by Kelly Barnhill A baby is taken from her screaming mother to be left in the woods for the (make believe) witch in the annual Day of Sacrifice. The (very real) witch rescues an abandoned baby and feeds her starlight on the way to finding her a new, loving home. Except that she accidentally feeds […]
When fifteen-year-old Zia’s cursed and exiled older sister reappears only to be captured by the fairies, Zia is determined to use her magic and join the rescue. But between visions, prophecies, infuriated dragons, and a sword that shouldn’t exist, Zia may be getting into more than she bargained for. This is the second book in […]
by Ellen Raskin Eccentric millionaire Sam Westing has no heir, or rather, he has sixteen of them. These heirs must participate in the game set out in the old man’s will if they want a chance to win the whole inheritance. This is a fun and intriguing puzzle mystery with a kooky cast of characters, […]
by Juliet Marillier Sorcha is the youngest daughter of an Irish warlord. Her world is turned upside down when her father’s second wife turns her six older brothers into swans and their only hope of survival rests with her. This is a beautiful and haunting retelling of “The Wild Swans” by Hans Christian Andersen. I loved […]
by Scott O’Dell Karana’s people have always lived undisturbed on the Island of the Blue Dolphins—that is, until the Aleuts came to hunt otter and ended up killing half of the villagers. The rest of the villagers welcome the chance to leave the island a couple of years later when a ship comes to take […]
by Dhonielle Clayton The Belles were created to bring beauty to Orleans. But the people of Orleans have become too obsessed with beauty, and so has their power-mad princess. It’s up to one Belle to make a change… This book was beautifully written with vivid characters and loads of action and intrigue. (It reminded me […]
by Kazu Kibuishi After Emily’s father dies, her family moves to mysteriously missing great-grandfather’s house. When her mother is abducted by a monster in the basement, Emily and her brother must rescue her or risk losing another parent. I had mixed feelings about this book. I really like the premise, characters, and art. But there […]
In 2021 I read a lot. But most of that was bingeing sweet romances and cozy mysteries, not MG and YA. I did read a handful of YA that I loved this year, though, and I’m glad to share them now. (If you want the full list, including the romances and cozies and the few […]
by Sharon Creech Sal goes on a 6-day road trip across the country with her grandparents to see the truth of her mother’s disappearance for herself. On the way, she tells them the story of her friend Phoebe, which parallels her own and helps her process the events of her own life. This book was […]
Sabryn’s throat erupted in pins and needles, and she began coughing uncontrollably. The spasm passed quickly, replaced by something on the back of her tongue, causing her to gag. She spit it out into her hand. An emerald and a ruby twinkled in her palm. She gaped, a second too slow to close her hand. […]