Graphic novels

Royal families

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The Six Queens of Henry VIII by Honor Cargill-Martin, illustrated by Jaimee Andrews (Sourcebooks Explore, 48 pages, grades 3-8). “A Word from the Author” kicks things off by giving a brief history of the dazzling, exciting, and dangerous Tudor royal court of King Henry VIII, where six women caught the king’s eye, and, for better or worse, became queens of England. Each one is profiled with illustrations that resemble a graphic novel but contain a little more text. The emphasis is on the women, who are described as smart, educated, ambitious, and as powerful as they were allowed to be. As the author states in her introduction, “one led an army, one helped create a whole new church, and one was the first woman to publish a book under her own name in English.” After the facts of each queen’s life and marriage are given, there’s a two-page flashback scene that tells a story from the woman’s life showing her intelligence and/or courage. The book ends with a Tudor family tree, a timeline, and additional information about each of Henry’s three children, Mary, Elizabeth, and Edward.

Originally published in the UK, this book shines a spotlight on six brave, interesting, intelligent, and occasionally reckless women, relegating their husband to the background. The bold, brightly colored illustrations are lots of fun and help bring the story to life. Although there may not be a lot of interest in this topic in the US, hopefully the eye-catching cover will draw in readers who will not be disappointed.

The Lionhearts by Mike Lawrence (Harry N. Abrams, 240 pages, grades 4-8). Flynt and Alder are the two sons of the renowned Lionheart family, known for fighting dragons and other troublesome creatures. While their grandparents are retired from active duty, they help out at home and with the business side of things so that the kids’ parents can go off on adventures. When the parents disappear after a mysterious woman shows up on their doorstep, the grandparents decide to come out of retirement to track them down. They insist that Flynt and Alder stay in the background, but the boys are having none of that, and when everyone realizes the enemy that they’re up against, it takes the courage, strength, and unique talents of all the Lionheart family members to defeat it. While there’s a satisfying ending for the good guys, there are also hints that their work isn’t done yet.

Although this isn’t about a royal family per se, it’s clear that the Lionhearts are treated with respect by the good people of their community and feared by the bad guys. The artwork and world building (which is based on Dungeons and Dragons) blew me away, and older elementary and middle school fantasy fans will love this graphic novel and be eagerly awaiting book 2.

The Queen’s Granddaughter by Diane Zahler (Roaring Brook Press, 304 pages, grades 5-8). 12-year-old Blanca is excited to learn that her grandmother Eleanor (of Aquitaine) is coming to visit her family in Castille, allegedly to choose a wife for her son Prince Louis of France. Everyone is certain that Blanca’s older sister Urraca will be chosen, but at a great banquet, Eleanor makes the shocking announcement that it’s to be Blanca. Blanca is horrified to contemplate marriage, sad to leave her family, scared to move to France, but also intrigued and excited to be traveling to new places with her grandmother who is as bold and stubborn as she is. The only one from Castille who is to go with Blanca is her best friend Suna, a Muslim girl who has lived at the castle since her father died in service to the king. The travelers set off on their journey, where they face a series of dangers including a deadly blizzard and vengeful kidnappers. As she meets these challenges head on, Blanca begins to think she may have what it takes to be a queen. By the time they reach the last leg of the journey, it’s apparent that Blanca must travel to Paris alone. While she is sad to leave Eleanor and Suna, she now knows that she is ready to meet her fate. Includes additional information about Eleanor of Aquitaine, Blanca (or Blanche, as she became known), and Europe in the late twelfth century, including facts about Muslims like Suna.

It may be a challenge to convince middle schoolers to try an historical fiction novel set in the Middle Ages, but once they get to know Blanca, Eleanor, and the many other interesting characters, they’ll be hooked. The plot moves along briskly, particularly once the big journey begins, and there is plenty of page-turning adventure. I knew just about nothing about this time period, but there’s plenty of history seamlessly woven into the narrative that had me researching and learning more about the time and the people in the story.

