I liked this one. Twins Carolina and Johnny are sent to live with relatives in Mexico for a summer after their father realizes he isn't dealing well with the loss of their mother. The twins have started to notice something funny happening to them at night. It turns out they are naguales, shapeshifters that can turn into a wolf and a leopard, respectively. It is a generational thing, and twin naguales are special and unique. They discover their mother is actually trapped underground, and they are going to have to travel the Aztec underworld to find her.

If you have a kid who is a mythology nut, this is a great addition to that genre. I enjoyed learning a lot about Aztec mythology. I was also grateful for the glossary and definition guide in the back, because I didn't know a lot of the words, having never taken Spanish and not being familiar with Aztec culture. I'll be interested in checking out the second one.

This is a quiet story about a girl named Summer learning about the world beyond her. This summer, her parents were called away to Japan to take care of elderly relatives. That means that Summer, her brother, and her grandparents will need to work for a harvester in order to make sure there is enough money for the mortgage on the house they all share. Summer's grandmother suffers from back pain, and her brother is a little bit different and desperate for a friend. This coming-of-age novel doesn't have a huge plot, but it's full of quiet, real life moments you will understand.

There might be a bit too much about the process of harvesting for this reader, but overall it was good.

It's so nice to see an out bisexual character in a book. I just love it.

In this story, Jessica Tran is the middle child of two superheroes. Her older sister Claudia has powers and her younger brother Brian is super smart. Jessica is just...average. She has two best friends and is having a mostly normal life in Nevada after an incident created the powered people. To beef up her resume, she applies for an internship at a local tech company. Turns out? The internship is for her parents' arch-rivals. An added bonus(?) is that her crush, Abby, also works there. Can Jess keep the secret of her parents separate from her job? And who is the mysterious M that is her boss?

I also love that this story complicates the hero/villain narrative. In it, there is a society that determines whether or not you are a villain. Basically, if you argue with those in power, you become a villain. Those in power start capturing all the villains and holding them without trial. This is the first in a trilogy, so expect more of this plotline to follow. Another great thing about this book is the diversity. Identities are casually brought up and thought of as normal. It even briefly addresses the way LGBTQ support groups can lean too heavily on the L and G, and be cliquey themselves. A really interesting take on the superhero genre.

This book is by the same author as "How They Croaked", a former MSBA choice. Rather than look at deaths, this one looks at failures of the famous. From Amelia Earhardt to Marco Polo, find out how these people failed in different ways. It's not all doom and gloom: some of these failures ended up working later, and some came true after death, making them successful then. Read it for the laughs, and the reminder that failure is not the end for you.

No one can beat Sunny Lancaster at the mile. The thing is, Sunny doesn't enjoy running that race. What he really loves is dancing. You can tell by the way this book is written that Sunny is a man of rhythm (and I love the way Reynolds gives each character a distinct feel in this series.) Can Sunny convince his coach, his father, and his team to let him try something new? And what if it means he won't be the winner all the time any more?

I love Laura Ruby's writing style so much. It is just so beautiful. I love the feeling of magic that stays around the worlds she creates. In this one, she tells the story of twins who created an alternate New York City, one with machines that may or may not be alive. Just a blast.

As a cisgender woman, it is hard for me to figure out if this book is helpful or harmful. To me, it seemed like there were very realistic reactions that people have had to trans individuals. I don't know whether that would be a trigger or not. I also struggled with the protagonist, Dana Baker's reaction to what her mother told her. She seemed unusually selfish. Perhaps if she had been a bit younger, I would have understood, but she needed to be 18 for the plot to work. I enjoyed the story, and I liked Mellie explaining herself through emails, but I would like to read reviews by trans people before giving it out.

Cute story about friendship. Love the illustrations.

Pretty cute!

I love the illustrations in this book. The story isn't as strong to me, it's very quiet.