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. 

The Blue Dress

Morrison, Rebecca. The Blue Dress

March 24, 2026 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus Yasmin Safavi is twelve years old, and her family has moved from Iran to Ashbury Falls, Virginia. It was a difficult transition, but her father loves his engineering job with Boeing, and Yasmin has worked hard to rid herself of her Persian accent. Her mother misses her sisters, but dedicates her time to Yasmin and her younger brother Ali. As Nowruz (Persian New Year) approaches, Yasmin's mother makes her a beautiful dress to wear, but purposefully makes it too tight so that Yasmin will lose weight. She doesn't, and is very frustrated. Her mother frequently makes comments about her weight, and pressures her to eat lunches that include just carrots and a dry turkey sandwich on whole wheat. Yasmin's best friend, Carmen, has a different family dynamic, with a warm and supportive mother who offers Yasmin hugs as well as delicious meals. School is also stressful, since popular girl Zoe and her minions Olivia and Hannah constantly berate Yasmin for her curly hair and bushy eyebrows. Yasmin has a crush on the popular Jack, who seems to return her attention, perhaps because he is also the target of some of Zoe's comments, especially about his love of Dungeons and Dragons. Yasmin's mother is so overbearing that she often buys packs of Oreos at the neighborhood CVS and eats them in secret; after one such snack food binge, she makes herself throw up. She also starts skipping dinner, with her mother's approval, although her father frequently voices concerns. Seeing Zoe crying in the bathroom, Yasmin offers support, and finds out that Zoe's busy parents are always fighting. The two bond, and Yasmin realizes Zoe isn't all bad, but her relationship causes problems with Carmen. It doesn't help that Yasmin is straightening her hair, plucking her eyebrows, attempting to wear makeup, and spending ridiculous amounts of money on a Lululemon jacket. On a class trip to a museum, classmate Peyton is verbally abusive, calling Yasmin a terrorist and saying that Iranians "hate Americans". No one stands up for her. When Yasmin makes herself throw up at Carmen's house after the two reconcile, Carmen tells a teacher at school, who makes Yasmin talk to a school counselor. The counselor in turn alerts her parents, has them meet, and recommends a therapist who specializes in eating disorders. Yasmin's mother balks, because she has been pleased with Yasmin's weight loss and claims that the family can handle the issue themselves, but the father overrides her and Yasmin gets help. Unspoken details about the mother's family dynamics with her brother are revealed, and the family works to help Yasmin. At a end of year party, Jack asks Yasmin if they can play chess over the summer, and says he is glad to see her return to wearing her hair curly.
Strengths: It's been a while since I've seen a middle grade book about eating disorders; Willis's 2023 graphic novel Smaller Sister might be the most recent. This is a topic of constant concern, and one where updated information is critical. The fact that this book was able to intertwine eating disorders with cultural identity, friend drama, and even a little light romance makes it one that will appeal to many readers. Because eating disorders are usually connected to problems with family dynamics, they are especially difficult, and the mother's backstory and the father's support of Yasmin are well portrayed. The best part of the book was Carmen telling her trusted art teacher about Yasmin's problems, and the swift response from the school support system. While it might not always happen this way in real life, I do like to see best practices used in fiction!
Weaknesses: Yasmin's mother advises Carmen that she can buy patterns at Jo-Ann Fabrics. Sadly, Jo-Ann's closed down in May of 2025. I still haven't recovered. It would have been helpful to have a list of resources for getting help with eating disorders at the back of the book; perhaps the finished version will include these. My students may be a bit confused about Yasmin's wearing of dresses (and from Talbot's?) since all they seem to wear are pajama pants and hoodies, but this is most likely a function of the differences between Iranian and US cultural expectations.
What I really think: It's essential to update middle grade eating disorder books, as treatments and societal norms change. If you still have Levenkron's 1979 The Best Little Girl in the World on your shelves, please weed it. I just deaccessioned Lytton's 2009 Jane in Bloom and may need to reread Anderson's Wintergirls from the same year. Replace these aged titles with The Blue Dress, Toalsen's The Unforgettable Leta "Lightning" Laurel (2025), Dee's Everything I Know About You (2018), Petro-Roy's Good Enough (2019), and Gerber's Taking Up Space (2021). 

Blue Beach

Parsons, Karyn. Blue Beach
June 9, 2026 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Blue Collins lives in Santa Monica, California in 1929. Her parents own Blue Beach, a black beach located close to a white neighborhood. They have a snack stand on the beach, and live in a house close by. While not everyone wants them there, the local markets and even the town big wig, Daddy Curtiss, are supportive of the family and its enterprise. Blue, who is in high school, has a relationship with Ben, but her mother thinks that he is too dark complected. Blue's cousin Rita and her Aunty Caroline live with the Collins, and the older Rita is always giving Blue a hard time about setting her camp for someone more like the green eyed Joey. After a town celebration at the start of the summer, Blue senses some tension between Daddy Curtiss' son, Jack, and Jack's girlfriend, the popular Dottie. When Blue meets Ben on the beach to talk, the two discover Dottie's body. Knowing that Black residents will be accused if the body is found on Blue Beach, the two swim the body out into the sea and don't say anything to anyone. The town is upset at the death, but things are calm until Blue finds a note from Dottie in Ben's shirt, asking him to meet her. Rita gets a hold of the note and goes to the police. Ben goes on the run for his own safety, and Blue's family business is burned to the ground by the KKK. Ben's mother had taken care of Dottie when Ben was very young, and the two were good friends. Dottie's relationship with Jack was often difficult, but if the community can blame Ben, Jack doesn't have to be considered. While Daddy Curtiss offers to help the Collins family after the stand is burned down, does he have other interests at heart? This has some good twists and turns that I don't want to ruin! 

