Shalan Mitchell > Recent Status Updates

I’m a big believer that books find you at the right time. This book and I found each other at the perfect time. Isadora was extremely relatable, and this story was so hopeful and honest. It gave me all the right reminders about reclaiming my agency and being an active participant in nurturing my own happiness. I needed that. I needed this book. 4.5 🌟

It also took me forever to read this conclusion to the series. It wasn’t a perfect book, but I do think it was a great end to the series. I had some qualms with the dialogue, character changes, and conflict resolutions. However, the heart of these books remains strong. The characters, their relationships, and their love for/ties to the community ring true. The ending was heartbreaking and heartfelt. 4.5 🌟

BHM & MGM 2026: I took me a long time to finish this one. It wasn’t the book. It was me. The Newberry Medal was well deserved. This story is a powerful introduction to historical fiction, multiple POVs, and slavery for middle grade readers. There is a character for everyone to resonate with and learn from. What a buried history/narrative to research here! I look forward to rereading this book one day. 4.5🌟

I kept asking myself, “What is the point of this story?” There was no point. 1.5🌟 … I guess?

MGM 2026: This book was so comforting to listen to. It was nostalgic and delightful in its silliness, imagination, and truth. I loved the sound effects along with the narration. 4.5 🌟

MGM 2026 - This one has been on my TBR for a while because I want to read the Newberry Honor/Winner books. This story wasn’t for me. While I enjoyed Lord of the Flies and lots of dystopian/ societal survival stories, I don’t think I like solo survival stories. This book was also just dull. I did like the audiobook narration and how it included music and sound effects to create an immersive soundscape. 2.5🌟

What an eye opening story for me. It was a glimpse into one person’s eating disordered thinking and how he feelings going through treatment in the late 90s. I hurt for and was rooting for Jake throughout his entire journey. I related to his love for his grandma, theatre, and words. While there was much that Jake experienced that I couldn’t relate to, I am grateful for all I learned from my time with him. 4.5🌟

It leaves the reader to do so much of that wondering on their own. I think it is confusing/unfair to leave early middle grade readers with these moments and questions without a character alongside them to help process it all. I struggled with other aspects of the story, like the narrative voice feeling older, but ultimately I feel like this book did a lot without doing enough. I give it a very generous 3🌟.

However, I am a bi-racial person who doesn’t pass as black or white, so I am not be able to speak towards the experience of being white or black passing and the effect this distinction has on one’s ability to identify/choose. There are also many traumatic racial experiences and comments expressed in this book that are difficult to read, but weren’t processed on the page well.

For instance, the main character identifies as black instead of mixed race, and that sentiment is expressed in one solitary conversation. I worry that this single scene perpetuated the narrative that bi-racial/multi-racial children must choose to be one race instead of embracing all they are.

I was very frustrated and a little disappointed by this book. I expected it to be about blended family dynamics and the bi-racial experience. It was, but I wanted the author to explore these topics more deeply. I struggled with some of the narratives she created but didn’t develop/expand on.

I read 6 chapters of this book for children’s lit in undergrad and couldn’t muster up the interest to continue. 7 years later, and I still don’t appreciate the racism and classism, but I acknowledge this book is a product of its time. I did love Dickon as an angelic character, and I adored the nature imagery. This is an odd case where I didn’t like the beginning or end but really enjoyed the middle. 3🌟

I found this first middle grade march (2026) book endearing. Each character has such a special voice and personality; I loved them all. As a critical reader, was this book about very privileged children and their first world problems? Yes. Was there some commentary from Claudia that hasn’t/won’t age well? Yes. Still, I think it was a fun, funny book that some children can relate to and many can love. 4.5🌟

This book was recommended to me by a friend because it has several Korean-American characters and she knows I enjoy learning more about Korean culture. I did enjoy that aspect of the book. Honestly, I thought this was an intriguing story with a little mystery and very messy characters. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. It was an easy going and fun listen. 3.5🌟

This book is a chi’s, or guardian spirit’s, account of his host’s choices, and that is what I found most intriguing about the book. I enjoyed the insight into Igbo cosmology and the chi’s reflections on humanity. I also liked how other religions were explored in tandem (there is a beautiful Christian reconciliation storyline). However, I found the role of women, vulgarity, and pacing to be problematic. 3🌟