Return to Sender

Brosgol, Vera. Return to Sender
May 6, 2025 by Roaring Brook Press
E ARC provided by Netgalley

Oliver Bakh and his mother Annie have struggled to find housing after the death of his father, a chef who moved to the US from the country of Georgia to open a restaurant. They have inherited an apartment from Great Aunt Barb, and the mother has taken a job as a custodian as a posh private school so that Oliver can attend. The apartment is a bit quirky, and they have to clean out Barb’s collection of insects and newspaper, and deal with Eliza, an older neighbor who is a social worker and claims to have been good friends with Barb. Whittle Academy is filled with rich kids like Lucas, who looks down on Oliver’s off brand shoes and cobbled together uniform, and even posts unflattering pictures on the Darkwhittle web that go viral. The school is fairly high tech and impressive, and Annie works another job at the school after hours to make ends meet, which means that Oliver often goes home alone (he is ten) and cooks dinner. He does make one friend, Collette, whose wealthy parents are never home, leaving her in the care of her nannyguard, Jimmy. Collette is not allowed to have sugar, and in an effort to get access to homemade goodies, sets up a “playdate” for Oliver to teach her to cook. Oliver has uncovered an odd statue of a cat, and a mail slot, in the apartment, which seem to be magical. Pushing a note into the slot out of frustration, he finds that he gets back typed, mint scented replies that tell him to do things like buy a pack of gum, chew it all, and plug up all of the water fountains but one. This assures that Lucas, the bully, puts his mouth directly on the fountain where a child has recently thrown up, which makes him vomit when he is punched in an arranged fight with Oliver. This elevates Oliver’s social standing, but doesn’t lessen his general frustration with life. He shares the secret with Collette, and the wishes escalate from simple things like new shoes to a katana for Collette, and eventually an invisible airplane. At the same time, neighbor Eliza threatens him with a Child Protective Service visit unless he and his mother give the apartment to her. What Oliver really wants is his father and the way life used to be. Can the magical cat deliver and save the day?
Strengths: I’d love to see more illustrated middle grade novels, and Brosgol’s artistic talents are well used here. The apartment is certainly eclectic, and seeing the cat in its home helps the reader to believe that it could be magical. Eliza’s portrait is also very telling; it’s easy to believe that she’s capable of threatening Oliver. Oliver and his mother are doing the best they can to survive after life changing events, and Oliver’s attempts to do everything by himself and not bother his mother are realistic. Collette is an amusing sidekick, along with Jimmy. This starts out as a slightly magical book but quickly elevates the fantasy elements while also showing some satisfying character development for Oliver.
Weaknesses: This had a bit of a 1960s, over-the-top Roald Dahl-esque fantasy feel to it that surprised me a little. I think it is very hard to write a villain in 2025; Eliza blackmailing Oliver by using her position as a social worker was troubling.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who liked Thayer’s The Talent Thief, Snyder’s Bigger than a Breadbox or Whitesides’ Magic Most Wanted, or are fans of Brosgol’s graphic novels.   