Strengths: Murder mysteries are always popular, so it is a perfect way to introduce some interesting history into the mix. I knew that public pools, beaches, and even lakes were segregated, , but there are very few novels about how this affected young people. There is plenty of teen drama in the story that makes it seem like Dottie's boyfriend might be involved, but it was inspired to have the murderer be concerned more with the racial issues and the value of the Blue Beach land. Blue is just on the edge of so many of the problems in the community, so seeing everything from her perspective is quite interesting. The issue of colorism in the Black community is woven through the story. There are just enough details about the 1920s to add some interest, even though the murder mystery is first and foremost. This was quite a riveting read! 
Weaknesses: This is a little more young adult than Parsons' other books, as there is a scene where their is a delicately described attempt at rape. I would probably not buy this for an elementary library. It also would have helped to say when this was set at the very beginning of the book, since I wasn't quite sure this was historical until Rita was depicted wearing a cloche hat! (The Mary Janes on the cover should have been a give away, but I wasn't paying attention.)
What I really think: Parsons has a good eye for historical fiction, and I loved her Clouds Over California (2023) and How High the Moon (2019). This reminds me a bit of Sundee Frazier's Mighty Inside, or Johnson's The Color of a Lie which also detail the difficult position of being Black in a predominately white community in different decades of the 20th century. I would love to see Ms. Parsons write a book about the thriving Black community in the Greenwood district of Tulsa Oklahoma BEFORE the race riots of 1921. 

Sol Goes for Goal and The Thing About Giants

Anta, Julio and Mendez, Gabi (Illus.). Sol Goes for Goal!: Hillside Valley #2
June 9, 2026 by Random House Graphic
Copy provided by the publisher

Soledad is the "perfect" daughter, unlike her older sister Luna. Sol is driven and dedicated, and doesn't have time for nonsense as she pursues her academic and athletic goals, while Luna is distracted by silly things like boyfriends. Sol's best friend, Willie, has an important art project coming up, and she wants to support him, but she finds herself spending more and more time with her soccer teammates. One reason for this is that she has a crush on Lily. This sometimes makes it hard for her to focus on the soccer field, and occasionally trips her up. She doesn't want to talk to anyone about this, since she thinks it will ruin her image as a "perfect" student and daughter. There is some tension with Willie and her other friends, and when Sol falls asleep after school and misses Willie's art exhibit, it takes a while for the two to work through this. Sol eventually talks to Lily about her feelings, after confiding in Luna and getting advice from her, and the two are able to have a relationship and still play soccer together. We do see Santiago, from the first book in this series; he talks to the Hillside Valley kids on video chats and shows up to Sol's championship game in New York City because his girlfriend is the captain of the team Sol is playing. I'm curious to see where book three in the series might take us. Perhaps something from Willie's perspective?
Strengths: I've long said that there need to be more graphic novels about sports. Softball and soccer gets some representation; what we really need is football! The diverse ensemble cast will appeal to readers who like series like Libenson's Emmie and Friends, Chmakova's Berrybrook Middle School, or Miller's Click or Besties series. Mendez' illustrations are bright and colorful, and have a slightly older feel to them that will appeal to middle school readers. Romance has been something my students have requested a lot this year, and it never hurts to throw a crush or two into a middle grade novel. We see just enough of Sol's family to make her a well rounded character. I can see this being popular with graphic novel fans.
Weaknesses: It was hard to believe that Sol was so distracted by her crush; yes, romance is important to middle schoolers, but generally worry more about their sports careers. I did appreciate that the issue was not that Sol had a crush on another girl, but rather her feelings were interfering with her life. This is definitely where current middle schoolers are with LGBTQIA+ issues.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Speak Up, Santiago and want to know more about Hillside Valley, or who are fans of soccer books like Becker's Crushing It or graphic novels like BeKa and Maya's The Love Report. 

