Plot/Idea: Ann, Not Annie grapples with heavy themes, from alcoholism and grief to anxiety and sexual assault, all through the narrative conventions of teenage romance. Through short, engaging chapters, Ann’s struggle with her father's death, mother's alcoholism, older brother's absence, and her discovery of self, are weaved together smoothly.

Prose: Ann, Not Annie features an authentic young adult voice that is strongest when leaning into Ann’s bizarre, often off-the-wall humor. However, this humor and prose style feels at odds with the narration–one that offers a distant, adult retrospective point of view.

Originality: While Ann, Not Annie contains many of the elements of a typical YA problem novel, its main character’s bold sense of humor and rough edges set her apart, while the outside narrator presents a unique perspective, even if that perspective can be confusing. Ann’s dark and comical eccentricity shines the most through her comics, which are incorporated at the end of most chapters, and provide additional insight into her character.

Character/Execution: Ann Grey is a complicated, aggressive, and edgy but lovable heroine who readers root for despite (or maybe even because of!) her flaws. She experiences significant growth as she learns to stand up for herself and open her heart to love. Side characters can come across as stereotypical throughout most of the book, while some of Ann's relationships outside her family and main love interest, Danny Feller, are thinly drawn.

Plot/Idea: Vincent creates a politically charged setting that represents a variety of communities that deserve to be heard. Vincent’s passion for these tough but current subjects radiates off the page through her characters and their call to action. While it is stacked with LGBTQIA+ challenges, each one is addressed in an appropriate manner.

Prose: Lots of conversation and interaction among the characters allows them to develop. With sufficient explanation Vincent helps the reader understand terms that belong to the LGBTQIA+ community. As tension rises throughout, thoughtful solutions are developed. Readers will have a deeper understanding of the issues the LGBTQIA+ face and hopefully lead to understanding and galvanization.

Originality: Addressing current issues is necessary to help those that have suffered or been victims of violence against the LGBTQIA+ community. The novel will surely create awareness among readers.

Character/Execution: Well-intentioned, relatable, and multilayered teen characters help drive the plot and embody the injustices they encounter both within their communities and far beyond. 

Plot/Idea: Falcon's Favor is a queer steampunk mystery/romance, the fourth in Fraedrich's Broken Gears series. The book opens in the aftermath of Falcon denouncing his corrupt grandfather and exposing corruption in the wake of taking down the Reaper’s Collective. As a result, Falcon is injured, essentially disowned, and the only way to move forward is to share cheap living with a stranger: Keene Kohli. After their home is robbed, the two team up to find the perpetrator. 

Prose: To the author's credit, Falcon's Favor can be read as a standalone despite being the fourth book in a series. Fraedrich also has a flair for description and her depictions of food are mouthwatering. The sex scenes are tender and Keene's awareness of and gentleness with Falcon's inexperience is lovely.

Originality: Fraedrich's novel–a cozy steampunk slow-burn queer romance novel set in a police state with an Enforcer and a caterer as leads–is about as unique as it gets.

Character/Execution: Falcon is a worthy hero who faces setbacks without flinching (at least outwardly). Keene is delicious, and not just because he's an excellent cook. He's also protective of Falcon from the beginning, and doesn't hold Falcon's past against him. Their friend Beatrice is also a delight, and the thieves, despite their crimes, are sympathetic. The same can't be said for Falcon's superiors, demonstrating exactly why Falcon risked everything to expose corruption in the first place.

Plot/Idea: This snappy YA novel follows the clever 10-year-old Ariel, an unflagging geologist who travels to the Arctic Circle with her mother and dog, Champ, to take on a malfunctioning borehole threatening a caribou population in Canada. 

Prose: Zaleski infuses the prose with a light touch of humor, ferrying readers through a story that is entertaining, a bit suspenseful, and vividly depicted.

Originality: There are many YA books with clever heroines, but there are none whose heroines are brilliant young geologists with roots in the Blackfoot tribe. Ariel's adventures take place on Inuit land, allowing readers a glimpse into Inuit culture along the way.

Character/Execution: Ariel will be an instant hit with readers, as she is both sweet and smart, immediately recognizable as a lively, discerning kid (her first word was "igneous"). Zaleski paints Ariel's grandfather Naaáhsa in wise, perceptive strokes as well, allowing his character to engage in teaching moments with her throughout.

Plot/Idea: Cassie and the Spectral Shade is an endearing and mysterious YA novel that blends coming-of-age themes with a sprinkling of the otherworldly.

Prose: Although the tone skews somewhat younger than the protagonist's age–and there's a decidedly old-fashioned quality to the narrative–the fluid and descriptive writing is sure to captivate readers who enjoy dipping into the classics.

Originality: While the setting of a boarding school will draw inevitable parallels, Nichols brings a certain timeless flavor to the storytelling, while offering an enigmatic celebration of the power of creativity. The integrated illustrations further enhance the storytelling. 

Character/Execution: Cassie is a lovable character who at once feels out of place, while being comfortably at home within the world of her art. Fellow students and instructors populating the Governor's School for the Arts may sometimes blend together in readers' minds, but the magical elements of the story will keep fans of the lightly spooky engrossed.

Plot/Idea: Jackie and the Magical Guys is a YA graphic novel about the titular heroine and her efforts to save the future by battling the past. Though she has no field experience, she's not entirely toothless; her mother, a scientist, sent her back with hypos full of super soldier serum. If Jackie can't find appropriate female warriors, she must make them, even though her only choices are young men who, post-transformation, are understandably disinclined to help her. 

Prose: The prose is clever and funny, albeit heavy with puns, and Linsamouth crafts humor out of Jackie's incredibly high stakes situations. 

Originality: There are many graphic novels about heroines sent to the past, but Linsamouth's choice to depict a heroine sent to the past by her brilliant mother—who charges her to use super serum to transform cute boys into powerhouse girls, all to save the future with minimal loss of life—is both inventive and entertaining.

Character/Execution: Jackie is adorable; she thinks quickly on her feet, with snappy dialogue, playing her role perfectly. The four boys she enlists—Blaze, Reid, Gunner, and Edge—take center stage in many ways, and their characters are as engaging as they are quirky.

Plot/Idea: Captain Bacawly and the Breakaway Bandits's combination of mystery, fantasy, and politics is an ambitious – if overstuffed– animal story, whose tangents away from the main plot still always entertain.

Prose: Creative names, expressive drawings, and descriptive details make Captain Bacawly and the Breakaway Bandits a thoroughly engaging, though unevenly paced, reading experience.

Originality: Wazoo’s combination of wild and wonderful worldbuilding, politics, and swashbuckling adventure will delight those middle grade readers looking to sink their teeth into something both challenging and memorable.

Character/Execution: While the world of Wazoo bursts off the page, readers may struggle to grasp Jimmy’s motivations and character as he often remarks that he ‘doesn’t know’ why he does something, feels something, or thinks something, a habit that undermines his otherwise humorous and friendly narration.

Plot/Idea: In a near-future America, a second civil war is barely over, and the living conditions are meager at best. Twelve-year-old Aiden Scott tries his best to navigate the changing environment, but his mother’s death during the war, his family’s financial instability, and his own painful insecurities all challenge his adjustment—until he connects with a group of unlikely friends who introduce him to a brilliant new world. In that magical place, despite the dangers that accompany it, Aiden comes into his own—and finally discovers the true meaning of belonging.

Prose: Anolic’s first-person narrative unfolds through Aiden’s eyes, allowing readers to build a deep connection with Aiden and experience the story’s events as he does. The central voice is strong, relatable, and carries the story.

Originality: Though they’re introduced briskly, and with minimal buildup, the story’s fantasy elements make Aiden’s journey all the more vivid and memorable. 

Character/Execution: Aiden’s transformation is sweet to watch—from fragile to brave, willing to risk his own life in the name of friendship. Supporting characters help spotlight Aiden’s coming-of-age reshaping and add entertainment to the plot.

Plot/Idea: This charming and playful YA novel follows young Prince Yeled as he attempts to prove he is worthy of the throne and embarks on a philosophical, Candide-like quest.

Prose: Senyard’s tongue-in-cheek style is entertaining and appropriate for the nature of the storytelling, effectively meshing a Cervantes-adjacant tone with modern allusions and embellishments. However, the style can sometimes become overbearing. The work may benefit from some additional 'showing' over the more voice-driven narrative. 

Originality: Senyard crafts a unique premise with a fresh and fascinating moral puzzle at its center. 

Character/Execution: As the novel is set in motion with a storyteller recounting the tale at-hand, characters emerge via this framework. Though the author plays off archetypes and does so effectively, readers may appreciate these magnetic players more fully inhabiting the story. 

Plot/Idea: Robin Goodfellow is both a legend and a boy, destined to search for where he belongs as the son of a wise woman. It turns out that he is also the son of the Elvish King, and must resist being caught by the evil and ruthless Baron Drogo de Malodeur. The Legend of Robin Goodfellow offers a twist on the source material that is equal parts poignant and cheeky.

Prose: The Legend of Robin Goodfellow is a pleasure to fall into, buoyed by consistently fine writing.

Originality: While this novel hits its coming-of-age marks, the story gets an exciting twist by centering on folk legend Robin Goodfellow.

Character/Execution: Robin Goodfellow has been fully formed for centuries, but Cricket adds layers of humanity that make the character spring to life.

