Jacob is Cassidy's best, and only, friend. He's smart, funny, cute and would probably be too popular to hang out with Cassidy. If it wasn't for the fact that he's dead and no one else can see him. Ever since Jacob saved Cassidy from drowning she's been able to part the veil between worlds and see the ghosts beyond. Mostly they just play out their final moments over and over again and are tied to the place where they died. But Jacob is different. Jacob can follow Cassidy wherever she goes, talk to her, and even read comics as long as Cassidy turns the page for him. Cassidy is still trying to figure out her new abilities when her parents surprise her with a trip to Scotland to film their supernatural investigations show. Of course, they have no idea their daughter can actually see ghosts and Cassidy has never met anyone else with her abilities, until she meets Lara in Edinburgh. But there are far more ghosts in a city as old as Edinburgh than her suburb back home in America. And not all of them are trapped in the veil or as friendly as Jacob.

I loved traveling the streets of Edinburgh with Cassidy! The characters are all well drawn (especially my favorite, Jacob) and while Cassidy's parents are oblivious to her abilities they're not complete idiots either and have a good relationship with her. It's classic middle grade spooky but not too spooky without a hint of romance and focused instead on issues of friendship and family. The most ghastly descriptions are safely ensconced in historical detail which adds a bit of distance but still not recommended for the super squeamish. Supernatural fans will find much to enjoy though.

City of Ghosts (Cassidy Blake #1) by Victoria Schwab​

Erica's Picks 
4th - 7th
tags: friendship, fast-paced, global perspectives, horror, summer vacation, supernatural
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When Amari's genius older brother goes missing, she never gives up hope of seeing him again. But she never expected that he'd send her a magical message along with an invitation to join the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Amari has her eyes opened to the magical world that's been hiding in plain sight her whole life. She joins the summer program to train future agents, but she's warned that if she fails she'll have all her memories of the supernatural world erased before she's returned to her normal life. Amari is determined to stay in the program and learn the truth about her brother's disappearance, but it isn't easy to be the new scholarship kid competing with legacy candidates whose parents work for the bureau and have been studying their whole lives. Amari finds unusual and mysterious allies, but will it be enough when the same threat that her brother fought comes back to endanger them all?

This has a similar vibe to Harry Potter with a normal kid attending a magical school so that it's sure to appeal to Potterheads. But the story stands fully on its own with a unique setting and characters that in many ways surpasses Harry Potter's world. For starters this world is much richer for the diversity of its characters and its acknowledgement of real-world problems and how they filter into even magical worlds. The characters are fully developed, even the unsympathetic ones. The similarities between Amari's world and ours resonate on a powerful level as Amari fights stereotypes and discrimination in both. Highly recommended for young fantasy fans.

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston 

Erica's Picks
3rd - 7th
​tags: adventure, fantasy, fast-paced, friendship, People of Color, social justice, supernatural

Bree's life comes crashing down when her mother dies in a car accident. Her sense of reality is shattered when she goes to a party and witnesses a demon feeding off human energy fought off by a boy who calls himself a Merlin. When she realizes the two might be connected, she decides to infiltrate the secret society dedicated to keeping magic and demons secret from the outside world. Not only do they have magic practitioners called Merlins, they claim to have descendants of King Arthur and all the knights of the roundtable. Bree discovers a magic of her own, but will it be enough to keep her safe in this elite and hostile new world?

I absolutely love the way this novel takes the Arthurian legend and infuses it with modern themes. This critique of our legends as well as our history examines the stories we tell ourselves and who is left out of the narrative. Powerful, engrossing, flawless. 

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn
8th +
​tags: adventure, fantasy, fast-paced, issues fiction, LGBTQ, People of Color, social justice, supernatural

Suraya never knew her grandmother, or that she was a witch. When her grandmother dies, she gets an odd inheritance: a pelesit. This dark spirit is tied to her family and bound to do her bidding. But Suraya is just a toddler, so she names the dark spirit pink and it serves as her secret friend and protector: catching her when she falls, keeping her safe at night. As Suraya grows older and makes her first human friend, she learns of the spirit's darker side: its jealousy and violent tendencies. How long can she keep her pelesit secret? And who can she trust to help her control its dark magic?

