Youth Advisory Council Recommendation: Thieves' Gambit

Thieves’ Gambit by Kayvion Lewis

“When 17-year-old master thief Ross’s mom gets kidnapped, Ross enters the Thieves’ Gambit. It turns her world upside down as she tries to follow her #1 rule: Trust No One. This was an amazing thriller/adventure book. I would give it a 10/10. It does have cursing and some love elements so I would recommend it for ages 12+. I loved the book.” — Nima M., age 11

At only seventeen years old, Ross Quest is already a master thief, especially adept at escape plans. Until her plan to run away from her legendary family of thieves takes an unexpected turn, leaving her mother’s life hanging in the balance.

In a desperate bid, she enters the Thieves’ Gambit, a series of dangerous, international heists where killing the competition isn’t exactly off limits, but the grand prize is a wish for anything in the world—a wish that could save her mom. When she learns two of her competitors include her childhood nemesis and a handsome, smooth-talking guy who might also want to steal her heart, winning the Gambit becomes trickier than she imagined.

Ross tries her best to stick to the family creed: trust no one whose last name isn’t Quest. But with the stakes this high, Ross will have to decide who to con and who to trust before time runs out. After all, only one of them can win.

Youth Advisory Council Recommendation: Enlighten Me

Enlighten Me by Minh Lê and Chan Chau

“Who wants to go to a silent mountain retreat? Not Binh! He was at school when someone made fun of his Vietnamese food. He not only fights back but will not tell his parents what happened after he is sent to the principal for it. He knows the retreat will not be like Disney World, but it may be better than he thought. Can he survive?” — Sylvianne D., age 9

When Bình fights back against a bully who makes fun of his Vietnamese heritage, he expects to be cheered as the hero. He defeated the bad guy, right?

Instead, it gets him a stern warning from his vice principal and worried parents. Now he’s stuck on a family trip to a silent meditation retreat. That means no talking—and no video games!—for a whole weekend. Could things possibly get any worse?

However, when a nun gathers all the kids to tell them the Jataka tales—the stories of the Buddha’s many past lives—Bình takes a fantastical dive into his imagination and starts to see himself in these stories. Will he retreat further into himself, or will he emerge from the weekend open to change?

With any luck, these next few days will prove more enlightening than he thought.

Youth Advisory Council Recommendation: Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom

Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom by Nina Varela

“This is a book about when magic meets mortals. Galatea, a princess from another world, gets stranded in Florida. This novel will be enjoyed by Rick Riordan Presents fans. The plot is too complex for younger kids to follow. It is good for ages 9-12. I really enjoyed this book.” — Nima M., age 11

When Juniper Harvey’s family moves to the middle of nowhere in Florida, her entire life is uprooted. As if that's not bad enough, she keeps having dreams about an ancient-looking temple, a terrifying attack, and a mysterious girl who turns into an ivory statue. One night after a disastrous school dance, Juniper draws a portrait of the girl from her dreams and thinks, I wish you were here. The next morning, she wakes up to find the girl in her room…pointing a sword at her throat!

The unexpected visitor reveals herself as Galatea, a princess from a magical other world. One problem—her crown is missing, and she needs it in order to return home. Now, it’s up to Juniper to help find the crown, all while navigating a helpless crush on her new companion. And things go from bad to worse when a sinister force starts chasing after the crown too.

Packed with adventure and driven by a pitch-perfect voice, this middle grade debut from Nina Varela is about one tween forging new friendships, fighting nightmarish monsters, and importantly, figuring out who she is and who she ultimately wishes to be.