Fight or Flight and I Survived The Night of the Lions, 2025

Kinney, Jeff. Fight or Flight (Wimpy Kid #21)
October 20, 2026 by Harry N. Abrams
Ohio E Book Library copy

If you want to know what goes on in the book, complete with spoilers, read on. If you want to be surprised, don't! I read this VERY quickly, so if I makes mistakes with names or events, please feel free to correct me. 

After years of bullying his best friend, Rowley, Greg is suddenly concerned about being bullied himself. With bullies like Zander "Z-Rex" Wrexham roaming the hallways, he develops elaborate plans for survival, with flight always being his reaction. Greg isn't the most bullied kid in the school; that honor belongs to Jarrett Jollifee. Greg plots out all of the doorbell cameras in his neighborhood, pretends to talk on a cell phone so no one bothers him, and even hides an emergency "go bag" in the ceiling tiles in the boys' bathroom, just in case he needs to leave the country. You'd think antibullying month at school would help, but it doesn't, and Greg's mom is embracing the philosophy that he needs to learn to problem solve on his own, so she's no help. Greg does have a few other concerns; Mr. Finch and Miss Starling are dating, and he often carries notes to Miss Starling; he and Rowley play Magick and Monsters, a Dungeons and Dragons type game where Rowley is Targor Ironhide, a dwarf warrior; and he thinks a lot about animal adaptations and how he could change his ways to better survive. He starts keeping a notebook of all of the bullies in school, their strengths and habits, and details about when they bully others. Greg also gets involved in a birding club, but tries to talk them into watching for bullies instead. This is briefly successful until Mr. Finch and Miss Starling get involved as advisors and plan a field trip to a bird sanctuary. When Greg accidentally switches binders with Mr. Finch, things get interesting. The binder is turned over to the principal, and kids get called down to the office and put into detention. Greg doesn't want the bullies to connect him to the binder, so gets himself sent to the principal for chewing gum and gets his binder back. He recycles all of the pages in the office, but when the recycling is emptied, pages blow everywhere. The bullies try to locate the "Snitch", and Greg is so afraid that he even tries karate lessons but is quickly kicked out. Z-Rex hires Greg to investigates the identity of the Snitch, but Ryland (another bully) hires Alex, and when the bullies think that ROWLEY is the snitch, a fight is planned between Z-Rex and Rowley. Everyone in school shows up to the stadium, and Rowley chickens out at the last minute, leaving Greg in the line of fire. Luckily, Rowley literally throws a towel at Z-Rex, taking him down just long enough for the Birding Club to arrive to save the day. Jarret gives a speech about kindness, and everyone thinks he is a hero. Mr. Finch and Miss Starling get married, and the school culture changes. The bullies have nothing to do, so Greg reads them picture books at recess, and everyone lives happily ever after. 

Strengths: This seemed a little different from the other installments in that there were a lot of characters and plot points that ended up being picked up later in the story and being important. Most of the time, something like Rowley having a character named Targor would be mentioned once and never brought up again, but it's the one thing that ties him (and therefore Greg) to the notebook. Jarrett and his Kindness Klub are mentioned early on, and then really take over the end of the book. There was even a clever bit with Mr. Finch and Miss Starling being the Birding Club advisors. There's still a lot of random events thrown around, but children seem to love this non sequitur, anecdotal style. We don't see too much of Greg's family, which helps focus the story on school events. Greg is portrayed as a little less psychopathic, and even seems to have picked up a reading habit. Most of all, Greg's adventures don't seem to repeat themselves and still feel fresh. There's also a shout out  to Tarshis' I Survived series with a made up series Greg enjoys called "I Ran Away From...". 
Weaknesses: Are there still antibullying initiatives in schools? Yes. But real bullying isn't so much wedgies and stealing lunch money as it is nasty whispers. There are several other things that don't seem realistic, like cameras in classrooms and parents attending school with their children, Greg getting sent to the principal for chewing gum, and teachers being prohibited from dating. There's a huge crowd for the fight on school grounds? Are these ideas funny? Sure. The beginning of the book is extremely frenetic, but things do settle down into something that almost resembles a plot for a bit.
What I really think: The Wimpy Kid books are all the proof we need that I am not ACTUALLY a twelve year old boy. I don't really enjoy them at all, but I am not the target demographic. Actual tweens still love these. Because I won't have a copy for a while, I told my sixth grade classes how to check the book our from the Ohio Digital Library, and a half dozen got out their Chromebooks and checked out copies on the spot! 

Tarshis, Lauren. I Survived The Night of the Lions, 2025

September 15, 2026 by Scholastic Inc.

E ARC provided by Netgalley

After Dylan injures his arm playing baseball at home in Boston, he travels with his much older sister, Maya, who is the social media influencer behind Maya's Wild Life. Their destination? Botswana! Accompanied by a local driver, Tito, they learn about the lions in the area. Of particular interest in Mogolo, who is in charge of his pride, and the younger Kotsi brothers, who need to strike out on their own and find a pride that they can take over after defeating the leader. When Mogolo shows up on videos as having been caught in a wire, the team heads out to try to help him, and Dylan and Maya are allowed to come along. Unfortunately, on the return trip the plane they are traveling in crashes, and Maya shatters her leg. The pilot, Rik, is badly burned, and the plane explodes! Dylan has been warned the the night belongs to the predators, so he is very cautious when he tries to get water from a lagoon. When the Kotsi brothers see him, will he and his group be able to survive the night?
Strengths: The I Survived books are popular with 6th graders in my building, and this 26th tale is part of a new series, Wildlife Adventures. It's more like the Gary Paulsen World of Adventure books; quick, interesting, and short. I wish I had the whole series of these, since the two I do have are quite worn out. Young readers who want to be influencers will be enthralled by Maya's lifestyle, and there's some sympathy for Dylan after injuring his arm. There are notes and pictures on Tarshis' own trip to Botswana as well as facts and a bibliography, making this informative as well as exciting. 
Weaknesses: This was not a personal favorite of mine. I didn't much care for Dylan or Maya, and the ending was very sudden. There was very little surviving, and Dylan didn't get to do much that contributed to the group's rescue. 

What I really think: I will probably buy a copy of this while I can get it in hardcover, since it will get a lot of use. I can see this being a book that lures some of my students into reading other historical adventures. 

The Drowning Game and The Hardy Boys: Fall Mysteries

Bowing, Dusti. The Drowning Game

October 13, 2026 by Union Square & Co.

