Cheri's March 2023 pick
Magic exists in New Orleans.
Sixteen year old twins, Clement and Christina, have known about Moon Magic their whole lives. It has not been easy.
Clement and Christina must work to discover the mysteries of Moon Magic, and to restore their family's good name and reputation. Thirty years ago, their family was blamed for a magical massacre in which their own grandparents were lynched. Secrets that Clem and Christina are carrying are pulling them apart just when they need each other the most.
This is an exciting and unique story. There were twists I didn’t expect. I am looking forward to the next in the series. Great read for a mature reader.
CW: Some graphic sexual content
Cheri's January 2023 pick
This middle grade novel takes place in the 1980’s. This seems far removed from 2023, but the parallels may surprise the reader.
Iris Cohen is thirteen, and her father is dying. He is dying from AIDS. At this time AIDS was sorely misunderstood due to lots of misinformation. She is also still learning to live with her parent’s divorce, and her father’s boyfriend, J.R, whom she hates. Her best friend moved away just before everything unfolded. Her newest friend, Julien, is just so cool. However, she has kept a lot of what has been going on in her life away from her friends and thinks everyone is unaware. When her father dies, the grief is overwhelming. But over time, Iris begins to cope. She learns more about how her father, and people like him, have been very mistreated, and how she might help affect change. She also learns that she can really rely on those who love her.
One of the parts of this story I loved the most was the exchange of acrostic poems between Iris and her father that pepper the chapters. They really elevated the thought of acrostic poems in my eyes. This book was heartbreaking, but truly lovely.
Cheri's July 2022 pick
Based on true events, The Elephant Girl is a moving and exciting story. It is a tale about overcoming great tragedy to accomplish great good. Jama knows she is a little different than the girls she has grown up with in her village. Her affinity for the elephants that visit near her village bring her great joy and solace. A series of terrible events brings Jama’s world crashing down around her. No one would blame her for giving into the tragedy and grief. Yet, Jama knows, in spite of very real dangers, she has a calling and a job to do. This story gives a glimpse into the lives of children we rarely get to see. This is an excellent story for the late elementary and middle school reader.
Cheri's May 2022 pick
Being a fan of Kevin Sands and The Blackthorn Key I was very excited to begin his new series. I was not disappointed. It is fantastic. In this story, 5 children who have had to survive on their own, and have become very streetwise, have been gathered by a patron who needs them to steal a precious object. In this world, reminiscent of a much older England, magic is feared and wielded by Weavers. Cal and his crew must outwit the greatest Weaver of the age to gain the largest reward they all know that they will never see again. Each member of the crew has their own talent and speciality. Their common goal keeps them together, but will it be enough if their caper goes awry? This is an exciting page turner for the adventurous reader.
Cheri's January 2022 pick
For those who love fast paced adventure in a new world to learn about and explore, this book is for you! Rick Riordan, known for his wonderful Percy Jackson series, has created a new heroine in the world of the deep.
Ana Dakkar attends a very special school, Harding-Pencroft Academy. This is a specialized school for learning about, and from, the ocean. Ana is a freshman in this 5 year school. Her brother, Dev, is an upperclassman.
Ana is preparing for her end of freshman year trials, which take place out at sea. While she and her friends are boarding their ship, something unimaginable happens. It plunges the class, and one teacher, into a race for their lives. Their only hope is to find the mysteriou island of Captain Nemo. Yes, the Captain of the Nautilus. But are the legends true?
I loved reading this story with its great heroine, Ana, and the crew of smart and funny classmates. It’s a story of perseverance, friendship, family, and learning about who you are. I also hope this book will be a springboard towards Jules Verne for a new generation. This book is perfect for adventurous middle school readers.
Cheri's July 2021 pick
Are you looking for a sweet romance for the summer? Do you follow K-Pop? Do you ever dream of being that girl whose life changes through the chance meeting of the right stranger? Jenny, a cello prodigy, had just that type of unexpected meeting. One day, in her Uncle’s Karaoke Bar, Jenny meets that stranger, an adorable Korean boy. They have a fun afternoon together but their time ends unexpectedly. Then Jenny ends up in Soule, Korea to go to a prestigious music academy. There she discovers, not only does that boy she met in the States, Jaewoo, go to her school, he is a member of the biggest boyband currently in Korea. Jenny had no idea. Is there a way to have a friendship with a Korean Idol? Very quickly, Jenny discovers that being an Idol is not what she thought it was. Can their budding relationship survive? I loved the cultural aspect of this story, as well as its message on friendship and being true to yourself.
