(2) 4-6 As a young girl, Valentina loved the Colombian legends her father told about the magical creatures inhabiting their country. Now that she's twelve ("almost thirteen"), however, she finds the stories childish fantasies, and she's less than thrilled when her father brings her and her younger brother on an expedition into the Andean jungle to investigate a sighting of a mythical female vampire-like creature. Valentina dreams of attending the Bogota Academy of Arts, and she'd prefer to stay at home and work on her drawing portfolio. When a massive earthquake hits the jungle, the siblings fall into a deep crevice that leads to an alternate world--one that mirrors theirs but is inhabited by mythical beings. To get home, the two must travel through the magical land and beg Madremonte, the mother and protector of Earth, to help them. The only problem is that Madremonte hates humans and will stop at nothing to eliminate them from her realm. Alessandri embeds Colombian folklore into a thrilling tale that centers sibling relationships, eco-justice, border crossing, and intergenerational family wounds. Readers who love mythology, adventure, and suspense will root for Valentina as she embarks on her hero's journey.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) 4-6 Hamra has just turned thirteen, though no one in her family seems to have noticed. Due to COVID-19, her home country of Malaysia is under quarantine, leaving her mother working long hours in an overrun hospital hours away, her father distracted by his duty to get supplies to those in need, and Hamra at home to care for her grandparents. While her grandfather often annoys her with his many far-fetched stories, her grandmother's increasing dementia worries and even angers her. Adults are supposed to take care of children, after all. To escape the pressures of caring for elders, Hamra goes to the jungle. When she recklessly takes fruit from the magical jambu tree, a weretiger demands she accompany him on a quest as payment for stealing. If she succeeds, the weretiger will remember his humanity, and her grandmother's dementia will be cured. Accompanied by her best friend, Ilyas, Hamra embarks on a quest where she must face her fears and find the courage to save her family and herself. A compelling story about family, friendship, and the power of memory, filled with Islamic traditions and Malay folklore.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(1) 4-6 On Abeni's twelfth birthday, a witch enters her village to give a grave warning: an evil is coming, and it's too late to run. The adults prepare for an impossible battle as malevolent women and a shadowy goat man, aided by magical black ropes and an enchanted flute, begin their attack. When it's over, Abeni survives--saved by the witch--but the village has been destroyed and its residents, both adults and children, have disappeared, "hidden in the darkness." Abeni despairs over the loss of her community, but the witch, Asha, provides some stability until she, too, disappears. With the aid of two spirits (a timid porcupine and a brusque panther), Abeni sets out to find her friends and family before they are completely consumed by the dark. Clark presents a rich story of love, loss, and friendship steeped in West African lore. Readers will thrill to the fantastic plot points as well as the genuine relationships between magical and mortal characters, and the fast-paced plot will keep them fully immersed in the story from beginning to end. An excellent foundation for a projected new fantasy series.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) YA Khadija is a brown-skinned sixteen-year-old girl living in the (fictional) realm of Ghadaea. Although her Ghadaean identity grants her a position in society's highest racial caste, her identity as a girl means she will never obtain the freedom she desires. When her father informs her that he has found a suitable husband for her, Khadija commandeers a hot-air balloon and floats away from her restrictive life. Her flight leads her to Jacob, a hri, or white member of Ghadaea's lowest social caste, who longs to escape his abusive glassmaking apprenticeship. Despite their gender, racial, and class differences, the two form an unlikely bond, as they both wish for freedom from oppression and have experienced the loss of family and friends. Khadija and Jacob's friendship is tested, however, when they find themselves caught between two revolutionary groups: the Wzeem, who believe that peaceful protest will result in equality for all; and the Hreef, who want the hri to rule at all costs. Told from ­Khadija's and Jacob's alternating points of view, Marufu's novel uses South Asian–inspired fantasy ­elements to tackle discussions of racism, misogyny, classism, and activism. An exciting and action-packed adventure perfect for fans of Blackman's Naughts and Crosses (rev. 7/05).

