A heartstring-tugging, uplifting, modern spin on Party of Five -- a love letter to family, hope, and finding strength in unexpected places. Even though she has six siblings, sixteen-year-old Novah still knows what it's like to feel lonely. Her friends never remember to invite her anywhere because they assume Novah will be too busy overseeing dinner, baths, and homework -- tasks that fall to her when her parents are at work. She wouldn't mind it so much if her "perfect" older sister, Ariana, wasn't always excused from helping out. She's the star of the volleyball team, and their parents don't want anything to jeopardize the scholarships she'll need to become the first member of their family to attend college. Needless to say, Novah feels like she's been given a raw deal, especially when she's forced to cancel a maybe-date with her crush, Hailee. Then one terrible night, their parents don't make it back home. A car accident takes their lives and leaves seven heartbroken kids on their own. The Wilkinson siblings have no grandparents, no aunts or uncles. Since Ariana has just turned eighteen, she manages to convince the judge to give her temporary custody. If she can keep her family running smoothly, they'll get to stay in their home. If not, they'll be placed into foster care. Novah will do whatever it takes to keep her family together but finds herself in a constant power struggle when Ariana refuses to take her advice, even once it becomes clear that they are all in way over their heads. Will Novah find her voice and summon the strength to do the impossible? Or will she be forced to say the hardest goodbyes of all?

As Long As We’re Together

Teen & Young Adult

Peppins, Brianna

Literature & Fiction

Scholastic Press

As Long As We're Together

New York: Scholastic Press

Set at a luxe, aspirational boarding school inspired by the author's beloved alma mater Spelman College, this debut is a captivating celebration of the friends we choose, the family we protect, and the love we owe ourselves.\nIt's fourteen-year-old Avielle "Avi" LeBeau's turn to do what everyone in her family has done: leave home to attend Briarcliff Prep―a Historically Black Boarding School (HBBS). And as scared as she is to say goodbye to her parents and move to Georgia, she knows her fearless big sister Belle will be there to show her the ropes.\nBefore long, Avi settles into life at Briarcliff. New friends (and foes), challenging classes (at times too challenging), and maybe a cute tutor-turned-something-more (if her brothers don't get in the way). Meanwhile, Belle does what she always does: she runs the campus's social scene, especially now that she's dating Logan, the pride and joy of Briarcliff's sibling school Preston Academy.\nBut something about Logan doesn't sit well with Avi, no matter how many times Belle reassures her Logan is a good guy. And when Avi stumbles across the truth, her relationship with Belle is put to the test. If Avi reveals what she knows, their sisterhood might never recover. But if she doesn't, she might lose Belle forever.\nDebut author Brianna Peppins deftly balances a celebration of sisterhood, self-discovery, and Black joy with an empathetic exploration of teen dating violence in this novel that is, at its heart, a love letter to Black girls.\nFrom School Library Journal\nGr 8 Up—Told in third-person point of view, this novel follows 14-year-old Avi as she begins her freshman year at Briarcliff Prep, a fictional Historically Black Boarding School, or HBBS. Other members of Avi's family have also attended Briarcliff Prep, and her older sister, Belle, is a current student who has established relationships and friendships. Avi is excited but nervous and quickly becomes friends with her roommate, Zazie, and another freshman, Rhyon. Peppins draws from personal experience to create this authentic high school experience in a place where most of the characters are Black or of color. Avi is a writer who is applying and submitting samples to win a coveted position on Briarcliff's prestigious school newspaper. Just as Avi is settling into school and forming her own connections, she begins to see red flags in her sister's relationship. Peppins tackles the issue of teen domestic abuse thoughtfully, in a way that will feel authentic to readers. VERDICT This debut novel is very character driven and will make a great addition for collections that need realistic fiction with strong worldbuilding and character development.—Helen Prince

Briarcliff Prep

Disney/Hyperion

Amelia Westlake Was Never Here meets an empathetic exploration of anxiety at historically Black boarding school Briarcliff Prep. Love triangles, friendship breakups, and slice-of-student-life are balanced with a thoughtful discussion about mental health, all in a love letter to Black girls. Avielle LeBeau is beginning her second year at Briarcliff Prep, and she's got big dreams. Top of the list? Starting her own student life magazine and rooming with her besties Rhyon and Zazie. But a housing mix-up splits Avi from her friends--and to make matters worse, she's rooming with her rival, Fallon Walsh, instead. How does one girl juggle school, a fracturing friendship, living with a mean girl, and getting caught in a potential love triangle between the ex she can't move on from and a friend who's becoming something more? It's a lot. Made even harder by the panic attacks Avi has been experiencing lately. If one thing is true about the LeBeau family, it's that they're always there for each other. But with her older sister Belle away at college and her brothers preoccupied chasing their own dreams, Avi must learn how to find support in new (unlikely) places. Will Avi finally find her voice? Or will her dreams be drowned out by everyone else?

Briarcliff Prep: Sophomore Year

Children's Books

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