Three books for Earth Day

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Into the Wilderness by Haven Iverson, illustrated by August Zhang (Roaring Brook Press, 32 pages, ages 4-8). The narrator describes family backpacking trips into the wilderness that started when the child was a baby, carried in a backpack up the mountains. Later on, they are able to carry progressively bigger backpacks and heavier loads, learning to read a map and enjoy moments of solitude. The natural world makes the difficulties of school and navigating friendships seem far away, but eventually the family drives home and school begins again. The narrator hangs up their backpack, but sometimes pulls invisible gifts from it that were acquired in nature: strength, wonder, bravery, and quiet. Includes a two-page note from the author about her own experiences in the Colorado wilderness, as well as information about the 1964 Wilderness Act, original people of the American wilderness, and tips for being a good steward of the wilderness.

Kids will be empowered by the narrator’s story to go on their own nature explorations. This would be a great book to share at the beginning of camp or a family hiking, camping, or backpacking trip. I love how it shows the power of wilderness and the natural world that can be carried into the rest of life.

The Greenies by Emma Mills, illustrated by Sara Nicole Kennedy (Henry Holt and Co., 256 pages, grades 3-7). After her parents divorce and her mom gets a new job, Violet has to move and start a new school mid-year. The only kid she knows is her cousin Kris, whom she considers a bit of an oddball. Happy to meet some kids she likes, Violet goes to a secret under-the-bleachers gathering during lunch–and promptly gets caught and given detention along with the rest of the group. They’re assigned to help high-achiever Isabel who’s trying to start an environmental club. The other kids aren’t so enthusiastic and find a variety of ways to get out of doing too much work. But when their fooling around results in still more trouble, Violet and the others feel bad. She finally breaks down and admits to her mom what’s going on at school, as well as how much she misses her dad and her old friends. Together they come up with a plan that gets Violet on the right track and ultimately results in the formation of a real environmental club: The Greenies.

Another fun middle school graphic novel that’s sure to find readers from the Raina Telgemeier crowd. Mills and Kennedy do a great job creating the memorable characters that constitute Violet’s new friend group, and kids will be happy to learn that this is billed as book 1. It’s a bit of a stretch to connect it to Earth Day, but perhaps we’ll see more environmental club action in book 2.

The Vanishing Sea: The Tale of How the Aral Sea Became the Aral Desert by Dinara Mirtalipova (Chronicle Books, 40 pages, grades 1-5). In a prologue before the title page, Dinara Mirtalipova shares information about the Aral Sea and how it disappeared in just a few decades due to mismanaged irrigation projects, including two pages of maps that show this progression from 1960 until 2021. Then the brief story begins, “A long, long time ago, there was a lake so vast that the people called her Mother Sea.” At first, people are content with the fish and drinking water the lake provides, but over time they grow greedier. “Like a selfless mother, the Sea gave them ALL of her resources.” The tale ends with a question: “Can the people save Mother Sea?” An author’s note tells of her journey to the desert in a remote part of Uzbekistan, along with photos of her mother in 1963, picking the cotton that led to the sea’s destruction. There’s a brief history of the Aral Sea with a timeline from 305 CE to the present, as well as information on local and global ecological impact.

This sobering story is a good reminder of what prioritizing human greed over the environment can do. The main story, illustrated in Dinara Mirtalipova’s unique style, could be shared with primary grade students, while the additional material at the front and back of the book makes it a great resources for older kids.

Middle school: the endless inspiration for graphic memoirs

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Run Home: A Graphic Memoir by Alyssa Bermudez (Roaring Book Press, 304 pages, grades 5-8). In this follow-up to Big Apple Diaries, Alyssa Bermudez records her first couple years of high school in diary format: her first uncertain days, her joy at making new friends and discovering a love of running on the cross-country team, adjusting to a new step-family, and her worries about her dad’s health issues. When she experiences an overwhelming tragedy during the summer between her freshman and sophomore years, Alyssa must work her way through grief. She’s helped by family and friends, but ultimately she has to learn how to find her own way to a new normal. Includes an author’s note about this time of her life with four pages of photos of many of the people from the story.

This heartfelt graphic novel makes for compelling reading, and readers will recognize many of Alyssa’s problems, emotions, and triumphs as she navigates a new school, new friends, and family issues. Although this will likely appeal to fans of authors like Raina Telgemeier, Kayla Miller, and Lucy Knisley, the high school setting (the title of this post notwithstanding) and deep dive into grief make it a story that may be more appreciated by middle school kids.