So Over Sharing

Weissman, Elissa Brent. So Over Sharing
May 20, 2025 by Dial Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Hadley's mother has been a mommy blogger for ten years, and went viral after a potty training video of Hadley crying about her poop sliding. Clearly, this is embarrassing now, but her mother still embraces her frenzied, disorganized, "parenting is so hard" brand, and has turned this into a lucrative career. The family, which includes older brother Colton and younger siblings Nash and Quinn, has recently moved from Brooklyn to a big McMansion on Long Island, where her mother continues to post embarrassing content to her PhoebeAndJay channels. Willow, on the other hand, has a lifestyle blogger mom who romanticizes motherhood on her Moonbeams and Marigolds blog. Willow has to wear clothing to match her family's and be perfect all the time. When the two girls meet up at a Women in Content conference, they both share how frustrated they are that their mothers don't respect their privacy. Willow is hopeful that now that her younger brother is getting older, her mother will stop, but finds out at the conference that her mother is expecting, and hopes to monetize the new baby. On a school supply run, Hadley is filling her basket with binders, and runs into Ava, whose mother doesn't want to spend the money. Hadley's mom comes up and tells Hadley to put some items back, because they've just gotten a whole box for free. When Hadley meets Ava at her new school, she doesn't want her new friends to know about her mother, since it's embarrassing. She and Willow have their own private channel called "We are not content", where they show the truth behind some of the posts their mothers make. It is hard to hide her family from her new friends, but Hadley tells them that her mother is a different influencer. Of course, this only lasts so long, but Hadley digs up dirt on the others because their parents post embarrassing things on Facebook. Eventually, both girls want to find a way for their mothers to stop posting about them, and make comments that cause a lot of problems. Both influencers lose followers, but gain national attention for the role of parents and kids on social media. Will Hadley and Willow's mothers find a way to still earn a living while not involving the girls?
Strengths: There are a lot of parents who have their children as their profile picture, and this has always worried me. Children should not be discussed in such a public and lasting forum, and this book points out a lot of the reasons why in a spectacular fashion. Willow and Hadley have very different experiences with their mother's content, but it all comes down to the same issue: not every aspect of life needs to be shared. It's easy to understand the allure for the mothers, especially Hadley's. Her father has even been able to leave his job and start a bookstore because of the social media success. I liked that the two of them were able to have each other to bounce ideas off of. They make fairly desperate attempts to get their mother's attention, but this book makes a great point. Young readers will be enthralled with the details of being in the social media spotlight, but also sympathize with Hadley and Willow's desire for privacy.
Weaknesses: Clearly, I have failed at monetizing my blog. After 19 years, all I have to show for my social media is a lot of copies of books that I donated to my school library. I would have liked some statistics on how many people actually can make a living being a social media influencer, since my students think this is a realistic career goal. Even a failed attempt like my blog takes a LOT more time than I think they envision.
What I really think: This is another intriguing choice for readers who like to explore different facets of social media in books like Parks's Averil Offline, Parra's The Quince Project, Wilson's Sparkle, or Yang's Finally Heard. Tanya Lloyd Kyi's Better Connected: How Girls Are Using Social Media for Good is a good nonfiction title to read along with this story.

The Thirteen Doors of Black House

Lavoie, Laura. The Thirteen Doors of Black House
May 13, 2025 by Union Square Kids
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Maya Murtagh is VERY excited that her parents have agreed to book their week of vacation at the former home of her very favorite horror writer, Agatha Black. She and her parents travel from Vermont to Wisteria, Maine, where they meet up with her aunt, uncle, and cousins. The creepy caretaker, Carlise, shows them around. While Maya is happy to get to hang out with her cousins (Kennedy, 16, twins Riley and Connor, 12, and Tommy, who is six), she's disappointed that she can't get into Augusta Black's writing room. Carlisle informs the group that it is strictly off limits, and the room itself is barricaded behind a glass door. The weather is appropriately gloomy, and when a weary traveler show up, Maya is suspicious. It turns out to be Carlisle's nephew Drew, who works at the local convenience store, and he tells them a bit about the house and Ms. Black, who died at the age of 96. Maya, since she knows all of Black's books, notices that there are doors in the writing room with symbols from the twelve volumes on them, and also notices a ghostly cat prowling about. When the parents go shopping in town, and Kennedy is off with Drew, the remaining children play a game of hide and seek. They almost lose Tommy, and end up lost in the woods, where they are attacked by an owl but also find a large wheel hidden in the ground. They manage to turn it, and when they finally make it back to the house, realize that the wheel managed to open the writing room. Tommy impetuously flings open one of the storms, unleashing a huge storm. The parents are stuck in town, and the children slowly realize that there are stories trapped behind the doors. Trying to find out the secret behind this odd facet of the house, Maya opens the door to the Woman of the Waves. The ghostly figure indicates that there is a secret in a nearby tower, and with the help of Drew and Kennedy, who have come back, the group manages to break into a tower room where Maya finds a thirteenth manuscript, The Case of the Curious Cat. When Carlisle shows up, he is very angry, even using the phrase "You meddling kids!" Family secrets come out, but even Carlisle doesn't know how to close the doors. Will Maya and her cousins be able to close the doors created by the stories and save themselves?