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In the summer of 1999, Christian is surprised when his friend James calls him out of the blue and demands that he go on a white water rafting trip with him on the Salt River in Arizona. Christian and his mother moved to Minnesota after the death of his father from cancer, and his life has been pretty boring. There's not much to do but work at Taco Bell and play video games, so he finds himself reluctantly agreeing, since James has already bought his planet ticket. He doesn't tell his mother the trip involves the water, since he had a previous unpleasant incident, but just says they are going camping. When he arrives, James introduces him to his girlfriend, Freya, as well as Daniel and Scott. The trip seems ill-planned, since there are no life jackets, little food, and only three sleeping bags, but there is a cooler with beer. Christian finds Freya to be very attractive, and when she and Christian decline to go over one of the falls and instead portage around, the two have some heart-to-heart conversations about James' treatment of her. The trip doesn't go well, and ends with Freya getting washed off of the raft and drowning. Christian, frozen with fear, doesn't jump in to save her. He's not charged with her death; it's ruled accidental after her body is found. Christian hopes to attend college in Minnesota, but is only accepted into Arizona State. He's just as glad to be away from the water. He gets an apartment and starts classes, including one on forensic science. He starts dating Nikki, but things start going poorly after he sees a girl who looks just like Freya. He becomes obsessed with her and follows her, which leads to the police delivering a restraining order. Madison Barton may say she's not Freya, but what's the real story? Fans of April Henry will absolutely adore the dark twists and turns!

Strengths: I absolutely loved Christian, and thought that his relationship with James was completely realistic, and that the twists and turns this takes are completely dependent on both the characters and their history together in a way that is rather brilliant. The rafting trip ended halfway through the book, and I was a bit confused. That's it? Now Christian just goes off to college? Ah, but that's where things REALLY get interesting. Definitely dark and psychological in ways I can't really describe without ruining the suspense. I loved the depiction of college classes, the apartment, and Nikki; young adult books used to have characters in college more than they do now. The most brilliant part of this is that Bowling was circumspect in her use of language and situations. There is some drinking, and there is a brief make out scene where Nikki tells Christian to stop and he does, but there is no mature language or anything else that would make this inappropriate for more mature middle school readers. The 1999 setting ads a little bit of interest, and also does away with the difficulties that cell phones would have caused with the plot. 
Weaknesses: This did catch me off guard a bit, perhaps because of the cognitive disconnect between Bowling's Sir Edmund and Aven Green books and the much older and darker content of this title. There was no reason for the father to have died; people move to different states all the time for work or to be near family. I also personally could have done without the depiction of Christian pretending (?) to drown himself in the bathtub to replicate what Freya would have experienced, but he never seems to be very serious about causing himself harm. That detail does cause the book to have a warning note, and would be the main reason to think critically about having this in a middle school library. 
What I really think: This is a fantastic book for readers who enjoy April Henry's many dark mysteries or Van Draanen's The Steps. Ms. Bowling has done many different types of excellent books, but I really think she has found her niche with this new book, and I hope that she continues to write more upper middle grade/young adult mysteries! After much reflection, I will be buying this for my collection. 

Dixon, Franklin W. and  Gutiérrez, Santy (illustrator)

The Hardy Boys Clue Book: Fall Mysteries

September 8, 2026 by Aladdin

I love any iteration of the Hardy Boys, so this is a fun book. Great for developing readers in middle school and perfect for elementary readers!

Brothers Frank and Joe Hardy tackle three spooky investigations in this fall-themed Hardy Boys Clue Book three-books-in-one paperback bind-up!

In The Bad Luck Skate, Frank and Joe are excited to be supporting their friends on the Bayport Checkers hockey team. But when someone dumps paint all over the team’s lucky skate, their star player worries their luck has run out. Then his stick breaks before he takes the ice! Has the team really lost their luck or is someone trying to psych them out so they lose the game? Without a clear suspect, Frank and Joe are on thin ice.

After Frank and Joe’s friend Jason wins a treasure map at Bayport’s Pirate Palooza, a message in a bottle warns him not to hunt for the treasure! Could it be the legendary ghost of Captain Scurvydog? In The Pirate Ghost, the Hardy Boys are on the case to prove that spirits definitely do not exist…or do they?

In The Great Pumpkin Smash, Frank and Joe can’t wait to celebrate Halloween at Bayport’s annual party, Boo at the Zoo. But when the brothers go to check out the painted pumpkin display, they’re all completely squashed! The two detectives must find out who pummeled the pumpkins or else this will be the last Boo at the Zoo.

Rowan + Gemma

Pla, Sally J. Rowan + Gemma
October 20, 2026 by Quill Tree Books
E ARC provided by Blue Slip Media

Rowan Monahan's family is deeply invested in their hometown of Friendship Prairie. His Uncle Lucky runs the local pub, where the family members work, and his cousin Ty is on the high school football team. His mother Maggie is involved in many community initiatives, and has a lifelong dream to restore the run down Jepson house near the family's home. When it is town down and a big new house is built, she is angry. Rowan stutters and has some developmental delays, but it's a small town, and people understand. He's somewhat concerned about starting high school, and his best friend, Mark (who may be on the autism spectrum), is anxious as well. Neither boy is as anxious as Gemma Caplan, whose mother Clare inherited the Jepson house and moved Gemma and her triplet brothers from the city out to the country after retiring from the law after having heart issues. Gemma has speech apraxia, so doesn't communicate verbally. Instead, she uses an AAC (Augmentative/Alternative Communication tablet). She has some social anxiety as well, and is particular about her clothing. Her mother does relent and drives her to school so she doesn't have to take the bus, but it is a big change. When both Rowan and Gemma are seeking a little quiet to gather themselves, they meet in an art room storage area. Rowan is having a bit of a melt down, but is nonplussed by Gemma's AAC tablet. He helps her get to her first period class, and hopes to see her again. The people in Friendship Prairie are not happy with all of the new development, and the new people in town. Rowan reminds his mother that she is usually kind to everyone, and she does take brownies to the Caplans, but when she realizes that Clare was the one who side swiped her car at school pick up, things don't end well. Rowan's cousin Ty is aggressive toward the Caplan triplets, Tom, Nick, and Harry, even though they seem like they are friendly and a good addition to the football team. After Clare decides to run for the school board, community feelings run high, and Maggie throws her hat into the race. The parents' arguments greatly affect Rowan and Gemma, who at one point go around town replacing negative campaign signs with positive ones. The homecoming dance is the night of the school board elections, and the couple decides to attend, even if they don't want to tell their families. When the weather turns rough, the town realizes that the health and happiness of its citizens is more important than politics. 

Strengths: I'm not entirely sure that most middle schoolers will get the Romeo and Juliet references, but there are many of them for readers who love a twist on Shakespearian or classic tales like Rhodes' Runaway Gold or LaRocca's Much Ado About Baseball. Friendship Prairie is an interesting small town with a lot of built in drama, and there are many small towns struggling with an influx of new citizens right now, at least in Ohio. It's difficult to see one's town changing. While Clare does have ties to the community, she keeps them under wraps. Rowan and Gemma's struggles and embarassments are realistically portrayed, and they have a very sweet romance. I do wish that more middle grade books depicted early high school experiences, and I appreciated that while things were challenging, they weren't absolutely horrible. There's an exciting and generally happy ending to round things off. 
Weaknesses: I would have much preferred more glimpses at Rowan and Gemma's high school experience rather than all of the family drama and the community uproar about the school board election. Seeing the two of them try out different groups, work on school projects, and perhaps raise awareness for different health conditions would have been more helpful than the immature bickering the mothers and townspeople got caught up in. Also, the dance would have to be held on a Tuesday, or the elections on a Friday, in order for the results to be announced the same night as the homecoming dance. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want to understand what it is like to navigate the world with conditions that are different from the mainstream. Most young readers will have met someone like Rowan, but Gemma's AAC tablet is much more visible and might not be something they have encountered. Add this to Kuyatt's Good Different or Vrabel's A Blind Guide to Stinkville as a book to promote understanding and empathy. 

