A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez / María Dolores Águila

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A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez
By: María Dolores Águila
Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Novel in Verse
Number of Pages: 304
Published: September 16, 2025
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Dates Read: February 17, 2026 - February 18, 2026
Format: Library Book / Hardcover	ISBN: 9781250342614

This middle grade, novel-in-verse is based on the true story of Roberto Alvarez and the Lemon Grove Incident.

Twelve-year-old Roberto Alvarez is the first one in his family born on US soil. He’s el futuro.

When the Lemon Grove School Board and Chamber of Commerce are moved by anti-immigrant and anti-Mexican propaganda, they create a separate “Americanization” school in an old barn for the Mexican children who originally were attending the Lemon Grove Grammar School.

Amidst threats of deportation, the Comité de Vecinos risk everything to stand their ground on getting their kids back to the regular Grammar School. With the help of the Mexican Consulate, the committee chooses Roberto as the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit against the school board.

Who else came here to read about another part of history that was left out of history lessons back in the day?

The author did a fantastic job at showing the growth of Roberto from being an innocent twelve-year-old who basically just got kicked out of school, to then someone who was more and more aware of the injustices around him and his community.

As an English speaker, who took French in high school, and then has become semifluent in American Sign Language, I did struggle a little bit with the Spanish that was sprinkled into the verses. Sometimes I could use context clues to figure out what was being said, but other times I would grab my phone to use the camera option of Google translate. That was okay with me, because it helped me become more submerged in the story, but, I can see some people getting frustrated with that.

Overall, a beautiful novel in verse for middle grade readers (and older to be real!) who would enjoy learning about a time in history that is probably not told very often and that was two decades before Brown v. Board of Education.

Night Watch / Jayne Anne Phillips, Karissa Vacker (Narrator), Theo Stockman (Narrator), Maggi-Meg Reed (Narrator)

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Night Watch
By: Jayne Anne Phillips, Karissa Vacker (Narrator), Theo Stockman (Narrator), Maggi-Meg Reed (Narrator)
Genre: Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 304
Published: September 19, 2024
Publisher: Vintage
Dates Read: February 7, 2026 - February 16, 2026
Format: Paperback / Library Book / Audiobook
ISBN: 9781101972793

Trigger Warnings: rape, PTSD, war, trauma, abuse, mental health

In 1874, twelve-year-old ConaLee just arrived at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia with her mother, Eliza, who hasn’t spoken a word in over a year. They were dropped off by a war veteran who had forced himself into their world. He had made them leave behind family, their loving Dearbhla, and their mountain home. Now, they’re there to heal.

Meanwhile, the Night Watch has a story all his own, or rather, what he remembers from before the war. Now, he’s on his way to his own healing as the Night Watch at the same asylum. 

I had a really really hard time reading this because there were no quotes around spoken words. Everything was one paragraph or a sentence mixed in with descriptors. Sometimes it would have a descriptor, spoken words, and then more descriptors, making it extremely difficult to know when someone stopped talking, it was super frustrating. The timeline also jumped around quite a bit and it was sometimes hard to keep straight if we were in the past or present.

So, I switched and went over to listening to it on Audiobook and let me tell you, the narrators did a spectacular job at keeping everything sorted and understandable. It was then I was able to understand how complex the characters were and appreciate the story a lot more.

I appreciated the little tidbits of information about asylums back in the 1800s and how easily it was to basically get dropped off there and forgotten.

Overall, while this historical novel will challenge the everyday reader, if you can get past the unique style choice of no quotation marks, you may very well discover the emotional and intellectual depth this novel has to offer.

Rune: Tale of the Obsidian Maze (Rune #2) / Carlos Sánchez

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Rune: Tale of the Obsidian Maze (Rune #2)
By: Carlos Sánchez
Genre: Graphic Novel, YA, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 160
Published: November 4, 2025
Publisher: Flying Eye Books
Dates Read: February 3, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover	ISBN: 9781838741631

Chiri and Dai have stayed in Puddin’ to learn more about magic and sword now that the Shadow King is trapped in a bottle. One day, their group gets attacked by skeletons that bring them an invitation to the Obsidian Maze. The Darkness created two other Heralds besides the Shadow King, one is trapped in crystal inside the Obsidian Maze: The Midknight. Chiri and Dai must face the obstacles of the maze as well as the taunts from the Shadow King before they fight the Midknight.

As with the volume before, this book is beautifully drawn and has such an eye catching color palette, after every page you can find me engrossed in the background and details.

I still love the way Sánchez draws Chiri and the sign language she uses. 

This volume for sure gives the vibe of more to come (I would hope so with the ending that was given anyway!), which makes me super excited to keep an eye out for them. I’ve been getting them as requests for my library but have plans to purchase my own copies of them for sure.

Overall, it is still an amazing, action packed, background filled, beautiful graphic novel that middle grade readers and above would enjoy (even adults!).

Three Blue Hearts / Lynne Kelly

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Three Blue Hearts
By: Lynne Kelly
Genre: Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 282
Published: October 7, 2025
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Dates Read: February 1, 2026 - February 2, 2026
Format: Library Book / Hardcover	ISBN: 9780593898390

Max can’t seem to get out of the shadow of his politician dad, or the nicknames from his shortcomings. But, for the next few months Max and his mom are going to a Texas beach where nobody knows them, where Max could be Milo instead.