 

Galvin, Christopher. The Thing About Giants 

June 9, 2026 by Candlewick

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Jacq Dyer lives in Fathach, a city that has been hunting and killing giants for their bones and using them in building construction. This has been going on for over fifty years, and both of Jacq's parents were giant hunters. Her mother was killed when the Resistance sabotaged her helicopter, and her father now works at The Factory, where bones are processed. He is in charge of explansion programs. Jacq and her best friend Joe were selected to train to be giant hunters now that they are twelve, so head off to the Factory to study. There, they see a giant in a cage that they are supposed to ignnore. We also meet a young giant, Corman, who travels to the Healing Valley with his father and his pet groundling, Misneach, to get herbs to help his sick sister Clova. The two are attacked by helicopters, and the father dies. Corman befriends a forest giant, Foill, and is trying to get back home to Underhill when Jacq falls out of a helicopter and Corman catches and saves her. Foill cautions him against helping her, and the two narrowly escape other giants, but Corman feels he should help. Jacq fixes a map of Corman's, and they try to make their way to Under Hill. Misneach disappears. They pass an abandoned giant village, which is a revelation to both of them. Eventually they read Corman's home, but he passes out. His family retrieves him, and Jacq sneaks into the community in his satchel. The giants understandably are afraid of Jacq when she surfaces, but after seeing a portrait of Corman's father, she realises that he is the giant being held prisoner in the Factory. The director of the Factory is planning to release him at a local parade and use the event to shore up support for the Factory. Corman is determined to go back and free his father, and Jacq hopes to make some changes in her society so that giants are treated better, once she learns the true cause of her mother's death. 
Strengths: It's always good to make young readers understand that groups of people are often mistreated because they are misunderstood, and that society should not allow this to happen. Certainly, this is a timely message especially now. Jacq has never quite thought giants should be killed, even though her parents were giant hunters, but we learn that they were not as entrenched in that violent culture as Jacq thought. Corman's experience is traumatic, but he does get to experience life above ground, and meets a variety of other giants in his travels. He and Jacq are very understanding of each other, and not quick to assume that the other will be dangerous, which was good to see. It never hurts to have a loyal pet on an adventure, so Misneach was a fun inclusion. There are some fun songs that Corman's mother would sing to him, many involving worms, which giants think are tasty. This book is on the longer side (320 pages), and younger readers will appreciate the giant story, while older ones will embrace the allegorical side of the narrative. 
Weaknesses: This story seemed like it should be set in a medeival world, but was clearly modern, with helicopters and yellow school buses. The modern setting made the need for giant bones for building things seem a bit odd. I wish Jacq wasn't always opposed to hunting giants, because it would have  been interesting to see her change her mind. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Netz's The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines, Rylander's The Legend of Greg or Borba's The Midnight Brigade. 

MMGM- Malt Shop Milestones

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Keels, Nadine. Vicky's Victory (Malt Shop Milestones #1)
January 6, 2025 by Prismatic Prospects
Personal Copy

Vicky Phillips is a high school student in the late 1940s in Port Milestone. She wants to attend college and be a journalist, so is happy to write for her school's newspaper, the Black Diamond Daily, but is irritated that editor Ed assigns her articles about fashion and recipes instead of serious news, just because she is female, since the other female staff member, Hester, does the advice column. Vicky's father is a bank security officer who worked in the shipyards during World War II because many Black men were not accepted into the military. He advised Vicky to remember and write about such things so that society doesn't forget. Vicky's good friend Berta is going steady with Howard, and there is some talk that Chester, a wealthy, popular boy, wants to date Vicky. However, Vicky is interested in the son of the local malt shop owner. Willie is a football player, and when he accidentally knocks Vicky off her feet but catches her, she remembers a comment her father made about a man being a good dancer if he can save a girl being "swept off her feet". Vicky thinks that if she can interview Willie for the newspaper, Ed might let her write more serious articles, so she visits Willie at home when he is sick, making him a hot drink of lemons and honey. In turn, Willie brings her a newfangled peanut butter and jelly sandwich to school. Chester has asked Vicky to homecoming, but she turns him down, and even the studious Thomas is interested in her. He gets rejected after he shares his opinion that girls only go to college to find husbands! Willie invites Vicky to a party at his home, and the two clearly enjoy being together. Vicky writes an article about Bro Brown's Burgers and Malts for the paper, which makes Ed take her more seriously and endears her even more to Willie. At the end of the book, the two share a sweet kiss. An author's note explains the need for remembering both the social injustices faced by Black people in the past, but also the daily joy that is infrequently shown in books.

Keels, Nadine. Berta's Bounceback (Malt Shop Milestones #1)

June 21, 2025 by Prismatic Prospects
Personal Copy

Berta Benson is a high schooler living in Port Milestone in the late 1940s. She's going steady with Howard, with whom she gets along very well. She still loves to work in the Victory Garden that she kept during the war, and there's a lot of excitement because her family has just purchased a television set! Even though there aren't a lot of stations or programs, it's a fascinating new technology, and the neighbors are often invited over to watch. Berta's mother is a seamstress who makes Berta's dresses, but also sews for both Black and white customers. She is very insistent that white customers treat her with respect, and doesn't allow them to call her by her first name, only Mrs. Benson. Her father is a barber whose shop is very popular, and he did not have to fight in the war because his legs are different lengths. Seeing her best friend Vicky's success on the school newspaper makes Berta wonder about her own future. She struggles in school, and doesn't have a career that interests her, so she feels very ordinary. When her neighbor Evie moves away, a new family moves in. Mr. Coleman was raised in the West Hill neighborhood, but it is widely known that he passed as white, fought in the war, and married a Mexican-American woman. This would have been illegal in some parts of the country, and his family struggles to adjust to West Hill. Berta befriends Ari, who is an excellent singer, and invites her over to watch television. She also talks to her parents about inviting the Colemans over to show that they are accepted. Howard confides in Berta that he also sometimes worries that he should have more dreams for his future, but he is happy to pursue a career as a plumber and to eventually have a wife and children, which fits perfectly with Bertas plans. Notes at the end of the book address the way Black people were addressed in demeaning ways by white people, details about how interracial marriage was viewed after the war, and even includes links to a soundtrack online! 

