Liberty's Forgotten Hero: The Revolutionary Life of James Forten

Grant, Kesha L. and Williams, Anastasia Magloire (Illustrator).
Liberty's Forgotten Hero: The Revolutionary Life of James Forten
June 16, 2026 by Lee & Low Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Born in Philadelphia in 1766, James Forten had an interesting and very different view of a young United States. His father was a sail maker and political activist, and James saw how other Black people were treated differently. He went to London when he was young, and got a different perspective, and returned to the US to work with the abolitionist movement. He also had his own sail making business, and rallied Black men to defend Philadelphia during the War of 1812. Along with William Lloyd Garrison, he founded the American Anti-Slavery Society in 1833, and supported the newspaper The Liberator. He died in 1842.

The illustrations are brightly colored and have a lot of details of daily life during this period of history like clothing, buildings, etc., and support the text well. My only quibble with them is that they seem a bit heavy and flat. They are digitally rendered, which may account for this. They are fine, just not a style I personally prefer.

This is a longer picture book that would have enough information for research. The inclusion of an afterword and a great timeline is very helpful. There is also a list of Forten's family and their accomplishments. I will purchase this for my middle school library and think it will get a lot of use along with other biographies like Meadow and Law's Jimmy's Rhythm & Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin from a Harlem Boy to a Legendary Writer and Civil Rights Advocate, Zietlow Miller and Jordan's Unstoppable John: How John Lewis Got His Library Card--and Helped Change History, and Chamber and Baker's Shirley Chisholm is a Verb.

Poetry Friday- Slow Burn

Grant, Katy. Slow Burn

April 16, 2026 by West 44 Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this short novel in verse, thirteen year old Baylor is sent by his mother to spend the summer with his noncustodial father, Rob, who has never really been part of his life. Rob has taken a seasonal job as a fire spotter in Arizona, and is living at a fire lookout tower in Arizona. It's close quarters, but the view is spectacular, and Baylor starts to think it might not be too bad of a summer, even with an outhouse! He gets a chance to talk to his father, and even learns how to use an Osbourne Firefinder and helps with spotting. There are plenty of difficult time; when the two are wrestling, Baylor gets the better of his father, who gets angry and painfully pulls Baylor's ear. There's also an awkward "facts of life" talk, when Rob (who is white) tells Baylor he doesn't want his son to make the same "mistake" that he did. Baylor's mother (who is Black) has always said that he was one of the best things in her life, even though being a young, single mother had its challenges. Since he's struggled a bit with being biracial, Baylor doesn't need more complications. There is a thunderstorm that is quite frightening, and the two do have to report a small fire, but Rob explains to Baylor that some fires are let burn in a controlled way to manage the environment. Rob and Baylor have a big blow up when Rob accuses Baylor of being a "mama's boy" and claims that he has not been involved in Baylor's life because his mother doesn't want Rob around. When a tree is struck by lightning and a fire starts, Rob is badly burned, and Baylor has to get help. Rob is okay, and the father and son have to figure out a way forward with their relationship.
Strengths: It is much more realistic and interesting to portray contentious relationships with middle grade parents, and there are many young readers who don't live with both of their parents. There are also a lot of children who are biracial, and Baylor does have some thoughts about his background, but they are not the point of the whole story, which more closely mirrors modern reality. Rob isn't the best father because he doesn't have practice, and he doesn't always have the best reactions to Baylor, but he stops short of being mean and abusive. The inclusion of fire spotting was interesting, and gives a unique background to the father and son bonding struggles.
Weaknesses: I would have liked to see more of Baylor at home with his mother, so that the contrast with his father's treatment of him would be more pronounced. We do hear that his mother and her family and friends are very supportive, but seeing him at home would have added another level of interest.

What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want a short, easier to read book with more emotional depth, like Fontes' Benito Runs (Surviving Southside, another Hi Lo series) or Watson's Living Rough. Interestingly, there are two other middle grade novels about fire spotting, Rose's The Burning Season or Downing's Controlled Burn. 

