Reviews written by Adrien Guerra, Staff Reviewer

68 results - showing 1 - 15
1 2 3 4 5
Ordering
October 30, 2024
Overall rating
 
4.3
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Young Adult Fiction
Secrets, Love, and Dark Rituals

A Darker Mischief follows Cal who has just won a scholarship to an elite boarding school. Cal is from Mississippi, where he was a poor, queer, kid who didn’t fit in, and he is hoping that this will change at Essex Academy. When Cal gets to Essex he is quite...

October 30, 2024
Overall rating
 
4.3
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Young Adult Fiction
Secrets, Love, and Dark Rituals

A Darker Mischief follows Cal who has just won a scholarship to an elite boarding school. Cal is from Mississippi, where he was a poor, queer, kid who didn’t fit in, and he is hoping that this will change at Essex Academy. When Cal gets to Essex he is quite...

October 25, 2024
Overall rating
 
3.7
Plot
 
3.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
3.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Middle Grade Fiction
A Heartfelt Story of Lies, Laughter, and Queer Joy

Asking for a Friend tells the story of Eden Jones, a nonbinary kid, who has just moved to a new school. Eden has a hard time making friends, so why not just pretend with their mom about their new friends? This plan is going great until their mom decides to...

October 18, 2024
Overall rating
 
4.3
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
5.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Middle Grade Fiction
Haunting Secrets and Powerful Representation: A Thrilling Journey

The Lonely Below follows Eva as she has just started attending Blythe Academy yet this isn’t a normal school. Eva learns that fifty years ago the school collapsed and killed a classroom along with the teacher and things have been different ever since. Eva starts running into ghosts which causes...

October 16, 2024
Overall rating
 
3.3
Plot
 
3.0
Characters
 
3.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
N/A
Middle Grade Fiction
A Chilling Tale of Scarecrows, Small Town Secrets, and Missing Children

Killer Harvest tells the story of Marcus, Kris, and Angie who are taken to Gentle Valley by their parents after getting into trouble at school. Gentle Valley is a town that is very serious about its harvest festival but doesn’t allow for the celebration of Halloween. Marcus, Kris, and Angie...

October 08, 2024
Overall rating
 
3.8
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
3.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
4.0
Middle Grade Fiction
A Heartfelt Journey of New Beginnings, Friendship, and Growth

Fresh Start follows Ollie, whose dad is a diplomat, meaning that she has moved all over the place. She has lived in Singapore, Korea, France, and the United States. Ollie isn’t too worried about making a good first impression at her new school since she expects to move soon and...

October 04, 2024
Overall rating
 
3.8
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
3.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
4.0
Middle Grade Fiction
Growing Up in Turmoil: A Japanese American Journey Through 1941

Pearl is a graphic novel that follows Amy, a thirteen-year-old Japanese American girl, who lives in Hawaii. Her great-grandmother has fallen ill so Amy travels to Hiroshima for the first time to see her, yet when the Japanese navy attacks Pearl Harbor, Amy is unable to return to Hawaii. Amy...

October 04, 2024
Overall rating
 
4.3
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Learning Value
 
4.0
Kids Nonfiction
Exploring Space: A Beautiful and Fun First Guide for Young Astronomers

My First Guide to Space is a nonfiction book that guides children through different aspects of space. This book is split into four sections including what space is, outer space, the solar system, and the space age. This guide includes various illustrations and a shooting star search that makes it...

October 02, 2024
Overall rating
 
4.8
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
5.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Kids Fiction
A Father’s Journey of Dreams, Family, and Culture

Not Far From Here starts with Mama telling her children a story that begins when their papa was a child. The story starts in a place not far from here where he hears stories from his grandparents and his father works as a blacksmith. When Papa’s father passes away he...

October 02, 2024
Overall rating
 
4.3
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Kids Fiction
A Heartfelt Tale of Loss, Love, and Legacy

Nana tells various tales from a long time ago that her granddaughter is enamored with. Tonight they are waiting for Nana’s old friend, the Night Whale, to come amongst the stars. Nana and her granddaughter climb onto the Night Whale’s back and she takes them on a journey through various...

October 01, 2024
Overall rating
 
4.0
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
4.0
Kids Indie
Little Wolf’s Journey to Her Own Voice

Little Wolf has just been separated from her family and remembers that her mom told her if she was ever lost find North. But who or what is North? Little Wolf goes to ask some new friends how to find North, and with a little help from them, she finds...

October 01, 2024
Overall rating
 
3.5
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
3.0
Writing Style
 
3.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
4.0
Kids Fiction
My Body, My Voice, My Choice: A Fun & Empowering Book for Kids

Who’s in Charge is a book that teaches children about body autonomy, their voice, and their choices. The author does this through colorful images in which children are asked who is in charge of different parts of their body and the children answer that they are in charge of all...

October 01, 2024
Overall rating
 
4.0
Plot
 
5.0
Characters
 
3.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
4.0
Kids Fiction
A Whimsical Tale of Plastic, Pollution, and Ocean Care

Jelly Boy tells the story of a jellyfish who has unfortunately fallen in love with a plastic boy that she believes is a jelly boy. Jelly Boy is different from the other jelly boys around, but by the time Jelly girl discovers the truth about her new friend it might...

October 01, 2024
Overall rating
 
4.3
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
A Wonderful Guide to Navigating Emotions

Friends and Feelings is about Jack, a boy during his first day in preschool, and the feelings that happen during this time. Jack is scared and uncertain about everything happening in this new setting and is having a roller coaster of emotions because of this. This book goes through various...

October 01, 2024
Overall rating
 
4.3
Plot
 
4.0
Characters
 
4.0
Writing Style
 
4.0
Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)
 
5.0
Kids Fiction
Learning Letter L in Lagos: An Educational Journey Through the City

L is for Love shows a family traveling throughout Lagos as they sell lemons and learn about the letter L. As they go about the town they are learning about all the things they encounter or do that begin with the letter L. This book culminates in L is for...

68 results - showing 1 - 15
1 2 3 4 5