Keels, Nadine. Ari's Aria (Malt Shop Milestones #1)
January 6, 2025 by Prismatic Prospects
Personal Copy

Ari Coleman's family is struggling to find their place in the West Hill community of Port Milestone after moving back to the father's hometown. Mr. Coleman spent World War II passing as white and fighting in the war. During the duration, her mother worked maintenance at the nightclub where her father had been employed. After his return and the birth of Ari's brother, the family realized that the brother took after his Black father more than his Mexican-American mother. Knowing this would make their life difficult, they returned to the predominately Black community of West Hill where Mr. Coleman found a job at a pianist in a club. As the summer community celebration approaches, Ari considers participating in the Black Diamond Pageant. She is an excellent singer, but faces discrimination for being both Black and Mexican-American. She's also interested in Bam, who plays football at the high school but is a hopeless dancer. The two are friends, but both are considering more. Ari continues with the pageant despite the pushback from popular girl Hester, and is encouraged to improve her singing with inspiration from Marian Anderson's historic Easter performance at the Lincoln Memorial as well as Black films that play at the local theater. Bam admits that he likes Ari but is reluctant to pursue a relationship because he is afraid it will all go wrong. Luckily, things go well for both teens, and the book ends with a sweet kiss. 

Strengths of the series: The Malt Shop Milestones book includes all three stories, so I read this as one longer title. I'm an enormous fan of 1950s malt shop titles, and was so excited to come across Ms. Keels' work! She is also a fan of the genre, but was not happy with the lack of Black representation, or worse, negative representation common at the time. She has carefully researched the time period, made delightful romances that include realistic problems, but has also added important context by highlighting Black history in the plots. Vicky, as an aspiring journalist, underlines the importance of preserving stories like the treatment of Black citizens during World War II. Berta's mother refuses to be belittled by her white employers, and the family enjoys popular music by Black artists. Ari's family has to navigate the difficult situations of passing as white and raising an interracial family. The notes at the end of the book address these issues further, and I would love to see Keels write a book about Greenwood, Oklahoma before the horrific racial massacre. There are plenty of details about phone directories and telephone operators, polishing shoes, Kraft television theater, and, of course, Bro Brown's Burgers and Malts, the malt shop of our dreams! Young readers will be thrilled with the gentle romances and the struggles the girls go through to try to plan their paths forward into adulthood. The characters reminded me of the ones in some of my favorite series; Berta would have traded homemaking tips with Dulcie Lungaarde Trighorn from Lenora Mattingly Weber's Beany Malone books, and Vicky and Beany would have bonded over a love of journalism. 
Weaknesses of the series: This may be hard for school libraries to include in their collections because the books are over available as paperbacks or e books. Since I read primarily middle grade literature, I wanted more defined plots in all of the stories, but these embrace a more character driven, young adult format. I have a few tiny quibbles; there was not a single sock hop! I had thought that referring to stuffed animals as "stuffies" seemed very modern, but Ms. Keels herself assured me that this term appeared in Ladies' Home Journal in the late 1930s. THAT is a level of research that I can respect.

What I really think: Traditional publishers are completely missing the boat by not publishing happier historical fiction with characters of color! Romance books are more popular than ever, and the inclusion of Black history alongside positive and sweet teen relationships is the perfect combination. 

Along with the Greenwood story, could we also see two star crossed teens from Cleveland, Ohio in 1979 who are involved in the court-ordered school busing of the time? I've been waiting for this book to be written for twenty years! 

Perfect Enough (Good Enough #2)