Girl from the Ashes

Brown, India Hill. Girl from the Ashes
July 7, 2026 by Scholastic Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Carter John is often in trouble, even though he doesn't mean to be. His teacher, Mrs. Williamson, doesn't understand that he has gotten taller, and his voice is deeper, so he just seems louder. He is also struggling with the fact that there is no recess in middle school, and he can't burn off his excess energy. His best friend, Gianna, sticks up for him. Her former best friend, Amanda, calls her "babyish" and makes fun of everything from her clothes and school supply choices to her smaller size. When Carter John and Gianna get to work together on a project about a historical figure, they are excited, and head to the public library to do research. They don't like the library as well as their school media center, because it is dark and purported to be haunted. They think about doing a report on Ron McNair, but Carter John gets kicked out for being loud. He runs into more trouble at school, and when he is serving a short detention in Mrs. Williamson's room, there is a fire, caused by a mysterious girl he has seen around. He puts it out, and gets blamed for it, although he knows he didn't do it. Mrs. Williamson warns Gianna's parents that Carter John is a bad influence on Gianna, but Gianna's parents understand the relationship that the two have. The mysterious girl shows up more and more, and her voice echoes with threats against anyone who crosses the two friends. They find out more information about their local library, which was called the Promise Branch library and was segregated in the 1950s. When it was desegregated in 1965, local people weren't happy, and a man set the branch on fire, trapping a young Cora Belle inside and killing her. Cora Belle was an avid reader who was frequently denied service because she was Black, just like Ron McNair. Carter John's grandparents introduce him to Cora Belle's relatives at church, and he finds out more about the history of the library. Fire follows him, and Amanda accuses him of setting a fire in her front yard. When Cora Belle shows up in Carter John's bedroom, she wants him to burn down the library, but he doesn't want to, knowing that having a library is beneficial. He goes to the library at night and has a confrontation with her. Luckily, Gianna comes to help out, and the parents believe the kids. There is a memorial made for Cora Belle, and her ghost is put to rest.
Strengths: I love the combination of horror and history, which Hill always does well. It amazed me how recent the history seemed, with the new branch of the Thompsonville library being built in 1965 and having issues with racism during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. There is information about Ron McNair and the Challenger Disaster as well, and Mrs. Hammond, the school librarian, talks about being a student when that happened. The book also addresses the way that students who may be neurodivergent are sometimes treated by teachers who don't fully understand the way they operate, and Carter John's experience with being reprimanded may resonate with middle school students. Gianna's struggles with Amanda will as well, since friendships often undergo changes in this age group.
Weaknesses: This wasn't very scary. Cora Belle wasn't as threatening as the ghosts in books by Dan Poblocki or Mary Downing Hahn, and the fires focused attention on Carter John's behavior more than the history. It didn't quite make sense for Cora Belle to want to burn down the library, since she was a big reader. There were several things that didn't come together as much as I would have liked.
What I really think: It would have been interesting to have a historical note about historical instances of segregated libraries. This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Hill's The Forgotten Girl or The Girl In the Lake, or other historically connected spooky stories like Ireland's Ophie's Ghost, Cummings' Trace or Davis' The Lonely Below. 

Monster Down Deep

Dominy, Amy Fellner. Monster Down Deep  

June 2, 2026 by Pushkin Children's Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Cassie and her father live on the coast of Southern California, where her father is an aquarist for the small Mayim Aquarium. Her mother, who was also interested in the well being of the ocean and its creatures, was killed in a car accident when Cassie was three. There has recently been a yacht crash in the area that resulted in the loss of a lot of expensive jewelry, and the Royce family has offered a million dollar reward for the return of a particularly elaborate $50 million dollar necklace. Cassie, along with her Hunter Pro Series 2 metal detector named Sylvia (after marine biologist Sylvia Earle), is determined to find the item. What she finds instead is Blue, a very odd fish, whose point of view is shared in some chapters. Blue is caught in a fishing net and a lot of seaweed, and seems to understand when Cassie communicates with him. Cassie is not happy to see a “Mystery Thief", a boy her age who is also looking for the necklace, but gets to know TJ, who is staying along the beach with his uncle while his father and pregnant mother are back home in Carlsbad while the mother is on bedrest. Cassie spends a lot of time on the beach, nominally supervised by local artist Miss Mary, and when she sees Blue being menaced by a seven gill shark, she immediately goes to her father for help. Unfortunately, he is in a very important meeting with the new directors of the aquarium, but manages to save Blue. Since Blue is very unusual, he becomes a cause celebre in the news, but also isn’t treated well by the new directors. Will Cassie be able to continue to search for the necklace but also save Blue? 

Strengths: Treasure hunts are always popular, and the ocean is an interesting place for them, which we see in novels like Rodriguez’s Treasure Tracks or Collard’s Double Eagle. Combining this activity with saving an unusual fish and an interesting small aquarium makes for an intriguing story. I was glad to see that Cassie didn’t fight with TJ the entire time, but learned to work with him. There is a little bit of friend drama with two of Cassie’s sometimes friends, both realistically named Emma! Cassie’s family is Jewish (as are many of Dominy’s characters, going back to her 2011 OyMG), as are the owners of the aquarium, and I enjoyed how the Jewish concept of tikkun olam was explained and demonstrated.
Weaknesses: This almost verged into fantasy, with Blue seeming to understand Cassie’s communication, but it remains a realistic fiction book. While it is admirable that Cassie wants to save Blue, releasing him back to a dangerous situation in the ocean while ignoring the recommendations of her father made me uncomfortable. It didn’t help that the dead parent trope was embraced even though it did nothing to enhance the plot. The ending is happy, but a little unbelievable. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed aquatic preservation adventures like Dimopoulos' Turn the Tide, Baskin’s and Polisner’s Consider the Octopus, Kelly’s Three Blue Hearts, or Pyron’s Octopus Moon.

Fantasy Round Up

Mull, Brandon. and Dorman, Brad. Fablehaven: The Illustrated Edition
June 23, 2026 by Shadow Mountain
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

So, now we are seeing twentieth anniversary editions of books I bought when they first came out, like Cabot's The Princess Diaries. Since Mull's Fablehaven has been consistently popular, I was tempted by this new edition, but since it costs $40, I'll have to pass. The two copies I already have will have to suffice. If your library hasn't already bought the series, it would be worth looking into. Shadow Mountain is to be commended for still having the entire series available in hardcover. I've had to replace a few worn copies!

Abe, Julia. The Magical Library of Waterfall Way

August 25, 2026 by Bloomsbury Publishing

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Lyra is having a hard time finding an apprenticeship because she is not only an orphan, she is an Unremarkle. In the Alterran Empire, this means if she does not get a place, she will be banished. Her mentor thinks she can get her a place in the Guild of Pine Cone Collectors, which even waives a quest, but they, too, deny her entry when they find out about her lack of powers. When Lyra happens upon Guild of Scholars, she hopes that she can work in their library. Of course, there's a quest, and secrets along the way.

