Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children

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by Mac Barnett
First sentence: “If you’re a children’s book author (I’m a children’s book author), people will often ask you if you plan on ever writing a real book.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Release date: May 5, 2026
Review copy provided by the publisher
Content: While it’s written with an adult audience in mind, I’m sure some kids will find value in this as well. It will be in the Literary Reference section of the bookstore.

This is, in short, a defense of the value of children’s literature. Not the value of children’s literature for children, but the value of it in its own right. Barnett makes some pretty general assertions: children deserve good literature because children are people too, and writing books for children doesn’t make anyone any less of a writer than someone who is writing books for adults.

It’s pretty simple, and yet it’s told with Barnett’s trademark humor. He analyses Goodnight Moon, and highlights the genius of Margaret Wise Brown. He tells a bit about how he became a writer for children. But mostly, he’s just advocating for books children want to read.

As someone who’s been interested in, read, and championed children’s literature for years (30? Since I had my oldest? Maybe longer), I wholeheartedly loved this little book. No, it’s not really anything I haven’t thought or heard before, but I’m glad that Barnett’s out there putting it into words. It’s entertaining, it’s educational, and it’s a delight to read.

Haven and the Fallen Giants

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by Jen Xu and Kate Rhodes
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy provided by the publisher
Release date: June 16, 2026
Content: There are some depictions of violence and some intense moments. It will be in the Middle Grade Graphic Novel section of the bookstore.

Haven has grown up outside the town of Raqmu in the desert. She’s never been unhappy with her life, even though she has to sneak into the town to get at the parts she needs to sell her wares. As she is scavaging, she finds an ancient relic – but the Guardians of the town are after her. The majority of the book is her running through the town’s festival evading the Guardians, but she isn’t alone: a town girl, Lin, helps her out. It sounds unintersting, but believe me: it’s not.

While I liked the plot – Xu and Rhodes deal with the class issues between the city-dwellers and the desert-dwellers – it was the art that took my breath away. I haven’t seen a graphic novel this beautiful since Amulet, and I don’t say that lightly. there’s a spread near the beginning, as a young Haven sees a Giant, that is absolutely gorgeous. I can’t wait to see this in print. And while the book ended in a bit of a cliffhanger – it captivated me enough that I’m going to be invested in this series as it comes out.

It’s one of the best graphic novels I’ve seen in a long time.

Audiobook: The Experiment

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by Rebecca Stead
Read by Mark Sanderlin
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There are some intense moments, bullying by an adult, and mention of crushes and dating. It’s in the Middle Grade (grades 3-5) section of the bookstore.

Nathan has grown up knowing he is different from other kids. See: he’s an alien. His parents are CAST and came here from another planet, intending to see whether they could live among humans without being detected. It means Nathan has to brush his teeth five times a day with pink toothpaste and he mother has to obsessively way his food and track his bowel movements. There are nine other families in other states (Izzy in Illinois, Leo in Louisiana, Annie in Arkansas) that are also trying this experiment. But two things happen to shake Nathan’s world: first, Izzy disappears. And then, Nathan grows a tail. These two events set Nathan on a path that will question everything he has been taught, as he determines to find out the truth of the CAST, his purpose, and the meaning behind it all.

I was truly captivated by this audiobook. A lot of it was the narrator: Sanderlin has a great voice for middle-grade books, and he made this one utterly enjoyable. There were some intense moments when I didn’t know what would happen (justice for Victor! He should have had a larger role.), and I have to admit that the ending was a little pat and somewhat preachy. Perhaps it’s because I’m an adult, but I just felt like Stead couldn’t go through with what the story was demanding of her and pivoted at the end to make a moral out of it. I could be wrong, but that’s the way it felt. That said, the rest of the book is fantastic, and I appreciate a science fiction/aliens book where people are not actually out there battling “bad” aliens. It’s refreshing. And highly recommended.

When We Ride

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by Rex Ogle
First sentence: “I’m waiting to die”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Content: There is drug use (and dealing) by teenagers, swearing including multiple f-bombs, talk of alcoholism, and death. It’s in the Contemporary YA section of the bookstore.