Kuyatt, Megan. Perfect Enough

June 2, 2026 by Scholastic Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this sequel to Good Different, Selah is cautiously excited about attending a summer Writers' Camp at a university. She will be there with her long time friends Brooklyn and Rheya,  but is concerned that she will become overwhelmed. This is something that can happen because she has autism, but she has some good coping strategies in place. Her mother is reluctant to let her go, but her grandfather, Pop, supports her. Selah worries that if she can't last a few weeks at camp, her mother will never let her do anything. She sets off with her tools like earplugs, fidgets, and sunglasses, and is excited to work on her poetry so that she can get a start on being a real writer. Her counselor, Noa, is understanding, since she also has autism and is in a wheelchair due to long COVID. Brooklyn and Rheya say that they don't want any drama during the summer, so Selah tries to not freak out, even when there are masses of ladybugs in the room. When Brooklyn and Rheya decide to do a film for their group project without consulting her, she's not happy, but tries to power through. A boy who has given her trouble back at her private Pebblecreek school, Ezra, is at the camp, but when the two are paired on a writing project, Selah finds that the two may have some things in common. Ezra has ADHD, which is what causes his exuberant behavior that irritates Selah. They find some common interests, and Selah finds it more calming to be with her than her friends sometimes, which irritates them. Brooklyn doesn't seem to really understand that Selah is sensitive to lights and noise, and Selah ends up trying to sleep in the dorm library because of the interference. When she mentions it to her roommates, Rheya seems to understand, but Brooklyn just laughs it off. This eventually causes Selah to call her mother and asks to come home. She ends up staying, but talks a lot to Noa about how she has to protect her health. This is especially important when everything becomes too much for her and she can't get out of bed. Selah talks to Pop, who lets her know that coming home doesn't mean that she can't ever succeed; it just means that she is overwhelmed right now. Brooklyn is upset because Selah hasn't been upfront with her, and claims that "real friends tell each other things". Brooklyn is, of course, having her own problems, and her parents aren't very attentive to her. Selah goes home, but has a new friendship with Ezra, a new understanding with her friends, and a new perspective in starting the upcoming school year and Old Mill Middle School. 

Strengths: While many middle grade novels depict traditional outdoor summer camps, special interest camps at universities seem to be more prevalent today. There are certainly many camps for writing and computer programming, and spending time on a campus is an intriguing proposition for young readers. It was realistic to see the difficulties that Selah had with Brooklyn and Rheya; hanging out for a few hours is completely different than having to live with your friends 24/7! It was quite fascinating to see Selah and Ezra becoming friends and bonding over their neurodiverse brains, and it was good to explore how tweens might hate when people make assumptions about them even while they are making assumptions about others. The mother's overprotection was on point, and I was curious as to how Pop's was able to encourage Selah to listen to her mother while he was still driving despite some opposition. There might be another book possible detailing Selah's entrance into her new public middle school. 
Weaknesses: While it is admirable that Selah wants to be a writer focusing on poetry, I would still like to see more books depicting tweens who are interested in careers that will be more in demand, such as STEM careers, child care, or math related occupations. I was a big fan of the 1950s career romances that encouraged girls to become physical therapists, nurses, copy editors, or librarians (which AT THE TIME was not a bad choice). It makes sense that authors are creating books about wanting to write, but it would be more useful to broaden the scope of jobs for tweens. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Hicks' Inbetweens, Montague's Camp Frenemies, or Fajardo's Miss Camper. 

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Midsummer Sisters and Really Rubie

Smith, Niki. Midsummer Sisters

June 2, 2026 by Graphix

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this graphic novel, Kenzie's father, Adrian, married Quinn's mother, Bethany, after the death of Kenzie's mother when both girls were fairly young. Quinn's father sometimes visits with her, but the two are definitely sisters in every way that counts. Lately, their parents have been fighting nonstop, which is very stressful. When Gramma (Adrian's mother) offers to take the girls to her home in the Outer Banks for the summer, it's mainly a relief, although Quinn is a little upset to be missing her friend Willow. She's supposed to have a visit with her father, but Gramma offers to host him at her home. The girls have a lot of freedom to kayak and roam the beach while Gramma does her work for the Wild Horse Foundation, and it's peaceful to not have to listen to fighting all the time. The girls find a shark's tooth, help clean up the beach, and even get to name a new foal who is born. When Bethany decides to take a job in another town, Quinn is devastated. She feels that Kenzie doesn't quite understand her grief, and the two fight a bit. They eventually talk through their feelings, and Kenzie realizes that Quinn and Willow want to date each other, adding to Quinn's grief. While the parents are not very helpful during this transition, Gramma is a steady support, and the girls plan to spend their summers with her even after the divorce. 

Strengths: Definitely Gramma for the win in this book; I very much appreciated that she is still working and active, and steps in to take care of the girls when their parents are clearly not doing so. The Outer Banks setting is intriguing, and the information about the horses will appeal to a wide variety of readers. The illustrations are attractive, and the way the parents are fighting is expressed in an intriguing way, with background text bubbles and even spiky voice bubbles just filled with fire like color! The way the girls interact is also realistic; when someone is going through hard things, it's difficult to empathize with others. 
Weaknesses: While the over-the-top emotions the girls exhibit are certainly true to life, it strikes me that it would be more helpful to young readers who might have trouble regulating their own emotions to see examples of tweens developing more effective coping strategies. I realize that I have this point of view because I am an old person and this is no longer in favor, but the current methods just seem to be making my students more and more anxious. Midsummer Sisters certainly feels right at home with other current graphic novels. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who found this author's Sea Legs intriguing, or who want sadder books about divorce like Levy's All the Things We Found or Lucido's and Corcutt's Words Apart. 

