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. 

Poetry Friday- Eva to the Max

Caprara, Rebecca. Eva to the Max

May 19, 2026 by Dial Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Eva Rummell is determined to preserve her father's racing and stunt legacy by riding in motocross races. Her older brother Dustin has no interest in the sport, nor does her best friend Toby, who used to race but quit after he wiped out and got a concussion. Now he makes sculptures out of found materials. Eva's mother isn't wild about her racing, and definitely wants Eva to be more ladylike. School is difficult. At a previous school, Eva was bullied for liking motocross, so now doesn't share her interest with anyone, and doesn't have any friends other than Toby. When Dustin points out to her that the family is struggling financially and that Eva's sport takes a lot of resources, she decides to try to qualify for the AMA National Championship at Loretta Lynn's ranch so that she can get a sponsorship. Her father was injured in a stunt when Eva was four, and is in a wheelchair. He and Toby's dad, Gray, run a repair shop and help train Eva. Eva has a 1967 Mustang that she got for free and is trying to repair. When a new girl, Cameron, starts at her school, Eva befriends her, but is very surprised when she sees Cameron competing in a motocross race. Since Eva doesn't want anyone at school to know about her sport, she insists that Cameron keep it quiet as well. When Eva gets angry during one race, she has an accident that ruins her bike. In order to replace it, she decides to sell the Mustang, since her parents don't have the money, and she would have to step away from racing otherwise. Eva is a fan of Evel Knievel, but Dustin points out that he wasn't the nicest person. There is some tension with Toby, since Eva rarely asks about his art, and also because his father spends more time helping Eva with motocross. Eva's dad agrees to train Cameron along with Eva, and the two practice together a lot. When the girls find out that the qualifying race for their division has been cancelled, they ask the organizer if it can be put back in if they sell 200 tickets. They manage to do this, even though it means letting people at school know about Eva's involvement. The qualifying race is crucial to Eva's continued participation in the sport, and she finishes third to Cam's first in the first race. In the second, Cam crashes, and Eva stops to help her. Both girls not only end up qualifying, but because of their teamwork, also get a sponsorship from FZL. The end of the book includes information about the history of girls and women participating in motocross. 
Strengths: I can't think of any other books about motocross except Christopher's Dirt Bike Racer or Jake Maddox's Motocross Double Cross, so this was a fun book to see. Eva is an interesting character, and her relationship to the sport is very complicated. Her mother runs a consignment shop and has taken another job at a pharmacy; there's a lot of tension in the relationship, mainly because the mother is so worried that Eva will get injured. I loved Dustin, and his devotion to applying for college and studying for the SATs! The information about training and races was fascinating. I do have one student who spends a lot of time racing dirt bikes, and he recently broke his arm in a race, so Eva's injuries (including- eek!- chipped teeth!) are very realistic. This novel in verse is much more poetic than many I have read; it's not just prose cut up into shorter lines. The information about Evel Knieval and women's motocross added extra depth to the narrative. 
Weaknesses: While it's great that Eva loves poetry, I'm not sure that my readers who are interested in motocross will want a novel in verse, or if my very few novel in verse readers will want a story about motocross. On a personal level, motocross racing seems like a bad environmental choice, and is so dangerous that I can't imagine letting any of my children or grandchildren participate in it! 
What I really think:  This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Farid's Wave (which is also a novel in verse), Roe's Air, Copeland's Drive, or Englefried's Learning to Fall. Caprara has a number of titles, all different from each other, including The Ripple Effect (2025), Mission Multiverse (2018), and The Magic of Melwick Orchard (2018).

