 | It is absolutely crazy how many new releases are coming out this week! I have featured 53 titles here, and there were about 30 more that didn't make the cut. It's not that those other 30 titles are not good or recommended; rather, I just couldn't stand to write up any more this week! I see a huge trend in family tragedy this week--lots of books about death, broken families, and neglectful parents. |
YOUNG ADULT (GRADES 8+):
  | Gem & Dixie (Sarah Zarr) Gem has taken care of her younger sister Dixie as long as she can remember. Because of their mother's mental health issues, their mother can barely keep food on the table. And the only thing worse than their dad's absence is his intermittent presence. As they've grown older, Gem and Dixie have grown apart, but they know they always have each other. Realistic fiction, sisters, mental health. |
  | Geekerella (Ashley Poston) Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first. Retelling, romance. |
  | Get It Together, Delilah! (Erin Gough) This is an Australian title published in 2015 that is finally available in the USA. Seventeen-year old Delilah didn't plan her senior year this way. Her mom has run off with another man, and her dad has gone on extended holiday in order to deal with his grief over his wife's infidelity. Meanwhile, Del is stuck running her family's cafe until her dad returns. She thinks it will be easy, but it isn't. She doesn't have time for homework, mean girls, or her friends' troubles. And she especially doesn't have time for Rosa, the beautiful girl who dances across the street. Realistic fiction, GLBT. |
  | Letters to the Lost (Brigid Kemmerer) After her mother's death, Juliet leaves letters at her grave as a way to cope with her loss. Declan, the local bad-boy, has been sentenced to community service at the local cemetery. When he reads one of Juliet's letters one day, he feels an instant connection and writes back. Juliet and Declan don't realize that they know each other, but they do. Contemporary romance. |
  | The End of Our Story (Meg Haston) Bridge and Wil went from childhood friends to teens stealing kisses. But when Bridge betrayed Wil in their junior year, she shattered his heart and their relationship along with it. It's been a year since their break-up, and Wil's family has suffered a violent loss. Bridge rushes to Wil's side in the aftermath, but a lot has changed in the past year. Can Wil and Bridge find their way back to each other? Contemporary romance. |
  | Zenn Diagram (Wendy Brant) Eva Walker is a seventeen-year-old math genius. And if that doesn’t do wonders for her popularity, there’s another thing that makes it even worse: when she touches another person or anything that belongs to them — from clothes to textbooks to cell phones — she sees a vision of their emotions. Contemporary romance, magical realism. |
  | Perfect (Flawed) (Cecelia Ahern) Sequel to: Flawed. Celestine North lives in a society that demands perfection. After she was branded Flawed by a morality court, Celestine's life has completely fractured--all her freedoms gone. Since Judge Crevan has declared her the number one threat to the public, she has been a ghost, on the run with Carrick--the only person she can trust. But Celestine has a secret--one that could bring the entire Flawed system crumbling to the ground. A secret that has already caused countless people to go missing. Science fiction, dystopia. |
  | Defy the Stars (Claudia Gray) Ooh! I want this now! After a surprise attack, teen soldier Noemi finds herself stranded in space on an abandoned ship where she meets Abel, the most sophisticated mech prototype ever made. One who should be her enemy. But Abel's programming forces him to obey Noemi as his commander, which means he has to help her save Genesis--even though her plan to win the war will kill him. Science fiction, space opera. |
  | Alex, Approximately (Jenn Bennett) Classic movie buff Bailey “Mink” Rydell has spent months crushing on a witty film geek she only knows online by “Alex.” Two coasts separate the teens until Bailey moves in with her dad, who lives in the same California surfing town as her online crush. Contemporary romance. |
