Post-It Reviews: A pandemic mystery, a speculative memoir, an anthology about periods, and so many other great new books!

Quick reviews of 11 new and forthcoming books! Post-It Note Reviews are a great way to allow students, staff, and librarians to show off their recommended reads!

All descriptions are from the publishers. My post-it review, typed, follows (telling you that so you don’t have to try to read my scrawl—-thanks, carpal tunnel!).

When Impossible Happens by Jane De Suza (ISBN-13: 9780593530122 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 04/11/2023, Ages 8-12)

A poignant story of life in India during the pandemic that mixes loss, hope, and even a mystery solved by imaginative, lively, almost-nine-year-old Swara.

When the pandemic hits and India goes into lockdown, high-spirited Swara keeps up her daily chats with her just-as-imaginative grandmother, Pitter Paati, through video calls. But soon Pitter Paati becomes too ill to even call, and then Swara’s parents say she has died of the virus.

Swara can’t believe it. Pitter Paati would not just leave! It’s impossible!

As Swara investigates the mystery of her grandmother’s disappearance, she stumbles upon a neighborhood mystery as well. With help from her friends, usually-annoying brother, and clues she’s certain came from Pitter Paati, Swara solves that very real mystery and, slowly, comes to terms with the truth about her grandmother.

She also realizes Pitter Paati will be with her, in many important ways, forever.

(POST-IT SAYS: A gentle look at grief and loss in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Set in India, a light mystery brings welcome distraction to Swara, who just cannot accept that her grandma has died.)

The Girl I Am, Was, and Never Will Be: A Speculative Memoir of Transracial Adoption by Shannon Gibney (ISBN-13: 9780593111994 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 01/10/2023, Ages 14-17)

Part memoir, part speculative fiction, this novel explores the often surreal experience of growing up as a mixed-Black transracial adoptee.

Dream Country author Shannon Gibney returns with a new book woven from her true story of growing up as the adopted Black daughter of white parents and the fictional story of Erin Powers, the name Shannon was given at birth by the white woman who gave her up for adoption. 

At its core, the novel is a tale of two girls on two different timelines occasionally bridged by a mysterious portal and their shared search for a complete picture of their origins. Gibney surrounds that story with reproductions of her own adoption documents, letters, family photographs, interviews, medical records, and brief essays on the surreal absurdities of the adoptee experience.

The end result is a remarkable portrait of an American experience rarely depicted in any form.

(POST-IT SAYS: Fantastic read. Memoirs meets speculative fiction in the most moving way imaginable. A wonderful and profound look at identity, family, race, connection, and healing. A completely unique concept executed beautifully. Don’t miss this.)

Calling the Moon: 16 Period Stories from BIPOC Authors by Aida Salazar (Editor), Yamile Saied Mendez (Editor) (ISBN-13: 9781536216349 Publisher: Candlewick Press Publication date: 03/28/2023, Ages 10-13)

An essential, highly relatable collection of short fiction and poems around the topic of menstruation, written exclusively by authors who are Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color

For Angela, it came on the basketball court—while playing on the boys’ team. For Penny, it came on a lakeside field trip, inspiring some cringeworthy moments of humor. And to Layla’s disappointment, it came at the start of her first fasting Ramadan, mandating that she take a “holiday.” Whether their period’s coming spurs silence or celebration, whether they are well prepared for it or totally in the dark, the young people in these sixteen stories find that getting a period brings not only changes to their bodies, but also joy, sorrow, and self-discovery. Featuring BIPOC contributors who are some of today’s most talented authors in middle-grade fiction, Calling the Moon offers coming-of-age stories and poetry as varied as the phases of the moon, from funny to heartbreaking to powerful, all of them reassuring readers that they are not alone in their period journey.

With contributions by:
Hilda Eunice Burgos * Veeda Bybee * Susan Muaddi Darraj * Saadia Faruqi * Nikki Grimes * Leah Henderson * Mason J. * Erin Entrada Kelly * Guadalupe Garcia McCall * Elise McMullen-Ciotti * Yamile Saied Méndez * Emma Otheguy * Aida Salazar * Christina Soontornvat * Padma Venkatraman * Ibi Zoboi

(POST-IT SAYS: Wonderful collection of stories celebrating and sharing fears, apprehensions, and the many emotions that come with getting your period. Wide range of identities (including nonbinary), cultures, reactions, and messages. A powerful book and a necessary resource.)

