Kellee – Page 3 – Unleashing Readers

As You Wish by Nashae Jones

February 4, 2025 by Kellee

As You Wish
Author: Nashae Jones
Published January 7th, 2025 by Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

Summary: A girl learns the hard way to be careful what she wishes for in this sweet and funny middle grade rom-com featuring a chaos-loving West African trickster god.

Birdie has big plans for eighth grade. This is the year that she gets a boyfriend, and since she and her best friend, Deve, do everything together, it makes sense that Deve will get a girlfriend. This is the kind of math Birdie doesn’t find intimidating—it’s Eighth Grade 101. (Birdie + Boyfriend) + (Deve + Girlfriend) = Normal Eighth Grade Experience. And normal is something Birdie craves, especially with a mom as overprotective as hers.

She doesn’t expect Deve to be so against her plan, or for their fight to blow up in her face. So when the West African god Anansi appears to her, claiming to be able to make everything right again, Birdie pushes past her skepticism and makes a wish for the whole mess to go away. But with a trickster god, your wish is bound to come true in a way you never imagined.

Before long, Birdie regrets her rash words…especially when she realizes what’s really going on with her and Deve. With her reality upended, can Birdie figure out how to undo her wish?

Praise:

“This fun, middle-grade offering reminds readers that what you wish for is sometimes already there.” – Booklist

“A delightful exploration of friendship, mental health, and first love with a touch of magic.” – Kirkus Reviews

About the Author: Nashae Jones is a kid lit writer because at an early age she learned what the magic of books could do for a developing mind. She always dreamed of creating worlds that would stay for a reader long after they put down their books. Nashae is also an educator and book reviewer (kid books, of course). She lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, son, escape artist Husky, and two black cats that Nashae is convinced are reincarnations of Pinky and the Brain. You can find her on X @Jones_Nashae.

Review: This middle school rom com takes a well known romance trope (granting wishes/alternate world) and throws it into 8th grade making for a funny yet heartfelt read where you can’t help but root for Birdie and Deve’s happiness.

As a middle school librarian, I am always so happy to find a romance novel about middle schoolers because my students are chomping at the bit for romance books and often reach for books for older readers, but I know not all of them are developmentally ready for those books–this is another book in my arsenal to recommend to my romance-loving, middle grade-reading students.

Educators’ Tools for Navigation: Inclusion of mythology is a big hit with reader, and I loved the inclusion of Anansi in this story. This is a great way to throw in some African folklore disguised within a romance book.

Also, the wishes definitely give time to talk about cause and effect, specifically looking at social consequences of kids’ behaviors on others.

Oh, and theme! This book has such a perfect ending to talk theme!

Discussion Questions:

What would you wish for?
How did each of Birdie’s wishes mess with her world?
- How could she have worded the wishes differently?
What were signs that Deve was giving Birdie right at the beginning of the book?
What is the worst thing that Birdie did throughout the book? What did this teach her?

Flagged Passages: I listened to the audiobook, which I highly recommend. Visit the book’s publisher page to hear a preview of the audiobook.

Read This If You Love: Love Requires Chocolate by Ravynn K. Springfield, Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang, Pippa Park series by Erin Yun, Kaya of the Ocean by Gloria L. Huang, Tristan Strong series by Kwame Mbalia

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing for providing a copy for review!**

Kaya of the Ocean by Gloria L. Huang

January 28, 2025 by Kellee

Kaya of the Ocean
Author: Gloria L. Huang
Published January 7th, 2025 by Holiday House

Summary: Anxious thirteen-year-old Kaya has always been afraid of everything—but when she learns she is the descendant of a Chinese water goddess, she’ll have to master herself to master her powers!

On the surface, thirteen-year-old Kaya leads a charmed life. She lives in beautiful, beachy Lihiwai. She has ride-or-die best friends. She’s ultrasmart and killing it at school. She even works with a super-cute boy at her parents’ restaurant.

But she also has anxiety—serious anxiety, the kind that makes you scratch and pick—and she’s always had bad luck around the ocean. It’s hard to enjoy Hawaiian beaches when you’ve almost drowned more than once.

