Barbara Perez

Gr 5-7–Saachi is just beginning seventh grade when several life transitions start. Her family, with her sister and even her Indian aunties, start to get on her nerves, her first menstruation hits, and crushes are sweeping the school. There is a plethora of material for her journal, but none more so than her thoughts about her gender identity. This title is a to-the-point narrative where Saachi expresses her thoughts and feelings through these diary entries and out loud.

Gr 5 Up–Every superhero has a unique origin story, but few of them involve listening to Grandpa’s punk rock cassette tapes backwards to gain superpowers and the ability to see invisible monsters. Enter Superpunk: a 13-year-old girl named Violeta. Alongside her best friend Alan, Superpunk fights creatures no one else can see, all to generate content for their podcast. But when the magical cassette player is taken by a teacher and the monster gets out, they’ll need to get creative to save the day.

Gr 4-8–Twin siblings Pennie and Paulie are excited to accompany their dad to Tokyo, until he leaves them in the hotel while he heads off to a meeting. Sitting at the pool, the twins grouse about their luck when they discover a turtlelike being named Shimesu, who explains that he is a yokai, a supernatural creature, and he needs their help. He has been kicked off Yokai Mountain and wants to return.