Isler's characters provide a variety of perspectives on the aftereffects of grief. Lucy's father withdraws, remaining in bed or behind his newspaper. Her mother visits with a therapist and busies herself with making the family home fresh and different. Lucy learns that the bedroom in her new home was the bedroom of Bet who was a shooting victim. She develops an internal storyline for Bet. By chance, Lucy connects with Avery, a classmate who appears to be a pariah. Later, Lucy discovers that Avery's brother was the shooter.

The one place where Lucy feels most comfortable is math class, a world of formulas and equations. However, there is one concept that eludes her: infinity. Lucy searches to understand this mathematical expression throughout the book.  The text is brimming with math facts, riddles and jokes which are a counterpoint to the story's heart-rending subject matter.

While this is a story of grief and loss, AfterMath is a hopeful story. Through an extracurricular mime group Lucy learns new ways to express herself, make friends, and solidify her relationship with Avery. Her family begins to heal.
A touching story that avoids becoming maudlin. The author’s narration is well suited to the voice of a tender twelve-year-old. ​Occasionally a title is precisely the perfect fit. AfterMath is a brilliant title choice.

There is yet another wrinkle. Olivia's parents are out of town and have installed a tracker on her phone to keep constant surveillance on their daughter. Not wanting to reveal her graduation dilemma, Olivia concocts an elaborate scheme to trade phones with her cousins throughout the tournament. They will take Olivia's phone to locations where she should be and respond to mom as her daughter would.

The phone exchanges result in numerous complications including Cousin Sophie getting stuck while escaping through a bathroom window and Charlie attempting to field his aunt’s question about the appropriate bra for a party ensemble.

"Now is not the time for I told you so."
"This is the exact perfect time for I told you so. Never, ever has there been a time when I told you so was more needed."

There are even more problems: some trivial, many hilarious, and a few that are heartbreaking. Olivia realizes that she has made errors in judgement on several counts. Can she get everything straightened out before graduation? Readers will keep turning pages in Ashley Elston's contemporary comedy of errors with a side of sweet romance.  ​10 Truths and a Dare is great fun.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a popular classic with witty commentary on society, expectations and romance is an interesting starting point for a retelling. Example: GoodReads lists 440 adaptations, variations, and continuations of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Several of these stories are available in audiobook format. Pop in the earbuds and chill with two engaging reimaginings of a timeless rom-com.

This refreshing adaptation with numerous misunderstandings, awkward situations, and heartbreak eventually arrives at a satisfying conclusion. No one will walk down the aisle, but there is mutual attraction and admiration.

Acevedo's narration is spot-on, injecting the text with an intonation and rhythm which brings the story to life.

This tale of manners takes a modern twist, focusing on women's empowerment. Lizzie's jurisprudential skill and courage are admired by her father and Mr. Darcy. Her future as a barrister seems assured. However, Miss Bennett has a mind of her own and surprises everyone with an interesting decision about her prospects.

Sims' uses a variety of speech patterns to distinguish various characters, while retaining her "proper" British narration.

One night, fate places Hector in the wrong place at the wrong time. Joey and his brother Chavo confront Filipino. Hector is terrified as he silently witnesses Joey and Chavo attack Filipino. Panicked, Hector drives a truck toward his brother’s killers, seriously wounding Chavo.
The result: Joey and Hector are both sentenced to a reform school for troubled minors. Hector is ashamed of his inability to stop the fight that took his brother's life. He plans to kill Joey as soon as he has the opportunity. A life for a life.

The final pages reveal Hector's surprising solution. His choice will be painful. It's a big risk, difficult and potentially dangerous. But... it feels right.

On the Hook offers readers a searing exploration into the mind and heart of a young man struggling with serious issues. It's a story that needs to be told and one that is impossible to forget.

Stork explores the lives of three young men who are confronting serious issues, weighing consequences, and making difficult decisions.

Beth tries to understand and manipulate events, hoping to make everything “better.” A quiet observer who clings to her idealization of the group, she goes to extraordinary measures to get along and go along, even when it doesn’t feel right.

Gilbert's characters, as seen through the lens of Beth’s perception, often reveal their personalities through dialogue. A hallmark of her writing is an exploration into the essence of each individual while simultaneously illuminating the group’s dynamic. Tiny intimate details give the story its emotional depth. One of the most heart wrenching scenes occurs when Beth stands outside her father’s house, but never steps up to his door.

After a series of missteps and misunderstandings, Beth finally acknowledges that music gives direction and purpose to her life. As she plays her violin, she becomes one with the music. Following her passion requires courage and a belief that embracing music does not mean the end of treasured relationships.

Camila constructs an elaborate charade to conceal from her family her passion for fútbol and her identity as La Furia. She tells her mother that she is with a friend when she participates in games and team practice. So that she can’t be contacted, she allows her phone to run out of minutes. She waits until no one is home to wash her uniform and pretends to study for an upcoming medical school entrance exam.
Her life is further complicated when a childhood friend, now an international fútbol star, returns to Argentina for a brief visit. It is apparent to both that this is more than friendship. The attraction is mutual. Camila faces a heart wrenching dilemma. Does she abandon her dream of becoming a world class athlete and follow the guy who makes her heart sing? Or does she remain focused on her life-long ambition and reject his offer of a life together?

This story is about choices. Hard choices. Camila agonizes over her decisions, recognizing that with each choice, she may be closing a door. Will she choose to follow her passion for fútbol or succumb to her desire to be with the boy she loves? Can she stand up to her abusive father? Will she remain silent? Can she confide in her mother?

