Review of The Cartoonists Club, by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud

Children's Fiction Review, Contemporary, Graphic Novel, Starred Review 0

The Cartoonists Club

by Raina Telgemeier & Scott McCloud

Graphix (Scholastic), 2025. 282 pages.
Review written October 9, 2025, from a library book.
Starred Review

The Cartoonists Club is a collaboration between the wildly popular middle grade graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud, who wrote the book Understanding Comics that both my kids read and absorbed when they were approximately middle school age. Although they didn’t ever try to do it professionally, both of them made some comics of their own after reading that book.

It turns out that Raina Telgemeier also read the book when she was a teenager – and it encouraged her interest in making comics, which led to her tremendous success. (This is from an Author’s Note at the back.)

Well, Raina got to meet Scott McCloud in the comics community, and he was always encouraging. So she got the idea to work together to make a version of Understanding Comics that’s actually targeted for middle school readers. This book is the result.

And they succeeded wonderfully in their mission! This book is not nonfiction like the original. It tells the story of four kids in middle school who like making comics and who form a club. Along the way, with their knowledgeable staff sponsor, they learn about the basics of comics, they collaborate together, they learn to dare to share their work, and they even make and print their own mini-comics.

It’s a great story – the four kids are people we root for, each with different interests. And it also gives great information. There’s a link to a website with even more resources, scholastic.com/cartoonistsclub. I hope that lots of kids will form their own Cartoonists’ Clubs after being inspired by the example in this book.

scholastic.com/cartoonistsclub
goraina.com

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Review of The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze, by Derrick Barnes

Children's Fiction Review, Contemporary, Starred Review 0

The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze

by Derrick Barnes

Viking, 2025. 254 pages.
Review written October 7, 2025, from a book sent to me by the publisher.
Starred Review
2025 National Book Award for Young People’s Literature Longlist

The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze is a modern tall tale crossed with a serious discussion of current issues.

The star of the show is Henson Blayze, a thirteen-year-old with incredible gifts. He’s about to play varsity football in his first game as an eighth grader, and the entire small town idolizes him.

But after an amazing and flashy first half of the game, Henson learns that his little buddy, ten-year-old Menkah, is in the hospital, after being beaten bloody by some troopers. Henson leaves the game and doesn’t leave Menkah’s side until he’s better. The town is now as angry with Henson as they adored him before. When Menkah’s better, Henson has to decide if he still even wants to play football.

Henson is larger than life, and this story is larger than life to match. Henson’s ancestors have lived in this Mississippi town for generations, and if Henson is ever harmed, well, let’s just say that they protect him. There’s magical realism in this story so that no harm done to Black folks is permanent. This helps the book be suitable for children, despite the heavy topics, and honestly, it’s nice to see.

Henson’s a sweet kid, not spoiled by all the adoration, and just wanting to help folks out. You’re rooting for him all the way.

I don’t usually like it when authors spell out what they’re trying to do. Can’t the story carry the weight of it? So I kind of wish that Derrick Barnes put his Author’s Note at the back of the book instead of at the beginning. But the fact is, the Author’s Note packs a punch. What he was trying to do is write a version of Maniac Magee where the protagonist is a Black boy. But he also is telling something that doesn’t hurt being spelled out. Here’s a bit from that note:

This is a story about – along with other pertinent themes – America’s strange obsession with the Black body: for labor and for entertainment.

He talks first about slavery, then goes on to say this:

Many thought that African Americans could coexist with white people if we assimilated, and one way of doing that was to provide entertainment. We danced, we made them laugh, we sang, and we performed great athletic feats.

You can still see that today, in American sports. Black athletes are treated like gods by the greater white population. It’s a strange dynamic. On one hand, they see the Black athlete only as an entity – a tool that brings their favorite team a victory. But on the other hand, there is an acceptance of this living character as a hero that’s not like the negative, stereotypic ideal of a Black person that they’ve ben taught – especially if that athlete never speaks on “politics,” a word that has been used to veil issues surrounding race. But as soon as that athlete does something or says something that they deem inappropriate, makes them feel uncomfortable, or removes them from the escapism of simply enjoying their favorite sport . . . things change. Historically, when Black athletes have shown themselves to be more “Black” than “athlete,” there is a disruption of that fantasy where they are not supposed to lean into issues that directly affect them, like racism. Immediately, they have been shunned, ostracized, and blackballed (see Tommie Smith and JOhn Carlos, see Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, see Colin Kaepernick, see Craig Hodges).