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) YA This ambitious novel in verse uses magical realism and fairy-tale elements to explore clinical depression and highlight the various stages of grief. Whimsy is back at the hospital again, where she has been forced to go numerous times since she was diagnosed with clinical depression. She recognizes the sadness and grief she feels, and she knows numerous coping mechanisms to manage her feelings, but she still struggles daily with her (gradually revealed) trauma. Although she is used to the hospital routine, this visit is different because she meets Faerry, a boy who knows sorrow that mirrors her own. Their bond is strengthened after their release from the facility, and together they decide to help each other cope with the pain that affects them both. When Faerry enters the Haunting Forest, a sinister plot of land that feeds on pain, Whimsy follows. If they cannot make it through, sorrow might swallow them whole, leaving nothing but death in its wake. McBride's (Me (Moth), rev. 1/22) lush free-verse poetry creates a vibrant world teetering between the real and the magical, but the images and atmosphere act as background to serious issues of trauma and suicidality. Although the subject matter is heavy, the book serves as a reminder that, as sorrow and loss come for everyone, no one is alone. Back matter addresses mental health and expands on the story's elements from fairy tales and folklore.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(3) 4-6 In this enigmatic novel, the narrator, Red, is a young girl who lives with a very old woman she assumes is her mother, Yakaka, in the mountains. Most days, they engage in everyday tasks—cooking, cleaning, and mending. Some days, however, they travel the world to heal the Earth with Yakaka’s stories. One day, Yakaka and Red are tasked with another healing mission, but a terrible storm knocks them out of the sky and onto a deserted island. Oddly, Yakaka leaves Red there with no food or fire to keep warm, which confuses and hurts her. After days of loneliness, Red meets Rubos and his mother, the only people left on the island. Through this friendship, she learns more about who she is and who she is not. But even though she learns to enjoy island life, there is one question that haunts her: where is Yakaka? Lyrical prose explores themes of identity, family, resilience, and belonging. A heartfelt coming-of-age story, the short and powerful novel will draw readers into the everyday life of a young girl who longs to find herself.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver

(2) 4-6 Because her father is in the Air Force, eleven-year-old Delphinia Baker moves to a new state every year, making it difficult to form lasting friendships. Del is grateful for the one constant in her life: her grandmother. However, when Gramma falls ill while Del's father is deployed, Del is sent to stay with her great-grandmother, Nana Rose, who runs a school on an island off the coast of South Carolina. Del didn't know she had a great-grandmother--nor did she know that she comes from a long line of conjurers, spell workers whose magic is tied to the land and the community. At first, Del wants nothing to do with the strange school, but she soon learns that magic is more than incantations and enchantments. Magic is family, community, and life. Still, the mystery remains: why did her grandmother hide the existence of the school, the island, and her family? This heartfelt fantastical novel discusses resonant topics such as belonging, friendship, and grief. Royce's (Root Magic, rev. 3/21) narrative is filled with magic, but the heart of the story lies in its connection to Southern conjure and Gullah Geechee culture. Share with readers who enjoyed Dumas's Wildseed Witch and Clayton's The Marvellers (rev. 5/22).

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) YA Theater kid Hughie Wolfe, one of the few Indigenous students at his high school, is disappointed when the fall play is cancelled. He sets his sights on a new project: a haunted house fundraiser at the rural crossroads, a location plagued by rumors of an Indigenous ghost. Hughie is excited to volunteer until he learns that the organizer wants to feature Indigenous stereotypes, including an "Indian Maiden" and an "Indian burial ground" as the main attractions. To make matters worse, there are reports of a creepy figure terrorizing brown girls at the crossroads, scaring them as they walk to their vehicles at night. As Hughie considers how to speak up about bigotry against Indigenous people, he and his friends investigate the stalker and discover that some rumors are based in truth. The story (set in the same universe as the realistic Rain Is Not My Indian Name and Hearts Unbroken, rev. 11/18) adeptly centers important conversations about the racism Indigenous youth face; the plight of missing Indigenous women, girls, and Two-Spirit people; and the lack of police, media, and governmental support in searching for them. This eerie cross-genre novel will entice readers in search of spooky and truthful storytelling.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(2) 4-6 When Bones Malone and his family move to the town of Langille, the transition is anything but smooth. He's the new kid on the baseball team with a strong arm but no control. He's one of the only Black kids in town, and he knows that his race affects how others treat him. Bones's teammate Kyle Specks (who is white) has lived in Langille his entire life, but he still feels like an outcast. Kyle always says the wrong thing and can't figure out social situations. The two outsiders join forces when they notice Langille's adults acting weirdly and suspect their strange behavior has something to do with the new tech company in town. Together, Bones and Kyle must stop the shady corporation before their own worst nightmares come true. Blending mystery, horror, and science ­fiction to explore concepts of fear, belonging, and forgiveness, this is highly accomplished middle-grade speculative fiction, perfect for readers who enjoy darker, layered books such as Ness's A Monster Calls (rev. 9/11).

