(2) YA Winner of the 2020 Stonewall Book Award, this British verse novel by a poet and drag performer offers a welcome exploration of the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality. In first-person narration, Michael chronicles his journey through childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood. Michael is born to a Jamaican father and Greek-Cypriot mother; though his father is distant, he has support from his mother and uncle, as he figures out where he stands in terms of both ethnic identity and sexuality. His penchant for Barbies manifests itself by age six, and crushes on boys follow, but it's a few years before he comes out to his best friend. And it's not until university that he experiences his first sexual relationships and also develops his drag persona. ("When it's time to go onstage, / know that you're not ready but / this is not about being ready, / it's not even about being fierce / or fearless, it's about being free.") The verse can be pedestrian, largely serving to advance the plot, but the development of the Black Flamingo, as a symbol of Michael's queer identity ("I often feel / like a bad egg that was not meant to be...somehow / living and thriving"), is aptly woven throughout this memorable YA debut.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(3) 4-6 In this fourth series entry, the multiracial Vanderbeeker family discover that their friend Orlando has been evicted from his apartment and determine to help him find him a home. (Their motto: "We always get involved. Always.") At the same time, the family must cope with their grief when beloved Harlem-brownstone neighbor Mr. Jeet dies, as well as lend support to former foe Mr. Biederman as he prepares to run the New York City Marathon. As in previous books, subplots (some more contrived than others) involving all five Vanderbeeker children--from a misunderstanding revolving around the homecoming dance to making a new school friend--are woven into the main story. A wholesome, touching ensemble novel, for fans of Jeanne Birdsall's the Penderwicks and Emma Donoghue's the Lotterys.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(2) YA Irascible Jane McKeene and posh Katherine Deveraux, zombie-dispatching graduates of Miss Preston's School of Combat for Negro Girls, are back in this suspenseful, satisfying sequel to Dread Nation (rev. 5/18). After surviving the fall of false utopia Summerland to the undead, Jane and Katherine flee to the neighboring settlement of Nicodemus, where they hope to find temporary safety. But no sooner are they within its gates than Jane is imprisoned for past crimes, and Katherine must find a way to break her out before the horde breaks in. Multiple betrayals, back (and front) stabbings, and an arduous trek to California test Jane and Katherine's bond, along with an abrupt separation and the tragic death of one of their closest allies. Ireland threads her thrilling plot with incisive commentary about race, gender, and power that will appeal to today's activist teen readers. Her alternate Old West (a mirror of current societal woes) is full of warring ethnic and cultural factions, each more suspicious of the other, until the undead are the least of their worries. Katherine laments, "How can we make the world a better place if we are always at odds with one another for every single kind of reason under the sun?" The answer may lie in future adventures, as the novel's ending leaves room for possible exploits to come. An author's note contains further reading about the role of Black Americans in the Old West.

Reviewer: Jennifer Hubert Swan | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) YA Eighth graders Bina and Darcy head back to school in this spirited graphic novel, the sequel to All Summer Long (rev. 7/18). Darcy is convinced that their band Fast Fashion needs a drummer. Protagonist Bina doesn't agree, but when they discover that classmate Enzo is a musical prodigy with intimidating drumming skills, changes are put in motion beyond Bina's control and at a pace for which she is unprepared. With Enzo, the band changes its name to the Candids and there is pressure to make its songs "louder. Edgier. Shoutier." Darcy and Enzo start dating, and Bina struggles to understand and express her feelings, resulting in an argument at a thrift store and Bina being dumped--via text message--from the band she co-founded. As if that's not enough, Bina is not sure how to feel about her best friend Austin's displays of romantic interest and how that fits within her own identity development. ("What's the difference between liking someone and liking them?") While plot and layout are straightforward, an emphasis on conversation allows for characters' relationships and emotions to take center stage. Light purple washes contrast with thick, bold lines, creating an appropriate balance in a narrative containing moments of both emotive strength and fragility. Other symbolic visual elements, such as arrows and sound effects, add backstory and humor.

