Other Boys ● Strengths

by Damian Alexander ○ Debut novel that deals with issues many serious issues middle schoolers face:
2021 bullying, death, self-discovery, being the new kid at school and loneliness, to
name a few. It deals with these topics in a candid yet heartfelt, real way.
○ It’s a brave memoir that isn’t scared to discuss the author’s tragedies with
vulnerability and truth. It is also a story about perseverance and
self-discovery.

● Weaknesses
○ Because it deals with such difficult topics, the story shows the character sad
for most of the novel and feels quite heavy throughout the text, especially for
a middle schooler.
○ It feels more like a picture book with narration or an illustrated story more
than a graphic novel.

● Representation
○ LGBTQIA+ middle-school graphic novel
○ Mental Health

● Selling Point
○ The book is instantly eye-catching with vivid colors and bright visuals.
○ Takes place in the 1980’s which is an era that is popular with teens at the moment
with shows like Stranger Things.

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 Ain’t Burned All
● Strengths
the Bright ○ Ain’t Burned All the Bright is a unique text that melds together visual art and poetry to help

by Jason Reynolds
illustrate the life of a black family living in America during the pandemic in a simplistic yet
impactful way.

2022
○ There is a recurrent concept of breathing throughout the text that is written in such interesting
ways. The thread is woven in the way his mother incessantly and breathlessly watches the
news, the struggle to breathe for his covid positive father in the other room, and in the protests
for Eric Garner and George Floyd. Reynolds’ words and Griffin’s artwork beautifully captures
the way individuals in our society felt during this unprecedented time.

● Weaknesses
○ While Reynolds has a way of speaking volumes with very few words, the simplistic nature of
the text may deter middle school readers from really dissecting the text and analyzing the
artwork and poetry within without guidance or a book group.

● Representation
○ African American author and African American illustrator.
○ Current events of racism, police brutality, protests and the pandemic.
● Selling Point
○ It’s a Caldecott Medal Nominee for 2023 and the mixed-media artwork and visuals are
vivid and at times, haunting. This could easily be a public art installation to promote the
book.
○ It’s relevant and accurately describes the feeling of breathlessness we all felt during covid,
whether it be from the illness itself or from the uncertainty that surrounded those first
few months of the pandemic, told from a teen’s perspective.

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 All My Rage ● Strengths
by Sabaa Tahir ○ This is a beautifully written, powerful book that leaves you thinking about the story long after
you’ve finished reading it. I could not put this book down and rooted for the characters. So much

2022 so, that I felt the rage she speaks of in the title, as well as every other emotion that was brilliantly
illustrated through Tahir’s writing.
○ The emotionally moving story weaves three main characters’ lives and their journeys intertwine
together till the very end. It’s a unique way of storytelling that keeps the reader interested
throughout. It’s a story of truth and forgiveness that is heartbreakingly real and raw.
● Weaknesses
○ While the issues discussed in the story can be cathartic, the trauma all of the characters
continually face in this story makes the list of trigger warnings on the book quite lengthy. The
book tackles heavy topics such as: drug and alcohol addition, racism, allusions of sexual assault as
well as its repression, physical abuse, islamophobia, and death. When read with a book group,
emotional responses should be expected and discussed with students who may be reminded of
their own experiences.
○ While I did truly love this story, there are times where the writing felt a little bit drawn out and
the emotion overwritten.
● Representation
○ Pakistani-American Representation
○ Mental Health and Substance Abuse
○ Discrimination, Prejudice and Physical Abuse
● Selling Point
○ A New York Times Bestseller and winner of the 2022 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. It also
won the 2022 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature and the Michael L. Printz
Award.
○ The title is intriguing and the cover art is simple but appealing and looks more like an adult novel
than a YA novel.

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 Huda F Are You?
● Strengths
by Huda Fahmy ○ It’s a quick, highly enjoyable read with a powerful message. Fahmy does a brilliant job of

2021 combining wit and humor with the serious topics of racism and islamophobia. This
semi-autobiographical book will definitely resonate with Muslim teens but is relatable to
everyone.
○ The book is a great story of figuring out who you are and how teens struggle with identity. This
coming of age tale kept me smiling and rooting for the character throughout the entire book.

