Post-It Note Reviews: Books about camp, the Dutch Resistance, OCD, a sock detective, and more!

Yes, it’s time for the monthly bemoaning of how little time there is in the world for reading and reviewing all the books I want. I didn’t get through nearly what I wanted to this month, mostly because the hard year I’ve been having has caught up to me and all I really want to do is curl up with my dogs and sleep. In the days after this publishes, my child turns 18, graduates from high school, and leaves for a two week roadtrip. I am hoping that crossing this major milestone of graduation off the list frees up some brain space and I can get more done (instead of constantly worrying to the point that I make myself ill).

Please enjoy these mini reviews. All descriptions are from the publishers. All post-its with my horrible scrawl are transcribed after the descriptions.

Out of Blue Comes Green by M. E. Corey (ISBN-13: 9781645679325 Publisher: Page Street Publishing Publication date: 04/23/2024, Ages 14-17)

Kinkade wants what every other teenage boy wants: a girlfriend and a successful rock band but that’s not as easy as it sounds.

After a killer school talent show performance in full masculine presentation, trans boy Kinkade is quickly knocked back down to earth when his crush rejects him, and the whole school sees him in the dress his mother forced him to wear for a family photo. So, when the new girl Madi assumes he is cis and asks him out, he accepts without correcting her.

After years of being ignored by his old crush and bullied by other boys, Kinkade just wants to convince Madi that he’s a regular guy’s guy. To impress her and finally win the approval of his peers, Kinkade agrees to his best friend Libby’s suggestion that they enter a competition to become the band for prom despite his misgivings.

In between band practice, weightlifting, and dates, Kinkade accidentally becomes an animal shelter volunteer under an assumed name—and it’s there among the unconditional acceptance of dogs that he finally receives the affirmation he’s been longing for.

But it’s going to be harder than he thought to play the show, get the girl, and become the man he’s meant to be.

(POST-IT SAYS: Growing up is hard, but especially so when you’re just coming out as trans and facing lots of negativity. Kinkaid’s story is not an easy read and is full of loneliness, anger, and discomfort. Kinkaid’s journey involves self-hatred and toxic ideas of what being a boy looks like. But he’s learning. Strong writing, vivid characters, and so many feelings.)

Puzzled: A Memoir about Growing Up with OCD by Pan Cooke (ISBN-13: 9780593615614 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 04/16/2024, Ages 10-14)

Growing up with undiagnosed OCD sure isn’t easy, and here Pan Cooke shares his own experiences with that condition in a graphic-novel memoir that is as funny as it is powerfully candid and openhearted.

Pan Cooke is ten years old when anxious thoughts begin to take over his brain like pieces of an impossible puzzle. What if he blurts out a swear word while in church? What if he accidentally writes something mean in his classmate’s get-well card? What if his friend’s racy photo of a supermodel ends up in his own homework and is discovered by his teacher? More and more, he becomes hijacked by fears that can only be calmed through exhausting, time-consuming rituals.

Pan has no way of knowing that this anxiety puzzle and the stressful attempts to solve it are evidence of a condition called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. This is his story of living with and eventually learning about OCD. Told with endearing honesty and humor, Puzzled shows the reader the importance of empathy for oneself and those going through something they don’t yet understand.

(POST-IT SAYS: Important and illuminating. Pan wonders what’s wrong with him—the anxiety, the intrusive thoughts, the perfectionism and loops. But nothing is wrong—it’s OCD, which can be debilitating but is treatable. A powerful addition to the growing field of graphic memoirs.)

Lucky Scramble by Peter Raymundo (ISBN-13: 9780593531907 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 04/23/2024, Ages 8-12)

Six competitive cubers face off at the Speed Cubing national championships in this graphic novel that’s perfect for fans of Roller Girl and the Last Kids on Earth series.