While I enjoyed Abe's Alliana: Girl of Dragons, this had too many fantasy tropes for me. Traditional fantasy has not been in demand in my school library for quite some time, and as much as I liked the idea of working in a magical library, I have other books that are similar to this if anyone asks for them, including Ham's The Missing Magic of Sparrow Xia, Townsend's Wundersmith books, Thomas' Nic Blake and the Remarkables, or Leathley's Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo. If I had a bigger budget, I might buy this.

Xu, Jen and Rhodes, Kate.  Haven and the Fallen Giants

June 16, 2026 by Viking Books for Young Readers

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

While it was good to see a fantasy graphic novel, this one was a bit confusing at the start, and isn't the sort of thing my graphic novel readers generally select. It's perfect if you want a fantasy graphic novel. 

From the Publisher:

Legend says that giants once roamed the skies. When one fell to Earth, a great city called Raqmu arose from its remains—great if you happen to live in the city, that is.

For Haven, an outcast living in the desert outside Raqmu, life is only about survival: sleeping in a shanty, scrounging for food, and fighting others for mere drops of water. However, she refuses to give in to hopelessness—Haven is a resourceful tinkerer who sneaks in and out of Raqmu to find spare parts for building gizmos that make life a little easier for herself and her guardian, Yassu.

One night, while scavenging the city's restricted junkyard, Haven uncovers a mysterious relic. Before she gets a chance to inspect it, the city's Guardians come after her! As Haven tears through the back alleys, she's helped along in her escape by Lan, a wealthy city girl who's seen how cruelly the Guardians treat Outsiders. Together, she and Haven form an unlikely bond—one that becomes dangerous when the Guardians track them down . . . and when Haven unwittingly awakens a sleeping giant with her stolen relic.

This full-color graphic novel is an exciting mash-up of dystopian futurism, fantasy adventure, and coming-of-age stories, with a dash of Avatar the Last Airbender for even more thrills!

MMGM- Ride or Die

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

I

Dawson, Delilah. Ride or Die

August 5, 2025 by Delacorte Press

Public Library copy

Brie has had to move to Stokely Prep after her older sister Artemis created an uncomfortable situation at her previous school, and she's just trying to keep her head down. At the end of the year, she ends up next to the hugely popular Emily, who runs the school along with her friends Emma and Emerson. While Brie knows that running afoul of "the Ems" could be catastrophic, she also knows that befriending them could make her school experience smoother. When Emily asks if Brie will be her partner during the three legged race so she can not only beat her boyfriend but also get money from her father, Brie reluctantly agrees, weighing her actions carefully. While Brie is a fast runner, Emily isn't, so Brie makes a quick decision, wins the race, and gets invited to Emily's birthday party. This is a sleepover held at the nearby Wildwoods Amusement Park. The girls check in to the Magnolia House, get the parameters of their night, and head off to enjoy the park. Emily wants to play Truth or Dare, which is a minefield. Brie is able to survive the first round by calculating her response, but Emma fails, and has to eat gum from the ground. Realizing that Emily is even more evil than she imagined, Brie decides to take a dare rather than answer a question about her sister that could end poorly. The park has an area that was closed off after four teens died in 1995, on the very day that the girls are visiting. Emily dares Brie to go behind the wall and retrieve a souvenir, but then locks Brie in. She panics at first, but manages to find a beeper. Shortly afterwards, she meets three teens, whom she assumes are there for the teen lock in. They hang out together, but strange things start to happen. Brie thinks she must be hallucinating because she is tired, being unused to staying up that late. As the evening progresses, however, things become weirder in terrifying ways. CJ, Dawn, and Trip are cool teenagers who are  nice to her, but what is their real story? Will Brie be able to survive the axe of Pickaxe Pete, the crocodile Monster Max, out of control amusement park rides, and zombies?Even if she makes it out of the amusement park, will she be able to come to terms with Emily and her friends?

Strengths: If you've read Dawson's Mine, rest assured that Ride or Die has a similar level of ick, with roaches, spoiled food, and zombies with rotting body parts. Someone connected with the 1995 deaths is trying to kill Brie, but I don't want to give too many details and spoil all of the twists and turns. I missed picking this book up before it came out, thinking that it would be more like Natasha Preston's YA horror; luckily, another librarian on Goodreads reviewed this. There were several reviewers who complained that this was repetitive and had too much friendship drama, but I think they are wrong. My students who love horror love to read about killer zombies and gross stuff, but are secretly REALLY terrified of... tween drama. Emily is scary, but what's brilliant about this book is the way Brie tries to navigate working with this villain. She knows Emily isn't nice, but feels it is worthwhile to try to deal with her so that her social life is easier. Hanging out with cool teenagers is fun... but is Brie imagining things because she's tired? I found myself really getting into this one, and enjoyed it tremendously. Definitely buying a copy. 
Weaknesses: This does start with a lot of drama; it might not be a bad idea to warn readers that it is worth getting through the first couple of chapters. The issue with the older sister didn't seem that serious that Brie would have had to change schools, but that didn't take up too much time in the story. Brie could have had to start a new school for other reasons, and Emily isn't the kind of person who needed any actual dirt on people. She'd just make some up. 

What I really think: A haunted amusement park is always great. I'll buy this for Dawson's fans or for readers who enjoyed Alexander's Escape. There aren't as many haunted amusement park books as I thought there were! 

