Category Archives: review

Deceiving Appearances: A Review of Selkies & Skeptics

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Selkies & Skeptics 
Elias Cold 
Page Street YA, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers 
Ages 13+ 
Available November 17, 2026 

Sixteen-year-old Luella didn’t mean to send a letter she wrote about selkies to the “Society for the Protection of Faeries,” but her greedy and cruel father had other ideas. Luckily, once the Society arrives at their lighthouse, she does manage to fabricate evidence. In return, the Society, along with the kind delivery ferryman Murphy, help the adventurous Luella escape her father’s clutches. As she takes in the outside world, Luella loves her newfound freedom and friends, especially Enoch, a transgender boy and the Society’s founder. However, this new life comes with a price. Winifred, who’s fiercely protective of the Society, knows Luella fabricated her evidence, and she’s suspicious of Luella’s intentions. When her lies catch up to her, Luella leaves her friends to confront her isolating past. In her journey, she builds enough courage to rejoin the Society and hopes to fix what’s been broken. Cold presents an intriguing parallel with Luella and Winifred. They both are escaping abusive situations, but while Luella is optimistic and kind, Winifred is more distrusting and cynical. Their interactions cause suspense and excitement in the story. Cold’s vastly different characterizations of the male characters create dramatic tension in the plot as well. Luella’s father only sees value in her when she dives in and steals from the shipwrecks. His physical threats and guilt tripping will have readers understand Luella’s motivation to leave and her need to keep her past secret. Murphy and Enoch provide a stark contrast to the father’s violent nature by valuing her autonomy. Their respect for Luella’s decisions make them more admirable characters. Cold also portrays emotionally realistic consequences when friendships are built on false pretenses. When Luella reveals her con, the group feels betrayed, and Enoch feels especially devastated. The melodrama is so ferocious that readers will feel heartbroken when the guilt-ridden Luella felt she had no other choice than to leave the Society to confront her father alone. However, there is reconciliation, a touching reunion, and a promising budding romance that gives the reader optimism for everyone else’s futures. The story features neurodivergent, gay, and transgender characters. Selkies & Skeptics is a genuine, thrilling romantic fantasy that will spark readers’ fascination for magical creatures.

Rugged Romance: A Review of Kissing Cowboys

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Kissing Cowboys
Meg Cabot
HarperCollins Publishers/HarperCollins Children’s Books
Ages 13+
Available December 8, 2026

Winn is a city girl, through and through. So when her brother’s felony charge forces their family to relocate to the only school that will take him, a working farm school for troubled boys, she’s less than pleased. And no matter what her best friend says, she absolutely will not be kissing, dating, or falling in love with any of the troubled-teens-turned-cowboys who make up the ranch’s population. But despite her distaste for Green Fire Ranch’s lack of cellular service and affordable vintage clothing, Winn finds herself drawn to farm life, and two of her new cowboy classmates in particular.

Winn might be stuck in a “will they, won’t they” love triangle, but Cabot is careful not to reduce her main character to her (dis)interest in boys. Winn has a believable slate of interests and hobbies, and her family and classmates are made into well-rounded characters, with multiple additional romances and plot points set up to be featured in the already-announced sequel. The novel’s prose is often intensely visual, with a focus not only on the handsome looks of cowboys but also no the natural beauty of the Montana wilderness.

With a relatable main character and a pair of excitingly tempting yet forbidden love interests, Kissing Cowboys fits in well with its young adult romance peers and will appeal to many a young romance reader. Neurodivergent readers may also be pleased to see a romance whose protagonist has ADHD and who lives in an environment where neuro-differences are accepted and celebrated.

A World Full of Possibilities: A Review of Daddy, Look!

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Daddy, Look!
Marcelo Tolentino
Translated by Rahul Bery
Blue Dot Kids Press
Ages 3-6
Available January 26. 2027

On a walk home with his dad, a little boy is fascinated by all the things he sees – a tightrope walker, an alien spaceship, and even a pair of gnomes! But his dad barely looks up from his phone, dismissing each of the things he calls out. Until the boy finally gets his dad to look with a child’s eyes and see the wonders around them.

Tolentino’s story uses simple phrases and gorgeous, jam-packed watercolor-style illustrations to tell the story at hand. The boy’s fantastical interpretations of the world on one page are contrasted with his father’s grounded view of reality (sandwiched in the dimensions of a phone screen) on the other, until they finally see eye to eye and fantasy takes over entire two-page spreads.

A playful homage to imagination with pictures readers can explore, Daddy, Look! has the potential to appeal to any child who enjoys imaginitive play.

