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All the latest reviews from the official YABC Team.

Kids Review: Little Ghost Makes a Friend (Maggie Edkins Willis)

October 8th, 2024 by Connie Reid, Site Manager

About This Book:

A shy ghost learns the secret to making friends is being his spooky, sparkly self in this charming debut picture book that’s perfect for fans of Stumpkin.

Little Ghost and his mom have been happily haunting their creaky old house for years, just the two of them. When a new girl moves in next door, Little Ghost wants to introduce himself. But making friends can be scary…until he comes up with the perfect plan: he’s going to invite her over for a Halloween party! But what costume will make her want to be friends with him?

*Review Contributed by Adrien Guerra, Staff Reviewer*

Little Ghost Makes a Friend tells the story of Little Ghost, who lives with his mom and really wants to make friends in the neighborhood. A new kid has just moved in next door, and Little Ghost has the perfect plan to befriend her: He will invite her to a Halloween party at his house.

What I liked: I’m very excited that the Halloween season is upon us so I am happy to be able to start reading books meant for this season. This book is a great one to read at the start of the fall season as we transition into the holiday months.

This book stood out to me since it’s not only about Halloween but it’s about using your interests to make friends. Little Ghost recognizes that Halloween is a great time for him to interact with others in town and uses this to his advantage.

The images in the story are cute and make ghosts friendly creatures rather than something to be afraid of. I appreciate that the photos are easy for a younger audience to follow and engage with. This is a book that children who don’t know how to read would enjoy flipping through the images and telling their own stories.

Final Verdict: Little Ghost Needs a Friend is a fun story for children ages 4 and up to show them ways to make friends with others. This is a great book to read during the fall season leading up to Halloween. Adults will also enjoy the cute images included throughout this book as they enjoy following along as Little Ghosts makes friends.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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Kids Review: The Make-Believers (Ryan Seacrest)

October 8th, 2024 by Connie Reid, Site Manager

About This Book:

From America’s favorite host and media personality, Ryan Seacrest, and his sister, Meredith Seacrest Leach, comes a debut picture book that celebrates the surprising strength of a child’s wild, wonderful imagination and how it can change the whole world.

You might think dreams only exist at night,
when the moon is glowing, and your eyes are shut tight.
But what if I told you there’s another kind of dreaming?
All you have to do is make believe.
Because you can be a Make-Believer!

Encourage little ones everywhere to imagine big, to dream far, and to always follow their hearts with this delightful book about the transformative power of play.

*Review Contributed by Jan Farnworth, Staff Reviewer*

The Make-Believers is a debut picture book from Ryan Seacrest and his sister Meredith Seacrest Leach. The Seacrest siblings encourage readers to dream and make believe. They model starting small and continuing to grow dreams and imagination all of their lives. The focus is on children exploring their creativity and dreams. The colorful artwork pulls readers in to be part of the exploration and visions. Flexing your creative make-believe muscles opens up doors to dream, problem-solve, and step outside your comfort zone to achieve your goals. The Make Believers was a delight to read and review and would be a great addition to any children’s library.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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Middle-Grade Review: Solis (Paola Mendoza and Abby Sher)

October 8th, 2024 by Connie Reid, Site Manager

About This Book:

The year is 2033, and in this near-future America where undocumented people are forced into labor camps, life is bleak. Especially so for seventeen-year-old Rania, a Lebanese teenager from Chicago. When she and her mother were rounded up by the Deportation Force, they were given the brutal job of digging in the labor camp’s mine searching for the destructive and toxic, but potentially world-changing chemical, aqualinium. With this chemical the corrupt and xenophobic government of the New American Republic could actually control the weather—ending devastating droughts sweeping the planet due to climate change. If the government succeeds, other countries would be at their mercy. Solidifying this power comes at the expense of the undocumented immigrants forced to endure horrendous conditions to mine the chemical or used in cruel experiments to test it, leaving their bodies wracked in extreme pain to the point of death. As the experiments ramp up, things only get worse. Rania and her fellow prisoners decide to start a revolution; if they don’t, they know they will die.

Told by four narrators—Rania, Jess (a former teenage Deportation Force officer), Vali, and Vali’s mother Liliana—Solis is about the courage and sacrifice it takes to stand and fight for freedom.

