Marissa

The gorgeous, GORGEOUS new middle-grade novel The Sideways Orbit of Evie Hart is Marissa's pick for May Book of the Month! This wonderful novel by Samera Kamaleddine takes us in to the world of Evie and her family as she confronts the changes happening around her. ⁠
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Evie is in grade 6 and her life is facing some major alterations! Her parents are being weird with each other, there are new pets in the house causing a ruckus, and her moody classmate is being extra moody...⁠
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With Evie's mum working as an astrologist, and her teacher introducing her class to astronomy, Evie can't seem to get away from the planets and the stars. Can there be something in it that can explain everyone's peculiar behaviour?⁠
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This gentle and important novel addresses anxiety in children and helps normalise and destigmatise a completely normal response to stress. Evie is a considered and delightfully inquisitive character that everyone will love! And that's why it's Marissa's Pick of the Month!⁠
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For ages 8+!
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I'm our resident scaredy-cat and yet I put aside my fear of witches, curses, ghouls, demons, ghosts, magic, tarot readings, cults, mind control, and organised religion to delve into this thoroughly absorbing world. I absolutely loved the way this series was wrapped up, and will push it into everyone's hands when they come in looking for new YA.⁠

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This immersive and intense Irish trilogy explores the constraints of family and friendship, of small towns and restrictive religion. It is so beautifully written, including an honest and real exploration of gender identity and finding your place when all your friends seem to know where their lives are leading and you don't.⁠

The much-anticipated follow up to the Detective’s Guide to Ocean Travel has finally arrived, and Marissa is beside herself with excitement! The Detective’s Guide to New York City by Nicki Greenberg sees our plucky heroine Pepper Stark back in New York City to visit her friends Norah and Sol. It isn’t long before Pepper and her clan are drawn into a mystery surrounding an apparent poisoning at the fancy restaurant Sol works in… can the amateur detectives find the culprit?

Nicki Greenberg once again perfectly captures the time and the feeling of 1920s New York, in a clever caper featuring the dazzling lights of Broadway, murky, underground speakeasies, and more sassy broads and dames and gangsters than a Billy Wilder movie!

In a rollicking adventure with love and friendship at it’s heart, this book will sweep you away just as it has Marissa, who feels like she’s just had a trip to NYC. But a warning- the food descriptions will leave you hungry, so have a bagel or knish on hand while you read!