Despite qualifying for the Speed Cubing National Championships in Las Vegas, twelve-year-old Tyler Goodman and his mom don’t have the money to get him there. That is, until the retailer CubeMania offers him one of their coveted all-expenses-paid sponsorships! But getting to Vegas is just the beginning: There are hundreds of speed cubers from around the country, and each has something to prove. Like Dirk, who’s certain he’s about to nab his third straight National Championship trophy. Lizzy and Izzy Peterson, twins who crush cubing competitions with the exact same moves and times—until one of them decides to break the mold. Renowned eight-year-old prodigy Eli Newton solved his first puzzle cube at five, yet his dad seems much more excited about the sport and there’s something . . . off about his cubes. And then there’s Miles Oldman, the first American to solve the cube in under 40 seconds, who’s back decades later to set some new records. As Lucky Scramble moves with lightning speed between the stories of these six contestants—plus that of CubeMania’s founder and CEO Victor Chen—puzzle cube devotees and fans of graphic novels alike won’t be able to resist racing through the pages until the very last cube has been solved.

(POST-IT SAYS: Anyone using a hybrid format these days is so smart. Graphic panels mix with traditional narrative to tell the riveting story of speed cubers and the pressure, excitement, and drama involved. Really engaging, full of action, and well-paced. An easy recommendation.)

Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller (ISBN-13: 9780593624524 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 04/23/2024, Ages 7-11)

New York Times bestselling author and artist Chanel Miller tells a fun, funny, and poignant story of friendship and community starring Magnolia Wu, a ten-year-old sock detective bent on returning all the lonely only socks left behind in her parents’ NYC laundromat.

Down at the bottom of the tall buildings of New York City, Magnolia Wu sits inside her parents’ laundromat. She has pinned every lost sock from the laundromat onto a bulletin board, in hopes that customers will return to retrieve them. But no one seems to have noticed. In fact, barely anyone has noticed Magnolia at all.

What she doesn’t know is that this is about to be her most exciting summer yet. When Iris, a new friend from California arrives, they set off across the city to solve the mystery of each missing sock, asking questions in subways and delis and plant stores and pizzerias, meeting people and uncovering the unimaginable.

With each new encounter, Magnolia learns that when you’re bold enough to head into the unknown, things start falling into place.

(POST-IT SAYS: I absolutely loved this. Magnolia and new friend Iris explore their neighborhood trying to find the owners of missing socks and make connections with all of the interesting people in their community. Funny and sweet with lots of whimsical, quirky spot art.)

Punk Rock Karaoke by Bianca Xunise (ISBN-13: 9780593464502 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 04/23/2024, Ages 14-17)

A debut graphic novel from Ignatz Award–winning and nationally syndicated cartoonist Bianca Xunise.

When life gives you guitars, smash them!

School is out for summer and Ariel Grace Jones is determined to make it one for the books! Together with their bestie bandmates, Michele and Gael, Ariel believes they’re destined to break into the music industry and out of Chicago’s Southside by singing lead in their garage punk band, Baby Hares.

But before Baby Hares can officially get into the groove, the realities of post grad life start to weigh on this crew of misfits. Ari begins to worry that it’s time to pull the plug on their dreams of making it big.

Just when all hope feels lost, a fellow punk and local icon takes an interest in their talent. It seems like he might be the only one Ariel can rely on as frustrations between bandmates reach at an all-time high.

Punk Rock Karaoke is a coming-of-age tale that draws upon the explosive joy of the underground scene, while raising questions about authenticity, the importance of community and what it means to succeed on your own terms.

(POST-IT SAYS: Loved this unique graphic novel. Intersectional, feminist, punk rock, and edgy, this look at community, friendship, and growing up feels just like being at a great punk show—frenetic, dramatic, and unpredictable with a great soundtrack.)

Monti and Leo: A Newcomer in Pocketville by Sylvie Kantorovitz (ISBN-13: 9781536222777 Publisher: Candlewick Press Publication date: 05/07/2024 Series: Monti and Leo, Ages 7-9)

A charming early reader in graphic form draws on the classic theme of friendship to show that being new—or different—doesn’t have to mean being lonely.

Pocketville is a small town, set in its ways, and the arrival of a stranger causes a stir. Monti the mole is stunned one morning to find Leo the lizard hogging his special reading rock. When Monti visits the bakery and the library, he learns that the last cinnamon roll has been purchased, and the book he was waiting for has been checked out. What’s a fastidious mole to do? When Monti confronts Leo, the newcomer turns out to be agreeable in the extreme, and friendship is a given. Now to convince the town’s cantankerous baker, Ms. Sheep, to stop turning everyone against Leo. Together, Monti and Leo hatch a plot that will have Ms. Sheep singing Leo’s praises in no time. This reassuring tale of friendship against the odds from the creator of the graphic memoir Sylvie draws on the author’s experiences as an immigrant and will appeal to anyone who has struggled to fit in in a new place.

