Geo Librarian

KESTREL TAKES FLIGHT written by Joy McCullough Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-7265-9 SOURCE : ARC from publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 9-12 Middle grade contemporary/novel in verse All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover, summary, and author guest post provided by the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK A kestrel is the smallest bird of prey in North America. Kestrel doesn’t feel much like the fierce bird for which she is named. Not after being rushed away from her grandfather’s strict church community to the wilds of Montana. Her mother has gotten a job at a conservation institute, where she’ll work with a special breed of dog to help make interactions between humans and bears safer. At first, Kes is terrified of the dogs and angry at her mother for ripping her from the only world she’s known. But with some distance from her grandfather, she starts to understand how badly his bark hurt. In this new terrain, can Kestrel discover a safe place to spread he...

  EMMA MCKENNA, FULL OUT The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class #1 written by Kate Messner, illustrated by Algonquin Young Readers, 2024 ISBN: 9781523525737  Ages 7-10 Early middle grade realistic fiction Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. REVIEW Emma looks forward to attending her new school, Curiosity Academy with her new teacher, Mrs. Z. Until her former friend turned arch enemy, Lucy shows up in the same classroom.  Emma wants to make friends but after an unfortunate incident between her and Lucy that resulted in an unpleasant nickname, she's wary. Friendships can be tricky things as Emma discovers as she wrestles with her conundrum. In addition to the friendship concerns, Emma wants to participate in helping her school choose a mascot for the school, but she absolutely doesn't want to get up on the stage to present her suggestion. Can Emma find a way through her friendship concer...