(2) YA Winnie Nash has been out as gay since age four when she kissed another girl at preschool. It's never been an issue. At twelve, she's much more worried about her mom, who is pregnant again after several miscarriages. Winnie's parents are sending her to stay with a grandmother she barely knows for the whole summer, and they warn her not to share their family's private business, including her mom's severe clinical depression and the fact that Winnie is gay. They tell her just to have an enjoyable summer at the Jersey Shore -- but how can she do that when anytime she smiles, she feels like she's stealing a smile from her mom? All she wants is to escape to New York City to attend the Pride parade, where she won't have to hide. In the moody and contrarian Winnie, Melleby has crafted a believable, compelling portrait of a middle schooler struggling to process big, difficult emotions. Though Winnie's family situation makes this novel at times a somber read, joy shines through in unexpected places, as when Winnie delights in playing canasta at the senior center, or in the vivid descriptions of beaches. Winnie's relationship with her grandma is a highlight -- complicated, sometimes tumultuous, but deeply rewarding once she discovers that we really do need to talk about the hard things.

Reviewer: Bodie Shanis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) 4-6 Focused on a community center in the fictional town of Maple Grove, New Jersey, this powerful collection of short stories celebrates the broad diversity of middle schoolers from the South Asian community, commonly referred to as desi. Over the course of the eleven interrelated stories, protagonists celebrate major life events, holidays, and the more mundane at the community center. The dilapidated building serves as the focal point for a heavily Asian American community but is also a target of xenophobic opportunists, who use coded (and sometimes overt) language to try to shut it down. "Together at the Center" by Khan, "Out in the Open" by Rajani LaRocca, and "The Map of Home" by Sayantani DasGupta showcase the importance of open dialogue, community, and speaking out against anti-Asian/South Asian and Islamophobic incidents. Mitali Perkins's "Smile Number Seven" and "Answered Prayers" by N. H. Senzai address in-group judgment, both real and perceived, ethnic and religious; resulting self-defense mechanisms are handled with nuance and care in relation to single-parent households, disability, and domestic violence. Back matter includes a note from Khan and contributing authors' bios.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) YA Alternating narrators Rosie, Caro, and Zeke find themselves transplanted to Jersey City, New Jersey, where each struggles to relate to the people around them. Sisters Rosie and Caro arrived with their mom from the Dominican Republic years earlier, escaping an abusive and absent father who has gone on to start a new family. After losing his mom, Zeke (who is of Jamaican and Panamanian descent) has moved to the area from Miami for a fresh start. Each teen battles their own anxieties through a series of misadventures that uncover hidden truths about themselves and their family histories. They are helped along the way by Rosie and Caro's aunt, whose spiritual practices explain the power of several magical objects that enter their lives: a pink jacket, two rings, and a baseball bat. Gomera-Tavarez offers a fast-paced plot with relatable characters who represent distinctive Afro-Latine experiences. Zeke also navigates his emerging queer identity, and the young women deal with gender-based pressures about appearance and sexuality, demonstrated through a strained relationship with their mother. While the story touches upon various types of trauma and abuse, it does so in a way that can help readers identify tactics for recognizing and processing pain and suffering, especially with the help of loved ones.

Reviewer: Nicholas A. Brown | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) 4-6 On a Saturday morning two weeks before school ends for the summer, Nick Chase is on a tour of a local animal sanctuary when an earthquake hits Cape Courage, New Jersey, and the world he knew ends. "The beach, the bay, my school, my friends, my family: vanished, wiped out, changed forever." The ground heaves, the water in the bay empties, and a giant wall of water returns, destroying everything in its path. Nick and Jess Hardy, the volunteer tour guide and Nick's classmate, do what you do in the face of a tsunami: run! On their flight through a ruined land, they come across Mr. and Mrs. Bumper, the high school soccer coach and their middle-school science teacher. Mr. Bumper is injured, and Mrs. Bumper is diabetic with medications running out soon, propelling Nick and Jess into a mission to save not just themselves but the Bumpers too. They trek through a devastated pine forest with menace at every footstep: sinkholes, bobcats, rattlesnakes, rats, aftershocks, and masked looters. And all the while there is the dread about their missing families. This is signature Philbrick: nonstop action, short and propulsive sentences, sympathetic protagonists to root for -- all in under two hundred pages. There should be few so-called "reluctant readers" in a world where Philbrick's books exist. A note on "Tsunamis and What to Do About Them" is appended.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