Reviewer: Elisa Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(2) YA It's 1957, and Sarah Dewhurst's father has hired a dragon to work on their farm despite his prejudices against them. That's not really big news; in this alternate universe, humankind has maintained an uneasy peace with dragons for centuries. But, as Sarah learns, dragons are more complex than she'd imagined--and the situation is more perilous: a cult of Believers, who worship the magical creatures, has sent a teenage assassin to the United States in an attempt to start a prophesied war (though he's been told his mission is to stop one), a war that will directly affect Sarah and everyone she loves. Nothing is quite as it seems in this imaginative novel. Timelines fluctuate, characters change species, and genres tangle together. However, the plot is solid enough to ensure that, with a healthy suspension of disbelief, readers will follow the story with ease as the stakes get ever higher. Ness's (The Knife of Never Letting Go, rev. 11/08; Release, rev. 9/17) engrossing historical-­fantasy adventure is at once accessible and complex, tackling both human issues--racism (Sarah is biracial; her love interest is Japanese American), war, religion--and grand fantasy action with skill.

Reviewer: Sarah Berman | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2020

(1) YA In 1880, fourteen-year-old Hanna and her father settle in the (fictional) town of LaForge, in Dakota Territory. Papa is white; Hanna's late mother immigrated from China and had both Chinese and Korean ancestry. LaForge is modeled on De Smet, South Dakota, where four of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books took place. Park's novel is clearly in conversation with that series, from Hanna's friendlier interactions with, and more thoughtful views about, members of the Ihanktonwan tribe to racist attitudes among LaForge's townspeople, who object to Hanna's presence in the school and blame her after a local man assaults her. But this novel stands on its own, with a vividly drawn protagonist in self-reliant Hanna, who has plenty of complex relationships: with her stubborn father, with her much-missed mother, with her classmate Bess, with a well-meaning but conflict-averse teacher. An author's note explains the "fancy mental gymnastics" Park, who is Korean American and loved Wilder's series growing up, needed to do as a child in order to imagine herself as Laura's best friend, and describes the author's ongoing conflict with the books' problematic elements.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Richie Pope. Mary Seacole was raised by a Jamaican Creole mother who taught her herbal medicine and a Scottish soldier father whose stories inspired her to see the world. After using her skills during a cholera outbreak, Seacole is determined to volunteer as a nurse in the Crimean War, but first in London and then again on the battlefield she is turned away--by Florence Nightingale herself--because of her skin color. But Mary Seacole is not easily stopped, and she becomes a familiar sight welcoming people to her guest house/hospital and bringing her supplies to the battlefield, where she becomes known as Mother Seacole and eventually gains fame when a British journalist tells her story. Rubin sprinkles Seacole's own words throughout the book, bringing in some of her larger-than-life personality. The text is longer than a typical picture-book biography, making this a good choice for readers who may be ready for but intimidated by chapter-book biographies. Pope's illustrations have the difficult job of showing the devastating circumstances Seacole often finds herself in as a battlefield nurse, and his soft, cartoony watercolors deftly walk that line. Back matter includes source notes and a brief bibliography.