Through the Black Gate

Cáceres, Alfredo. Through the Black Gate 

June 30, 2026 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this graphic novel, Irene's mother and father has both been killed in a tragic house fire in Valdivia, Chile. The family cat, Moses, barely survived, and Irene believes that the spirit of her father is trapped in the cat. A book of her parents' also survives. She goes to live with her Aunt Ruth, as well as Ruth's nephew Francis who is living with her while studying music at a local conservatory. Moses keeps trying to escape and run back to the remains of the house, so is kept in the basement of Ruth's bed and breakfast. Francis wants to discuss ghosts, but Ruth warns him not to, given Irene's recent losses. When Francis plays a tune on his guitar, however, Moses is enveloped in a glowing aura. Irene decides to take the bus to the house, where her parents were studying the flora and the magnetic fields in the area, to try to make sense of what happened. Francis goes with her, and they realize that the house isn't so much burned as it is cut in half. Another song of Francis' opens a portal, and the children find themselves in a land halfway between life and death. Irene's book indicates that this is fairly safe, as an explorer returned without incident, but there are many threats. Francis does meet his former guitar teacher, Sam, who passed away at the age of 84, and she tries to help them. The biggest threat comes from the Ferryman, who takes people through the Black Gate, and Irene and Francis must harness the power of music to save themselves. They are not able to retrieve Irene's parents, and Moses stays behind, but they eventually make it home to Ruth, enriched by their experiences.

This was similar to Santat's The Aquanauts in the stark brutality of the parents' death, but isn't as graphic. This might be popular with readers who enjoy graphic novels dealing with ghosts or the afterlife, like Colossal's Ghost Town: A Graphic Novel, Hahn, Franquiz, and Peer's All the Lovely Bad Ones, Escabasse's Taxi Ghost, Lai's Ghost Book, Fearing's Welcome to Feral, or Kress and Khang's Ghost Circus. The illustration style was unique, and this had a deeply allegorical feel to it. The author thanks Lora Senf in the afterword, and I can see fans of her The Clackity appreciating The Black Gate.

I wish there had been a way for Irene and Francis to have their adventure without having both parents killed. It wouldn't have been a bad idea for her to find and rescue them. I am never a fan, personally, of the middle grade trope of killing parents so children can have adventures. 

City of Secrets (Splinter and Ash #2)

Nijkamp, Marieke. City of Secrets (Splinter and Ash #2)
October 7, 2025 by Greenwillow Books
Public library copy

Princess Ash has returned to Kestral's Haven after having been kidnapped, but things are still rocky between Calinor and Ferisia. She is working closely with her mother, Queen Avelina, and Splinter is training to be a squire. The big test is in a month. Splinter's brother occasionally writes updates about the situation at the border where he is stationed. Splinter is working with Lucen, Ash's brother, and is surprised to see to see that a childhood friend, Briar, joining the squires. Oddly, he won't talk to her. When the two friends sneak out into the city, Ash is enthralled with a girl who is juggling, and arranges to meet her at a local tavern, the Lighthouse. It's not in a great part of town, and both Kit and her brother Nels are leery of Ash. During their jaunts, they hear that the Larks are planning something for the Harvest Festival. After investigating a warehouse and finding it full of spark sand, Ash feels she needs to do something. As a princess, she really wants to help her people, but it's difficult. She sees that the veterans of the war don't do well when they come back home to the Shallows, and finds that the army isn't as well supplied or taken care of as the guards. When Lady Cordeilla and Uncle Elias are overheard making devious plans to support the Larks after an enormous fire in the shallows, Splinter and Ash step up their efforts. The Larks feel that the queen is too weak, and it is because of her that the efforts to deal with Ferisia aren't going well. Splinter and Ash are involved in an enormous fight, but manage to save the day for the city. Kit, however, suffers a large blow and is invited to live in the castle. A surprise visitor lets Ash know that her mother's messages aren't getting to the empress of Ferisia, which is why the efforts at peace talks are failing. There definitely needs to be another book so that we can find out how the situation will be resolved. 

