Tag Archives: friendship

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.  

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. 

Butler Bookshelf

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Friendships can be hard to navigate during middle school. These middle-grade novels from our Butler Center Children’s Fiction collection represent challenges students face and how they face them. This week’s feature pick is Roohi and Nate are Not on the Same Page by Supriya Kelkar and Jarret Lerner. Studious Roohi and rebellious Nate couldn’t be any more different, and they don’t consider themselves friends when they join their school Lunch Bunch. As they spend more time together, and when they learn the school librarian’s job is on the line due to budget cuts, Roohi and Nate put their differences aside and work together to save what they hold dear.

Roohi and Nate are Not on the Same Page
Supriya Kelkar and Jarret Lerner
ABRAMS/Amulet Books
Available now!

Camp Big Top
Alexandra Diaz
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Beach Lane Books
Available now!

The Unlikely Aventuras of Ramón and El Cucuy Book 2: Don’t Eat the Birthday Boy!
Donna Barbara Higuera
Illustrated by Juliana Perdomo
ABRAMS/Amulet Books
Available now!

When Tomorrow Burns
Tae Keller
Random House Children’s Books/Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

The Catastrophic Friendship Fails of Lottie Brooks
Kate Kirby
Random House Children’s Books/Random House Books for Young Readers
Available now!

One Beary Cute Story: A Review of Mr. Crump, the Heartless Grump

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Mr Crump, the Heartless Grump
Pog
Illustrated by Stephanie Leon
Floris Books
Ages 4-7
Available August 18th, 2026

Mr. Crump is, frankly, a total grump. He has no manners, no patience, and absolutely no enjoyment of things like pigeons at the park. But the second he gets home, Mr. Crump suddenly becomes soft, snuggly, and sentimental—just like the enormous collection of stuffed teddy bears filling his house! One fateful Halloween, a group of trick-or-treaters mistake his beloved bears for treats and make off with the entire collection! Left with just Captain Snuggles, his oldest and most prized teddy, Mr. Crump begins to learn what it means to care for others. With his newfound generosity, the town discovers there’s more beneath his curmudgeonly exterior, and the children now know that Mr. Crump is far from a grump.

One of the most striking features of Mr Crump, the Heartless Grump are Stephanie Leon’s pencil illustrations. The soft lines give the characters depth and texture, while the color palette mirrors emotion. The town’s colors lean cooler, more muted, and a little distant, resembling Mr. Crump’s gruff, closed-off personality. But inside his home, everything warms up. There’s a gentle, golden glow that makes his space (and his bears) feel safe, tender, and inviting.

Paired with author Pog’s playful, slightly silly language and distinct vernacular, Mr Crump, the Heartless Grump feels lively, cozy, and inviting, making it a great choice for younger readers and especially strong as a read-aloud tale.

From A Rocky Start to Solid Pals: A Review of Still Friends

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Still Friends
Troy Wilson
Illustrated by Mike Deas
Orca Book Publishers
Ages 3-5
Available May 19th, 2026

On a routine trip to the neighborhood park with his owner, one friendly (and inquisitive!) pup notices a lone girl sitting on the bench. He wants to play, but she doesn’t move (or talk!). Nothing but stone-cold silence. But as the seasons pass and the months go by, he learns to appreciate her stability. She doesn’t make him go to the vet, or scold him when he eats a dropped hot dog, and maybe, after all, he can learn to love her for exactly what she is… rock solid.

The charm of this picture book lies not just in its endearing, offbeat premise—unlikely companionship between a statue and a dog—but also in its world. Quirky characters, like a recurring flock of nosy pigeons, the stern lady manning the hot dog cart, and a family of birds who just won’t stop eating seeds, let the story come alive; perfect small details for eagle-eyed younger readers. The words are simple and sparse, yet still emotionally resonant. Deas’ soft pastel and watercolor illustrations bring a warmth and nostalgia to the story, with thoughtful usage of white space and sketchily drawn lines that feel lived-in and familiar, keeping each page spread from feeling too cluttered with the chaos of this faux-Central Park.

All in all, Still Friends is a tenderly funny read, inviting young audiences to reconsider what friendship can look like—and how sometimes, the most unexpected companions are the ones who stay.