(1) YA In this sequel to World Made of Glass (rev. 3/23), set a generation later, seventh grader Stevie (daughter of Iris Cohen, the first book's protagonist) is attending her New Jersey town's annual Kickoff to Summer celebration when a mass shooter goes on a killing spree. While Stevie escapes physically unscathed, she experiences the effects of trauma and guilt, playing a punishing "what-if" game with herself because she feels responsible for her mother's plight. While waiting for her mom to emerge from a coma, she feels compelled to learn more about Iris's life, a penance she thinks will make her a better daughter and absolve her guilt. In the process, she learns about the origins of her name and decides to start going by Stevie Jane, in honor of both her grandfather and her grandfather's partner, and she makes a close connection with an elderly neighbor who survived Auschwitz. The narrative excels in portraying the physical experience of trauma and in forging connections to historical moments such as the Holocaust and the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. This honest reckoning never sugarcoats reality, instead embracing the truth that "surviving is complicated" and that survivors emerge from their experiences forever changed. An author's note expands on the idea of secondary trauma and recounts the author's own close call with a mass shooting.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2024

(2) 4-6 Marsh's affecting historical novel, inspired by her own family's story, describes the social and political backdrop of the Holodomor, a famine that killed millions of Ukrainians in the 1930s and was covered up by the Soviets (Ukraine was a republic of the USSR at the time). It opens by introducing Matthew, a present-day, screen-obsessed thirteen-year-old living in New Jersey, "basically under house arrest" during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has been asked to help Nadiya, his hundred-year-old great-grandmother, to sort through her belongings; in so doing he starts to piece together the Lomachenko family story. Matthew's chapters alternate with those of Mila, a Young Pioneer living in 1930s Kyiv under the watchful eye of her doting widowed father (and Papa Stalin), and of Nadiya's cousin Helen in Depression-era Brooklyn. The harsh realities of the Stalin regime--where citizens could be declared "class enemies," evicted from their homes, and sent to labor colonies for any perceived anti-Party infraction--come to light. The horrors of state-sanctioned starvation and the desperation of would-be refugees are palpable and disturbing to read, but they are made palatable because the experiences are filtered through the viewpoints and sensibilities of young people caught up in the disaster. The multiple voices come together to bear witness and remind us that history is a collection of stories, "and it matters enormously who gets to tell them." A compelling and timely look at the historically complex and fraught relationship between Ukraine and Russia.

Reviewer: Luann Toth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Eric Velasquez. Victor Hugo Green (1892–1960) was a mail carrier whose work took him all across New Jersey. Though well-loved on his routes, Green knew the danger he faced as a Black man anytime he went somewhere unfamiliar. This prompted the energetic Green, who "had great get-up-and-go," to create a guide for Black people to find safe places to stop, eat, and stay when road-tripping on the nation's newly built highways and turnpikes. Called the Green Book, this handbook grew from "just a pamphlet" listing welcoming places in the New York City area in 1936, to a 1940 edition featuring amenities in large cities in every state plus Washington, DC, and standing as a useful--and possibly life-saving--tool for Black travelers well into the 1960s. Velasquez's scrapbook-style, painterly vignettes capture period detail and nimbly complement Bolden's conversational free-verse text ("These travelers, / whether going places with smiles / or with tears in their eyes, / could face / hassles, humiliation, hardships"). Back matter includes a timeline, source notes, and selected sources.