Strengths: A vacation with cousins in a creepy old house and a mystery to solve? Yes, please! This realistically seques from just being a creepy story to having the supernatural elements make perfect sense, and the tie in with the author of a horror series was perfect. I don't want to give away too much, but I am now looking at typewriters a  bit differently! This had a lot of good, scary scenes, but was well paced, with the children thinking about what they needed to do next in between the heart pounding action. Bonus points for having the parents stranded in town instead of killing them, and for providing help from helpful slightly older teens. I even enjoyed the brief story at the end about Augusta finding the typewriter. This looks to be available primarily in paperback, but PermaBound does have a prebind.
Weaknesses: There is a subplot about Maya's fight with her best friend Claudia about a new boy, Noah, who starts working for the school newspaper. Maya even hopes that writing an article about Augusta Blackwood will help her get back in the newspaper and her best friend's good graces, but I didn't find that part of the book very interesting and would rather have had more descriptions of the house. 
What I really think: I wish I still had Nance's 2007 Daemon Hall, which had a similar vibe, but a student lost it long ago. This is a great choice for readers who enjoyed Szpirglas' Book of Screams, and I know there are other titles involving horror writers, but they must be as old as Daemon Hall, because I can't think of the titles. Enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. Has a bit of Bell's Frozen Charlotte feel to it; probably because of the house. 

The Pecan Sheller

Ruiz-Flores, Lupe. The Pecan Sheller
April 1, 2025 by Carolrhoda Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Petra Navarros lives in San Antonio, Texas, in 1937. Times are tough, especially since her father has passed away, and her step mother (Amá) is trying to support Petra and her step siblings by shelling pecans in a local factory. Petra loves school, and promised her father that she would continue with her education so that she had more opportunities in her life, but when Amá can't earn enough money, Petra has to quit school and shell pecans as well. It's a tough job, and the working conditions are terrible. The dust from the pecans, combined with inadequate ventilation, lead to many of the workers getting tuberculosis. Petra befriends Dona Ramoncita, and older woman whose excellent work allows her to be somewhat outspoken, and Ofelia, who is slightly older and engaged to be married. Money is so tight that Petra finds it hard to obtain paper or pencils in order to write down her stories, and her siblings struggle to have shoes and clothes that fit. There are some moments of joy, and Amá allows Petra to go to the quinceanera of a school friend, even though the wealthy celebration is somewhat uncomfortable. When all of the factories in town threaten to cut wages (so that workers won't try to go to another factory), Dona Ramoncita leads a strike, but Amá doesn't want Petra to be involved, since Amá lived through the Mexican Revolution, which treated her brutally. The town rallies around the workers, and people donate food, but since Amá had lost her job before the strike and is taking in laundry, times are especially tough. Petra continues to fight for the cause, even being beaten and jailed. In the end, the strike causes the owners to limit the wage cuts a bit and improve conditions slightly, but a few months after the settlement, the Fair Labor Act guaruntees workers 25 cents an out. While some factories bring in machinery to cut the amount of workers, Amá is able to get a job running one of the machines, and Petra is able to go back to school.
Strengths: Historical fiction is helpful for providing young readers with a sense of context; when I was growing up, I heard personal stories about the privations of the Great Depression, but my students would be shocked to learn that Petra erased her assignment from notebook paper so she could reuse it. I know I pick up a dozen pencils a day from the hallway floors, so Petra's excitement about the gift of a pencil will be a revelation. The expectation for fair labor practices are also much different today, and the concept of taking work home from factories for families to work on will also be shocking for children who spend six hours a day playing games on their phones. This also touched on other historical events, like the Mexican Revolution and the Fair Pay Act, and has some helpful notes.
Weaknesses: While the death of the father is very sad, I can't imagine that Amá would have stayed in bed for several days. She wouldn't have had the luxury.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Sanchez's The Wind Called My Name or Dobbs' The Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna, which sheds some light on the experiences Amá might have had in Mexico.