Strengths: Splinter and Ash's adventures are very similar to Pierce's Tortall books or Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series, but have an updated feel to them. There's a lot of good female power, but it is also aknowledged that having a queen is causing Calinor problems. The best part of this is, of course, Kids Saving the Day, but I also enjoyed that Ash was truly concerned about the people in the Shallows and really wanted to help. There is a message about what constitutes family when Ash finds out secrets about her past. This also embraces the current zeitgiest:  Splinter meets Cian at the Lighthouse, and is amazed that there is another person who feels the same way she does. Ash asked if Splinter would like to adopt they/them pronouns, and Splinter says that she might at some point in the future. 
Weaknesses: Apparently, the Larks are not very smart, because they are ALWAYS being overheard, which makes it a little easier for Ash and Splinter to take them down! 
What I really think: I don't have quite the readers for fantasy adventures as I used to, so I haven't bought this book yet, even though it came out in October. I will put it on my August order, since I have a couple of readers working their way through Tortall!

Rostam Wrecks the Realm

Abtahi, Olivia. Rostam Wrecks the Realm
June 9, 2026 by Simon & Schuster BFYR
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Far in the future, Rostam Zamini and his mothers, Mamá and Maman, move from Cassini (which is a city on Enceladus, a moon of Saturn) to the planet Pars-1 for a work opportunity. Rostam isn’t happy to leave his friends Jason and Oceana, and even makes a last minute attempt to stay behind. The family had left Earth when Rostam was very young, because it wasn’t safe for two women starting a family. The Interstellar Alliance controls most everything, and Rostam’s goal is to be a pilot for them. Traveling to Pars-1 involves a sketchy ship powered by djinn magic, and after throwing a fit, Rostam is invited into the cockpit, where he meets Mitra, who makes the ship fly when the pilot wishes for it to do so. Rostam starts school immediately, and meets Sohrab and Zal. Pars-1 is inhabited by many people of Persian descent, a background Rostam shares, and many places on the planet, as well as other residents, have names from the legend of Shanameh. After Rostam lies to his schoolmates about having raced ships, they ask him to meet them at night, outside of the airlock. Wearing his EVA suit and using his mother’s code, he meets the other kids and finds that they plan to race using old fashioned ships that were left from a time when the planet was largely water. After a tragic incident leaves Sohrab in a coma, Rostam still has to go to school, and no charges are filed. His mothers admit that they moved because Rostam was becoming a bad person, and they hoped to get him away from his former friends. When Rostam is approached by the evil Zahhak, he jumps at the chance to improve his social standing, and thinks that Zahhak’s plans to free the djinn isn’t a bad one. Rostam agrees to retrieve the golden mace from the top of Mt. Damarand, and give it freely to Zahhak. He manages to do this, but freeing the djinn causes many disruptions in society. Not only that,  but Zahhak causes the sun to start to collapse. All of the residents have to evacuate, but Sohrab can’t be transported because of his injuries. Help arrives from a surprising source and a tragedy is averted, but there is a possibility of a second book, since there are hints that Mitra might lead a djinn rebellion.

Strengths: This was a fast paced science fiction fantasy that incorporated Persian legends into an outer space setting nicely. There are plenty of details about living in space, which are made even more interesting by the inclusion of the djinn and their contributions to the running of society. Rostam’s mothers are great and are very supportive of him, and I was half tempted to make dulce du leche after Mamá makes it several times for Rostam’s breakfast. The big draw here is the interweaving of Persian legends. Other than Napoli’s 2016 Tales from the Arabian Nights (1001 Nights is mentioned briefly when the family arrives on Pars-1), I haven’t seen too many collections of culturally connected tales relating to Iran. Our sixth grade curriculum used to cover myths and legends, but stopped about ten years ago, so I have been debating purchasing some books with the background to support novels like this. 

 

Weaknesses: Rostam is a deeply unpleasant character, and the fact that his mothers move to another planet to try to get him to behave better reminded me of Kavafy’s poem The City. Clearly, moving does not make his behavior better. It seemed odd that the Zaminis had to leave Earth because it wasn’t safe for a same sex couple, although I’m sure this is a reflection on the current cultural zeitgeist. I could have used more information about why Pars-1 had such deep ties to Persian legends. 

