Reviews written by Kim Baccellia, Staff Reviewer

Elizabeth Bertelsen loves the stars. More than anything she wants to go to school and study them, but her Mormon family has other plans which include marriage and a family. When an opportunity comes for her to help her older sister in Wyoming, she goes. After a train robbery,...

What worked: This is a hilarious twist on a secret society of lady pirates who have the ability to fly houses into battle. I was laughing throughout this story. It has a The Gentleman's Guide to Virtue and Vices vibe going for it. These women...

What worked: Fascinating story of American cryptanalyst Elizebeth Friedman and how her work helped break codes during two world wars. Her story only came to light decades after her papers were declassified. I love how the author not only gives the history of Elizebeth...

What worked: Rich collection of essays from fifteen Latinx authors on finding one's identity. I loved these tales, where Latinx authors shared their own experiences and discoveries. Some of my favorites: The Mark of a Good Man by Meg Medina....

It started off as a prank among friends five years ago. All they had to do was say Bloody Mary thirteen times. Little did the friends know what they had released. Now they're in high school and none are friends. Elena, who dared her friends to do the chant, senses...

Sisters Krystia and Maria think they're safe after WWII ends. They've seen the horrors of the war ravage their native Ukraine and lost their mother after she was caught hiding Jews from the Nazis. But that isn't the end of their trials after Soviets kidnap them from a refugee camp...

What worked: This haunting memoir is about two young sisters who helped each other survive the Holocaust. Both of the girls parents are deaf. So is Herta. Renee is the one who helps her family know whenever the Nazis are close by. Their parents end up sending the girls to...

It's 1946 and Eva and her friend Brigit leave behind destroyed Berlin for New York City. Eva carries a deadly secret. One that others want. She thought she left behind the horrors of what happened at the end of WWII, but they follow her as she is determined to bring...

Thirteen-year-old Molly finds out she's entitled to part of a mortuary business after the death of her father. She also finds out that she has a brother. Now she wants what she feels is rightfully hers. Her uncle Gordo pushes her to find some secrets inside the creepy mortuary and...

What worked: This is an adorable story of Sandro who gives readers a quick peek of Venice. Sandro is the loyal dog mate of Nic, an Italian gondolier. One day Sandro decides to visit some of his friends and readers get to see parts of the Italian city. Readers...

Each summer four friends of Deck Five come back to Marshall Naval School. Since this summer is the final one, all the friends want to make it memorable. But some things refuse to be silent which include a deadly secret no one will speak of. A secret that might drive...

Sixteen-year-old Eli doesn't remember much on what happened that fateful day that her mother disappeared in Svalbard, Norway. She does remember some of the tales her mother told her as a child. Then the Northern Lights appear over Cape Cod and Eli sees her mother again. Only there is something...

What worked: This is a refreshing twist on the whole teen finds out she's a Japanese princess. Izumi 'Izzy'Tanaka never felt like she belonged in her mostly white Northern Californian community. When she finds out the truth about her father's identity, that he is in fact the Crown Prince of...

What worked: Engaging historical set in WWII where two Italian sisters survive after being forced into a Japanese internment camp after Italy signs an armistice with Allie forces. I didn't know that there were Italian citizens living in Japan during WWII that ended up being...

What worked: Unique coming-of-age story that tackles grief and tragedy. Told through the eyes of six teens, this story starts with a horrific tragedy and later with those who remain trying to make sense of what happened. What happened that fateful day is a mystery...