He continues that he’s especially talking to Black children to not sell you soul. And he asks all of us:

You must also become as well-read and educated as you possibly can. Deand respect. Be your most human self, and work on improving yourself every single day. Be kind, and most importantly, be a difference-maker. Be dead set on making this world a better place – not just for yourself or only for people who look like you, speak your language, or worship your religion, but for all of us.

So, yeah, I think Derrick Barnes could have gotten away with not spelling all that out. We love Henson because he’s a kid who is trying to live those very values.

But you know what? It’s a good message, and I’m going to let him make sure no one misses it. And meanwhile, enjoy this wonderful story.

derrickdbarnes.com
Penguin.com/kids

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Review of Fresh Start, by Gale Galligan

Children's Fiction Review, Contemporary, Graphic Novel 0

Fresh Start

by Gale Galligan

Graphix (Scholastic), 2025. 282 pages.
Review written May 27, 2025, from a library book.

I continue to believe that a graphic novel is the perfect format for the semi-biographical middle school story. You can show all the emotion, all the conflict, all the embarrassment, and even the imagination.

Fresh Start joins the many classic stories that fit that description. Our hero is Ollie (not the same name as the author this time), and her family has just moved from Germany to Virginia – much like my own family did (but I was an adult, though my youngest was not). This is only one of many moves for Ollie’s family, and she’s a little rattled when her parents announce they’ve decided to settle down. Ollie may have to actually make friends.

And of course that isn’t easy. And there are mistaken first impressions and other difficulties to navigate. Ollie is also half Thai, and her mother wants her to get involved in the Thai community that turns out to be there – including Ollie’s blonde classmate she thought was the perfect American.

So this is a graphic novel about navigating a new school, pressures from family and friends, and navigating blended cultures. So it’s similar to many books along this line – but Ollie has her own unique quirks and she will find an audience ready to be her friend.

galesaur.com

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Review of The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest, by Aubrey Hartman

Animal Characters, Children's Fiction Review, Fantasy, Starred Review 0

The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest

by Aubrey Hartman
read by Marisa Calin

Hachette Audio, 2025. 6 hours, 28 minutes.
Review written September 19, 2025, from a library eaudiobook.
Starred Review

I was not prepared for how charmed I would be by this story of an undead fox. But yes, this book has all the cozy delight of an old-fashioned animal story with a motherly narrator – this one perfectly voiced by Marisa Calin, who has a British accent. Never mind that the main character, Clare, a fox with a lavender tail – isn’t quite dead but also isn’t alive.

Yes, Clare had been killed when run over by a car. But before he found his way to one of the four realms of the Afterlife (Pleasure, Progress, Peace, or Pain), he was offered a chance to train as the next Usher of Deadwood Forest. Since that happened six years ago, Clare has helped wandering souls find their way to the realm where they belong. He is kind and helpful to all souls – though he has a strong prejudice against badgers.

And then the soul of a wandering badger comes to his door – and she fails to make her way to any of the four realms. Her name is Gingersnipes, and she keeps on turning up at his door. Clare is afraid it has something to do with the premonition about him announced by Hersterfowl, a visionary grouse who lives in the neighboring wood. He goes to see her and doesn’t like what he hears, and decides that he will figure out a way to change his fate – which is all going to come to a crisis on All Hallow’s Eve, when all the realms are open, and he usually huddles in his cabin.

But all along the interaction between Clare and Gingersnipes is simply delightful as we learn about their pasts, how they died, and the things they still care about. Clare has a deep fear that, as the local children like to sing, he is a monster. But we come to agree with Gingersnipes that he is a truly good soul.

I’m not sure I can really communicate how much fun this book is. Who knew that an undead fox who raises mushrooms with great care and is kind to every soul who comes to him would make such a lovable character?

aubreyhartman.com

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Review of Chickenpox, by Remy Lai

Children's Fiction Review, Contemporary, Graphic Novel, Starred Review 0

Chickenpox

by Remy Lai

Henry Holt and Company, 2025. 235 pages.
Review written July 15, 2025, from a library book.
Starred Review

You’d think stories about chickenpox would lose their popularity now that today’s kids are almost all vaccinated. But this graphic novel is hugely popular at the library – a fictionalized version of the author’s family when all five of them came down with chickenpox.

We’ve got the perspective of Abby, the oldest – who is horrified at the thought of ten days with her siblings when they all come down with chickenpox. When the younger ones squabble, Abby as the big sister is generally the one who’s told she should calm things down.