● Weaknesses
○ I wanted more! So much so, that I looked up her other books and now have them on my
summer reading list. Her writing and illustrations deal with very important issues in such a
real, relatable, humorous way.

● Representation
○ Muslim-American author
○ Islamophobia and discrimination

● Selling Point
○ Can we please talk about the title for a moment? I will admit, it was the first thing that caught
my eye and I’m positive it’s going to garner a lot of attention in middle school and high school.
Smart and just hysterical, it’s a wonderful play on her name and captures the sentiment of the
book.
○ Huda Fahmy started out on instagram and has an internationally successful webcomic. She
already has a huge fanbase of teens that makes her book a major selling point. Fun fact: She
taught English in middle school and high school for 8 years before writing about her experiences
as a Muslim woman.

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 A Good Girl’s Guide ● Strengths
to Murder ○ This mystery novel definitely kept me on my toes! While some of the twists were predictable, many were
not which is something to say for this novel. I have read loads of mysteries and thrillers and often can

by Holly Jackson
predict the ending within the first few chapters. This book definitely had twists, turns and an ending that I
didn’t see coming. I even started the second book because I was hooked and plan on finishing the trilogy.
○ The author is able to build tension and set a pace that makes it a thrilling read. I found that I kept wanting

2019
to read one more chapter to see where the story was heading.
● Weaknesses
○ The reader has to suspend their disbelief quite a bit while reading this book. The main character is
put in situations or puts herself in places where no teenager would really be. Meeting up with
potential murders, opening up a cold-case because of a senior project and even conversing with drug
dealers - not only does she come out of this all virtually unharmed, she gets information out of
everyone without much trouble.
○ Similarly to what is stated above, the murder itself revolves around nearly every crime imaginable.
The text brings up heavy topics such as drug and alcohol use, rape, pedophilia, bullying, abuse,
murder, and assault, to name a few. While I enjoyed all the twists, when you think of the story as a
whole, it becomes a little too far fetched to be realistic, bringing plausibility and believability into
question.
● Representation
○ Racial Discrimination and Prejudice
○ Indian-British Characters
○ SEL - Overcoming Adversity
○ Lesbian Side Character
● Selling Point
○ The title is captivating and the cover art is consistent with current popular thrillers/mysteries.
○ The book has had a great reception and was #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list. It also won the
British Book Awards Children’s Fiction Book Winner of the Year in 2020 (which includes the YA genre).
○ A nail-biting whodunnit that takes the reader for a rollercoaster ride where the author is always ten-steps
ahead of the reader. It’s a story filled with secrets and has a satisfying ending.

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 The Love Match ● Strengths
by Priyanka Taslim ○ Similar to many popular YA romance novels, The Love Match is a story about a love triangle where
you’re not quite sure who to root for, even up until the end. This is a story about love, family, loyalty

2023 ○
and sacrifice - topics that teens are all dealing with, no matter the culture.
In the middle of this triangle is our protagonist, Zarah, a recent high school graduate who struggles
with making her family proud and following her heart. The novel has a strong representation of
Bengali culture and community and illustrates how tradition is such a big part of Bengali life.
● Weaknesses
○ I love that there is representation for Bengali Americans, but there are so many cultural references
using Bengali language with little to no context clues that I found myself stopping a lot to define
words (most of which I couldn’t find a definition). A glossary would’ve been helpful or even defining
some of the words in context would have made this an easier read for non-Bengali readers.
○ I really wasn’t fully invested in either of the romances and by the end of the book, I honestly didn’t
root for any of them. Some of the plot was a little far fetched and lacked emotional connection.
During some parts of the book, I was almost hoping she’d wind up without either of the boys she’d
been pining over throughout the novel.
● Representation
○ Asian-American Romance (Bengali-American Representation) written by a debut Bengali-American
author who is also a high school teacher in New Jersey.
○ Lesbian side characters
○ Lots of cultural representation of Bengali-American Life, i.e. traditions and customs
● Selling Point
○ Takes place in Patterson, New Jersey and also references places in NYC so the setting is very familiar
to NYC students.
○ For students who love Bengali natoks (Bengali movies) or Bollywood films, this book is a perfect
match and as the text states, “this is something of an American natok.” Fans of romance novels like
the popular book/series To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before will appreciate this book.