But as stranger and stranger things happen to Kaya around the sea, she realizes that—wanted or not—she has a special connection to it. Waves rise when she’s angry. Surf smooths when she’s calm. Fish come when she calls them. And when she learns the truth about her family and her divine ancestor, Mazu, she knows that she will need to connect with her most difficult emotions ASAP—or her potent powers may become dangerous to the people she loves.

Kaya of the Ocean is an exciting, fresh, and beautiful middle-grade fantasy about embracing who you really are. This heartfelt adventure of sun, surf, and sand touches on mental health, the immigrant experience, and the complexities of growing up.

Praise: “This sweeping narrative will keep readers eager to learn what happens to Kaya, the child of Mandarin-speaking Chinese and Taiwanese immigrants, and her friends.” -Kirkus Reviews

“Huang explores one anxious tween’s relationship with the sea and her ancestry in this fantastical debut.” – Publishers Weekly

“Engaging…multi-layered…” – Bookworm for Kids

Indie Next Pick!
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
ALA’s Indies Introduce List spotlight debut

About the Author: Gloria L. Huang is a freelance writer. Her fiction has been accepted for publication in literary journals including Michigan Quarterly Review, The Threepenny Review, Chicago Quarterly Review, Witness Magazine, Massachusetts Review, Pleiades, Southern Humanities Review, Fiction Magazine, North American Review, Arts & Letters, Washington Square Review, The Chattahoochee Review, Gargoyle Magazine, Sycamore Review, and The Antigonish Review. She received her B.A. in English Literature from Stanford University.

Review: Kaya is a character that many readers will connect with: she struggles with meeting the expectations upon her, wants to be comfortable with who she is but also wants to fit in, and is trying to figure out herself while also just living her life. Her life is already a bit topsy-turvy when her cousin comes and visits and truly tips everything over and Kaya finds her mental health being negatively affected, and she feels like she has no one to go to. On top of that, she discovers she has some kind of magical powers which makes her feel even more disconnected from reality. Luckily for Kaya, the powers may be what can help her through this all.

In addition to the character development of Kaya and all that is affecting her, the author’s introduction to Chinese mythology will intrigue readers who are interested in world mythologies while also not ostracizing those who aren’t.

And oh, the setting is BEAUTIFUL and the author’s use of imagery takes the reader straight to Hawaii!

There is truly so much to talk about when it comes to this book: family, friendship, fears, anxiety, mythology, Hawaii, the ocean, and more!

Discussion Questions:

How does Kaya’s parents’ choice to not tell her about their past cause her to feel disconnected?
Why do you think Kaya’s parents choose not to talk about their past?
How did Anne’s visit effect Kaya’s mental health?
Although Anne was quite a terror at the beginning, do you think that Kaya dealt with the situation correctly?
How did Kaya’s parents’ response to Kaya’s anxiety lead to her feeling like she had to hide everything?
Do you think it was okay for Naomi and Iolana to lie to Kaya?
Why do you think that the author chose to flashback a few times in the book to Kaya’s ancestors?

Flagged Passage: Chapter One

Maui, 2024

Though I’ve never been able to prove it, I’m certain the ocean is trying to drown me.

My first memory of feeling this way is more like a dream— my mom’s screaming face distorted through a wavery, watery lens; wisps of fear, of shock. I think I was about three. Whenever I asked Mom about this memory, she furrowed her brow and claimed not to remember. “You’re always making things up. So much imagination.”

When I was seven, I was playing on the shore when a sneaker wave overwhelmed me. In a split second, it washed me and my toys partially out to sea. I remember that vividly— the shock of digging in the sand one moment and tumbling through the water the next. Luckily, my dad ran over the wet sand to fish me out, but I clearly remember the sensation of the water towing on my legs as though trying to pull me under. My bucket and spade were a casualty of that warm summer day. “They swim with the fishes,” my dad said afterward with a grin. I didn’t think his joke was very funny.

Now I was thirteen, with several years of intense swim lessons behind me. And I tried not to think about my grim childhood conviction that the ocean was somehow… calling me home.

I really tried not to think about the little girl I sometimes saw under the water, the one my parents called my “imaginary friend” until I was too old to have imaginary friends anymore. It was my policy not to look directly into the ocean, because I knew I might see her if I did: a small five-year-old child, her hair in messy pigtails and her eyes haunted and sad, always reaching for her white blanket.