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Yolanda Cicerón dreams of escaping her rustic life for the technology-enhanced metropolis of Silo, but earning a spot in the city requires an intense education and a lot of money. Yoly is close to reaching her goal: after she completes one final course, she can apprentice under a top surgeon, become a doctor, and make sure that she and her older sister, Cami, never struggle financially again. When she learns that Cami does not have the money to pay for the course, Yoly is devastated. However, a well-known benefactor alerts her to a scholarship that would cover her tuition. Yoly jumps at the chance, but she neglects to read the fine print. In accepting the scholarship, she unknowingly agrees to pay off her debt through two years of hard labor in the blighted wasteland beyond Silo's walls. Desperately ­seeking freedom from the contract, Yoly and Cami begin a life-altering adventure. They uncover schemes of capitalistic greed, expose Silo's evils, and learn that connectivity is interpersonal, not just technological. ­Cartaya (Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish, rev. 9/18; Each Tiny Spark) has created a portrait of familial and communal love set against a backdrop of a world destroyed by ­climate change. Perfect for readers interested in dystopian ­literature and climate fiction, this is a stirring exploration of the connections between technology, nature, and humanity.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) 4-6 Eleven-year-old Ella Durand is poised to attend the Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors, a school specifically designed to educate magical youth in developing the arts of touch, vision, spirit, sound, and taste. As the first conjuror student, Ella has the whole magical world looking at her, with some rooting for her success and others hoping for her demise. Although she is shunned by most of her classmates, Ella finds friendship in two fellow outcasts: Brigit, her roommate, who hates magic and detests the school; and Jason, her school guide, who always has a magical companion with him. When a terrifying felon escapes the nearby prison, allegedly with the aid of a conjuror, tensions swell and protests mount in the Marvellian world, and Ella faces increased rumors and prejudice against her. She and her friends must work together to clear the conjuror name before she is expelled and conjurors are forbidden to set foot in the Arcanum Institute ever again. Clayton (The Belles, rev. 5/18; The Everlasting Rose, rev. 3/19) is adept at building inclusive fantasy worlds filled with magic, lore, and beauty. With Ella's memorable voice and unique characterization, this is a marvelous middle-grade adventure, indeed.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

(2) YA Madison Washington has always been bullied because she's skittish and quiet and dresses in 1950s attire. She tolerates the incessant taunting because she has more to worry about than her small-minded classmates. Maddy is biracial and passing as white in a small Southern town that still has segregated dances, and her abusive father is a religious, conservative fanatic who treats her Black heritage as a sin and forces her to pray in front of photos of white Hollywood stars from the past. Then an unexpected rainstorm causes her flat-ironed hair to rise, revealing that Maddy is not the white girl she has pretended to be, and the bullying intensifies. Meanwhile, a classmate captures a racist incident on video and it goes viral, so student leaders propose an integrated prom to fix the school's reputation. When several students commit a racist prank against Maddy at prom, they find out that she has another, ­supernatural secret--one that will result in a deadly incident to be pieced together years later by the true-crime podcast that serves as the book's framing device. This reimagining of King's Carrie is a thrilling, unflinching horror narrative that takes on colorism, racism, classism, microaggressions, white saviorism, and respectability politics. A perfect choice for fans of Àbíké-Íyímídé's Ace of Spades.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Vanessa Morales. Omega Morales comes from a family of empaths, enchanters who can read and influence the emotions of people and objects around them. Omega struggles to control her power, which causes her to feel like an outcast within her family. Her inability to manage her magic also means that she cannot control how much the feelings of others affect her, forcing her to isolate herself from her emotion-filled classmates. When the trees talk of a scary being haunting the city, Omega goes in search of answers and discovers the legend of La Lechuza, a terrifying witch with the power to transform herself into an owl. Could La Lechuza be responsible for the violent occurrences happening throughout the city? Omega, cousin Carlitos, and best friend Clau (a young ghost who has refused to pass on to the afterlife) work to unravel the mystery before it's too late. Kemp's middle-grade debut, with Morales's black-and-white art interspersed, is an entertaining, sometimes frightening, and thought-provoking story that comments on generational trauma, bullying, friendship, and family. Readers will relate to Omega's struggles to trust herself in difficult situations.