Reviewer: Sam Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(1) YA Big changes are happening in Caprice's life. After an exciting, eventful summer spent at a wealthy private boarding school's leadership program, Caprice is offered a full scholarship to attend the following fall as an eighth grader. She knows this is an amazing opportunity and a chance for a fresh start, though she is unsure about leaving her friends and family in Newark behind. Unfortunately, there is unspoken trauma in Caprice's past. While living at her grandmother's home when she was much younger, Caprice was repeatedly sexually assaulted by her uncle, and she and her mother were eventually put out of the house and estranged from the family. While she has never spoken of the abuse, memories and feelings are now coming to the surface--especially as her grandmother is ill and the possibility of a reunion is imminent. Booth (Tyrell, rev. 1/07; Kinda like Brothers, rev. 11/14) expertly maneuvers through the sensitive subject matter honestly without being explicit. She also shows Caprice dealing with the usual growing pains of adolescence (including criticism from her friends about her appearance and seeming non-interest in boys). At once heartbreaking and triumphant, this book provides education, encouragement, and acknowledgment that healing is possible even when terrible things happen to us.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(2) YA A first page almost entirely in Spanish gives any readers who aren't fluent in the language a taste of what sixteen-year-old Ana, who has recently immigrated to the U.S. from Argentina, experiences regularly. This story of her transition to a New Jersey high school focuses largely on language. Any portion of the English dialogue that Ana doesn't understand is spelled out in hash marks ("I'll hand ######## paper with ########"), forcing readers to piece together information just as she must. Her confusion slowly gives way to a love for English, shown through her interspersed poetry. Along with the humor in Ana's observations about language ("who are the Benjamins, anyway, and why is it all about them?"), the story provides plenty of rom-com moments, as she finds herself in a love triangle. Though the book touches on the prejudice experienced by many immigrants, Ana herself is rarely on the receiving end (her skin is light, which the book acknowledges will "work in [her] favor here"). The majority of the novel is an entertaining, even joyful, read, presented in Ana's expressive voice; an author's note encourages readers to decide for themselves whether the narration is translated into English or told in retrospect by an older, more fluent Ana.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(2) 4-6 Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond series. Illustrated by Vivienne To. In the final installment of the trilogy, rumors of an alliance between evil Serpent King Sesha and the Demon Queen result in protagonist Kiran and friends, including the newly crowned Raja Neel, forming a resistance group of demons and humans to save the Kingdom Beyond Seven Oceans and Thirteen Rivers. Kiran leaves the Kingdom Beyond and travels across dimensions back to her native New Jersey, on a mission to rescue Neel's brother Prince Lal, aided by helpers: a bird, a gecko, and a gender-nonbinary tiger. But ever since Neel's coronation, Kiran has noticed something odd: reality is mixing with elements and characters from familiar tales, mashing stories from different cultures together (Pooh and Piglet appearing in a scene from a Bengali nursery rhyme, for instance). New Jersey brings further confusion: Kiran's parents have rejected their Bengali identities, and her best friend and her worst enemy have swapped places. But encounters with mythological Greek and Norse figures confirm her suspicions: she is in a different reality, and baddies have formed the Interdimensional Multivillain Anti-Chaos Committee to "destroy diversity" and collapse the multiverse into a singularity ruled by Sesha. DasGupta tackles metaphysics along with ideas of prejudice, colonization, erasure, and the importance of narrative complexity. Exploration of multiple realities also allows Kiran's development in recognizing her own biases and prejudices, in the Kingdom Beyond and in her life as a Jersey middle schooler.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(2) 4-6 "Sometimes the real danger is not what you thought it would be at all." So begins the story of Darleen, young (fictional) star of silent movie serials. It is 1914, and Darleen keeps her family's small film company afloat with her weekly celluloid adventure serial, The Dangers of Darleen. Short on money and hungry for publicity, her uncles set up a staged kidnapping to drum up excitement for Darleen's onscreen adventures. What could go wrong? Life and film-serial drama become hopelessly entwined as Darleen finds herself tied up in the back of a car with real kidnappers and an orphaned heiress who has been abducted for her fortune. The deliciously outlandish plot includes lookalike heroines, wicked villains, cliffhangers, and an eventual happy ending. Nesbet re-creates the pace and melodrama of early films in her prose: "Oh, do be cautious! I'm afraid they're dangerous, desperate men." The strong character development and rich historical setting elevate the novel beyond period froth. When the tale begins, Darleen is used to being pushed around by directors (her uncles) and just pretends to be brave for the audience. By the end, Darleen discovers that she really is brave and that she can take control of her future. The author's note places the novel in the context of film history and sends curious readers to watch the early serials that inspired this story.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2020