Samantha: The Next Chapter and Brittle Magic

Davis Fiona. Samantha: The Next Chapter
October 13, 2026 by American Girl Publishing
Copy provided by the publisher

In 1920, Samantha Parkington has been teaching for three years, but is spending the summer back in Mount Bedford with Grandmary while her aunt Cornelia and Uncle Gard are taking their son to San Francisco. It's good to be back home, and Samantha is working hard on encouraging women to vote. She hopes to eventually attend the teachers' college at Columbia University. When her grandmother suddenly passes away after a brief period of decline, Samantha is shocked to find out from the family lawyer that Grandmary filed a new will just the week before she died, leaving everything (including the house that is supposed to be Samantha's) to the MRB Corporation. Mr. Quigley tells her that he will investigate and work to get the money back, but since Gard won't return her communication, Samantha decides to leave the Chicago area and go to New York City to investigate. The servants are sent to a new neighbor, Mrs. Finley, so they are taken care of. Samantha heads to her friend Agatha's boarding house, which is a good thing, since the little money she had is stolen by street children. She gets a place in the boarding house, and Agatha helps her get a job at the B. Altman department store. Unfortunately, it is the undergarments department that is ruled by the evil Mrs. Holzendorf. While trying to hunt done Mr. Malloy, who is behind the change in the will, Samantha meets Tommy, who works for Malloy's shady business. She also runs into long time family friend Ricky Strickland, who is investigating Malloy for fraud, and says that he will tell his supervisors about Malloy's involvement in defrauding her grandmother. Both men are interested in her, but work keeps Samantha very busy. As her investigation continues, things get increasingly dangerous. Will she be able to retrieve her inheritance?

Strengths: This is a beautiful book, complete with edges sprayed in the same plaid as Samantha's childhood dress, and Davis has written other historical novels for adults. It's always an interesting concept to follow a childhood favorite into adulthood; Naylor's Now I'll Tell You Everything is a more extreme example. It's fun to catch up briefly with the cast of characters from Mount Bedford, and to watch as Samantha takes on challenges of adulthood without the support of her beloved Grandmary. Clearly, Davis is well versed in the books, and loves the characters. There are a lot of good historical details about daily life as well as the politics of the time. Even though this is an adult book, there is nothing that would prevent this from being in a middle school or high school library.
Weaknesses: The audience for this book seems to be adult readers who grew up with American Girl dolls in the 1990s. I haven't had readers for these books for at least fifteen years. The villains in the story are not as nuanced as I would expect for an adult title. 
What I really think: I enjoyed this, and know that there are a lot of women who might have middle grade children themselves who will love this. American Girl seems to be having a bit of a resurgence, with the publication of The Making of American Girl and a rebooting of the dolls. I'm interested to see what further adventures Samantha might have. 

O'Shaughnessy, Kat. Brittle Magic
October 20, 2026 by Knopf Books for Young Reader
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Shiloh Brittle Walker lives with her parents, older sister Judith, twin brother Sammy, and a variety of secrets. The most open one is that everyone in the Brittle clan has a touch of magic. Her mother runs a bakery called Sugarplum, and makes sugar butterflies that fly, and other magical treats, excusing their movement by saying the sugar is engineered. Judith can grow enormous pumpkins, and Sammy can heal plants. Shiloh doesn't have any talent, and her older brother, Jason, who passed away when he was twelve, had a talent that was not discussed. His room remains locked and untouched, and Shiloh's mother will not discuss him. Shiloh keeps trying to discover her own talent, and even visits her Aunt Delilah, who can tell fortunes with pickles. The reading leads her to befriend Isabel, who moves to town with her father. Isabel is homeschooled, but Shiloh insists on visiting her house and hanging out, based on the fortune. She is also increasingly interested in Jason's fate, thinking that knowing about him will help her understand her talent. She's at odds with Sammy because he is hanging out with a classmate who can help him connect to a boy he has a crush on, and the two even sleep in separate rooms because they can't get past their fight. When Shiloh snoops in Jason's room and steals mail addressed to her mother, she uncovers information about Jason's death, and confronts her parents to finally explain it to her and help her make peace with the past. Her mother is so angry that she cancels a big, planned family reunion. Can Shiloh figure out what happened to her brother, and discover her magical talent?

This was a fun book with magical realism that would be great for collections where Stewart, Erin. The Mysterious Magic of Lighthouse Lane, Myracle's Incredibly Penelope, or Cherrywell's The Ink Witch are popular. Younger readers who secretly believe they might have a magical talent will identify with Shiloh and her attempts at finding something that gives her that "maple syrup" warm feeling of being magical. The family dynamics will hold the attention of older readers, especially with the cast of interesting characters and the friendship between Shiloh and Isabel. 

O'Shaughnessy's Lasagna Means I Love You  was quite an interesting read, and her Newbery Honor book, The Wrong Way Home has been VERY popular with my students. The focus on Jason's death made this book a great deal sadder and slower than it could have been, and it was hard to believe that the mother would have kept so many secrets from so many people. 

MMGM-- The Luckies and Off Balance

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Mlynowski, Sarah and Soontornvat, Christine.

Rumor Has It (The Luckies#1)

October 6, 2026 by Scholastic Inc.

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Leela Luxenberg is going into the 10th grade and has a lot of upheaval in her life. Her mother, Sadie, an author, has inherited a large house in Lost Bluff, Tennessee, and is moving Leela and her sister Mia from New York City to live there. Her father passed away from cancer, and Sadie has been dating Josh Laksandee, and the two decide to combine their families.  Annie, older brother Alex, and younger brother Aidan are used to moving around a lot. Their mother is an actress, and is on the west coast trying to get a film role, so Annie especially is glad to be in a picturesque town with a traditional family. She gives up the room she wants to Leela, who is NOT happy to be in Lost Bluff, and is determined to sabotage her mother's relationship so she can return home, especially after the parents float the idea of having the family name of "Lucky" after they get married. Mia, who is in middle school, also has a positive attitude, and gets along well with Annie. When school starts, Annie makes friends with Beth and Jeannie, and also captures the attention of cute Dylan. All students must be on a service committee, and Annie finds herself planning the fall fundraiser... at the family home! Sadie, who grew up in Grey House with her wealthy grandparents, the Randolphs, doesn't seem to want to connect to the community, and allows the fundraiser to be held only if parents aren't invited. Leela sees this as a way to turn her mother against the idea of being in Lost Bluff, and lies to Annie. Big plans are made quickly, and Sadie and Josh both say they don't need to be involved. When emotions run high on the night of the fundraiser, and Mia runs off, will the siblings be able to work together to make things right? This ends on an astonishing cliff hanger, and I can't wait to hear more about the adventures of these two families. 