A Kid Like Me by Norm Feuti (HarperAlley, 272 pages, grades 4-7). Ethan and his best friend Ricky navigate the early days of middle school with more than the usual number of bumps in the road, thanks to the fact that they live in poverty with their single moms in a trailer park. They worry that other kids look down on them for their old phones and off-brand clothing, and they’re not always wrong. Ricky makes friends with a couple of boys whose snarky comments and pranks get under Ethan’s skin. Ethan finds more compatible friends in the after-school Bio Battle game club, but his new friend Aiden seems to be avoiding coming over to his house. Eventually, both boys learn a few lessons about what true friendship looks like, and the story ends with Ethan, Ricky, and Aiden trying out a new game at Ethan’s house. Includes an author’s note with photos of him as a kid, telling about the prejudices and microaggressions he experienced as a poor kid growing up in a middle-class community.

I’ve said it before, but there are not enough middle grade books that explore what it’s like to grow up in poverty, especially considering what a common experience that is in America. Norm Feuti does a great job of showing the impacts of this experience on everyday middle school life: adults looking with suspicion at kids from “the wrong side of town,” having to navigate the pressure to have the right phone or sneakers, and insecurities about having friends over to your house. I liked how Ethan learned to speak up for himself and figure out who his true friends were.

Wrong Friend by Charise Mericle Harper, illustrated by Rory Lucey (First Second, 256 pages, grades 3-7). Charise and Casey have had a great friendship for many years. It’s easy to get together since they’re neighbors, and they both enjoy art and adventures. But Casey is two years older than Charise, and when she starts high school, she suddenly starts ignoring Charise, acting like Charise is invisible when they see each other in the neighborhood. Charise is devastated, but eventually realizes that she needs a new best friend and begins reaching out to girls in her grade. Each one has some of the qualities she wants in a best friend (chapter titles list those qualities: “A Best Friend Likes Made-Up Games,” “A Best Friend Keeps Trying,” etc.), but no one has them all. Eventually, Charise realizes that she’s happiest with a bunch of friends, with each one bringing her own special personality traits to the group.

Charise’s graphic memoir will appeal to fans of Raina Telgemeier’s and Shannon Hale’s books about the ups and downs of middle school friendships. Readers will relate to Charise’s gradual realization that no friend is perfect, but that many friendships are still worth pursuing. Pair this with Charise’s first memoir, Bad Sister, also illustrated by Rory Lucey.

A couple of how-to guides

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How to Have a Thought: A Walk With Charles Darwin by Nicholas Day, illustrated by Hadley Hooper (Neal Porter Books, 32 pages, grades 2-5). Start with some rocks, a stick, and a loop to walk. That’s all Charles Darwin needed for his walks. He would walk the loop and pile up the rocks to keep track of how many times he had gone around. And the whole time he walked, he was thinking. Thinking about what he had seen during his years traveling around the world on the Beagle: the fossil of a giant sloth, a flightless bird called a rhea (which he actually ate by accident), and the finches with subtly different beaks. As he walked and thought, Darwin slowly developed his ideas about natural selection. There have been many great walkers–William Wordsworth, Albert Einstein, Virginia Woolf, to name a few–and you can be one of them too, with your stick, your rocks, and your ideas. Includes a four-page author’s note with additional information about Charles Darwin and walking, and a bibliography.

I’ve loved Nicholas Day’s longer works that combined science, art, and history using a tone that invites readers to share in his discoveries. He’s done it again, this time with a picture book that focuses on Charles Darwin’s walking, then weaves in all kinds of interesting information about his work on natural selection and evolution and ends by including readers with those who can walk and have great ideas.