And while Abby’s out of the action, there’s some friend drama at school – which of course her younger siblings only make worse if they get the slightest whiff of what’s going on.

But most of my fondness for this graphic novel came from nostalgia. Because when I was in second grade, my older sister brought home chickenpox, and the other four of us all caught it and stayed home from school together for two weeks. I was third, not oldest like the protagonist – and my parents went on to have eight more kids. But when we had chickenpox, there were five kids, just like in this book – and yes, the chaos seems accurate.

I still say there’s nothing like a graphic novel for conveying the chaos and intense emotions of middle school. Turns out, it’s also great for showing the chaos of a big family of kids all home with chickenpox.

remylai.com

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Review of Not Quite a Ghost, by Anne Ursu

Audiobooks, Children's Fiction Review, Contemporary, Paranormal, Starred Review 0

Not Quite a Ghost

by Anne Ursu
read by Eva Kaminsky

Walden Pond Press, 2024. 6 hours, 45 minutes.
Review written March 18, 2025, from a library eaudiobook.
Starred Review
2025 Capitol Choices Selection

This is the second book I’ve read recently where a kid gets a mysterious chronic ailment with intermittent dizziness and weakness, and they try to please the adults around them and not be “lazy” and things get worse and worse – and honestly, it makes me cringe, but in a sympathetic way.

In this case, the kid in question is Violet Hart, who’s just beginning 6th grade and middle school, and whose family has just moved into a big old house where Violet’s sister sticks her with the creepy attic room with the hideous wallpaper.

Fortunately, Violet’s mother and stepfather believe her when she dares to tell them that she’s not feeling well, but they take her to more than one doctor who thinks she’s just got anxiety about middle school. And even her friends start wondering.

On top of that, her two best friends only have one class with her – and it’s gym class, where she doesn’t feel well enough to participate. And they want to expand the friend group to include two more popular girls, and things get awkward.

But while Violet is in the library during gym class, she meets a boy who’s not taking gym class at all, and is doing a project on ghost hunting.

So ghosts are in her head when she’s stuck in her attic room, feeling awful, and she starts seeing movement in the hideous wallpaper. Is all of it just in her head?

This book immersed me in Violet’s world right from the start. Anne Ursu beautifully captures family dynamics and friendship dynamics and a kid who just wants to stay under the radar and find something she can count on when everything’s changing around her, including her own body.

The not-quite-a-ghost doesn’t really come into the story until late in the book, so it’s not necessarily what you want to hand a kid who simply wants a ghost story. But for a great story about the ups and downs of navigating changes of middle school, this book beautifully fills the bill.

anneursu.com

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Review of Too Small Tola Makes It Count, by Atinuke

Beginning Chapter Books, Children's Fiction Review, Contemporary, Starred Review 0

Too Small Tola Makes It Count

by Atinuke
illustrated by Onyinye Iwu

Candlewick Press, 2024. First published in the United Kingdom in 2023. 90 pages.
Review written March 17, 2025, from a library book.
Starred Review

I love Too Small Tola! Here are more adventures for children ready to read chapter books. You don’t have to have read the earlier ones to enjoy this one, but I do recommend them, and characters return.

I like the way these books give younger children a window into other people’s lives without any need to feel sorry for them and showing lots of love.

Too Small Tola lives in Lagos, unbelievable Lagos.

In Lagos there are children who live in mansions. Mansions so big, their parents have to call their children’s cell phones to find which room they are in!

And in Lagos there are children who sleep on cardboard boxes under bridges where people step over them both day and night.

Tola’s family is lucky. They do not own a mansion or even an apartment. But they do not sleep under bridges either. They are lucky enough to have the roof of one room over their heads.

Tola lives with her Grandmommy and an older brother and older sister. We’re getting to know some of the other people in their building.

In past books, Tola was able to solve some problems using Math. In this book, there are some life problems to solve, which can be trickier. Tola is able to solve problems for her neighbors, but she can’t get her school classmates to believe that she worked for a famous rock star’s family during the lockdown – until they get a nice comeuppance in the last chapter.

Other problems involve helping Mrs. Shaky-Shaky, who can no longer go up the stairs, and traveling to the beach to escape the heat, and watching her neighbor’s baby, who makes an escape.

It all involves everyday life for Tola, and we get to enjoy the kind and wonderful people she interacts with every day, as well as appreciate Tola’s ingenuity.

