Unnatural Disasters, written by Jeff Hirsch, reviewed by Bethany Bratney

Summary: It’s 2049, and Lucy has her post-graduation plan locked down. She & her boyfriend, Luke, are not going to college like their peers and families expect. They are going to travel the world, working when necessary, enjoying their lives while they still have a chance in a world that is at constant risk for disaster. Then the worst happens - Washington D.C. is attacked, setting off a string of new threats of nuclear war. Combined with the pendulous climate changes and oppressive fear, Lucy’s small town of Bethany, New York becomes a quiet and confusing place. As the people Lucy loves most become more distant and unreachable, Lucy must try to figure out how to carry on in a world that has succumbed to everyone’s worst nightmare. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: There are some exciting plot points here, but this story hangs its hat on its characters. Lucy’s frustration with the world that she lives in, the way it has been handled and mistreated by previous generations, is tangible and cutting. Young readers will relate to Lucy’s feeling of helplessness and to the inexplicable apathy of others that Lucy endures as she comes of age in a disaster-riddled world. Veiled and mysterious backstory surrounding Lucy’s mother, combined with several complicated friendships, add to Lucy’s characterization as well as the suspenseful arc of the story. Fans of Hirsch’s other work will be eager to read this volume, and dystopian enthusiasts will find a different kind of excitement in visiting this world while it devolves.

I Wish You All the Best, written by Mason Deaver, reviewed by Bethany Bratney

Summary: This beautiful #OwnVoices story finds Ben dealing with the internal struggle of preparing to come out as nonbinary to their parents. Ben’s quiet hope that their parents will accept them is quickly dashed when they are immediately kicked out of the house and forced to call upon their much older sister, Hannah, who they have not seen or spoken to in 10 years. Ben begins a tenuous relationship with Hannah, and her husband, Thomas, who Ben has never met. They are quickly enrolled in a new school to finish their senior year and are lightly coerced into therapy by Hannah, who also left their parents home under unpleasant circumstances. Ben begins to find some solace in the school’s art program and in the healing and self-acceptance that their new life fosters. They also are almost aggressively befriended by Nathan, who is assigned to be Ben’s school buddy, and who refuses to let Ben quietly disappear into the noise of their busy high school. Though Ben is immediately honest about their identity with Hannah, Thomas and their therapist, they decide to remain quiet about it at school, creating a secret that lives between Ben and Nathan. The tension of this secret mounts throughout the novel as Ben slowly succumbs to Nathan’s irresistible charm and positivity, developing a crush in spite of the uncertainty of reciprocation. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: Ben’s character-driven, coming out story is both simple and complex, making it an excellent and accessible text for a MS/HS library. Though the range of emotions and the events that drive them are incredibly intense, Ben’s story features few controversial or inappropriate scenes (some teen drinking that ends in regret, same-sex kissing and romance), making it available to readers much younger than Ben. Though a few of the more minor side characters aren’t explored to great depth, more significant supporting characters are extremely well-drawn. Perhaps the most honest and nuanced relationship is the one between Ben and Hannah, who are necessarily important to one another but bring much baggage and prior trauma to the relationship. Ben’s best, and seemingly only friend outside of school is Mariam, a nonbinary YouTube artist and public speaker who has become close with Ben online. Nathan is a truly lovely character that readers will champion as both Ben’s friend and love interest. The will they/won’t they romance between Ben and Nathan helps to balance the intensity of Ben’s complicated feelings about their identity and their relationship with their parents. Though the body of YA literature featuring authentic voices of queer characters is growing, there is still not nearly enough featuring nonbinary characters, which make this book an important part of any middle school or high school collection.

