Teens from Kings Park Library and City of Fairfax Regional Library read from a curated list of YA novels.
They submit a 500 word review or create fan art related to one of those books.
We post it here and inside our libraries.
Teens get 2 hours of volunteer time.
Aiden Thomas' novel Cemetery Boys is a great book for readers who want a story based on magic and acceptance. It's about a boy named Yadriel who is a transgender boy and he just wants to be accepted as who he is instead of his family constantly making him feel like he isn't meant to be who he is. He then summons a spirit while trying to summon his cousin's spirit instead. Yadriel actually summoned a boy named Julian who was killed not too long ago. It isn't long until the two boys realize they may or may not have feelings for each other.
One thing that makes this book so good is about how much it shows a person's perspective about being accepted or not. Yadriel always feels that way despite trying to show that is the person he truly is. Even his own father can't understand him. Same goes for Tim Catriz, another character who is an outcast of the family. They both represent thousands of people out there whether they are someone from the family who is being rejected for who they are or someone who can't live up to their family's expectations.
The second component of the story that makes this book so heartwarming is the buildup of love between Yadriel and Julian. They didn't quite get along at first and the only reason Julian wanted to stay is because he wanted to see if his family was doing okay and if they were safe. Soon later, Julian and Yadriel realized that they have a bit in common and that they were both in need of support. Throughout the book, the two shared their identities and eventually got to show that they appreciated the company.
Finally, the culture and magic behind this story can really catch the reader's eye. This book is heavily based on magic and spirits. That's also the reason why Julian is here in the first place. Yadriel can use magic and summon spirits, whether or not it's the right one though. A lot of this comes from Latinx culture and the abilities to use magic as well. While the ladies in the family can heal, the men can summon spirits. This is an important component of the novel because Yadriel can summon spirits, proving to himself that he is truly a man. The only small problem to some readers is that they may not fully understand the culture or that they don't really like books about fantasy. There might be readers who might need more background information to fully understand this story or they just don't understand it in general. On the other hand, readers might really enjoy this books because they already have a good understanding about Latinx culture or they really want to learn more about the culture.
This book really did bring the emotion and awe to readers whenever they turned a page of the novel. It teaches about the importance of love and acceptance. It's okay to not truly agree on an idea that others may agree on, but at least respect it. The identity of someone is for them to decide and no for a family member or anyone else to take charge. Cemetery Boys was a great book to read about the bonding of friends, family, and loved ones in each turn of a page. Aiden Thomas' work really taught readers about acceptance, love, and culture and it's a book that is recommended for teens to enjoy.
Run Away with Me by Brian Selznick is about two boys who name each other Danny and Angelo. The book mainly follows Danny however. It takes place in Rome during the summer of 1986. Danny and his mom move around a lot. They are never in one place for more than one school year. This summer Danny and his mom move to Rome. They are living on top of his mom's place of work. His mom is an academic specializing in old books. When his mom is working, Danny explores the city where he runs into a strange boy who seems to be stalking him. The boy wouldn't tell him his name. He says that he is going to call the first boy Danny and to come up with a name for him. Danny chooses Angelo to be the strange boy's name. Angelo leads Danny throughout the city of Rome while telling him stories about different statues and art pieces. It seems like Angelo knows everything. After meeting, they spend almost everyday together running through Rome and telling stories. They fall in love but Danny is still set to leave after the summer is over. The front and back of the book has beautiful artworks to help the reader become more intrigued and interested.
This book is beautiful. It captures the essence of young, gay love amazingly. The setting is the best place it can be. Selznick's imagery can create a real and lively picture in your head. This book is like having tons of stories at once and I love it. There is the initial story with Danny and Angelo, the story of Dante, his elephant and Giovanni, the story of Elijah and Isak, and the story of Alberto and Vittorio. The stories that Angelo told were as interesting as the main story about Danny and Angelo. The story telling is amazing. The pacing was also pretty nice. It tells you what you need to know then just jumps into the story. The pacing throughout the book is nice as well. There is not really any part that is too slow or too fast. The chapters vary in size throughout the book. Some of the chapters are around twenty pages while others are one. Still I feel as the chapter sizes do not really make the book feel slower or faster. The characters are very enjoyable and seem like real, genuine people. The bond that Danny and Angelo share is something that I want in my life. The relationship between the characters is so sweet. You can tell that all the characters care deeply for each other in just 278 pages.