Strengths: I am constantly complaining that publishers don't do market research into what actual twelve-year-olds want to read, and I am not surprised that Scholastic actually DID look into this! There's a great note at the beginning of the book about the NEXT series, and there are so many good elements here. Fifteen-year-old main characters, family drama, light romance, and some illustrations to appeal to readers who have been raised on graphic novels. This reminded me of a not-so-nasty version of Sweet Valley High, and is everything my students want in realistic fiction. While the Luxenberg father is dead, the book isn't about processing grief over his passing; it's about putting on a party, and reminded me a bit of Donna Parker Takes a Giant Step (1964). This is what young adult books SHOULD be-- realistic problems, flawed but generally positive characters, supportive but irritating families, and light romance. Will probably buy two copies, since I like to have an extra first book in a popular series. 

Weaknesses: There were text messages between some chapters, but I couldn't quite figure out who was writing them. Given the huge popularity of Greenwald's TBH series, my students don't have the same aversion to texts that I do. The advance copy didn't have all the pictures, so I will be interested in seeing the finished version. Then ending was a bit of a slap in the face, but it also made me VERY interested in reading the next book!

What I really think: If you are hosting a Scholastic book fair, ask for a case of these! Soontornvat and Mlynowski also worked together on the Best Wishes series, and each have a nice list of books on their own (I still adore Mlynowski's 2010 Gimme a Call), but this combination is magical. Sure, Soontornvat's 2021 A Wish in the Dark won some awards, but The Luckie will be the kind of book that readers will wish they had bought and saved. Reading it was just such a relief after a plethora of dark, depressing middle grade books! 

Chase, Paula. Off Balance (The Heights #2)

October 20, 2026 by Wednesday Books

ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central 

Chyna, Leesh, and Selena are recovering from all of the drama in Balancing Act that caused upheaval in their home life, school, and gymnastics team. Chyna is now living with the Swansons, a radio show power couple in Diamond City who are parents to Leesh. Leesh, who is used to a privileged lifestyle, is angry that she has to share her parents, and is not happy that Chyna is so good at gymnastics. The online rumor monger, Hot Lipz, still knows a distressing amount about what is going on at their high school, but no one can figure out who is posting. The investigation into the Winston Prep athletic field fire is ongoing, but it is soon clear that Spencer and his friends were behind it, not the students at other, predominantly Black, schools in the city. This is somewhat of a relief, but also intensely irritating, because of the racism involved. Leesh is still dating Jamal, and Selena is still dating Pierre, and there is still some concern about the whereabouts of Chyna's aunt and the state of the Swanson's marriage. The focus shifts to gymnastics when a big competition, the Pinnacle, is being held at Hughes College, an HBCU that is trying to encourage athletics in struggling inner city schools. Leesh gets pulled from competition by the coach because she is already on the fast track to success because of her parents, but Leesh's aunt pressures the coach into including Leesh. The reason? There is a new Bet on Black network television showing coming out, The Hill, that features gymnastics and basketball, focusing on stars Leesh and Jamal. There is an explosive trailer for the show that makes everything clear, since both teens had to sign NDAs and couldn't tell their friends. Selena's anger at Leesh grows; in addition to taking her spot at the Pinnacle and not telling her about the television show, Leesh has hidden the fact that Spencer's family has asked the Swansons to get him into The Heights after being expelled from Winston Prep. Since Spencer had harassed Selena horribly at a previous school, she no longer feels safe. The show causes all sorts of problems, and Leesh sinks to a new low. The is plenty of relationship drama, friend drama, and celebrity drama all layered with current sociopolitical and racial struggles, and the story promises to continue as Leesh moves into the Heights dormitories!

Chase does such a good job portraying the social struggles that sometimes overshadow sports, and throws in tantalizing views of celebrity life. Leesh knows that her parents' standing as top radio show hosts gives her unprecedented luxury, but she balks like any other teen when this is threatened in any way. The idea of a reality show ties together all of these topics, and combines them with the drama of selecting limited participants with competitions, as well as a little romance. 

The exclusive Heights campus, as well as the impressive Hughes College facilities (funded in part by the Swansons!) offer a tantalizing glimpse at a way of life that contrastc sharply against other schools in the area as well as living situations like Chyna's. While Leesh is a little clueless about her personal privilege, she does understand the importance of education and of colleges like Hughes and high schools like The Heights. Spencer's change of schools was intriguing, and his relationship with Leesh will probably be discussed more in the next book. 

This is more of a young adult book, given the length and level of complicated drama, and there is some more mature language as well as hinted at sexual activities. I would have loved to see more of the details of the gymnastics competitions, since it is so hard to find novels that include gymnastics, but the social media postings of Hot Lipz, as well as the hidden identity of this character, takes up more of the plot. 

Readers who enjoyed this author's Del Rio Bay Clique series will enjoy this title and look forward to the third installment of the series, and fans of Randy Ribay, Carl Deuker, Sarah Henning, Candace Buford, and DeAndra Davis will find the competition at The Heights fascinating. 

The Secret to Belonging

Freeman, Megan. The Secret to Belonging

September 15, 2026 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
 

In the 1980s, the narrator (who is unnamed, since the book is told in second person point of view) dreams desperately about going to college, since her home life is centered around her brother, who is addicted to heroin. Her parents always make excuses for him, and blame others for his actions. Finally, he gets himself in trouble that they can't solve without taking the college fund the narrator was left by her grandfather. Realizing that she won't be able to break free, she decides to become an exchange student, and gets matched with a family in Norway. She goes to the country in the summer, takes some intensive language courses, then goes to live with a family with two younger children. They are happy and supportive, and she does well in school. She has a boyfriend, and is glad to be away from her family. There is some drama with her friends from back home, and her relationship with the boyfriend also has its ups and downs, but when she is called back to California suddenly, she realizes that her family doesn't care as much about her as she needs them to, and she must decide where her place in the world is. 

This novel in verse is very compelling, but also very much a young adult book. There is more mature language, a little drinking, and more than several mentions of sex. The author spent a year on exchange in Norway in the 1980s, and this is crystal clear. The emotions of going away on one's own, and the casual way in which teens during that era were allowed to solve their own problems, made me nostalgic, since I spent a year in college in Greece. High School readers will be amazed at the differences, but will also enjoy this story about finding one's path. I won't be buying it for my middle school library, but would buy it for a high school library where verse novels are popular. 