Rosetown Forever (Rosetown #3)

Rylant, Cynthia. Rosetown Forever (#3)
June 23, 2026 by Beach Lane Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this third book set in Rosetown, Indiana, in is now 1974. Flora Smallwood is living with both of her parents, Emma Jean and Forster, who now run the Rosetown Paper and Press shop. She and her best friend, Yury, are still sad that their favorite bookstore, A Wing and a Chair, is gone, since the wonder moved away to live with a friend. They have a new haunt, Day Road Farm, run by Farmer Hester, where they enjoy riding horses. Flora loves her town, and doesn't want anything else to change, but knows that there are often circumstances beyond her control. A rash of tornadoes hitting other small towns is a vivid reminder of this. At the end of fifth grade, she and Yury are faced with the rite of passage that is the oral report, but they both do perfectly well after asking the town librarian, Mr. Anderson for help and consulting the How and Why Library for information. They occasionally hang out at the local pharmacy, with its lunch counter and array of 1970s era shampoos like Prell, Breck, and Herbal Essence. Flora learns about the historical society and its attempts at keeping the town as it is, but she and Yury do like the new store that takes the place of A Wing and a Chair. The Slightly Cracked Teacup is an antique and oddity store that does have a few vintage children's books, and Alfie and Roy, who run it, welcome them as customers. When Yury's father has to live in Chicago for a while to train in orthopedics, Flora worries that things will change, but for the moment, most of Rosetown remains comforting and familiar.

Strengths: This is a very gentle historical fiction book that looks back fondly at the world fifty years ago. There are good details about what life was like before computers arrived, and the scope is narrowly focused on the experience of Flora and her friends, which will appeal to readers who are her age. Rosetown is very idyllic; I would have adored this as a child and would have searched out vintage children's books much earlier than I eventually did had I read this!

Weaknesses: This ended rather abruptly, in the way that many books published in the 1970s did. I'm not sure if this was on purpose or not! There could easily be another installment about the Bicentennial, but this is billed as the final book.

What I really think: I would probably buy this for an elementary school library, but it is a bit too slow paced and introspective for middle school. If I had read a book set fifty years ago when I was in elementary school, it would have taken me back to the 1920s, which was always my favorite decade of the twentieth century! This made me feel a tiny bit old, but I still want to travel into the book and take over Mr. Anderson's job so that I can check out The Childhood of Famous Americans book to Flora and Yury! 

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Round Up

Lyall, Casey. The Band of Bigs (The League of Littles #2)
June 23, 2026 by Greenwillow Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus 

The illustrations in this series are fun, but the books are just kind of... mean. Younger readers will enjoy the over-the-top feel of these humorous books, but I was left feeling that the siblings should have worked together rather than resorting to hanging out with groups of the same birth order. Clearly, I'm just not the target demographic for this series, and it will be popular with readers who enjoy the goofy humor of Barnett and Harris' The First Cat in Space or Blabey's Cat on the Run series.

Howe, James, Donkin, Andrew and Gilpin, Stephen (Illus.)

Howliday Inn (Bunnicula #2)

July 14, 2026 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

An editor gets another manuscript for Harold, the writing dog: this time, the Monroe family is taking a vacation and boarding their pets at Chateau Bow Wow. Chester the cat isn't too thrilled, but the animals settle down in their "bungalows" to be cared for by Dr. Greenbriar, Harrison, and Jill. There are a variety of other "vacationers", but they go missing. Jill thinks it is her fault for leaving a gate open, but when even Chester disappears, Harold steps in to investigate. He finds the perpetrator, which is a good thing, since one of the missing dogs has puppies. The Monroes decide to adopt Howie, whom Chester feels is half werewolf, and we see the happy pets back home. 

Based on the 1982 original, and the sequel to Bunnicula, this adaptation seems to follow the original book fairly closely, and it's easier to see Harold's flights of fancy in drawings. I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first, but it's a good story. Lots of rain, and a decent mystery, although it was wrapped up in a very 1982 way. There is a short story at the end, Fur-Lock Holmes and Dr. What's-Bone. 

I weeded the originals, which were in very crumbling prebinds, so will probably purchase this one. It's somewhat updated, with cell phones and computers. 

Sawyer Lee and the Quest to Just Stay Home

Weinersmith, Zach. Sawyer Lee and the Quest to Just Stay Home

June 16, 2026 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Sawyer lives in Ovelaville with his Aunt Cecilia because his parents are always traveling. His aunt is a big fan of accomplishing things, but Sawyer is so lazy that he doesn’t even want to take phone calls from his friends Gary and Angela, because he knows they will ask him to do things. Because Ovelaville’s annual Gourd Festival is such a big event, he ends up partnering with Angela on a gourd display, because arguing with her takes too much effort, and he figures she will do all of the work anyway, because her parents are very interested in the festival. Sawyer’s nemesis is Anderson, who is always going around doing good deeds, so when Gary starts hanging out with Anderson and taking on some of the more motivated boy’s characteristics, Sawyer is outraged. Not enough to actually do anything about it, but outraged nonetheless. The gourd display project gets underway, but halts when Anderson finds that Angela’s parents have gourd enhancer, and their gourds are pulped. They claim to have been framed, so Angela mounts an investigation while her father becomes unhinged. Anderson uncovers a lot of other “cheaters”, including Bus Driver Stu and half the town. Will Angela, with Sawyer’s lukewarm help, be able to locate the culprit?

This is a highly illustrated novel that your readers will probably like more than I did, since many of them also aspire to do absolutely nothing with their days other than be on screens. I did enjoy Gary’s transformation away from being a game playing zombie when he hung out with Sawyer, but Anderson ends up not being as nice as we think he is. I can see this being popular with Stanton’s Funny Kid series, Pastis’ Timmy Failure, or Patterson’s Middle School books.