How to Survive the End of the World: A Graphic Exploration of How to (Maybe) Avoid Extinction by Katy Doughty (MITeen Press, March 31, 2026, 256 pages, grades 9-12). How will humanity end? Pandemic, nuclear winter, climate change? Katy Doughty takes a look at the history and possibility of each catastrophe in a way that is serious, yet optimistic enough to conjure up the will to keep going. Each chapter includes an “Ask an Expert” section in which a scholar of that particular topic weighs in. The final chapter, “The End?” is a brief but inspiring meditation on the courage required to face the possibilities of humanity ending and to look for your own role in possibly changing some of those outcomes. Includes a list for further reading, source notes, and a bibliography.

When this book arrived in the mail for a preview, I felt some existential dread at opening the front cover, but I forced myself to read the first chapter (Plagues and Pandemics), and was pleasantly surprised by how interesting and thought-provoking it was, with the illustrations making it a pretty quick and engaging read. The end of humanity may lurk at the back (or front) of all our minds, and teenagers experiencing this angst for the first time will find some interesting and hopefully inspiring reading here.

Graphic novel mysteries for early readers

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The Pet Rock Mystery (Squirrel Lock Holmes and Watson book 1) by Ashley Belote (Random House Graphics, 80 pages, grades 1-4). Reggie the Rabbit has lost his beloved pet rock Dwayne, so he enlists the help of Squirrel Lock Holmes and his bumbling owl assistant Watson. Over the course of five chapters, the detectives ask questions, gather clues, interrogate suspects, and finally solve the mystery. Includes illustrated steps for solving a mystery, instructions on how to draw Holmes and Watson, a search and find spread with five objects to locate, and a preview of book 2 which is due out in September.

This is a fun mystery for beginning readers with lots of silly humor and goofy illustrations. I could have lived without the definitions of words like sedimentary and geologist inserted somewhat jarringly into the otherwise humorous story, but it’s a good introduction to the Dog Man/InvestiGators genre who aren’t quite ready for 200 pages.

Korobá: The Case of the Missing Kolo by Àlàbá Ònájìn (Holiday House, 144 pages, grades 2-5). Korobá uses a prologue to introduce readers to his family and two best friends, as well as their fishing village of Makoko in Nigeria. He also explains the upcoming Makoko Harvest Festival, when kids break open their Kolo boxes, where they’ve saved money all year, so that they can buy new clothes, shoes, and treats at the festival. Then the story begins, and soon Korobá has a mystery on his hands: his friend Saidat’s Kolo box has gone missing, and she’s pretty sure it’s been stolen. Korobá, Saidat, and their third friend Joba team up to do some sleuthing around Makoko. After eliminating some suspects, Korobá puts together all the clues and unmasks the thief on the morning of the festival. The kids are sympathetic when they learn why the theft occurred and work together to make sure everyone has enough to spend at the market. Includes an author’s note about how his childhood passion for detectives like Nancy Drew, The Famous Five, and Tintin influenced the creation of this story, as well as a glossary of some of the Nigerian terms.

Readers will get a window into a Nigerian village in this endearing graphic novel featuring a lively team of kid detectives. Korobá uses some very impressive deductive skills to solve the mystery in an ending I didn’t see coming, and his two assistants have their own engaging personalities. I’m hoping this will be the first in a series. It’s a longer book than Squirrel Lock Holmes, but still suitable for primary grade readers.

How to survive middle school

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Serendipity by Gabbie Benda (Holiday House, 224 pages, grades 4-7). Serendipity leads a charmed life, excelling in her classes, at basketball, onstage, and in student council, where she’s president. After winning free tickets to the carnival, she and her friend Basil encounter a fortune-telling rabbit robot, which Serendipity accidentally destroys. Certain that her luck has changed, she starts seeing signs that she’s cursed, getting a B instead of all A’s, missing baskets, and forgetting her lines in the play. Serendipity returns to the repaired robot, who prints out a fortune telling her “The future is in your hands.” She finally gets the message, realizing that she can make her own luck by sharing the spotlight and handing off some of her responsibilities to others. By the end, Serendipity is ready to try some new activities, but with the realization that it’s more important to enjoy herself than to try to please everyone.

This fast-paced story will appeal to fans of other middle school graphic novels, with its appealing artwork and a reassuring message about setting boundaries and appreciating friends.