Cool. Awkward. Black. by Karen Strong (Editor) (ISBN-13: 9780593525098 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 01/10/2023, Ages 12-17)

Real or imaginary, geekdom is where it’s at in this multi-genre YA anthology that celebrates “the geek,” with stories by some of today’s top bestselling, critically acclaimed Black authors.

Contributors include Amerie, Kalynn Bayron, Terry J. Benton-Walker, Roseanne A. Brown, Elise Bryant, Tracy Deonn, Desiree S. Evans, Isaac Fitzsimons, Lamar Giles, Jordan Ifueko, Leah Johnson, Amanda Joy, Kwame Mbalia, Tochi Onyebuchi, Shari B. Pennant, K. Arsenault Rivera, Julian Winters, and Ibi Zoboi.

A girl who believes in UFOs; a boy who might have finally found his Prince Charming; a hopeful performer who dreams of being cast in her school’s production of The Sound of Music; a misunderstood magician of sorts with a power she doesn’t quite understand.

These plotlines and many more compose the eclectic stories found within the pages of this dynamic, exciting, and expansive collection featuring exclusively Black characters. From contemporary to historical, fantasy to sci-fi, magical to realistic, and with contributions from a powerhouse list of self-proclaimed geeks and bestselling, award-winning authors, this life-affirming anthology celebrates and redefines the many facets of Blackness and geekiness—both in the real world and those imagined.

(POST-IT SAYS: Nerdery and geekdom of all kinds are on display in this excellent anthology. Lots of identities, lots of genres, and lots of kinds of relationships. A strong collection that will drive readers to seek out the authors’ other works.)

It Happened on Saturday by Sydney Dunlap (ISBN-13: 9781631636943 Publisher: North Star Editions Publication date: 02/21/2023, Ages 10-14)

Thirteen-year-old Julia would much rather work with horses at the rescue barn than worry about things like dating and makeup. But when her BFF meets a boy at camp, Julia’s determined not to get left behind. After a makeover from her older sister, she posts a picture of herself online and gets a comment from Tyler—a seemingly nice kid who lives across town. As they DM more and more, Julia’s sure that Tyler understands her in a way her family never has. Even better, their relationship earns her tons of attention at school.

Then Julia finds out Tyler’s true plan, and her world is turned upside down. She fiercely guards her secret, but could her silence allow her friends to fall into the same trap?

(POST-IT SAYS: Real talk: I wish this had a different title and cover—something more compelling—because it’s a powerful story with an important message about online safety, risky choices, and the horrible reality of human trafficking.)

Two Friends, One Dog, and a Very Unusual Week by Sarah L. Thomson, Vin Vogel (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781682635162 Publisher: Peachtree Publication date: 04/18/2023, Ages 8-12)

Take Pippi Longstocking’s joie de vivre, blend it with a 21st century urban setting, toss in a dog named Otto for good measure and what do you get? This joyfully carefree story about two unlikely friends.

It’s a pair of silver sequined sneakers that unexpectedly flips Emily’s comfortable, predictable world upside down. Or, more precisely, it’s the girl wearing them.

The shoes belong to Rani, who moves into Emily’s apartment building—and her life—with absolutely no one but her dog Otto. (Her research scientist mother is away in Patagonia.) And that’s only the first rule that Emily watches Rani break without hesitation.

But it’s not just that Rani breaks rules. Most of the time, she doesn’t seem to know the rules exist. Why can’t she bungee jump off their building? Or bring an ice cream truck to school?

For steady and orderly Emily, Rani’s approach to life feels impossible . . . and more than a little irresistible. But is there a place for her in Rani’s world? And should she find a way to make space for Rani in her own?

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

(POST-IT SAYS: Truly a modern Pippi Longstocking. Rani turns Emily’s life upside down in this hilarious story full of hijinks and heart. Rani has a great imagination and can-do spirit and I love the community she becomes a part of.)

Can We Please Give the Police Department to the Grandmothers? by Junauda Petrus, Kristen Uroda (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9780593462331 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 04/04/2023, Ages 4-8)

Based on the viral poem by Coretta Scott King honoree Junauda Petrus, this picture book debut imagines a radically positive future where police aren’t in charge of public safety and community well-being.

Petrus first published and performed this poem after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014. With every subsequent police shooting, it has taken on new urgency, culminating in the 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, blocks from Junauda’s home.