Frannie and Tru, written by Karen Hattrup, reviewed by Bethany Bratney

Summary: Frannie is looking ahead to an unremarkable summer when her mother receives a mysterious phone call and subsequently announces that her cousin, Tru, will be coming to stay with them for the summer. Frannie, who has recently become outcast by her friends and is headed to a new school in the fall, is both thrilled and nervous about Tru’s extended visit. Tru has always been unpredictable and unsettling to her, but he could provide the excitement and thrills that Frannie’s summer needs. When Frannie overhears her parents discussing that Tru has come out as gay, and she realizes that this revelation must be the catalyst that caused his parents to send him away, she instantly takes his side and spends the majority of the summer trying to entertain and delight him, a challenging but worthy goal. But as Frannie and Tru become closer, Frannie notices the wall that Tru has built around his true thoughts and feelings, and vows to crack that facade and find the real Tru. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: It’s difficult to put a finger on what the reader is supposed to get out of Frannie’s story. Frannie’s lack of self-confidence and self-awareness is hard to read at times, and the way she idolizes Tru and his exciting, mature ways (which mostly amount to basic high school rebellion) feels too intense to be accurate. But Tru does manage to expose Frannie to some new people from different backgrounds, who help open Frannie’s eyes to some racial and socio-economic disparities that Frannie has never recognized before. Frannie starts to recognize her own racial privilege as she begins new friendships with Sparrow and her younger brother, Devon. Frannie’s family is also struggling with money, so socio-economic issues amongst teenagers are an appropriate and important component of the story. But Frannie’s coming-of-age is almost painfully subtle, highlighting Frannie’s initial naivety more than her growth. The story is not without its moments or merits, and I appreciate the wide representation of characters from different races, backgrounds and sexual orientations. In the end, this is a perfectly fine book, but it is unlikely to draw major attention.

Playlist for the Dead, written by Michelle Falkoff, reviewed by Bethany Bratney

Summary: Sam and Hayden have been best friends since they were eight, but high school has been pushing them apart little by little. When Hayden insists on attending a party, an activity Sam previously has encouraged to no avail, Sam is eager to expand his horizons and social circles. But the party goes south, causing the two boys to engage in their worst fight ever before heading home for the night. When Sam goes to Hayden’s house the next morning to apologize, he finds that Hayden has committed suicide and left Sam a mysterious playlist with the note, “Listen - and you’ll understand.” As Sam deals with the death of his oldest and only friend, he listens to the playlist obsessively, waiting for a moment of clarity. Instead, he meets a mysterious and interesting girl, Astrid, whom Hayden never mentioned, at the funeral. As Sam suffers grief-riddled sleepless nights that cause hallucinations and memory lapses, Hayden’s two worst tormentors find themselves victims of bullying, causing many, including Sam himself, to wonder if Sam is taking revenge in Hayden’s name. The playlist, Astrid, and the bully attacks provide Sam with further questions that he must answer if he hopes to ever understand why Hayden took his own life. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: Playlist for the Dead had several great things going for it. It did an excellent job of capturing the complexity of this kind of loss - the questions, the guilt, the anger, the well-meaning, but often upsetting words of “comfort” expressed by others. Michelle Falkoff handles teenage friendship, high school dynamics, and complicated family issues with thoughtfulness and grace. An important and resounding motif is the idea that nearly every person in Hayden’s life https://libresbooksmi.blogspot.com considers themself responsible for his death, though each person comes to understand ultimately that Hayden is the only person responsible for his decision. The story was a quick read, interesting enough and thought-provoking with a bit of suspense connected to the mysteries of Hayden’s life. That being said, the title plot point, advertised on the book jacket, blurb on the inner flap, and introduced in the first 10 pages, is never resolved. Each chapter is even titled with the name of a song on Hayden’s playlist that Sam discusses and listens to during the chapter. But the big moment of understanding that the playlist is supposed to reveal never comes. I appreciate an attempt at irony, that sometimes we want a big aha moment only to find that life is much more nuanced, but the playlist is not handled in this careful way, which will likely leave many readers wishing for a promised revelation that is never provided. In the end, though some teen readers may quit reading a book that is not as advertised, the many strong components outweigh the weaknesses.

The Playbook: 52 Rules to Aim, Shoot and Score in This Game Called Life, written by Kwame Alexander, reviewed by Bethany Bratney

Summary: Kwame Alexander’s slim, inspirational volume uses sports metaphors, analogies and examples to provide inspiration for young people to strive to be their driven and resilient best selves. The basketball theme starts immediately on the flyleaf, which is orange and textured to feel like the bumpy leather on a basketball. The theme continues as the book is divided into seven parts - a warm-up, four quarters (titled “Grit”, ”Motivation”, “Focus”, “Teamwork & Resilience”), halftime and overtime. Each section features an short, motivational piece by Alexander, featuring a story about a famous athlete or anecdotes from Alexander’s own life as an athlete. Every page of each of the four quarters follows the same pattern along the theme of that particular chapter. There is a Rule for Life, along with one supporting quote from a professional athlete. The message of each rule is reinforced by black & white basketball-themed photographs, highlighted with pops of orange, in the background. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: This book will be an easy sell, particularly with student athletes. It’s a sharp-looking volume with the cohesive basketball theme and black, white & orange color scheme that will draw in readers who judge books by their covers. The stories and quotes within are all motivating and inspirational, leaving readers feeling pumped up and excited to strive toward their goals. The writing is also delivered in short, easily digested chunks, making in accessible to all kinds of readers. If there is a drawback, it might be that it would be easy to read the book too quickly. I found myself taking short breaks between sections to give myself a moment to ponder the messages that I had just consumed. There may be some students who pass on this book because they prefer a narrative or because they lack interest in sports or athletes, but there will be just as many teens who find that this is the quick, motivational read for which they have been waiting.