The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller (Philomel Books, 256 pages, grades 5-8). Luna starts seventh grade with a single friend, Scott, who has been by her side all her life and understands her completely. When they start creating zines for other kids dealing with middle school issues like eczema, periods, and difficult parents, Luna’s writing grabs the attention of the popular group. At first she’s able to balance her social life between Scott and her new friends, but soon the new friends take over–and Luna finds herself compromising her values in the process, taking part in the mean girls’ bullying and shoplifting. Things come to a head when Luna’s mom discovers the shoplifting, and Luna is expelled from the popular crowd. A quirky but kind school counselor helps Luna to see that it’s okay to make mistakes and encourages her to try to forgive herself and see what she can do to fix things. The final pages contains a sweet surprise, not resolving everything but offering hope of a better eighth grade year.

The author of Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All clearly has a Judy Blume-like memory for her early adolescence, and Luna’s story will have you cringing (perhaps with recognition) at all her terrible choices. While there are no doubt fifth graders who would enjoy this book, it is truly the perfect middle school story. The author’s doodles on many of the pages feel very middle schoolish as well. I loved the ending, particularly this teacher’s wise advice: “The life you make will be part effort, part chance; the combination is what makes it stunning.”

Superhero graphic novels

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Supa Nova by Chanté Timothy (Nosy Crow, 160 pages, grades 2-5). Inspired by her scientist parents, Nova has created a secret lab that she accesses through her bedroom. After learning about islands of plastic trash floating in the ocean, Nova sets out to create a plastic-eating creature. The key to success turns out to be her teenage sister’s discarded wad of gum, and before long Nova has made an adorable pink monster named Chomp. Unfortunately, Chomp has a voracious appetite for plastic and an unfortunate propensity to grow quickly when he eats. Soon he’s threatening to consume the entire town, and Nova has to act quickly–and to reluctantly call on her sister for help. The two of them find an ingenious solution, shrinking Chomp to a more manageable size and convincing the adults to find a home for him on one of those plastic islands. Includes an author’s note on the science behind the story, some drawing tips, and a preview of the next Nova book.

This cute story is a quick read and would be a good point of entry for beginning readers to try out a full-length graphic novel. Nova’s larger-than-life adventures bring to mind TV cartoons, with the science occasionally feeling a bit like a magic trick, but she’s a spunky and resourceful protagonist who serves as a good role model for girls (and boys) who are interested in science.

Sidekicks: Thick as Thieves by Dan Santat (Graphix, 208 pages, grades 3-7). I’m a little confused about this series: a book called Sidekicks by Dan Santat was published in 2011, but it looks like it was reissued as book 1 in a series last year. Book 2 is due to be released in the first week of 2026. When Scholastic offered to send me both books, I readily agreed, read both of them, and feel pretty sure this will be a hit series. The sidekicks are the pets of aging superhero Harry Blake, aka Captain Amazing. Each one has a superpower, but also a flaw or two, and part of the fun is watching both the people and the animals mess up.

In book 2, Harry and his older sister head off for a crochet convention as part of Harry’s attempt at retirement. While they’re away, chameleon Shifty’s older brother Whipley shows up. The two brothers were close at one point, but now the other pets–Manny the cat, Roscoe the dog, and Fluffy the hamster–are suspicious of Whipley’s intentions. Is he really there to reconnect with Shifty, or is he a spy working to bring down Captain Amazing? When Shifty leaves with Whipley, the other sidekicks go after him, and they wind up in an epic showdown right in the middle of the crochet convention. The good guys win for now, but readers are encouraged to stay tuned for two more upcoming installments. The fast-paced plot, constant humor, and Dan Santat’s incredible artwork will definitely appeal to fans of Dog Man and Bad Guys.

Two chapter books for younger elementary kids

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Sparrow, Always by Gail Donovan, illustrated by Elysia Case (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 160 pages, grades 2-5). Sparrow’s dealing with a lot in fourth grade: a new baby brother, a best friend who seems to be growing up faster than Sparrow is, and some difficulties following directions at school that get her placed in a friendship group with a counselor. She loves animals, though, and the incentive of getting to helping Toby, the new puppy next door, pass his guide dog test motivates her to do better in school. Despite her difficulties, Sparrow’s heart is in the right place, and as fourth grade ends, she realizes that she’s a good friend, sister, and dog trainer, and that if she stays true to herself, she’ll be okay in fifth. Readers will enjoy the last chapter which tells about the guide dog test in Toby’s own voice.

