It's All or Nothing

Arango, Andrea Beatriz. It's All Or Nothing
February 11, 2025 by Random House Books for Young Readers

E ARC Provided by Netgalley

In this novel in verse, Valentina Camacho was in a motorbike accident four months ago, and had to have extensive surgery to repair her ankle. She has good days and bad, and is very frustrated that not even Dr. Claudia can tell her when she will be 100% again. She has physical therapy, and is finally allowed to return to fencing practice. Before the accident, fencing was Vale's life; being so involved in it is what caused her to fall out with former best friend and fellow fencer Stephanie. Vale's mother, who is now obsessed with finding things to help Vale's leg feels better, used to have an "all or nothing" attitude, and constantly told Vale that she could be a great Puerto Rican fencer if she just worked hard enough. Returning to practice is difficult. She's not greeted overly warmly, and her leg doesn't feel great. Not only that, but there is a new girl, Myrka Marero, who is said to be almost as good a fencer as Vale was. Even though Myrka is friendly, Vale feels that she is not at fencing to support her teammates or make friends, although she does agree to go with the group for ice cream whne Myrka asks, but mainly because Samantha is snarky and says that Vale won't go. At home, Vale does have a supportive older brother, but he is also frustrating because he is good at many things, while Vale only has fencing. He helps in many ways, like running baths for her to soak her leg, or giving her coloring books to distract her. Her father tries to help by teaching her to salsa dance, and accompanies her on runs when she is allowed to go back. She also has a new friend at school, Amanda, who supports her and confides in her about her cruch on Mohamed. Even though she has all of these good things in her life, Vale obsessed about her ankle and fencing. Frustrated by a lack of rubric for her recuperation, she even asks her doctor is she is disabled, but her doctor won't tell her one way or the other. Vale thinks that the coach is babying her, and after she has a good day and a successful match against Myrka, she overhears teammates saying that Myrka let her win, and fights with her friend. This is especially devastating, because she and Myrka have become friends, and Vale has a crush on Myrka that is reciprocated. Eventually, Vale admits that she is not finding joy in fencing, and that she needs help dealing with her grief over here injury. She steps away from competition, although she does enjoy helping with the children's mini Musketeers group, finds a mental health therapist, and manages to reclaim her relationship with Myrka. 

Strengths: I am writing this seven weeks after ankle surgery, so I definitely feel Vale's pain. I didn't even break anything (had a tendon repaired), and am well aware that I will not run until August of 2025. But I have other interests, and I'm old. Vale wants to get back to fencing in the most desperate way, and every ache and pain that gets in her way is maddening. This is certainly well expressed in all that she feels and does. Her obsession with fencing even impacts her friendships, and this is also something that I have seen as a coach; when your friend beats you, it is HARD. Vale feels shame for losing, and even for being in pain, and finds it hard to even accept help from her friends and family. Middle grade literature could use a lot more books concerning recuperating from sports injuries, and it was fun to add another book about fencing to my sports collection, along with the Bagleys' Duel or Rhodes' Black Brother, Black Brother. 
Weaknesses: I wish that this had addressed the core problem more; the fact that Vale's mother put away to much pressure on her, and that middle school kids shouldn't pin all of their hopes on athletics. I see too many children who can see no further than professional sports as a career path, and it's sad to see them spend so much time on one interest, especially when (as happens too often) this causes injuries. It was just painful to read Vale's thoughts about how being good at fencing was the only thing that gave her life meaning. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed this author's Something Like Home or Iveliz Explains it All, or who want books about recuperating from sports injuries, like Preller's Shaken or Day's The Sea in Winter. 

Somebody's Someone and The Summer of the Bone Horses

High, Linda Oatman. Somebody's Someone
Expected publication March 4, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ruby's been through this before; her mother, Ruthie Bean, has struggled with mental health issues and addiction for years, and has gone missing again. Ruby lives with her Aunt Marion, a librarian, in a small town in Georgia near her grandparents. After getting a call from Ruthie, Marion decides to wait a week until the end of Ruby's school year and take off to Philadelphia, where her missing sister has gone to visit Ruby's dad, Jimmy. Unfortunately, when they finally get to Pennsylvania, Ruthie has moved on, but Jimmy thinks she's gone to New York City. Marion has a process, and soon the two are looking on the streets and at homeless shelters of the Big Apple. They befriend Daisy and Benny (along with his dog, Nixon) who are unhoused and have talked to Ruthie. When evidence points to her having gone to Washington, D.C., all four head there. Staying at an inexpensive hotel, they follow all the leads they can. The biggest one is that Ruthie has been involved in a robbery of a family jewelry store along with Mason, her boyfriend from Georgia and Jimmy. Even though thousands and thousands of dollars as well as merchandise has been stolen, the owner, Julia, not only talks to the group, but offers to let them stay in her posh house while they hunt for Ruthie. When her mother shows up, Ruby wants to call the police, but is hesitant. When Jimmy and Mason also show up, she dials 911, and soon the police have apprehended the trio. Daisy decides to stay in D.C. and Benny gets a bus back to New York. Knowing that her mother will be spending time in jail isn't great for Ruby, but she is glad to know that she is safe. She and Marion return to Georgia along with Nixon the dog, who starts a career as a therapy dog. Ruby has a new appreciation for her aunt's phrase that everyone is valuable because they are "somebody's someone", especially after learning more about her aunt's own troubled past.
Strengths: There are an ever increasing number of students struggling with a parent or loved one who is dealing with mental health and/or addiction issues, so Ruby's story will resonate with many readers. I appreciated that she did have the support of her aunt, as well as grandparents who were available, if worn down by life. The look at life on the streets is age appropriate, and kids who don't have any experience with being unhoused will learn some things and hopefully gain some empathy. Traveling from Georgia to Philadelphia to New York to D.C. is quite an adventure. The ending is sad but realistic, and I was glad that Ruby was able to have some joy in her life with her aunt and working with Nixon to help others. The illustrations were very nice; I'd love to see more of these in middle grade literature.
Weaknesses: There were several things that made this seem like a title written in the 1960s or 1970s. People in disadvantaged circumstances were sometimes portrayed in a stereotypical way; Jimmy has long hair, tattooes, and is wearing a sleeveless undershirt. There are also some actions that seemed dangerous and unlikely. Marion is very understanding of people with problems, but sending her car keys with Benny, whom she has just met, to get something out of her car was not a safe choice. Julia had some issues in her own life that made her similarly sympathetic, but it seemed odd that she would shelter the family of a woman who robbed her. Young readers won't notice these things as much, but I thought that Marion would have been much more careful with the situations into which she put her long suffering niece.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Wallace's Nowhere Special or Hoyle's Millie. 

Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk and Littlebird, Steph (illus.)

The Summer of the Bone Horses: A Chapter Book

April 1, 2025 by Amulet Books
E ARC provided by Netgalley

 
Based on the experiences of the author’s brother in the 1940s, this short chapter book follows Eddie as he travels to the Rosebud Reservation in the Black Hills. His father is ill, so his parents drop him off for the summer with Grandma and Grandpa High Elk. He is surprised to find that his grandfather works on a nearby ranch, and enjoys the toy horses carved from cow bones that he is given to play with. He’s homesick, but slowly settles into life with his grandparents, going to church with them (where the hymnals are in Dakota), helping do laundry with a wringer washer, and playing with the bone horses, making stick corrals for them and inventing stories. When the grandfather is injured, there is a bit of excitement when Eddie has to go for the doctor, and afterwards, he and his grandfather slow down a bit, fishing and making grass whistles. When his father’s treatment is done, he returns to his regular life having been enriched by time experiencing a different kind of life.
Strengths: This is a highly illustrated, shorter book that offers a window into a different time and place. The pictures are gorgeous, with a bit of a retro feel to them, and fantastic turquoise and tan coloring that is especially effective with the outdoor scenes. We see a lot of examples of what life was like long ago; the wringer washer, the older car, dressing up to go to church, and imaginative play with simple toys. I’m a huge fan of multigenerational stories and of children spending time with grandparents.
Weaknesses: There isn’t much of a plot to the story; it’s more of a slice of life narrative.
What I really think: Younger elementary school readers will enjoy seeing how other people live. Other books to recommend to students who want to broaden their horizons include Jacobson’s Twig and Turtle, which shows life in a tiny house, Perkins’ Tiger Boy, which gives a glimpse or life in West Bengal, Atinuke’s Too Small Tola, which explores living in Lagos, and the JoJo Makoons series by Quigley and Audibert, which is one of the few early readers books with Native American characters.

Vanya and the Wild Hunt

Madanna, Sangu. Vanya and the Wild Hunt
March 11, 2025 by Roaring Brook Press

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus
 

Vanya lives with her parents in a small town in England, and she has trouble fitting in at school because of her ADHD. She gets accomodations, but she doesn't want to act differently from other students when she already feels like an outside because of her Indian heritage. She has long heard books talking to her; it's rather comforting, and she doesn't really talk to her parents about it. When monsters attack the family, Vanya learns about her parents' lives in the past, and about the fact that they went to a magical school called Auramere. Since her parents are worried that the monsters might attack again, they send Vanya off to go to the school and to live with their old friends, Jasper and his husband Roman. The school is a beautiful and fascinating place, the students are kind, and the food and magic are enthralling. Vanya loves her classes, and feels so much more at home. She even has a therapist to help her navigate her ADHD in her new environment, and talks to her parents frequently. Auramere is a very diverse community, and Vanya soon makes friends with Ben and Kasha. When Vanya decides to enter the yearly Monsoon races on a patrallak, a creature that is notoriousl hard to tame, she has plenty of challenges before her, but when monsters manage to infiltrate Auramere, there are even more important things to do. A lot of family history is uncovered, and Vanya makes some choices that put her in a very precarious place. This definitely leaves room for another book in the series.

Strengths: I don't want to give away too much of the story; of course there are things that jeopardize the wonderful magical academy, but they were a bit of a surprise. The best part of this was all of the cool stuff at Auramere; there's a village, and there are even many families who live there to stay safe. Vanya's ADHD and sensory issues, as well as Ben's autism, are given a good treatment, which is good to see since there aren't as many fantasy books with neurodivergent characters. (Lerangis Max Tilt is the only one that comes to mind immediately.) 
Weaknesses: I had trouble getting my head around the idea that the "wild hunt" was a person/creature and not an event. Fantasy readers who love figuring out all the politics of the magical world will understand the back story of the Old Ones better than I did.  
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed this author's Kiki Kallira series or want magical academy books with lots of good world building, like Okogwu's Oneyka and the Academy of the Sun or Bell's The Uncommoners.