1) In this pitch-perfect middle-grade novel, Lou (short for Louise) copes with her deep shame over some unkind words she said in anger to Francie, her (now former) best friend. Lou can hardly believe that new-kid Cece wants to be friends, but she's intrigued by the girl's conviction about having been kidnapped by her father. Lou's first-person narration is punctuated with her notebook entries trying to sleuth out if Cece is correct and with flashbacks documenting her friendship with Francie, from kindergarten to "The Tenth Day of Sixth Grade" -- the day everything changed. Parallels with Harriet the Spy are spelled out, so what happens to that notebook and the emotional ramifications that follow are no surprise. Lou's tart perceptions of her Catholic school, her family (her white mother, Black stepfather, and two young siblings), and the emotional dynamics of sixth grade are sharply observant, as is her journey to understanding that people change. Other themes include Cece's keen interest in astrology (and insistence on interviewing a local reader for a "Christ Is Alive!" school project) and Francie's mother's depression; the depiction of the hot and humid Missouri setting is another strength. The mystery and plentiful conversation help keep the momentum going all the way to the end.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(1) 4-6 Lymon Caldwell, a secondary character in Finding Langston (rev. 9/18), tells his story in this companion novel that explores the question, "Are bullies born or are they made?" Lymon lives with his grandparents in 1940s Mississippi; his mother abandoned him as a baby, and his father is in prison. Lymon's grandfather nurtures him and sparks in him a love of music, but after Grandpops passes away, Lymon and Ma (his grandmother) move to Milwaukee. Ma's diabetes worsens, and Lymon is happy to stay home from school to care for her since he struggles academically. When Ma is hospitalized, Lymon reunites with his mother in Chicago, but he is abused by her new husband. Lymon's life is a study of a boy who perpetually falls through the cracks, and who internalizes the painful lesson that the only person he can count on is himself. Cline-Ransome demonstrates a mastery of character development that deftly captures historical and sociological nuances of an African American family. Bullies are clearly made by abuse, neglect, and institutions that fail them. An author's note provides historical context about Mississippi's Parchman Farm prison and the Great Migration.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(3) 1-3 Time Dogs series. Illustrated by Misa Saburi. On a typical day, the elderly dogs of Happy Paws Farm nap and enjoy one another's company. When tracking a lost ball leads the pack to a time-traveling/age-reducing magical van, the five friends experience adventures in history--as puppies. Frequent black-and-white illustrations support the large-font text. An author's note provides details about the real life events that inspired the stories. Review covers these Time Dogs titles: Balto and the Race Against Time and Seaman and the Great Northern Adventure.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(4) YA In an America where Muslims live in internment camps, Sarah-Mary confronts her Islamophobia after she discovers a fugitive Muslim who asks for her help to flee to Canada. Because the Muslim character is never fully developed, the novel's anti-racist sentiment feels dubious. Though well-written and suspenseful, the book doesn't do enough to parse the difference between representing racism and ignorance and condoning it.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam

(3) YA Sixteen-year-old Ivy lives in superstition-fueled Rowan's Glen in the Missouri Ozarks, where, twenty-five years ago, Birch Markle killed the queen of the May Day celebration; he's rumored to still roam the woods. When decapitated animals start appearing, everyone knows Birch is back--and Ivy's cousin, Heather, is the new May Queen. Macabre atmosphere and terror abound in this thrilling, bloody mystery.