*Review Contributed by Kim Baccellia, Staff Reviewer*

What worked: Horrific dystopian world where undocumented citizens are rounded up and forced into labor camps. This novel follows the first book SANCTUARY where readers are introduced to a world that goes topsy-turvy and where a nightmare world comes to those not deemed citizens of the US.

SOLIS shows us the world of the camps where SANCTUARY introduces readers to what leads up to the changes in laws that deem those not citizens of the United States if they don’t fit certain criteria. Readers are also introduced to someone who is indoctrinated into this belief and her struggles when she ends up in the camp.

In SOLIS we see Vali who has escaped to California ‘sanctuary’ but wants to find her mother who was taken to one of the camps. Liliana, her mother, witnesses firsthand the horrors of the camps and the ‘true’ purpose behind them. The undocumented citizens have to mine a mineral in hopes of using it to harvest rain. There are brutal conditions which include those who are ‘harvested’ to test the mineral in action. With the ability to create rain comes global power as it’s scarce due to Global warming. The depictions of the camps with the cruelty and horrors are haunting.

There’s Jess, a former DF member who let some undocumented citizens flee. She’s imprisoned in the camp in Arizona. Her own older brother, whom she once idolized, is behind her torture and beatings.

There’s also hope that shines in this bleak landscape. The gentle songs from Kenna. Rania, a Lebanese teen from Chicago, holding on to the spark of love with Kenna. And the rumors of Solis, an organization, that is against the horrors of the roundups.

Powerful, gut-wrenching portrayal of a dystopian world that shows the horror when some groups of people are less valued. But also the portrayals of courage and hope to stand up against injustices.

Good Points

1. Nail biting action
2. Horrific dystopian world where undocumented citizens are forced into camps
3. Multiple POV

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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YA Review: Diet Soda Club (Chaz Hayden)

October 8th, 2024 by Connie Reid, Site Manager

About This Book:

When their mom leaves, Reed must care for his sister who has a life-threatening condition—even if that means breaking the law. A tender and sparkling story about family, trust, and the lengths we will go to for the ones we love.

Have you ever made all the wrong choices for all the right reasons?

Reed Beckett’s little sister, Beatrice, has never been awakened by the smell of breakfast or a school-day alarm clock. Instead, she wakes to hospital beeps and poking doctors. Seventeen-year-old Reed has been there for Bea all along, especially since their dad died. But when their burned-out mom goes on an extended vacation with her new boyfriend, the siblings are left with only an empty pantry and each other. With no job prospects on the horizon, Reed begins making and selling fake IDs so he and Bea can survive. But the problems keep piling up, from an angry landlord demanding rent to looming medical bills. As Reed expands his business, taking increasingly bigger risks, the potential consequences for Reed’s future, Bea’s health, and Reed’s budding friendship with his classmate Helena become graver. But what choice does he have? The joy and complexity of both caregiving and sibling relationships are at the heart of this authentic and moving novel.