May Fantasy Round Up

Leavitt, Lindsey. The Garden Just Beyond.
May 20, 2025 by Godwin Books
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss

Magnolia Carter lives in Humble Hollow, a small town in the New Jersey Pine Barrens where her family has lived for generations. They have an unusual calling; they serve magical dinners that change people’s lives because of the ingredients that they grow on the farm. They used to just invite friends and neighbors, but now hunt down customers willing to pay high prices in order to have a source of income. Maggie has not yet cooked one of these dinners, but has been studying the effects of various ingredients and planning her menu. She often hangs out with her cousin Clementine, and her brother Corny and cousin Bay also are very involved in the business. When former customer Miguel (who was fed an acai bowl that gave him self-confidence and a good work ethic) wants to take his newly earned wealth and buy the property next to the Carter’s, the family wonders if this will ruin their magical crops. The town has fallen on hard times, and Maggie’s family hasn’t been as involved in the community as they were in the past, but Maggie wants to participate in the yearly Factory Days celebration. She partners with classmate Graham, whose uncle Timothy has an odd connection to the town and is raising Graham after his mother was imprisoned for embezzlement, which the two claim was a miscarriage of justice. Maggie finds journals kept by family members, and learns secrets about the hereditary powers, even though she seems to be lacking in some of them herself.

This is a departure from Leavitt’s usual realistic writing, like her young adult novels Sean Griswold’s Head (2011), Going Vintage (2013), and The Chapel Wars (2014), and middle grade books The Pages Between Us (2016) and North of Supernova (2023). It’s more of an allegorical fantasy like Cole’s The Empty Place or Walker’s Once Upon a Fever with a heaping helping of the magical cooking that occurs in Littlewood’s Bliss or Larocca’s Midsummer’s Mayhem.

Bell, Jennifer. Magicalia
May 6, 2025 by Walker Books US

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Bitsy and Kash live in the village of Oddingham, love video games, and do a local news podcast. When magical creatures (like a giant hamstoceros) threaten their world, they must find a way to deal with their magic so that they can rescue Bitsy's dad. This was very fun, but a little young. Great for fans of Whitesides' Janitors or Mlynowski's Upside-Down Magic. 

From the publisher:

To rescue her scientist dad, Bitsy learns to conjure magicores—extraordinary creatures of all shapes, sizes, and magical abilities. This new fantasy series by an internationally best-selling author will appeal to Pokémon collectors and fans of creature-filled games like Animal Crossing.

Bitsy and her best friend, Kosh, are spending a normal evening playing video games—until a purple hamster the size of a bathtub barges in and eats Bitsy’s gym clothes. They rush downstairs to find her dad being vanished away by a mysterious woman. Now it’s a race against time to rescue Bitsy’s dad, starting with learning the truth—that he can conjure magicores, creatures made from the energy of emotions. From magic-carpet-like huffluffs to shape-changing (and purring) copycats and big, stinky lubberwharls, countless magicores and their human companions exist hidden in plain sight. Wasting no time, Bitsy and Kosh hitch a ride on a kangaroo-peacock called an ozoz and follow a trail of clues that leads them from a conjuring school in London to the Taj Mahal to the Palace of Versailles. Swept up in the conflicts between guilds of conjurers, and in pursuit of a shadowy archvillain, the friends must decide who to trust as they solve riddles, fight imaginative magical battles, and get to know the wide, wonderful world of magicores.