Reviewer: Lauren Kim | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2021

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile. When G'ma asks Scoob to go on "a little adventure" during spring break, he doesn't hesitate to say yes (especially since he's been grounded for fighting at school). Once inside her "sweet ride"--the new RV she bought after selling her house--Scoob isn't so sure he made the right choice. First, there are the people on the road who look at them funny because he is Black and she is white. Then there's G'ma's treasure box, which contains old maps, postcards, newspaper clippings, and a copy of Travelers' Green Book: For Vacation Without Aggravation, 1963. Next, Scoob catches his grandmother changing license plates and refusing to answer Dad's calls. Finally, there's G'ma talking in her sleep about "fixing it." But what is "it"? Scoob isn't so sure he knows who his grandmother is anymore. Young readers will enjoy the mystery and suspense created by G'ma's unusual behavior and the family secrets that are revealed. Occasional maps and illustrations appear throughout, highlighting important moments in each chapter. This middle-grade debut by Stone (Dear Martin, rev. 11/17; Jackpot, rev. 11/19) is an entertaining and unexpected intergenerational caper.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(1) YA In this companion novel to Code Name Verity (rev. 5/12) and its prequel The Pearl Thief (rev. 5/17), and featuring characters from both, Wein takes her turn at spinning a thriller around Germany's famous World War II code-maker/code-breaker, the Enigma machine. Louisa, fifteen and orphaned by the war, has arrived in a tiny Scottish village to work as companion to Jane, an elderly German-born ex-detainee. Louisa is impressed by her fellow tenant at the pub, Ellen, who is a volunteer driver for the local Royal Air Force base, and by Jamie Beaufort-Stuart, an RAF flight leader stationed nearby. She longs to do something to help win the war, too. In a strange turn of events, a pilot working for the German resistance leaves her a key that leads to an Enigma machine and its code settings. Between them, Louisa, Ellen, Jamie, and Jane gain access to information that changes the war for Jamie's squadron, but draws German fire to their village. Told in the three young people's voices, this cleverly plotted drama starts out slowly but escalates thrillingly. Thematically, the novel explores hidden and visible diversity through Louisa, whose mother was British and father was Jamaican; Ellen, a Traveller who censors her own voice and vocabulary in order to "pass"; and Jane, whose German origin, if widely known, would draw suspicion and ire. In sum, it is a rich work of historical fiction, wearing its period accuracy lightly (from the practical aspects of hot-water rationing to the features of military planes) and offering an unusual perspective on the war.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

(2) PS These British imports star a young child named Lenny, Lenny's loving parents, and pet dog Wilbur. Dad (who appears in Where's Lenny? but not Lenny and Wilbur) has brown skin like Lenny; Mom's skin is light. Where's Lenny? depicts a rousing game of hide-and-seek—Lenny hides, Dad counts and seeks (and distracts?), and Mom does some home repair. In Lenny and Wilbur, it's bath time for Wilbur; Lenny helps. Both books include singing and giggles (and some repetition of vocabulary to support emergent readers throughout the straightforward texts), and both end with snuggles. Wilson-Max's (Astro Girl, rev. 11/19) illustrations feature bold crayon-box hues with thick black outlines around characters, minimal extraneous detail, and thoughtful use of visible brushstrokes and background washes. The images are simple yet contain all the warmth and love that emanate from this close-knit family. The books' small, square trim size--with the smiling child on the cover--is another successful choice to welcome viewers into Lenny's everyday world. Review includes these titles: Lenny and Wilbur and Where's Lenny?.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) PS These British imports star a young child named Lenny, Lenny's loving parents, and pet dog Wilbur. Dad (who appears in Where's Lenny? but not Lenny and Wilbur) has brown skin like Lenny; Mom's skin is light. Where's Lenny? depicts a rousing game of hide-and-seek—Lenny hides, Dad counts and seeks (and distracts?), and Mom does some home repair. In Lenny and Wilbur, it's bath time for Wilbur; Lenny helps. Both books include singing and giggles (and some repetition of vocabulary to support emergent readers throughout the straightforward texts), and both end with snuggles. Wilson-Max's (Astro Girl, rev. 11/19) illustrations feature bold crayon-box hues with thick black outlines around characters, minimal extraneous detail, and thoughtful use of visible brushstrokes and background washes. The images are simple yet contain all the warmth and love that emanate from this close-knit family. The books' small, square trim size--with the smiling child on the cover--is another successful choice to welcome viewers into Lenny's everyday world. Review includes these titles: Lenny and Wilbur and Where's Lenny?.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(2) 4-6 In 1971, the "grand new experiment" of school integration means that twelve-year-old Jamila and her two best friends will attend junior high across town. Feeling like outsiders in their predominantly white Queens, New York, neighborhood, the mixed-race tweens are excited to finally "fit in." But the reality is not what they had expected. Jamila's narration is authentic-sounding as she navigates transitions, friendships, and family expectations. An author's note provides historical context.