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 Heartstopper ● Strengths
(Volumes 1-4) ○ Simply just a lovely story with lovable, real characters. The side characters are also diverse and
vivid, making this series an enjoyable, heart-warming read about falling in love and growing up. I

by Alice Oseman enjoyed that this was an LGBTQIA+ series that allows its characters happiness even when things are
rough.

2019-2021
○ The writing and art of the series works together well to tell the story. I found myself reading all four
of the books in one day because I kept wanting to see the relationships in the novel blossom. It was
refreshing to read a story that does tackle quite a few deep issues that doesn’t end in sorrow and
pain. While the characters do face obstacles and tackle difficult topics, the reader is left feeling
happy and content when the story ends.
● Weaknesses
○ While some of the side characters are provided a bit of a backstory, some of the more interesting
ones aren’t. The author has discussed possibly branching off and writing about other characters and
their relationships, but aside from the Heartstopper Yearbook little vignettes, the other characters
feel underdeveloped after four novels.
● Representation
○ LGBTQIA+ Main Characters - tackles the sensitive subject of coming out to family and friends
○ Mental Health & Eating Disorders
○ Bullying, Homophobia & Sexual Assault
● Selling Point
○ Oseman’s Heartstopper series began with side characters that appeared in her story Solitaire. She was so
interested in their backstory that she began to draw comics that were wildly popular on Tumblr and Tapas
with over 90,000 followers. The first novel was funded because of a Kickstarter campaign. There are
currently four novels in the series with a fifth and final novel coming out at the end of this year.
○ This wildly popular book series and webcomic is now an acclaimed Netflix series that many teens love (and
I had to watch after reading). The Netflix series beautifully captures the emotions of the book and brought
the beloved characters to life.

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 Spy X Family
● Strengths
by Tatsuya Endo ○ This is an action-packed manga about a spy named Twilight who’s latest mission is to create a

2020
fake family. Little does he know that this family includes a spy, an assassin and a telepath.
○ Though quite violent at times, it is humorous, fun read. There really are no dull moments in
the story and the plot is fast-paced. There are many bloody scenes, but with the black and
white layout, it doesn’t feel as gruesome as it would be in color.
○ The “family” is full of secrets and the series teases when truths will be revealed. The characters
have a backstory that is slowly revealed piece by piece, making the reader invested in the story.
● Weaknesses
○ The ending felt a little abrupt and while it did leave you on a cliffhanger so you progress within
the series, I would’ve liked to see a little more in the first volume. I felt like I was just getting
to know the characters when the novel came to an end.
○ There were times when I got lost in the plot because the scenes change abruptly.
● Representation
○ Japanese Manga in traditional format of right to left
○ Some Japanese cultural aspects within the story (i.e.- Yor looked down upon because she was
not married at a certain age).
● Selling Point
○ This is an action packed manga that is filled with humor and a fun premise. Spy stories are
always popular and this one is filled with fun twists and secrets that will keep the reader
amused.
○ The art is beautiful and the layout is appealing. This was a great introduction to Manga for me
and is recommended for ages 16+.
○ The book series was also recently turned into an anime series in 2022 and the first season is
available to watch.

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 Messy Roots
A Graphic Memior of a ● Strengths
○ This was a great read with bold, expressive art that brings the story to life and
Wuhanese American pushes the plot along. The author did a fantastic job of delivering her story with

by Laura Gao ○
colorful, detailed and interesting artwork.
The way Gao speaks about growing up in Wuhan, moving to Texas, dealing with

2022
being an immigrant, and realizing she’s queer are all powerful themes in this
memoir.
● Weaknesses
○ Gao introduces some very complex themes (racism, assimilation, COVID, coming
out to friends & family) but doesn’t go in depth with them. These important topics
feel quickly brushed over and deserve a little more time and explanation.
● Representation
○ Wuhanese-American Memoir
○ LGBTQIA+ Representation
○ Discrimination and Internal Struggle
● Selling Point
○ Very timely memoir in graphic novel form about the struggles of a Wuhanese-American
living in the time of Covid. Once a small town, Wuhan is now a well-known name in
recent years and Gao speaks of the anti-Asian discrimination and violence that rose
during Covid-19.
○ Before reading this, I really didn’t know much about Wuhan other than what we’ve
heard on the news and Gao’s loving memories of the town are moving and informative.
○ Felt a bit like A Raina Telgemeier novel so fans of her work may like this memoir.

