Just kickin' it

Gr 6 Up--A haunted house streamer encounters a real ghost. A high school boy angers a super-sentient AI. Another young man falls in with a bad crowd. Two neurodivergent brothers must survive in a terrible storm. All these stories are modern and relevant, with some, obviously, being more realistic than others, but an important kernel of truth lies at the heart of all these stories, even the sci-fi and fantasy ones. The writing is high-quality across the board: believable dialogue, layered characters, and fast-moving plots. However, made-up video games and social media sites like "Outlaw Auto" and "VidVibe" feel corny and misplaced. Some of the books tackle heavy themes like racial profiling, gang violence, economic struggles, foster care, mental health. Some of the stories even have abrupt or depressing endings, no tidy resolutions, just like real life. VERDICT Just Kickin' It, despite having the worst title of the bunch, is the standout story. All have appeal.

A teenage boy's love of sneakers leads him to face a moral dilemma. Sixteen-year-old Jesse is a Black sneakerhead who has lived with his grandfather ever since his parents were killed in a tragic auto accident, turning his life upside down. Apart from Grandpa, one constant in Jesse's life has been his love for sneakers, something that connects him to his late father, who even wanted to name him Jordan after his favorite shoes. Finances are a constant struggle for Grandpa and Jesse, which isn't the case for Tay, Jesse's best friend, whose well-off family is able to buy him new sneakers every month. One day Jesse gets a tempting proposal from Derick, a slightly older guy who's an acquaintance of Tay's. Derick explains his plan for stealing cash from local store owner Mr. Yang, using Jesse as his accomplice. Will the temptation prove too much for Jesse to resist--or will he follow his conscience? In Jesse, readers meet a protagonist whose desires and internal conflicts feel authentic. Thompson highlights the ways the cards we're dealt in life influence the choices we make. She also explores themes of loss, grief, peer pressure, morality, and the effects of socioeconomic status while maintaining an accessible and appealing writing style. A reluctant reader--friendly story with heart, realistic tensions, and meaningful messages to ponder.(Fiction. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.