  | The Last Thing You Said (Sara Biren) Last summer, Lucy’s and Ben’s lives changed in an instant. One moment, they were shyly flirting on a lake raft, finally about to admit their feelings to each other after years of yearning. In the next, Trixie—Lucy’s best friend and Ben’s sister—was gone, her heart giving out during a routine swim. And just like that, the idyllic world they knew turned upside down, and the would-be couple drifted apart, swallowed up by their grief. Now it’s a year later in their small lake town, and as the anniversary of Trixie’s death looms, Lucy and Ben’s undeniable connection pulls them back together. Contemporary romance. |
  | Toward a Secret Sky (Heather McLean) Shortly after 17-year-old Maren Hamilton is orphaned and sent to live with grandparents she’s never met in Scotland, she receives an encrypted journal from her dead mother that makes her and everyone around her a target. It confirms that her parents were employed by a secret, international organization that’s now intent on recruiting her. As Maren works to unravel the clues left behind by her mother, a murderous madness sweeps through the local population, terrorizing her small town. Maren must decide if she’ll continue her parents’ fight or stay behind to save her friends. Action-adventure, mystery, spies. |
  | The Inconceivable Life of Quinn (Marianna Baer) Quinn Cutler is sixteen and the daughter of a high-profile Brooklyn politician. She’s also pregnant, a crisis made infinitely more shocking by the fact that she has no memory of ever having sex. Before Quinn can solve this deeply troubling mystery, her story becomes public. Rumors spread, jeopardizing her reputation, her relationship with a boyfriend she adores, and her father’s campaign for Congress. |
  | Royce Rolls (Margaret Stohl) Sixteen-year-old Bentley Royce seems to have it all: an actual Bentley, tuition to a fancy private school, lavish vacations, and everything else that comes along with being an LA starlet. But after five seasons on her family's reality show, Rolling with the Royces, and a lifetime of dealing with her narcissistic sister, Porsche, media-obsessed mother, Mercedes, and somewhat clueless brother, Maybach, Bentley wants out. Contemporary fiction. |
  | But Then I Came Back (Estelle Laure) As far as coma patients go, Eden’s lucky. She woke up. But still, she can’t shake the feeling that she might have dragged something back from the near-afterlife. Joe visits the hospital every day, hoping that Jaz, his lifelong friend, will wake up. More than anything, he wants to hear her voice again. But he’s not sure anyone can reach her. Even though she knows it sounds crazy, Eden tells Joe that they might be able to talk to Jaz. |
  | Mars One (Jonathan Maberry) This one will be popular in my library! I can already think of several students who I'd recommend it to. Tristan has known that he and his family were going to be on the first mission to colonize Mars since he was twelve years old, and he has been training ever since. However, knowing that he would be leaving for Mars with no plan to return didn’t stop him from falling in love with Izzy. Science fiction. |
  | Speak of Me As I Am (Sonia Belasco) More teens dealing with grief...Melanie and Damon are both living in the shadow of loss. For Melanie, it's the loss of her larger-than-life artist mother, taken by cancer well before her time. For Damon, it’s the loss of his best friend, Carlos, who took his own life. As they struggle to fill the empty spaces their loved ones left behind, fate conspires to bring them together. Contemporary romance. |
  | Definitions of Indefinable Things (Whitney Taylor) Reggie isn’t really a romantic: she’s been hurt too often, and doesn’t let people in as a rule. Plus, when you’re dealing with the Three Stages of Depression, it’s hard to feel warm and fuzzy. When Reggie meets Snake, though, he doesn’t give her much of a choice. Snake has a neck tattoo, a Twizzler habit, and a fair share of arrogance, but he’s funny, charming, and interested in Reggie. Snake also has an ex-girlfriend who's seven months pregnant. Good thing Reggie isn’t a romantic. Contemporary romance, mental illness. |
ALSO RELEASING THIS WEEK (YOUNG ADULT):
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MIDDLE SCHOOL (GRADES 5-8):