In its picture book incarnation, Can We Please Give the Police Department to the Grandmothers? is a joyously radical vision of community-based safety and mutual aid. It is optimistic, provocative, and ultimately centered in fierce love. Debut picture book artist Kristen Uroda has turned Junauda’s vision for a city without precincts into a vibrant and flourishing urban landscape filled with wise and loving grandmothers of all sorts.(POST-IT SAYS: A beautifully imagined optimistic future free of police or incarceration where instead lively, loving grandmothers are in charge of community safety and care. Fantastic.)

The Knowing by Ani DiFranco, Julia Mathew (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9780593383759 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 03/07/2023, Ages 3-5)

From the Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter, political activist, and feminist icon comes a picture book with purpose, with heart, and with words that sing.

Singer-songwriter, activist, feminist, and best-selling author Ani Di Franco has written something for her youngest audience: a picture book that invites young readers to ponder the distinction between outer forms of identity and the inner light of consciousness that is even more central to our being. In her signature folk style, Di Franco weaves a story that incorporates themes of individual power and collective responsibility. First-time illustrator Julia Mathew paints universal scenes of childhood in her family’s native India, glowing with honesty and love. Designed to be read aloud or sung, and pored over, this picture book is rich with meaningful text, poignant illustrations, and a unique message that will resonate with all.

(POST-IT SAYS: I’ve loved Ani since high school. Cool to see a picture book from this iconic songwriter. A gentle, comforting reminder of our connections, our feelings, and most inner essence.)

Enter the Body by Joy McCullough (ISBN-13: 9780593406755 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 03/14/2023, Ages 14-17)

“At once tender, poetic and ferocious, Enter The Body breathes new life into the Bard’s most tragic heroines. More than a tribute to Shakespeare, this kaleidoscopic, ambitious novel-in-verse gives Juliet, Ophelia, Cordelia, and Lavinia the chance to tell their own stories full of passion, justice, sisterhood, and love. Simply spectacular.”—Michael L. Printz Award winner Laura Ruby, author of Bone Gap

In the room beneath a stage’s trapdoor, Shakespeare’s dead teenage girls compare their experiences and retell the stories of their lives, their loves, and their fates in their own words. Bestselling author Joy McCullough offers a brilliant testament to how young women can support each other and reclaim their stories in the aftermath of trauma.

(POST-IT SAYS: Having read lots of Shakespeare, I loved this. Letting some of his best known girls/women comment on and rewrite their stories is brilliant. I only wish poor Lavinia could have somehow been able to share. A smart, quick read.)

Nina Soni, Perfect Hostess by Kashmira Sheth, Jenn Kocsmiersky (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9781682635018 Publisher: Holiday House Publication date: 04/25/2023, Ages 7-10)

When family visit from India, Nina Soni has the opportunity to be the perfect hostess—but her annoying cousin Montu and her own assumptions and intentions may complicate matters.

Nina’s grandmother is coming to visit, all the way from India. It’s hard, only getting to see her grandparents on carefully timed video calls, scheduled to manage that ten-and-a-half hour time difference. But now Dadi is going to stay for several weeks!

Nina can’t wait to see Dadi—but then it turns out that Montu, her annoying cousin, will also be coming. It’s challenging enough to manage her little sister, but Nina has gotten used to that, and even come to appreciate many of Kavita’s eccentricities. Still, it will be fun to introduce her extended family to life and friends in Madison, Wisconsin, and Nina is determined to become the perfect hostess. Surely, she can manage to plan a lovely visit, with the help of the lists she makes in her journal.

(POST-IT SAYS: Great chapter book series filled with lots of details about Nina’s (temporarily expanded) busy family, life in India versus American, and the ways Nina copes with problems, feelings, and expectations—including perfectionism. A hit.)

Queer Power!: Icons, Activists & Game Changers from Across the Rainbow by Dom&Ink (ISBN-13: 9780593521359 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 04/18/2023, Ages 12+)

An inspiring, expansive anthology that celebrates some of the LGBTQIA+ community’s trailblazers, champions, and icons from across the rainbow.

In a follow-up to Free to Be Me, DOM&INK returns with a collection of essays that highlight modern-day LGBTQIA+ pioneers who have changed the world — from well-known public figures and allies to up-and-comers you’ll wish you’d heard of earlier.

Covering topics including coming out, gender, mental health, and activism, this book is packed full of empowering quotes, inspiring life lessons, and helpful advice that will encourage you to embrace your story and find your power.

(POST-IT SAYS: Quick introductions to so many folks active in the queer community embracing a wide variety of identities, abilities, talents, and backgrounds. Includes tips on coming out, self-care, and how to be a supportive ally.)

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