Diego is trying to find his way out of his town. His mom is a recovering alcoholic, and after his dad left, all she wants is for Diego to make something of himself. Study hard, go to college, live a better life than she has been able to provide. His best friend, Lawson, is also being raised by his mom, but doesn’t have the drive that Diego has, and has taken the easy way out: he’s selling drugs for easy cash. As the book goes over their senior year of high school, with the ups and downs of their friendship – Diego has a car and Lawson always needs rides places – we find out what drives Diego and what might keep him back.

I liked this one well enough, but I think I wanted more in the end. I was hoping for something similar to Long Way Down, something powerful and deep, and maybe it is that to some readers. I know there will be many who see themselves in Diego and Lawson, and I hope it starts conversations. But, honestly? It left me wanting more. The big climax wasn’t emotionally moving, and I felt like the book went in circles for much of it. That said, I’m glad it’s out there, and I hope it’s a good mirror for some readers.

And Now, Back to You

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by B. K. Borison
First sentence: “‘Do you believe in fate?'”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Others in the series: First-Time Caller
Review copy provided by the publisher.
Content: There is mention of neglectful parents, several f-bombs, and on-page sex. It’s in the Romance section of the bookstore.

Jackson is a radio meteorologist, and would like it to stay that way. He likes reporting the weather; it’s simple, and it’s predictable. It’s what he wants out of life. Delilah, on the other hand, is anything but predictable. The meteorologist for the TV station, what she really wants is to be taken seriously. Except her boss keeps sending her on these silly assignments, which she tries to make the best of. Then, when a huge storm heads towards Baltimore, their bosses conspire together: Jackson and Delilah are going to head to the mountains to report on the storm. They are polar opposites, so it’s absolutely not going to work. Except, sometimes opposites attract, right?

Borison continues to delight me. I loved everything about Jackson and Delilah, from their semi-tragic backstories (bad moms all around), to Jackson’s need to keep everything in order and Delilah’s determination to keep a positive attitude. It’s grumpy-sunshine with one bed mixed in, and I thought it was delightful. There wasn’t really a third-act breakup, but they did have some challenges to get over. I loved it all.

Charming, fun, and an utterly delightful romance!

Magic Library of Waterfall Way

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by Julie Abe
First sentence: “The wind slapped against the windows like invisible hands trying to push the automobile off the road.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Review copy provided by the publisher
Release date: August 25, 2026
Content: There are some intense moments and some bullying. It will be in the Middle Grade (grades 3-5) section of the bookstore.

Lyra Hunt is the first Unremarkable person – someone without magic, or any hope of getting magic – in the history of the Alterran Empire. This means that she hasn’t been accepted into a Guild yet, and if she isn’t by the time she turns 12, she will be banished to the Mist. Thankfully, on the way back to the city, the car she and her guardian are in drives off the road and she discovers the Guild of Scholars. Since she loves books, this is a perfect fit. Except the Guild of Scholars is in rough shape: they’re missing the crystal and the library has recently suffered from an enormous fire. And Lyra’s quest to join the Guild is to find the crystal so the library can be restored. It seems like an impossible task, but Lyra’s determined to find a place to belong.

This was super cozy and charming. The stakes were high, but not impossible – I never really feared for Lyra’s life. I thought the magic system was creative, and I liked the world-building in general. It kept me interested, and I think it will be entertaining for kids who like cozy adventure books.

Recommended!

Monthly Round-Up: February 2026

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It’s been a month. Not a bad one, and at least it’s short (and a perfect rectangle; I do like it when February looks like that). I was thinking at the beginning of the month that while I’ve read books I like, I have yet to read one I loved, and then I listened to this one:

Black AF History

It’s important, yes, but it’s also interesting and entertaining. Highly recommend, especially on audio.

As for the rest:

Middle Grade:


Dragon Girl and the Awakened Flames

Adult Fiction:

The Wedding Date (audiobook)
The Favorites
Our Sister’s Keeper
The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl (audiobook)

Graphic Novel:

Offside
Coming Out Perfect
Patchwork: A Graphic Biography of Jane Austen

Young Adult:

A Prince Among Pirates

What was your favorite this month?