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) YA After their parents are brutally murdered for miscegenation in 1936, fraternal twin infants Charlie and Magnolia are separated. Because she can pass for white, Magnolia Heathwood is raised as a Southern belle on a plantation in Eureka, Georgia, by her white grandmother, Blanche, who keeps Magnolia unaware of her racial heritage. As the darker of the sisters, Charlie Yates is taken away from the Jim Crow South to Harlem and raised by her Black grandmother, Jeannette. On her deathbed in 1953, Blanche tells Magnolia of her parentage, and this truth causes Magnolia's reflection to mysteriously disappear. Meanwhile, Charlie has been thriving as a young activist; when Jeannette falls ill and asks to be buried in her hometown, they make the journey back to Eureka. Once there, Charlie learns about the circumstances of her birth, the existence of her sister, and a curse that affects them all. Raised in different worlds, Charlie and Magnolia must work together to end the family curse before they lose each other forever. McWilliams uses American history and Southern Gothic elements to create a thrilling story filled with complex characters and significant social themes, including colorism and race relations. Readers who enjoy historical fantasy narratives, such as Corthron's Daughters of Jubilation (rev. 1/21), will appreciate this captivating story of resilience, hope, and love.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(2) 4-6 Walt and his family relocate to the boring town of Blackbird Bay the summer before seventh grade. His friends are back in L.A., and his twin sister, Van, spends most of her time at the skate park. To make matters worse, his father is forcing him to play football even though all he wants to do is make maps. Walt spends hours analyzing maps of locations near and far, and he treasures his time with his map of Djaruba, a fantasy world he's been creating for years. One day, after a morning of sulking, Walt learns that his special interest is not just a hobby: he can make maps come to life. But the excitement over his newfound ability is short-lived because another mapmaker is destroying worlds, and the former residents of those worlds believe that all mapmakers, including Walt, must be stopped. With the help of Van and his new friend Dylan, Walt has to learn to harness his powers and thwart the malevolent mapmaker before all worlds, including Earth, are destroyed. This is an exciting adventure full of friendship and heart with a likable nerdy-Black-kid protagonist. Although the magic system could use more description, readers will enjoy the well-drawn characters as well as the fantastical landscapes and imaginative creatures in Walt's magical world.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) 4-6 After her mother dies in a tragic accident, twelve-year-old Kela Boxhill becomes a shell of her former self. She pushes away her father, her best friend, and her vibrant Caribbean community of St. Rita. She neglects her artistic ambitions because her creative activities remind her of the storyteller mother she's lost. One day, while searching for sea glass on the beach, Kela finds a magical comb belonging to the mermaid Ophidia. Desperate to retrieve the comb because its magical power keeps her young, Ophidia offers Kela a wish. But magic always comes at a price. Kela's wish to bring her mother back has unexpected consequences, and well-meaning adults prevent her from immediately returning the comb as promised, which incites the mermaid's wrath. As the island faces potential devastation from a hurricane caused by Ophidia's rage, Kela must figure out how to appease the vengeful mermaid while also protecting her loved ones, her community, and herself. The story is imbued with magic, but Stringfellow's powerful writing makes the fantastical feel like reality. Through narrative perspectives centering both Kela and Ophidia, the author recalls the call-and-response structure prevalent in Black storytelling traditions. Fans of Baptiste's The Jumbies and Rhodes's Bayou Magic will enjoy spending time with Kela as she navigates a journey filled with grief, love, loss, and discovery.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(2) 4-6 Arnold presents an accessible and relatable immigration story, engagingly interwoven with magic. Holding the hope of her family on her shoulders, ten-year-old Gabrielle is determined to be on her best behavior when she leaves her home in Haiti for the "heaven" of America, moving in with her uncle and his family in Brooklyn. However, she realizes that life in the U.S. is not as magical as she had anticipated: her English is limited, her hair doesn't flow like it does for the girls on TV, and her clothing stands out. All she wants is to be a regular American girl. Seeing her desire to fit in, an evil witch, Lady Lydia, offers Gabrielle a deal. The witch will grant her three wishes, but, with each wish, ­Gabrielle will lose some "small, insignificant" thing--a strand of hair, a sock. Although that seems like a harmless exchange, Gabrielle soon realizes that her desire to be "­American" will cost her much more than she'd bargained for, and she must decide how much she is willing to lose in order to belong. Although the pacing is somewhat uneven at the end, the book presents an engrossing story of self-acceptance and ­self-discovery and will appeal to readers who enjoyed Callender's Hurricane Child (rev. 5/18).