Frost, Maddie. Really Rubie

June 2, 2026 by Aladdin

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Rubie Fox lives with her mother, Paula, after her parents' divorce. Her best friend is Riley. The two are very different, but get along well and are planning to go to summer camp the summer before 6th grade starts. When Riley breaks her leg while trying on her mother's heels, Rubie has to go to camp by herself. She promises that she won't do any of the items on the bucket list that she and Riley created. Rubie shares a cabin with two girls from France, as well as Riley's cousin Kat who is taking her friend's place. She doesn't get along super well with any one them, since they are also obsessed with clothing and makeup, but does make friends with Eliza. Riley has a big crush on Owen, who is at the boys' camp, so Rubie sneaks across the lake to leave him a message. It turns out that Owen has a crush on Rubie, and things get complicated. Riley shows up at camp for the dance, and sees Rubie and Owen kissing. Will this end their relationship, or will they be able to put it back together. This seems like it might be the first book in a series. 

The format of the book is what will draw readers to it. Frost's background is in picture books, so there are plentiful illustrations throughout the story, arranged in a Wimpy Kid or Sitck Dog fashion. Camp stories are usually popular, but this felt like a bit of a throwback. Few of my students are interested in fashion or makeup these days, and having a dance at camp felt outdated. I imagine that this will be a paper-over-board hardback, so if you order it for your school library, make sure to invest in a prebind. This will see a lot of wear from fans of Russell's Dork Diaries or Greenwald's TBH series, and could fall apart quickly! 

I'd love to know if naming Rubie's mother Paula Fox is a tribute to the author of the 1973 The Slave Dancer! 

Fifth Grade Top Dogs

Spinelli, Jerry. Fifth Grade Top Dogs
June 2, 2026 by Scholastic Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Suds Morton and his best friend Joey are excited to enter fifth grade, but don't like the school moniker of "fifth grade monkeys", based on an odd rhyme that the previous books in the series (Third Grade Angels, Fourth Grade Rats) embraces. Instead, they decide that they will be the "top dogs" or, as Suds' mother says, the "top puppies". Suds' younger sister, Amy, whom he calls Zippernose, is a fourth grader, and is making his life difficult, perhaps because of how casually mean he is to her. Suds spends the days leading up to the start of school obsessing about how he can be cool, declaring that he will now only eat meat at lunch, and even asking his father for pointers. Once he finally gets to school, he enjoys his teacher, Mr. Miles, but pushes the envelope when it comes to the school rules. He has an altercation with a younger student over a tater tot, runs a foul of his mother by not coming home on time, and takes all the Halloween candy from a bowl at a house marked "take one", and is caught in a surprising way. He has a long time crush on Judy, and while he starts to talk to her, the two have a falling out. There are some good parts to the year, such as when a first grade teacher has a medical emergency and the fifth grade students come to the rescue.
Strengths: This is very anecdotal, and might be popular with readers who are committed to WIMPY KID books. There are a lot of illustrations (including one with a speech bubble stating "poot" coming from Suds' bottom) that will appeal to readers as well. Suds' parents are both alive and involved in his life, and take appropriate measures when Suds misbehaves. While the other books in this series came out quite a while ago (1991 and 2012), I know that Spinelli's work is popular, and elementary schools might want to take a look at this new addition.
Weaknesses: This lacks a plot, and has a lot of unpleasant behavior that seems very dated.
What I really think: There are definite JUNIE B. JONES (1992) vibes to this book, and I wonder if it was perhaps written 30 years ago but was pushed aside while Spinelli wrote other books. While this has more appeal than his experimental Hokey Pokey, it is a bit young for middle school readers, so I will pass on purchase.

The Island at the Edge of Night

Strange, Lucy. The Island at the Edge of Night
June 2, 2026 by Chicken House
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Faye Fitzgerald has had a good life with her father while they were living out in the woods in 1932, but when the two had to move to the city to be with her Aunt Christina when her father struggled with issues related to being in the Great War, things did not go well. She's not sure exactly what happened, but seems to remember an axe and screaming. Now, she is being shunted off to a school on the remote Auk Island because she is "wicked". The school is run by Dr. and Mrs. Lightbody, who is called Nurse Violet, and has a small population of troubled students who are locked into their rooms at night to protect them from each other. The children are also give blue "vitamin" pills, and one of the first activities in which Faye and fellow passenger, American Boudicca Braithwaite, have to participate is a funeral for another student, Filiberto. Other students include Evie, Archie, and Lord Gordon, who is rumored to have killed his own brother. There are no trees on the island, which is hard for Faye, who really enjoys nature, and Faye soon uncovers the dastardly curriculum of the school, which seems to focus on removing "wicked" children from their families... and eventually eliminating them altogether! When she finds that Filiberto is actually still alive and living in hidden places in the school, the two team up to try to break loose from the Lightbodys. How can they possibily succeed?
Strengths: One of my own favorite books in middle school was Lois Duncan's Down a Dark Hall, so a mysterious school on a secluded island where the children are mistreated would have been one I would have enjoyed! Faye isn't quite sure why she is considered so wicked, and doesn't quite believe that her fellow students are, either. Boudicca in particular is a great character, and her brash insistence that she won't do unpleasant tasks gets her in trouble, but not before she puts up a fight. The setting is a character on its own, and Auk Island has some troubled history that Faye's father had studied. The post WWI setting is interesting, and boarding school stories have a lot of fans. The cover is absolutely fantastic, and I wanted to poke around the school (parts of which were a former abbey) myself!
Weaknesses: I'm not sure that Gothic mysteries will resonate with my students. When the Lemony Snicket books were popular twenty years ago, I might have purchased this, but perhaps this will resonate more with a British audience.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want to sink into a Gothic mystery like Gemeinhart's Scar Island, Walker's Ash House, or Carter's The Winterbourne Home for Vengeance and Valor.