(POST-IT SAYS: Can I please go to Pocketville? Leo’s arrival means disrupting routines but also new friendships and acceptance. Great for emerging readers looking for a graphic novel. Really sweet.)

Summer at Squee by Andrea Wang (ISBN-13: 9780593111314 Publisher: Penguin Young Readers Group Publication date: 03/05/2024, Ages 8-12)

From Newbery Honor–winning author Andrea Wang, a new middle grade novel about a Chinese American tween who attends a Boston-based Chinese cultural overnight camp—and the many ways it transforms her.

Phoenny Fang plans to have the best summer ever. She’s returning to Summertime Chinese Culture, Wellness, and Enrichment Experience (SCCWEE for short and “Squee” to campers in the know), and this year she’s a senior camper. That means she; her best friend, Lyrica Chu; and her whole Squad will have the most influence. It almost doesn’t matter that her brother is a CIT (counselor-in-training) and that her mom and auntie are the camp directors. Time spent at Squee is sacred, glorious, and free.

On the day Phoenny arrives, though, she learns that the Squad has been split up, and there’s an influx of new campers this year. Phoenny is determined to be welcoming and to share all the things she loves about camp—who doesn’t love spending hours talking about and engaging in cultural activities? But she quickly learns how out of touch she is with others’ experiences, particularly of the campers who are adoptees. The same things that make her feel connected to her culture and community make some of the other campers feel excluded.

Summer at Squee turns out to be even more transformative than Phoenny could’ve imagined, with new friendships, her first crush, an epic show, and a bigger love for and understanding of her community.

(POST-IT SAYS: A deep dive into a Chinese heritage camp that explores racism, stereotypes, expectations, identity, adoption, friendship, and community. Plenty of fun camp hijinks, minor romance, and great chances for everyone to learn from one another.)

A Little Bit Super: With Small Powers Come Big Problems edited by Gary D. Schmidt and Leah Henderson (ISBN-13: 9780358683421 Publisher: HarperCollins Publication date: 04/23/2024, Ages 8-12)

In these hilarious stories by some of the top authors of middle grade fiction today, each young character is coping with a minor superpower—while also discovering their power to change themselves and their community, find their voice, and celebrate what makes them unique.

The kids in these humorous short stories each have a minor superpower they’re learning to live with. One can shape-shift—but only part of her body, and only on Mondays. Another can always tell whether an avocado is perfectly ripe. One can even hear the thoughts of the animals in the pet store! But what these stories are really about is their young protagonists “owning” a power that contributes to their individuality, that allows them to find their place in the world, that shows them a potential they might not have imagined.

Because if you really think about it, we all have something special and unique about ourselves that makes us a little bit super. We all have the power to change as an individual, to change our communities for the better, to have a voice and to speak up. These playful, thought-provoking tales from some of today’s top middle grade authors prompt readers to consider what their own superpower might be, and how they can use it.

Written by Pablo Cartaya, Nikki Grimes, Leah Henderson, Jarrett Krosoczka, Remy Lai, Kyle Lukoff, Meg Medina, Daniel Nayeri, Linda Sue Park, Mitali Perkins, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Gary D. Schmidt, Brian Young, and Ibi Zoboi; coedited by Leah Henderson and Gary D. Schmidt.

(POST-IT SAYS: I love an anthology! What good can a “little” superpower do? Well, as it turns out, a lot! Full of imaginative powers, with all the stories connected by art from Jarrett Krosoczka, the stories are funny and thoughtful looks at unique kids. Wide appeal.)

Summer Vamp by Violet Chan Karim (ISBN-13: 9780593425244 Publisher: Random House Children’s Books Publication date: 05/14/2024, Ages 8-12)

What happens when a very human kid ends up at the wrong summer camp—FOR VAMPIRES?! This quirky and heart warming graphic novel about making friends and getting in trouble is perfect for fans of Witches of Brooklyn.