*Review Contributed by Karen Yingling, Staff Reviewer*

Fifteen years old Reed is in high school, and is a good student, but is involved in no sports or clubs because he spends all of his spare time hanging out with his sister Beatrice. She’s been in and out of hospitals for all of her ten years because of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), a condition that has left her unable to walk, and which results in frequent lung infections due to the curvature of her spine. Their father was killed in a car accident on his way to visit Beatrice in the hospital years ago, and their mother has not been a terribly effective parent since. She often works double shifts at the bar, and tries to keep up with all of Beatrice’s needs, but it is Reed who makes sure that she is alone as little as possible. When the doctor tells the family that Beatrice needs surgery to correct her worsening scoliosis, but that it has to wait until she is over the latest infection, the mother can’t handle it. She’s started seeing Seth, whom she met at the bar, and is frequently hanging out at his apartment, while Reed has been sleeping at the hospital. Reed is struggling to keep up with his schoolwork (Beatrice sometimes helps, as she is precociously smart), and when he forgets his school I.D., he has to get a new one in the art room, where his former friend Helena seems to preside over the creation of this critical item. When Beatrice is to be released, Reed gets a call at school because the hospital can’t find his mother. He skips school and takes a bus to get his sister, who can’t be released until an adult signs for her. Luckily, his mother shows up. Beatrice is glad to be home, and for a while their mother makes an effort. One night, after the first home cooked meal in ages, she drops a bombshell: she’s going away for the weekend with Seth. Reed will have to administer medication and breathing treatments, and take care of the two of them until Sunday night. Flabbergasted, Reed does what he has to, but his mother has left them with no food or money. When Sunday night rolls around, she is still not home, and tells Reed that there’s money in her dresser, and that everything will be fine. Beatrice insists that she can be home alone, even though she can’t even use the bathroom by herself. Reed reluctantly agrees, but e mails her multiple times during the day (he has a phone, but his sister is using his laptop). When their mother still doesn’t come back, Reed gets desperate. After a chance encounter at their local convenience store, Reed decides to use the art printer to create fake I.D.s and sell them for $100 to classmates. At first, he manages to hide this from Helen, but as his mother doesn’t return, the rent is due, and his concerns for his sister mount, he brings her in to his scheme, especially when it spills over into selling papers and test answers. Reed is able to cover necessities, as well as a hospital prepayment, and even drives the car illegally in order to meet Beatrice’s needs. How long can he continue this lifestyle before someone needs to be told that his mother is not around?

Good Points

I’m a big fan of children who show resilience in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and Reed’s complete and utter devotion to his sister is definitely a change from the slew of anxious characters that have shown up in teen and tween literature lately. While he’s sometimes misguided, he manages to keep things together even better than his mother does. This definitely takes an emotional toll on him, so it was good to see him reconnect with childhood friend Helena, and to watch her support him.

For teens, the big draw will be Reed’s illegal activity, which will resonate with readers who like the unlikely exploits in books like Quigley’s Bank or Zimmerman’s Just Do This One Thing For Me. While I had a little problem believing that Reed could make a convincing I.D., I did like that he felt bad about creating and selling them, but felt he had no other choice. He also feels that they are being used for buying cigarettes and maybe a few beers; I was a little surprised that no one tried to get into venues that required identification. There are some realistic limits; since Reed is using school pictures, he has to deny clients who look very young and wouldn’t be convincing.

Beatrice’s condition is serious, but she is also upbeat, although she does have her breaking point. Her hacking activity is interesting, and I wondered how she got her computer skills, since Reed has been the one who is essentially home schooling her. Her SMA is certainly what drives a lot of the plot, but is just one facet of the person she is.

While it also seemed odd that children’s services never got involved, especially after Reed’s arrest at the end of the book, young readers won’t know all of the technicalities, and will just be glad to see that things seem to be on an upwards trend for Reed and his family at the end of the book. This is a great addition to tales of children surviving against the odds, along with Walter’s The King of Jam Sandwich’s Rudd’s How to Stay Invisible, and Florence, and Scrimger’s The Other Side of Perfect. It reminded me a bit of an updated, older version of Williams’ The True Colors of Caitlyn Jackson (1997).

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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Kids Review: Hocus and Pocus and the Spell for Home (A. R. Capetta)

October 8th, 2024 by Connie Reid, Site Manager

About This Book:

From award-winning author A. R. Capetta comes a new first-chapter-book series delivering plenty of puppies, magic, and charm.

Puppies Hocus and Pocus are still waiting to be adopted from the Shelter for Slightly Magical Pets. Even though Hocus can see two minutes into the future and Pocus can turn bad feelings into bubbles (which he eats!), nobody seems to want them. This could be because the two keep causing mischief so they won’t be separated. When Jinx the witch uses a “spell for home” potion to help a color-changing tortoise find his match, the puppies know what to do: sneak both their hairs into the mixture to ensure they get adopted together. But with these two, anything can happen—from a shrinking spell to giant bees! Can the puppies, along with Jinx and her young apprentices—witch Archer (he/him), wizard Ofelia (she/her), and warlock Tam (they/them)—fix the magical mess? And will they finally find a home, maybe even right under their noses? This adorable new series takes readers to a vibrant world full of magic, community, surprises, and welcoming homes.

