A mystery that stands out due to its strong character growth.
Seventeen-year-old streamer Fallon May has a complicated home life.
She might be just an “average white girl from middle-of-nowhere USA,” but her mother is in rehab, and she’s currently sleeping on her brother’s couch. With her college fund going to her mom’s stint in Hope House, Fallon is counting on money from her gaming channel to pay for her future. The opportunity of a lifetime arises when she’s selected, along with other up-and-coming streamers and influencers, to participate in SleuthIt, a live-action Clue-like mystery game with a million-dollar prize at stake. In a mansion littered with clues and red herrings, the eight racially diverse young participants—Fallon, A’Nyah, Connor, Dante, Flip, Hudson, Macie, and Ravi—are assigned alter egos and backstories to fit the 1920s-themed murder mystery. They must solve the mystery while entertaining the viewers or risk getting sent home. Fallon thinks there’s more going on beneath the surface: Why do the contestants seem to have previous drama with each other, and why do the clues seem to change? Although the premise of a mystery reality show is engaging, the execution is convoluted, making the characterization the real star. Fallon’s journey from being distrustful, angry, and lonely to developing real self-awareness—plus the sweet romance that develops between her and a fellow contestant—will keep the pages turning and readers rooting for her happiness and success.
A mystery that stands out due to its strong character growth. (floor plan, 1920s slang glossary) (Mystery. 12-18)Pub Date: June 2, 2026
ISBN: 9781623546373
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Charlesbridge Teen
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away.
A Mexican American boy takes on heavy responsibilities when his family is torn apart.
Mateo’s life is turned upside down the day U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents show up unsuccessfully seeking his Pa at his New York City bodega. The Garcias live in fear until the day both parents are picked up; his Pa is taken to jail and his Ma to a detention center. The adults around Mateo offer support to him and his 7-year-old sister, Sophie, however, he knows he is now responsible for caring for her and the bodega as well as trying to survive junior year—that is, if he wants to fulfill his dream to enter the drama program at the Tisch School of the Arts and become an actor. Mateo’s relationships with his friends Kimmie and Adam (a potential love interest) also suffer repercussions as he keeps his situation a secret. Kimmie is half Korean (her other half is unspecified) and Adam is Italian American; Mateo feels disconnected from them, less American, and with worries they can’t understand. He talks himself out of choosing a safer course of action, a decision that deepens the story. Mateo’s self-awareness and inner monologue at times make him seem older than 16, and, with significant turmoil in the main plot, some side elements feel underdeveloped. Aleman’s narrative joins the ranks of heart-wrenching stories of migrant families who have been separated.
An ode to the children of migrants who have been taken away. (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7595-5605-8
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Exactly what the title promises.
A grieving teen’s devotion to romance films might ruin her chances at actual romance.
Liz Buxbaum has always adored rom-coms, not least for helping her still feel close to her screenwriter mother, who died when she was little. Liz hopes that her senior year might turn into a real-life romantic fantasy, as an old crush has moved back to town, cuter and nicer than ever. Surely she can get Michael to ask her to prom. If only Wes, the annoying boy next door, would help her with her scheming! This charming, fluffy concoction manages to pack into one goofy plot every conceivable trope, from fake dating to the makeover to the big misunderstanding. Creative, quirky, daydreaming Liz is just shy of an annoying stereotype, saved by a dry wit and unresolved grief and anger. Wes makes for a delightful bad boy with a good heart, and supporting characters—including a sassy best friend, a perfect popular rival, even a (not really) evil stepmother—all get the opportunity to transcend their roles. The only villain here is Liz’s lovelorn imagination, provoking her into foolish lies that cause actual hurt feelings; but she is sufficiently self-aware to make amends just in time for the most important trope of all: a blissfully happy ending. All characters seem to be White by default.
Exactly what the title promises. (Romance. 12-18)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-6762-0
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK TO SCREEN
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