AJ Dungo

Skating Wilder
By: Brandon Dumais, AJ Dungo
Genre: Graphic Novel, Nonfiction, YA
Number of Pages: 264
Published: March 3, 2026
Publisher: Flying Eye Books
Dates Read: April 11, 2026
Format: Library Book / Paperback	ISBN: 9781913123208

No one can tell you who exactly invented skateboarding, but generations of skaters have been rolling on four wheels. In Skating Wilder, Brandon Davis and AJ Dungo reminisce over their own best (and worst) skateboarding memories as well as going through skateboarding history – from the first boards to handmade zines, the VHS heydays and video game era, they go through it all.

This was such a fun read, especially for someone who has been kind of on the outskirts of the skating community for years. I’ve watched a lot of skating videos, both past and current releases, so it was fun to see and read about the build up for VHS tapes and such.

The artwork throughout the novel has a distinct skateboard-style feel to it with orange tones being for memories or a dive into history, purple tones are for present day, and black and white are for demonstrations for simple skateboarding tricks.

Overall, this part memoir, part history, part love letter to skateboarding culture graphic novel will capture the attention of anyone who has ever been impressed by those who can get around on the four wheeled piece of wood.

I DID IT! IT’S THE 1ST TUESDAY OF FEBRUARY AND I DID IT!!

I know it’s not a crazy, amazing, super duper awesome thing cause I don’t think anyone really like, cares that much if I get this posted on the first Tuesday of the month or not, but it is something that I like to do… I have just always seemed to run out of time to get it done on the first Tuesday. Then, when that time passes, I feel like “it’s too late!” and then I don’t post (or post it near the last day of the month, like I did with January.

The phrase, “I’ll do better next month.” has been typed out by my fingers on this post pretty regularly and I’m sure at this point it’s lost any kind of meaning it once held, but I’m still gonna say it – I’ll do better next month! I know I’m going to be busy coming up. I’m a part of an ALA committee now (!!!!), I’ve got a lot of projects at work coming up, I may be doing some judging again this year, and I still plan on reading my minimum of 120 books, so… it’s a lot.

That all being said, I’m hoping I can get better at doing this post gradually over this next month and get caught up on my reviews from last month so things get posted regularly. If you see a lag in my posting, I’m sorry, just know I’m probably kicking myself to try and get something up!!

Thank you all who have read this far in my little ramble of personal life. I truly appreciate every single one of my subscribers who have kept this small little website going 🙂

Without any further ado, here’s some new releases coming out in Book World this February that I’m Stoked For.

February 3, 2026

A graphic novel about youth and censorship/banning of books. Based on a true story, a group of high schoolers in Chicago work to overturn the system-wide ban of Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis.

Wake Now in the Fire

By: Jarrett Dapier & AJ Dungo

The author of my favorite middle grade novel about a small fox named Pax. This one is about an orphan in WWII who discovers his courage in time of war.

The Lions’ Run

By: Sara Pennypacker

A story about a family tasked with protecting a magical stone, the pohaku, generations ago. But as it goes through the hands of the generations bringing fortune to the well-intentioned and misfortune to the bad, it causes fractures in the stone that only returning it to the Hawai’i islands could help fix.

The Pōhaku

By: Jasmin ‘Iolani Hakes

February 10, 2026

As a member of the Bills Mafia (NFL Buffalo Bills), I immediately jumped at reading a book about the cheerleaders. Though, fun fact (or not really fun fact): The Buffalo Bills haven’t had cheerleaders since 2014 after a lawsuit about their mistreatment. So, I’m not 100% when this is set, but it’s a mystery about a Bills cheerleader looking for her lost teammate.

The Jills

By: Karen Parkman

February 17, 2026

Six friends. Five parties. Twenty Years. In this novel, you read about a group of friends through the years after college as they go through life and reconnect.

So Old, So Young

By: Grant Ginder

A middle grade novel with dual timelines set in Paris – one during WWII and one in present time. The connection is a painting with a message attached…

Each and Every Spark

By: Claire Swinarski

My favorite soft witchy YA author has a new book out with a bit of a Beauty and the Beast retelling mixed with some frozen elements.

The Sun and the Starmaker

By: Rachel Griffin

Was anyone else told they had a “chip on their shoulder” as a young girl growing up or was it just me? In this nonfiction history read, the author chronicles a concise history from the colonial era to the Women’s March of 2016 demonstrating how women’s rage has forged coalitions and created political change through movements for women’s and civil rights and more, and how the past decade has created an inflection point for women and girls who have yet to experience rights equal to men’s in the United States.

Angry Girls Will Get Us Through

By: Rebecca Traister

February 24, 2026

A middle grade novel about 6th grader, Mariam, who is attending a Catholic School as she explores the Islamic faith as the only Muslim Arab in school.

Hail Mariam

By: Huda Al-Marashi

A cozy magical realism Japanese novel where you follow the seashell path along Tokyo Bay until you get to the Chibineko Kitchen, where a traditional Japanese meal can summon anyone you choose from your past, but only for as long as it continues to steam.