Abby is a new transfer student at Wilberton Academy, a high school boarding school for girls. She’s struggled to make friends, especially seeming to antagonize her roommate no matter what she does. In a time before cell phones, Abby spends her time listening to her walkman as she walks the crowded halls. When she sits with one of the theater girls after a school party, she picks up the script that the girl leaves behind. The next morning, that girl is found dead in the woods near the school. Abby refuses to accept that she committed suicide, becoming a target herself for others to accuse.
A murder mystery nests with a boarding school tale nests with an ode to the 80s nests with a critical look at what being a lesbian meant in that time. This graphic novel deeply explores loneliness, queerness and abuse. It is a layered book, accomplishing so much thanks to the skill used in the graphic format, using the limitations of the time period to create isolation, and a strong main character that readers will adore.
A masterpiece of a teen graphic novel. Appropriate for ages 13-18.
The winners of the 2025 Ignyte Awards have been announced. The awards are given to speculative fiction, including horror, fantasy, science fiction and magical realism. There are several categories. Here are the ones that focus on material for youth:
Nightmare Jones by Shannon Bramer, illustrated by Cindy Derby (9781773069463)
First meet Nightmare Jones himself via the poem about him. He has blood on his shoe, a swashbuckler heart and a soul of soot. One after another, monsters appear poem by poem. There are little ghosts who live in shoes. There is the man who collects teeth. You can visit a witch’s garden or find the monster with a hole in her head. Spiders and eyes make several appearances in the book alongside dark emotions. Your monster can be tangible or all in your head, or maybe a bit of both.
So much poetry for children is simplified and this book is marvelously challenging both in content being less than straight forward and poetry structure being played with constantly. The result is a book with lines that are eerie and strange, just right for odd children who enjoy the dark corners of books. My favorite poem is near the end of the collection, “The Strangest One” and the title is just right.
Dark, delightful and dangerously good. Appropriate for ages 8-12.
Reviewed from e-galley provided by Groundwood Books.
The winners of the 2025 Harvey Awards have been announced at New York Comic Con. The awards are given for the best of comic books and graphic novels. You can find the complete list of winners at The Daily Cartoonist. Here are the winners and nominees for the youth categories:
Bear lived alone in a lighthouse. He spent his days fishing for lunch until one day he caught Eustace who begged him not to eat him. Bear also caught a colorful sail at the same time and almost threw it back into the sea. But when some other creatures need help, Bear finds himself helping out with Eustace’s encouragement. He makes a new wing for a heron, a coat for a shark, and a new sweater for himself. When evening comes Bear is very hungry and Eustace is already in the pot. What’s a bear to do? Cho has created a picture book that begs to be shared aloud. It has a wry sense of humor as Bear makes promises he has no intention of keeping. Meanwhile Eustace is trying to stay alive but along the way the two form a strong connection.
A book of new friends, crafts and funny fish. Appropriate for ages 3-6.
A teacher takes a class of children back in time using a time machine. Once back in the time of dinosaurs, the machine transforms into a dino-like structure that walks the landscape giving the kids a perfect view of the valley. The teacher lectures along the way. When one student decides they need a snack though things get a bit wild. A stolen lunch box turns into one student falling out of the machine and getting left behind. As they make the best of it by sitting down and eating their lunch, a variety of dinosaurs emerge to share the lunch or potentially having the student FOR lunch!
This nearly wordless book is great fun, offering a humorous look at a visit to the past that will have young children creating a story to go along with the pictures. The illustrations are full of bright colors, leaving the old green dinosaurs in the past in favor of bright dinos covered in patterns. The students and teacher are in protective suits and goggles, adding to the modern feel of the story.
A visit to the past with a slice of pizza and other snacks to share. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Reviewed from e-galley provided by Margaret Ferguson Books.
Make New Friends by Joshua David Stein, illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio (9781949480559)
Tomasso is a new kid in school. He doesn’t know anyone at all. His father keeps asking him if he’s made any friends yet and Tomasso admits, not yet. Then he discovers two old balls in the school playground. He gives each one a face and names them Roland and Barry. Eating along in the cafeteria, he gives his carton of milk a face and the name Coco. When his dad asks again about friends, Tomasso tells him about Roland, Barry and Coco, describing them like classmates. Soon he is finding new friends everywhere, including erasers, socks, rocks and paper bags. His father wants to meet all these new friends and insists that Tomasso invite them over. What will his father do when he finds out the truth?
A lovely look at shyness and newness and the power of art and creativity to save the day. Stein writes with such sensitivity and understanding about Tomasso’s situation. There is a joy in discovering the new toy friends he creates. While I don’t want to spoil the ending, it is that part of the book where it all comes together and is very special indeed. The art adds to the joy of the toy friends and the found family story that is so powerful.
Satisfying, art-filled and an antidote to loneliness. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Reviewed from e-galley provided by Edelweiss and Abrams Books for Young Readers.
The winners of the 2025 Lammy Awards have been announced. The awards recognize the best in LGBTQ+ literature and have a wide variety of categories. Below are the winners in the categories for books for youth:
The masters who gave us We’re Going on a Bear Hunt reunite for another great read-aloud picture book in a similar style. A little boy heads from shop to shop asking for something but instead getting a rhyming item. He asks for a carrot and gets a parrot. He asks for a hat and gets a cat. Along the way, his lineup of animals steadily grows until he finally asks for a cup and gets a pup who manages to set in motion a real mess. In the end, the animals are returned to the shop keepers and the boy gets the items he wanted all along.
This book is filled with energy and romping rhythms that make it a treat to read aloud. Rosen cleverly builds his rhymes into the story, creating moments that children can guess what the animal might be. He also uses repeating lines that audience members will enjoy saying along with the book character. “Do I want that? No, I do NOT!” The illustrations are pure Oxenbury joy, mimicking the structure of Bear Hunt while also creating something fresh and new.
A great read-aloud pick that will be a new classic. Appropriate for ages 2-5.
Piccolo creates a list of the places he wants to visit in his Italian city that day. He makes it to the gelato store and almost gets to start eating, but his friend Mr. Rosso needs help carrying his artwork to the museum. Luckily, the museum is on Piccolo’s list of favorite places. Soon Piccolo is being asked to help with all sorts of things around town. He manages to either check most of the items off his list of places to visit or to do something very similar as he helps everyone. Unfortunately though, he doesn’t make it back in time for the gelato shop to be open. What’s a shrew to do? Happily, his friends come through. With Yaccarino’s signature illustration style, this Italian picture book merrily brings readers into the city and all around. Filled with all sorts of animals, the city is lively and active.
All the better to learn a bit of Italian along the way. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
Reviewed from e-galley provided by Hachette Book Group.
Waking Brain Cells 