  | Speed of Life (Carol Weston) Sofia lost her mother eight months ago, and her friends were 100% there for her. Now it's a new year and they're ready for Sofia to move on. Problem is, Sofia can't bounce back, can't recharge like a cellphone. She decides to write Dear Kate, an advice columnist for Fifteen Magazine, and is surprised to receive a fast reply. Soon the two are exchanging emails, and Sofia opens up and spills all, including a few worries that are totally embarrassing. Turns out even advice columnists don't have all the answers, and one day Sofia learns a secret that flips her world upside down. |
  | Jack and the Geniuses at the Bottom of the World (Bill Nie, Gregory Mone, Nicholas Iluzada) Jack and his foster siblings, Ava and Matt, are orphans and geniuses. Well, Ava and Matt are, which sometimes makes life difficult for twelve-year-old Jack. Ava speaks multiple languages and builds robots for fun, and Matt is into astronomy and a whiz at math. As for Jack, it’s hard to stand out when he’s surrounded by geniuses all the time. Humor, adventure. |
  | The Forgetting Spell (Lauren Myracle) Sequel to: Wishing Day. Most people in Willow Hill think Darya is the prickliest of the Blok sisters. What they don’t realize is that on the inside, Darya is soft and gooey from feeling everything, all the time. When Darya turns thirteen, the goo gets stickier—and as Darya’s Wishing Day approaches, all she wants is to forget the silly tradition ever existed. Except...she can’t. Ten years ago, a wish made by Darya’s mother splintered their family into pieces. Magical realism. |
  | Prisoner of Ice and Snow (Ruth Lauren) Valor attempts the impossible--breaking her sister out of prison. When Valor is arrested, she couldn’t be happier. Demidova’s prison for criminal children is exactly where she wants to be. Valor’s sister Sasha is already serving a life sentence for stealing from the royal family and Valor is going to help her escape...from the inside. Fantasy. |
  | The Stone Heart (Faith Erin Hicks, Jordie Bellaire) Sequel to: The Nameless City. Kaidu and Rat have only just recovered from the assassination attempt on the General of All Blades when more chaos breaks loose in the Nameless City: deep conflicts within the Dao nation are making it impossible to find a political solution for the disputed territory of the City itself. To complicate things further, Kaidu is fairly certain he's stumbled on a formula for the lost weapon of the mysterious founders of the City. But sharing it with the Dao military would be a complete betrayal of his friendship with Rat. Can Kai find the right solution before the Dao find themselves at war? Action-adventure, graphic novel. |
  | First Class Murder (Robin Stevens) A murdered heiress, a missing necklace, and a train full of shifty, unusual, and suspicious characters leaves Daisy and Hazel with a new mystery to solve in this third novel of the Wells & Wong Mysteriesseries. |
  | Ashes to Asheville (Sarah Dooley) After Mama Lacy’s death, Fella was forced to move in with her grandmother, Mrs. Madison. The move brought Fella all sorts of comforts she wasn't used to at home, but it also meant saying goodbye to her sister Zoey (a.k.a. Zany) and her other mother, Mama Shannon. Though Mama Shannon fought hard to keep Fella, it was no use. The marriage act is still a few years away and the courts thought Fella would be better off with a blood relation. Then one night, Zany shows up at Mrs. Madison’s house determined to fulfill Mama Lacy’s dying wish: to have her ashes spread over the lawn of the last place they were all happy as a family. Realistic fiction, families. |
ALSO RELEASING THIS WEEK (MIDDLE SCHOOL):
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ELEMENTARY (GRADES 1-5):
  | Henry and the Chalk Dragon (Jennifer Trafton, Benjamin Schipper) When Henry Penwhistle draws a mighty Chalk Dragon on his door, the dragon does what Henry least expects--it runs away. Now Henry's art is out in the world for everyone to see, and it's causing trouble for him and his schoolmates Oscar and Jade. If they don't stop it, the entire town could be doomed! To vanquish the threat of a rampaging Chalk Dragon, Sir Henry Penwhistle, Knight of La Muncha Elementary School, is going to have to do more than just catch his art--he's going to have to let his imagination run wild. Magical realism. |