True Letters from a Fictional Life, written by Kenneth Logan, reviewed by Bethany Bratney

Summary: Everyone in his small Vermont high school knows James Liddell. He’s a popular athlete who’s been on-again, off-again with Terese for years. But at night, when James can’t sleep, he writes letters that reveal his true feelings; letters so honest that he could never mail them. He tells Teresa how much he wants to like her as much as she likes him, he tells his soccer coach how much his off-hand homophobic remarks hurt, and he tells one of his best friends that he’s had a crush on him for years. These letters go into his locked desk drawer as James continues to hide his true feelings. He could never tell his friends or his parents that he’s gay. He knows they wouldn’t approve. The one openly gay boy at their school is ridiculed constantly, sometimes by his own friends. That’s not who he is or wants to be. When James meets an openly gay boy named Topher, who attends a different school, his emotions move from small, hypothetical crushes to big, real feelings. And when his letters are stolen and systematically mailed to their once-theoretical recipients, James realizes that he is going to be forced to explain those big feelings sooner than expected. Could he ever be the old James and the real James at the same time? 

Straight Talk for Librarians: While I have been looking for more nuanced, intersectional stories featuring LGBTQIA teens for the last few years, books that deal with coming out, especially in potentially difficult situations, will likely always have a place in school libraries. Letters from a Fictional Life shines particularly in its treatment of James’ sexual identity in a small community where everyone knows each other and all of the students at James school have grown up together. The struggle to understand and label oneself is always challenging, but James’ conflict feels especially severe to him because his prior experiences have led him to believe that he cannot continue to be who he always has been if he also comes out as gay. His two identities, in James’ mind, within his family and close community, are mutually exclusive. James’ relationships with his friends, while initially ripe with heteronormative “bro” humor, are strong and complex, providing a full range of realistic emotions and reactions to his revelation. While this book is not telling a new story and is unlikely to provide major surprises to many readers, it tells an always important story in a compulsively readable way without hiding the complicated emotions or even ugly behavior that people can exhibit when they are in the middle of an internal struggle. It deserves a place on your shelves.

Maybe This Time, written by Kasie West, reviewed by Stephanie Wilson

Summary: Sophie Evans dreams of escaping her tiny hometown in Alabama and attending design school in New York. Sophie begrudgingly works at the local flower shop, Every Occasion to pay for college. She meets Andrew Hart, son of celebrity chef Jett Hart, while working at a Valentine’s Day event. Jett Hart is in town to help rescue her best friend Micah’s dad’s catering business. Andrew is everything Sophie is not: sophisticated, rich and from New York. It's hate at first sight as far as Sophie is concerned. Andrew intentionally or not makes Sophie feel insecure about her future plans. Maybe This Time takes place over the course a year. The novel is broken into nine sections, one for each event. Andrew and Sophie keep running into each other at the various events. Over the course of the year, their relationship changes. The ongoing tension between Andrew and Sophie begins to affect Sophie’s friendship with Micah.

Straight Talk for Librarians: Maybe This Time is a lively modern romance. West’s characters are richly drawn and engaging. Most of the characters are white but there are several African American characters including Micah and her family. There is no noticeable racial tension. The novel does contain several allusions to the fact that not everyone in town will order from an African American catering company. Breaking the story into sections based on the nine events works effectively and keeps the novel moving along at a brisk pace. Each event has a corresponding flower and a description of the floral arrangement at the event. The reason West chose this literary device becomes apparent only near the end of Maybe This Time. The romance is age appropriate. There is some kissing but nothing too sensual. There are several references to adults drinking alcohol including Sophie’s mom declaring “Point me to the wine.” None of the underage characters drink alcohol. I highly recommend this novel to fans of West's previous novels and readers seeking a well-written romance.

