Art from The Secret Language of Birds.
Middle Readers
Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed.
By José Pablo Iriarte. Illus. by Mirelle Ortega.
Apr. 2024. 272p. Knopf, $17.99 (9780593703700). Gr. 3–6.
Benny and the rest of his Cuban American family inherit his grandfather’s home in Miami soon after his death, so they make the cross-country move from L.A. to start a new life in sunny south Florida. Benny has two siblings who are both talented in the arts and parents who scored positions at a local arts school, but he doesn’t have any particular artistic talent. When they start to settle into their new home, Benny discovers he is able to see and speak with Abuelo’s ghost, and everything changes. This book is at once sweet and funny, and the author does a great job of showing a family dynamic in which everyone is happy for one another and everyone can be a winner or a star. Latine readers may catch some references to Cuban artists in the story, which is richly fleshed out to showcase Miami life and culture. Benny’s first-person perspective as a middle-school student provides a lens through which young readers can enjoy a taste of Miami. —Kristina Pino
The Cats of Silver Crescent.
By Kaela Noel.
Apr. 2024. 320p. Greenwillow, $19.99 (9780062956002). Gr. 4–7.
When her mother leaves for a work trip, Elsby finds herself in the care of her great aunt in a small Rhode Island town. While keeping busy with her art supplies in the dilapidated garden, she glimpses an incredibly odd sight: a cat on its hind legs, fully outfitted in tiny human clothes. A bewildered Elsby questions the sighting until the same cat taps on her window late at night, desiring a chat. There are actually four talking, walking, attired cats living in the empty residence next door, and they’re in desperate need of human help to maintain their magical existence. It’s up to Elsby to uncover the town’s secrets and aid the fascinating felines before time runs out. Both eerie and enchanting, the story offers a slightly creepy slice of New England life with a feline focus. The atmospheric writing gives the proceedings a fanciful, friendly air, and Elsby is deeply relatable as she navigates new jealousies and responsibilities. Animal lovers will eagerly sink their claws into the marvelous, magical mystery. —Emily Graham
Codebreaker Charlotte.
By Cedar Wang. Illus. by the author.
Apr. 2024. 32p. Clavis, $19.95 (9781605379999). Gr. 1–4.
On Charlotte’s ninth birthday, she hopes for a special present from Nana, her “sweet great-grandmother,” who shares her love of puzzle solving. In the kitchen, she finds clues that lead her to a park in Cambridge, England, where she lives. Under a bench, Charlotte finds a package and, inside, a beautiful wooden music box and an old photo of a sweet-looking girl. Noticing the Morse code clues drawn in the nearby dirt, she follows them and finds Nana, who tells Charlotte an amazing story: she was a code breaker at Bletchley Park during WWII and worked on a project, led by Alan Turing, to break codes that the German military created using their complex Enigma machine. Kids who are enthusiastic about codes may want to try decoding the messages that are referred to in the text and can be found (along with worksheets) within the distinctive illustrations. While Nana’s work at Bletchley may not be meaningful to children too young to understand the context, codes and secret messages have an enduring appeal for many children. —Carolyn Phelan