What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoy Disney’s Rick Riordan Presents culturally based fantasy adventures, or titles like Zargarpur’s Noorzad and the Ring of Fate or Monsef’s Once There Was.

Fun fact: Pars-1 is the name of an Iranian satellite! I wish that had been mentioned in some notes at the end of the book!

MMGM- All the Soccer Books!

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Cervantes, Angela. Mystery of the Stolen World Cup Trophy

May 5, 2026 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Sixth grader Diez Espada lives with his dad, Jaime, in Miami, Florida. His mother, who was a librarian, died of cancer not too long ago. While Diez's father wants him to be a soccer star, he's not very good, and he would rather read classic detective novels and solve mysteries like the famous Enzo. When he thinks he has solved the mystery of who stole the lobster mascot costume at his school, the big reveal doesn't go well. The thief was the glamourous and wealthy eighth grader, Rio Salvatierra, whose stepfather, Dale Ullman, is a billionaire real estate developer. Rio broke Diez's phone because it contained evidence, and one of her bodyguards has taken it, but she comes to his house to apologize and offer him tickets to an exclusive World Cup party at the Las Palmas resort where his father is a valet. Ullman has gotten permission to display the World Cup trophy, and it's rumored that Messi himself might attend the party, so the Espadas are very excited. When the trophy is stolen after the mights go out at the unveiling, Diez is ready to investigate. There is a bird who repeatedly says "they'll never get away with it", a poodle, Rio's rambunctious twin brothers, and a horrible storm to deal with, but Diez is prepared to deal with all of these problems. Detective Enzo shows up, and since he once met Diez's mother, he really wants to impress him. It looks like the theft is the work of the famous La Lechuza (The Owl), who also stole a trophy in 1983, but is the thief someone closer to home? Will Diez be able to solve the mystery with Rio's help? 
Strengths: Have to love any book that references Scooby-Doo mysteries when it the same sort of mystery with evil villains and kids saving the day, even if the poodle doesn't get as much page time as it should have! This was a quick, clue oriented mystery, and having Diez and Rio work together was fun. Diez is observant, and manages to see things that the police don't, and does end up saving the day. The inclusion of some FIFA history and other instances of a World Cup trophy being stolen are interesting. Las Palmas is a fun setting, even though it doesn't seem to be a real place. This definitely had an Agatha Christie feel to it, with a quirky cast of characters. It seems like it might be the first book in the series. 
Weaknesses: I'm never a fan of the dead parents trope, but at least Diez's dad is coping better than most, and Diez throws himself into investigating as a way to remember his mother. I was a little confused by the mother's job; she's described as a school librarian, but also ran a book discussion group for adults and had a bookmobile project, which made it seem more likely that she worked at a public library before her death. I read the ARC, so perhaps this will be changed in the finished edition. There isn't very much soccer in the book. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Ponti's The Sherlock Society or Liu's somewhat similar Stealing the Score (2/3/26).

Latham, Andrew. Soccer Smarter for Kids: Learn to Play Like the Pros 

May 5, 2026 by Callisto Kids

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

I have never seen a soccer game in my life and know nothing about the sport, but I know that my students love it. Latham is a coach, and offers almost 200 pages of tips to help player level up their game. The section on preparing would be good for any young athlete to read, since it addresses time management, eating properly, and the importance of sleep. There are sections on techniques and strategies that were completely nonsensical to me (which is always a good sign that there's plenty of information for soccer enthusiasts!), but had helpful diagrams. The activities described are often linked to players, and sometimes famous games are mentioned. There are short biographies of young soccer stars in between chapters. This ends with a note for parents, a glossary, list of resources, and an index. 

I learned several things, such as the fact that more elite players have birthdays in the first three months of the year. Who knew? The idea of kids having an Integrated Support Team (basically, just parents and coaches watching out for them) tickled me; if my daughter had referred to me in this way, I might have been a little less inclined to take meals for the cross country dinners.  This is definitely a book I will purchase, and it will be interesting to see if my students who are absolutely sure they will make a career out of soccer actually complete the exercises, which would be very helpful. 