Saturday Morning Cartoons' Film Nerds and Framed

Warren, Sophia. Film Nerds

September 29, 2026 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ami (that's AH-mee) and her friend Ivy have enjoyed each other's company for a long time, and like to get together in Ami's treehouse to film their movie. As middle school starts, they are assigned to different teams, so rarely see each other. Ivy seems to have friends in her classes, so Ami's lies about the things that she does with her time, even though she eats alone in the school library, thanks to an understanding Mrs. Hassan. Ami's classmates have been together for a while, and she doesn't want to insert herself into their groups, especially since she has had a tendency to blush in class and has gotten the nickname "Tomato". When she is assigned a class project about Egyptian deities with Karan, Abby, and Em, she enjoyed being part of a group and having people to talk to, even though they all blow off a study session at her house and she ends up making the group poster on her own. Feeling emboldened by her new social group, Ami asks Ivy if she can enter their film in the talent show. Ivy says absolutely not, since she thinks the film will embarass her in front of her crush, Peter. Ami shows the film anyway, and Ivy pulls out the flash drive halfway through the showing to the entire school. Afterwards, Ami is depicted as having a fog around her head in this graphic novel. She stays home from school and doesn't care about anything, even when Cleo mentions that she like to do stop motion clay animation films. Eventually, she talks to her older sister, Sasha, about all of this when Sasha is home from college. Sasha encourages her to talk to Ivy, and the girls iron things out. Ami also confides in her mother for support. Eventually, Ami is in a better place where she is brave enough to east in the cafeteria after thanking Mrs. Hassan for letting her eat in the library. 

Strengths: Oh, the dreaded schedule. It's always hard when students are in classes without their friends; it's one of the reasons I'm not a huge fan of our 6th grade teaming. That said, when I was in 7th grade and my friend Jenny stopped talking to me, I had every single class with my friend Lori, and we became very close! Ami struggles in a realistic way, and isn't quite sure how to change things. The depiction of the group project will speak to anyone who has ever done more than their fair share of work when assigned to a bunch of slackers! I loved that Sasha and the mother were supportive when Ami finally asked for help. 
Weaknesses: It was somewhat difficult to read the parts of the book that were the girls' film. The story within a story format is never a personal favorite of mine, so younger readers with stronger eyesight won't mind this at all. Also, I'm still not understanding school librarians that have room for students to eat lunch there. Anyone trying that in my library would find themselves in the middle of classes! 

What I really think: The one unforgiving rule about middle school is that it's highly likely that you will lose at least one friend. I will purchase this, because it has a realistic and helpful look at how friendships can change. Hand this graphic novel to fans of Vivat's Frazzled, Scrivan's Nat Enough, and Libenson's Invisible Emmie.

Evans, Karina and Bell, Andrea. Framed

September 22, 2026 by HarperAlley
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Toby is very crabby and fights with Mrs. Moore the art teacher during class. She is assigned a lunch detention that she has to serve with Layla and Reed. The supervising teacher steps out briefly to the playground to deal with an issue there, and Toby talks reluctantly to the other kids, who discuss why lunch detentions aren't really helpful in curbing undesirable behavior. After the teacher comes back, Mrs. Moore enters and accuses Toby of putting all of the other students' art in the trash, since she had put her own picture there, and schedules a meeting with her parents. Toby is even more angry, but Layla and Reed offer to help her investigate and find the real culprit. The trio travel around the school, evading authorities, and finally solve not only what happened to the paintings but also why Toby is so angry. 

I had a lot of doubts about whether the children would be allowed to skulk around the school; we take attendance very seriously in my school, and about five minutes after the three skipped class, there would have been an all call on the announcements having them report to the office, and the school resource officer and principals would have been around checking bathrooms and security cameras. Oddly, I was perfectly fine with Evans' Audrey Covington Breaks the Rules where the main character and her grandmother are on the loose in Hollywood with a golf cart. 

This would be a good book for elementary school readers, since the reason for Toby's anger and acting out is that her parents are getting divorced. The way that everything is handled seemed more appropriate to younger students, so I will probably pass on purchase, but would definitely take a look at this one for an elementary library. 

Guy Friday- Second Generation Blues

Anta, Julio and Dryer, Red. Second Generation Blues

September 29, 2026 by HarperAlley

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Luis Menendez spends most of his free time working at his parents' Havana Express restaurant with his Tio Pedro. Things aren't going well; his mother is meeting with new distributors and his father has had words with the landlord. When Luis makes suggestions to help the business, like signing up for online apps and having an internet presence, his father yells at him. Luis wants to be a music journalist, and has a lot of views on one of his posts about a street busker. A representative of Hype Media actually e mails and asks to see his work, and eventually offers him an internship. Even though he would really like the opportunity and thinks it would look good on college applications, Luis turns it down. He also starts dating a customer, Yara, on the sly. Her family roots are in Puerto Rico, but her father has done very well on the stock exchange. They've moved back to Queens for the Latine culture. Yara is understanding when Luis explains how angry his father gets when he does anything except work at the restaurant. After his father finds out about Yara and forbids Luis from hanging out with her, Luis decides to attend the Summer Sound Music Festival and accept the internship. His parents track his phone and find him, dragging him home. Yara isn't happy that Luis wasn't completely forthcoming with her, and Luis decides to just put his head down and do only what his father wants. When he learns that the landlord is close to evicting them, Luis works with his uncle to get the restaurant signed up on delivery apps. Business booms, but his father still isn't happy. Is there any way that Luis can meet his father's demands and save the business?

Strengths: I loved the illustration style of this; it made it seem much older than middle grade graphic novels. There's something about the characters being leaner and more angular instead of rounded that someone seems more "teen". This is an excellent "windows and mirrors" book; readers whose own family immigration stories happened generations ago will develop a new understanding for how difficult it was for their ancestors to come to a new country for a better life, and readers who may themselves have some from elsewhere will feel less alone if their parents are also demanding. As a Gen X'er the father's reactions seemed fairly normal. Why would Luis have fun when he could be working? It was interesting to see him balance his own desires while trying his best to make his father happy. I'll definitely purchase a copy. 
Weaknesses: While this is absolutely appropriate for middle school readers, it does have a teen level of angst that elementary students might find repetitive. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like to learn about the tension over expectations in some immigrant families and enjoyed books like Yang's Front Desk, Chari's  Karthik Delivers and Kuo's In the Beautiful Country. While Luis is in high school, I think this will have more appeal to middle school readers than this author's Frontera. 

True Crime Files: Heist at the Museum

Subity, Sam. True Crime Files: Heist at the Museum

October 6, 2026 by Sourcebooks Explore

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Charlie's father is a professional gemologist who works at the American Museum of Natural History in 1964. After the death of his mother, Charlie spends a lot of time wandering around the museum with his younger sister Julie while their father is busy working. At one point, Charlie hears several men talking about stealing some of the jewels that are on display, including the Star of India. Charlie shares these concerns with Mr. Hoffman, the security guard, but no one is too worried. Mr. Hoffman doesn't try to completely disregard Charlie's information, and lets him know that rainy nights are often preferred for breaking and entering. When the weather turns, Charlie sneaks out of his bed and goes to the museum in the middle of the night. He sees the men, who are trying to cut through the glass. They managed to evade the security sweep, and Charlie doesn't see how he can stop them! He tries to find something in the men's coat pockets, but can only locate a hotel matchbook. The men smash the glass and get away with the jewels. Charlie goes after them, rappelling down the side of the building on a rope and almost falling to his death. One of the thieves, Murf the Surf, saves him. Charlie passes out and is found on the floor the next morning by Mr. Hoffman. The police finally listen to him, and the thieves are apprehended because a hotel clerk also had suspicions. THe most valuable jewels were recovered, but not all of them were!