Kuyatt, Megan Eden. The Girl in the Walls

May 20, 2025 by Scholastic

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus 

V (who doesn't like to be called Valeria) is forced to spend the summer with her grandmother, Jojo, who cares about appearances and likes her house to be clean. V thinks this is stuffy, and is also angry about how Jojo has treated her cousin Cat, who is in college studying to be an artist. V, who is autistic, feels that Jojo doesn't like her and is ashamed of her. Spending time in the house, V hears scrabblings and voices in the walls, which turn out to be the ghost of a girl living in the attic. This ghost wants V to work with her to prank Jojo, and this escalates until the house is filled with sludge and V is sucked into the walls. This is all because of family secrets surrounding neurdivergency that have been deeply buried. Because of the actions of the ghost, V is able to talk honestly with her grandmother, and the two can go forward with more acceptance of each other. 

This novel in verse will be enjoyed by readers who liked Malinenko's This Appearing House, Ursu's Not Quite a Ghost, or Haydu's Eventown.

Guterson, Ben. The Shadow of the World-Famous Nine (#2) 

May 13, 2025 by Christy Ottaviano Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Zander is still visiting his grandmother Zina Winebee at her department store, The World-Famous Nine. He and his friend, Natasha, are still worried about the threat of Darkbloom, and are trying to figure out how to finally disable the evil spirit. When Zander meets a man in a purple suit at a fez department he doesn't remember seeing, he isn't worried at first, even when the man gives him a coin with a mandala on it that looks suspiciously like the one on a box that Zina has. When he meets the man again, and learns his name, Mr. A.K. Blood, he realizes that the name is an anagram of his nemesis. Strange things keep happening all over the department store, and Natasha even almost plunges to her doom from her swing in the dining room, but is luckily saved by Uncle Francisco, the oldest Winebee, who is visiting. Zander and Natasha go through volumes of the 1920s store newsletter to try to figure out what Vladimir's message might be to finally contain Darkbloom. Using all of their code breaking and puzzle skills, will Natasha and Zander be able to finally find a way to keep The World-Famous Nine store safe?

There are lots of good puzzles in this, and it's a satisfying conclusion to the series. I'm still a little confused by the location of the store, and by the large number of quirky, Slavic sounding names, but only because I'm overthinking it. It was fun that Winterhouse was mentioned as one of the nine magical places in the world, and I wonder if there will be other duologies about some of the other places. 

Painter, Lynn. The Wish Switch

May 13, 2025 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Emma misses her Nana Marie, who has died but appears to her in the first chapter in a dream about riding a giant cow. We learn that Emma's grandmother was very interested in the Lore of Four that exists in their area near the Platte River in Nebraska, and researched how one could get wishes granted by the Fae Lords. She's left instructions for Emma, who wanders away from a class field trip with her friends Allie and Kennedy to make her wishes. Unfortunately, after her two friends make their wishes, Emma's wish is knocked out of place by Jackson, a neighbor, who has shown up with Emma's brother Noah. It takes a while for the wishes to kick in, but Emma is sure that 7th grade will be fantastic when she has blond hair, is taller, is the 7th grade senatorial candidate, isn't awkward, and when her mother starts dating a nice man. Her friends get their wishes, but Emma starts to notice that Jackson is taller, is named the senator even though he hasn't applied, and is wearing a hat all of the time. She confides in him about the wishes, and since his parents are fighting all the time, he agrees to talk to a cafeteria lady about transferring the wishes. The two get his great aunt to drive them back to the portal with forty pounds of fish for the Fae Lords, but it doesn't seem to work. They consult the local hamburger stand owner, who takes them on wild ride. Will Emma get her wishes back from Jackson, and will the two remain friends, or even MORE than friends?