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 Home is Not a ● Strengths
Country ○ For people who are apprehensive about poetry, this type of writing is appealing because there’s a
flowing narrative throughout the book that is easy to comprehend.

by Safia Elhillo ○ The first part of the novel follows Nima, a teenage girl living in America with her mother. They have
emigrated from an Arabic-speaking country that is not identified in the book. This part of the text

2021
explores Nima’s feelings of loneliness and feeling like an outsider. She daydreams about an alter-ego
version of herself called Yasmeen and wonders what life would be like if her mother never left her
homeland.
○ The second part of the novel unexpectedly changes into something completely different. Nima enters
a dream-like state where she watches her mother and father in their country before she was born. She
is now with Yasmeen (her alter-ego come to life or her “jinn”) navigating the past, trying to learn more
about her family, but also fighting to find a way back to her “home”-the love of her family and friends.
● Weaknesses
○ The second half of the book has the character time traveling but left me wondering what happened to
her in the real world. The story changes so drastically so suddenly that it felt like being blindsided.
○ Some conflicts ultimately get resolved, but there were pieces left unexplained. The part of the story
that needed more explanation and exploration was where the shift occurs, leaving the reader confused.
● Representation
○ Muslim-American Representation/Cultural Study
○ Islamophobia and violence (during post-9/11 time in the United States)
● Selling Point
○ Elhillo does the narration of her story for the audiobook and I enjoyed listening to her tell this story
even more than reading the verse novel. I got a far better understanding of her culture and the arabic
words used since I was able to hear the emotion behind her words.
○ It was almost like being privy to a spoken word night where she’s the main headliner. This verse novel
was meant to be heard and experienced.

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 The Henna Wars ● Strengths
by Adiba Jaigirdar ○ Jaigirdar has created a novel that is both serious and sweet for her debut. It’s a beautiful story
about the fear of coming out to people you love and the repercussions that sometimes follow.

2020 ○
Despite there being very heavy parts, it’s refreshing to read something with a happy ending.
Nishat, the main character, is a standout! She is an incredible character who is unapologetically
herself in a place in her life where it feels like the world will do anything to stop her. She is both
vulnerable yet so strong, sad yet proud. The struggles she goes through only help illustrate her
strength and maturity. Her story is both heartbreaking and inspiring to read and the reader
totally becomes invested in her journey throughout the novel.
● Weaknesses
○ Some of the plot turns were obvious and you could feel the buildup chapters in advance. This
doesn’t really weaken the storyline, but doesn’t feel like quite a surprise when things are
revealed.
○ Tons of conflict occur in the novel, but most answers to these conflicts are glossed over and
some are not even fully resolved.
● Representation
○ Bengali-Irish Representation
○ Muslim Representation
○ Bengali-Irish Author’s Debut Novel
○ Discrimination, Bullying, Racism, Homophobia, and Cultural Appropriation
○ LGBTQIA+ Representation
○ Love Story Between Two Girls of Color
● Selling Point
○ If you liked Heartstopper for it’s sweet, first-love storyline, this is the female equivalent.
○ This novel was voted one of Time Magazine’s 100 Best YA Books of All Time.
○ Similar to the theme of enemies to lovers, this book centers around a similar concept. What if
business rivals have feelings for each other?

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 Bluebird
by Sharon Cameron ● Strengths
○ This historical fiction novel alternates between two different narratives. One concerns Eva, a

2021 German teenager who is traveling to the United States to escape the Nazis with her friend
Annemarie. The second tale concerns Inge, a different German young woman from the "ideal"
Nazi German family. The stories ultimately cross paths in an unusual, gradual way and
concludes with the reader being very satisfied with the journey.
○ Cameron did a nice job of creating a tense, engrossing plot with lots of interesting twists. To
this, she also adds a sweet yet complicated love story that unfolds beautifully between two
characters.