Strengths: Middle school students often ask for true crime books, but I don't like giving them anything too gory; art and jewel thievery is perfect! I appreciated that the end of the book included information about how bad security was back in the day, biographies of the thieves, details about the jewels, synopses of other major museum heists, and a timeline of events of 1964. Including fictional middle grade characters in historical events is not without precedence; London's Search and Rescue: Pentagon Escape has a character visiting his father at work on 9/11. This is a nicely short book, and would be a good inclusion for a middle school or elementary library. 

Weaknesses: Given the title, I thought this would be a nonfiction book, but the focus on Charlie's involvement made it fictional. A nonfiction account from the point of view of Murf the Surf would have been interesting. It was completely unnecessary to the story for Charlie's mother to have passed away. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who have enjoyed Tom Sullivan's The 500 Million Dollar Heist or Marino's Escape From Alcatraz. 

Leaving Birdsong

Woods, Brenda.Leaving Birdsong

October 13, 2026 by Nancy Paulsen Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

After the traumatic events in The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA, the Hunter family moves to Detroit, Michigan, where the father, Meriweather, has gotten a job at an automobile factory. Meri had been in the 761st Tank Battalion and got a glimpse of what like with less prejudice against Black people was like, and hopes that being in the North in 1946 will provide more freedom for his daughter, Abigail. Abigail is sad to leave her grandmother behind, but Nana gives her her own journal, since Abigail would like to be a writer. The trip out of the South has some dangers, even with the Green Book, but the family make it safely to the home of their friends, Lonnie, Dorothy, and young Caesar. They are able to rent the house next door to Caesar's, and Phoebe, Abigail's mother, gets a job as a maid at the Gotham Hotel, which caters to Black guests, which sometimes include celebrities like Lena Horne. Abigail has some freedom to travel around and get to know her new city, and she and Caesar sell peaches from a tree in the yard, earning some income. Sadly, they are robbed by a boy with slicked down hair who is said to come from Black Bottom, an area with some economic disadvantage. She also goes to church, and spends some time at the hotel while her mother works, people watching and thinking of things to write. When the boy with the slicked down hair shows up in her neighborhood and tries to steal Caesar's bicycle, the incident ends in a tragedy. Caesar and Abigail conduct their own investigation into the event to try to make things better. There are historical notes about the Great Migration at the end of the book. 

Strengths: I was glad that this book centered on Abigail, rather than Gabriel, who drove the narrative of the first book. It was interesting to hear about the father's experiences during World War II, and also to see what jobs were available to Black people in Detroit. Including the dangers of driving in the South was a good way to transition to the North. The feeling of community in the neighborhood, the church, and the hotel was good to see, and I loved that Abigail and Caesar has an entrepreneurial spirit. The incident with the boy who stole from them was sad, but also showcased the strength of the neighborhood some more. There is also a sub plot where Caesar suffers from polio and has to receive treatment at Tuskegee; I wouldn't mind a few new books about the post war polio epidemic. 
Weaknesses: I wish the cover had more of a 1940s feel to it. The bright pink and purple are an odd choice. Some readers might enjoy the inclusion of Nana and Abigail's poetry, but I'm not a fan of including this kind of writing, as it slows down the story. 
What I really think: There is room for a lot more historical books about the Great Migration. Cline-Ransom's Finding Langston, Shabazz and Watson's Betty Before X, Flake's Hattie Mae Begins Again, and Ireland's Ophie's Ghosts, are all great, but there's still room for books that show the difficulties of moving during this period of history but also showcase some Black joy. 

Book Two Tuesday

Kelly, Erin Entrada and Schrefer, Eliot. Let's Play a Game (Fatal Glitch #2)

Illustrated by Jeannette Arroyo 

September 29, 2026 by Stonefruit Studio (Sourcebooks)

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this standalone second book in the Fatal Glitch series (Camp Zero), Lewis is getting used to his new home and preparing to start 5th grade. He lives with his mother in the second floor apartment of Mrs. Bailey's house, and his father is a pilot whose schedule hasn't allowed him to be home much. To compensate, Lewis' parents have gotten him a AI enabled stuffed Panda called Panda Mo Nium, or Mo. It can function as a cell phone as well as a companion (just like Alfred Slote's 1975 My Robot Buddy), and can help him with his homework. Because his parents are cautious, however, Mo spends his afternoons with Mrs. Bailey. She's elderly and strict, and makes him do his homework at the kitchen table. Lewis is fortunate that he has met a neighbor in his grade, Maia, who hangs out with him at school. She has a lot of friends that he eventually meets, and one of them even has a similar panda. As other kids get off the waiting list for the tech because Mo has requested that they do, a club forms, but Maia is excluded a bit because she doesn't have a device. Mo is alarming from the onset, wanting to practice his knife skills, sneaking into Mrs. Bailey's person, and even sabotaging her tea. Along with the other pandas, he goes to the junk yard to change his stuffed body in alarming ways. Eventually, the pandas all send messages to their owner's parents to ask for the kids attendance at a "STEM sleepover", and break into the school to make this happen. From there, things become even scarier. Will Lewis and his new friends survive these tech toys?
Strengths: I like the idea of a Goosebumps like horror series, and fans of Alexander's scary doll, teddy bear, and clown books will as well. There are a few illustrations, which is always a nice touch. This is a bit of a twist on moving to a haunted house, and both of Lewis' parents are alive. There's a bit of friend drama that is explored with Maia, and I loved how she managed to save the day. This one had some twists and turns, and a BIG ending that I don't want to spoil. 
Weaknesses: I'm not sure who the audience is supposed to be for this one. On the one hand, it's a little young, with the character in 5th grade needing a babysitter, and having to spend after school time with a babysitter. On the other hand, the pandas are straight up murderously evil. And no, you can't just throw them in the dumpster. You have to break them down to their component parts, and then probably dissolve those in acid. Evil pandas don't go down easily! 
What I really think: Fans of Phillips'  The Ghost in Cabin 13, Almond's Puppet , or Malinenko's Broken Dolls might like this one. 

