Format: Chapter Book Fiction

Her Radiant Curse

Her Radiant CurseHer Radiant Curse (Legends of Lor'yan) by Elizabeth Lim
Published by Alfred A. Knopf on August 29, 2023
ISBN: 0593300998
Pages: 416
Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Folklore
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

This prequel to Lim’s bestselling Six Crimson Cranes duology tells the story of Channi, who is offered up by her father in sacrifice to the Demon Witch when she is two years old to save her mother, on her deathbed after birthing a second daughter.

But it is not Channi that the Demon wants; it is Vanna, newly born and somehow in possession of half of a dragon pearl, which gives her otherworldly, radiant beauty, and a magical ability to charm everyone in her orbit. The Demon, who possesses the other half of the broken pearl and desires the power of both together, curses Channi with the face of a serpent. The only way to break the curse, she tells Channi, is to sacrifice Vanna. She will return on Vanna’s 17th birthday to collect her prize.

Chianni is determined to save her beloved sister, and that sets the course of her life. When the time comes, Chianni must use every part of her physical and mental power to rescue Vanna from the Demon, setting off a chain of intrigue, battles, alliances formed and destroyed, and a (very light) potential for romance. But behind everything she does lurks the demon’s cursed promise: one sister must fall for the other to rise.

Fans of the Six Crimson Cranes duology will love this well written, fast paced and original backstory, set in the same mythological Asian world of Lor’yan. Channi figures in that duology as the much reviled, but ultimately heroic stepmother, and other significant characters in this tale will be familiar as well. Readers will be glad to have this satisfying tale to round out the series. A must-have for any library with the duology already on the shelf; but also a worthwhile purchase for anyone to boost their fantasy collection. It is a fine stand-alone, or could be read before the previously published books; either way it will certainly gain Lim more fans.

Reviewed by Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library, Augusta

five-stars

Monstrous

MonstrousMonstrous by Jessica Lewis
Published by Delacorte Press on September 12, 2023
ISBN: 0593434811
Genres: Horror, Supernatural
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
two-stars

Monstrous by Jessica Lewis is undeniably a page turner. The main character, Avie, is a confident, snarky, star athlete about to set off for college who is stuck living with her aunt in a strange Southern town run by a powerful religious cult. When she is sacrificed by the cult to a giant snake that lives in the woods she is able to save herself by making a deal to help the snake escape in exchange for her life, special powers, and the safety of her cousin and her crush.

This book is in the female revenge genre like award winning, The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson, but I never found myself rooting for Avie like I rooted for Jackson’s lead Maddy. In order to get the plot moving the author sacrifices the tension and character development needed to feel like a “good for her” horror novel. As a result, Monstrous had the pace of a thriller, the tone of a rom com and the complexity of a middle grade mystery.

There needs to be more Black, queer, female leads in the horror genre and the premise of this book is so original and interesting that I was really rooting for it, but ultimately this isn’t a necessary addition to a YA collection.

Reviewed by Ivy Burns, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth

two-stars

Mercy Watson is Missing!

Mercy Watson is Missing!Mercy Watson Is Missing!: Tales from Deckawoo Drive, Volume Seven by Chris Van Dusen, Kate DiCamillo
Genres: Animals, Humor, Mystery
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

“Mercy Watson is Missing!” is the seventh book in Kate DiCamillo’s “Tales from Deckawoo Drive” series, illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. In this beginner chapter book, the titular character and fan favorite, Mercy Watson (a pig), has gone missing. The Watsons don’t know where she could be. They try the police, who are no help, so they seek the help of a private detective. Percival Smidgely, the ineffective private eye, luckily has help from his pigeon friend, Polly. With lots of fun words and amusing characters, readers will enjoy following along as (spoiler alert!) the family finds Mercy in the end. Black and white drawings are mixed in with full color illustrations by Van Dusen. Artwork adds to the silliness of the story.

Written for ages 6 through 9, this is a recommended purchase for all libraries where beginner chapter books are popular, and wherever the previous series titles have done well. 

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.

four-stars

Ready, Set, Dough!