Dinosaurs to Dragons and The Last Ember

Shreeve, Elizabeth and Violeta Encarnación, Violeta (Illustrator) 

Dinosaurs to Dragons: The Lore and Science of Mythical Creatures 

July 21, 2026 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Do you have a lot of fantasy readers who are inquisitive and also LOVE mythology? This book has a lot of great connections between literature, science, and a wide variety of fantastical creatures!

Griffinsm, yetis, bunyips (which were new to me!), krakens, fairies, phoenixes, unicorns, mermaids, Quetzalcoatl's, and, yes, dragons, all get their due. There are about eight pages devoted to each, and I loved that the entries all followed the same format. There's a "Let's imagine" section that gives us an introduction, some literature, maps, and why stories were told about particular entities. There are photographs and illustration to help draw parallels between real life animals, and a good amount of scientific research and thought. The addition of more legends are lore will be appealing to readers who really want to know more about a particular creature. 

Middle school readers are fascinated by mythology, and I can still remember my own seventh grade language arts assignment where we had to take a scientific phenomenon and write our own myth explaining it! The introduction gives a brief description of how stories were told in Ancient times to explain things that people couldn't understand. 

This was well formatted, but the E ARC seemed incomplete and did not include back matter, which I suspect the finished copy will have. 

Dinosaurs to Dragons is a great book to have for all manner of fantasy readers, Dungeons and Dragons players, and students whose love of the mythical and the scientific is nicely balanced. 

Dodd, Lily Berlin. The Last Ember (The Aerimander Chronicles #1)

November 18, 2025 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Public Library copy

Eva Alexander lives in the Kingdom of Claucus, in Porttown, where she attends the Young Ladies' Royal Academy of Science. When her father sends her a voucher for Bronsworth's Department Store, she doesn't buy herself the tiara or jewels her father expects; she buys a box with a shiny substance in it that she thinks is rubidium, an explosive element. We have read earlier that this came from a man who was killed on a ship. We also meet Dusty, who lives at St. Icabod's orphanage and has recently had a Mark appear on him identifying him as a member of the Thieves' Union. He is tasked with stealing the object from Eva. Also interested in the box is director Eoin Parnassus, who refers to it as "the weapon". Eva and her roommate, Myrnie, do some research and suspect they may have an aerimander egg. This is significant, since all of the dragon like creatures in the kingdom were thought to be killed. When a mishap causes the egg to adhere to Eva's hand, the two want to consult Dr. Frogg, a cryptoecologist whom Myrnie admires, but instead Eva ends up being kidnapped by Dusty, who is working out of the Lurid Ferret tavern. She manages to escape by bribing a bartender to slip poppies into Dusty's drink, and gets Dr. Frogg's help in removing the egg. The scientist wants to hatch the egg and take the Aerimander to the Northern Isles, which Eva doesn't like. Myrnie is looking for Eva, with the help of a man claiming to be a soldier. Dusty is trying to locate Eva, riding along on a rented horse named Gourd. The egg fuses to his hand in another mishap and eventually hatches into an Aerimander Eva names Rubi. Parnassus is on the trail, too, and the groups all serendipitously come together in the Meadow District, where there is an epic showdown that ends in a violent death. Rubi vanishes, and Eva is sent to another school, Brydhaven. Dusty checks in with the orphanage, but the last scene is of rocks being thrown at Eva's window at school. The First Flame, book two, comes out November 17, 2026. 

Strengths: This was a complicated fantasy, with chapters alternating perspectives, but I was able to follow the story. There is a somewhat cozy feel to the setting of the Ladies' Academy, and I liked the idea of Eva wanted to study science rather than be concerned about her clothing or boys. The Thieves' Union is intriguing, and there's an Oliver Twist feel to Dusty's backgroung. Director Parnassus is just pure evil. The concept of an Aerimander is an intriguing one, and I would have liked to have seen more of Rubi. This was well woven together, and had a convincing world. I can see this selling well at holidays as a gift for avid readers. 

Weaknesses: I do have readers who like books where the characters interact with dragons, but there is relatively little dragon in this first volume. This 350+ page book just sets the scene, and I'm not sure my readers will stick with it. The pseudo Victorian setting feels a bit dated and just the tiniest bit twee; I suspect the young author was a fan of Pullman's The Golden Compass and read a lot of fantasy books in middle school. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for fans of Townsend's  2017 Wundersmith: The Trials of Morrigan Crow, Steadman's Skandar series, or Rundell's Impossible Creatures. 

The Masterminds Trap (Last Chance Academy #2)

Florence, Debbi Michiko.The Mastermind's Trap (Last Chance Academy #2)
March 17, 2026 by Aladdin
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Meg and her friends Tana, Ryan, and Zane are back after their adventures in A Study in Secrets, and are going on the trip that Meg won in the scavenger hunt. At the last minute, her father can't chaperone, and her Aunt Vivian (who is always very negative) goes instead. The group ends up at Moon Manor, a fabulous house in California, and proceed to spend nearly half the book solving mysteries and seeing the sights like the Crystal Cave, Balboa Fun Zone and the Japanese American National Museum. There's a bit of a secret about who orchestrated this trip, but it's soon found out, and before long the kids are back at school. The Leland Chase Academy is having financial troubles, and to solve this issue, the director is having all of the students do a showcase project to attract investors to the school. Meg doesn't know what to do, but working with some teachers, she decides to plan a walking trail. She won't have to actually build it, just come up with the plans. It's hard to concentrate on this when she needs to find the identity of the Mastermind, especially since he has threatened to end the showcase, which would lead to the closure of the school and Meg's loss of her friends. It's likely that the culprit is Charles Chase, the descendant of the founder of the school and also the boyfriend of a teacher, Miss Jillian. There seems to be a Chase treasure that could help save the school, but Meg's research into this is hindered by the necessity of keeping things secret from her friends. While everything works out, the book ends with a teaser for another possible mystery for the group to solve.
Strengths: Boarding school tales are always fun, and it was interesting to see Meg and her friends as they become more acquainted with each other. The virtual vacation in California was rather fun, and Florence (who was raised there) has an obvious fondness for the location. There are a lot of clues to follow, and a serious issue to address about the school. Add in a bit of friend drama, as well as a cat, and this will be a winner with readers who like clue oriented mysteries and scavenger hunts.
Weaknesses: I didn't like the way that the Mastermind threatened Meg in a rather serious way and the showcase didn't seem like enough to save a school.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Yee's The Misfits or Gerber's The Liar's Society. Florence's This is How I Roll and Sweet and Sour are wildly popular in my library, and since romance books have become more popular, I'd love to see her write a few more like these.  