Plot/Idea: Eleven-year-old Troy Cooper and his best friend, Molly McPherson, struggle to understand and stop the evil ‘crashers’ with the help of a mysterious guide and magical talisman in this clever multiverse story. 

Prose: Troy's voice is warm, inviting, and consistent. Though the story's action is sometimes delayed by lengthy exposition, the prose remains consistently engaging.

Originality: Talisgate draws from many middle grade fantasy conventions to gratifying effect. Troy anchors the storytelling through vibrant and relatable characters, allowing the discovery of the magical talisman–and the journey that follows–to resonate with readers.

Character/Execution: Troy emerges as a likable and endearing lead who's equally intelligent and compassionate. Molly, meanwhile, holds her own as a capable and headstrong sidekick.

Plot/Idea: Herrick delivers a fun and kooky sci-fi story for young readers that integrates aliens and cryptids. While organized and structured appropriately, the work may benefit from more pronounced transitions and additional backstory to better fill out the circumstances and orient readers.

Prose: The prose carries a satisfying forward momentum and youthful tone, while also offering gratifying detail and description. 

Originality: Throughout, Herrick offers an enjoyable blend of sci-fi and fantasy adventure for a young audience; the downside, however, to packing in so much in one narrative is that some ideas can (often out of necessity) fall to the wayside in favor of others.

Character/Execution: While the characters in Cryptids may not show significant growth and development, they remain distinct from one another. The many creaturely individuals readers encounter are endearingly presented.

Plot/Idea: Liliana's story is filled with twists and turns as she discovers her own identity and the magical world around her. Connected to folklore and ghost history, this is a great read for those with interest in the paranormal.

Prose: Gray competently weaves an interesting tale through realistic dialogue and intriguing descriptions. The novel flows very naturally throughout creating a stable canvas on which to paint a beautiful story.

Originality: Although relying on folklore, Secrets and Scorpions takes a unique approach to how it utilizes these stories and brings them into the modern world. With a clear set up for a sequel and larger magical world, there is immense potential for an intriguing universe of stories.

Character/Execution: Liliana's character is strong and expressive as she unlocks her family's past and her present situation. At times the pacing of the plot is uneven, and Liliana's lack of information about her situation leaves the reader more confused than excited.

Plot/Idea: In Plain Jane Tagalong and the Magic Diary Claire creates an intriguing parallel between a young teenager's feelings of insecurity and an impending union strike that threatens to rock her small town.

Prose: Exposition can sometimes be heavy handed; Claire’s storytelling would only be strengthened by weaving more information into the dialogue.

Originality: By mirroring Jane’s internal apprehensions and the broader circumstances unfolding within her community, Claire creates a fresh take on coming-of-age stories.

Character/Execution: Middle grade readers will relate to Jane’s feeling’s of insecurity. Creating sharper delineations between the supporting characters would help readers likewise connect more deeply to them.

Plot/Idea: Braided Love revolves around Brenda and Cathy as they discover how to work together, come together over shared challenges, and become a family. There personal journeys are engaging and interesting, with broader themes that will prove valuable for young readers.

Prose: Pinto's prose is vivid, easy-flowing, and captures the rural, small town environment. Dialogue can sometimes feel artificial, used to deliver exposition rather than drive the story or enhance character growth.

Originality: Pinto successfully captures the warm hearted and close knit energy of a family and of burgeoning friendship. The ranch setting and characters' close connections to horses is endearing and impactful.

Character/Execution: Although the themes of family values, discovering differences, and understanding perspectives are admirable, at times these elements are heavy handed and over explained. More detailed writing that includes the complex thoughts, feelings, and motivations for the characters would help to flesh out them out beyond their archetypical roles.

Plot/Idea: The Secret Realm Gaia School of Awakening is the story of three high schoolers, Cora, Andréa, and TJ, who survive a vicious hurricane only to find themselves in Alpha, a realm populated with fantastic creatures like minotours, selkies, and Tuuleuess snake dragons, and as full of dangers as it is of delights. To return, they must learn entirely new skills and fulfill their part in an ancient prophecy, or remain stranded forever.

Prose: Worth's prose is packed with clever descriptions. ("At the John-Deere dealership, the entire inventory of thirteen-ton combines tumbled end over end.") The descriptions of food and the gardens are positively mouth-watering. However, there's a degree of repetition in the characters' dialogue, reminding readers of what has already been established. 

Originality: Stories of teenagers stranded in a strange realm who must learn magic in order to return are common, though the mish-mash of fantastic creatures (leprechauns and Ganesha!) coupled with the main characters' disparate backgrounds and the theme of environmental issues, provide freshness.

Character/Execution: Though not always original in their mannerisms and characteristics, Cora, Andréa, and TJ are sympathetic, and make a terrific trio.