This might be the best collection of short stories I've ever read. Oyeyemi has crafted an interwoven set of tales of magical realism, full of keys, locked doors, hidden libraries, secrets and emotions. Nearly every story's protagonist is a queer person of color, and many of the characters appear in multiple stories. In "Sorry Doesn't Sweeten Her Tea", a man helps his boyfriend with the tumultuous task of parenting two teenage daughters, Dayang and Aisha. This story mostly focuses on Aisha's heartbreak when her musical idol commits a terrible crime. She appears in a later story, grown up, as an idol herself. One of my favorites stories, "A Brief History of the Homely Wench Society", follows Dayang during part of her first year at Cambridge. She is invited to join the Homely Wenches, a feminist literary club first founded in opposition to an exclusive male Cambridge student society. When one of the Homely Wench members discovers the key to the rival club's house, naturally they decide to plan a midnight raid on it's library.

This longish picture book contains a fairy tale-like story by David Almond perfectly matched with illustrations by Dave McKean (of Sandman fame). Three children, Harry, Sue and little Ben, explore a world full of strange gaps left by the lazy creator gods. Plagued by images of missing things, the kids set out to create things themselves. But some creations are dangerous.

A beautifully illustrated book which fills in some poignant backstory for two Steven Universe characters. It is full of spoilers, so I will say nothing about the plot, but I loved how the book design reference the Little Golden Book series.

Written by Hope Larson and beautifully drawn by Rebecca Mock, this story sends two sets of red-headed twins on a twisted adventurous path as they all race from Boston towards San Francisco in search of the same opportunity. The year is 1860, and the travel scenes, via both tall ship and steam ship, have an almost Tintin-ish feel. Mistaken identities, extraordinary coincidences and narrow escapes abound. The beginnings of an even larger plot involving a wondrous inheritance and a dangerous pirate gang are hinted at. Over all, very enjoyable.

I have to say my reaction to this book was almost equally split between enjoyment and frustration. I think a harsher editor, on reading The Raven Cycle books back to back, would have adviser Stiefvater to fold books 3 and 4 of this series into one more tightly paced book. It just dragged out too long. There was a delicious and much anticipated side plot involving Adam Parrish and Ronan Lynch, but it and the rest of the plot was so strung out between "tone scenes" that I kept wanting to yell at the book to hurry things up a bit.

A set of very short comics, often single panel, illustrating the strange, humorous, scary or deeply sad fears of strangers.

Tiffany Aching has spent most of her career as a witch up in the Lancre Mountains, where people have learned to respect them or face Granny Weatherwax's wrath. But now she has moved back home to the Chalk, where pointy black hats are still eyed with deep suspicion. Still, the people here know her- almost all of them watched her run around in nappies at age two. Surely they won't start to believe the strange rumors about her- or would they? Someone is spreading them and they are getting too dangerous to ignore.

Sunny is an albino teen born in America but living in Nigeria with her famly. Mostly though, she is a normal teen who just wants to do well in class and play soccer with her brothers. Until, that is, she sees a terrifying vision of chaos and destruction in a candle flame. Two kids who have never spoken much to her before, Orlu and Chichi, take her under their wing and begin to introduce her to a mysterious world of power, mentors and magic. The world of Leopard people. But this world has real dangers- a serial killer is attacking children for an unknown reason, and instead of wands spells are cast with knives. Sunny's magical education is no structured Hogwarts experience, and Okorafor has done a great job writing a highly original story in this well-canvased genre.

John Allison writes some of the best quirky middle-school dialogue that I have ever read. This book dives right in with six students in their first year at Griswalds Grammer school, their friendships and squabbles over football, fashion, trading cards, siblings and the private life of teachers. Oh, also they solve mysteries and there's quite a big one going on- the Tackleford Football Club, improbably owned by a Russian millionaire, seems to be cursed. Its players keep falling ill, its new stadium construction is blocked by a single retiree and a satellite crashes onto the field in the middle of a big game. Will the trio of Jack, Linton and Sonny solve the mystery before their rivals? Will Shauna, Charlotte and Mildred be able to save the home of a sweet old lady on the verge of eviction? Do any of them even care about football??? All the answers will surprise you!

Tackleford's kid detectives have a new case: nine babies have been stolen by a strange beast roaming the local forests. Luckily Sonny is a member of the Nature Folk club, and has been honing his tracking skills for years. Meanwhile, an adorable and bizarrely intelligent dog-like animal has shown up at Mildred's house, and she talks her parents into letting her keep it. Both of these creatures look stranger similar to the creatures that Mildred and Charlotte drew with the magic pencil they won at the fair... but the pencil went missing and now a big game hunter is after the Tackleford Beast. Just as hilarious and entertaining as the first in the series. Allison's writing of teen dialogue is gold.