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The Unwanted : Stories of the Syrian Refugees by Don Brown , 105 pages. NON-FICTION, GRAPHIC NOVEL Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018. $18. 1328810151 Language: G (0 Swears, 0 'f'); Mature Content: G Violence: PG  BUYING ADVISORY: MS,  HS - ESSENTIAL  AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH  The plight of the Syrian refugees is chronicled in this well researched, age appropriate graphic novel. Spanning from 2011-2018 we see that violence and fear has caused these people to abandon their homes and leave at great personal loss. Taken advantage of by smugglers, and unwanted by the countries they pass through and into, the families are living in refugee camps, hiding along the way, and drowning in the ocean with only a lucky few landing in a place they can live and work in peace.  Don Brown is a master at taking something super complicated and paring it down to the essentials without losing the impact of the message (see Drowned City).  There were a lot of numbers thrown at us, ...

Price of Duty by Todd Strasser , 177 pages.  Simon, 2018. $18. Language: PG-13 (21 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (one passing scatological reference); Violence: PG-13 (some blood and shooting) BUYING ADVISORY:  MS – OPTIONAL, HS - ESSENTIAL AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH Jake may have come home for the Middle East a war hero, but he feels like anything but.  His demons haunt him night and day.  His girlfriend has been faithful, but is she ready to live with a man fundamentally changed?  And Jake has big decisions to make – is he willing to go AWOL and not return to that nightmare.  It would devastate his grandfather, who is a very big deal in their military proud town, but it might just save his life. There cannot be enough books that shed light on the honest costs of war.  Not only is this essential to have in your library, but it should also be taught. Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Spy School Goes South (Spy School #6) by Stuart Gibbs , 335 pages.  Simon, 2018.  $18. Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (lots of action, light description) BUYING ADVISORY:  EL, MS - ESSENTIAL AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH Welcome back to spy school. The evil traitor Murray Hill is ready to spill the beans about SPYDER, but he will only tell his secrets to Ben Ripley.  Now Ben and Erica are headed somewhere with Murray in tow, and two stowaways – Mike and Zoe.  They are only supposed to observe, but why observe when you might be able to take down the whole organization? With his signature flair, Gibbs takes us back to spy school in another dangerous, yet hilarious caper. So much danger mixed with valiant deeds. Sit back and enjoy the ride! Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Boyfriend Bracket by Kate Evangelista , 228 pages. Swoon Reads (Macmillan), 2018. $17. Language: R (46 swears, 1 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG:13 (talk of hook-ups, steamy kisses); Violence: G     BUYING ADVISORY: HS – OPTIONAL AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE Stella has had an impossible crush on her brother’s best friend Will forever. But now, both he and her brother have gone off to college and she’s determined to find a senior boyfriend without he brother there to scare every boy away. Her best friend and design buddy, Franklin, makes a boyfriend bracket, just like a sport’s bracket to help Stella make her decision for the ‘one.’ Stella starts dating the boys on the list, but things become complicated when Will admits he has feelings for Stella and that he doesn’t want her brother to know. Can they keep their feelings and their budding relationship a secret?   The big brother’s best friend romantic trope has definitely been done before, what gives this rendition sparkle are th...

Oh My Goth by Gena Showalter , 379 pages.  Harlequin Teen, 2018 (2006).  $10. Language: PG (5 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (mentions without descriptions); Violence: PG (fight, not descriptive) BUYING ADVISORY:  MS, HS - ADVISABLE AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE Originally released in 2006. The book has been extensively reworked to be more modern and a bit more believable. When she was five, Jade was injured in the car crash that killed her mother.  Afraid of getting close to anyone, Jade holds the entire world at arms length.  Her mortal enemy at school is the queen bee, Mercedes – who also happens to be the girl who lived with Jade and her dad for a couple of years like family when their parents were seriously dating.  After a scare one night, Jade wakes up and the world has turned upside down – all the pops are goths, with Jade as their queen, while preppy Mercedes lives in fear at school, and in Jade’s home as Jade’s d...

You Are Mighty: A Guide to Changing the World by Caroline Paul , illustrated by Lauren Tamaki , 113 pages. NON-FICTION. Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2018. $18. Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: PG; Violence: G BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ESSENTIAL.  AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE This book seamlessly combines information on activism, examples of activism, and advice for activism in one place with black and red illustrations throughout. This book is organized around 19 steps for getting involved that include steps like, “Change Your Habits,” “Write a Letter,” and “Invent Something.”    My favorite thing about this book is the examples of real kids making a real difference. Even as an adult, I feel like there is very little I can do to affect societal change, but I genuinely felt like individuals can indeed make a difference after reading this book. I value books for their ability to take an overwhelming concept and humanize it and make it accessible, and this book ...

Crown of Thunder by Tochi Onyebuchi , 303 pages. Razorbill (Penguin), 2018. $18. Language: G; Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG-13             BUYING ADVISORY: HS – ADVISABLE AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE Sequel to Beasts Made of Night . Taj and Aliya barely escaped Queen Karima and the city of Kos with their lives. But they are being hunted by sin beasts unlike any Taj has ever fought or eaten and Taj’s best friend Bo. They meet up with Arzu and she takes them to her ancestor’s village, but refugees keep pouring in and Bo isn’t far behind. Aliya the algebraist is sick. The Unnamed is speaking to her and if she can survive it, she believes that she can save the city of Kos and bring Balance back to their world. Taj will have to fight not only his best friend, but the woman he thought he loved.     Told in first person, Taj’s struggle to decide whether to save himself or be the hero the world needs, feels real and believable. Aliya ch...