It was bad enough I suffered from anxiety so severe that my skin was raw and red from washing and scratching, that my mind was always filled with worries and my heart filled with dread. The last thing I needed was another problem, another fear.

So even though I lived on an island surrounded by millions of cubic miles of water, I built a box in my mind for my hydrophobia, put it inside, and tried not to think about the sea at all.

Read This If You Love: Coyote Queen by Jessica Vitalis; Lola Reyes is So Not Worried by Cindy L. Rodriguez; The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla; The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Holiday House for providing a copy for review!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 1/27/25

January 27, 2025January 27, 2025 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

Tuesday: Firelight Apprentice by Bree Paulsen

Thursday: Sofia’s YA Book Nook: How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Back Matter Can Be the Beginning” by Charlotte Gunnufson, Author of Dream Submarine

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

Kellee

I took today off from IMWAYR because I went to a wedding this weekend and sadly didn’t have time to write up my post, but you can learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This is my week off; see you next week!

Tuesday: Kaya of the Ocean by Gloria Huang

Thursday: Henry’s Books: Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

and

1.	Myra @ GatheringBooks	4.	Earl	7.	Jennifer Sniadecki (Reading Teacher Writes)
2.	Margaret Simon	5.	Ms. Yingling
3.	Linda @ TeacherDance	6.	Sue @ Book By Book

(Cannot add links: Registration/trial expired)

Author Guest Post: “Back Matter Can Be the Beginning” by Charlotte Gunnufson, Author of Dream Submarine

January 26, 2025 by Kellee

“Back Matter Can Be the Beginning”

Back matter is found at the end of a book, but it can be the beginning of a new interest, an invitation to explore and learn more. For young readers, back matter can be the jumping off point for a dive deep into a fascinating topic.

For teachers, back matter can be a terrific resource. Educators can use the bonus material at the back of a book to:

Engage students in a new topic. The story pulls them in; the back matter piques their interest.
Enrich students’ understanding and appreciation by extending their knowledge and revealing the depth and breadth of a subject.
Encourage curiosity, exploration and independent learning—hallmarks of an effective education!
Enjoy! Lots of kids (and adults) love facts and enjoy fortifying their brain with interesting information.

There’s a boom in back matter, and children’s picture books are a big part of this exciting phenomenon. Picture book back matter is visual, accessible and even entertaining. Here are some of the ways it’s presented:

Fun facts: additional information that educates, entertains and encourages curiosity
Activities and experiments: hands-on fun to further understanding
Key concepts: tricky ideas are distilled to reinforce learning
Glossary: valuable vocabulary
Maps: a little geography lesson that shows location or the scope of a journey
Timeline: often illustrated to enhance comprehension and retention
Primary sources: photographs, letters, newspaper clippings and more
Diagrams: pictures are worth a thousand words!
Charts and graphs: visual representations to deepen understanding
Author’s note: delves into the author’s research journey and writing process
Illustrator’s note: explains the artist’s research and how the art was created
Bibliography: shows that a book has been properly researched
Further reading: future reading!

Activity: Dive Deep into Back Matter

Ask students what they know about back matter.
Share a picture book that offers a bit of back matter.
Prepare students for a visit to the library: they’re on a mission to find more back matter!
Collaborate with the school librarian, and visit the library with students perusing the picture book section, both fiction and nonfiction.
Invite students to share their discoveries.
Make a list of the different types of back matter.
Dig in! What do different types of back matter show? What types of back matter work best for given books? And what exactly is a bibliography?

Option: Older students can graduate to longer books.

Extension: The next time students embark on a writing assignment, ask them to include one or more types of back matter that are well suited to their topic. Invite them to share their work.

Importantly, students can use these investigative skills now, next year, in high school, college, the workplace and—bonus!—their lives.

But wait, there’s more! After diving into a picture book’s back matter, check out the author’s website. Authors are often immersed in research, and like teachers, they’re eager to share what they’ve learned.