Lucy Lancaster

Cove, Willow and Burris, Priscilla (illustrator).

Lucy Lancaster in the Spotlight (Lucy Lancaster #4)
August 5, 2025 by Little Simon

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
 

Lucy loves playing the guitar and taking lessons from Mr. Martin at the community center with Karina and Gabe. She's excited when the annual recital is announced, and can't wait to get up on the stage and have all of her friends watch her perform. She invites her best friends, Heidi Hecklebeck and Bruce Bickerson, but when Bryce shows the group the music she is playing on the piano, Lucy scoffs and says that she could play the (much harder!) music in her sleep. Lucy panics a little because she isn't that good a guitarist, and is all set to practice a lot, but remembers that her magical hiccups could make her sound great. She doesn't practice at all in the week leading up to the concert, and even goes out to the park to play soccer the day of rehearsal. Things go poorly, and she makes a big mistake, and not even her spells help. She tries to get out of going to the concert, going as far as claiming that she has hurt her arm, but her parents know she is faking it, and try to reassure her that she will be fine. They even put together an audience of her stuffed animals so that she can practice playing in front of a crowd. She's still nervous before the concert when her friends Heidi and Bruce show up, but they assure her they are there to hear her do her best. Lucy's trio with Karina and Gabe goes well, but Bryce's piano piece has some problems. Even though Lucy didn't use her magic to help her performance, there is magical confetti at the end of the performance!

Any child who has been involved in dance or music lessons may have been faced with a first public performance and the attendant anxiety that goes along with getting up on stage, so this is a great book to show that preparation and a good attitude is the key to success. While Lucy doesn't practice as much as she should, there is a consequence for her actions when she doesn't do as well as she would like. She tries to prepare herself as much as she can in the short time left, and I like to imagine that in the future she would dedicate herself to more structured practice. Bryce is an interesting character; sometimes, she is nice, but she is often mean. I think children run into people like this more often than it is depicted in the literature! 

The book has lots of black and white illustrations, many of which take up half the page,  as well as decorations, making this a great choice for readers moving from I Can Read books to longer titles. The stars and exuberant lines that appear whenever magic is happening make it easier to know when Lucy's magical hiccups are influencing her actions. 

Aimed at readers aged 5-9, the Lucy Lancaster stories are perfect for that age when magic seems like it really MIGHT be possible. Readers who enjoyed Anna's Daisy Dreamer books, Meadows' Rainbow Magic series, Meddaugh Martha Speaks titles, or vintage Ruth Chew tales will find that Lucy casts quite the spell on them. 

Cove, Willow and Burris, Priscilla (illustrator).
Lucy Lancaster: It's Opposite Day!
December 2, 2025 by Little Simon
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

It's Opposite Day at Brewster Elementary School, and Lucy is all set. She has two shirts and a hat on backwards, even if wearing her glasses upside down didn't work. Principal Pennypacker is in a t shirt and jeans, and Ms. Welli is having the students teach some of the lessons. The students learn about palindromes, and get to play a game of Simon Says where they have to do the opposite. This is a little stressful for Lucy because it's hard, but when she gets a case of magical hiccups and says "No hiccups!", her classmates don't start hiccupping, so everyone is out. Lucy's a little worried that her classmates might find out her secret when the name tag  on her desk changes to say "Lucy the Witch" and she looks for a magic spell to hide her secret. When Lucy has to teach the class something, she struggles with a topic until she remembers that she is in charge of feeding the fish everyday. The lesson goes well, even though Lucy gets the hiccups again and the fish do some impressive leaping in their tank. Lucy even tells her classmates that she is a witch, but since it's Opposite Day, they don't believe her. 

The illustrations in this story are fun amusing than usual because of all the funny things that are being done for Opposite Day. Ms. Welli has glasses stuck into her hair at the back of her head, Heidi and Lucy climb into their cubbies and put their back packs on their desk, and Bruce has a black board full of explanations about his newest invention. Special days at elementary school can be very memorable; I remember one Wacky Day where my daughter wanted to have her hair done up like a bowl of macaroni and cheese, and another one when she went dressed like me! I loved the way Ms. Welli tied her lessons into the theme of opposites. 

Despite her magic, Lucy has the same fears that many elementary school students have. Getting up in front of a class takes some courage and preparation, but Lucy does a great job. Her friends are very supportive. Since her friend Heidi is also a witch, it's a little surprising that this fact has to be kept so hush hush. I might need to go back and read the first book in this series, Lucy Lancaster Has a Secret (2025). 