Reviewer: Sian Gaetano

(4) YA Catrina's unconventional behaviors are scandalous in Civil War–era Missouri; Stonefield's Creek heritage makes him the target of suspicions. Both are instantly and fervently drawn to each other in this tragic Wuthering Heights–inspired romance. The setting does little to enhance the story, as Lenzi's treatment of racism is more ornamental than insightful. Still, Brontë lovers will appreciate the passionate homage.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(3) 4-6 Natural Disaster True Survival Stories series. In a series about real-life disaster survival, these volumes focus on weather-related events in the U.S. In each book, a brief introduction describes the disaster and four or five chapters detail real individuals' involvement. Gripping, you-are-there narratives are supplemented with primary source quotations (footnoted and sourced); photos and other graphics (maps, graphs, diagrams, etc.) provide additional insight. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Natural Disaster True Survival Stories titles: California Wildfires, Hurricane Katrina, and Joplin Tornado.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(3) 1-3 Ranger is a good search-and-rescue dog but isn't finished with his training. When he time-travels back to 1850, his skills are really put to use with a family traveling west from Missouri. Easy to read, historically detailed, and nicely dramatic, this new series starring an irresistible, quick-thinking pup has wide appeal for the chapter-book set. Full-page black-and-white illustrations capture the action.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) YA Jackie has fallen in love with a totally inappropriate boy--her cousin, Marcus. Their conflicting feelings for each other come to a head during a summer in which Jackie's best friend has disappeared. At times this feels like two separate novels--a thriller and a romance featuring star-crossed lovers--but the exploration of Jackie's complicated feelings helps unify the themes.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA When a tornado devastates her Missouri hometown, sixteen-year-old Jersey loses her house, her mother, and her half-sister. While Jersey is shuffled among relatives she's never met--some of them happier to see her than others--she reconciles unsavory family secrets while also processing her significant, immediate grief. This depiction of the emotional consequences of natural disasters is intense and affecting.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) 4-6 Becky Thatcher is determined to remember her deceased brother by having the adventures he should have had. She finds that Tom Sawyer is a tattletale, but his brother, Sid, is a kindred spirit; their exploits unfold with mischief and fun. Lawson, with her storyteller's ear for language, is respectful of Twain's classic as she tells alternate stories of St. Petersburg, Missouri.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) YA During the summer of 1963, thirteen-year-old Tree Taylor has two goals: to kiss a boy and to get her first big break as a journalist. When a potential news story practically lands in Tree's lap, she learns about the complex ethics of investigative journalism. There's some moralizing, but the satisfying story's setting is nicely enlivened by references to period music and politics.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(2) YA Losing his battle to terminal cancer, sixteen-year-old Travis opts to have his head stored cryogenically, until some point in the future when medical technology is able to attach it to a new body. That day comes just five years later, but much has changed. Readers will find it easy to become invested in Travis's second coming-of-age--brimming with humor, pathos, and angst.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2014

(4) YA Dojo series. These fast-paced hi/lo novellas feature teens who train in the same Mixed Martial Arts gym while also working out family and peer-related conflicts. Although many readers will relate to the boys' problems, MMA details and jargon may limit the readership to those with knowledge of and interest in the sport. The books' exciting fight action is marred by heavy-handed messages. Glos. Review covers these Dojo titles: Side Control and Triangle Choke.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA Dojo series. These fast-paced hi/lo novellas feature teens who train in the same Mixed Martial Arts gym while also working out family and peer-related conflicts. Although many readers will relate to the boys' problems, MMA details and jargon may limit the readership to those with knowledge of and interest in the sport. The books' exciting fight action is marred by heavy-handed messages. Glos. Review covers these Dojo titles: Side Control and Triangle Choke.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(2) 4-6 It's 1924, and thirteen-year-old Clem must quit school and join his father in the lead mines. Clem hates every moment underground, a feeling Long skillfully conveys by re-creating the claustrophobic setting. Clem befriends another outsider, Lindy; both want to escape their lives but are caught in desperate situations. The nicely integrated setting and strong main characters carry readers to another time and place.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2014

(4) YA Seventeen-year-old Nikki Youngblood finds her understanding of faith, love, and independence tested when a series of bizarre attacks places her under the guidance of three Halfling--half human, half angel--teen boys. Featuring clichéd prose but a nondidactic exploration of religion and a believable love triangle, this thoughtful and compelling paranormal romance has plenty of cross-genre appeal.

Reviewer: Barratt Miller

(2) 4-6 In this rip-roaring turn-of-the-twentieth-century adventure, twelve-year-old Cissy Sissney and two of her classmates visit their beloved former teacher, whose acting troupe has taken up residence on a rundown steamboat. Villains emerge, hijinks ensue, and Cissy and friends save the day. The ensemble cast brims with quirky, original characterization in this warmhearted paean to the tall tales of the American West.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2011

(3) 4-6 In 1852 Emma and her mother board the steamboat Sally May. For headstrong Emma, a forbidden trip to visit her pony, Twist, on the main deck reveals a new world full of danger and unlikely friendships. Hart's diverting historical adventure includes authentic period details and an informative afterword on the history of riverboat travel.

Reviewer: Pearl Higgins

(2) YA After Daralynn's father and siblings die, her angry-widow mother, a stylist for a funeral home, lets her daughter out of the house only to assist at work. When Clem's Crematorium threatens Mom's livelihood, Daralynn decides to investigate the owner. This improbably lighthearted mystery, told from Daralynn's entertainingly candid perspective, deals with death and its aftermath in a straightforward style.

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