Reckless, Glorious, Girl

This spirited, sometimes uneven verse novel follows 12-year-old Bea's angst and joys as she transitions to middle school: "It's the saying goodbye to the old me/ while having no idea/ who the new me even is just yet." Hagan (Watch Us Rise) roots the narrative in small-town Kentucky, sketching Bea's home life and the tension between her "country smarts" namesake Mamaw, an avid gardener, and her buttoned-up widow mother, a nurse. Chapters describe how Bea is "Part Mamaw & Part Mom" and delineate the relatives' one shared trait: "Neither of Them Listens." Pacing varies across free verse chapters, with Bea's voice losing power when recounting her emotional state without evidence ("Everything feels so heavy"). But observations about how people view her Kentucky home ring true ("They see small towns/ where I see everyone I know"), and scenes of dramatic action excel--especially a swim team relay, the jockeying of new friendships against old, and excruciating moments of embarrassment. Hagan's intergenerational family story offers an engaging slant on familiar early adolescent growing pains. Ages 8-11. (Feb.)

Gr 6 Up--This novel in verse explores the anxiety that adolescent girls often feel on the brink of becoming young women. Beatrice Miller, a white Southern girl, is enjoying the last few weeks of summer before the start of middle school. She is focused on trying to figure out who she is or will be as a person, and frequently worries about school. She wants to be noticed, be cool, and hang out with the popular kids, but she has many insecurities about her body, her family, and how to express what she actually thinks and feels. The writing feels slow at times, bogged down by repetitive details, and some word choices don't feel realistic for a 12-year-old--but most of the narrative flows well and Beatrice is a very relatable character. There are many positive messages in this title about identity, friendship, and family. Beatrice's friend Mariella is Latina, and StaceyAnn's father is Black while her mom is white. VERDICT This title will resonate with readers who aren't ready to leave childhood behind but who don't feel like kids anymore. Recommended for libraries in need of verse novels and relatable coming-of-age tales.--Lisa Buffi, Sterling M.S., VA