Run Away with Me by Brain Selznick would be great for teens who are into romance, part of the LGBTQIA+, love the summer vibe, and/or are interested in Rome. This book could really be entertaining to all different types of teens. You do not have to be part of the LGBTQIA+ community to enjoy it. It has romance, a bit of mystery, and the summer vibe. I know I like to match what I am reading to the season sometimes and this is a great summer book. It is on the shorter side so I can totally be finished before summer is over. This is such a lovely book and should not be overlooked. It is a powerful story of young love through two boys in the 80s.
“Not for the Faint of Heart” by Lex Croucher, a book filled with fantasy, adventure, love, and sprinkles of humor, has captured my heart. It’s set in a Robin Hood storyline two generations later, following his granddaughter, her hostage, and her band of Merry Men. This book was perfect reading for Pride Month; it had lots of representation of many different people. One of my favorite parts about the book was a character named Morgan who was transgender and also was just an amazing character. Another thing - Robin Hood was bisexual! While it doesn’t seem like an important plot point, it was cool to see him in the story living his life retired and with his husband. The story starts with Clem, a healer, getting kidnapped by Mariel (Robin Hood’s granddaughter). However, there is an ambush on the Merry Men and Mariel’s father is taken. She creates a band of Men (who acknowledge that their name is old and should be changed since, as Clem points out, they are neither merry nor all men) and they rebel from the main group to go rescue her father. Mariel and Clem are supposed to be bantering at the beginning of the story, but it felt more like arguing. As the story progresses, their arguments turn into banter and slight flirting (mostly on Clem’s part) and by the end, I was really rooting for them and their romance. It was definitely a very fluffy version of enemies to lovers. However, along with the main romance, there was also some between background characters in the crew, which is nice to see. Even though there was lots of romance, the book felt more like an action and adventure story. It was very fast-paced and chaotic at times, but also had an underlying story of Mariel figuring out her father is not who he pretends to be. She is learning about how the Merry Men used to be different, and is discovering that maybe they should go back to their old ways. Mariel had the most character development out of all the characters and I loved to see her grow throughout the story from a cold, closed-off warrior to a leader. This change made me think a lot about the difference between being a ruler and being a leader. The progression of the story and plot was also well done. In the beginning, this book seems like a group of people pulling heists and being crazy, but it gets a lot deeper and twisted near the end (especially with Clem’s backstory!). However, there were things that could be done better. A lot of the characters did not get much time in the spotlight and I would have appreciated some more backgrounds of them or just to get more into their personalities. For instance, in the beginning of the book it’s very hard to differentiate all of them, and the characters end up blending together. As the story progresses, we got to see into each of them a little bit, but it would have been great to know more about characters like Morgan and Josey. Overall, I thought this story was fun, easy, and had a great growth in depth from start to end, and I would definitely recommend it to people who love adventure and found family.
The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang is a graphic novel set in the late 19th century that explores identity, friendship, and learning to be honest with yourself and others. It follows the story of Prince Sebastian, a teenage royal who lives in Paris and is expected to behave a certain way because of his title. But Sebastian has a secret: he enjoys wearing dresses and expressing himself as Lady Crystallia, a glamorous fashion icon he keeps hidden from the world. To keep this part of his life hidden, he hires Frances, a talented young dressmaker, who helps him create beautiful, custom gowns. Frances has big dreams of becoming a well-known fashion designer, but working in secret for the prince makes her wonder if she’s giving up too much of her own goals.
The story focuses a lot on both characters trying to figure out who they are and what they want. Sebastian is scared of what would happen if anyone found out about his secret, especially his parents and the public. He doesn't want to let anyone down, but hiding this part of himself makes him feel trapped. As Lady Crystallia, he feels confident and free, but he constantly fears that being discovered will ruin his family’s reputation. Frances is proud of her designs, but she also wants credit for her work and doesn't want to stay in the shadows forever. Things come to a breaking point when she is offered a huge opportunity but realizes she can’t take it without exposing Sebastian’s secret. Their friendship is tested when these feelings come out, and both of them have to decide what matters most to them.
One of the things I liked about this book is how it handled serious topics without being too dramatic or unrealistic. It showed that it's normal to feel confused about who you are or to be scared of being judged. I think a lot of people could relate to that, even if they’re not in the same situation as Sebastian. The way Frances supported him, but also stood up for herself, made her character strong and easy to like. Their friendship felt real, and it was nice to see how they both grew and changed by the end of the story.
The art in the graphic novel was also really well done. The drawings were clear, expressive, and helped tell the story without needing a ton of text. You could really understand what the characters were feeling just by looking at their faces or body language. The dress designs were fun to look at and added something unique to the story. Even though fashion is a big part of the book, the focus is more on being yourself and feeling accepted.
Overall, I think The Prince and the Dressmaker is a meaningful and easy-to-read book. It talks about things like identity, friendship, and following your dreams without being boring or too dramatic. I liked how it balanced both characters' stories and gave them equal importance. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys graphic novels or stories that are about personal growth, friendship, and acceptance. It's a short read, but the message is strong and lasting, making you think more deeply about identity and what it really means to be yourself.
Laura Dean Keeps breaking up with me is a romance graphic novel about a girl named Freddy, whose girlfriend keeps breaking up with her. I really liked reading the book because it shows struggles that a lot of people have in relationships, with feeling neglected and ignored or only getting attention every once and a while. The book starts off with Freddy at a Valentine's day Dance with some of her friends and girlfriend. Her girlfriend leaves her at one part of the dance and Freddy then goes to find her only to see her with another girl. Throughout the whole book Freddy writes to an Advice column about her problems with Laura. Freddy starts to realize that every time she and Laura break up, they get back together. She starts to wonder if being with Laura is actually what she wants since Laura keeps on breaking up and cheating on her. Whenever Laura would do something like cheating or ignoring Freddy, Freddy wants to break up with Laura but Laura's charm gets in the way. One thing I really like about the book is how it compares to a TV show that Freddy and her family watch. In the show, a man has four wives. Freddy doesn't really directly say that she relates to the wives, but she shows it in what says. Another thing I really like about the book is how you could see that Doodle, Freddy’s friend, knew that Freddy didn’t want to be in the relationship with Laura. This also made Doodle a little angry because she knows Laura isn’t a good person and that Freddy spends more time with Laura than her. Somethings you may not like about the book is how Freddy treats Doodle at some points like I said earlier about how Doodle sometimes getting mad at Freddy for leaving her was because when Freddy is with Laura, she forgets about doodle and her other friends, leaving Doodle by herself. This part of her character is key to the story, so without it, it wouldn’t be as good. Even though she doesn’t really act in the best ways, she comes to resolve it at the end of the book. Another really good thing about the book is the artwork done by Rosemary Valero-O’Connell. The drawings are done really nicely and the colors used are only black and white along with pink used to show emotions. Also, the formatting of the panels in the book are cool, sometimes having one panel be the whole background, with panels on top of it. A few times the character comes outside of the panel too and on top of other panels. At one point, Freddy is sitting on a bed and her foot is extending into another panel. To describe sounds and emotions of characters it shows onomatopoeia words in certain fonts. For example, Laura closes a door on Freddy and it shows the word slam but it's in cursive, showing the shock to Freddy. In Conclusion I really think Laura Dean Keeps Breaking up with me is a great romance book and really shows what it’s like to be in a relationship where your significant other is ignoring and forgets about you. Other things like the artwork and formatting really make this book come alive.
Are you looking for an action-packed, amusing, and thrilling graphic novel? If so, then you should read Nimona by Noelle Stevenson. This book is about a shapeshifting girl named Nimona who aspires to become a sidekick. She wants to help the evil Ballister Blackheart defeat The Institution, an organization of heroes. As she begins to bond with Ballister, Nimona learns that he is a good person and that his arch-nemesis, Sir Ambrosius Goldenloin, is plotting against him. Along with the Institution, Ambrosius plans to poison the entire city and frame Ballister. During a confrontation with Ambrosius, Nimona lashes out and causes the city to be destroyed. Nimona’s temper and impulsiveness cause her to be viewed as a monster. I believe that this book is a perfect choice for anyone who enjoys fantasy or superhero stories.
I enjoyed this book a lot, and highly recommend it to teenagers, especially anyone who feels misunderstood or is very impulsive. Nimona makes many bad decisions over the course of the book and feels that other people treat her wrongly. Sometimes, I also feel this, which is why I was able to connect with her while reading. When the citizens learn how Nimona killed many people, they try to capture her and lock her up. When I make mistakes, I also feel frustrated that other people will judge me. Connecting with the characters helps make the story more engaging.
Also, an important message of this book is that people are not who they seem to be. This can be seen in Nimona, as at first, she seems like an ordinary girl, but is later revealed to be a shapeshifting beast. However, at the end of the story, she is viewed as a misunderstood and fearful child. Another example of this is when Nimona and Blackheart find out that the Institution is making evil plans. The Institution, which was originally viewed as the hero, became the villain. The things that someone experiences can shape how they view others, which often leads them to inaccurate conclusions. This message can be applied to real life, because some people see things from different perspectives. This story taught me a valuable lesson.
Finally, this book taught me that relationships can be very complicated. For example, Blackheart and Goldenloin have a special bond. Although they dislike each other, they are willing to work together to save others. They were once friends, but became enemies due to competition for the same job. However, in the end, they work together and become allies again. This resembles real-life relationships, which can sometimes be challenging to deal with. The book can help teach how to deal with the ups and downs of any relationship. The realistic nature of this friendship makes the book a captivating read.
Overall, this book can teach many lessons to teens that are struggling with problems. Relationships and self-control are very hard to deal with. In order for them to not feel alone, teens should read this book and discover that other people can also experience the problems that they have. This book helps teens relate with others, and it is an amazing choice for anyone!
"Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me" by Mariko Tamaki is an LGBTQ+, coming of age, graphic novel about Fredrica (or also known as "Freddy") Riley and her complicated on-again, off-again relationship with a girl named Laura Dean. Laura constantly breaks up with Freddy, but Freddy keeps going back, despite the hurt and the disapproval of her friends. Freddy Riley looks for advice from a mystic and advice columnist, Anna Vice, as she has a hard time understanding her feelings and navigating the toxic nature of her relationship. Ultimately, Freddy realizes she deserves better and breaks up with Laura, focusing on her friendships and personal growth. The reason why Freddy Riley decided to break up with Laura Dean is because throughout the book, Laura Dean gaslights, emotionally manipulates, fetishizes, and cheats on her. To summarize why Freddy Riley broke up with Laura Dean was because of her toxic behavior. I enjoyed reading "Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me" for its honest portrayal of first love and the journey of self discovery that comes with it. Tamaki did a great job creating a narrative that resonates deeply, specifically with people who experienced the push and pull of an unhealthy relationship. Freddy Riley's feelings for Laura Dean are so real and raw, and it captures how hard it can be to walk away, even when you know deep down you should and it's not just about the romance, which is great, but the way it explores friendship. That's what I found very interesting. Freddy's friends consistently show support for her though everything is genuinely heartwarming. Watching Freddy slowly begin to see her own worth, moving from constantly chasing Laura Dean to financially choosing what's best for her was so inspiring. Something that I found beautiful about the graphic novel was the art style. It was very satisfying to look at. It is so fluid and expressive, and it just works so well with the author's writing. The characters in the book feel so distinct and real, making it super easy to connect with Freddy, Laura Dean, and everybody else. There were multiple times I just stopped to look at how the artwork visually showed Freddy's internal struggles and how intense her feelings were, especially in those almost dreamlike sequences and with the symbols and imagery. Then there is the coloring, which is just brilliant. The choice to use mostly black, white, and greys, some parts even millenial pink is absolute genius. The coloring gives the book such a unique and instantly recognizable look, doesn't it? But it's not just for show; this clever use of color is very effective at setting the mood and emotional tone throughout the story for every single scene. The vibrant pink really pops out, drawing your attention to key little details, highlighting exactly how Freddy's feeling, or even hinting pointing out when Laura Dean is around, suggesting that pink represents Laura Dean. It adds so many layers without making the story feel overwhelming. Honestly, the art style perfectly captures the beauty and raw emotion of the story, making the book an unforgettable read.
The Prince and the Dressmaker is a story written by Jen Wang that includes themes of identity, acceptance, and friendship. This book was published in 2018 and follows the story of a prince who hides a secret, and a talented seamstress who wants to be recognized for her work. This book has beautiful art as well as a well crafted storyline with a satisfying conclusion that can inspire people of all ages.
Set in Paris, the story focuses on Prince Sebastian, who is the heir to the throne of Belgium. In the day, he is your average prince, fulfilling royal obligations and going on dates to find a bride in order to please his parents. However at night, Prince Sebastian turns into Lady Crystallia, a fashionista who shows off the latest fashion trends to the Paris elites. He confides his secrets to Frances, who is a new dressmaker with dreams of becoming a famous fashion designer.
Frances is first introduced in the story as a lowly seamstress after she makes a bold dress for a noble’s daughter who is going to the royal ball. She is later scorned for her actions, even though the dress is what her customer requested. Sebastian, who was at the ball, was impressed by her creative designs and hired her to be his personal seamstress. Frances designs various dazzling outfits for Sebastian to wear on his nights out in Paris, which catches the eye of many people, including the son of the owner of what is going to be the largest department store in Paris.
The inner conflicts of both Sebastian and Frances are well written in this book. Sebastian wrestles with the shame and fear of what others will think if his secret of being Lady Crystallia is exposed. Frances struggles with the choice of supporting Sebastian and keeping her work a secret in order to protect Lady Crystallia, and wanting recognition for her designs. Their relationship becomes more complex as the story progresses, which shows the push and pull of loyalty and ambition.
The climax of the book comes when Sebastian’s secret is exposed when Prince Marcel sees that Lady Crystallia’s hair is a wig, and finds out that under the dress and makeup, it’s Prince Sebastian. Prince Sebastian is then brought to the throne before his mother, father, and Lady Juliana, who he is supposed to marry, and exposed. This causes Prince Sebastian to run away, hiding from the judgement of everyone. While all of this is happening, Frances is getting prepared to showcase her designs to the world. She hears about what has happened to Sebastian and tries to find him. Eventually, while Frances is watching the first part of the fashion show, Sebastian finds her and they agree to let him walk in the show. Right after this, he is reunited with his mother and father, who support his true identity. The story ends in a heart-warming and triumphant way, Sebastian and his father both walk on the runway in dresses, and Frances is finally recognized for her hard work and beautiful designs.
The Prince and the Dressmaker is a wonderful portrayal of gender identity and expression. Sebastian’s gender and sexuality are never labelled directly, allowing the story to be relatable to a wide audience. The way this story concludes offers a hopeful message that being true to your identity is both brave and beautiful. I would highly recommend it to readers of all ages who are struggling with their identity and how to express it.
