The Deep and Dark Blue by Niki Smith

The Deep and Dark Blue by Niki Smith (256 Pages)

Summary: After a terrible political coup usurps their noble house, Hawke and Grayson flee to stay alive and assume new identities, Hanna and Grayce. Desperation and chance lead them to the Communion of Blue, an order of magical women who spin the threads of reality to their will. As the twins learn more about the Communion, and themselves, they begin to hatch a plan to avenge their family and retake their royal home. While Hawke wants to return to his old life, Grayce struggles to keep the threads of her new life from unraveling, and realizes she wants to stay in the one place that will allow her to finally live as a girl.

Opinion: This is a fantasy/mystery juvenile graphic novel. The reader gets to watch as Grayce discover who she really is while also working with her brother to get justice for the deaths of their family members. Seeing the characters who love Grayce so readily accept her was very heartwarming and seeing Hawke be willing to set aside his need for justice for Grayce showed a lot of character development for him as well. Overall, a fast paced, but also comforting read for kids. 

The Golden Hour by Niki Smith

The Golden Hour by Niki Smith (256 Pages)

Summary: Struggling with anxiety after witnessing a harrowing instance of gun violence, Manuel Soto copes through photography, using his cell-phone camera to find anchors that keep him grounded. His days are a lonely, latchkey monotony until he's teamed with his classmates, Sebastian and Caysha, for a group project. Sebastian lives on a grass-fed cattle farm outside of town, and Manuel finds solace in the open fields and in the antics of the newborn calf Sebastian is hand-raising. As Manuel aides his new friends in their preparations for the local county fair, he learns to open up, confronts his deepest fears, and even finds first love.

Opinion: This is a juvenile graphic novel focusing on recovery, friendship, and love. Manuel is a great representation for anxiety and PTSD for kids. I was moved seeing how his new friends were so readily willing and able to support him with his trauma. But I also really liked how Manuel's panic attack scenes were drawn in the book to show the reader what they look like for him. It was also so cute getting to see Manuel and Sebastian start to crush for each other. 

MSCHMITT--Orange: Seeing Orange All Around Us, by Sarah L. Schuette, 30 pages

Orange: Seeing Orange All Around Us, by Sarah L. Schuette, 30 pages

***POSTED FOR MOLLY SCHMITT***

Good for Halloween and Autumn- this shows kids that orange is truly all around us.

The Color of Earth, by Kim Dong Hwa

The Color of Earth (Color Trilogy #1), by Kim Dong Hwa, 320 pages

The surest way to get me to read a book is to tell me that it's been frequently challenged.  Apparently this one has made the list recently, and I wanted to know why.  It's manhwa (Korean manga) about a young girl named Ehwa, living in a quaint Korean village with her widowed mother.  Ehwa learns about becoming a woman, sex, and falling in love- but in the most chaste, tasteful way I can imagine.  I found it a little slow-moving, but the story is sweet and thoughtful, and only objectionable if you were scandalized by Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.