I was a huge fan of Glovach's Little Witch series when I was in elementary school, and Lucy's magical exploits will be a big hit with fans of Malcolm's Jewel Kingdom stories, Osborne's Magic Treehouse books, or Chapman's Star Friends. Now, if we could just have a book of "spells" to go along with this. I remember reading one from the public library, and found it quite a music even though I was never able to do any magic! 

MMGM- Summerween and The Sweet Spot

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

We have Thad Whittier of Simon and Schuster to thank for our Summerween celebration! I had never heard of the idea, but then even on Halloween itself, I don't have any decorations. While horror is not MY thing, it's certainly very big with my students. School librarians won't be able to celebrate on June 22 as they do on Gravity Falls, but this sounds perfect for public librarians who are working on Summer Reading Programs and need one more idea for things to incorporate. 

Mr. Whittier informed me that "Summerween is an informal celebration that blends Halloween themes with summertime activities and aesthetics. Folks try to capture the fun, spooky spirit of Halloween in warmer beachier times. Instead of crisp autumn weather and October traditions, Summerween reimagines the holiday with things like pool parties, beach trips, tropical drinks, summer camp vibes, and outdoor gatherings, all paired with classic Halloween elements like horror movies, candy, costumes, and more. 

At its core, Summerween is less of an official holiday and more of a vibe for summer. It appeals to people who love spooky season and want to celebrate it before fall arrives, in a campy, sort of nostalgic, over the top type of way."

Of course, I dragged my feet long enough on reviewing the perfect book for this holiday that the E ARC expired and I lost my notes. It was very fun, though, and will make younger children giggle. I think that my grandson will be a big fan, which is fine as long as he understands that he will be wearing a thirty year old bunny costume for Halloween until he grows out of it, because that sucker took me way longer to make that it should have! 

Sterer, Gideon and Santoso, Charles (Illustrator) The Underwearwolf

May 12, 2026 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

E ARC provided by the publisher

From the publisher:

Perfect for fans of Creepy Pair of Underwear, this wolfish picture book romp follows a kid who finds himself in a hairy situation when he dons a pair of not-so-normal undies under the light of the full moon.

Do not, under any circumstances,
Or for any reason,
Wear this underwear under the full moon.

Do you understand?

Get ready to howl with laughter as one rule-breaking, underwear-loving kid transforms into a—gasp!—UNDERWEARWOLF! Now he’s on an unforgettable nighttime adventure that may or may not include furry paws, sharp claws, uncomfortable wedgies, and an honest-to-goodness wild wolfpack! No butts about it—this is one read-aloud that’ll blow your undies off!

Vickers, Elaine. The Sweet Spot

May 5, 2026 by Peachtree

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Trip loves to play baseball, and feels it is his legacy. His grandfather, who lives next door, played in the major league. Even though the family has moved to Cedar Valley so they can be more stationery now that the father is in the reserves (and has a job teaching high school science), his father chooses to be deployed. This puts a lot of pressure on his mother, and he and his sisters Shar and Marley all help with household tasks and take care of five year old Bean. Now that it's summer, Trip spends a lot of time playing baseball with his friends Dylan and Andy. The coach makes Trip team captain because he hasn't missed any practices or games for two years, and Trip takes this very seriously. He's also okay with having a new teammate, Sam, since she seems to be an excellent player. She even helps coach Trip on some batting skills, with good results. Dylan and Andy, however, are not thrilled, mainly because Dylan's father frequently rails against "woke" policies. Trip misses his father desperately; he likes to hang out with his grandfather, and even manages to chat with his father in the Need for Speed video game about different challenges he is facing with the team. Trip is trying to be the best ball player he can be; he shows up early, starts running and lifting weights, and improves his diet. He works with Sam, whose older brothers are college players and have some good tips. He occasionally forgets to do things for his mother he has promised to do, and at Dylan's urging damages Bean's favorite doll. To his credit, he tries to make amends. When his mother has to travel for business, he is irritated, but surprised when his sister show him how important his mother is in her career. Trip helps out his grandfather by cooking (after getting tired of canned spaghetti!) and mowing the lawn, and is the one to find his grandfather when he has painfully dislocated his shoulder. The grandfather ends up in the hospital, but things become even more stressful for the family when the father is injured. The extent of his injuries isn't known, but the mother prepares to go to Germany to be with him. The older children step up, but Trip decides that isn't enough; he needs to quit the baseball team. His grandfather lets him, his coach understands, Dylan is happy to be able to start again, and Sam is sympathetic. Will Trip be able to work through his feelings and return to the baseball field? 
Strengths: This is exactly the sort of middle grade book I love to see. Even though Trip faces some fairly difficult circumstances, he is upbeat and tries his best to improve his situation. Because it is 2025, he is not at all surprised that there is a girl on his team, although he does react to his friends' disapproval. Dylan is an unfortunately typical middle school boy, and the fact that Trip doesn't agree with him but is sometimes powerless to stop Dylan is perfect. I loved Sam's matter-of-fact attitude, her drive, and her knowledge of her sport. While I usually like a little romance in middle grade literature, it made more sense for the two to be good friends. Trip thinks a lot about gender roles, even questioning whether his grandfather gives him preferential treatment. There aren't a lot of books about deployed parents, and it's good to see Trip's longing for his father represented. This book was an enormous relief after reading a raft of realistic stories that were soggily sad. 
Weaknesses: The cover has a Richard Cuffari 1980s vibe that is a bit odd; I keep thinking that there is a clown on the cover because of the way Trip's cheeks are drawn. 
What I really think: Vickers did such a nice job with Half Moon Summer, but I liked this one even better. Instead of always showing middle grade characters with anxiety, I would love to see more that model resiliency and determination. Many athletes want to be the team captain, but fewer are willing to do the work. Many of my students don't have any goals, and seem unable to plan, so Trip sets a good example on so many levels. Not only that, but the story is fast paced and intriguing. A must purchase title for middle schools where baseball books are in demand.