Cheri's February 2021 pick
Yumi Chung is a young Korean girl who aspires to be a standup comedian, just like her favorite Internet comedian celebrity. Her very traditional parents own and run a Korean Barbeque restaurant in California. Her older sister is in medical school. Yumi is expected to spend her summer in summer school, preparing for an exam to earn a scholarship to a prestigious middle school. Yumi is not thrilled, but she wants to make her parents proud. However, all of that goes out the window with Yumi is mistaken for a student at a summer camp for standup comedians, run by her favorite Youtube comedian, Jasmine Jasper. Yumi refuses to pass up this unexpected opportunity. What results is a hilarious comedy, but also a lot of stress by maintaining two personas. I loved the cultural aspect of this story, as well as the comedy. It was a heartfelt read.
Cheri's January 2021 pick, 2 of 2
A few times a year, I pick up a book that totally captures me. Whether it is through the creativity of the story, or the well-crafted writing, I look forward to reading it and I talk about it to everyone. The Last Windwitch is one of those books this year. Brida lives in a world with magic, and witches, an evil queen, and magical creatures. Brida is an apprentice to a very talented Hedge Witch. While Brida never seems to measure up to the magical expectations of a witch’s apprentice, her mentor, Magdi is patient and encouraging. Brida has no one else, having been a foundling who was taken in by the Hedge Witch, which brings its own prejudices. One day, Brida witnesses something that shouldn’t have been real, the legendary “stormhorses,” horse-like creatures that are made from the nature of the weather itself. Just after that sighting, things in Brida’s village begin changing. She witnesses bone-creatures, tree creatures, monstrous hounds, and shape-shifting crows. As Brida gets caught up in these unexpected events, threads of her own story begin to be revealed- and she may be just as legendary and the stormhorses themselves. A great book for fans of fantasy and magic.
Cheri's January 2021 pick, 1 of 2
The Silver Arrow is an exciting adventure! Two siblings, Kate and Tom, are given a train, a full-sized locomotive as a gift from their eccentric, if not somewhat estranged, Uncle Herbert. The kids are incredulous to find this locomotive has been placed in their back yard, on rails. Kate and Tom decide to humor this gift with a test drive. Of course, they never expect that this locomotive would actually take them on an unexpected journey. The train, as it turns out, is called the Silver Arrow and mentors the newly minted train engineers on their journey. As picking up and transporting passengers is the main function of trains, the Silver Arrow is not different. Except its passengers are unexpectedly talking animals. The whole mission for Kate and Tom is a tremendous learning experience. There are fun times and harrowing times for the two. Get your ticket and come aboard. You won’t be disappointed.
Cheri's June 2020 pick
Five poor, unadoptable orphans have quite a sad life. But what they lack in comforts they make up for in tenacity. These orphans all came to the orphanage in interesting ways, all in the same year. For example, one orphan came, “wrapped in a soot-stained shawl,” “abandoned by a coal bunker.” Each abandonment perhaps left clues regarding each orphan’s background. Milou’s, in particular, left a name, B. Poppenmaker. Milou is convinced that her parents will be back for her at any moment, and she wants to be ready. When circumstances at the orphanage give the five a chance at freedom, they take it. With Milou as their leader, they seem to find her family home, and empty abandoned windmill and puppet theater. But there are many forces just as determined to ruin the orphans’ chances. The orphans aren’t sure who to trust.
The Unadoptables is a page-turner. I was quickly taken by the author’s unique writing style and by the five orphans this book is about. Hana Tooke’s style reminds me a bit of Lemony Snicket. I also loved its setting, the Amsterdam of 1880. Mysterious and heartwarming, I recommend this novel enthusiastically.
Cheri's May 2020 pick
Mary Porter-Malcolm is a very smart and astute young lady. She has gone to school on a college campus and knows all the ins and outs of the literature of the Bronte sisters, Jane Austen, and other readers of that time period. As with any great story, Mary’s takes a plot twist. Her school is closing and Mary must begin again at the local public high school. While there, Mary finds friendship with a group of girls, lamenting over how they can’t find the perfect boy. She becomes a wealth of knowledge for the girls on this point, having had her education in identifying and avoiding those rakes from her feminine literary heroes. Being accepted in her new school has made her transition so much more tolerable. But, has she overstepped her expertise? Can she really tell the difference between a rake and the real thing?
Amanda Sellet has written in the style of those same literary heroes, and I loved it. This is a fun read, that is not as predictable as you might think. A wonderful book for the romantic hearts of middle and high schoolers.