After a lackluster school year, Maya anticipates an even more disappointing summer. The only thing she’s looking forward to is cooking and mixing ingredients in the kitchen, which these days brings her more joy than mingling with her peers . . . that is until her dad’s girlfriend registers her for culinary summer camp! Maya’s summer is saved! . . . or not.

What was meant to be a summer filled with baking pastries and cooking pasta is suddenly looking a lot . . . paler?! Why do all of the kids have pointy fangs? And hate garlic? Turns out that Maya isn’t at culinary camp—she’s at a camp for VAMPIRES! Maya has a lot to learn if she’s going to survive this summer . . . and if she’s lucky, she might even make some friends along the way.

(POST-IT SAYS: Good fun. This one will be an easy rec to all the graphic novel fans. Camp Dracula sounds terrifying but turns out to be great, even though Maya is the only human there. Excellent, expressive art will draw in readers.)

Tales from Cabin 23: The Boo Hag Flex by Justina Ireland (ISBN-13: 9780063287822 Publisher: HarperCollins Publication date: 05/14/2024 Series: Tales From Cabin 23 #1, Ages 8-12)

Few campers at Camp Apple Hill Farm have found the mysterious cabin rumored to be hidden deep in the woods—but those who have whisper of a mysterious woman who tells tales of horrors beyond imagination. Are you brave enough to visit Cabin 23?

The last thing Tasha Washington wants is to move from her home in Savannah to a trailer park in Middle-of-Nowhere, Georgia. But when her mother dies and Tasha is taken in by her father—a man she’s never met, who abandoned her mom when Tasha was just a baby—she doesn’t have much of a choice. At least, she thinks, she won’t have to spend much time with him—something that becomes clear when he dumps Tasha with her grandmother and disappears to be with his new girlfriend.

The Shady Pines trailer park seems like a miserable place to spend a summer, even before an elderly neighbor suddenly passes away. But then Tasha meets a girl named Ellie who says she knows what really killed old Mr. Harold: a terrifying creature that stalks the trailer park at night, sucking the life from its victims. Tasha doesn’t believe it, but when she discovers a book of hoodoo legends in her grandmother’s trailer, and more people around Shady Pines start to appear unwell, she begins to fear the stories are true—and that danger is much closer than she thinks.

And don’t miss the second book in the Tales from Cabin 23 series: Night of the Living Head!

(POST-IT SAYS: Kids at school always want scary books, so I hope we see a ton more in this series! Genuinely creepy, this story of a murderous creature working its way through a trailer park will give readers the chills they’re seeking. Perfectly paced with tons of action.)

DeadEndia: The Divine Order by Hamish Steele (ISBN-13: 9781454949015 Publisher: Union Square & Co. Publication date: 04/23/2024 Series: DeadEndia #3, Ages 14-18)

Eisner Award–winning creator Hamish Steele’s DeadEndia series is Steven Universe meets Adventure Time for fans of Scott Pilgrim, Rick and Morty, Adventure Time, and Pumpkinheads.

In this diverse young adult graphic novel, third in the DeadEndia trilogy, Barney, Norma, and friends team up with unlikely heroes to fight a battle for the fate of the universe, all while dealing with their greatest challenge of all: their love lives.

The battle between angels and demons rages on, and Courtney finds themselves restored to former glory in the realm of the angels with a new mission: bring about a new Divine Order and create a fourteenth plane of existence to keep the demons at bay. On the seventh plane, known to us as Earth, Norma Khan and Barney Guttman have allied with the demons in a search for both freedom and peace. There’s just one thing standing in their way: the Guttman family reunion. Badyah has joined the resistance as well, honing her martial arts skills and getting ready to protect Norma in battle.

But Pael, the Divine’s lead angel, has tricks up their sleeve that throw everything into chaos as Norma, Barney, and Badyah learn the truth behind everything. The three friends struggle to stop Pael before their lives are changed forever, and a familiar friend returns with a power that just might save them all in this stunning conclusion to the DeadEndia graphic novel series.

Part workplace comedy, part supernatural horror adventure, with a splash of LGBTQ+ romance, The Divine Order is perfect for fans of author Hamish Steele’s Netflix original TV series Dead End: Paranormal Park who are in search of more adventures, for graphic novel lovers who want more diversity in their reads, or for anyone who has finished The Watcher’s Test and The Broken Halo and is ready for the final entry in the zany, creative, and laugh-out-loud funny world of DeadEndia.