I adored this book. Both Suraya and Pink are spectacular protagonists and I grew to care about them deeply. There are chapters from both of their perspectives and the contrast between this dark magic being and the joyful toddler that becomes its master is brilliant. I also enjoyed learning about Malaysian culture and its folk traditions around demons and magic. The themes around friendship and family are powerful as well. This book works on so many levels and I cannot recommend it enough

The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf

Erica's Picks
​4th - 6th
tags: character driven, family life, friendship, global perspectives, People of Color, supernatural

Lucely's father runs a ghost tour business where he fools tourists with hidden speakers and fake ghost sightings. But Lucely is the real deal. She sees ghosts of her family members every day. No one outside of her family knows except for her best friend Syd. When Lucely's ghost family is threatened, Lucely and Syd try to save them. But playing with spells they don't understand has dire consequences. Soon the whole town is overrun with evil spirits and they realize that they are in far over their heads.

This story has a little bit of everything from the mystery of who is messing with the town and how to save it to the all the thrills and chills you'd expect to find in a ghost story. There's more than a few laughs as well. Lucely and Syd make a great team and there's a wonderful cast of supporting characters from Syd's grandmother (who is a real witch) to Lucely's cousin who was a champion fighter before her death. Of course my favorite is the cat, Chunk, who belongs to Syd's grandmother and saves the day more than once.

Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega 

Erica's Picks
4th - 6th
​Tags: adventure, animals, family life, People of Color, supernatural

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

After the death of her sister, Violet's family moves back to the small town where her mother grew up. Violet doesn't like the creepy, old family house and she misses city life. There's something shady going on with people turning up dead in the woods. People act strangely around her because she's the descendant of one of the four founding families. When she meets the other teenage children of the founders, she discovers why. They each have their own dangerous powers, but the thing lurking out in the Gray is more dangerous still. Will they be able to put aside their differences and save their town? Or will Darkness consume them all?

This dark supernatural horror story has a palpable atmosphere that will leave you trembling as you turn the pages. The characters are well-written with their own complex backstories and motivations. The interpersonal drama is just as intense as the supernatural kind. A great book for brave readers looking to lose themselves in a story.

The Devouring Gray by Christine Lynn Herman
Erica's Picks
8th grade
​tags: family life, horror, supernatural

Shapeshifters, ghosts, androids, gods, MMORPGs, goblins, and more. This collection of short stories has it all. Each story is based on a traditional tale from the author's East or South Asian culture. Some stories stick closer to their traditional roots while some are set far in the future. But every one has a fantastical element that will transport you to another time and place. My favorite was Olivia's Table by Alyssa Wong but they're all great. After each story is a brief note from the author explaining their inspiration and giving you a peek behind the scenes. A must-read for fans of speculative fiction looking for a global perspective.

A Thousand Beginnings and Endings edited by Ellen Oh
Erica's Picks
7th & 8th
​tags: fantasy, fairy tales, global perspectives, People of Color, retellings, science fiction, supernatural

Miles Morales is done being Spider-Man. His spidey sense has gone haywire and got him in trouble at school. He has enough to worry about with a confederacy-obsessed history teacher who has it out for him and the nightmares about his uncle that have been plaguing Miles ever since his death. His best friend thinks he should just use his powers to pull stunts and make money. But when people from his neighborhood start disappearing, he discovers a supernatural conspiracy designed to keep Miles and his family down. Miles knows he has to don the suit once more and fight for what's right.

I love how this story has a solid grounding in real-life issues that teens can relate to. As an educator, I hated every moment reading about Miles's awful history teacher obsessed with teaching the lost-cause propaganda of the civil war. Unfortunately, teachers like that do exist and I love how Miles and his fellow students stand up to him. I love all the supporting characters from Miles's mom to his best friend Ganke. A great mix of real-world social justice and super hero justice.

Miles Morales Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds
Erica's Picks
5th - 8th
​Tags: adventure, family life, friendship, issues fiction, people of color, school stories, social justice, supernatural