Shortly after arriving, Max stumbles upon an octopus washed up onshore after a storm. With the help of some news friends and the local wildlife center, Max rescues the octopus – who they name Ursula – and who Max vows to take care of until she’s ready to return to the sea.

But as their bond deepens Max learns what friendship without conditions means, how to accept himself as who he is, and how to show up for those he loves most.

So, octopuses are my all-time favorite sea animal, so when I saw that Lynne Kelly wrote a book with one as a character, I was already invested! Even so, Kelly does a phenomenal job as weaving actual facts and information in with the storyline without it feeling like you were reading a textbook.

Not only did I love Ursula’s journey, I appreciated the one Max went on as well. He learns how to love himself, even with faults, and even with his big political dad looming over him. He learns that when you’re honest, and open with people you trust, beautiful friendships can form.

This one hit a little hard for the animal lover within me. I know all of them can’t be saved, but I sure always wish they could.

“When we can’t save them, at least they’re not alone. They go out surrounded by those who loved them. At the end, that’s all we have left to give – the love we have for them. Sometimes that has to be enough.”

Overall, this a great read, especially for middle grade readers to read about accepting yourself, being a good friend, and showing up for all those you love – humans and animals alike!

*Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

We Burned So Bright / TJ Klune

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We Burned So Bright
By: TJ Klune
Genre: Novella, Sci-Fi
Number of Pages: 176
Published: April 28, 2026
Publisher: Tor Books
Dates Read: January 31, 2026
Format: ARC / Paperback		ISBN: 9781250881236

Don and Rodney have lived a long life together. They’ve experienced the highs and lows of family and have been together even when they thought it was the end of the world.

Now, with the black hole getting closer and closer, it really is the end of the world. After all the time together, Don and Rodney are in a race against the clock to make it from Maine to Washington to take care of one last thing.

On the road they meet all kinds of characters: some in denial of the end just around the corner and some who are rushing to get to the finish line. As the black hole gets closer and closer, Don and Rodney look back on their lives and ask if what they did was good enough.

Yet again TJ Klune has captured my attention and wouldn’t let it go until the last page. 

It’s a shorter book but still one you want to take your time with. I had the opportunity to read it all on a Saturday and ignored my house chores for a bit 🙂. Each chapter Don and Rodney meet someone else on their black hole journey to death and each new encounter all deserve their own time to digest their story. Each one is a different lens on how we as a society can handle death and grief. One of the girls they met will probably stay with me for quite some time.

And then there’s Jeremy. I could tell pretty early on what Don and Rodney’s goal was but not for who. That story made my heart ache for the men and absolutely I teared up.

Overall, I highly suggest this end of the world novella for those that would be interested in the philosophy of how humans act when they know the end is coming, but it’s also about love, love, and choosing life.

*Thank you NetGalley and Tor Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store / James McBride (REREAD)

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The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store (Reread)
By: James McBride
Genre: Historical Fiction
Number of Pages: 400
Published: August 8. 2023
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Dates Read: January 23, 2026 - January 28, 2026
Format: ARC / Paperback		ISBN: 9780593422946

In 1972, workers were digging a new foundation in Pottstown, Pennsylvania when they found a skeleton at the bottom of a well. To figure out who it is, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store goes back 40 years to the secrets of the neighborhood of Chicken Hill, a dilapidated neighborhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side.

This book was ultimately about the community of Chicken Hill, rallying together in order to protect a young deaf boy they’ve named Dodo, from being taken by the state to an institution. It starts off with a murder mystery, but to be honest, that wasn’t at all the most interesting part of the story.

Below is my second time reading it’s review:

This time around, I physically read this book verses listening to it in audio and doing this definitely changed my mind about it. Chuna is still one of my favorite characters, but I now also have a soft spot for Monkey Pants. But also, since I was really slowing myself down to pay attention, the list of characters is so long! I gained more respect for a lot of characters that, during the first read through, I didn’t even remember! Characters like Moche, or Malachi, or Paper!

Above all though, it really made me think about justice and how it’s served and does taking it into your own hands count?

Overall, I’m glad I gave this a second chance. It is rich and full of characters that are there for their community and get things done.

If you want to re my first review, you can below. A lot of changed since I physically read it this time around.

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store / James McBride

Land (Volume 1) / Kazumi Yamashita, Kevin Gifford (Translator)

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Land (Volume 1)
By: Kazumi Yamashita, Kevin Gifford (Translator)
Genre: Manga
Number of Pages: 660
Published: September 9, 2025 (1st Published April 15, 2015)
Publisher: Yen Press
Dates Read: January 19, 2025 - January 23, 2025
Format: Library Book / Hardcover	ISBN: 9798855421088

When twin girls are born in a superstitious village, one twin must be sacrificed to the gods to protect the village. So, Sutekichi takes one of his daughters to the mountains and raises his other daughter, An, in the village. When An gets older, she begins asking questions about the four gods at each point of the village, but also asking why every villager dies right at the age of 50. It gets even weirder when a feral child comes into the village.