Dragon Girl and the Awakened Flames

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by Jenny Moore
First sentence: “All the best stories and adventures start with a knock on the door.”
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Release date: March 3, 2026
Review copy provided by the publisher.
Content: There are some abandonment issues (but then, it’s a middle grade book), but that’s it. I’d say it’s for the younger end of the Middle Grade readership. It will be in the Middle Grade section (grades 3-5) of the bookstore.

Emba Oak is an orphan who hatched out of an egg, and has scales for arms, which doesn’t make her a very popular person in town. Thankfully, she lives in a cave with her guardian, Winifred (just call her Fred), and her friend and aspiring hero Odolf. So when Fred is kidnapped by a dark wizard who wants Emba’s half-dragon blood, Emba and Odolf set off to try and rescue her. Along the way, they learn a bit about Emba and the man they’re going up against.

So there’s not much to this one, and yet I found it charming. I’m a sucker for books with silly chapter headings (The Nefarious Note of Nastiness, The Barbed Bottom Bite of Bravery) and for silly asides. (There was a whole thing about ire being short for iron, which was quite amusing.) It’s the perfect speed for an 8- or 9-year-old who wants a low-stakes adventure story. And I quite liked it.

Audiobook: Black AF History

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by Michael Harriot
Read by the author
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There is swearing in this, including multiple f-bombs, and true to its title, Harriot doesn’t water down the abuses of white people in history.

This one is exactly what it says: American history through the lens of Black people. It starts in the pre-colonial era and goes through the present day, which is a lot to ask out of one book. That said, I think Harriot does a good job making history both interesting and challenging. I thought, when I began, that I wouldn’t learn anything after reading Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi, but I learned a bunch. Hariot doesn’t just stick with “known” history – he weaves in stories from his family history, giving this book a distinctly personal touch. I liked his three little questions at the end of each chapter and the supplemental stories.

And, on top of that, Harriot is an engaging and funny writer/narrator. I know he wasn’t going for “funny”, but sometimes hard truths go down better with a laugh. Like his conversations with Racist Baby, or when his uncle “took over” the narrative.

It was tough listening at times, though I think it’s a good thing to be challenged in what one has learned. It’s good for that, yes, but I also think it’s a book worth reading on its own merit.

Audiobook: The Fundamentals of Being a Good Girl

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by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone
Read by Connor Crais, Victoria Connolly & Teddy Hamilton
Support your local independent bookstore: buy it there!
Or listen at Libro.fm
Content: There was swearing, including multiple f-bombs, and lots of explicit on-page sex. It’s in the Romance section of the bookstore.

Maddie is coming off a long-term relationship that has left her broke and unsure of her direction in life. So when she lands a job as an adjunct lecturer at the university in Mount Astra, Kansas, she jumps at the chance. Unfortunately, adjuncting doesn’t quite pay enough so she picks up a side job as a nanny to supplement her income.

Bram has been divorced for five years and has been raising his three girls with his ex-wife. Things are going well enough until his ex-wife gets a grant to study a glacier in Alaska for two months. It’s impossible with his job as a science professor at the university to handle all the childcare duties, so he hires a nanny.

He just wasn’t supposed to be so attracted to her (or she to him).

This was a mix for me. On the one hand, the characters kept feeling like they were bad for wanting this relationship (she is 26 and he is 35, and they actually had a one-night stand before she went to work for him), like it was some sort of terrible kink. It’s not. And that bugged me. As did the use of the word brat. (As in “she’s so bratty” or “the brat”). It was also borderline too much sex, not enough plot, but it managed to save itself in the end. I did like Maddie’s journey to figure out what she wanted – it felt realistic after coming out of a long-term relationship where she changed herself for the guy. And I appreciated that she was comfortable in her body, and the body-positive aspects of the story. I did love the side characters (except for Joey Kemp,who was just annoying and took up too much space in the book), and wouldn’t mind spending more time with them. I didn’t hate the book, but I didn’t love it either.