Cheri's April 2020 pick
The best thing about books is that they bring you experiences you may not otherwise have. They can teach you things about life that you may not already know. Alex Gino has done both in Rick. Rick allowed me into the inner thinking and turmoil of a young boy questioning himself, who he is and who his friends are. Rick is realizing that his best friend, Jeff, may actually be the biggest jerk in the world, and what does that say about his own choices in friends. Rick is also realizing that, as a middle schooler, he doesn’t seem to be “feeling” the same sorts of attractions to others as Jeff does. Jeff is quick to point out that Rick better get with the program. Then, serendipitously, Rick finds support and friendship from an unlikely source, the LGBTQIAP+ club called the “Rainbow Spectrum” where Melissa, from Alex Gino’s debut novel, George, rejoins the story. Outside of school Rick reconnects with his Grandfather on several unexpected levels. Each topic is tenderly treated my Alex Gino’s gentle storying telling manner.
Cheri's July 2019 pick, 1 of 3
Laurel Snyder wrote one of my favorite books from last summer, Orphan Island. Her new book, My Jasper June, is already a favorite for this summer and should be added to anyone's summer reading list. Laurel Snyder has a wonderful way of creating characters you just deeply care about. I feel there are hints of Jinny, from Orphan Island, in My Jasper June’s main character, Leah.
Thirteen-year-old Leah is facing the summer feeling incredibly lonely and alone. Her family has just trudged through a year of heartbreak caused by the death of her little brother, Sam, last summer. She and her parents still have each other, but they all seem to be barely hanging on. Nothing seems normal, and no one seems to treat them normal anymore either. Leah’s best friend, Tess, seems so distant and far away that Leah doesn’t look for her company anymore. Then, Leah finds Jasper, a girl just about her own age, with bright red and wild hair. Leah says of Jasper, “It’s like she’s so full of joy, nothing can squish it.” Except, Jasper has her own story to tell, and in some ways, it is worse than Leah’s. These two, strong girls find friendship, love, and trust, both at a time when they needed it most. I loved this story of love, and loss, and friendship. It is a story that will stay with me for a long time.
Cheri's July 2019 pick, 2 of 3
Do you know what “Spine Poetry’ is? Well, I didn’t until I read A Kind of Paradise. This book is my #1 pick for youth fiction summer reading. This story is an uplifting read from start to finish, full of wonderful characters and a little heartbreak, but mostly it is a self affirming story about growing through your mistakes.
Jamie made a big mistake at the end of her school year. So big that she was assigned community service at the local library. Jamie is dreading this hijacking of her summer. But, Jamie soon finds acceptance and purpose, as well as the support to face her choices and become a better person for it. This is a story well worth reading. Enjoy.
Cheri's July 2019 pick, 3 of 3
Girls of July is a quintessential summer read. Four girls, from four very different walks of life, share a house together for the summer in upstate New York. Katherine, Grace, Britta and Spider start out a strangers, each wanting and needing to get away from their lives to be distracted for a while, but also not ready to let anyone else in. They begin with a tentative alliance, and as the summer progresses, form lifelong bonds. Along with Ruth, the owner of the house and Spider’s grandmother, the girls tackle wild animals, find new love, ask big questions about their lives, and solve a mystery sixty years in the making. I loved that there were four main characters, and all were so different and each grew in their own ways.
Cheri's May 2019 pick, 1 of 3
Jude is a young girl from Syria. As tensions rise in her country, and life becomes more dangerous, Jude and her mother move to the United States to live with her Uncle. Jude struggles with missing Syria, and her father and brother. While at her Uncle’s, Jude enrolls in school and begins the difficult task of learning English and finding her place in this new country. Her cousin, Sarah, was born in the United States, but doesn’t seem interested in helping her cousin fit in. Jude also experiences strangers who seem to feel the same way. She does find a taste of home, however, when she meets Layla, whose parents own a Lebanese restaurant. As Jude perseveres, she decides to tryout for the school’s play and lands a part. Jude soon learns that she can live in both worlds. This is a lovely telling of a refugee’s story, written through poetry.
Cheri's May 2019 pick, 2 of 3
Finding Orion is for anyone who thinks their family is crazy, and for anyone who has experienced the upheaval a loss of a loved one can create. This wonderfully funny and insightful story follows Rion and his family after the loss of his dad’s estranged father. A singing clown comes to deliver the news of Rion’s grandfather’s passing to his family, and that isn’t the only odd thing to happen. Papa Kwirk’s body turns up missing. Thus starts a scavenger hunt for Rion’s missing grandfather. Along the way, Rion learns about his grandfather and father at the same time. John David Anderson is a master storyteller. I’ve loved EVERYTHING he has written. I’m sure you will too.
Cheri's May 2019 pick, 3 of 3
“We make room for what we love.”