*Review Contributed by Olivia Farr, Staff Reviewer*

HOCUS AND POCUS AND THE SPELL FOR HOME is a charming chapter book about finding a place to belong. A witch named Jinx found five puppies and realized they were slightly magical, so she brought them to the Shelter for Slightly Magical Pets where they would be taken care of until they could be adopted. While three of the pups were quickly adopted, Hocus and Pocus remained. They wanted to be adopted together, so they would cause mischief whenever Hocus would look 2 minutes into the future and see that the people would only be adopting one or the other. Pocus can take negative feelings from people and make them into bubbles, which he could then eat.

Jinx comes in after a while with a spell for home that she uses to help an old tortoise find the perfect home. Since Hocus and Pocus have been there for a while, she decides to make the spell for each of them too. Fearing being separated, they slip into her bags so that they can make the potion a combined one and find a home together. Once at Jinx’s house, they meet her three apprentices and find themselves in the middle of more mischief- but they also think they’ve found a home – if only Jinx wasn’t worried about having her hands full with the apprentices and magic!

What I loved: This was such a sweet story of family, friendship, and belonging. The pups really come to life in the story with plenty of personality and silliness. The magical abilities added something extra to the book, and brings up plenty of fun opportunities for the future. The characters are all approached with a lot of love, and the pups get introduced to the three children apprentices from whom I am hoping to see even more in future books.

The story is inclusive with the way characters are introduced and addressed. The themes will resonate with young readers, who may sometimes cause their own mischief and value friendship and family. Seeing a story from an animal’s perspective tends to be a hit in this age group, and this one is no exception! This is definitely a series we are looking forward to continuing.

This is a particularly special chapter book, as it includes large, full color illustrations throughout. It really bridges that gap between picture book and chapter books beautifully. The images are fantastic and unique, appealing to young readers who love pictures but are moving on to more in-depth stories. The font is large and easy to read throughout, making this a great series for early independent readers. The chapters are a good length, but not too intimidating.

Final verdict: With unforgettable characters, a delightful dose of magic, and enchanting illustrations, HOCUS AND POCUS AND THE SPELL FOR HOME is a charming early chapter book that is sure to be a hit with young independent readers. Themes of family, friendship, and belonging make this a relatable story that children can really sink their teeth into.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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What’s New In YA? October 8, 2024

October 8th, 2024 by Jan Farnworth, Staff Reviewer

October 8, 2024

Publisher: ‎Joy Revolution
Reading age: ‎12 – 17 years
Lexile measure: ‎HL730L
Grade level: ‎7 – 9

Serpent & Dove meets Arcane in this dystopian romance debut that follows a cunning memory merchant who deals a little extra happiness on the side and the handsome rookie officer on her tail!

In 2364, eighteen-year-old Liv Newman dreams of a future beyond her lower-class life in the Metro. As a Proxy, she uses the neurochip in her brain to sell memories to wealthy clients. Maybe a few illegally, but money equals freedom. So when a customer offers her a ludicrous sum to go on an assignment in no-man’s-land, Liv accepts. Now she just has to survive.

Rookie Forceman Adrian Rao believes in order over all. After discovering that a renegade Proxy’s shady dealings are messing with citizens’ brain chemistry, he vows to extinguish the threat. But when he tracks Liv down, there’s one problem: her memories are gone. Can Adrian bring himself to condemn her for crimes she doesn’t remember?

As Liv and Adrian navigate the world beyond the Metro and their growing feelings for one another, they grapple with who they are, who they could be, and whether another way of living is possible.

Publisher: ‎Disney Hyperion
Reading age: ‎14 – 17 years
Grade level: ‎9 – 12

Blessed by the gods, Mona Arnett has the unique ability to divine soulmates, but she refuses to seek out her own—until she learns the king is dying without an heir, threatening the royal line and the world’s access to magic. Tasked with naming his future queen, Mona discovers the king’s soulmate is . . . her.

A royal match is the last thing Mona wants—especially when she starts falling for the king’s closest advisor—so she lies, cheats, and contends with scheming gods to hide the truth. But when this high-stakes game of thrones leads to murder, survival and the fate of the kingdom will depend on her finding the courage to face her destiny.

Delightful wit, spellbinding prose, and a flawed, funny protagonist you’ll love from page one make this debut fantasy a must-read.