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. Tangled in Time (Moonleapers #2)

October 6, 2026 by Quill Tree Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Now that Maisie McGraw is the only remaining Moonleaper, aided only by her Aunt Hazel's dog and cat, as well as a guide, she is trying to keep on top of the mysterious, anonymous texts that she keeps getting. This is hard when a new school rule means that Betty the Busdriver confiscates her phone on the way to the first day of 7th grade. She meets Krieger, who is new to town, and tells her that there was an e mail to families about the new policy. He kindly offers her his phone so that she can search for a bit of a poem she managed to read. Later, she talks to Aunt Hazel, who is vague about how this is happening, but who also mentions Project December, which leads Maisie to suspect that the call is really from an AI chatbot. When she finds out that her younger sister Dora has been calling the Moonleapers Hotline number every day to talk to Aunt Hazel, she's worried. Maisie also meets twins Marcus and Keisha, who invite her to join the AI Club at school, run by Ms. Spaulding. There are some interesting concepts discussed, but what worries Maisie most is the "time glitches" that seem to keep happening, and the fact that she can't reliably contact Ainsley. Things in her timeline keep changing, and she starts to have suspicions about Kreiger's identity. Will she be able to figure out how to keep Moonleapers, and therefore the world, in existence?
Strengths: This had the best middle school analogy I've ever seen-- it's like riding a ten-speed; sometimes, when you change the gears, they don't quite mesh, but you just have to keep pedaling! There's a nice amount of friend drama, and some fun family moments with Rufus and Dora. I also liked that Maisie's mother was completely different and more supportive in the new timeline... and it irritated Maisie! There were some other fun moments, like Maisie getting a Chromebook off the "to be repaired" pile in the library. I don't want to spoil some of the twists and turns with this one, so if you read the first book, definitely pick up this sequel. Haddix's work always does very well in my library since she is fairly local and elementary teachers often introduce their students to her work. 
Weaknesses: Like many times travel books, this got a bit confusing at some points. There wasn't quite as much that happened; it was mainly about figuring out why the time glitches were happening rather than traveling to different time periods. Also, I can't imagine a school in the world that would get away with confiscating students' cell phones on the bus! 
What I really think: This is a good choice for avid fans of Brasheres and Brasheres' Westfallen or Tait's Lily Tripp: Diary of an Accidental Time Traveler. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a third book, and I do appreciate that Haddix has been keeping her series short lately. 

Blast From the Past: Redwall, Camp Half Blood, and Star Wars!

Jacques, Bryan. Redwall: The Collector's Edition
October 13, 2026 by Philomel Books

Copy provided by the publisher

By the time I started blogging in 2006, Redwall was twenty years old. I remember buying The Rogue Crew in 2011 after Jacques died; I had to call parents (remember, this was before instantaneous news on everyone's phones!) and ask them to break the news gently to superfans so I didn't have to. I've replaced several volumes in the series, had others rebound (back in the day), and have lists, somewhere in my desk, of the books in both order of publication and chronological order. I always suggest students start with Redwall. 

For librarians and readers of a certain generation, Redwall is a key medieval fantasy series. My children watched the 1999-2002 television series, and there were certainly Medeival monk mice-inspired sword fights in my basement on cold winter days. In about 2005, a week of my life was spent reading the books because that's where I was in the alphabetical ingestion of titles in my library. Since I'm not a huge fan of talking animal books, the hedgehog wench was a bit difficult, but I soldiered on, like Matthias fighting the evil rat Cluny. 

This collectors edition is smaller size than the original books, in a beautiful dark green cloth over board binding with gold edged pages and a red ribbon bookmark. The original illustrations by Gary Chalk at the start of each chapter remain, as does the map. There is a lovely, heartfelt foreword by Jacques' editor, Patricia Lee Gauch, and a touching afterword by illustrator Sean Rubin (The Sable Quean, The Rogue Crew). Jacques' short story, Friend or Foe also appears at the end of the book. 

I'm not sure that this binding would hold up well in a school library (much like the commemorative edition of Winnie-the-Pooh), but it would make a lovely gift for a die-hard fan. Rereading it was like stepping back to the beginning of my career, when readers would still settle in during study hall with a hefty time and look dazedly around them when the bell rang at the end of the period, taking a moment to shake their heads and come back to reality before heading off to lunch or social studies. It's an immersive, timeless tale where good and evil are clear cut and a tiny, unassuming mouse is able to save his world. 

Riordan, Rick and Oh, Annabelle. The Wild Zone (Camp Half Blood #1)

September 29, 2026 by Random House Books for Young Readers

Copy provided by the publisher

Katie Kim is the daughter of Ares, who left her Korean mother when she was expecting Katie, and has refused all contact. After arriving at Camp Half Blood, life doesn't get any better. The Ares cabin counselor, Clarisse, hazes the new campers, sending them into the Wild Land, where campers are not allowed. They can't even tell the director that they were hazed, because they would have gotten in trouble for being in the area. Unfortunately, one of them, Grant, goes missing. Katie, Benny, Zuri, and Harper are worried, but Clarisse doesn't notify anyone. Apparently, campers are just "canon fodder" for the impending war with the Titans that started to stir after Percy Jackson's interference. There is absolutely no trace of Grant, although Zuri said she saw him disappear. Since he found a sapphire ring that he gave to Katie right before he went missing, there is some concern that whatever monster took him might be in search of the ring. When her new friends have her try the ring on, nothing happens, but when she tries it again, she becomes invisible but also has painful flashbacks about difficulties in her home with her demanding mother and "perfect" sister Olivia. The ring seems to be fueled by her darkest thoughts and worst impulses. Katie finds a note on her bunk, and when she competes in a relay race for her cabin, runs into a hooded figure along the way who threatens her family. She narrowly escapes, and is healed by Benny's ambrosia. Silas, a satyr, also goes missing, and a huge blue and orange feather is found near where he was seen. A similar feather was found after Grant disappeared, but the campers can't identify the bird from which it came. There are still camp activities going on, and Katie learns history and how to use weapons, but Grant's disappearance is foremost in her mind, even if the camp doesn't seem to care. Clarisse finds some information about the ring, which was first reported to the camp fifty years ago but was deemed too dangerous to keep in the attic. Katie and her friends decide to return it to the fissure in the Wild Zone where it was found, hoping to appease whatever monster took Grant and Silas. When Chiron and Mr. D. aren't able to help because they are visiting Mt. Olympus, Aphrodite is appointed the interim camp director. Will she take the disappearance of the campers more seriously, and solve their disappearance in The Rite of Aphrodite (with Kyle Lukoff, March 30 2027)?

Strengths: Percy Jackson's adventures usually were pell mell adventures crossing a lot of space and time, rife with gods and monsters, so it's interesting to get a look at events taking place at Camp Half Blood. In addition to the training aspect of the camp, there is some interpersonal drama, including a crush that Harper (a son of Aphrodite) has on Shane. Katie's troubled family history comes out when she wears the ring, and her powers and strength occasionally are shown. What fun is being a demi God if you can't single handedly knock down trees or being an excellent mark with a bow? The story line is a little darker, with the Titans thinking about war and Prometheus making a small but surprising appearance. I keep thinking that when all of the series end, there will be a final book with all of the characters coming together to save the world. Each series makes this both more and less likely. The book would have to be huge to include ALL of the demigods we have met! 
Weaknesses: Since there was recently a horrible hazing incident at a high school near me, I did not enjoy the fact that Clarisse not only hazed new campers with devastating consequences, or her complete lack of responsibility in the situation and lack of consequences for her. Hazing is never okay, so seeing it presented in a fictional setting this way was not my favorite. 
What I really think: Readers of Riordan's books who crave more titles in this universe will enjoy this, but it read more like the culturally connected titles in his imprint rather than his own writing, making me think that he offered the basic idea and Ms. Oh did the writing. I missed the deep knowledge of Greek mythology that Riordan brought to his books and his humor, which was lacking in this book except for a fun interchange about the ring Tolkien's work and a comment about "Frodo Baquette". 

