All Signs Point to Yes

Gr 8 Up–Running the spectrum from vampires who meddle in competitions to witches who adopt bookstores, from cousins who could be twins playing a dangerous game of hidden identities to astrology obsessed skateboarders, this collection of inclusive tales has something for everyone. Loosely connected by the theme of one story for each sign of the zodiac, the collection showcases a fantastic variety of characters in a rainbow of identities, backgrounds, interests, and abilities. At times the themes of the stories feel a bit too eclectic, not hanging together as a whole in a meaningful way.The volume also suffers from a disparity in quality of both writing and editing among the stories. While there are some true gems from the more established writers on the roster, among them the pieces by Roselle Lim, Tehlor Kay Mejia, Karuna Riazi, and Mark Oshiro, they only serve to underscore the inexperience of some of the other contributors.