I missed book one of this series, Sparrow Being Sparrow, which came out in 2024. Books 2 and 3 were released together, and I accidentally read book 3, but no prior knowledge was needed for me to thoroughly enjoy it. Sparrow has a Ramona Quimby vibe, and as I’ve said before, I always like discovering real middle grade books about third and fourth graders, which tend to be a bit of a rarity. Unfortunately, I find it hard to pry my students away from graphic novels long enough to read a book like this one, but I know there are many who will relate to and enjoy Sparrow’s adventures if they give her a try.

Night Chef by Mika Song (Random House Graphic, 160 pages, grades 1-4). The Night Chef is a raccoon who has learned cooking by living in the walls of a restaurant. After saving a baby crow that she names Ichi, the Night Chef decides to go on a journey to return Ichi to his flock. Along the way, the chef does a cooking stint at an animal-run restaurant called Mole’s Hole that’s being terrorized by an owl, travels as a stowaway on a train (more cooking, to pay her fare), and finally finds the crows and returns Ichi. On the way home, she stops back at the Mole’s Hole where she’s able to rescue them from the owl’s tyranny, aided by Ichi and the crows who return at just the right moment. The Night Chef learns about her early connection to the crows and discovers that she belongs at the Mole’s Hole, creating delicacies for the animals.

This cute animal graphic novel is sure to be popular with early elementary kids. It took me a minute to understand Night Chef’s circumstances and relationship to humans, but I loved all her animal adventures and the way she used her cooking talents to help herself and others, and the ending was extremely satisfying.

Survival stories for those who like the edge of their seats

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Sole Survivor by Norman Ollestad and Brendan Kiely (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 272 pages, grades 5-8). Norman Ollestad recounts his experience of surviving a plane crash as an 11-year-old in 1979. His father and the pilot were killed instantly, and his father’s girlfriend Sandra, seriously injured, fell to her death when Norm was trying to help her. His dad had always pushed Norm to try the exhilarating but sometimes terrifying skiing and surfing adventures he enjoyed, and Norm found himself using the lessons from those experiences in his struggle to survive. Living with his mom and abusive stepfather had also taught him a thing or two about survival, and he miraculously was able to climb down the the icy California mountain in blizzard conditions to find help. The last part of the book tells of the aftermath of the event, in which Norm had to navigate his trauma while living full time with his mother and stepdad. After a rocky few years, he found release and healing through surfing. Based on the 2009 book Crazy for the Storm.

Okay, first off, if you’re looking for less stress in your life, do not read this book and Murder in the Jungle back-to-back, as I did. Norm’s story is harrowing, to say the least, made more so by the flashbacks to his abusive stepfather and risk-addicted father who put his son in some pretty questionable situations. It is definitely a page-turning survival story that will appeal to fans of Hatchet and other Gary Paulsen books.

The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True Story by Allan Wolf, illustrated by Jose Pimenta (Candlewick, 176 pages, grades 4-8). November 20, 1980 starts as an ordinary day for Lake Peigneur (who narrates the story), the miners who work in the salt mine there, the oil rig workers, the wealthy owner of a house on the lake’s shore and his gardener, and various boaters on the lake. But it quickly becomes anything but ordinary when a combination of oil drill accident and precarious mine construction causes a huge vortex in the lake that threatens to destroy everything around it. Those in and around the lake are in a race against time to get off the rig, off the water, and out of the mine. Close calls and heroism are plentiful as the story shifts quickly from one site to another. The lake claims on page 1 that it “vanished,” and in a way that’s true, at least temporarily, as it’s transformed in size and composition from a freshwater lake to the saltwater lake that exists today. Includes an author’s note with extensive additional information, how he did his research, and clarification of what is fact and fiction.

