It's Ellen's last summer before college, and all she wants is to spend the time with her best friends before everything changes. But Xiumiao seems like she's already moved on. Then Ellen gets grounded for the whole summer by her step-mother. Luckily her other best friend, Melissa finds a loophole. Ellen's parents are always on her about getting outside and exercising more, so Melissa convinces them to let Ellen out of the house for quidditch practice. At first Ellen only agrees to it because the alternative is being stuck indoors doing chores all day. But soon this all-gender, full-contact sport with a bunch of geeks running around with PVC pipes between their legs starts to grow on her. She finally understands the appeal of sports, and she starts to understand some more things about herself too. It wasn't the summer Ellen wanted or expected, but it will turn out to be one she will never forget.

There's a lot to love about this book full of enthusiastic geeks and misunderstandings. The relationships are complicated and authentic. The protagonists are on the cusp of adulthood and figuring out their identities and exploring their gender and sexual orientation in a way that will ring true to many teens. I am not a sports fan but Ellen's journey from hating exercise to enthusiastic team player was moving. As was the way the characters learned from their mistakes and false assumptions. A great summer read.

This is How We Fly by Anna Meriano
Erica's Picks
7th & 8th
​tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, family life, friendship, LGBTQ, People of Color, SEL, sports, summer vacation

Robin loves her life in Seoul. She loves going to the cafes with her friends and talking about their favorite comics. So when a vacation to America suddenly turns into a permanent relocation after her mother gets married with no warning, she is devastated. English has never been her strongest subject so getting along in her new school is difficult. Trying to find friends she can trust is harder when even her step-cousins shun her. But things start to turn around when she finds a comic club. As Robin learns more about her mother and why she decided to move, she begins to adjust to her new life.

This comic memoir is full of heart and I enjoyed reading about Robin's experience as an immigrant and her life in both Korea and Alabama. I love how she describes her mom in the afterward as "a much more interesting character than I am" and her empathy for her mother's difficult decision shines through, even as it caused her a lot of pain at the time. An insightful and moving comic.

Almost American Girl by Robin Ha
Erica's Picks
6th - 8th
​tags: art, character driven, comics, family life, global perspectives, people of color, school stories

Henri is a charming, popular student, star debater, and dog walker extraordinaire. He's passionate about taking care of his neighbor's dogs, but he knows they'll trust a corporation more than some kid, so he makes a fake dog walking company complete with its own website. No one suspects he's the only employee, except for his neighbor Corinne. She has problems of her own. She knows recommendation letters can make or break a college application and hers keep saying that she's too intense and doesn't fit in socially. She promises Henri she'll keep his secret as long as he uses his popularity to reform her image. At first it's a grudging arrangement, but as they get to know each other better Henri's feelings change. Which is why it's so devastating when he has to decide between his dreams for his future and betraying Corinne.

Ben Philippe is just as charming as his protagonist, judging from this and his other book. Reading a book of his is always a pleasure. This book is a classic rom-com premise but with thought-provoking messages of society's expectations for its main characters and academic integrity. 

Charming as a Verb by Ben Philippe
Erica's Picks
7th & 8th
​tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, friendship, people of color, romance, school stories

After living a life terrified of being turned in by a neighbor for not being patriotic enough, Twelve year old Sora and her family make the dangerous decision to try and escape to South Korea as the front line of the war moves closer to their village. Fleeing into a war zone with limited resources is dangerous enough without having to worry about being caught by their own country men and punished for trying to defect. In the chaos of a bombing Sora is separated from her parents and left with her eight year old brother to protect. As they struggle through the hunger, cold, and war happening around them they wonder if they will ever see their family again, or if they are even alive.

This harrowing journey is incredibly moving. The resilience of Sora to push on and care for her brother despite everything is astonishing. While appropriate for a middle grade audience, the realities of life at the time are not sugarcoated and you should be prepared for a tear-jerker. The ultimate message though is one of hope and empathy.

Brother's Keeper by Julie Lee 
Erica's Picks
4th - 7th
tags: family life, fast-paced, global perspectives, historical fiction, people of color, survival, tear-jerker

Nannerl Mozart loves to lose herself in music. Her father allows her to perform at the piano, at least until she reaches a marriageable age, but he doesn't allow her to compose. It's not proper for a lady. Meanwhile her younger brother Wolfgang Amadeus is given free reign to compose and quickly begins to outshine his older sister. Nannerl and Wolfgang have always been close, playing together and making up elaborate fantasy worlds to pass the time. But the injustice of how they are treated differently due to their sex begins to grate on Nannerl. When an elven prince from one of their stories appears to Nannerl in real life, he offers her the fame she deserves; a guarantee her name will live on forever. But what seems like a fairy tale happy ending is twisted when Nannerl discovers the price she'll have to pay.

I loved this combination of fantasy and historical fiction. I had never heard of Wolfgang Mozart's older sister before and was intrigued by her story. I was equally enthralled by the fantasy world coming to life and the twists and turns of figuring out the truth of it. Most of all I was moved by the relationship between the siblings Highly recommended.