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(2) YA Sam and her younger sister Rima live in a rundown trailer in Michigan with an unreliable yet loving mother who is trying to make ends meet after the girls' father doesn't return from a military mission. As the eldest daughter, Sam takes responsibility for her mom and sister, assuming household duties while simultaneously trying to finish high school. When Sam receives a mysterious package containing a jug and several coins from her great-grandfather who lives in Lebanon, her life changes forever. One coin is an obol, a burial token with the power to open a portal between worlds, and it belongs to Eshmun, a demigod who's been searching for it for centuries. When Rima moves the coin, the portal activates and Eshmun drags Rima and her sister from their hometown to the underworld, where monsters, shapeshifters, and gods roam free. There, Sam must face several trials to save her sister, protect herself, and find their way back home--including learning to trust herself enough to face the very devil. Bishara's narrative blends Lebanese history and Phoenician mythology to reflect the complications of familial love and the boundaries of life, death, fate, and choice. Through intricate world-building and storytelling, she brings forth a tale from an underexplored mythical foundation; perfect for fans of Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022

(2) YA Strong-willed and emotional sixteen-year-old Koffi, an indentured beastkeeper at the Night Zoo, has been working off her father's debts since she was a child and longs for the day she and her mother will be released from servitude. Anxious seventeen-year-old Ekon is poised to follow in his father's and older brother's footsteps as a Son of the Six, a warrior of the city of Lkossa; he dreams of gaining respect and leaving behind a dark moment from his past. An eventful night brings these characters together and changes both of their destinies when Koffi attempts to escape during a fire (and discovers a power she didn't know she had) and Ekon fails to foil her plan. To get their lives back on track, they form a fragile partnership to catch a demon who has terrorized the Lkossan citizens for nearly a century. Gray's Pan-African fantasy is filled with monsters, mythos, and Black girl magic. Her characters are well developed, and the plot is filled with African lore, expanded upon in an extensive author's note. Fans of Forna's The Gilded Ones and Ifueko's Raybearer will enjoy this engrossing debut novel.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(2) YA When a solar flare knocks Halley's Comet off course and sends it hurtling toward Earth, a small group of citizens is selected to leave the planet and colonize a new one to ensure humanity's survival. Once onboard, the citizens are put in suspended animation for the four-century journey to the new planet, Sagan. When twelve-year-old Petra Peña wakes up, however, she learns that a cult-like group, The Collective, has taken over the ship, "purging" citizens who fail to comply and erasing all memory of Earth and its diverse inhabitants. As an aspiring storyteller and one of the only people who remembers life before The Collective, Petra must rely on her Mexican storytelling heritage to protect the remaining humans from the fate of living life as Collective drones. She follows in her grandmother's footsteps to become a cuentista, using storytelling to save humanity and remind her companions of the histories that were taken from them. Through The Collective, Higuera chillingly foregrounds seemingly benign attempts to eliminate violence and war via the homogenization of humanity. Through Petra, she effectively showcases how cultural memory, familial bonds, and story are essential to the progression of society, and how cultural difference is indispensable now and in the future.

Reviewer: S. R. Toliver | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021