(POST-IT SAYS: A totally satisfying wrap-up to a great series. With powerful messages about unity, division, love, rebellion, and found family, this finale shows where the real power is—in working together.)

Code Name Kingfisher by Liz Kessler (ISBN-13: 9781665929738 Publisher: Aladdin Publication date: 05/07/2024, Ages 8-12)

A young girl learns of her grandmother and great-aunt’s involvement in the Dutch Resistance during World War II in this heartbreaking middle grade story of family, history, resilience, and hope from acclaimed author Liz Kessler.

When Liv finds a secret box from her grandmother’s childhood she uncovers an extraordinary war-time story of bravery, betrayal and daring defiance. A story that will change Liv and her family forever…

Holland, 1942. The world is at war and as the Nazis’ power grows, Jewish families are in terrible danger. Twelve-year-old Mila and her older sister Hannie are sent to live with a family in another city with new identities and the strict instruction not to tell anyone that they are Jewish.

Hannie, determined to fight back, is swept into the Dutch resistance as an undercover agent Code Name Kingfisher.  And though Mila does her best to make friends and keep out of trouble, there is danger at every turn and the sisters are soon left questioning who they can trust…

(POST-IT SAYS: A phenomenal read. Liv learns the truth of her grandma’s childhood and the reveals of what she experienced and has carried are extremely powerful and moving. An intense story full of fear, bravery, and secrets.)

Super Pancake and the Mini Muffin Mayhem: (A Graphic Novel) by Megan Wagner Lloyd, Abhi Alwar (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 9780593378489 Publisher: Random House Children’s Books Publication date: 06/04/2024 Series: Super Pancake #2, Ages 7-10)

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a . . . pancake? The syrupy superhero of Breakfast Town, Peggy Pancake, is now up against her toughest, scariest obstacle yet: babysitting.

When we last saw our hero Peggy Pancake, she was mastering her newfound superhero abilities and saving her sidekick, Luc Croissant, from the scary clutches of Dr. Evil Breakfast Sandwich and his sinister Henchtoasts. Now, Peggy balances being a superhero with her everyday life–going to school and hiding her crime-fighting identity from her family. 

This Spring Break, Peggy has homework to complete: write an instructional “How To” paper. Peggy’s mom volunteers her to babysit five rambunctious mini muffins so she can write about “how to be responsible.” That shouldn’t be too bad, right? 

But Peggy soon learns that she underestimated her responsibility…and created an accidental villian in the process. Can Peggy and Luc save Breakfast Town and all that is dear? Find out in: SUPER PANCAKE AND THE MINI MUFFIN MAYHEM!

(POST-IT SAYS: There will never be too many graphic novels, particularly for younger readers. Good silly fun here starring all your favorite breakfast items. Lots of adventure, just enough text to get some quality reading in, and tons of dynamic, cute illustrations.)

Jurassic Jeff: Race to Warp Speed by Royden Lepp (ISBN-13: 9780593565421 Publisher: Random House Children’s Books Publication date: 05/28/2024 Series: Jeff in the Jurassic #2, Ages 7-10)

Jeff the alien is ready to take his dino-friends on a quest to find their missing family. . .that is if he can remember where he put his warp drive first. Embark on a hilarious adventure filled with zany lizard adversaries, and the heartwarming strength of friendship in this must-read Middle Grade graphic novel. Perfect for fans of Cat Kid Comic Club.

Having just made his first friend, Hungry, the T-rex, Jeff wants  to make a good impression and that means helping out, right? Like maybe helping Hungry find his missing family. (At least, that is what Jeff thinks they are supposed to do? …He’s still very new to this friend thing.)

Jeff decides to fix his ship so they can fly around for their search but first they’ll need to find his lost warp drive! Too bad a rival group of flying reptiles wants to use the it for themselves! Dive into this dino-dilemma and find out if Jeff can save the day and be a good friend!

(POST-IT SAYS: Funny, silly, and weird, alien Jeff and his dino pals are perfect for all the superfans of Dog Man. Major action and adventure will make readers fly through this book.)

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