(2) YA Sixteen-year-old Pup Flanagan struggles with schoolwork and feels haunted by what his sprawling, high-achieving Chicago family won't speak of: one brother who died of meningitis and another whose drinking is spiraling out of control. When Pup takes up photography to boost his art-class grade, photos of his family's unguarded moments propel him to a statewide competition. Endearingly vulnerable Pup is easy to root for in this affirming, delicately told coming-of-age story.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(1) YA Anderson's three-part autobiographical collection of dynamic, mostly free-verse poems serves as a potent postlude for Speak. The first third takes us from Anderson's difficult childhood to Speak's publication. Next is a series of impassioned poems about sexual assault, censorship, consent, etc. She concludes with a quiet set of reflective family poems. By turns angry, commanding, raw, and wistful, this is a praise song to survivors and a blistering rebuke to predators. Reading list.

Reviewer: Jennifer Hubert Swan | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(3) 4-6 In Jakarta, Indonesia, Nia's food-vendor widower father is mired in poverty and alcoholism while the young teenager cares for her little brother. When Nia survives a minibus accident, superstitious locals believe that she has miraculous powers, which aspiring-writer Nia uses to raise money for her schooling. Readers will cheer Nia's real powers--her storytelling talent and her resiliency--in this vividly set story. Glos.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(2) 4-6 In 1985 Tennessee, Lyndie and her parents move in with her grandparents after her alcoholic, Vietnam War–vet father loses his job and her mother develops recurring headaches. But Lyndie's grandmother has a firm idea of what a "nice Southern family" should look like and vehemently tries to force Lyndie into that mold. The well-developed characters in this moving, fast-paced story contain a realistic mix of charm and flaws, which makes their progress and setbacks feel especially affecting.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) YA After her family is evicted (again), thirteen-year-old Genesis has to worry about a new home and school, as well as the unraveling of her family from past secrets. Teased for her dark skin and kinky hair, Genesis feels invisible, unloved, and un-pretty; her journey teaches her that beauty really is only skin deep. Williams's debut also addresses the consequences of addiction and the instability that goes along with it.

Reviewer: Monique Harris | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(3) YA During sophomore year, Dia, Hanna, and Jules were best friends and bandmates, yet alcoholism, pregnancy, and a death caused the trio's friendship to fall apart. After graduation, the girls piece back together their friendship to compete in a band talent contest. Chapters alternate among the girls' points of view, showing how each comes into her own in this heart-filled new-adult novel about the value of friendship.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam

(3) 4-6 Almost-twelve-year-old Edgar, sensitive and insecure, and his troubled mother, Stephanie, who's just gone through a breakup, are house-sitting in the Yukon. There Edgar bonds with a dog named Benjamin, while friendship and family drama swirl around him--leading to a near tragedy. An engaging read, with well-developed characters, a strong sense of place, and a fast-flowing narrative.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) YA Three Alabama teens spend the summer working at Unclaimed Baggage, a store that sells the contents of luggage left behind at airports. Local girl Doris is a talented finder of things, Nell is a Chicago transplant desperate for a job, and Grant is a former football hero struggling with addiction. The lost-and-found metaphor is an apt one for a summer of self-discovery and newfound friends in this thoughtful, nuanced novel.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) 4-6 When talented seventh-grade football player Danny Owens--son of a deceased Superbowl champion and an alcoholic mother--gets caught cheating, his teacher discovers he can't read. To make matters worse, the pressure of learning creates anger-management problems. Counseling, tutoring, and stalwart friends help Danny define success on his own terms. Green's latest is pretty message-y, but his fans will appreciate the authentic football details.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(1) YA In this sophisticated graphic memoir, Krosoczka recounts the triumphs and tragedies he experienced being raised by his grandparents. Regularly left in the dark regarding his family, Krosoczka eventually learns of his mother's addiction to heroin and of her habitual incarceration. Krosoczka's actual childhood art (from early crayon drawings to high-school gag comics) and handwritten letters are seamlessly inserted into the gracefully rendered, limited-palette illustrations.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(3) 4-6 As seventh grader Wes Davies's basketball team competes for a championship, his Navy-veteran father sinks into PTSD-caused alcoholism. Meanwhile, Wes's showy team nemesis "Dinero" challenges Wes's commitment--drilled into him by his father--to above all be a good teammate. Short chapters alternate between on-court action and Wes's home life. The resolution feels tidy, but hoops fans will root for resilient and likable Wes.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) YA Avery is navigating grief following his grandfather's death. His mother's alcoholism (which landed Avery with a patella injury following her drunk-driving crash) and potentially new sexual territory with his best friend, Luca, add complications, but Avery finds solace in songs and poetry, especially that of queer poets. Avery's intensely introspective, sometimes difficult-to-parse narrative incorporates many poetic forms in a prose/verse hybrid that will reward patient, reflective readers.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(3) YA Seventeen-year-old Blade Morrison, son of a famous rocker, just wants to avoid the attention his family receives for his father's drug-and-alcohol-fueled bad behavior. When a family secret is revealed, further alienating Blade, the Hollywood-raised teen embarks on a life-altering trip to Ghana. Alexander's verse, co-written with Hess, evokes the moody emotions of Blade's favorite real-life rock ballads (lyrics to which are interspersed).