Narration moves fluidly between Spanish and English. Madariaga flawlessly differentiates the varying degrees of English fluency among her Spanish-speaking characters. Singing flows beautifully as a natural extension of the narration. The longing, indecision, frustration, and passion of an older teen is clearly evident in this performance.

The author obviously knows and loves the sport. The play by play descriptions bring readers onto the pitch, delivering immediacy and fierce intensity to the narrative. Méndez storytelling is a polished gem. Her characters are multifaceted. The narrative reveals their sparkling qualities as well as inherent flaws. Their lives are messy. There are no simple solutions. Things are not perfect. However, there is hope.
Furia is intense, filled with desires and dreams, heartache and disappointment, pain and passion. Camila is a girl of my heart.

The two have an explosive secret: a cell phone containing damning photographs and documents detailing human trafficking that originates in Mexico and extends into the United States. Those involved include a federal government employee. Before they part ways, Sara entrusts the phone to her brother. Sara and Emiliano must protect this valuable piece of evidence without endangering one another.

Stork ratchets up the tension as both lives are on the line. Sara is locked in solitary confinement within a detention center in Fort Stockton Texas because she refuses to disclose the whereabouts of her brother. Emiliano tries to stay one step ahead of a killer hired to track down the phone. It’s a nail biting, intense read.

The narrative includes fascinating details about everything from technical processes used to open a phone to some of the legal intricacies in the asylum process. There are striking contrasts: Emiliano sharing tender moments with his half brother while Sara endures horrific cruelty. A stunning betrayal keeps the central characters constantly questioning who to trust. Both siblings are faced with moral dilemmas. There are no easy solutions. Every choice has positive and negative consequences. ​

Initially, the two earn money peddling religious statues in the predominantly Catholic villages. It seems a unusual thing: Jews selling religious statues. Sadly, this venture produces little income.

Their fortunes begin to look up when, desperate for suitable clothing to wear in the oppressive heat, Esther designs and sews a light, comfortable dress to replace her heavy woolen clothing. By hand, she sews similar dresses for her friends. Several of her creations are displayed in a local shop. Then the miraculous happens. Esther receives a sewing machine. With help from her father, the two make attractive lightweight dresses for women in the village. Eventually her designs are sold to a buyer in Havana. Now there is hope that she can earn enough money to reunite her family in Cuba. After some tense moments, the family obtains the necessary money to emigrate.

Esther is a natural at reaching out and connecting with people. She quickly becomes acquainted with many of the villagers. Her father’s rents lodging from the local doctor and his wife. They befriend an Afro-Cuban woman and her grandson. A couple from China own the local store patronized by Esther and her father. She invites this diverse group to share a Seder meal in their tiny apartment. She must improvise, dipping onions in salt water and filling glasses with sour cherry tea. The celebratory dinner is a success. New friendships are formed.

Esther is the star of this story. Her resourcefulness, hard work, willingness to try new things, and acceptance of other cultures and customs make the story shine.

This epistolary middle grade novel was inspired by Behar's grandmother’s journey from Poland to Cuba. Her story offers young readers a fresh perspective on a contemporary issue. ​  Letters from Cuba is a mind-opening,  heart-expanding look at the plight of immigrants, the far-reaching effects of World War II, and the stain of racism.  

Unfortunately, the family is dealing with several other issues. Her high-achieving medical student sister has decided to quit school and join the peace corps. The family restaurant is experiencing a significant financial downturn. Yumi wants to quit the prestigious and expensive private school favored by her parents and enroll in the new Performing Arts Magnet School.
Yumi's juggling act of working at the restaurant, attending morning test prep classes, maintaining the pretense of studying daily at the library, preparing a routine for an upcoming comedy club showcase, and assuming the identity of another workshop participant all comes crashing down. Big time.

Readers will sympathize with Yumi as she tries to unravel the mess that she has created, support the family's business, honor her parents’ wishes, and find a way to realize her dream. Everything doesn't work out perfectly. There are heartbreaking moments and several compromises. However... there are jokes!
​Like Korean barbecue Stand Up, Yumi Chung! is sweet with a few salty tears but definitely savory. YUM! ​Kudos Jessica Kim.

Then there's The Mister. Sarah's father refurbished an unused silo, creating a small round home which the family rents to help offset the farm’s expenses. Sixteen days after completion of the tiny round multi-storied home, a mysterious stranger arrives in an old Cadillac limo and agrees to rent the space. He silently moves about, keeping to himself. Sara and Hawk speculate on who this man is and why he moved into the silo. They refer to him as The Mister.

It's August. The land is parched, the cistern dry. Then the unthinkable happens. The hay shed and hay field catch fire. Shed and most of the hay are gone. All that remains are char and soot, banishing the family's hope for a profitable farm season.

Three totally unrelated things woven into a story of beauty and power. Kephart does it. And does it masterfully.

It’s a tale of quiet desperation and the uncertainty of life.
Somehow despite, or maybe because of a life-threatening condition and the possibility of financial ruin, there is a reason to hope.
​Hope is rain. Hope is Sara’s seed collection. Hope is a pair of red shoes.
​I love this book. Considering current world events, The Great Upending has arrived at precisely the right time.

Bonus: Kephart offers a glimpse into the world of children’s book publishing when a librarian and an author visit a publisher’s offices in New York City’s iconic Flatiron Building.