These books always make me smile.

atinuke.co.uk
onyinyeiwu.com
candlewick.com

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Review of Orris and Timble: Lost and Found, by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Carmen Mok

Animal Characters, Beginning Chapter Books, Children's Fiction Review, Starred Review 0

Orris and Timble

Lost and Found

by Kate DiCamillo
illustrated by Carmen Mok

Candlewick Press, 2025. 76 pages.
Review written June 5, 2025, from a library book.
Starred Review

Here’s a second beginning chapter book about an old rat named Orris and a young owl named Timble, who are, surprisingly, friends. Like the first, it’s a sweet and gentle story.

Orris has gotten accustomed to visits from Timble every evening when they talk with each other and enjoy each other’s company. Orris tells a story every night, and Timble loves a line from a story:

“By the light of the stars, by the light of the moon, I will always return.”

But then, one night as the evening gets dark, Timble doesn’t come. And not the next night either.

Now, the subtitle of the book hints at what happened. But this precipitates a crisis for both friends, and ultimately they come to realize how much their friendship means to each of them.

And it’s all done with Carmen Mok’s gentle illustrations and leaves you feeling warm and cozy. Or perhaps adventurous and ready to fly away – but always to come back.

katedicamillo.com
candlewick.com

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Review of Doodles from the Boogie Down, by Stephanie Rodriguez

Children's Fiction Review, Contemporary, Graphic Novel 0

Doodles from the Boogie Down

by Stephanie Rodriguez

Kokila, 2023. 204 pages.
Review written June 28, 2023, from a library book.

This graphic novel is reportedly not exactly an autobiography, but tells about an eighth-grader named Stephanie who lives in the Bronx and wants to go to a high school for the Arts in Manhattan rather than continuing in Catholic school, as her mother wants her to.

Trying to talk with her mother about it when she got the idea didn’t go far. So Steph does some lying to get to work with the art teacher on her portfolio.

Meanwhile, she’s having adventures learning more about art, enjoying activities with her friends, and navigating middle school. But what will happen when her mother finds out about her schemes?

I still think that graphic novels are the perfect form for middle school memoirs. The author says this isn’t quite a memoir, but it does come with all the emotion of living it.

stephguez.com
Penguin.com/kids

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Review of Graciela in the Abyss, by Meg Medina

Children's Fiction Review, Fantasy, Starred Review 0

Graciela in the Abyss

by Meg Medina
illustrated by Anna and Elena Balbusso

Candlewick Press, 2025. 236 pages.
Review written July 22, 2025, from my own copy, given to me at ALA Annual Conference and signed to me by the author.
Starred Review

First, I am a huge Meg Medina fan – and am privileged to think of her as a friend. When she saw me in line to get the book signed, she greeted me by name and gave me a big hug! How did this happen? Meg was the winner the year I was on the Newbery Selection Committee, and I was privileged to be part of the group that changed her life – and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer and more deserving person!

So of course there is no surprise that I love this book. Let me tell you what I love about it.

First, it’s in a stunningly beautiful package. It’s a middle-grade novel, but it’s illustrated. There are full-page illustrations periodically throughout the book as well as chapter heading decorations. And underneath the beautiful paper cover is a gorgeous illustration on the case of the book.

The story itself is a unique fantasy tale about water spirits. The book begins in the Prologue with Graciela’s death! (This is a surprise in a children’s book.) She fell into the sea when she ignored her older sister’s cautions. But in chapter one, she wakes up a hundred years later as a sea spirit. And she has a loving guide named Amina who helps her learn the ways of the sea. She becomes a glazier who polishes sea glass, so people find wonderful treasures on the shore.

However, not all sea spirits are good. There are Needlers in the deep who make trouble for everyone. And there are places that are dangerous for a sea spirit who hasn’t mastered her new powers yet. When she died, Graciela didn’t lose her tendency to go where she wants to go despite the warnings of others.

Our other main character is Jorge, a boy who lives in the village on the shore with his family of blacksmiths. He wants to make toys, but his parents say that’s a waste of time. When he finds an eerie harpoon his ancestor fashioned to slay sea spirits and steal the pearls of their teeth – Jorge wants to destroy it, but that’s not easily done, and his parents want to use it as designed.

The two threads end up coming together, and Graciela and Jorge need to work together to protect the sea and make things right.

The undersea world Meg Medina has created is beautiful and mysterious. I love how different this book is from the many other children’s fantasy novels I’ve read. Though there is some death, and Jorge has horrible parents, this is a gentle fantasy that would make a wonderful read-aloud for an upper elementary school classroom.

megmedina.com
candlewick.com

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