Not If I Can Help It, written by Carolyn Mackler, reviewed by Stephanie Wilson

Summary: Willa resists change on every level. She has strong preferences in her choice of food and clothing. She splits time between her divorced parents. Her life is stable and happy. Just before school starts, Willa learns her dad’s secret. Her dad and her best friend’s mom have been dating for the past year and they are madly in love. Willa likes Ruby’s mom but has concerns about the changes that are inevitable. Ruby buzzes with excitement about the possibility of becoming sisters with Willa. Willa worries that Ruby will find out about her private self-described "weird" behavior. Willa has sensory processing disorder and has trouble with ordinary things like socks and the texture of certain foods. Before she was diagnosed and receiving treatment, Willa experienced bullying at school. Willa likes her life the way it is. She fears Ruby won't like the "real" her. When Ruby confesses she's not as perfect as Willa thinks she is, Willa realizes she's not the only one keeping secrets. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: Not If I Can Help It is a great story about blended families and learning to accept yourself, quirks and all. Willa is witty and relatable. Ruby is sweet, outgoing and a perfect balance to Willa’s reticence. There are signs that Willa is not the only family member who is different. Her younger brother Benji constantly rattles off facts about Geography. He spends time reading the world atlas and encyclopedias. Mackler does a fantastic job of describing Willa’s visits to her therapist and the goals of her therapy without slowing down the story. The pacing is quick and the writing pops off the page. Students will relate to Ruby’s frequent trips to the bathroom and nervousness about graduation. The themes of friendship and acceptance are reminiscent of Wonder. Not If I Can Help It would make an excellent choice for a read aloud book in the classroom. It can also be used for lessons about acceptance and learning about Sensory Processing Disorder. I highly recommend this book for upper elementary and middle school students, especially fans of Wonder.

We've Got The Whole World In Our Hands, written by Rafael Lopez, reviewed by Judy Hauser

Summary: This story is based on the classic song "He's got the whole world in his hands." It is a glorious, colorful story of people, animals and the environment living together. One of the other great features of the book is that the text is in English and Spanish. And the story is chock full of diversity that fits the theme. I like it that children will, probably, see themselves represented in the book. Children in different parts of the world are depicted interacting with one another, animals and the environment. This is a great book for discussing diversity, the environment, collaboration, friendship and many other themes. The colorful illustrations are wonderful and fit the theme of the book perfectly. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: A great book for discussions on diversity, friendship, the environment and different parts of the world.

I Can Be Anything! Don't Tell Me I Can't, written by Diane Dillon, reviewed by Judy Hauser

Summary: This is a great, inspirational book for young children, especially girls. The theme of "I can be anything" obviously applies to all children but a little girl is featured in the book. Zoe proclaims to the world that "I can be anything I want to be." She then has a conversation with her inner voice who doubts and questions her on her possible choices. When Zoe tells herself "I'm a bird. I can fly way up high, floating on the wind!" the inner voice responds, "What if you fall?" But Zoe responds with, "I won't fall." The back and forth between Zoe's confident self and her inner, doubting voice is a great way to tell this story. She counters the doubting voice every time. This book will elicit fun, interesting discussion and ideas from young listeners and readers. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: A great way to talk about positive thinking, choices and confidence.

Grenade, written by Alan Gratz, reviewed by Stephanie Wilson

Summary: Grenade tells in the alternating voices the stories of a young U.S. Marine, Ray and an Okinawan boy, Hideki. Their paths collide during the battle of Okinawa in WW II. The Okinawan people are trapped in a hopeless situation. They are pawns in a battle that is not their own. The Japanese soldiers resent having to defend Okinawa in order to prevent the invasion of Japan. The Americans soldiers struggle to tell the difference between innocent Okinawan refugees and the Japanese soldiers who slip within their ranks. Ray worries about killing innocent civilians and becoming hardened to the mounting death toll. His fellow soldiers wish he was more concerned about his survival and by extension, theirs. Hideki wants to escape the shame of his cowardice. He believes he carries within himself the mabui or soul of his cowardly ancestor who ran rather than fight a samurai. The title refers to the fact that both characters carry grenades. Each faces the difficult choice of whether to use their grenades or to keep them in reserve. The decisions they make have serious consequences. Gratz realistically portrays the struggle within both characters. Their youth and inexperience with battle cause them to make many mistakes. The horrors of war are on full display within the novel. Both the Japanese and the American troops are equally capable of kindness and acts of brutality. Several times, Hideki refers to soldiers on both sides becoming monsters when overtaken by their fears. His survival depends on avoiding the monsters. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: Grenade is an action packed book filled with both physical and emotional tension. Gratz does a fantastic job of covering the battle in a way that is both realistic and sensitive to the amount of violence a young adult can safely process. Grenade is not recommended for sensitive readers who may be adversely affected by the violence of war. Grenade contains multiple scenes of violence and death appropriate to the subject matter. Grenade also contains historically accurate language that is now considered offensive and disrespectful. Gratz explains its usage in a note at the beginning of the novel and a longer author's note at the end. The novel works well for cross-curricular units on World War II. The average reading level makes it accessible to students across a wide range of reading abilities. The Gratz has clearly done his research and Grenade is a compelling story. I highly recommend this novel for young adults who are fascinated with stories about World War II.