Reviewer: Sujei Lugo | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(2) YA Afro–Puerto Rican teen Beatriz is torn between her desire to dance and her blood and chosen families in mid-1980s New Jersey. When the TV show Fame announces a casting call, she tries to balance "gang life" (chosen family) with her "dance life." Will she follow her dreams? Charles ([cf2Like Vanessa) presents a strong, smart, and sometimes snarky teenager whose family has developed mechanisms of survival in the face of abuse and injustice.

Reviewer: Sujei Lugo | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Yesenia Moises. Simone asks first her mother, who is black, and then her father, who is white, "Am I black or white?" Following their unhelpful answers, Simone sets out to find a color "of her very own." The story, supported by art with an airbrushed look, lacks verisimilitude, but it has a ring of emotional truth that may reassure readers grappling with questions of identity.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) 4-6 A big family, lots of pets, harried loving parents, a chaotic house, a supporting cast of eccentrics, a seemingly intractable problem in which kids save the day--in this, the third outing for the Vanderbeeker family of Harlem (The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, rev. 11/17, and sequel), Glaser ticks all the boxes of a classic middle-grade ensemble piece. The five Vanderbeeker children, established in previous books as ingenious and energetic, apply their particular skills to outwitting a new antagonist--City Hall--when an inspector closes down their mother's cookie-making business. In a single crammed week of spring break--which also includes building a treehouse, solving a mystery (who is dropping off abandoned animals at their home every night?), and an important violin audition--these genial children organize an inventive new family-business plan. At one point in the novel ten-year-old Oliver needs a story "where he knew everything would turn out all right." This is that story. It's funny, with character-grounded quirkiness, just enough slapstick, and no winking over kids' heads. The adults in their supportive urban community are benevolent but objects of some pity: "Being an adult is awful," declares thirteen-year-old Jessie. The whole thing is a little retro, very welcoming to the reader, and sweet to the core.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(3) YA Foreword by Firoozeh Dumas. Born to a French mother and Iranian father, Homayoonfarar moved from the U.S. to Iran in 1976 at age five. Short chapters follow the author's coming of age amid the abrupt cultural changes and turbulent historical backdrop of the Iranian Revolution and war with Iraq. Temporal shifts are sometimes hard to follow in this otherwise moving and relatable memoir. Includes an insert of family snapshots. Timeline.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Diana Toledano. In her second adventure, word-loving aspiring writer Polly Diamond uses her extraordinary book to magically transform the school fair. Polly creates book-themed rides and face paint that converts people into their favorite literary characters (booklist appended). The wish-fulfillment story is abundantly illustrated with whimsical, textured grayscale art; the unconventional vocabulary makes this series best for strong young readers.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Chris Sasaki. As an interracial family moves from an apartment in the city to a house in the country, Ledyard offers a meditation on the sense of comfort and belonging that home should evoke. Throughout, the poetic text satisfyingly delivers internal rhythms and rhymes, alliteration, and assonance at unexpected but just-right places. With a style recalling the work of Jon Klassen and Christian Robinson, Sasaki offers a rich interpretation of Ledyard's text.

Reviewer: Megan Dowd Lambert | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Kaylani Juanita. Brown-skinned (possibly biracial) Aidan, who's transgender, knows how it feels to be misunderstood, so he wants to get things right for his new sibling. Lukoff's straightforward approach to Aidan's gender transition rings with authenticity, and he puts the child-centered story ahead of message. Celebrating the family's close, affirming relationship, Juanita's vibrant digital illustrations take cues from the text, which models how to avoid the male/female binary.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jaime Kim. When everyone asks a light brown–skinned girl the titular question, she's confused: "I'm from here." Then Abuelo takes her on a dreamy tour, from South America's Pampas to a warm island to "this land where our ancestors...were in chains." Most importantly, though, she's from Abuelo's "love and the love of all those before us." Warm watercolor and digital art illustrates the overt but useful story.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt