Elizabeth Acevedo brings her skills as a slam poet to her fantastic new endeavor as a novelist. This novel in verse is a beautifully told coming-of-age story about a Latina young woman from a very rel…
Yes, it is almost the end of 2018 so we are a bit behind the times here at Compass Book Ratings. However, we remain committed to having reviews in our database for Newbery Winner and Honor Books. Th…
Not all award-winning books deserve their accolades, but in this case, Long Way Down deserves its long list of awards. This contemporary young adult novel is written in verse--which is…
The Fresh Cut is a 2018 Newbery Honor Book. It is a picture book, with vivid illustrations in bold colors that feel joyful; the visual focus of the illustrations is faces and individuals. The prose …
Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kennedy is the 2018 Newbery Award Winner. With a contemporary setting, its story covers only a couple of days and switches viewpoint amongst the minor and major charac…
Vanished!, second in the TOAST mystery series by James Ponti, finds Florian Bates and his friend Margaret being called upon to help the FBI out again. This time they go undercover to a prestigious pri…
Saving Lucas Biggs is a collaborative effort between Marisa de los Santos and David Teague which follows the adventures of Margaret, a teenage girl who tries to deliver Margaret's father from a w…
In My Brother Sam is Dead, James Lincoln Collier gives the reader a unique look into the era of the American Revolution. The story is interesting, and the author keeps the action moving along at a nic…
No story is quite as heartwarming as one about a boy and his dog…unless it’s a story about a boy and his two dogs. Where the Red Fern Grows follows the adventures of a young boy as he explores the Ark…
Thirteen year old Ghost, as he likes to be called, has been dealt a rough hand when it comes to his life. With his father in jail for shooting at him and his mom, they are barely making ends meet. Gho…
Educated: A Memoir is an unforgettable book. This eventful autobiography details the upbringing of Tara Westover, the youngest of seven kids brought up by Mormon fundamentalists in rural Idaho. W…
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is a unique book. Although it starts slow and has odd spellings, its subtle, unique brand of humor is refreshing, and the story becomes quite engaging about halfway …