Publisher: ‎Soho Teen
Reading age: ‎14 – 17 years
Grade level: ‎9 – 12

The Love Hypothesis meets The Holiday in this fake dating YA romance about a city girl and country boy’s lives colliding at Christmas

City girl Tia Solanké is dreading the festive season. She and her boyfriend are on a break and the last thing she wants is to spend Christmas away from London. Dragged to Saiyan Hedge Farm by her mother, Tia takes an instant dislike to the countryside estate. She falls in horse manure, is chased by sheep and the Wi-Fi sucks. How can she stalk her ex and concoct a foolproof plan to win him back from here?

Country boy Quincy Parker and his family run the farm, and this year they’ve been selected to host the biggest event in town—the Winter Ball. Preparations are underway, and Quincy is working around the clock to make it a success while recovering from his own devastating breakup. The only problem is, he’s told everyone he has a date to the ball, which couldn’t be further from the truth.

At first, Tia and Quincy don’t see eye to eye—until they realize they both have something to gain by pretending to be a couple. But when a snowstorm threatens to cancel the Winter Ball, their fake relationship is put to the test. Will Tia and Quincy be able to keep up appearances and save the day, or will real feelings get in the way?

Publisher: ‎Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Reading age: ‎14 years and up
Grade level: ‎9 – 12

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jason Reynolds tackles it—you know…it—from the guy’s perspective in this unfiltered and undeniably sweet stream of consciousness story of a teen boy about to experience a huge first.

Twenty-four months ago: Neon gets chased by a dog all around the parking lot of a church. Not his finest moment. And definitely one he would have loved to forget if it weren’t for the dog’s owner: Aria. Dressed in sweats, a t-shirt, hair in a ponytail. Aria. Way more than fine.

Twenty-four weeks ago: Neon’s dad insists on talking to him about tenderness and intimacy. Neon and Aria are definitely in love, and while they haven’t taken that next big step…yet, they’ve starting talking about…that.

Twenty-four days ago: Neon’s mom finds her—gulp—bra in his room. Hey! No judging! Those hook thingies are complicated! So he’d figured he’d better practice, what with the big day only a month away.

Twenty-four minutes ago: Neon leaves his shift at work at his dad’s bingo hall, making sure to bring some chicken tenders for Aria. They’re not candlelight and they definitely aren’t caviar, but they are her favorite.

And right this second? Neon is locked in Aria’s bathroom, completely freaking out because twenty-four seconds from now he and Aria are about to…about to… Well, they won’t do anything if he can’t get out of his own head (all the advice, insecurities, and what ifs) and out of this bathroom!

Publisher: ‎Quill Tree Books
Reading age: ‎13 – 17 years
Grade level: ‎8 – 9

This funny, electric rom-com follows a teen struggling to reclaim her perfect life and the perfectly wrong guy who sees through her facade, from the acclaimed author of It All Comes Back to You.

Anisa Shirani is…well, perfect. A fact, not an opinion. Of course, it’s all a front to feed her own praise-obsessed ego. Behind closed doors, she is—some might say—a little slobbish and snobbish, and she works obsessively to maintain her God-given talents. Fate has favored her, but Ani knows better than anyone that fate is made by effort.

But she must, especially when all signs point to her being a top-notch lawyer with a top-notch education and being destined to marry Isaac, total heartthrob and eldest son of the richest family in the community. A perfect girl deserves a perfect life, and Ani’s perfect life is going exactly the way it should…

Until Ani’s parents announce they’re getting divorced.

Until Isaac shows all the signs of…cheating. Sort of.

Until she starts catching feelings for Marlow, an overly friendly weirdo she’s hated since the moment she laid eyes on him in class.

How can fate be so wrong?

Publisher: ‎Rocky Pond Books
Reading age: ‎12 – 17 years
Lexile measure: ‎NP
Grade level: ‎7 – 9

Deeply moving and authentic, this debut novel in verse follows teenage Evie through her eating disorder treatment and recovery―a perfect choice for readers of Wintergirls and Louder Than Hunger.

Evie has just barely acknowledged that she has an eating disorder when she’s admitted to an inpatient treatment facility. Now her days are filled with calorie loading, therapy sessions, and longing—for home, for control, and for the time before her troubles began. As the winter of her treatment goes on, she gradually begins to face her fears and to love herself again, with the help of caregivers and of peers who are fighting their own disordered-eating battles. This insightful, beautiful novel will touch every reader and offer hope and understanding to those who need it most.

