A heart-warming story filled with gorgeous chiaroscuro illustrations that I read in one sitting, Peter Brown's debut middle-grade book is ultimately about making friends and creating family wherever you find yourself. Robot Roz wakes up on a remote island after the cargo ship she was on sinks at sea, and finds that she is anything but alone. A delightful cast of animal inhabitants make themselves known as Roz slowly becomes a contributing part of their community, adopting an orphaned gosling, teaching the creatures how to build lodges, and even protecting them from would-be predators. This is the perfect match for anyone who loves cozy stories with animals that aren't overly saccharine. Buy this one for all of your young reader friends, or relish it yourself! Grade 4+
Hold Still by Nina Lacour
Nina Lacour has created a haunting, beautiful, and ultimately realistic depiction of what it's like to live through a best friend's suicide. Caitlin is angry, sad, and guilty after her closest friend Ingrid kills herself. Finding Ingrid's journal under her bed gives her a glimpse of what Ingrid was going through, allows her to move past self-blame and, in the end, let go of Ingrid. The Bay Area setting, well-developed supporting characters, and Mia Nolting's illustrations make this a special book. Check out the trailer on Lacour's website . Give it to fans of Garret Freyman-Weyr and John Green. Grade 8+