Butler Bookshelf

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Graphic novels are a great way to escape into a different world and go on an adventure. You can go on an adventure in outer space, revisit a classic Dr. Seuss story, or explore a cozy new world with flying horses like in this week’s feature, A Song for You & I by K. O’Neill. In this fantasy graphic novel, O’Neill explores themes of self-discovery and bravery. Rose is a ranger-in-training who is disappointed by their final assignment before the graduation-like Name Carving ceremony that will allow them to be a ranger to protect all people. They are tasked with protecting Lamb’s Ear Meadow, an idyllic, sleepy region that is nothing like the danger and excitement they were hoping for. Soon, they develop a friendship with the shepherd Leone, who helps Rose to discover who they really are and be brave enough to show it to the world. O’Neill’s writing, though sparse, is touching and offers readers a connection to the characters, but their illustrations are the star of the show. The digital sketch-style drawings, made in Procreate, are crafted with a pleasing, full-color palette that beautifully builds the world and expertly shows the emotions that Rose and Leone feel over the course of the story. The vibrancy allows readers to smell the sea-salty air, hear Leone’s fiddle playing, and see the inner turmoil Rose is going through, as well as the triumph when they comes out as Rowan in the Name Carving ceremony. A sweet, delightful book for readers of all ages, A Song for You & I is a wonderful addition to a library looking for stories with themes of identity and acceptance. 

Check out more graphic novel titles below! 

A Copycat Conundrum (The Misfits 2) 
Written by Lisa Yee 
Illustrated by Dan Santat
Published by Random House Children’s Books
Available now!

Great Space Iguana (Hilo 11) 
Written and illustrated by Judd Winick 
Published by RH Graphic
Available now!

Green Eggs and Ham Take a Hike 
Written and illustrated by James Kochalka
Published by RH Graphic
Available now!  

Steve L. McEvil and the Twisted Sister (Steve L. McEvil 3) 
Written and illustrated by Lucas Turnbloom 
Colors by Marc La Pierre and Lucas Turnbloom 
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers 
Available now! 

A Song for You & I 
Written and illustrated by K. O’Neill 
Published by RH Graphic 
Available now! 

Dare To Follow Your Joy: A Review of The Queen Bees of Tybee County 

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The Queen Bees of Tybee County 
Written by Kyle Casey Chu 
Published by Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins Publishers 
Ages 8-13 
Available April 15, 2025 

Talented middle school point guard Derrick Chan has the perfect summer plan: go to basketball camp and practice every day so he and his best friend, JJ, can make the varsity team next year. His plan is upended when his dad can’t afford the tuition, so instead, Derrick is sent to his grandma Claudia’s in boring Heritage, GA. There, Derrick befriends roller skater Ro and queer photographer Giles. When he has an opportunity to help out with the town pageant, Derrick volunteers out of curiosity and is soon faced with an opportunity to be daring and authentically express himself to the world.  

The Queen Bees of Tybee County is an emotional and heartwarming story of one middle school boy’s journey to self-discovery. Every reader will be able to understand Derrick’s confusion and anxiety, and they’ll find comfort in the safe space that his loved ones give him to be himself. Simultaneously, Chu expertly makes Derrick’s experience specific to his queer Chinese American identity. He demonstrates the diversity of expression in the LGBTQ+ community by showing the different ways Derrick and Giles express their queerness, as well as the ways that racism has affected Derrick’s family members chasing their own dreams. All told from Derrick’s perspective, his sweet and genuine personality makes the story compelling. Community is the heart of this novel, and Chu creates a comfortable safe space in Giles, Ro, and Claudia for Derrick to explore his feelings before feeling safe to come out to JJ and his dad. Although the resolution is fairytale-esque, Chu doesn’t shy away from the reality of being queer and Chinese American by showing resistance from some townspeople when Derrick competes in the pageant. This touching story of self-love and acceptance is sure to inspire upper-elementary and middle schoolers everywhere to be proud of who they are. 

Come Find Me: A Review of Frankie and Friends: The Lost Tooth

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Frankie and Friends: The Lost Tooth
Christine Platt
Illustrated by Alea Marley
Walker Books/Candlewick
March 18, 2025
Age 5-8

If Frankie loses a tooth while she’s away from home, how will the tooth fairy ever find her? Excitement over the very first loose tooth, and anxiety over its timing, inspire imaginative problem-solving by thoughtful and determined Frankie and her friends—a group of sentient toys—to ensure a visit from the tooth fairy. The group brainstorms solutions as they prepare for a long-awaited trip to accompany Mama to a journalism conference. When Frankie loses her tooth at the conference, she is joined by other aspiring young journalists to find her tooth and guarantee it makes it to her pillow.

