Save the Date by Morgan Matson

Pages: 417 + bonus material
Intended Audience: Teens
Genre: Contemporary
Notes for Parents: Contains brief coarse language, and some mature scenes.
 
The Back Cover
Charlie’s sister is getting married.
Everyone is coming home – all her older siblings. It’ll be just like it used to be. One last weekend together before her parents sell the house.
Charlie doesn’t want to think about college next year, or things changing – she just wants to make this a perfect weekend. What could go wrong?
Well.
First the wedding planner quits. Then the house alarm won’t stop going off. Charlie’s biggest crush shows up unannounced. There’s a missing tuxedo, an unexpected dog, and a neighbor bent on destruction. Not to mention the event planner’s assistant, who is surprisingly, distractingly . . . cute. And that’s before things get really crazy.
In all the chaos, Charlie will learn more than she ever expected about the family she thought she knew by heart. And she’ll realize that sometimes trying to keep everything like it was in the past means missing out on the future.
 
What the cover doesn’t tell you:
This was a Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction in 2018.
 
What’s good?
This is a story about a family trying to connect with each other. Charlie is the youngest, and she’s having trouble coping with all of the changes happening within her family, so she’s hoping her sister’s wedding brings everyone together. The characters are well-done and the premise feels fresh. Throw in a prodigal son, unexpected guest, a feuding neighbor, a neglected friend, a cute wedding planner, a divorce, a malfunctioning smoke alarm, and a dog, and you’ve got a fun story about a charming family.
Best Part: Grant Central Station and Waffles the dog
 
What isn’t good?
This novel was a lot longer than it had to be. The wordiness made it slow at times. Luckily the quality of characters kept me reading. The ending was predictable, but still worth it.
Worst part: The “love triangle.” We all know who she should be with.
 
Recommendation ☺☺☺☺(4/5)
This was a fun book, and it would make a great tv movie!

Matson, Morgan. Save the Date. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2018.

Secrets of a Fangirl by Erin Dionne

Pages: 261
Intended Audience: Tweens and up
Genre: Contemporary
Notes for Parents: Contains a bit of mature content, nothing concerning.
 
The Back Cover
Sarah Anne loves lacrosse, and the MK Nightshade series that everyone was obsessed over in grade school. The problem is that she's still obsessed, which is way too nerdy for a popular kid like her. So she hides her geekiness with a set of rules meant to keep her geek and jock selves separate.
Except when she's offered a spot in a Nightshade fandom contest, where the winner gets to see the new movie premiere in LA. No one seems to think Sarah Anne can win, since she's up against a pair of guys in high school--but the more she's called a fake fan, the more determined she is to wipe the floor with her competition. As long as none of her friends or anyone at school knows what she's doing.
Can she keep her geek identity a secret, win the contest, and manage to keep her friends even though she's been living a lie? Sarah Anne is going to have to make some choices about what's truly important to her and which rules she's going to break to stay true to herself.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:
This is geared to middle school ages, but it’s fun for all.
 
What’s good?
Not only does Sarah feel she has to hide her geekiness from friends, she doesn’t feel respected by the fandom world because she’s a girl. She’s a relatable character who tries to balance her jock popularity with her love of the fantasy world. This is a quick and easy read that’s both fun and satisfying.
Best Part: Sarah Anne (aka SAM)
 
What isn’t good?
It’s a tired plot – girl hides her true self from her friends to avoid judgement. We know that never works.
Worst part: Nothing was terrible.
 
Recommendation ☺☺☺(3.5/5)
Despite being predictable and having an overused storyline, it was will a sweet story with fun characters. Recommended.
Dionne, Erin. Secrets of a Fangirl. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2019.

The Hidden Witch by Molly Knox Ostertag

Pages: 203
Intended Audience: Tweens and up
Genre: Graphic novel / Supernatural
Notes for Parents: None.
 
The Back Cover
Aster’s parents have finally agreed that he can learn witchery with the girls, but he has a lot of catching up to do. So when Grandmother offers her tutoring in exchange for a favor, Aster jumps at the chance—until she asks him to help his great-uncle, Mikasi. Family or no, Aster isn’t ready to face the beast who nearly destroyed him and his cousins.
Across town, Dark magic has attached itself to Aster’s friend Charlie. Witches are taught to never create a “Fetch,” a cruel shadow form that only does harm. But the thing following Charlie is a clear sign that someone is breaking the rules.
With the help of his family, Aster does everything he can to protect Charlie. But to discover who’s making the Fetch and put a stop to it, he’ll need darker, more powerful magic—from the most dangerous witch he knows…
 
What the cover doesn’t tell you:
This is the second book in The Witch Boy series.
 
What’s good?
Once again, the author/illustrator delivers a beautiful graphic story that uses fantasy to explore real life issues. Gender roles, mental health, friendship, fear, and redemption are some of the many issues touched upon as main character Aster has to protect his friend Charlie from an evil spirit and help his grandmother with his great-uncle Mikasi. The illustrations are bold and expressive and the characters are diverse and well-developed.
Best Part: Aster
 
What isn’t good?
There isn’t anything I didn’t like!
Worst part: None.
 
Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4.5/5)
I wish graphic novels were longer. It’s like watching a sitcom – it’s over so quickly! The Hidden Witch was thoroughly enjoyable. Definitely recommended.

Eliza and her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

Pages: 385

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Contemporary

Notes for Parents: Contains coarse language and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. Online, she’s LadyConstellation, the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea. Then Wallace Warland, Monstrous Sea’s biggest fanfiction writer, transfers to her school and draws her into a life offline she never could have imagined. But when Eliza’s secret is accidentally shared with the world, everything she’s built—her story, her relationship with Wallace, and ever her sanity—begins to fall apart.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The novel includes drawings from the main characters webcomic, Monstrous Sea.

What’s good?

Eliza is living a double life -- one online as a confident, gifted artist and storyteller, and the other in real time, where she suffers from social anxiety and keeps to herself. Her two lives inevitably meet and Eliza must cope with the outcome. Eliza is a realistic, relatable teen whose online success only seems to increase her inability to deal with real life situations. Her family is present, but can’t relate to her (because she never talks to them!), and her new “real life” friends only seem to add to the pressure she feels she’s under. The plot is simple but emotional and the pace is steady.

Best Part: Monstrous Sea.

What isn’t good?

This is yet another story about a someone keeping a big secret that’s destined to be revealed and ruin trust and relationships. Fortunately, this story has the added bonus of the Monstrous Sea story line (and fabulous drawings!) that adds some uniqueness to a trope that’s getting old.

Worst part: Are people going to discover her secret? Of course they are!

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4/5)

I really enjoyed this story despite it having an overused plot line. The character of Eliza should resonate with many readers for her online confidence and offline anxiety. The supporting characters are well drawn and the pace makes this an easy read. Definitely recommended.

Zappia, Francesca. Eliza and her Monsters. New York: Greenwillow Books, 2017.

American Panda by Gloria Chao

Pages: 304

Intended Audience: Teens

Genre: Contemporary

Notes for Parents: Contains some mild language and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

At seventeen, Mei Lu should be in high school, but skipping fourth grade was part of her parents’ master plan. Now a freshman at MIT, she is on track to fulfill the rest of this predetermined future: become a doctor, marry a preapproved Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer, produce a litter of babies.

With everything her parents have sacrificed to make her cushy life a reality, Mei can’t bring herself to tell them the truth—that she (1) hates germs, (2) falls asleep in biology lectures, and (3) has a crush on her classmate Darren Takahashi, who is decidedly not Taiwanese.

But when she reconnects with her brother, Xing, who is estranged from the family for dating the wrong woman, Mei starts to wonder if all the secrets are truly worth it. Can she find a way to be herself, whoever that is, before her web of lies unravels?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

This book received starred reviews from Booklist, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, and VOYA.

What’s good?

Mei Lu is the daughter of strict, traditional Taiwanese parents who struggles to find a balance between her parents’ expectations (become a doctor and settle down with a nice Taiwanese boy) and her own desires. Mei narrates her story with an engaging sense of humor that is poignant and thought-provoking. Secondary characters are very strong, including Mei’s mom, her exiled brother Xing, Ying-Na (the cautionary tale), and even her roommate Nicolette. The plot is simple, but is full of emotional twists and turns. Highlights include fascinating bits about MIT, Mandarin/Taiwanese phrases (sometimes translated, other times not), Mei’s mom’s messages, and interesting customs and traditions surrounding weddings, funerals, food, etc. Themes include identity, obedience, family, honor, appearance, reconciliation, traditions and customs, parent-child relationships, and parental expectations.

Best Part: “Mei! Are you in trouble? Eating drugs? Pregnant? KIDNAPPED! Call me!!” (A voicemail from Mei’s mother, pg. 26)

What isn’t good?

