The Princess and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

I knew this was a graphic novel about a prince who wears dresses, and I went in to reading it expecting it to be something of an "issue book." I was pleasantly surprised that it was much more than that. It's the charming story of a working girl who aspires to be a successful dressmaker and clothing designer. She is at the mercy of whoever employs her, and when she goes to work for Prince Sebastian, she becomes privvy to his secret--he likes to go out at night as the dazzling Lady Crystallia. Frances makes fabulous dresses, but how can she advance her career while keeping his secret? Readers will empathize with both Frances and Sebastian, and will be surprised by the twists and turns that their story takes. I know that this feel-good fairy tale will be enjoyed by middle school, high school, and adult readers alike. 

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson

They say she murdered a baby when she was nine years old. Mary was sent to prison and is now in a group home. The justice and rehabilitation systems have never supported her and she has been left to raise herself in the absence of caring adults. To say her life is bleak is an understatement. One bright spot in her life is her boyfriend Ted, and when Mary finds herself pregnant she has a reason to try to change her situation. Through court documents and Mary's memories we learn more about the murder of the baby and Mary's role in it. I'm sure many teenagers will relate to this book and will be drawn in by the mystery, the glimpse of a girl with a tragic life, and the big revelations that unfold. This book has had a lot of positive reviews. I have to admit that I had trouble liking it, partly because I felt like it pushed all the boundaries of edgy teen fiction (language, sexuality, violence, it's all here), and partly because I just couldn't find a redeeming quality in Mary and I like to like my protagonists. I do think there are many readers who will love this book (probably for the same reasons that I struggled with it)--but I advise middle school teachers and librarians to read it before recommending it to middle school students. Recommended for readers 9th-up. 

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Mia and her Chinese immigrant parents work hard running a small motel near Disneyland. Although she is only a fifth grader, Mia works the front desk, and for the most part she loves the responsibility and the fact that she can help her parents earn a living. In this charming year-in-the life book we see Mia deal with a school bully (who happens to be the motel owner's son), keeping secrets from her only friend, hiding immigrants, and grappling with racism directed at one of the hotel's permanent guests. If books are empathy delivery devices, this one provides exceptional moments in which readers can take on the viewpoints of others. We empathize with Mia and her friend Lupe, who realize they are on a separate roller coaster from more privileged kids and they wonder how they will ever get off. We see Mia being told by her own mother that she will never be a good writer. We meet Hank, a Black man charged with a crime and fired from his job. And we see Mia's parents working themselves to the bone, unable to stand up to their ruthless employer. Most of all, we root for Mia, whose optimism and spirit make this novel sparkle. In spite of all the life lessons here, this book does not feel like medicine. It's a fun story that would make a great read aloud for elementary school children. Recommended for 2nd-6th graders. 

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

This is one of those YA books I am going to tell all my adult friends to read...it's a beautiful story told in exquisite language. I love the characters, the complex interplay of religion, and the power of reconciliation and hope. A nuanced coming of age story--I'm going to recommend it to mature 8th graders on up. I read it on the same day that I finished Angie Thomas' new book On the Come Up. There were so many similarities it's almost eerie--it would make a great pairing to talk about Xiomara and Bri and their relationship to poetry and to their mothers. Although they come from very different backgrounds, they both have learned to use anger to ward off danger. They both have brothers that are key figures in their lives. Their words are their dreams and they speak out boldly and get in trouble when other people interpret their words. Would Bri and Xiomara be friends? This would be a great debate question for a book club.