Delise is spending her summer at the Cape just as she always loves to do, except at thirteen, her life is beginning to shift. Her closest childhood friend, Brandy, appears to be moving on without her, onto more “interesting” people, like Tressa. A new, unexpected friend comes along, Ronan. They have connections beyond their age and begin to create a new bond. In the meantime, Delise starts to really struggle with the fact that she has no parents and the recent loss of her grandfather. She knows she is loved and cared for by her grandmother, and the neighbors she has known all her life but is it enough? Can they really make room for her? This story will tug at your heartstrings. Ms. Hunt’s writing style is perfect for upper elementary and middle school readers. I love how she writes with just the right tone and uses just the right dialog so that I can really hear “life.”
Cheri's April 2019 pick, 1 of 4
I would consider this story a mystery adventure. Miranda has been sent to August Isle, in Florida. This is the town her mother grew up in, but never talks about. Both of Miranda’s parents have important work commitments, so Miranda is being sent to stay with her mother’s childhood friend. Miranda has always wanted to travel to August Isle, but didn’t think she would be by herself when she did. She soon finds friends and a mystery to solve. Miranda sees a light on at the lighthouse off the coast, but nobody's supposed to be there. It’s owner disappeared years ago. She decides to investigate and finds more than she ever expected. This is an enjoyable adventure.
Cheri's April 2019 pick, 2 of 4
Margaret Haddix has always been able to tell a story, about kids, with real suspense and mystery. The first of her new series, Greystone Secrets, is no exception. Three siblings, Chess, Emma, and Finn, find themselves in a situation beyond anyone’s imagining. Their father died years ago. Their mother has disappeared. And three children from California have been kidnapped. That by itself is terrible, but not remarkable. However, each child has the same exact first and middle name, and birthdate as Chess, Emma, and Finn! And somehow it is all connected. Chess, Emma, and Finn must find and solve the clues, including a hidden room that spins and leads to a tunnel, to save their mother in a race against time.
Cheri's April 2019 pick, 3 of 3
Welcome Back! I was so excited to return to the world of Nevermore with Morrigan Crow, Jupiter North, Hawthorne Swift, and Finestra. In this next installment, we go deeper, much deeper, into Morrigan’s new life. Morrigan begins school with her fellow “Wunsoc” students who were inducted into the Wunderous Society at the end of the last book. But her dreams of learning more and finding a family are soon challenged. A blackmailer seems bent on tearing apart the new friendships Morrigan has been offered, and prejudice surrounding her “nack,” or her powers has kept Morrigan from learning what she had wanted to. And all the while, the Wundersmith, Ezra Squall, continues to lurk in the shadows trying to recruit Morrigan as his apprentice. Ezra is the most hated man in Nevermore, what does that say about Morrigan? Come back to Nevermore and enjoy the adventure.
Cheri's April 2019 pick, 4 of 4
This is a delightful book about the magic of wishes. Four kids, not exactly friends, inadvertently bring back a magic wishing well, and it all starts with a bully and a chase. As Earnest learns about an uncle he never knew, and Ryan develops a friendship he never meant to, and Lizzy finds her voice, the town they live in gets some serendipitous surprises through some seemingly random objects found abandoned in an attic, and then lost again. Readers will love getting to know these kids, and their adventures at the bottom of a very special well.
Likely available, but must be ordered by email/phone
Cheri's March 2019 pick
This is a magical adventure story. Mallie lives in a world that is dark and filled with a harmful dust. Life is dreary and hard. Mallies father has lost his voice and is unable to work. Her brother, Denver, is destined to her father’s fate in the mines. Mallie helps to make ends meet by cleaning the houses of the rich. An opportunity comes up as a way to lift her family out of their precarious state. The danger of the opportunity is presented up front, but the rewards are too great to pass up. What Mallie didn’t expect was a way to save the whole world on the back of a winged horse! You will enjoy this exciting adventure to the stars.
Cheri's February 2019 pick
Coyote Sunrise is a young girl on an extended adventure. She is riding around in a renovated school bus with her dad- Rodeo. They have been traveling back and forth between the shores of the country, stopping everywhere they want, doing whatever they like. Coyote and Rodeo have been driving for five years. Once, Coyote had a family, with a dad, mom, and sisters. All that changed five years ago. When Coyote learns that the small park , where she, her mother, and her sisters buried a time capsule is going to be dug up, it becomes Coyote’s mission to get Rodeo to bring her to their old neighborhood to save the time capsule. As they travel, Coyote and Rodeo pick up passengers along the way. Each new passenger begins to help Coyote and Rodeo stretch themselves back into the world, beyond the safety of their beloved bus. This is a heartwarming story about love, loss and friendship.