Tag: Lily Mayfield

Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers (#QP2027) Feature Review: Truth is by Hannah V. Sawyerr

  • Truth Is
  • by Hannah V. Sawyerr
  • Amulet Books
  • Publication Date: September 23, 2025
  • ISBN: 9781419776830

Young poet Truth Bangura knows the truth – she’s pregnant – before she even takes the test. She also knows she can’t disappoint her overly protective mom whose own career plans were derailed when she became pregnant at seventeen. And when Truth’s high achieving best friend doesn’t understand her choice to seek an abortion, she finds herself alone. Truth decides to move forward on her own and finds a new circle of friends in a slam poetry team. If it wasn’t for a viral video of her performing a poem about her choice, her secret might have been safe. 

Through a variety of poetic forms from free verse to journal entries, poetry prompts, and multiple choice lists, this novel in verse keeps the pages turning quickly.  Readers will be drawn into Truth’s predicament and her struggle to forge her own path when everything and (mostly) everyone seems to be against her. The book also provides some eye-opening insight into the difficulty of seeking abortion care. Truth’s slow building romance with a supportive teammate is icing on the cake for reluctant readers.   

Juniors and seniors who feel a little uncertain about their futures will identify strongly with Truth. Budding writers may also be inspired by many of the writing prompts. Readers who enjoyed the depiction of poetry slams in “Bright Red Fruit” by Safia Elhillo and learning about the struggle for abortion access in “Plan A” by Deb Coletti will really get into this book.

–Lily Mayfield

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Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers (#QP2027) Feature Review: Leave it on the Track by Margot Fisher

Morgan “Moose” Shaker has lost everything after barely surviving a catastrophic fire in a skating rink. Her dads, her beloved hometown of Moab, and her life as she knew it are all gone as she struggles to start over in Portland, Oregon with her estranged half sister as her guardian. But Moose soon finds a new community in a junior roller derby league where she is able to focus on something other than her loss and anxiety.

Part realistic fiction about processing grief and part LGBTQ sports romance, this novel hits all the highs and lows of teen life.  Moose is an imperfect and relatable character; teens will connect with her emotional depth as she struggles with anxiety, anger, the pressure to perform in sports, as well as the dazzling sparks of new love and friendship. With short chapters, the story moves at a quick pace and is filled with other nuanced characters who support and challenge Moose. Teens will be immersed in the lushly described settings of Moab and Portland as Moose considers the dramatic differences of her life before and after the fire.

Readers who love books about women’s sports, LGBTQ romance, and realistic fiction about grief and mental health will find much to keep the pages turning. Similar titles include All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson, Bruised by Tanya Boteju, and A Heart in a Body in the World by Deb Caletti.

––Lily Mayfield

Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers (#QP2026) Feature Review: Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson

Brooklynite Kaylani is off to spend the summer in Martha’s Vineyard in a gigantic old house with her parents’ friends. She’d much rather be studying for a pre-law camp to assist her incarcerated dad, but her parents both insist a little R&R is exactly what Kaylani needs. The island is filled with amazing sights and lots of history; however, the snobby sisters Kaylani is staying with don’t exactly make her feel welcome. Just when Kaylani starts to settle in and meet a few kids her age, a local teen turns up dead. The community immediately thinks it must have been a drowning or a shark attack. Kaylani and her friends aren’t convinced. Can they prove it was murder? And what will happen if Kaylani gets too close to the truth?

This propulsive YA thriller for younger teen readers combines suspense with important social justice topics in Jackson’s classic style. With concise scene-setting details like a spooky looming mansion set in an idyllic summer destination, readers will quickly get pulled into the mystery and drama. Kaylani is a relatable and curious character whom readers will find themselves rooting for.
Hand this book to teens who want a short murder mystery that is light on gory details. Fans of We Were Liars by E. Lockhart or The Liars Society by Alyson Gerber will enjoy this quickly-paced thriller.

–Lily Mayfield