In Mathew New’s absurdist graphic novel, a teenage boy and his talking duck seek out adventure in an attempt to prove the boy’s worth as an explorer. Billy, a part-time janitor, is really an explorer. With Barrace, a duck who is also... Read More

Colleen Nelson’s heartwarming novel "Harvey Holds His Own" is about friendship, loyalty, and the importance of staying true to oneself, no matter the obstacles. For twelve-year-old Maggie, seventh grade at St. Ambrose Academy includes... Read More

In the thoughtful middle grade novel "Second Dad Summer", a boy spends his vacation with his father and his father’s boyfriend. Jeremiah likes his summers with his dad. This year, their time together includes Michael, his dad’s new... Read More

In Darlene Beck-Jacobson’s poignant novel in verse, Wishes, Dares, & How to Stand Up to a Bully, a boy copes with the absence of his father, who is missing in action during the Vietnam War. Eleven-year-old Jack, with his mother and... Read More

In Jean Mills’s insightful "Larkin on the Shore", a sixteen-year-old struggles to overcome an assault and the gossip and cyberbullying that follow it. While her father visits her sick mother in Vancouver, Larkin is sent to stay with... Read More

In Linda Sue Park’s insightful novel "Prairie Lotus", an Asian American girl and her father face prejudice in the 1880s Midwest. Fourteen-year-old Hanna wants to make a friend, earn her diploma, and make dresses for her father’s... Read More

Kelden’s "The Crooked Path" is a thoughtful examination of one modern pagan movement. The first part of the book attempts to define traditional witchcraft—a daunting task, given the myriad beliefs and practices of traditional... Read More

Emotional and rich, "The Wish and the Peacock" concerns families, loss, and acceptance. After the death of her father, twelve-year-old Paige is determined to fill the gaps left by his absence. She works hard to keep their farm running,... Read More