Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes

 Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes. Scholastic, 2018. Children's chapter book. Middle grade fiction.

When Paloma's mother receives funding to go to Mexico for several weeks, Paloma becomes the heroine of her own mystery ala Nancy Drew! A typical middle schooler, Paloma is feisty, smart, and makes new friends. Gael and his sister, Lizzie, a female mariachi musician, need to find enough clues to help their father. Handsome Tavo and his wealthy parents are the ones who have funded the trip. As Paloma takes language and culture classes and visits the home of the famous artist Frida Kahlo, she is intrigued by a locked room, a missing ring, and the strange fortune teller and Limping Man who seem to appear at the most impossible times. Who can Paloma really trust? Will her curiosity get her into real trouble in Mexico? A perfect blend of cultures, mystery, and friendship!

The Dollar Kids by Jennifer Richard Jacobson

 The Dollar Kids by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. Illustrated by Ryan Andrews. Candlewick, 2018. Children's chapter book, fiction.

Lowen, age 12, carries around a lot of guilt about the death of his friend, Abe. Lowen is a budding cartoon illustrator. He has an older brother and sister, a mom and a dad. They live in Flintlock until the family applies to "win" a house for a dollar in Millville. The mill is gone, the houses are in terrible shape, and the town wants families with children who can work there and help revitalize the community. Lowen and his older brother, Clem, are enthusiastic, but their sister does not want to leave her friends. When the family sees the house, they realize what a job lies in store for them in order to get it habitable and make it a true home. Is the family up to it? Can Lower find a new life and friends to help him come to terms with his grief and loneliness? 

I read a lot of children's books. It's unusual to find a new plot with captivating characters, distinct setting, and so much heart. This book will win over the most jaded reader! The illustrations, black and white, are marvelous, but few. The narrative is so well written that readers will be able to picture the characters and towns, but some readers will no doubt draw their own accompanying illustrations as they read. 

Playing Dead, A Novel by Julia Heaberlin

 Playing Dead, A Novel by Julia Heaberlin. Random House, 2012. Mystery.

With her father now dead and her mother slipping into dementia, Tommie McCloud faces a dilemma that life on a Texas ranch with her sister and brother and parents never prepared her to experience. A letter arrives that asks, "Do you really know who you are?" It claims to be from a woman in Chicago who thinks she is Tommie's mother. Her real father, supposedly, is a Mafia crime boss! Tommie assembles a diverse cast of her own and her father's friends to help her find out the truth. Is she really the little kidnapped girl, Adriana, from over thirty years ago?

Racing through Texas and drinking Dr. Pepper, Tommie is as Texan a heroine as can be imagined. Readers will enjoy the ride as they follow clues and sort through for the truth as Tommie becomes more and more involved in danger. What can she believe? Whom can she trust?

This is the debut novel of  Julia Heaberlin. She has written several other titles now, but catch her as she began with this one.

Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13.

 Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13. Written by Helaine Becker and illustrated by Dow Phumiruk. Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company, 2018. Children's picture book.

A childlike retelling of the complicated work and the life of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, this colorful picture book will enchant both children and adults. Known for her accuracy and leadership, Johnson calculated the numbers for the Friendship 7 that took John Glenn into space. She worked on the Apollo 11 where men first walked on the moon. But, when Apollo 13 had an explosion, everyone come to know the famous words by astronaut Jim Lovell, "Houston, we have a problem." Katherine Johnson redid the flight pattern to one that would take the astronauts around the far side of the moon and require them to burn off fuel at certain intervals. With her instructions, they were able to return safely to Earth. A humble person, she did not want to take credit and always said that she worked on a team. But, readers will agree that Katherine Johnson was really a star herself.

Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

 Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love. Candlewick Press, 2018. Children's picture book.

When Julian and his abuelita come home from their weekly swim, they see several people on the subway. These beautiful people have foofy hair, long dresses, jewelry and Julian delights in that he thinks they are mermaids. While Abuelita takes a bath, Julian finds his own mermaid costume. What a surprise when Abuelita sees him!  But, like the loving grandmother that she is, she gives him a necklace and takes him to the beach to participate in the mermaid parade where he can be as confident as any of the mermaids.

In this, her author-illustrator debut, Jessica Love shines a spotlight on the loving relationship of a small boy and his grandmother. The illustrations are lovely, even the endpapers with the diversely sized women in their swimsuits at the beginning and then, as mermaids, at the end. The story will start conversations among children and among adults and provide much to think about, wherever you live. It is a celebration of being yourself.

Marilla of Green Gables, A Novel by Sarah McCoy

  Marilla of Green Gables, A Novel by Sarah McCoy. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2018. Adult fiction.

If you are a lover of all things Anne of Green Gables and Avonlea, run to the nearest bookshop for this glorious prequel! Marilla and Matthew are growing up on the island with their parents, Hugh and Clara.  Faithful readers of Anne's story will enjoy McCoy's story of life on the island, the little school, Aunt Izzy's visit to help care for the family during Clara's pregnancy and its aftermath, and the blossoming of Marilla into the woman she becomes. This new story answers some of the questions left unanswered in the Anne stories. All the sites are there with gorgeous descriptions and the novel makes a wonderful armchair vacation. 

The Dying of the Light: A Novel by Robert Goolrick

 The Dying of the Light: A Novel by Robert Goolrick. Harper, 2018. Adult fiction. Advanced Reading Copy, publication July, 2018.

Author of The Reliable Wife, Robert Goolrick has written another fascinating novel with a mysterious woman as its main character. Diana Cooke has lived among luxury her whole life. Her education and upbringing have been spared nothing. The goal is for her to marry an incredibly wealthy husband who can save the largest and most beautiful estate in Virginia, Saratoga. The truth is that the money has run out and Diana is her parents' best and last hope.

Diana marries Captain Copperton, a shady character who has money, but no manners, no education, and is cruel and mean spirited. Years go by and the novel really heats up when their son, Ashton, comes home from college with his roommate, Gibby. (Gibson Fitzgerald Cavenaugh, got to love all these Southern names!) Secondary characters like librarian Lucius Walter and decorator Rose de Lisle add spice to the story as they move in to complete restoration projects.  Nothing is as it seems as Ashton spends his father's fortune trying to make Saratoga the showplace it has been the past. An only child herself, Diana is the focus of past, present, and future. While details like coddled eggs, Zuber wallpaper, and Murano chandeliers paint a gorgeous picture, the novel is character driven and well worth the time readers will invest in it. Goolrick mastefully foreshadows the conclusion, but readers will enjoy getting there. Pack this one in your bag for summer vacation!