Superb for the Job: A Review of Sheba the Alley Cat

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Sheba the Alley Cat 
Lauren Fornoles 
Illustrated by Natalia Gubanova 
Little Leaflet Press 
Ages: 4+  
Available: October 6, 2026 

When Sheba, a black cat, sees a job opening in the Meow Times for a ‘friend and travel companion’ for Hilda Broomwick (who seems nice and is totally not a witch), she finds an opportunity to see the world outside her humdrum alley. She packs her things and makes her way to the address listed in the paper: a house covered in cobwebs and has only one lit window. Despite her lack of travel experience, Sheba’s enthusiasm and bone-collecting skills might land her the job of a lifetime. Natalia Gubanova’s use of dark blue sky, pumpkins outside Hilda’s house, bats flying all over the place, and Hilda’s overall witchy appearance create a gentle Halloween theme. The hand-drawn look of Gubanova’s digital illustrations and muted colors generate a serene and charming atmosphere. Lauren Fornoles’s positive phrasing about Sheba’s excitement for the job complements Gubanova’s cute-spooky drawings. When Sheba reads “Welcome” near the front door, she fails to see the bottom text that reads, “if you dare,” creating depth to the story’s humor. The underlying message of being appreciated for one’s unique traits adds an emotional layer to the otherwise whimsical text. Sheba feels discouraged when she tells Hilda she hasn’t had a lot of travel experience. However, when Hilda mentions she needs special bones for her spells, Sheba realizes she can make a personal contribution, and her confidence returns stronger than ever. In short, Sheba the Alley Cat is a sweet seasonal story with a dash of social emotional learning, great for a Halloween collection or story time. 

A Just-Reformed Overachiever: A Review of Jubilee Foster is Totally Fine

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Jubilee Foster is Totally Fine
Elise Bryant 
Quill Tree Books, an imprint of HarperCollins 
Ages 13+ 
Available: January 26, 2027

Sixteen-year-old go-getter Jubilee Foster has her life under control. But her perfect life comes crashing down when from out of nowhere, she gets hives all over her body and can’t completely get rid of them. As her illness gets worse, Jubilee refuses to put her routine and relationships in jeopardy and act as selfish as her mother did when her mental illness took over. However, Jubilee will eventually need to attain the hardest goal a human powerhouse like her can accomplish: ask for and accept help. Bryant’s grounded dialogue makes every character soulful and three-dimensional. Jubilee’s feelings, especially those about Nate, her rival-turned-sweetheart, her mother, and her medical misfortune, take center stage in the story. When she realizes how her actions and words affect the people around her, the issues don’t quickly resolve themselves, which makes the story true-to-life. James Junior, Jubilee’s youngest sibling, is embarrassed that he needs extra help with his reading skills but didn’t tell his sister because he didn’t want to bother her busy schedule. It parallels Jubilee not wanting either of her siblings to tell her father about her hives because it would take time away from his work. Both James Jr.’s and Jubilee’s issues aren’t completely resolved, but it doesn’t deter from the story’s hopeful ending. The story features mostly Black and mixed-race characters. Jubilee Foster is Totally Fine, an enemies-to-lovers and medical drama, will make readers cry tears of frustration and happiness with every page turn.  

You, Me, and the Ghost Makes Three: A Review of Haunted Comic Club

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Haunted Comic Club
Josh Tierney
Illustrated by Caitlin Soliman
Oni Press
Ages 8-12
Available October 6, 2026

Will is an aspiring writer struggling to fit in at school after his closest and only friend moved away. Anita is a passionate artist grieving her Ama, who was always her biggest supporter. After a chance meeting at the Tween Zone after school club, the two outcasts decide to team up to create the best comic ever. Their subject? The ghost of a former staff member who still haunts the Tween Zone.

Will and Anita’s story is firmly rooted in creativity and friendship. With a core message about finding your “people” and chasing your passions, the graphic novel is simple to digest while still having exciting twists and turns. Drawings of Will and Anita’s own characters interplay with the illustrations, giving extra dimension to the world and the two tweens’ inner lives. The ghost of Sarah, the Tween Zone staff member, lurks throughout the story, both in the fictional comic and in the Tween Zone itself, adding a supernatural element that leaves the main characters and the readers alike questioning whether the ghost story is merely a legend.

A heartfelt, relatable story with protagonists who are easy to root for, Haunted Comic Club has the potential to resonate with a wide variety of readers. Those who are curious about scary books but not yet reading to jump into the deep end will enjoy the spooky atmosphere that radiates throughout the graphic novel without being overly frightening.

Finding Perseverance Through Friendship: A Review of Dasia (Forever)

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Dasia (Forever) 
Nic Stone 
Illustrated by Simone Douglas 
Crown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books
Ages: 10+ 
Available: October 6, 2026  

13-year-old Dasia Monae Riley is not supposed to have visitors while undergoing bone cancer treatment. This doesn’t stop 14-year-old fellow cancer patient Jameson “Jimmy” Jeffs from entering her room, unnoticed by the doctors and nurses, and having a conversation with her on a lonely July night. As the two girls talk, Dasia realizes she has more in common with Jimmy than she first thought. Little does she know that one night in spectral Jimmy’s company will change her life forever.

