School

The First Day of School:

Harriet Muncaster, Isadora Moon Goes to School (2016)

Pitch:

Isadora Moon, who is half-vampire and half-fairy, has to decide which school she wants to go to, vampire school or fairy school.”

Book Blurb:

Half vampire, half fairy, totally unique! Isadora Moon is special because she is different. Her mum is a fairy and her dad is a vampire and Isadora is a bit of both. She loves the night, bats, and the colour black, but she also loves the outdoors, using her magic wand, and the colour pink. When it’s time for Isadora to start school she’s not sure where she belongs – vampire school or fairy school?”

Middle School:

Jerry Craft, New Kid (2019)

New Kid #1.

Pitch:

Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life, but instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics.”

Book Blurb:

A graphic novel about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real.

Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.

As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?”

New Kid Series:

1. New Kid (2019)
2. Class Act (2020)
3. School Trip (2023)

Terri Libenson, Invisible Emmie (2017)

Emmie & Friends # 1

Book Blurb:

This is the story of two totally different girls—quiet, shy, artistic Emmie and popular, outgoing, athletic Katie—and how their lives unexpectedly intersect one day when an embarrassing note falls into the wrong hands.”

Emmie & Friends Series:

1. Invisible Emmie (2017)
2. Positively Izzy (2018)
3. Just Jaime (2019)
4. Becoming Brianna (2020)
5. Truly Tyler (2021)
6. Remarkably Ruby (2022)

Svetlana Chmakova, Awkward (2015)

Berrybrook Middle School #1.

Pitch:

After shunning Jaime, the school nerd, on her first day at a new middle school, Penelope Torres tries to blend in with her new friends in the art club, until the art club goes to war with the science club, of which Jaime is a member.”

Book Blurb:

Cardinal rule #1 for surviving school: Don’t get noticed by the mean kids.

Cardinal rule #2 for surviving school: Seek out groups with similar interests and join them.

On her first day at her new school, Penelope–Peppi–Torres reminds herself of these basics. But when she trips into a quiet boy in the hall, Jaime Thompson, she’s already broken the first rule, and the mean kids start calling her the “nerder girlfriend.” How does she handle this crisis? By shoving poor Jaime and running away!

Falling back on rule two and surrounding herself with new friends in the art club, Peppi still can’t help feeling ashamed about the way she treated Jaime. Things are already awkward enough between the two, but to make matters worse, he’s a member of her own club’s archrivals–the science club! And when the two clubs go to war, Peppi realizes that sometimes you have to break the rules to survive middle school!”

Berrybrook Middle School Series:

1. Awkward (2015)
2. Brave (2017)
3. Crush (2018)
4. Enemies (2022)

Christina Diaz Gonzales and Gabriela Epstein, Invisible (2022)

Pitch:

Five very different students are forced by their school to complete community service… and may just have more in common than they thought.”

Book Blurb:

How can you be yourself when no one sees the real you?

Five students meet in the school cafeteria when they’re forced to complete their school community service hours.

There’s George: the brain

Sara: the loner

Dayara: the tough kid

Nico: the rich kid

They immediately know that they have nothing in common with each other… even though their school administration has decided that they all belong together.

None of the kids wants to be there, and each has their own issues they’re dealing with in their life outside of school. But when they encounter someone who truly needs their help, they might just be able to come together to work as a team—and help their community—after all.

Christina Diaz Gonzalez, award-winning author of The Red Umbrella, and Gaby Epstein, illustrator of the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel adaptations, have created a vibrant and relatable graphic novel about unexpected friendships and being seen for who you really are.”

High School:

Movies:

The Half of It (2020)

When smart but cash-strapped teen Ellie Chu agrees to write a love letter for a jock, she doesn’t expect to become his friend – or fall for his crush.”

Director: Alice Wu.

Writer: Alice Wu.

Cast: Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer.

Boarding School:

TV Series:

Wednesday (2022)

While attending Nevermore Academy, Wednesday Addams attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a killing spree and solve the mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago.”

Creators: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar.

Cast: Jenna Ortega, Gwendoline Christie, Emma Myers, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Moosa Mostafa, Joy Sunday.

Middle-Grade Books:

Robin Stevens, Murder Most Unladylike (2014)

Murder Most Unladylike #1.

England, 1934.

Forming a secret detective agency after discovering a shared talent for solving mysteries, two best friends at a 1930s boarding school tackle their first case when a science teacher dies and her body disappears.”

 Sophie Cleverly, The Lost Twin (2015)

Scarlet and Ivy #1

Pitch:

After her troublemaking twin, Scarlet, vanishes from Rookwood boarding school, shy Ivy tries to track her down, using pieces of Scarlet’s journal carefully hidden all over the school for Ivy to find.

Book Blurb:

Ivy, I pray that it’s you reading this. And if you are, well, I suppose you’re the new me…

When shy Ivy’s troublemaking twin Scarlet vanishes from Rookwood boarding school, Ivy is invited to “take her place.” But when Ivy arrives, she discovers the school’s true intention; she has to pretend to be Scarlet. She must think like Scarlet, act like Scarlet, become Scarlet. What on earth happened to the real Scarlet, and why is the school trying to keep it a secret?

Luckily for Ivy, Scarlet isn’t about to disappear without a fight. She’s left pieces of her journal carefully hidden all over the school for Ivy to find. Ivy’s going to figure out what happened to Scarlet. She’s got to.

But the staff of Rookwood is always watching, and they’ll do anything to keep their secrets buried…”

Reading Order:

1. The Lost Twin (2015)
2. The Whispers in the Walls (2015)
3. The Dance in the Dark (2016)
4. The Lights Under the Lake (2017)
5. The Curse in the Candlelight (2017)
6. The Last Secret (2019)

Library School:

Rachel Caine, Ink and Bone (2015)

The Great Library #1

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When his friend inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn…”

Reading Order:

1. Ink and Bone (2015)
2. Paper and Fire (2016)
3. Ash and Quill (2017)
4. Smoke and Iron (2018)
5. Sword and Pen (2019)

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