Reviews!

 The Swallowtail Legacy: Wreck at Ada's Reef by Michael D. Beil (Juvenile Fiction)

Grade Level: 3-7.  Lark is a headstrong, empathetic teen with a sharp eye for detail. Her family is comprised of a sister, three stepbrothers, and a stepdad. Her mom passed away recently and she is missing her mom, trying to figure out her role in life and her family, all while growing up and striving for independence. 

The book takes place at the beloved summer home Lark and her sister, Pip inherit from their mom. It’s a special place Lark has been visiting her whole life, but this is the first time she’s spending a summer on the island without her mom. 

Lark quickly gets involved in a mystery that determines the future of the island. I enjoyed many things about this book. At the top of the list were the characters. Though her siblings could have been a bit more fleshed out, the island characters were interesting and provided plenty of connections. I enjoyed both the primary mystery and the smaller mystery of the bird, which does not get fully solved. Yes, spoiler alert, this book will be part of a series! I also liked the big moment of defiance and determination at the end. A lot of action for a middle grade novel. This is a great book for anyone interested in mysteries, family, quirky characters, and island life.

Too Small Tola and the Three Fine Girls by Atinuke and illustrated by Onyinye Iwu (Juvenile Fiction)

Grade Level: 2-4. Tola’s spunk, smarts, decisiveness, and love for her family are enough to make anyone’s heart melt. Her day-to-day life is very different than a lot of little ones I know. When her grandma is sick, they have just enough of a safety net to buy her medicine, but the kids need to work so they have money to eat. Their rice is even different than the rice I buy, and they need to pick the rocks out of it before eating it. But their family is also similar to lots of families I know. They have their tussles, and despite taking on adult roles at times, the kids are still very much kids with kid hopes and desires. They are also an incredibly strong family who will do anything for each other. Their love for each other brings so much warmth to these stories.