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Kids Review: Lemming’s First Christmas (Jamesie Fournier)

October 7th, 2024 by Connie Reid, Site Manager

About This Book:

When Lemming overhears some children singing about Christmas, she can’t help but wonder about this new holiday. Qimmiq the sled dog knows all about Christmas. It’s the time of year when Santa brings presents to put under your tree!

But…what is a tree? There aren’t any trees where Lemming lives, in the treeless Arctic, so she decides to go on the hunt for a tree in order to have her very first Merry Christmas.

Filled with charming holiday illustrations featuring sweet Arctic animals, this book offers a warm and inviting new take on beloved Christmas traditions.

*Review Contributed by Adrien Guerra, Staff Reviewer*

Lemming’s First Christmas tells the story of a lemming named Avingaq, who lives under a house and hears people singing about Santa Claus. She then asks her friends who Santa Claus is and they explain that he puts presents under a tree. Avingaq now needs her friends to help her find a tree so that they can celebrate Christmas and get presents delivered by Santa. Avingaq’s friends look for the perfect tree yet bring back items that aren’t exactly a tree. Will they find a tree in time for Christmas?

What I liked: I am not too familiar with a lemming, but the cover of this book was too cute, and Christmas is my favorite holiday. I am really glad that I got the chance to read this book because the images stand out and the story is cute.

I love how each of the characters brings different items to Avingaq and asks if what they have found is a tree. I love that while each of them brings something that isn’t a tree, each of the items that they provided is useful. I appreciate that the tree they find is something that they stumble upon right as they are ready to give up.

After the story, some pages show you how to pronounce each of the character’s names as they are Inuit. It explains what the names mean and provides you with the pronunciation for them. I appreciate that this is included as I was struggling while reading through this book, I do wish that the book opened with this piece though so that I would know it was there.

Final Verdict: Lemming’s First Christmas is a great book to introduce children to the concept of Santa Claus. This book shows how a Christmas tree doesn’t have to look one specific way and shows how everyone can participate in the holiday.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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Kids Review: Chicka Chicka Ho Ho Ho (William Boniface)

October 7th, 2024 by Connie Reid, Site Manager

About This Book:

In a much-anticipated new companion to the beloved and bestselling classic Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, the rollicking alphabet chant gets a holiday twist.

A told B,
and B told C,
“I’ll meet you in the branches
of the Christmas tree.”

In this holiday alphabet rhyme, the crew of beloved letters gets their chance to shine as decorations on the Christmas tree!

*Review Contributed by Olivia Farr, Staff Reviewer*

CHICKA CHICKA HO HO HO is a fun holiday twist on an old classic. CHICKA CHICKA BOOM BOOM takes all the letters up a coconut tree, and this new book takes them to decorate a Christmas tree. The plot remains largely similar, as they all go up but then fall out. In this case, they then notice the shapes of the packages around the Christmas tree before finding a way to add the decorations, such as the star on top.

What I loved: This is a cute, silly twist that works well for Christmas. The letters are all here and ready to get into decorating. There are learning opportunities, particularly for preschoolers, in seeing the letters but also the shapes that are around the tree. The text rhymes well and really rolls off the tongue. This is definitely a story that is made to be read aloud. Along these lines, each page reads very quickly, working well for short attention spans, such as toddlers and preschoolers.

The illustrations are great with vibrant colors. There are also foil images on some pages that add to the Christmasy feel of the design and give additional visual interest. It’s a very pretty book! Near the end of the book, the whole decorated tree can be viewed with a turn of the book and adds to the fun. This is an overall cute twist on the classic.

Final verdict: CHICKA CHICKA HO HO HO is a clever, rhyming picture book about the alphabet and shapes that will work well for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners.