The Kingdom of Back by Marie Lu 
Erica's Picks
6th - 8th
tags: fairy tales, family life, fantasy, historical fiction

Ever since they moved to Seattle, Cici has missed her grandmother back in Taiwan. With her 70th birthday coming up, Cici wants to buy her a plane ticket to visit. When she sees the flyer for a cooking contest for young chefs, she knows it's the perfect opportunity. Cici grew up cooking with her grandmother, but she only knows how to cook Taiwanese food. So she turns to Julia Child to expand her cooking skills. When she combines her Taiwanese food with classic French style she knows it will be a wining combination.

This is a great comic for anyone who loves to cook, or even those who love to watch other people cook. Reading about Cici's struggles adapting to life in America is eye-opening and reading about her dishes is mouth-watering.

Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte, Ann Xu (Illustrations)

Erica's Picks
3rd - 7th
​tags: comics, contemporary fiction, family life, friendship, global perspectives, People of Color

When the old "witch" at the edge of town patches up Snapdragon's dog, she knows the rumors can't be true. So when she finds a litter of orphaned possums, she knows where to bring them. The witch agrees to help Snapdragon raise the possums, but only if Snapdragon will help with her business. It turns out the witch finds dead animals on the side of the road, cleans their skeletons, puts them together, and sells them online. It's surprisingly lucrative and Snapdragon is fascinated. But just when Snapdragon thinks she has it all figured out, it turns out the old woman has powers after all, and a secret from her family's past.

This is a great supernatural comic for fans of the macabre. The cute puppies and baby opossums are balanced out by skeletons and ghosts. The characters are all underdogs in their own way and seeing them come together and support each other is heart-warming, even if they use demons to do so.

Snapdragon
by Kat Leyh

Erica's Picks
4th - 7th
​tags: animals, comics, family life, LGBTQ, People of Color, supernatural

Elatsoe can raise the spirits of the dead. When her faithful dog died, she called him back and his ghost has been by her side ever since. The knowledge and talent for this ritual has been passed down by her Lipan Apache ancestors from her grandmother who has a ghost mammoth companion to her famous six-great grandmother who battled supernatural creatures. But one important imperative has been passed down as well: never raise the spirits of dead humans. So when her cousin dies in mysterious circumstances, she can't bring him back. But she can make sure that he gets justice. With her powers and the help of her friends and family she discovers the secret of a powerful cabal that has been exploiting people for centuries. Her cousin is the most recent of their victims, and she is determined to make sure he's their last.

I loved the world that Little Badger created in this novel. The supernatural elements blend seamlessly with elements of the author's own heritage to create an engaging story. The main character is asexual so there's no romance slowing down the pacing. Just one intrepid teen with laser focus. All the characters are layered and well-developed and what's not to love about a spirit dog that can be by your side forever? Highly recommended. 

Elatsoe ​by Darcie Little Badger

Erica's Picks
5th - 8th grade
​tags: adventure, animals, family life, friendship, LGBTQ, mystery, People of Color, supernatural

One day Avery was sleeping in her car. The next she was a billionaire. Avery has no idea why Tobias Hawthorne chose to leave his vast fortune to her instead of his family. She's never even met him. But she was not prepared for all the challenges and danger that her new-found wealth would bring. Now she's living in a mansion filled with secret passages and Tobais's bitter relatives. Tobais's grandsons are convinced he's left them answers in the form of a puzzle and clue filled treasure-hunt. Avery teams up with the handsome Jamie to uncover the mystery, but when attempts are made on her life she realizes how deadly these inheritance games are.

This is a fun mystery full of quirky characters, puzzles, and intrigue. Even though Tobias is dead when the book begins, the eccentric billionaire plays a big role in the novel along with his passion for building secret passages and creating puzzles. He has four grandsons around the age of Avery and her sister, who all have their own unique personalities and reactions to being disinherited. On top of that there's a mystery surrounding an ex-girlfriend of the grandsons who recently died. There's a lot going on, but it all comes together in the end in a satisfying conclusion. A page-turning adventure. 

​The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Erica's Picks
7th & 8th grade
​tags: contemporary fiction, family life, mystery, romance

Ever since their parents' death, Ryn and her siblings have been in charge of the graveyard. Gravedigging is an important job in a town where the dead don't always stay dead if improperly handled. These risen corpses, called bone houses, are appearing with more frequency and the whole town is endangered. Legend says that they are the result of a curse and the only way to break it is to travel to the abandoned Castell Sidi and find the black cauldron. But between Ryn and the castle is a dark forest filled with monsters.

This story, based in the same world as Lloyd Alexander's Black Cauldron, is a great fantasy adventure set in a classic world complete with ancient curses, puzzles, and trials along the way. The horror elements are truly frightening and the world is completely immersive. Both Ryn and her companion, the traveling map-maker, are great characters and I loved following their story and cheering them on.

The Bone Houses by Emily Lloyd-Jones
Erica's Picks
7th & 8th
​tags: adventure, fantasy, horror