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) YA High-school senior Lena loves her tight group of girlfriends and (secretly) loves her best guy friend, Sebastian. Then her life is shattered when she survives a drunk-driving accident that kills three of her friends (and that Lena feels complicit in). Lena's emotional recovery is raw and intense if generic; there are more nuanced depictions of survivor's guilt out there.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(1) 4-6 Translated by Susan Ouriou. Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault. The collaborators behind Jane, the Fox & Me have crafted another poignant picture book–size graphic novel. Louis and his little brother live with their always-worried mom, occasionally visiting their untreated-alcoholic dad. Louis's insightful observations about realistic familial struggles are heart-rending; dramatic pencil and ink illustrations employ powerfully moving wordless panels and splashes of yellow and greenish-blue to depict his somber world.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(2) YA An unnamed girl lives with her mother in an abandoned mill and must stay inside to avoid the "Authorities." The first-person narrative is clearly a child's voice, but a perceptive one, with naively poignant observations about people she sees outside, her "drowning" Ma, their harsh reality, and her own "invisibility." Ultimately, developers come for the mill, leading to a devastating conclusion. A mature, chilling, and compassionate depiction of homelessness.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2017

(4) YA Victoria Navarro's BFFs are dispersing come graduation, and Happies, a beloved restaurant in their California desert hometown, is shutting its doors. A final, epic party--ideally, a bash that affronts Vic's nemesis and scores Vic a hookup with her crush--feels only fitting. A light and diverting read heavy on contrivance; instances of stereotyping undermine the inclusive nature of the novel's quirky cast.

Reviewer: Rebecca Hachmyer

(4) YA Unemployed and stuck in small-town Georgia with her alcoholic mother, Dana accepts an unexpected offer to sing in a new girl group. Rehearsing in Orlando, Dana struggles with friendships, competition, and her sexy romance with a boy-band singer. This 1997-set romance (with no cell phones or internet) reads like a reality TV show. Which girl will get cut and who will become a star? Insubstantial but entertaining.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) YA Maeve has severe anxiety and isn't eager to live with her father, stepmother, and half-siblings in Vancouver while her (understanding) mother is in Haiti. But this change plus a potential new girlfriend help Maeve find some peace. A realistic portrayal of anxiety disorder and a refreshing, often funny story with a queer protagonist who is already out and accepted.

Reviewer: Sarah Hannah Gomez

(3) YA Biracial sixteen-year-old Isaac takes the rap when a car heist goes wrong. He'll be out of juvie in thirty days if he sticks to his story, and he's determined to help his younger sister get away from their alcoholic mom. With strong, emotional storytelling, McLaughlin realistically portrays juvenile delinquency and how hard it can be to break the cycle.

Reviewer: David Elzey