Randy Ribay explores inter-generational trauma through four generations of fathers and sons in a Filipino family, switching between timelines and POVs to focus on the time when each of the men were teenagers. We have the family patriarch, Francisco, recently immigrated from the Philippines and working as a farm laborer in California (1930). His son Emil has a strained relationship with Francisco, who has become a well known farm laborer activist fighting for the rights of Filipino immigrants (1965). Emil's son Chris longs to be a football player, but his strict father wants him to focus on only academics, while not sharing anything about his own grandfather's heritage as a Filipino immigrant (1983). And Enzo, sweet, sensitive, anxiety-ridden Enzo, whose life is turned upside down with the arrival of a global pandemic and his grandfather Emil moving in with them (2020).

Each Maghabol boy goes through their own struggles with identity and belonging. Each experience things that shape their own lives, and how they raise their own sons. We see Francisco experience prejudice and hate, as he wonders if he should have stayed in the Philippines. We see Emil turn his back on his Filipino heritage, upset that his father has chosen to fight for others instead of spending time with his own family. We see him become an overbearing and authoritative father to his own son, Chris, to make up for his father not being around, always pushing Chris to focus on his education and the stability of a dependable career. We see Chris start to explore his own ancestral history and the political landscape of a volatile nation led by a dictator, and how he raises Enzo in a different way than he was raised. And we see these generations of Maghabol men heal through Enzo.

It's a book that makes me ponder the things in our young lives that shape us. That define who we are. That determine what path we're going to take. And set across these 4 different time periods, the stories woven together make for a fascinating and absorbing read.

It's less than 300 pages and I found myself wanting a little bit more. This is a must read book. Recommended for ages 12+.

This was such a heartfelt and genuine book with terrific queer representation that also addresses identity, divorce, coming of age, romantic feelings, friendship, family, and more! The main characters are 4 middle schoolers - Twins Milo and Lina, Avery, and Mac, and their respective families who come to Provincetown for a week every year at the largest LGBTQ+ family gathering in the states. 

But this year, things are different, for all of the kids and their families. 

Really appreciated the in depth storylines and character growth for each of the kids. I was rooting for them all! The only criticism I had is that the adults weren't too distinguishable to me, but they were more side characters and I appreciated the theme that sometimes parents don't know the answer to everything either. 

Beautiful theme of family and togetherness! Excellent representation including lesbian, gay, bi, trans, asian, and learning disability. I know kids are going to appreciate this one! 

Recommended for ages 10+.

This YA romance was adorable. It had a little bit of everything and seemed pretty realistic yet there were some really tender moments. Eliza is an overachieving type A girl who has the 2nd highest GPA in her senior class. Due to a scheduling mishap, she is forced to take a culinary arts class. The only problem? She can't cook! She meets Wesley, who just so happens to be a very cute boy, who is average academically at school but a genius with cooking. 

They start as enemies (of course), but then are partnered together for their Culinary Arts project. Friendship between the two grows as they start to spend time together (naturally).

An adorable romcom with some serious topics as well. Eliza's mother is dealing with grief and depression after losing her own mother. Her best friends seem distant and their inseparable trio is growing apart. Wesley has some issues at home as well - absent and unloving parents who are disappointed in his lack of academic achievements. 

Terrific diversity - Eliza is Korean, Wesley is Thai, plus queer and south asian rep in the friend group.

An enjoyable and clean young adult romance!

This is such an interesting book and premise! It starts in 2040 and ends in 2025 and is about a prominent Shanghai family - successful businessman father, Japanese-French artistic mother, and 3 daughters. I devoured it quickly, but I'm not sure I liked the timeline moving backwards. I kind of wanted to know more about the daughters in the future, and each year seemed to go so quickly, and then just when I was invested in that year and character's story, it jump to the previous year. 

Very interesting premise and I think it was written and executed well, I just wish there had been an epilogue in 2045 or something to give some closure to the open ended storylines.

This is one of the best books I've read about puberty for middle graders since the book it was inspired by - Are You There God, It's Me Margaret? But so many other themes besides puberty are explored in a thoughtful and inclusive way, including gender identity, coming out, growing apart from friends, bullying, and the question Ollie sets out to learn more about, what it means to be a woman.
 
 I read it so quickly and was so impressed by the depth of the story and character development. More thoughts to come, but it's definitely going to be a title I recommend wholeheartedly to all readers.

Allie Millington's breakout debut last year, Olivetti, featured an unconventional narrator - a typewriter. With this book, she does it again, this time the narrator is an old brick building, the Odenburgh, the last of its kind left on its street. All the other older buildings have been demolished in favor of new, modern buildings. The Odenburgh and its tenants, especially 12 year old Prue in apartment 4C, don't want to lose their home.

For Prue, it's personal. The building holds memories, ones that she doesn't want to lose, especially after the death of her older sister Lina, who Prue shared a room with. She is worried that she'll lose even more of Lina, especially since Lina had started to pull away the last few months before she died.