The Da Vinci Code (The Young Adult Adaptation) by Dan Brown

This YA adaptation of what the New York Times calls a "brainy thriller" has all the excitement of the adult edition, which I read years ago and loved, but had mostly forgotten. Dan Brown brings the reader immediately into the action, where a Louvre curator rips a painting off the wall to bring down the security gate that might save him. He is, however, shot by an assassin, and in the 20 minutes it takes him to die, is able to leave a coded treasure hunt for his granddaughter and Harvard professor Robert Langdon to unravel. The book's short chapters are the perfect way to keep readers on the edge of their seats as secret after secret is revealed. The book spares none of the intrigue or the sometimes confusing plot that sees two secret societies battling it out over a secret that could bring down western society (or at least bring down the Catholic church, or so they say). There is so much art and culture and historical context in this book--I hope that bright kids will find it to be an introduction to a whole world of thrillers and action books, or maybe even religion and art history. The Da Vinci Code is like nothing else found in YA literature. It definitely belongs in middle and high school libraries. (For those who remember the steamy pagan ritual from the original, it is included in the book but the details are glossed over to the point that readers might not quite understand what made Sophia distance herself from her grandfather for ten long years. I'm discussing this book with 8th graders next week--I'm anxious to see what their take is on that and on the book as a whole.)

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

Bri's dream is to be a famous rapper--and the book opens with her competing in "the ring" and coming out the winner. Her Aunt Pooh, who doubles as her manager, says she is "on the come up" and Bri, still in high school, is willing to do what it takes to have the career that her father never had. Like many characters in a recent string of YA books, Bri lives in a rough neighborhood (the same one as Starr from The Hate U Give), but attends school in a more affluent neighborhood where she is a minority. At her school for the arts she is frequently reprimanded for being hot tempered, rolling her eyes, or defying authority. She's not really a trouble-maker, but the perception is that the school administration comes down hard on students of color. Bri deals with a lot of stresses, including her mom's unemployment, her aunt's drug dealing, and the dangers of offending various gang members. She records an original song that goes viral on YouTube, and some say her lyrics means things she never intended. Can she put out inflammatory words in the name of art or should she temper her message to portray who she really is? That is just one of many great questions this book brings up. As with The Hate U Give, this book will have students reading, discussing, and relating to a complex, believable, and very likable character whose story is never predictable or trite. The book contains language and situations that make it most appropriate for 8th grade-up, but younger kids will be clamoring to read it as well.

Odd One Out by Nic Stone

Nic Stone's second book takes a deep dive into the lives of three teenagers who share deep bonds with each other and who are exploring and questioning their sexual identities. This is a relationship book--a deep dive into Coop and Jupiter--teens who have been best friends their whole lives and how things change when a new friend, Rae, enters the scene. Suffice it to say that boy crushes on lesbian best friend, while new female friend has feelings for both boy and girl. Stone is a strong writer and she kept me interested and involved in these teens' stories. There is a whole new world of books that celebrate diversity and I many teens will find inspiration and companionship with these characters. As a middle school librarian, I will not be putting this in my library due to the sexual content, but I wholeheartedly recommend it to teens and young adults.

March Forward, Girl: From Young Warrior to Little Rock Nine by Melba Pattillo Beals

I couldn't stop reading this middle school-level memoir of a Little Rick Nine survivor's early years. I confess I know the basics of the Little Rock Nine experience, but haven't read any of the participants' autobiographies. I thought that this book would tell that story, but I was wrong. Rather than delve into her better-known year as a member of the Little Rock Nine, Mrs. Beals recounts her life up to the point of being chosen to integrate Central High School in Little Rock. Melba was a precocious child--aware from a very young age that she lived in a divided society where she not only had fewer luxuries than white peers, she had to live in deep and persistent fear at all times. At first I thought that there was no way such a young person could have perceived her situation so accurately, but I was won over in the end. Melba stood apart from many other children in her Little Rock neighborhood and she rightly felt the terror that white people wanted her to feel. I have read numerous books about Civil Rights era conditions, but I was shocked and appalled by several things that happened to Melba--most notably a KKK lynching that took place during a church service. The trauma she and all the Little Rock people of color experienced, should never happen to anyone, anywhere, ever again. In spite of how it may sound, this book is well-tuned to middle school and maybe even middle grade readers. It's a story that should be read widely--by adults and children.