Besides the horrible sounding food (stinky tofu!!), there’s nothing I didn’t like. It was by no means a unique story, but Mei’s voice is distinctive and relatable.

Worst part: Dried squid.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺ (4.5/5)

I really enjoyed this story. While Mei’s predicament was disconcerting, her family’s love was never in question. At its core, this is a somber story that will be relatable to many whose families adhere strictly to cultural or religious traditions, but it’s told with a heartwarming, comical charm. Definitely recommended!

Chao, Gloria. American Panda. New York: Simon Pulse, 2018.

Sparrow by Sarah Moon

Pages: 264

Intended Audience: Mature Teens

Genre: Contemporary

Notes for Parents: Contains mildly coarse language and mature scenes.

The Back Cover

They find her on the edge of the roof of her school. No one believes that se wasn’t about to jump.

But then again, no one knows Sparrow very well.

She keeps good grades. She keeps to herself. Though she wishes she could find a friend, she has no idea how that might happen.

So sometimes she goes where the birds gather, and she waits, waits for them to come get her, gather her up, take her with them, take her high above the school, above the city, above the crowds. For those few moments she’s not alone, closed in.

But Sparrow begins to discover something else inside her—a music, a song that grows in power, if only she can let it be bridge.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The author, Sarah Moon, created a Spotify soundtrack for this book, and you can find the link to it in her Instagram profile (sarahmoonbooks).

What’s good?

Sparrow is a lonely girl, who finds solace in books and in being invisible. She’d love to make a friend but doesn’t know how and instead imagines herself flying with the birds. After a traumatic loss sends her to the edge, people take notice. Fear of being labelled or judged keeps Sparrow from asking for help. The story follows her through conversations with her mother and therapist that eventually leads her to music as an alternative source of comfort, and to a rock camp that opens up a whole new world for her. The plot is straight forward, the pace is steady, and the tone is hopeful.

Best Part: Dr. Katz and her fun and funky retro clothing and cool music.

What isn’t good?

The first half of the book is mostly conversations between Sparrow and her mother, and Sparrow and her therapist where she (eventually) reveals that she’s shy, lonely, and sad. The story starts to perk up when music enters the conversation. When Sparrow goes to rock camp, things genuinely get good.

Worst part: Nothing is terrible, but Sparrow’s coping mechanism is very poetic, making it perhaps a little too romantic for comfort.

Recommendation ☺☺☺ (3.5/5)

Sparrow’s story will resonate with many young people who are feeling lonely, sad, or out of place. It is ultimately a positive story about growth with the help of therapy, music, and effort. While the subject of mental health is an important one, the premise has been overdone in the past few years, but the inclusion of music and her focus on birds sets it apart just enough. Recommended.

Moon, Sarah. Sparrow. New York: Scholastic, 2017.

Guts by Raina Telgemeier

Pages: 211

Intended Audience: Tweens and up

Genre: Grahpic novel / Memoir

Notes for Parents: Contains some mildly mature scenes.

The Back Cover

Raina wakes up one night with a terrible upset stomach. Her mom has one, too, so it’s probably just a bug. Raina eventually returns to school, where she’s dealing with the usual highs and lows: friends, not-friends, and classmates who think the school year is just one long gross-out session. It soon becomes clear that Raina’s tummy trouble isn’t going away…and it coincides with her worries about food, school, and changing friendships. What’s going on?

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

As with her books Smile and Sister, this is based on the author’s real-life experiences.

What’s good?

With her trademark bold, colourful drawings, Raina Telgemeier once again brings a personal childhood experience to life. Young Raina’s anxiety is causing her physical symptoms that make it difficult to deal with friends and school. With the help of her family and a therapist, she learns to cope with the stresses of life. The plot is simple and straight forward and the pace is good. The characters are relatable, and the message is thoughtful and heartwarming. This is a quick and easy coming of age story that promotes mindfulness and courage, and de-stigmatizes anxiety disorders and therapy.

Best Part: Raina.

What isn’t good?

I supposed if I have to find something that isn’t so good, I’d have to say that the story itself is a little thin. I’m not sure if more substance is really a fair expectation of a middle grade graphic novel, but that’s the only thing I thought of after I read it – this could have used a little more…depth.

Worst part: Nothing.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☺(4/5)

This is a classic Raina Telgemeier graphic novel. If you enjoyed her other novels, you’ll love this one. If you haven’t read any of her stuff yet, you should. Definitely recommended.

Telgemeier, Raina. Guts. New York: Graphix, 2019.