  | The Big Book of Who: Baseball: The 101 Stars Every Fan Needs to Know (Sports Illustrated Kids) Batter up! Who was the last player to hit .400? What shortstop began each season with a backflip? Which pitcher has won the most Cy Young Awards? Find out the answers to those questions and many more in Big Book of Who: Baseball, a collection of the 101 baseball stars every fan needs to know, past and present. All the diamond greats are included, from Babe Ruth to Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays to Joe DiMaggio, and Derek Jeter to Mike Trout. |
  | Chester and Gus (Cammie McGovern) Chester has always wanted to become a service dog. When he fails his certification test, though, it seems like that dream will never come true—until a family adopts him. They want him to be a companion for their ten-year-old son, Gus, who has autism. But Gus acts so differently than anyone Chester has ever met. He never wants to pet Chester, and sometimes he doesn’t even want Chester in the room. Chester’s not sure how to help Gus since this isn’t exactly the job he trained for—but he’s determined to figure it out. Because after all, Gus is now his person. Animal stories, autism. |
  | Everything's Changed (The Top-Secret Diary of Celie Valentine) (Julie Sternberg, Johanna Wright) Ten-year old Celie and her family have moved an hour away from her school and her friends, and the changes don’t stop there. At her new school, Celie struggles to make friends, torn between energetic and intriguing Mary Majors Meade and sweet but shy Charlie Larken, two classmates who do not get along. On top of adjusting to her new school, complete with harder homework and friendship troubles, Celie deals with changes at home when her forgetful Granny and a home nurse move into their apartment. Realistic fiction. |
  | Panda-monium (Stuart Gibbs) FunJungle is frenzied, awaiting the arrival of its most thrilling animal yet—Li Ping—a rare and very expensive giant panda that the zoo went to enormous lengths to secure. But when the truck transporting Li Ping shows up, its precious cargo has vanished into thin air. The FBI steps in to investigate, and Teddy is happy to leave the job in their (supposedly) capable hands. After all, FunJungle has never encountered a crime this serious. But when someone threatens to blackmail Teddy’s girlfriend, Summer, if he doesn’t solve the crime, his involvement in this mystery is no longer black and white. Mystery. |
ALSO RELEASING THIS WEEK (ELEMENTARY):
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PICTURE BOOKS (ALL AGES):
  | The Banana-Leaf Ball: How Play Can Change the World (Kate Smith Milway, Shane Evans) Separated from his family when they were forced to flee their home, a young East African boy named Deo lives alone in the Lukole refugee camp in Tanzania. With scarce resources at the camp, bullies have formed gangs to steal what they can, and a leader named Remy has begun targeting Deo. Then one day a coach gathers all the children to play soccer. Though Deo loves soccer and has even made his own ball out of banana leaves, he's unsure at first about joining in when he sees Remy on the field. Pair this with Outcasts United. |
  | Lines, Bars, and Circles: How William Playfair Invented Graphs (Helaine Becker, Marie-Eve Tremblay) Born in Scotland more than 250 years ago, William Playfair was a dreamer who saw the world differently from other people. Unfortunately, this difference sometimes got in the way of his success. Early on, as he attempted to apply his unique perspective to a series of career opportunities in order to gain riches! fame! glory! He instead suffered one failure after another. Then, while writing a book about economics, Will's innovative vision inspired an idea that would set him apart: he created the first modern line graph. |
  | Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix (Jacqueline Briggs Martin, June Jo Lee, Man One) For Chef Roy Choi, food means love. It also means culture, not only of Korea where he was born, but the many cultures that make up the streets of Los Angeles, where he was raised. So remixing food from the streets, just like good music—and serving it up from a truck—is true to L.A. food culture. People smiled and talked as they waited in line. |
ALSO RELEASING THIS WEEK (PICTURE BOOKS):
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