Sylvester, Kevin. Soccerology: Supercool Facts You Never Knew

April 14, 2026 by Annick Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

For a book that is only 92 pages long, this is packed with facts about many aspects of soccer. This is quite the historical retrospective, broken up into chapters titled Invention, Evolution, Revolution, Exapansion, Inclusion, and Just for Kicks, and starting all the way back in 160 BCE in Mesoamerica. I learned a lot about the early history of soccer, which had violent games starting in England in 700 CE. The Eton Rules in 1870 banned the use of hands, and the 1845 Rugby Rules were different, which is why we have two different sports today. The second wave of soccer in the late 1800s included women's teams.

The chapter on Evolution covers balls, fields, shoes, pads, and helmets, and stadiums, and has a section on soccer lingo as well as sayings. Throughout the book, there are sidebars with interesting facts, like the Vatican having two teams but not participating in FIFA because they want to avoid treating sports as competition.

The business of soccer is looked into briefly, as well as issues surrounding cheating and bending rules. I appreciated that there was some talk about the health risks of heading the ball.

The global nature of the sport is embraced with descriptions of soccer trailblazers. Descriptions of rituals around the world are included, and there is information about the FIFA World Cup competition. The gender gap is explored, as are issues of pay.

The last chapter has plenty of weird records to round things out, and there are some references for further reading. I was glad to see an index, since there are a lot of facts to keep straight, and this will help readers who remembered something interesting they wanted to show a friend but can't remember the chapter where it appeared. This would be a great book for most elementary and middle school libraries that have a lot of soccer fans. 

Strengths: This was similar to the Sports Illustrated Then to Wow sports books, which have been used literally to pieces in my library! The illustrations will appeal to reluctant readers, and are woven well into the text. I'm familiar with Sylvester's work from his MINRS series, and didn't know he illustrated as well! Since I don't know much about soccer, this was very educational for me, but I think there are enough information that even die hard soccer fans will find something new.
Weaknesses: Don't publishers knows that sometimes teachers require 100 page books for projects? Most teacher would allow wiggle room for eight pages, but it would have been nice to have this be a bit longer. The illustration style is quite nice, but seemed young. It's hard to describe exactly why, and my soccer obsessed readers won't mind too much, but I wish the drawings were designed to appeal to a slightly older audience.

What I really think: I've been buying everything I can find about soccer, including a number of "Matt Christopher" titles and nonfiction books like Bellos' Soccer School Season 1: Where Soccer Explains (Rules) the World (2019), so I will definitely put Soccerology on my order list for fall. 

Rothman, Scott and Duncan, Daniel. Soccer World

April 28, 2026 by Candlewick

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Twins Pete and Zoe are on the same soccer team. After a particularly successful game, their parents take them to Soccer World to buy new balls as a reward. When they fight over a ball, it bounces away from them, and they follow it through a portal to Soccer World. There, Ref Jeff tell them there are All-Star Team tryouts going on. The twins fight, but notice that most of the other players are getting along and being good sports. Learning their lesson, the two return to the store and are okay with just one ball. 

This was an early reader book, so there were very few words on the page. The lessons about good sportsmanship are solid, and it was fun that Ref Jeff was based on one of the clerks at the store Soccer World, but this was a bit like a fever dream. I can see soccer obsessed first and second graders loving this, and in thirty years, copies of this will command big bucks on E Bay. A great purchase for elementary school libraries, even though it struck me as a little bit odd. 