This magical realistic middle grade fiction novel, a spin-off of Stone’s the Dear Martin series, is part prose and part verso libre poetry in the form of Dasia’s unsent letters to her incarcerated older brother, LaQuan. The letters give readers a glimpse of Dasia’s life prior to induction chemo, feelings and experiences that she’s rarely shared with others except for Jimmy. Simone Douglas’s black-and-white illustrations, mainly seen as margin doodles in Dasia’s letters, accurately capture her sometimes-extreme emotional state. Stone gives the intense topic of childhood cancer gravitas and is not shy in including the isolation and pain associated with it, while Jimmy’s encouragement for Dasia to keep going and Dasia’s resolve to still fight her cancer, even at her lowest point, provide the reader hope. Extensive prior knowledge of the Dear Martin series isn’t required to understand Dasia’s narrative. Its powerful message of optimism in the face of illness is strong enough to stand alone. In short, Dasia (Forever) is an emotionally charged tale that will tug a reader’s heartstrings. 

The New Meets the Old: A Review of a Hanbok for Hana

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A Hanbok for Hana
Korena Di Roma Howley
Illustrated by Jaime Kim
Candlewick Press
Ages 5+
Available September 1, 2026

After moving to a new town with her Eomma, Hana’s life is changing. Now, with the Korean holiday of Chuseok approaching, she’s had enough of change. Instead of celebrating with her family, she has to celebrate with new neighbors, and her traditional hanbok no longer fits. But in creating a new hanbok, Hana discovers ways that the old and the new can coexist, and how new traditions can be just as beloved as old ones.

This simple, easy to follow story grapples with the idea of change, something familiar to many young readers, while introducing Korean concepts including holidays, clothing, and foods. A short explainer in the back gives more information about these for readers who may not be familiar. Kim’s illustrations emphasize the theme of old and new, especially in the depiction of Hana’s new hanbok, which is made from pieces from an old hanbok belonging to her Eomma as well as new pieces.

Perfect for discussions on cultural traditions and fall holidays, A Hanbok for Hana offers a view of a culture that may be familiar to some readers and brand new to others. Universal themes tie together a story that any young reader can relate to, regardless of their background.

Living in Agony and Remorse: A Review of Find My Way Down to You

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Find My Way Down to You
Julian Winters
Viking, an Imprint of Penguin Random House
Ages: 13+
Available Now

For the first time since the untimely death of his boyfriend, London, 18-year-old August’s life turns upside down when he meets a mysterious “ferrier of souls” named Cary, whom August follows into a forbidden place: Aides, the Underworld, where mortal souls spend eternity after they die. Seeing an opportunity to find London, August frequently visits the extravagant Aides looking for his lost love, with Cary as his reluctant guide. After five visits to Aides, August is presented with a choice, as per the rules: choose a lonely life without his old boyfriend or pursue his budding feelings for the moody Cary.  

Julian Winters’s contemporary prose emphasizes how grief impacts August’s life. Its omnipresence is evident when August oversleeps, is late to his work shift, mentions blaming himself for his boyfriend’s death in several chapters, and seeing an old photo of him and London leaves him in emotional turmoil. It’s heartbreak at its bleakest. However, this plot doesn’t just have doom and gloom. August’s interactions with Cary and other Aides characters breathe fresh air and excitement into an otherwise depressing story. Same-sex relationships and attractions are included without value-judgement, giving both the characters and readers room to explore their own feelings. Readers don’t need to be extremely fluent in afterlife mythos, especially Greek mythology, to follow the narrative. Even Henri, one of the other soul ferriers, mentions that everything found in Wikipedia about the underworld gets things “wrong.” Emotionally raw and rife with dramatic intrigue, Find My Way Down to You is a weighty rainy-day YA romantasy that is guaranteed to make readers cry.  

Romantasy Meets Mystery: A Review of Crown & Captive

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Crown & Captive
Kathleen Kitt
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Ages 14+
Available December 1, 2026

Lady Elysia’s life has taken a major turn. After a short-lived and failed war of independence, she has been forced to leave her home in the kingdom of Miral to be a servant in the royal castle in the ruling state of Tannic. But when she discovers a plot against Prince (soon to be King) Daxon, she bargains for her freedom in exchange for catching a traitor. But catching royal conspirators is harder than it seems, especially when her heart begins to get in the way of her loyalty to her kingdom.

Romance, fantasy, and a mystery with a steadily ticking countdown to disaster meet in this female-led story. Kitt’s novel is packed full of classic romantasy tropes, with balls and dungeons and a handful of handsome princes to seal the deal. Female friendship and empowerment is also a common theme, and Elysia never wavers in the belief that her destiny is to be the rightful ruler of a free Miral.

A new entry in the forever-growing romantasy category, Crown & Captive has the potential to charm readers familiar with the genre, as well as those new to it.