Dream Submarine
Author: Charlotte Gunnufson
Illustrator: Cleonique Hilsaca
Published June 11, 2024 by Candlewick Press

About the Book: Climb aboard the cozy Dream Submarine for a nighttime journey through the world’s oceans! Encounter disappearing fish and dozing whales. Watch large fish get their fins and faces cleaned by tiny wrasse. See red moki settling in caves and parrotfish snoozing in slime sleeping bags. Dive deep and discover bioluminescent creatures lighting up like fireflies. Rise to the surface relaxed and ready to learn more! This beautifully illustrated book includes seven pages of back matter: a map of the world showing the Dream Submarine’s voyage, fascinating facts about each animal, and a diagram of the ocean zones.

“An exploration of the oceans yields stunning discoveries…A delightful voyage well worth taking.” Kirkus Reviews

About the Author: Charlotte Gunnufson is a former teacher who loves connecting with kids at schools and libraries. She knows teaching is a tough job! Educators will find beneficial back matter in her books and teacher resources along with free, fun stuff for students on her website, booksbycharlotte.com. Two STEM books from Disney Planet Possible, Hard Hat Hank (2025) and Eight, Nine, Tengineers (2026), feature pages of kid-friendly facts and hands-on activities. Charlotte is also the author of School Spirits (Atheneum, 2026), Halloween Hustle, Prince and Pirate and a soon-to-be-announced STEM story.

Thank you, Charlotte, for pointing out the importance of back matter–it is always such an asset!

The Firelight Apprentice by Bree Paulsen

January 21, 2025 by Kellee

The Firelight Apprentice
Author: Bree Paulsen
Published October 29th, 2024 by Quill Tree Books

Summary: The bestselling author-illustrator of Garlic and the Vampire, Bree Paulsen, brings her fantastical storytelling and warm, sparkling artwork to this story that celebrates the bond between sisters.

In a city powered by magic and still recovering from a bloody war, Ada is concerned about her younger sister Safi’s developing powers. She understands that Safi could learn how to control her magic under the apprenticeship of a king’s magician. But with the memories of war still fresh, Ada is conflicted by this prospect—despite her knowing that she can’t keep Safi safely at home with the threat of deadly, power-thieving liches prowling the kingdom.

When a traveling group of magicians comes to the city to perform, they immediately recognize Safi’s talents and offer to take her on as an apprentice. Safi is thrilled about her new adventure—even if that means leaving behind Ada and their sickly father. And Ada is right to worry about her sister, for there may be monsters hiding behind friendly faces…

About the Author: Bree Paulsenis a SoCal writer and illustrator who loves spooky monsters, fashion history, and all things autumnal. After graduating from the Laguna College of Art and Design with a BFA in animation, she freelanced on a few independent animation and illustration projects before tuning her focus toward comics. She started her webcomic, Patrik the Vampire, in 2013 and self-publishes its printed volumes. Her first middle grade graphic novel, Garlic and the Vampire, received a starred review from The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, which called it “folkloric…a down comforter of a graphic novel.” Garlic’s adventures continue in Garlic and the Witch.

Review: This graphic novel, on the surface, is about magic, but if you dig deeper, it is about the impact of war, hidden evils, balancing passion & family, and figuring out how to fit within the world.

The author does a wonderful job of spreading the narrative out between the two sisters so that the reader is aware of all aspects of what is going on. And since the sisters are so very different, it is interesting to experience the switch between the two. Also, though I predicted the twist at the end of the book, I think readers are going to be surprised! I also was impressed with how the author dealt with some tough themes, especially loss and anxiety, in such a developmentally relevant way.

I am hoping this story is a beginning of stories within this world because I want to know more about so much that happened in the past and how our characters move on into the future.

Educators’ Tools for Navigation: This graphic novel will be a huge hit with middle grade readers–it will be an asset to any school, classroom, or home library.

Discussion Questions:

How does the author use color within the graphic novel?
Why did Ada and her father choose to send Safi away?
Who was destroying Ada’s letters?
Was there any signs of who the antagonist was before it was revealed?
If you were a magician, what magic would you like to learn how to do?
Would you rather there be a sequel or a prequel of this book?
How does Safi’s notice of Elba change his life?