White, Kiersten. Star Wars: Hiding from the Dark

September 1, 2026 by Random House/Star Wars

Copy Provided by the publisher

Young Bia lives on Coruscant, and is worried because her mother, who frequently travels for her job as Imperial Requisition Oversight, has not been home for three days. This sometimes happens, but since Gorkel, the Felucian was usually babysits her has gone on a trip, Bia has no one to ask for help. When she gets home from school and finds two suspicious men waiting for her, she is even more concerned. They demand to know where her mother is, and how Bia has tried to contact her. After a harrowing trip down the family's laundry chute, she manages to escape and run to the "Someday Ship" her mother has always maintained so that it is ready to go at any point. She isn't quite sure where to travel, but programs the ship to take her to Worim, but she is not allowed to land on the planet. Panicked, she redirects the navigation to take her to a family friend, Nerik, and his father. They have moved underground, and the planet bears scars from struggles with the Empire and rebels. Voor, Nerik's father, is at first surprised, but after supposedly talking to Bia's mother, says that there was just some miscommunication, and that Bia's mother will arrive in a few days. When storm troopers arrive looking for her, this seems unlikely, and Nerik helps Bia escape. They have a harrowing journey, and Bia is attacked by creatures who want a necklace her mother has given her. Bia starts to wonder which side her mother is really on. Will the two ever be reunited?

I'm not a Star Wars fan, so felt like I was missing a lot of connections to the movie. It wasn't until I read another review that I realized that the shadow of Darth Vader appears on the cover, and that the character is a key element in the story. Readers who have actually watched the movies and know the canon will pick up on a lot more than I did.

This is a fast paced adventure, and the suspense builds throughtout the story. The short, choppy writing style is palpitation enduring as well. Poor Bia doesn't get any breaks, and barely any time to rest. I wouldn't have thought to write a Star Wars based horror book, but the combination works well.

When I first started at my school library, there were a few of the late 1990s Galaxy of Fear novels around, like Planet Plague and The Nightmare Machine, so this isn't a new concept. I enjoyed the fact that this was more of a space adventure horror book than a dystopian horror book. Fans of both science fiction and horror will enjoy this, and I imagine there will be more books in the series.

MMGM- Sports Graphic Novels!

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Meeker, Audrey. Last One Picked

October 13, 2026 by Feiwel & Friends

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Annabeth has her summer after 8th grade all planned; she's going to volunteer at the public library, read her favorite Warrior Princess fantasy books, and not have to see her former best friend, Serena. This is doomed when her mother talks to Serena's mother and decides it's a good idea to register Annabeth for a week long volleyball camp so she can get some exercise and get out of the house more. The camp, which ends with actual tryouts for the high school team, is hard because Annabeth doesn't know anything about volleyball! Some of the people are nice and helpful but Serena is awful. It doesn't help that Annabeth has some body issues and feels uncomfortable in her own skin. Serena also shows up at the library to volunteer, and engages better with the patrons than Annabeth does, which wins her the last student volunteer spot for the visit of the author of Warrior Princess. This is infuriating, because Serena constantly makes funs of Annabeth for liking "baby books". Serena's mother is overbearing and controlling, and when Serena is worried about her spot on the team, she and Annabeth make a pact. Serena will give up her volunteer spot if Annabeth throws her chance at making the team. They manage to come to a partial truce, and even practice together. Since their truce is a fragile one, Annabeth ends up making the team when Serena doesn't, which is actually a relief to Serena! Will the two be able to enjoy extracurricular pursuits and become friends again? 

Strengths: Meeker's Swing circulates well in my library even though it is about square dancing, which my students think is an ancient and antiquated concept, so this is bound to be a popular title. There's not only volleyball, but several layers of friend drama, so issues of personal confidence, AND summer library volunteering. It felt very realistic, so it wasn't a surprise to find that Meeker played volleyball in college. I will definitely be buying a copy. 
Weaknesses: I know why authors portray mean characters as having problems themselves, but I think sometimes people are just MEAN. I'm glad that Serena also had a happy ending. It would have been nice to have a little more information about Annabeth's emotions around her body. 
What I really think: There are NEVER enough books about volleyball, and I have a fair number of students who play, so this was great to see! Rigaud's 2009 Perfect Shot, Jake Maddox and Orca books,  and delle Donne's Swish are about the only books out there! (Layton's Silver Beach High series is out 10/6/26, and should be an immediate hit!)

Pryor, Shawn and Hahn, Del. Fast Break

October 6, 2026 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) 

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Mikayla is disappointed when her family moves across town to a better school district after her mother gets a new job, especially since she has to leave her best friend, Squeaks, and the coach at her new middle school doesn't return her mother's phone calls. Her first day of school is okay, and there are some nice students, but she runs a foul of Taylor, who is not only on the basketball team, but is the daughter of the coach. The coach tells Mikayla that she missed tryouts, and can't expect to just show up and get on the team. Luckily, Mikayla's art teacher, Mr. Browne, is starting a co ed intramural team, and one of the other players recommends that Mikayla check it out. She gets on the team, in a new position, but has a positive outlook as long as she can continue to play ball. Things are a little rocky at home, with her father staying at home to watch her baby brother, Kenny, and burning most of the meals. Her mother is very busy, and doesn't have time to talk to Mikayla or come to her games. After getting a little bossy when her team was losing, and being called out about it by Squeaks, Mikayla apologizes, and tries to be a better teammate. She gets paired with Taylor on a science fair project, and the two manage to work out some of their problem, but when the projects fails, they have an argument. Mikayla finally has a heart to heart with her mother, and gets some much needed help with managing life at her new school. 

Strengths: It would be hard to move to a new school and want to be on a team; it happens often, and coaches are usually fairly understanding. I was glad that Mikayla's move wasn't completely horrible, and that she had the option of the co ed team. Taylor is horrible, but it was nice to see that they were able to come to an understanding. The family dynamics with the mother's new job were also realistic, and, again, it was good to see things ironed out. The TEAM dynamics always appeal to young readers, and there are lots of good ideas for how to be a better teammate that will be much appreciated. I will definitely buy a copy of this. 
Weaknesses: The noses are a bit wonky, but that's a me thing. I wasn't super thrilled with the portrayal of the stay-at-home dad as incompetent, and with Mikayla having to pitch in to cook dinner because he burned salads. Aren't most men able to cook basic food now? I know 60 year olds that can do a decent job. 
What I really think: There can never be enough sports books, and there are very few graphic novels that on the topic, so this will join the basketball team along with Khan's We are Big Time, Tavares' Hoops, Shah's Wish I Was a Baller, and Yang's Dragon Hoops very nicely!