(2) 4-6 Seventh grader Army's beloved dog, Maybe, dies after eating chocolate cupcakes that Army had baked. Army's mother (whose small business cleaning up after disasters is called Never Happened) throws away Maybe's toys and leash so that Army will not be reminded of her loss. Maybe's death, and Mom's response, sends Army into deep mourning and upends what had felt like a stable, predictable life. School friendships shift and, without a dog to walk, even Army's connection to her neighborhood changes. At the same time, a new family arrives with a young daughter, Madison, who has autism. Madison repeatedly leaves the house when her overwhelmed mother is distracted, and gets into dangerous situations. Army's need to make the world right again leads her to become involved; she decides that what Madison needs is a service dog and determines to make that happen. In spite of some dramatic plot points, including a hurricane, this is fundamentally the story of small moments of growth and insight. Army's first-person narration feels particularly authentic as she navigates her intense feelings ("It might not be obvious that I'm all broken apart...Most people probably can't see the cracks from the outside"). By the end of a momentous month, Army's world has righted itself: friendships land in a comfortable place, she sets in motion some support for Madison, and she is ready for a new puppy.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2020

(2) YA With her overprotective mother away, seventeen-year-old African American ballerina Chloe plans to drive from her home in New Jersey to an audition in DC. She runs into a roadblock when her neighbor and frenemy, Eli, blackmails her into taking him (and his dog, Geezer), along for the ride. This is an engaging, romantic story that explores dealing with relationships, loss, and having the courage to follow your heart, romantically and otherwise.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(2) 4-6 Sixth grader Fig feels obliged to downplay the effects of her father's bipolar disorder so that she and her dad can stay together. Neighbor Mark's help turns into a romantic relationship for Dad; the novel also includes another coming-out story--Fig has a crush on an older girl--but integrates these elements naturally. Details involving art and science lend specificity and keep the plot lines from feeling overly formulaic.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) YA Dominique (Dom) has always wanted to be a modern dancer, but her mother's struggling laundry business doesn't provide a lot of options after high school. Ben studies violin at the prestigious Brighton Academy and is obsessed with perfection. Their worlds collide against the backdrop of NYC in a sweeping, classic-feeling romance that deals with privilege and the lies we instinctually tell ourselves and others.

Reviewer: Jeannie Coutant

(2) 4-6 Despite considering herself "too dark" and "too fat," eighth grader Vanessa dreams of following in the footsteps of her beauty-contestant mother, who left when she was a baby. Talented singer Vanessa gets her chance when her school holds its first-ever beauty pageant. Readers of Charles's debut novel will empathize with Vanessa's journey to earn the crown as she struggles to maintain friendships, develop self-confidence, and confront her family's demons.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(3) 4-6 A small, depressed city in southern New Jersey is hit by a rolling blackout. Sixth grader Luis and his friend Maura collaborate to uncover the motive for the computer hack that's caused the problem. Equal parts thriller, STEM lesson, political satire, and commentary on class and racial inequality, this fast-moving story with plenty of heart is well constructed and thought-provoking. Includes electricity facts and emergency-kit instructions. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 Unicorn Rescue Society series. Illustrated by Hatem Aly. Created by Jesse Casey, Adam Gidwitz, and Chris Smith. This collaboratively created series--told through the two newest members of a worldwide society of misfits dedicated to saving mythical creatures--is witty, fast-paced, hilarious, and great fun. Starring upper-elementary-age New Jersey kids Elliot and Uchenna, each book focuses on a different creature in need of protection. Abundant black-and-white drawings spotlight the zany characters and add to the laughs. Review covers these Unicorn Rescue Society titles: The Basque Dragon, The Creature of the Pines, and Sasquatch and the Muckleshoot.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(4) 4-6 With Paul Mantell. Fifth in Jeter's loosely autobiographical series about his childhood, this novel concentrates on his search for role models during the summer of his eleventh year. Derek's aspiration to be a good person and a great ballplayer would be overly cloying if we didn't know that's just what he grew up to be. The story's messages are padded with plenty of baseball action.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) YA Bollywood-obsessed Winnie Mehta, from an Indian Hindu family living in Princeton, New Jersey, wants it all: admission into NYU's film program and the right boyfriend. But is that Raj, the now-cheating boyfriend who's always fit her astrological prophesy, or budding filmmaker Dev, who's becoming more attractive to her by the day? A funny, breezy romance filled with Bollywood film references (a guide to which is appended).

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt