The seven finalists' moving on to the second-round judges have been announced. Here are the summaries for the books that were selected, and you can see the complete list here. Happy New Year to you all. Brenda
Ophie's Ghost
by Ireland, Justina
Balzer + Bray
Nominated by: Darshana Khiani
After a white mob kills her father and burns their home, Ophie and her mother leave the Jim Crow south of the 1920s for Pittsburgh and both find work at the huge home of a wealthy family. It is a house full of ghosts, and Ophie can see and communicate with them. One restless spirit becomes a friend, and Ophie sets out to uncover the mystery of her death. She finds a story of passion, racial prejudice, and, she begins to suspect, murder…and unwittingly she gives the ghost herself the power to take matters into her own (ghostly) hands. But a ghost with power is a danger to everyone around it….and things get scary. This a lovely immersive read, blending ghosts and a gripping murder mystery with the daily life of a very real and relatable girl dealing with the racist realities of her life, her grief over her father, her lost hope for an education, and her worries for her mother.
Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations, 1)
by Alston, B. B.
Balzer + Bray
Nominated by: Melissa Fox
This fast-paced, high-stakes story will delight readers as it entertains with wild and complicated magic (and yetis!) while offering myriad moral dilemmas and real-world social critique. Amari, a preteen Black girl, lives in the projects, and when her big brother Quinton goes missing the police assume he’s involved in illegal activities and don’t try hard to find him. Amari can’t believe this, but soon discovers Quinton was hiding his work as a lead agent at the very secretive and selective Bureau of Supernatural Affairs (BSA), and he’d arranged to have Amari try for a place at the BSA school. She leaps at the opportunity, hoping to find her brother. She soon discovers that prejudice, class distinction, and bullies are just as present at the BSA as they are back home. With danger mounting, and with newfound powerful magic of her own, Amari won’t let anything stop her from finding her brother.
Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls
by Rivera, Kaela
HarperCollins
Nominated by: MPFB
When Cece was seven, she got lost and Tzitzimitl, a criatura, one of the powerful spirits who roam the desert, brought her home. For this kindness, Tzitzimitl was attacked, as the villagers of Tierra del Sol believe that criaturas are evil and that only those that practice dark magic, like brujas, can control them. When Cece sets Tzitzimitl free, the villagers thought she cursed Cece. Years later, on the night of Noche de Muerte, when criaturas are released into the world, CeCe’s older sister Juana is kidnapped by the powerful dark criatura El Sombrerón. In order to save her sister, Cece must enter the Bruja Fights, but only if she can find criaturas who are willing to align with her. Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls is a fast-paced story, inspired by stories the author’s abuelo told her growing up. With its vivid Southwest setting, inclusion of Mexican folklore, and beautiful themes of family, love, friendship, sacrifice and the importance of kindness, Cece will instantly capture the reader’s heart.
Kiki Kallira Breaks a Kingdom
by Mandanna, Sangu
Viking Books for Young Readers
Nominated by: H Pacheco
When 12-year-old Kiki’s anxiety overwhelms her, she makes drawings of the Indian folklore-inspired world of Mysore. Then the demon god Mahishasura and his demon Asura spring to life, and Kiki must enter her sketchbook and the world she drew to help The Crows, kid rebels of her own invention, defeat Mahishasura. If she fails, Mahishasura will enter the real world and enslave the human race, but if she succeeds, the drawn world and the new friends she makes there will cease to exist. This is a fast-paced, exciting, and hugely imaginative adventure, with wonderful characters, and a heroine who, faced with a terrible choice, is determined to find a way to save everyone but must learn to trust herself and her own strengths in order to do so.
The Last Cuentista
by Higuera, Donna Barba
Levine Querido
Nominated by: Elinor Isenberg
In this riveting science fiction story about a dystopian future, Petra Peña, a 12-year-old girl from New Mexico who wants to be a storyteller, must set out on a 380 year journey into space when Early is destroyed by a rogue comet. But instead of waking up from stasis a few hundred years later at the planet that will be her new home, with her parents and brother next to her, she wakes up to a dystopian nightmare–the original plans for the mission have been subverted by zealots determined to brainwash all remaining humanity into complete conformity. Only Petra retains any memories of Earth, and she is the last reservoir of its stories. This stunner of a book has big themes of familial love and loyalty, adaptability, resilience, finding your own voice and the power of storytelling throughout history. The vivid writing and compelling plot twists make it hard to put down!
The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy
by Ursu, Anne
Walden Pond Press
Nominated by: Reshama
Marya is on fire with the injustice of life–everyone thinks her big brother will one day be a sorcerer, so he’s taught to read and gets fine clothes while she cleans the chicken coop and takes care of the goat. Her only comfort is the village weaver, Madame Bandu, who teaches her of the symbols that women have hidden in their tapestries even as they tell men’s stories. When Marya finds herself ordered to the School for Troubled Girls, in a far-off castle, she’s caught in a mystery involving not just the generations of girls sent to the school, but the magical, and deadly, Dread that is plaguing the kingdom. This Eastern-European inspired fantasy is a lovely, immersive story of undaunted girls using brains and courage to smash magical patriarchies, skillfully showing how strict social roles are damaging for both boys and girls.
Too Bright to See
by Lukoff, Kyle
Dial Books
Nominated by: Terry Doherty
Although middle school can be nerve-wracking and scary for anyone, for eleven-year-old Bug, try adding in a legitimately haunted house and a mysterious dead uncle to contend with, all while deciphering subjects like makeup, friendship, and gender identity. This emotionally rich novel delves into complex topics, such as loss, family, and queerness through the lens of its characters, allowing it to remain wholly accessible and entertaining to its target audience and beyond. The writing is perfect for fans of magical realism, utilizing its supernatural angle to tackle the deepest questions, drawing parallels to how we all can feel at odds with ourselves in a truly haunting way.
That's a great selection! Happy New Year, Brenda!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! Looks like you and the rest of the round one judges did an excellent job.
ReplyDeleteGood luck choosing a winner :) and enjoy your reads!
DeleteI'm always happy to see the finalist lists.
ReplyDelete