Strays

Gordon, Gia. Strays
June 2, 2026 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
E ARC provided by Edelweiss

Campbell lives with her father, who is a director of animal control and whose job it is to euthanize stray animals to keep the community safe. Her mother left when she was young when her father, who had been a firefighter, struggled with PTSD when he wasn't able to save someone in a fire. After the mother left, she was killed in a car accident. The father gets by, but Campbell knows he has had a hard day when he brings home takeout from Mr. Jalapeno for dinner rather than cooking. Campbell's best friend is Luz, whose father is out of work after returning from combat. This has caused stress for the mother, who is working and raising Luz and her two siblings without much support, so the parents are in counseling. When Campbell sees a small dog dropped out of a truck on her way home from school, she is dedicated to finding and saving the dog, but knows she needs to hide this from her father. She draws Luz into her plans, and the two are soon concocting an elaborate Canine Action Rescue Plan, complete with code names. Soon, the dog is taking up so much of Campbell's thoughts that she fails a quiz. She does get some help from the school librarian, Miss Alba, who helps her find resources and supports her. It takes a while to finally win the dog's trust and to be able to pick him up, but shortly after Campbell feels she can help Tater Tot, her father catches her with the dog. She claims the dog belongs to Luz, but that fiction is short lived. Luckily, Luz's father realizes that Tate looks much like the dog a fellow soldier had befriended, and plans are put in place to contact Vets for Pets and get Tate transported out to California to live with Edie. Campbell works with Miss Alba to try to form a dog rescue club at school to help more animals be adopted so that her father doesn't have to euthanize as many. 

Strengths: Dog stories are always popular with my readers, and tweens who care deeply about rescue dogs will understand. Campbell's desire to save Tater Tot is understandable, and she tries to establish some support for her efforts by bringing in Luz and Miss Alba, who is realistically protrayed! The inclusion of dogs helping veterans is a good one. This is a short, fast-paced story, and the cover will appeal to young readers. 
Weaknesses: The mental health issues the fathers faced were rather daunting. Because of the number of times Campbell references her father having to euthanize dogs, I would be cautious of including this in an elementary school collection. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoy rescue dog stories like Hoyle's Best Friends Dog Tales or E. Bruce Cameron's A Dog's Purpose Puppy Tales. 

I Witnessed the Great Train Robbery of 1963 and Oh Brother

Debbink, Andrea and Jayme, Crystal (illus.) 

I Witnessed the Great Train Robbery of 1963.

March 17, 2026 by HarperAlley

E ARC Provided by Netgalley

Between 1955 and 1963, there was a 36 book series of historical fiction called WE WERE THERE. These were usually from the point of view of two children, often a brother and sister, who had a small role in different historical events. These I Witnessed graphic novels (the first being I Witnessed: The Lizzie Borden Story: A Graphic Novel – A True Crime Mystery About the 1892 Murder Trial for Kids by Jeramey Kraatz (who also wrote The Cloak Society and Space Runners series) feel very much like those books to me.

Marilyn runs away from her home in Scotland in 1963 because she has an argument with her mother, who wants to pull her out of her school and send her to a remote boarding school because her behavior is bad. She heads to London, where her father works as a newspaper reporter, since she has journalistic aspirations herself. Since she can't afford a train ticket, she stows away on a mail train. Unfortunately, the train is carrying a lot of money and is robbed. Marilyn has a list of suspects, and sends this to the police anonymously, and later identifies the remaining robber who eluded authorities. She grows up to become a reporter herself.

This was rather cleverly done, and an author's note at the end explains that while most of the characters and events in the book are based off the real 1963 robbery, Marilyn is a fictional character used to explain how anonymous information was turned in to the police.

The illustrations have a retro feel and are all in green, which makes us think of money in the US, even though pound notes were probably a variety of colors.

Great choice for readers who liked Tom Sullivan's Unsolved Case Files.