● Weaknesses
○ The novel is far too long and would have benefited from editing down from its 400+ pages.
There are places in the novel that felt overwritten and redundant, making for a pretty slow read.
○ Because the book is a wartime fiction novel, there are definite trigger warnings. Nothing is
extremely graphic, but there are a lot of references to abuse and violence, concentration camps
and human experimentation.

● Representation
○ German-American Representation During WWII
○ Psychological Brainwashing, Abuse and Trauma
○ Discrimination and Racism

● Selling Point
○ If you love a revenge story, this is a great historical fiction one to try.
○ Project Bluebird is based on a real experiment that happened in Germany which made the story
all the more fascinating.
○ Beautiful cover art that shows the parallels between the two stories that are told throughout the
story.

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 Pixels of You ● Strengths
by Ananth Hirsh & Yoko Ota ○ Indian-American Indira and Fawn (a human presenting AI) feud over their artwork during their

Illustrated by: J.R. Doyle internships at an art gallery so their boss decides to force them to collaborate and combine their
visions for an exhibition. Their shared project turns into a shared romance as the story

2022
advances. Their relationship progresses from enemies, to friends and possibly more by the end.
○ The artwork is beautiful and the color choice adds to the mystique of the novel.
● Weaknesses
○ There is a total lack of explanation in regards to the setting. We know that we’re in the future,
but it is confusing to understand exactly what is happening in this version of the world. The
novel has a few brief sentences to explain flaws in AI technology dispersed randomly within the
novel, but these moments are so quick and really don’t coincide with the narrative of Fawn and
Indira’s relationship.
○ The story feels incomplete and rushed. There should have been more backstory at the
beginning. You’re thrown into the world with little context or background making it hard to
follow the plot. There is no character development aside from their relationship and I found
myself trying to fill in the blanks for a lot of this novel. For example, it isn’t until much later in
the story that you realize that the reason Indira’s eye hurts throughout the novel is because she
has had an operation that made her eye part robotic after an accident that killed her family.
● Representation
○ LGBTQIA+ Representation
○ Indian-American Representation
● Selling Point
○ If you’re a fan of science fiction and Manga, this is a unique choice that is fast paced with
beautiful artwork.
○ The novel proposes an interesting take on AI and human relationships. The idea of humans
co-existing with AI is one that is popular at the moment in pop culture with shows like Black
Mirror and even the movie M3gan (which had a big teen following).

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 Elle(s) Volume 1 ● Strengths
by Kid Toussaint ○ The story centers around Elle, the new girl at school and her relationships with her new group of
friends. This is a fun, page-turner that explores feelings of being the new kid in school.

2022 ○ The artistic depictions of the different versions of Elle are brilliant. The author addresses the
“mood-swings” Elle exhibits whenever she is stressed by changing the color of the character’s hair in
that moment. This is such a brilliant way to understand the personality that we are facing within that
particular moment, since her switches happen very suddenly.
● Weaknesses
○ It ended way too soon! Just as we were starting to get into the plot, it was over. The second volume is
coming out next month, but that’s a long time to wait to see what will happen. I appreciate a great
cliffhanger as a mystery and thriller genre fan, but a few more pages should’ve been included to
understand some basic introduction to the characters, especially the main character of Elle.
○ It seems like there’s a suppressed identity that is waiting to come out at the end of this novel that I read
as multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder, but the text is hinting at perhaps
another supernatural explanation that has yet to be discussed. As an adult reader, I’m not sure if this is
a story about mental health or if something else is at play. Since the novel ends so quickly, that
question still remains. This can be a confusing representation and needs further reading of additional
volumes to make a more accurate assessment otherwise the text can be upsetting to those who deal
with this disorder and is inaccurate and confusing for others to read.
● Representation
○ Mental Health - Multiple Personality Disorder/Dissociative Identity Disorder Representation
○ LGBTQIA+ Side Character
○ Diversity Within the Group of Friends
● Selling Point
○ The artwork in the book is gorgeous - polished, neat, vibrant and eye catching. It felt very much like a
Disney or Pixar type work.
○ Leaves you on a cliffhanger that will definitely make you want to pick up the other volume to learn more.

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