Raise Your Voice (K-Pop Power #1)

Yun, Erin. Raise Your Voice (K-Pop Power #1)

June 2, 2026 by Scholastic Inc.

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Yuna is the leader of MoonGlow, a K-Pop bad managed by Mr. Han, who works for the K4 2ND music dynasty. In addition to singing and having a great public image, it is critical for Yuna and her bandmates Jade, Ara, and Sun-Hee to be able to fight monsters, since an evil woman named Echo is trying to assert her control over society and has minions called the Whispers who do her bidding. When the lead singer, Ji-Na, of the Sunshine Squad is attacted and her voice is damaged, MoonGlow is picked to debut in their place. They are going to play at the Unity Concert, which is meant to boost citywide happiness in Seoul. Yuna has a bad feeling about this, and discovers that she and the band need to find the pieces of a magical implement called the Rose Chord in order to thwart Echo. Working off clues from Ji-Na the quartet uses their powers to locate the magical petals, follow the clues, and assemble the Rose. Sun-Hee does magical choreography, and has very wealthy parents, Ara designs the costumes and is able to imbue them with powers that can keep the girls safe, and Jade writes the lyrics to the songs. The hunt for the petals takes them to Bukchon Hanok Village, the National Museum of Korea, and Bukhansan National Park... all the way to Baegundae Summit Peak! There are some fights with the Whispers, who wear masks, but Yuna and her crew are able to defeat them. Right before the Unity concert, they confer with Ji-Na in the hospital, who doesn't think they should take the Rose Chord to the concert. When they get back to the hotel to head to the venue, they find that Ara has taken the Rose Chord and is set to perform with the Sunshine Squad at the Unity Concert. MoonGlow arrives unprepared to perform, and Yuna is aghast when she realizes that the Rose Chord is stealing all of the singers' voices. There is a heated onstage battle, disguised by clever lighting, with the Whispers, and the Sunshine Squad must fight as well. Echo appears and sends a bird to steal the Rose Chord, leaving Yuna a mysterious locket. The second in command of the Sunshine Squad, Ha-Rin, who has been acting suspiciously, is gravely injured, but secrets are revealed about her motivations. There is definitely room for a sequel!
Strengths: This was a good overview of the K-Pop industrial complex, training bands and making them fit for popular consumption. The layering of magical abilities on top of that makes for an interesting combination. The plot moves swiftly, there is a clear delineation between good and evil, and there is an upbeat quality to the story. Yuna and her bandmates are easy to tell apart, and each have very clear roles in the band. The Sunshine Squad and Ji-Na are a tiny bit evil, which makes MoonGlow even more appealing. I have never watched K-Pop Demon Hunters, but it looks like I will have to do this soon so that I can tell if this is anything like the movie!

Weaknesses: The petals of the Rose Chord were ridiculously easy for the girls to find, and the fight scenes were laughably short. It reminded me of a Scooby Doo or Josie and the Pussycats cartoon where the mystery is easily solved in twenty minutes. This does make the book and fast and enticing read, and I am not the target demographic for this book!
What I really think: Yun, who wrote the Pippa Park series, has created a fast moving K-Pop Demon Hunters-esque novel that will be popular with fans of this musical genre or the movie. It's a bit cheesy, but so were the 1970s Patridge Family mystery books. This reminds me a little of Yee's foray into the Super Hero High books. Readers who enjoyed Goldie's Skylar and the K-Pop Principal, Bowman's Generation Misfits, or Kim's Make a Move Sunny Park will definitely enjoy this. Is it great literature? No. Will I buy a copy for my K-Pop obsessed fans? Absolutely. Stacia Deutsch also has a series out, K-Pop Demon Detectives (Bluestone Books), but I haven't been able to get ahold of any copies.  (But it is available through Follett. I like Deutsch's writing, and it seems like a fun series for the librarian who replaces me to find in fifteen years!)