Chadderton, Georgina. Oh Brother
February 10, 2026 by Random House Graphic
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Georgina and her parents move to a new house in Australia just before she starts high school. Luckily, she has a huge new room, and there's plenty of space for her father, a doctor, her mother, who works with people with disabilities, and her younger brother Rob, who has autism and is mainly nonverbal. Rob often gets into the refrigerator or Gina's room, and can't be allowed out of the house on his own, so there are lots of locks on the doors. He does get out of the house through the playroom window, and the neighbors bring him back after finding him snacking in one of their easy chairs! School is a bit rough. Gina, who likes to wear clothes from the boys' department at Target and doesn't shave her legs, is given a hard time by some of the girls in her class. She does meet a girl in band, Callie, who admires her drawings and wants to hang out. Since it's hard for her parents to drive Gina places when Rob is home, Gina invites Callie to her house. Callie is very understanding about Rob's behaviors, even when he bites her when he is agitated. Gina does a good job explaining when Rob's autism and learning differences mean for his behavior. There's a group science project that the girls work on with classmate Tom, but Rob ruins the comic about volcanoes that Gina draws. This causes some trouble at school and with Callie, but is worked out in the end. Family photos and information about the author's family since the early 2000s is included. 

I appreciated that Chadderton starts this memoir with a note explaining that people with autism are treated differently now, and that customs around the world might be different as well. This is a good choice for readers who like Briglio's Thunderboom and is a better choice for modern readers than Lord's 2006 Rules. 

Guy Friday- Speed Reader

Cody, Matthew and Giallongo, Zack. (Illustrator). Speed Reader (Volume 1)
March 3, 2026 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this graphic novel, we meet Zander, who struggles in school. He's being raised by a single mother who runs a local coffee shop, The Donut Hole, and his great uncle, Mervin. Zander's grandfather was Felix Fast, a superhero who disappeared when Zander's mother was young, and Mervin stepped in when her mother died. Mervin loves to tell tales of his time helping out his brother, making sure superhero vehicles were in good repair. When it looks like Zander will have to enroll in summer school because his reading is poor, his teachers says that he can join the school reading challenge instead. This has been won several years running by Tanya May, and has a pizza party as a reward. When Tanya May brings a misdelivered package to Zander's house, the two strike up a conversation. The package contains an old looking book about speed reading that conceals a crystal. When Zander gets caught out in a lightning storm with the crystal, it zaps him with powers. He can suddenly run very fast and even read very fast, which helps him with the reading challenge but puts him at odds with Tanya. When men in black suits start following him, Mervin enlists the help of Dr. Simon Simian, whom Felix Fast had saved from being controlled by Big Brain, who had created an army of "brainiapes" to help him wreak havoc. The crystal turns out to be Speedium, which is what gave Felix Fast his super powers, and Zander has also absorbed this element. When he overhears some of the evil plans of the men in suits, he and Tanya try to figure out what is going on. There are some twists and turns, and a second book is definitely hinted at!
Strengths: It has always confused me that there is a disproportionate number of graphic novels that are essentially whiny memoirs, when there should be many more that are comic book style adventures! Zander is a classic underdog; a little pudgy, not great in school, and picked on by bullies, but he has a great support system in his mother, Mervin, and Tanya. A graphic novel is a great way to shout out classic comics, and some of the panels have a grainy, newsprint style dot quality to them, and the history makes sense; super heroes of the 1970s would be grandparents now. I particularly loved one of Mervin's friends, retired super villain "British Invader" who is now just pensioner Reggie Knight, but still rocking his groovy, vintage threads. Zander also has a trusty dog, Spike, who is along for the adventures. While the twist at the end isn't a huge surprise, I don't want to ruin it.
Weaknesses: Since the speed reading and the reading competition figured largely in the plot, I needed to know more about what troubles Zander really had. It's not realistic to let a student out of necessary instruction by requiring participation in a reading competition. Not accurately portraying how schools work is a pet peeve of mine, but this won't bother students. And yes, I know: we can have super speed powers acquired through a crystal and taking apes, but I want summer school to be correctly represented?
What I really think: Cody knows his classic comic and superhero lore; his Powerless (2010), Super (2012), and Villainous (2014) were very popular ten years ago in my library, and his six book Cat Ninja series (2020) puts yet another twist on this theme. I'll definitely purchase this for my school library, and I think it will be popular with my students, who get weary of the surfeit of autobiographical graphic novels.