Ready, Set, Dough!Ready, Set, Dough! by Kelly J. Baptist
ISBN: 0593429184
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars
Zoe is an aspiring writer and loves her journalism class. She has so many good ideas for future news stories that she needs a reliable computer. She dreams of owning a new laptop especially when the family computer keeps crashing. When she learns the top seller in the cookie dough fundraiser will receive the laptop of their dreams, she becomes a selling machine. Unfortunately, her selling tactics come at a price – she neglects  her best friend and misses his state championship swim meet, she only sees her brother as someone to give her a ride and not someone with his own dreams and aspirations, and most importantly, she doesn’t realize something is going on with her father’s job until after he loses his job. This realistic fiction book will appeal to upper elementary readers. The author conveys an important message about empathy and selfishness in a gentle and at times humorous way. Readers will find the fundraiser a little over the top but it is really just a vehicle to show the growth of Zoe’s character as she learns to pay attention to her family and friends. While not quite in league with the author’s other 2023 middle grade title (Eb & Flow), younger readers should enjoy this book.

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham

three-stars

Land of Broken Promises

Land of Broken PromisesLand of Broken Promises by Jane Kuo
ISBN: 0063119048
Genres: Fiction in Verse/Poetry, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars
Anna is a middle schooler growing up in Southern California in the 1980s. She and her parents are from Taiwan and her parents own a fast-food business. When Anna discovers a cabinet full of mail that her father has ignored – partly because he struggles to read English – the family discovers that they are “illegal.” Their visas have long since expired and they are now officially undocumented. When her parents consult an attorney, they realize they need money for the attorney’s fees so Anna’s mother moves to San Diego for the summer to work in a friend’s bakery under the table to raise the funds. When her best friend’s father loses his job, Anna realizes that she is not alone worrying about her family and eventually finds the courage to confide in her friend. This verse novel is based on the author’s life and while technically a sequel, this reads like a stand-alone novel. This is a tenderly told glimpse of the immigrant experience in America. A good choice for younger readers as the author downplays the harsher realities of the immigrant experience in America. Family is at the center of this story.

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham

four-stars

Project F

Project FProject F by Jeanne DuPrau
on October 10, 2023
ISBN: 0593643801
Genres: Science Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Project F is set in a simple world that no longer uses fossil fuels. People live in cities and only travel when necessary via steam trains. Power is used sparingly and turned off at night. People travel via carts – there are no more automobiles and no airplanes. When Keith’s aunt and uncle are killed, he is tasked with taking a 2-day train ride to pick up his young cousin Lulu who has been orphaned. An quirky guy named Malcolm takes the seat next to Keith and tells Keith he is working on a secret engineering project called Project F. Malcolm then disembarks at a small station in the middle of nowhere. When Keith arrives at the Inn that night (because trains must stop to reload their wood supply each night), he realizes that he and Malcolm have accidentally switched bags. Keith’s curiosity is piqued by papers in Malcolm’s bag that depict strange drawings. Is this Project F? After Keith picks up Lulu, he and Lulu stop at the small station near Project F to swap bags and learn more about the mysterious project. But what is Project F and will Keith find himself caught up in something he doesn’t understand? With a simple yet slightly off-kilter look at what life on Earth might be like without our reliance on fossil fuels, DuPrau has created a dystopian world that is not menacing but is, in fact, rather drab. Could this be enough of a warning to climate change naysayers to change their ways? From the creator of The City of Ember, this upper elementary novel also Includes the not-so-subtle message that paying attention in school can save a lot of trouble.

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham

three-stars

Alex Wise vs. The End of the World

Alex Wise vs. The End of the WorldAlex Wise vs. the End of the World by Terry J. Benton-Walker
on September 26, 2023
ISBN: 0593564294
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Alex just wants this summer to be like last summer when he and Sky were friends and it felt like their relationship might be growing into something more. That was all ruined on the first day of school when the school bully made fun of Alex and Sky reacted by laughing. Alex’s summer dreams are dashed when his mom announces he and his younger sister Mags will be leaving on a cruise with their estranged dad and his dad’s new family. When a mysterious “shadow man” pulls Mags overboard, Alex doesn’t hesitate to dive in to save her. They end up on a mysterious island after being rescued by a boy named Liam. Liam turns out to be a demigod and explains that the shadow man took Mags for Moritz, aka Death. When Death possesses Mags, the other three horsemen of the Apocalypse – Pestilence, Famine and War – are also awakened. Alex is possessed by Orin, a god of sense (empathy) but something is blocking Alex’s ability to channel and communicate with Orin. To make matters worse, Liam assumed he would be chosen by Orin and takes out his frustration on Alex. To save Mags from the clutches of death, Alex and Liam – with the help of Alex’s best friend Loren – will have to work together to defeat the four horsemen before they destroy the world. This page turner features strong Black heroes and cries out for a sequel!