So Prue decides to save the building. And what do you know? The Odenburgh joins in on the plan! Also joining Prue is Lewis, a boy who  lives across the street in one of the new developments. Lewis has his own secrets, and his own reasons for wanting to save the Odenburgh. So he teams up with Prue, and with the help of the building itself, they get to work.

Along the way they meet the other tenants of the building. Who at first were un-neighborly and rude to one another, they suddenly find that they have one thing in common. And the thing they have in common is wanting to save their home.

It's a story about loss, grief, friendship, sisters, and community. Original and inventive, I can't wait to see what Millington writes next!

Recommended for ages 9+.

Glitch Girl is such an interesting book. I am certain it's going to win awards. I've never read anything like it (the closest comparison I can think of is Louder Than Hunger), and I've never seen a young POV portray ADHD so accurately. Based loosely on the author's own experiences from 5th-7th grade, this is deeply personal and includes important representation.
 
 J- is transgender, has intense ADHD, and feels misunderstood. By parents, whose frustrations with J-'s behavior turns abusive. With classmates and teachers, who think J- is being disruptive on purpose. By Junie (J-'s crush) and Garrison (Junie's friend), who went from being friendly to saying not so nice things. J- blames J- which is heartbreaking and difficult to read.
 
 The only solace J- finds is in a roller coaster sims type game. J- builds park after park, different roller coasters and different guests, trying to find glitches in the game design. Sometimes the game turns deadly. J-'s mother finds this particularly disturbing, although J- doesn't mean for it to happen.
 
 This is an extremely tough book to read. It's deeply personal and the first person POV is as close as a reader can get to J-'s thoughts. It was not an easy read, at times I had to push myself to continue, especially as there were so many scenes featuring the roller coaster computer game. There also wasn't much plot, it was deeply character driven, and all of it in J-'s point of view was intense (I think deliberately so). And despite some of the middle section being slow, the ending felt too abrupt. 

Be sure to check the content warnings before reading. A bonus I really enjoyed were the interviews at the back of the book with the real people Junie and Garrison are based on. Fascinating!
 
 Recommended for ages 10+ due to mature themes.

Sensational! I was hooked from the very first page and found myself staying up way past my bedtime to finish this book. I was thoroughly entertained, and fully immersed in the world of elite ice dancing. I found a few of the twists to be predictable, but that did not take away from my enjoyment of this fast paced, riveting, couldn't look away book.

The story centers around a dynamic ice dancing pair, Kat Shaw and Heath Rocha. Unlike most elite skaters, Kat and Heath grew up poor and without any support. Partnered since they were children, a pair both professionally and romantically, Kat and Heath have their lives changed when they get an invitation to join the prestigious Lin Dance Academy, run by two time gold medalist (and Kat's childhood idol) Sheila Lin. The stars of the academy and their main rivals? Sheila Lin's twin children, Bella and Garrett.

What happened next was a decade of drama, betrayal, scandal, heartbreak, and so much more. It was like my favorite soap opera playing out over 3 Olympic cycles. I could not look away. I was enthralled.

I listened to the first third of the book on audio (full cast was terrific) and then finished it on my ereader because I could not stop reading. Definitely going to be on some top lists this year! 

A lower YA book coauthored by two-time Newbery winner Erin Entrada Kelly and Kwame Mbalia? Yes please! 
 
 Just as I was looking in the universe for some YA books featuring freshmen for my own 8th grader, this popped up on my radar. I could not request it fast enough! And for extra fun, I read it out loud with my 13 year old. She declared it to be cringe which is pretty much the highest compliment a middle school can give.
 
 Let's talk about Cecil. We LOVED Cecil. Stylish, allergic to everything, IBS ridden, djembe drum playing, unique Cecil. They don't make high school love interests like him very often. Super relatable, very endearing, and just so entertaining. Cecil is not a character, Cecil is a movement. Very quickly after we began reading this, we referred to it solely as the Cecil book. Thank you Cecil, and thank you Filipino Soul.
 
 That's not to say that Pacy wasn't beloved by us either. She was! Her entire family was! Star Trek loving, accident prone, One-Hit Wonder super fan Pacy. She was the best! And perfect for Cecil. The two of them together was comedy gold. My daughter laughed out loud while hiding her face in a pillow during most of their scenes together. Here's to Pae-Pae, Va-va, Gigi, and the whole family.
 
 Enjoyed the side characters and friend group. Very fun plot device of planning the freshman dance. Lots of pop trivia and while the kids might not appreciate it, I cracked up at the hip hop references, especially the locked in a dark corner with Flavor Flav (side note - I watched Flavor of Love a couple of decades ago and I don't regret a moment of it).
 
 All in all, a perfect book for middle graders venturing into young adult. And a reminder that this Lower YA age range is missed, and we need more of this!