Happy First Day of Summer!

Wheeler, Eliza. A Cozy Summer Day
May 26, 2026 by Nancy Paulsen Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

The residents of Acorn Village, having survived the snow and cold of A Cozy Winter's Day, are enjoying their time outside as summer rolls around. They are busy in their gardens, Doing outdoor projects, and playing in the sand. Of course, they take time for some ice cream, lemonade, vegetables, and salty snacks! They enjoy the water, dipping their toes in a brook, paddling on the river, and hanging out at the otter's swimming hole. They stay cool when the sun is high, and have a fire as night approaches. When the day is done, they return to their homes, relaxed and refreshed.

The illustrations in this series are absolutely enthralling, with so many details on each page. There's just enough text to make this a good read aloud to even the squirmiest child. Had I owned this when I was young, I would have spent hours poring over the pictures and reveling in the clothes the animals are wearing, the plants in the background, and the tiny animals and their homes.

I have to admit that one of the reasons I picked this up was to check to see if there was any knitting; sadly, the animals are too busy outside, and knitting doesn't go well with water and snacks.

We can only hope that there will be A Cozy Autumn Day as well, with a good mix of bracing outdoor walks and fireside stories afterwards, since Acorn Village is a happy place I would be more than happy to revisit!

Cupcakes and Pancakes

Simon, Coco and Bishop, Tracy (Illustrator). 

Cupcakes & Camp (Mia in the Middle #1)
March 17, 2026 by Simon Spotlight
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Mia, one of the main characters in The Cupcake Diaries, is devastated that she has to spend time away from Maple Grove and her friends Katie, Lexie, and Emma. Her parents are going to be busy with work, and her stepbrother Dan is not old enough to watch her over the summer. She's whisked off to a camp upstate where she finds to her absolute horror that no phones are allowed and there is an ugly, polyester uniform that she has to wear instead of her fashionable attire! Her mother claims that if she had told Mia about these things, she would have refused to go. Mia is glad to see her best friend from Manhattan, Ava, at the camp, but Ava is standoffish when Mia doesn't remember that Ava was going to attend the camp. There's no soccer, but Mia is put into archery and swimming, since she is athletic. She makes a few friends in the enthusiastic Jade and Sasha, and does have a few opportunities to show off her fashion knowledge. Eventually she and Ava reconcile, and there are more camp adventures planned, with Home is Where the Cupcake Is is due out May 5, 2026.
Strengths: It's always interesting to see tweens being put into new situations where they have to make friends and draw upon their inner resources to navigate life without parents. The camp had the usual outdoor activities, as well as crafts, counselors, and MUCH better sounding food than I got at Camp Kiwatani! There's some light friend drama, and Mia even learns to write letters. Of course, her friends in the Cupcake Club don't write back often, but they do eventually, and assure her that she is missed.
Weaknesses: Obviously, Coco Simon is a pen name, but I wonder if a different writer wrote this book. It seemed different from the original Cupcake Diaries, Sprinkle Sundays or Donut Dreams series. On a practical level, since I have twenty of the Cupcake Diaries books that rarely get read after book five (I really, really liked all of them!), I am reluctant to purchase a new series about the same characters.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed camp stories like Sloan and Wolitzer's To Night Owl from Dogfish, Montague's Camp Frenemies, or Moskowitz-Palma's Camp Clique. 

Personal thoughts: Would parents really spring summer camp on a child four days before the camp started? Don't kids WANT to go to camp? They are expensive! And not tell them there was no technology? What camp has uniforms? I had a lot of questions, but this might be because the book I wrote in 8th grade was about summer camp!

Young, Stephanie and Lassiter, Allyson. The Pancake Trap

June 9, 2026 by Oni Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Maple Sanford is sad because it is the last day that her family's restaurant, Dot's Diner, is opened. Her mother has sold it to a developer who is destroying the entire downtown so a new Robotech corporation can go in. Since her beloved grandmother, Dot, started the restaurant in the 1970s, Maple doesn't want it to close. Her older sister, Margaret is realistic, hoping to earn money for college by winning the local beauty pageant. If only there were a way for the family to get money! Enter the legend of Crispy's stolen gold, which leads Maple and her friend Oz to investigate the giant statue of her grandmother. Using clues they find in Dot's cookbook, they find a secret entrance in the heel that takes them into a National Treasure type underground passageway, with puzzles and rooms opened up by Dot's spatula. Margaret is wearing the festival crown for the Haywood Day Parade, and two Mythsonian Museum guards show up in the passages saying they need it back. This seems suspicious, so Maple and her group try to get away. They end up uncovering fifty year old secrets that may save the restaurant. 

This was a very different sort of graphic novel. The illustrations had a very Saturday morning cartoon feel to them, and while this is realistic, the very existence of an undergroung passageway seemed unlikely. Sensitive readers should know that there are two skeletons found of people who died in the underground area .This was frenetic, and a bit confusing. Crispy was portrayed in a way that felt very like a 1920s gangster; he was garbed as such, and I was sure the Lucky Cluck was a speakeasy. Since the grandmother had a relationship with him in the 1970s, this seemed odd. Young readers won't mind, and will enjoy the sugary pancake recipes.