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham

four-stars

I’m Not Here to Make Friends

I’m Not Here to Make FriendsI'm Not Here to Make Friends by Andrew Yang
Published by Quill Tree Books on July 18, 2023
ISBN: 0063223279
Pages: 352
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars
Sabine Zhang, one of the only Asians in her midwestern high school, has been chosen as one of six cast members for a low-budget teen reality show with an all-Asian cast, aired on a local streaming service that nobody really watches. She is a fan of the show, which is a low-stakes month at a house in California where the cast gets to know each other and have fun.

But this year, things are different: a major streaming service has picked it up, and everything has changed, from how the cast is selected to the staged drama. Sabine is the only one there who loved – or even watched – the old version of the show, and she feels totally out of her depth. For the first time she is surrounded by Asians, and she’s never felt less like she belonged. Worse, the showrunners seem to have picked her to be one of the dramatic leads in their contrived storyline, pitting her against housemate Yoona Bae, a confident, beautiful girl from NYC.

Told in alternating POV between Sabine and Yoona, readers gain insight into the struggles that each is trying to keep hidden from the cameras and each other, and how the curated dramatics of the show are working to make their rift even worse. Despite this, Sabine begins to understand just how much the strings of her experience are being pulled, and how little of it is real; she and Yoona take steps to work out their differences and realize just how much they have both been manipulated.

This book will appeal to fans of reality TV above all; it is an interesting look into the behind the scenes work that goes into portraying a storyline out of unscripted content, and gives insight into how drama is created by the showrunners. The emphasis on friendship being the “happy ending,” instead of romance, was a plus. On the downside, the other four cast members and smaller supporting characters felt two-dimensional, since narration came from only Sabine and Yoona. The story would have overall been stronger had we been inside the heads of the other four housemates. The cast was all Asian American but lacked any other diversity (all cis hetero, with backgrounds that were indistinguishable in any meaningful way).

Entertaining, but not a must have.

Three Stars

Reviewed by: Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library, Augusta

three-stars

The Probability of Everything

The Probability of EverythingThe Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett
Published by Clarion Books on June 27, 2023
ISBN: 006325655X
Pages: 326
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars
What starts out as an apocalyptic science-fiction middle grade novel about an asteroid hitting the Earth in four-days time turns into a deep study of place, family, and the unimaginable toll that loss takes on a young person. Kemi Carter relates to the world through scientific facts, particularly probability. The book begins with a letter from Kemi about how the world has possibly ended due to an approaching asteroid. As the space rock hurtles toward the Earth, Kemi is alarmed by the lack of urgency and concern displayed by those in her new town. She decides to create a time capsule in the event of a total annihilation of the human race. She endeavors to capture the essence of each person in her beloved family and as the book progresses, the reader realizes how close Kemi is to her father and how special he is to her. She struggles to figure out what she can add to a time capsule that can fully represent all that he is and all that he means to her.

But the story of the asteroid and the time capsule are masking the true story of Kemi’s life and the twist that comes with the revelation that there is no asteroid will be a gut-punch to the reader. From that point onward, the book becomes a story of race relations and crushing loss and Kemi coming to terms with both of those. Give to those in grades 5-8 who enjoy a major plot twist and those who don’t mind a sad ending.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Falmouth Middle School

five-stars

Call Me Adnan

Call Me AdnanCall Me Adnan by Reem Faruqi
on June 13, 2023
ISBN: 0063284944
Genres: Fiction in Verse/Poetry, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Adnan loves playing table tennis and dreams of becoming a champion. When he wins a local competition, he is excited to qualify for a championship tournament in Florida. His family decides to turn the trip into a “cousin vacation” and to spend Eid with their family while traveling to the tournament. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes the family in Florida and Adnan gives up table tennis. The author uses the analogy of flight (thrust, weight, drag, lift) to tell Adnan’s story. Poignant and heartbreaking, this middle-grade verse novel is a story of grief and the power of family and friends.

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham

four-stars