Young Ambassadors

Hannah is an 8th grader at St. Frederick High School in north Louisiana. She loves horseback riding, baking, playing piano, writing, volunteering and dog walking at the Humane Society, and of course reading. She’s an aspiring author, so keep an eye on the market for her future books!

Favorite Series

• Caraval (Stephanie Garber)
• The Wingfeather Saga (Andrew Peterson)
• Endling (Katherine Applegate)
• The Unwanteds (Lisa McMann)
• Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling)
• The Naturals (Jennifer Lynn Barnes)
• Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)

Favorite Books 

• Daughter of the Deep (Rick Riordan)
• Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
• The Forgotten Five (Lisa McMann)
• The Ogress and the Orphans (Kelly Barnhill)
• The Inquisitor’s Tale (Adam Gidwitz)
• Children of Blood and Bone (Tomi Adeyemi)
• Summer of a Thousand Pies (Margaret Dilloway)

Luci is a sophomore in high school in the San Francisco Bay Area. She loves to run, play guitar, and hang out with friends. As a volunteer at her local library, she sees how reading can bring people together and form a strong community. As a youth reviewer, she has found many new authors and genres to explore, and although she especially loves fiction, she has found her passion for other genres as well.

Favorite Series

• Keeper of the Lost Cities (Shannon Messenger),
• Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling),
• Percy Jackson Series (Rick Riordan),
• American Royals (Katharine McGee),
• The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins).

Favorite Books

• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J. K. Rowling),
• Things We Never Got Over (Lucy Score),
• The War that Saved My Life (Kimberly Brubaker Bradley).

Quade Kelley lives in California and was born in 2009. He has served as a Youth Reviewer since 2020.

• Quade is a national service leader and received The Congressional Award, Gold Medal in 2025. He is one of the youngest students in the country to receive this award since it was established in 1979.
• He has read more than 400 biographies and was named the first Who Was? History Bee Champion in 2020.
• Quade was a national kid reporter for Scholastic Kids Press from 2020-2023
• He is a student member of the American Library Association and Young Adult Library Services Association and reads over 100 books a year.
• He served on the School Library Journal Heavy Medal Mock Newbery Committee in 2024 and 2025.
• Quade advocates for the benefits of reading in his role as a mental health advocate on the national advisory boards for Athletes For Hope, the Kevin Love Fund and Morgan’s Message.
• He has been named to the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program Pipeline from 2023-2025.
• Quade’s career goal is to study neuroscience and be a human performance specialist.

The Bank Street Book Committee has given me the opportunity to amplify my voice as a Youth Reviewer since 2020. I am carving a space to make a positive difference in the world. That means juggling my identity as a student-athlete and community service leader with my value system and interest in neuroscience and human potential. Reading is a key daily tool because of the profound impact books make in opening the door to new perspectives and empowering imaginative solutions for the future. Stories are a powerful tool to strengthen the mind and ignite spirit. I encourage children of all ages to read daily and non-discriminately and to share what they learn. Young voices are valued and essential life-giving forces in our world because they symbolize the pure power of hope to make positive change.

Favorite Books

• The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho),
• Foundations Edge (Isaac Asimov),
• Call of the Wild (Jack London),
• The Notorious Benedict Arnold (Steve Sheinkin)

Favorite Newbery Medalist

• The Westing Game (Ellen Raskin),
• Number the Stars (Lowis Lowry)

Favorite Graphic Novel

• A First Time for Everything (Dan Santat),
• American Born Chinese (Gene Luen Yang),
• Family Style (Thien Pham)

Favorite Author

• Jules Verne,
• C. S. Lewis,
• Jason Reynolds,
• Ruta Sepetys

Favorite Bank Street Award Recipient

• I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys

My name is Riya G, and I am 13 years old, currently in Grade 8. I was born in the United Kingdom and lived there for several years before moving to Mumbai, India. Ever since I was young, I have had a deep love for books—they have always inspired me, sparked my imagination, and taught me to think in new ways. In today’s digital age, where so many young people spend most of their time on screens, I feel it is more important than ever to encourage reading. My goal is to inspire young readers to discover the joys of books, to explore new ideas, and to develop curiosity and imagination through reading.      

Favorite Books (2025)

• What Fell from the Sky
• The Teacher of Nomad Land
• A World Without Summer
• The Gate, the Girl, and the Dragon
• Candle Island
• The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli
• Max in the Land of Lies
• Louder Than Hunger
• The Colour of Sound
• The Enigma Girls
• The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman

Favorite Series of all Time

• Keeper of the Lost Cities (Shannon Messenger)
• Harry Potter (J.K. Rowling)
• Percy Jackson (Rick Riordan)

Favorite Books of all Time

• The War That Saved My Life
• The Colour of Sound
• The First State of Being

Riya S., is a rising high school freshman on the East Coast with a strong passion for reading, writing, and thoughtful discussion. She is a multi-sport athlete who plays soccer, basketball, and tennis, balancing her academic interests with an active lifestyle. Outside of school, Riya enjoys ceramics, puzzling, baking, and debate—activities that reflect her curiosity and creative spirit. When Riya is not participating in these hobbies, she enjoys spending time with her parents and brothers.

As a Young Ambassador, Riya values the opportunity to share her voice through literary critique and engage with meaningful ideas. She is especially drawn to stories that highlight diverse cultures and perspectives from around the world. In addition to her love of literature, Riya stays informed by reading the news and exploring thought-provoking articles. Through the Young Reviewers Club, Riya hopes to inspire others to explore literature with curiosity, empathy, and critical thinking.

Favorite Books

• Children of Blood and Bone (Tomi Adeyemi)
• Percy Jackson (Rick Riordan)
• Emma (Jane Austen)
• The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins)

Favorite Authors & Poets

• Anne M. Martin
• Agatha Christie
• Langston Hughes
• Emily Dickinson

Nikhil Mani is a rising freshman at Johns Hopkins University, where he is majoring in electrical engineering. He has been part of the Young Reviewer program since his sophomore year of high school and was one of the inaugural members of the Young Ambassadors program. A passionate reader across all genres, Nikhil is especially excited about the power of children’s books to shape young minds and influence the future.

Vimala is a senior at the Bronx High School of Science. She’s involved in her school community as a leader on her school’s Speech and Debate team and Student Diversity Committee. When she’s not memorizing Latin conjugations or completing organic chemistry labs, she can be found curled up with a good book (typically fantasy or sci-fi), hunting down gluten free bakeries across New York, and dreaming of cat ownership. To find out more, read Vimala’s Reading Recommendations blog post.

Favorite Books

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
Similar to The War that Saved My Life, The Patron Thief of Bread, Last Night at the Telegraph Club, and World Made of Glass.

Mistborn by Brian Sanderson
Similar to The Many Assassinations of Samir, The Seller of Dreams, The Screaming Staircase, Seraphina, and Unraveller.

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
Similar to Daughter of the Deep, The Infinity Particle, Where the Lockwood Grows.

World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil 
Similar to At the Sea Floor Café: Odd Ocean Critter Poems, and God Got a Dog.