Rajani LaRocca's follow up to MIDSUMMER'S MAYHEM is a deeply moving #OwnVoices middle-grade verse novel, set in 1983, about a 13-year-old daughter of Indian immigrants. Torn between two worlds, Reha struggles to be both Indian and American, as she navigates through middle school, first love, and grief and loss when tragedy strikes. Full of relatable characters and situations, RED, WHITE, AND WHOLE’s message to stay resilient, hopeful, and loving is necessary and timely. -Alyssa
Twelve-year-old Aru Shah stretches the truth to fit in at school. While her classmates jet off on fun adventures during break, she’ll spend hers in the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture, waiting for her archeologist mom to return. When three schoolmates dare her to prove the museum’s Lamp of Bharata is cursed, Aru lights it and accidentally frees an ancient demon.
A space opera infused with Korean mythology about a thirteen-year-old who comes from a long line of fox spirits. Gamblers, pirates, and vengeful ghosts make this a rollicking sci-fi adventure.
Korean folklore comes to life in this book about a girl who goes on a quest to unlock the power of stories and save her grandmother.
When Lily’s grandmother gets sick, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni's Korean folktales arrives and demands payment for something that was stolen by her grandmother a long time ago.
A timely tale that shines a light on equity, justice, and class issues, A WISH IN A DARK features a diverse cast of perfectly imperfect characters in a richly immersive and captivating world that I found myself thinking about long after I finished the novel! Pong and Nok were a delight to read about! A story full of monk temples, daring prison escapes involving durian fruit, shocking family secrets, and meaningful friendships, A WISH IN THE DARK is a must-read.
-Jess
Inspired by Filipino folklore, this story follows Lalani on a voyage to save her ailing mother and her future. Perfect for fans of Moana and The Girl Who Drank the Moon.
An Arabian-inspired quest fantasy where a huntress disguised as a boy to enter a tournament and the prince tasked to kill her are forced to work together to find a lost artifact. We Hunt the Flame is one of a kind!
A unique medieval fantasy woven with elements of Hmong shamanism, Forest of Souls follows a queen’s spy-in training who discovers she has the ability to bring the dead back to life after her best friend is killed.
Jess really loved this historical fantasy set in 1880’s Paris, with a treasure hunter who puts together a band of thieves to track down a powerful artifact. Perfect for fans of Six of Crows!
Written by an independent bookseller turned author that’s from the Boston area, Shatter the Sky is about a dragon rider who storms a keep to rescue her kidnapped girlfriend. Angry bisexual dragons? Sign me up!
This Hindu mythology-inspired fantasy--set in the modern world and centering around a teen caught between two worlds, believing she must hide parts of her self to survive--is my favorite kind of fairy tale. After half-mortal/half-star Sheetal Mistry accidentally injures her father with her star power, she searches for her mother, a star who abandoned them a decade ago when she returned to the heavens. Her mother can save her father with a drop of her blood; but first Sheetal must win a musical competition to decide the next ruling house of heaven. STAR DAUGHTER is a perfect response to Neil Gaiman's STARDUST. -Alyssa