Dig Too Deep, written by Amy Allgeyer, reviewed by Caroline Rabideau

Summary: When Liberty's mother gets put in jail, Liberty finds herself ripped from her very comfortable life in Washington DC, and sent back to live with her grandma on a rural homestead in Kentucky. It can't be as bad as she imagines it will be, right? Upon her arrival, she discovers a startling new reality. Liberty and her grandma struggle to survive on a fixed income and, when her grandma takes a turn for the worst, Liberty has to learn to balance school and being a caretaker for her grandma. But is something more sinister behind this "cold" her grandma has been nursing; something that could be killing a number of people throughout Ebbottsville? Liberty has got to get to the bottom of this in order to save the town from further destruction. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: Amy Allgeyer did a beautiful job depicting real life in a small town in Kentucky where the job that puts food on the table is also the company that is slowly killing the people of the town. Dig Too Deep is a touching story about a daughter who has grown up too quickly, a mother who doesn't understand her child, and a grandmother filled with endless, healing love. It is truthful, heartbreaking, endearing, and inspirational all at the same time. I fell in love with each of the main characters in this book right away, cheering them on, laughing at their mishaps, cringing over embarrassing moments, crying for their heartbreak, and praying for their successes. Allgeyer has created characters and stories that are so real and relatable they have touched a place deep inside my heart. Dig Too Deep has packed in so many facts about mountain-top removal (MTR) mining and the dangers associated with the process. I found myself often googling statistics for additional information, or searching what actions are being taken to prevent or regulate MTR mining. As the reader, I thought through a number of questions; how do you shut these mines down while still providing jobs for those who live in the cities? Can there be a more ethical solution? What are the long term environmental effects of this type of mining? Are there any other alternatives? And what can be done to help those who are already suffering? Though Allgeyer never directly poses these questions, Liberty's journey inspires the reader to seek answers, both ethical and emotional. While Liberty's story is filled with sadness, anger, anxiety, and fear, it is matched with family love, friendship, hard work, and success. I was left touched by their stories, moved by their successes, and overjoyed by the possibility of new relationships for Liberty, our main character. I will note that Dig Too Deep was written for older teens, briefly touching on under-age drinking, drug use, physical abuse in a relationship, animal abuse, and attempt at murder. Yet, I believe many students will connect with similar experiences shared with Liberty, such as family budgeting or aging family members. And, for those students who find it interesting, I believe Dig Too Deep could be the inspiration for research on the dangers of MTR. If more of the future generation became aware of the harmful effects of MTR, perhaps they could seek a better solution that is less harmful on the environment while still providing much-needed jobs throughout the states that are affected by mining. This would be a fantastic book to inspire non-fiction research from students or to serve as a debate topic for ethics or environmental studies.

Two Mutch Sisters, written by Carol Brendler, reviewed by Judy Hauser

Summary: This is the story of the Mutch sisters who had way to "much" of everything. Each sister had to have her own half of the huge collection in their house. Two of everything was essential: 2 teapots, 2 gargoyles, 2 French bassoons... you name it and the Mutch sisters each had to have one. But one day Ruby Mutch had had enough. The house the sisters shared was too cluttered. So Ruby moved to her own house and took half of the collection. The story is fun as it tells about the sisters and their predicament. The illustrations by Lisa Brown are also fun. Young children will enjoy the sisters, their clutter and how they solve the problem of having too much of everything. Sister power! 

Straight Talk for Librarians: This is a great story to read just for fun but also to talk about siblings.