This book took me a couple of tries to get into–the beginning feels a little stilted with many characters introduced. But once things start to happen, it’s hard to put down in a way reminiscent of the best “I Survived” books. I’m hesitant to reveal the spoiler that everyone survives, but amazingly that is the case, thanks to the good judgement and courage of many involved in rescue efforts. As Allan Wolf notes in the author’s note, this good fortune is one of the reasons it didn’t become more of a news story, and kudos to him for tracking down the story and interviewing many of the eyewitnesses to create this excellent graphic novel, greatly enhanced by Jose Pimenta’s art.

Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards

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An email alerting me to the upcoming Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards ceremony coming up this Thursday, November 6, sent me on a search for some of the books that I hadn’t read yet. You can see a complete list of winners and honor books here.

Death in the Jungle: Murder, Betrayal, and the Lost Dream of Jonestown by Candace Fleming (Anne Schwartz Books, 368 pages, grades 7 and up). Most of us know about Jonestown and the tragic end that befell more than 900 residents in the Guyana jungle. This book takes readers back to founder Jim Jones’s earliest days and shows how a bizarre mix of idealism and quest for power led him to start the People’s Temple which moved from Indiana to California, and finally to Guyana where Jones basically kept his followers imprisoned: cut off from the world and subject to his paranoid drug-fueled ravings. Individual members of the group are profiled, based on Fleming’s interviews with survivors, and their memories of enjoying being part of a warm community mixed with traumatic punishments, sleep deprivation, and overwork serve as a warning to anyone drawn to a charismatic leader like Jim Jones. Includes source notes, a bibliography, and an index.

I remember reading about this incident in the news during my own teenage years and trying to make sense of what could have possibly gone so horribly wrong. This book answers some of those question–although many are unanswerable–and is told in such a compelling style that I could not put this book down and read it in about 36 hours. It’s an especially important book for teens, as many of those interviewed were their age during the events of the story (including Jones’s son Stephan), and in many cases, a questioning attitude toward authority saved them.

Oasis by Guojing (Godwin Books, 160 pages, grades 4-7). Two children live in the desert, fending for themselves with only occasional phone calls from their mother who works in Oasis City, trying to get permission to bring her children to live with her. When the kids find a broken robot, they’re able to repair it and activate its “mother” mode, giving them an AI mom. When their human mother comes home for a few days, she discovers the AI mother, and destroys it in a fit of fear and rage. Her daughter runs off, and the mother is able to repair the robot and bring the daughter back home. The two mothers share their hopes and dreams for the children, and the AI one shows how she has been able to reproduce conditions in Oasis City to start growing plants, giving them hope that one day they can all live in the desert together. The author information relates that Guojing was inspired by “left-behind children” in China, who stay in rural areas when their parents go to find work in the city.

I had gotten this book out of the library several months ago, after seeing its five starred reviews, but I was a little put off by the dark artwork and never got around to reading it. I’m so glad I gave it another try. It’s a quick read–it only took me about 15 minutes–but it packs a powerful punch and celebrates all sorts of family connections and love. The cover says, “In a bleak and distant future, two children are lost, one robot is found, and a tendril of hope appears,” but it didn’t seem like such a distant future to me.

Up, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains by Anita Yasuda, illustrated by Yuko Shimizu (Clarion Books, 48 pages, grades 2-5). As a child, Junko Tabei dreamed of climbing mountains, and she pursued that dream when she moved to Tokyo as a young woman. Most mountaineering clubs didn’t take women, but Junko persevered until she found one that did. Even after marrying and having a daughter, Junko continued to climb and to encourage other women to join her. Eventually they planned an expedition to become the first all-female team to climb Mount Everest. Even an avalanche couldn’t stop her, and Junko realized her dream of being the first woman to reach Everest’s summit. In her later years, she became an activist for sustainable mountain climbing, researching the impact of trash and human waste on Everest and helping to mitigate some of those effects. Includes an author’s note, timeline, glossary, and bibliography.

I’m a little late to this 2024 book, but I’m breaking my rule of only reviewing books published in the current year. The Boston Globe-Horn Book Award follows the school year calendar, so it was eligible for this year’s award and was an honor book, in addition to winning a 2025 Caldecott Honor. Both are well-deserved for the beautiful ink and color illustrations that not only portray breathtaking mountain landscapes but celebrate Junko’s Japanese culture.