With gentle prose and the excitement of her young protagonist, Platt centers the joys and concerns of a young elementary schooler and the importance of friendship in this third installment of the Frankie and Friends series. Introducing potentially new vocabulary in all caps, calls out the opportunity to decode the word based on clear context clues in the text. Though there is a definition list included in the backmatter. Themes of teamwork and communicating worries are spot on for the social-emotional learning of the target age group. Digital illustrations in a hand-drawn, colored-pencil style are vibrantly hued and full of pattern. Full page, full bleed images sit alongside smaller inset drawing to break up the text into manageable chunks, and closely mirror the text to aid in decoding. Depicting sweetly expressive faces and a loving bond in the African American family, Marley’s illustrations help place the series as one to depict an ordinary, happy childhood versus struggle and strife.

The latest Frankie and Friends offers newly independent readers a spunky heroine growing into her own with the loving support of her family and friends.

The Big Score: A Review of Faker

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Faker
Gordon Korman
Scholastic
Age 8-12
July 2, 2024


Is Trey really defined by what his family does? Confidence man, liar, criminal… Faker? Living a high-end life funded by his father’s career as a con artist, Trey and his little sister are in on the game, to reel in families in a series of prep schools and wealthy communities. Settling into what could be their biggest score yet—the big kahuna—a fictional electric car start-up looking for investors, he begins to question it all. An influential middle school ethics teacher and his activist daughter open Trey’s eyes to the morality of the “family business” and a growing disillusionment with how it affects those around him.

In the authentically conflicted voice of an adolescent boy, Korman gives this realistic fiction tale a twist. What if this boy was a con trying to go straight? Then he adds all the middle school conflict that comes with friendships, family drama, and questioning parental authority. Is Dad right that no one is hurt when you take from the rich? Brisk plotting and snappy dialog mirror the pace of Trey’s quickly developing conscience. “I can’t believe I ever thought it was anything more than stealing” (p. 170). Trey matures throughout the narrative, getting involved to rehab a local park and discovering that a new friend is also part of a con artist family, efficiently driving the final action. In a conveniently tidy conclusion, he makes a dramatic decision—they all go straight, return the money, and build the stable home life Trey always wanted. A funny and fast-paced coming of age story for middle schooler readers that want a side of crime with their family drama.

Cracking the Code of Middle School: A Review of Talia’s Codebook for Mathletes

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Talia’s Codebook for Mathletes
Marissa Moss
Walker Books
June 13, 2023
Ages 8 to 12

Talia loves cracking codes and doing math, but can’t seem to solve the puzzle that is middle school. Joining the mathlete team was supposed to help with her transition, but as the only girl on the team, the boys make her the outcast. When her mathlete best friend, Dash, gets too embarrassed to be best friends with a girl, and wants to hide their friendship, there’s only one thing Talia can do—make her own all-girls mathlete team! With her new friends by her side, Talia becomes determined to bring their team to victory, get her friend back, and figure out the social rules of middle school.

The comic diary form gives a personal touch to the feelings, actions, and reactions Talia has to daily life as a middle school student. The book is broken down into observations, deductions, quizzes, and puzzles, which act as chapters. With this style, readers get a fast-paced book with no breaks in the plot. The illustrations are meant to look like doodles in a diary but are still expressive with the use of postures and facial expressions. The colors are bright with the use of watercolors and gouache with ink to give definitions to characters and objects. The overarching themes of friendship, discovering a sense of self, and finding the courage to do something outside the norm make this book perfect for readers entering middle school. Talia evolves in her social development, starting as self-centered and refusing to see her friend’s perspectives then becoming conscious of her actions and how they affect other people’s feelings. Talia’s friends and family don’t have major character developments during the book, but they do support and encourage her on her journey through middle school. Talia’s Codebook for Mathletes is a STEM-oriented book that teaches young readers, especially girls interested in math or science, to be courageous and forge their own unique path in middle school.