Summer Vamp

Summer Vamp by Violet Chan Karim Four out of Five Magical Coffee Cups Graphic Novel Maya loves cooking. Her dad just told her that his girlfriend is about to move in with them, but as a treat, they are sending her to summer culinary camp! She is thrilled! They bring her to the spot where … More Summer Vamp

The Road to After

The Road to After by Rebekah Lowell Four out of Five Magical Coffee Cups Book in verse I know by now that these books are always going to be emotional. This book starts with her grandparents showing up at her house with police to help them escape their home. Lacey, her little sister, and her … More The Road to After

Ghost Book

Ghost Book by Remy Lai Four out of Five Magical Coffee Cups Fun graphic novel. This is also a Caudill nominee. Caudill is an Illinois book award that is voted on by kids and only kids.  I like to read these each year to be ready to book talk to my students at the start … More Ghost Book

Stay Dead

Stay Dead by April Henry Four out of Five Magical Coffee Cups Action from the start! Milan is getting kicked out of her third boarding school.  She is waiting to be picked up by her mother in their private plane.  Milan’s mother is a senator. She became a senator after her husband, Milan’s father, was … More Stay Dead

Weird Kid

Weird Kid by Greg Van Eekhout Four out of Five Magical Coffee Cups This one had me at the dedication “To all the weird kids. Stay weird.” I was a weird kid, I feel like I am still weird.  Jake is ‘fell to Earth in a flaming blob of space goo, sprouting feathers in class … More Weird Kid

Louder Than Hunger

Louder Than Hunger by John Schu Five out of Five Magical Coffee Cups Oh man, I am back to the books in verse.  Jake is an eighth grader who has an eating disorder. I am already interested in this one because I like seeing boys as the main characters in books like this.  There are … More Louder Than Hunger

Field of Screams

Field of Screams by Wendy Parris Three out of Five Magical Coffee Cups Back to my spooky books! Rebecca loves ghosts and all things paranormal. She spends the summer with her aunt and uncle in a 100-year-old farmhouse.  There must be ghosts in a 100-year-old house in the middle of nowhere, right?  On the front … More Field of Screams

Ruptured

Ruptured by Joanne Rossmassler Fritz Four out of Five Magical Coffee Cups Another book written in verse.  Again, as I said in the last post, these books have fewer words on a page but a lot more emotion.  Claire is on vacation with her parents. All she wants to do is sit outside and read. … More Ruptured