I had a hard time with this one, which sucks because I wanted to like it, but I think it’s a little too out there for me. I made it about half way through before I started just skimming it, which is still a lot since this book is 658 pages!

I didn’t understand the animal heads, or why they wouldn’t answer An. <spoiler> Also, the two “An”s confused me, and the name also threw me off cause I kept thinking it was a determiner </spoiler>.

Overall, I still think this would be a great read for those who like to immerse themselves in a rich fantasy world with unique rules. I myself was a little impatient when it came to reading this, so just give yourself some time and I think you would enjoy it.

Hello Sunshine / Keezy Young

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Hello Sunshine
By: Keezy Young
Genre: Graphic Novel, Young Adult, Horror
Number of Pages: 384
Published: September 23, 2025
Publisher: Little, Brown Ink
Dates Read: January 19, 2026 - January 19, 2026
Format: Library Book / Hardcover	ISBN: 9780316509473

When a troubled teen disappears from his small town, his loved ones go on a paranormal journey to save him from his inner demons.

It’s taken me a while to review this book simply because trying to put into words how amazing I think the author did in showing and handling the character’s mental health struggles was brilliant and impactful. Every member of the group had their own journey throughout this story and each arc felt complete at the end. I appreciated the struggle Noah had between religion and his sexuality, I was a little nervous about it going into this, but that turned around pretty quickly.

I’m a huge Hawkeye fan, and the artwork in this graphic novel really reminded me of Matt Fraction’s 2010’s Hawkeye. The art style, color, and texture of the panels gave the perfect amount to make it supernaturally and horror-y at the same time. 

Without getting into too much of the storyline due to spoilers, I just want to say that the mixture of what was real and what was only available to the one character was phenomenal and well taken care of. With both the visual and the dense dialog pages, Keezy Young showcases the losing of one’s mind by mental illness more effectively than I’ve seen with a graphic novel in a long time.

The Fire-Breathing Duckling / Frank Cammuso

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The Fire-Breathing Duckling
By: Frank Cammuso
Genre: Children’s, Graphic Novel
Number of Pages: 40
Published: August 5, 2025
Publisher: TOON Books
Dates Read: January 19, 2026
Format: Library Book / Hardcover	ISBN: 9781662665332

In this retelling of the Ugly Duckling, instead of a swan, this little one is a dragon. And when their duckling siblings find themselves in trouble, this little dragon uses their fire-breathing skills to save the day.

I’m pretty sure I found this as an “extra” during a library catalog search and immediately put it on hold (thanks Bibliocommons!). Tell me you wouldn’t see this cover and immediately pick it up to see the illustrations?!

I may be thirty-three right now, but you can bet that I enjoyed this story about self-discovery and finding your own strength. This little dragon is adorable and the pond friends were funny in trying to help figure out what they were.

I mentioned before, the illustrations are definitely what made me pick it up, but it also kept me turning the page. Each panel was colorful and engaging and beautiful, perfect for those littles in first or second grade – though I think kindergarteners would also enjoy this with some help from a grownup. 

Overall, a charming and engaging book for all ages.

A Year Without Home / V.T. Bidania

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A Year Without Home
By: V.T. Bidania
Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Novel in Verse
Number of Pages: 432
Published: January 1, 2025
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Dates Read: January 12, 2026 - January 19, 2026
Format: eBook / ARC		ISBN: 9780593697207

Eleven-year-old Gao Sheng’s beloved home sits on top of a hill in the highlands of Laos. Here she can roll down the grassy hill with her younger siblings after her chores, walk to school, and pick peaches straight from her family’s trees.

But when U.S. troops pull out of the Vietnam War, the communists will be searching for any American allies, like Gao Sheng’s father. If he’s caught, he and his family could be killed.

As the adults make frantic plans, Gao Sheng does what any good, oldest daughter would do: doesn’t ask questions or complain and watches over the younger siblings and cousins. Even though she wishes she could roll down the hill at home or run around like her brother.

After a treacherous voyage by foot, by taxi, and a canoe, Gao Sheng’s family finally arrive across the river at an overcrowded refugee camp in Thailand. As a year passes at the camp, Gao Sheng learns that home doesn’t technically mean the physical place and somewhere in between, she finds her voice.

In this novel in verse, middle grade book inspired by V.T. Bidania’s own family history the author shows the long, difficult journey many Hmong refugees faced after the Vietnam War and shines light on experiences of refugees around the world. 

I greatly appreciate Gao Sheng’s personal journey through this novel as well. As the oldest girl in her family (just even just her immediate family, but from her cousins as well), Gao Sheng was kind of forced to put her childhood away a lot sooner than her younger brother and it wasn’t really on her terms. But, she showed her family she could do more than just watch the kids and for her age and what she’s gone through, that was amazing.

Overall, this is an amazing book for middle grade and adults alike. There’s not a lot of books out there from the Hmong’s perspective, especially during the end of the Vietnam War. This book could bring up great discussions on refugees and being without a home.

*Thank you NetGalley and Nancy Paulsen Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review