Flagged Spreads:

Read This If You Love: Cat’s Cradle series by Jo Rioux, Anzu and the Realm of Darkness by Mai K. Nguyen, Meesh and the Bad Demon series by Michelle Lam, Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol, The Moth Keeper by Kay O’Neill

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Harper Collins Children’s Books for providing a copy for review!**

Author Guest Post: “Friendship in Schools” by Arleen McCarthy, Author of My Friend John

February 2, 2025January 19, 2025 by Kellee

“Friendship in Schools”

When we think of the word “friend,” we think of so many different people. We think of friends we grew up with, friends we went to college with, friends we know through our children, and friends we work with. But are they all really “friends?”

When I was younger, I would use this word a lot, but the older I get, the more selective I am with it. I think life teaches you that.

But what if we learned what a friend is early on? What if we learned this valuable definition in elementary school? Would we be different as adults? Would our world be better?

I believe the answer is yes. We may not have a lot of friends, but I bet we would have good ones.

In my book, MY FRIEND JOHN, I wanted to easily convey to young readers that friends make you feel good. Friends make you feel safe. There are no judgments with friends, no whispers of envy, no passive aggressive comments–just advice, listening, acceptance, laughter, warm hugs, and a lot of love. This is what I know for sure, and this is so valuable to know as a child.

But how often have children and adults been hurt by their friends? If we, as humans “felt” our way through friendships, our friend list might decrease but the value of it would increase and we’d be much happier in the long-run.

In MY FRIEND JOHN, a young boy named John, who has Tourette Syndrome, starts at a new school. As he faces bullying, his new friend, Bella, stands up for him and educates herself and others on neurodiversity.

When I think of Bella, I think about the kind of person she is: She did not judge her new classmate. Instead, she embraced a new student because she was kind, and even though he appeared very different from her, she wanted to be his friend.

This was exactly what John needed. This is what we all need in life, especially children and especially children with disabilities. If more children were like Bella, our world would be a better place. John’s experience at his new school would not have been as pleasant if Bella had not taken the time to stand up for him. But the transformative power of human connection causes us to feel empowered and resilient.

How many times as an adult have you heard someone make fun of someone else? How many times have you seen people leave mean comments on social media posts? How many times have you heard gossiping? Why is this acceptable behavior? Where did we learn this from?

Life can be so hard at times, and we all need genuine friends to get us through it. I believe if children realize the true meaning of friendship and its connection to kindness, they would be able to make better choices.

When I think of my own experiences as a child and the moments I felt left out, it felt awful. I remember one time while I was in high school, I was walking home from the bus stop with a friend. I asked her if she wanted to do something that night as it was a Friday. She said she had already made plans with another friend, and they were going to a party. Why didn’t she just invite me? I never understood it. I remember feeling so sad. It felt terrible not to be included.

And yet, Monday morning, I continued to be her friend.

Why do children and adults accept this behavior from their “friends?”

We all need human connection. We all need love. And we need to have this message conveyed to children, so they have the knowledge and understanding to make better choices when it comes to choosing friends.

I feel this is especially important for our children with disabilities. We need more people to see past a disability. We need more people embracing diversity. We need more people like Bella.

Life is hard even without a disability…imagine living with one…imagine being a child living with one.

But now just imagine being at a party where there were people with and without disabilities. Everyone is laughing and everyone is having fun. Everyone feels safe and everyone feels happy. Everyone is included.

I want to be at that kind of party.

What is a friend? A friend is someone who makes you feel good. A friend is someone who makes you feel safe.

Published November 8th, 2024 by Austin Macauley Publishers

About the Book: Meet John, a remarkable new student at The Huckleberry School. John’s life takes a heartwarming turn when he befriends a sweet little girl named Bella. Everything seems to be going smoothly for him, until a challenging situation resurfaces, shaking the foundations of his world.

In My Friend John, we are invited to witness a touching journey which explores not only the essence of friendship but also the profound qualities of kindness and leadership. This poignant tale serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience within us all and the transformative power of genuine connection.

About the Author: Arleen McCarthy teaches at a public school in New York City and has always been passionate about making the world a better place. She grew up with two brothers with special needs and saw first-hand the struggles they endured while they were in school. Arleen, her husband, and their dog live in New York and divide their time between Manhattan and Westchester.

Thank you, Arleen, for this look and lesson about friendships in schools!