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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Middle-Grade Review: The Bletchley Riddle ( Ruta Sepetys)

October 7th, 2024 by Connie Reid, Site Manager

About This Book:

Remember, you are bound by the Official Secrets Act…

Summer, 1940. Nineteen-year-old Jakob Novis and his quirky younger sister Lizzie share a love of riddles and puzzles. And now they’re living inside of one. The quarrelsome siblings find themselves amidst one of the greatest secrets of World War II—Britain’s eccentric codebreaking factory at Bletchley Park. As Jakob joins Bletchley’s top minds to crack the Nazi’s Enigma cipher, fourteen-year-old Lizzie embarks on a mission to solve the mysterious disappearance of their mother.

The Battle of Britain rages and Hitler’s invasion creeps closer. And at the same time, baffling messages and codes arrive on their doorstep while a menacing inspector lurks outside the gates of the Bletchley mansion. Are the messages truly for them, or are they a trap? Could the riddles of Enigma and their mother’s disappearance be somehow connected? Jakob and Lizzie must find a way to work together as they race to decipher clues which unravel a shocking puzzle that presents the ultimate challenge: How long must a secret be kept?

*Review Contributed by Kim Baccellia, Staff Reviewer*

Nineteen-year-old Jakob Novis and his younger sister Lizzie love riddles and puzzles. When their mother is listed as dead after the bombing in Poland, Lizzie questions if that is true. She ends up at Bletchley Park during the summer of 1940. The same place where some, like her brother, are working to break the Nazi’s Enigma cipher and end the war. Then she receives coded messages she feels are from her mother. She tried to work with Jakob to break the code. All the time trying not to reveal the secret of what is happening at Bletchley Park.

What worked: Historical story based on a real place where cryptanalysts worked together to break the Enigma code. It wasn’t until recently that their stories were told. Fascinating, mesmerizing this story sweeps readers away to 1940 England. The US wasn’t involved in the war yet. There’s more than puzzles and riddles in this story. There’s intrigue, mystery, and one quirky heroine who refuses to let others stop her investigation into what really happened to her mother.

Lizzie is stubborn and persistent in her quest. Even when her American grandmother tries numerous times to ship her back to Ohio for her safety. Lizzie has other plans.

This story is told in two alternative POVs. Her brother as he works in secret at Bletchley Park and how frustrated he is with Lizzie for not listening to others. But later, he realizes that by working together, they can figure out the riddles left for them.

There are other characters shown. Like Alan Turing who was instrumental in finally breaking the Enigma cipher.

Great pacing. Also love the illustrations that show readers a glimpse of 1940 with photos of Bletchley Park and the Enigma machine. Loved how the authors broke down one-way cryptanalysis looked for patterns in the cipher.

Intriguing details on how some tried to break the Nazi’s Enigma cipher with a heroine that refuses to let others stop her determination to find the truth. Perfect for those who love WWII history and Ruta Sepetys’s novels.

Good Points

1. Fascinating portrayal of code-breaking at Bletchley Park, England during WWII
2. Ruta Sepetys
3. Intriguing details on how some tried to break Nazi’s Enigma cipher

*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*

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Kids Review: THE VERY HUNGRY MUMMY (José Carlos Andrés)

October 7th, 2024 by Connie Reid, Site Manager

About This Book:

After I’m a Zcary Vampire and The Ghost with the Smelly Old Underwear, José Carlos Andrés and Gómez are together again in this hilarious children’s book about an unlikely friendship between a hungry mummy and a brave little girl, that will make girls and boys stop being afraid.

The little mummy Andages wakes up inside the darkness of her pyramid. She is hungry, VERY HUNGRY!

She decides to go out to see if it is time to eat… but the tourists flee in terror when they see her. Only Nessa, a little girl, stays. They soon become friends and decide to help each other find Nessa’s family and food for Andages.

También disponible en español. (Also available in Spanish.)

*Review Contributed by Connie Reid, Site Manager*

Light Hearted Fun

The Very Hungry Mummy establishes itself as a book of humor not to be taken too seriously in the opening pages when it keeps guessing which pyramid our mummy emerges from. The mummy has been asleep a long time and is very hungry. The lack of food and company has made her voice a bit loud scaring all but Nessa away. They form a fast friendship and Andages helps Nessa find her mothers. This makes for a silly story that also normalizes LBGTQ+ families and nongendered presentations of self without making the story about that topic. Overall, this is a light-hearted story that presents a non-scary mummy as a Halloween reading option and exposes readers to alternate family forms without being preachy.

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