The Otherwoods by Justine Pucella Winans
The Otherwoods is an incredibly engaging novel about a young person, River, who, in addition to trying to navigate the world as non-binary, also sees monsters….and spirits. For most of their life, River has been trying to avoid the portals that would suck him to a place where spirits and monsters rule supreme. Up until now, they have been successful in avoiding being drawn into these portals, steering away from any place that looks weird and definitely doesn’t acknowledge or making eye contact with any spirits or monsters at school or at home, which is almost impossible to do when one of them lives under your bed. When River’s crush gets sucked into a portal and “the Otherwoods”, River has to be brave and enter a world they have been spending their entire life trying to avoid.
I found this novel almost allegorical, with the Otherwoods representing the real world filled with the “monsters” our LGBTQIA2S+ young people face. The character of River, their fears hurts, and loneliness creates empathy in the reader, and one can’t help but root for River’s defeat of not only the monsters but their insecurities.
An important addition to any middle school library and classroom.
Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s and Netgalley for the free copy.
Tzia: the Book of Galatea by Mister Sanamon
A beautifully written fantasy novel about family, identity and discovery. Fourteen year old Theo boards an airplane to Greece with the hopes of finding her long lost family. On board the plane, she encounters a strange old women who tells Theo (through the wonderful use of caterpillar type creatures) about her heritage and about a quest she must take in order to save her world. This book reminded me A LOT of the Chronicles of Narnia. Descriptive language, a young protagonist, and a lion who will determine the fate of not only Theo but her ancestors, descendants and the mythical world of Tzia.
A wonderful addition to any classroom library, a book club recommendation, read aloud or class study.
Thank you Netgalley and Hilverloo Publishing House for the free copy.
Ink And Spine 