The Haunting of Walker Pond

Tandon, Nancy. The Haunting of Walker Pond
June 2, 2026 by Aladdin

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Since Frankie's step mother Deb doesn't want to return to Maine and stay at the inn run by her best friend Parker's family for the summer, Frankie comes up with another plan. She and Parker will both apply to be Leaders in Training at Camp Asticou, near Parker's home. Since the LITs work with younger campers, there's no charge, so both families agree. After their mystery solving adventures in The Ghosts of Spruce Point, Frankie and Parker are well aware of the creepy aspects of this wooded Maine environment. The camp has a legend about the Bride of Rippowam, that concerns a young woman, Eugenie, in 1635. She fell in love with a sailor named Raleigh, but ended up falling off a cliff to her death. Her spirit is said to haunt Walker Pond, causing unusual cold and other eerie phenomenon. The LITs, which include Stacy, Nolan, Ivy, are headed by counselors Josh and Zara, and are put in charge of the Sparrows, the youngest group of campers. Darius, whose parents have some social media fame, is glad to be relatively unknown, and Frankie thinks he is rather cute. Frankie forms a special bond with Sparrow Jessy, who has a locket around her neck which seems to tie her to the history of Eugenie. When the LITs are investigating the legend, they find Eugenie's diary from 1635 in the damp stone cottage that houses the camp's Little Free Library. They learn secrets about her past, and try to unravel what might be keeping her spirit tethered to the area. The investigations involve them sneaking out at night and breaking many camp rules, which gets them in trouble, but Frankie knows that it is important to take care of Eugenie's spirit before she causes any tragedies at the camp. Will the LITs succeed?
Strengths: Summer camp is an enthralling premise for readers who might not get the chance to go to one, and there are always local legends about scary things that are told around the camp fire. What if those ghost stories are true? Frankie and Parker know their way around a mystery, and make a good team. It's fun to see them interact with other counselors as well as the younger campers, as they try to figure out why Eugenie's ghost is haunting the pond. I especially liked Frankie's interactions with her father and stepmother, who married Frankie's father when she was very young, after the death of her mother. Frankie has few memories of her mother, but the ones she has are firmly tied to the natural environment of Maine. Her relationship with Darius is very sweet; adding a bit of romance in a middle grade book is always a good idea. Eugenie is a devious ghost, and while not exactly murderous, is certainly not benign. There was a nice balance between doing things against the rules and having consequences for them, and the ending was happy and positive.
Weaknesses: I didn't believe that children would find and read a 100 year old diary in Ford's The Lonely Ghost, so I couldn't believe that an almost 400 year old book would have survived unbothered in a damp stone cottage. Also, the campers were sent out in the dark on a lot of team building exercises, which seemed dangerous. Neither of these things will bother young readers! 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who liked the eerie shivers of Burch's Camp Twisted Pine, Berk and Mitchell's Camp Murderface, or Murphy's Camp Sylvania. 

MMGM- My Roman Summer

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

deLuca, Bruna. My Roman Summer.

June 2, 2026 by Chicken House/Scholastic

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Livia Nardelli and her mother are spending the summer in Rome because her Nona Adelina (Nina) who is 75 and has broken her leg. She is unable to run her long standing bar/cafe. This means that Livia's best friend, Isla, is running the mother's Caterina's Cat Casa in Edinburgh while Livia's father travels to take wedding photos. While Livia speaks Italian at home with her parents, she is intimidated by Nina and doesn't speak as much with her. Still, she is rather angry that her grandmother has signed her up for language classes instead of expecting her to help out at the bar. The reason behind this seems to be Giulio, the grandson of Nina's best friend, who passed away. Giulio's parents had a lot of difficulties, so he has become very close to Nina. Giulio is Livia's age, but helps extensively at the cafe, and lives next door. Livia heads off reluctantly to her language class, and finds that it is below her skill levels. It is not all a loss; she meets Kenzie and Ren, and starts meeting with them at the bar for language practice. Ren likes to cook, and brings treats, which interest regulars like Enrico, a retiree who used to run a restaurant in the area. The bar is having financial difficulties, and Livia suspects that Giulio is hiding things from her. When she finds them out, she hides them from her mother, who is in turn hiding things from Livia. With Nina still in the hospital, Livia and her new friends, along with Giulio (to whom she is warming) come up with a plan to try to save the bar. Will they succeed?
Strengths: I read so many depressing middle grade books that My Roman Summer was a delightful relief. Livia is perfectly happy to travel to Rome, and really wants to help out her grandmother. She's struggling with not feeling Scottish enough at home, and not feeling Italian enough in Rome, so watching her connect with her Italian roots was particularly intriguing. It is realistic that her grandmother needs help with her business, but also that Caterina isn't thrilled with having to put her own life on hold to come and sort out her mother, with whom she has a slightly troubled past and prickly relationship. I enjoyed seeing the regulars at the bar (which serves breakfast, so is really more like a cafe), and the neighborhood coming together to save the business was heartwarming, if a little unrealistic. Giulio is a great character. He's never really mean or unpleasant, and has the best interest of Nina and the bar at heart; it's just Livia's impression of him that causes her to dislike him. It doesn't hurt that he is cute, charming, and drives a vintage Vespa! There's a little sight seeing, and a light but very sweet romance that will suit high schoolers and middle schoolers alike. This is a great summer read, and I hope that de Luca's Evie in Venice is available in the US soon!
Weaknesses: I'm personally not a fan of the enemies to lovers trope, but that's because if I hate someone, I hate them forever. Livia's initial dislike of Giulio is perfectly valid, as her growing trust in him, and there are many readers who enjoy this change of heart.
What I really think: This is a fantastic choice for readers who loved Callaghan's Lost In series but want a slightly longer young adult book with a little more angst. Really can't go wrong with a romance set in Italy like Rae's Wish You Were Italian, Henderson's Flirting in Italian, Bennardo and Zaman's Blonde Ops, and of course Welch's bestselling 2016 Love and Gelato.