This had some really great moments; I loved Emma and Jackson's interactions and friendship, and their budding romance even has a kiss with slightly more description than normal, since Painter is apparently a well known author of adult and YA romance fiction. The magical realism is okay, and the great aunt was amusing. This had some things, however, that just felt off. A middle school senatorial candidate? Who gets to wear a navy blazer on meeting days? A Boy saying to another boy "You're like a solid B-cup, dude"? There were some quirky names (Mrs. Snurk), and a rather rushed explanation of the wishes, so I wonder if this first attempt at middle grade is a learning experience. I'm debating purchasing this one, as magical realism doesn't do particularly well with my students, and this was on the long side. I did really enjoy the friendship and romance, though. 

Chan, A.Y. The Legendary Mo Seto #2 Martial Arts Star

May 6, 2025 by Aladdin

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Mo and her now friend Dax are back after The Legendary Mo Seto, and off to China to film with her dad, Cody Kwok. When the second somewhat magical ancestral book emerges, and then goes missing, Mo and her aunt step in to try to find it. A good sequel to the first book, and I imagine there will be one more. 

From the publisher: 

Mo travels to Hong Kong to shoot her movie and unexpectedly comes across another ancient book of martial arts secrets in this fast-paced, high-kicking sequel to The Legendary Mo Seto.

After rescuing her dad, martial arts film star Cody Kwok, and the ancient Book of Joy from a big player in the notorious Five Claw crime organization, Mo is on to her next filming a movie with Cody! Mo and Dax are whisked away to Hong Kong to start work on The Protégés. It’s Mo’s first overseas trip, and she is awestruck by the glitz and glamour of the international film experience.

Soon after they arrive, they attend a party at Cody’s house, where Mo and Dax meet Cody’s younger sister, Fiona, who appears snobby and cold. Mo is shocked when Cody’s father gives Cody a familiar-looking the Book of Sorrow, a piece in the trilogy of books that holds ancient techniques that have been passed down for generations. She is even more shocked when a thief steals it while the party is in full swing and not even her martial arts skills can stop them!

With no leads on the identity of the mysterious thief, Mo recruits the help of a reluctant Fiona, dons her detective hat, and, in between filming, sets out on a mission to find her ancient ancestors’ Book of Sorrow. Can she find and protect the book and make her martial arts movie dreams come true?

MMGM- The Burning Season and Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Rose, Caroline Starr. The Burning Season

May 13, 2025 by Nancy Paulsen Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this novel in verse, Opal is turning twelve, which means that she will begin to take lessons on how to be a smoke spotter from her grandmother, and become the fourth generation of women in her family to keep an eye on the Mangas Mountains from the Wolf Mountain station. Her great aunt Dor was the first female lookout in 1915, and Opal's grandmother and mother have both held the position. Her father was a smoke jumper who died when Opal was five. It's lonely at the top of the mountain, living in a 15" by 15" cabin, and even getting supplies requires a two day hike to nearby Cielito... and everything must be brought back in a backpack! Opal has two friends in town, twins Jacob and Vince Trujillo, whose father Mark works for the forest service, and after spending time with them, she would love to live with the family and attend La Plata Middle School. Her mother doesn't want to send her just yet, and picks up homework when she goes into town. Opal also can use the satellite phone to talk to a retired teacher for help. After her birthday cake, her mother sets off to Silver City, leaving Opal to begin her training. Her grandmother shows her to always hold onto the binocular straps, and how to use equipment and make reports. Opal is worried about fire, since her family had to be evacuated, and she's been too close to the fires several times, but she understands the seriousness of her family's responsibilities. When her mother doesn't make it to town for several days, her grandmother says it is likely because of the rain, but it is still a concern. When Opal accidently breaks the binoculars, she doesn't want to tell her grandmother. When she finally does, her grandmother takes a walk to cool down... and doesn't come back by nightfall. Not only that, but Opal has seen some smoke, and the last batteries for the phone have died. Not only that, but there is a storm approaching. Opal sets off with some supplies to look for her grandmother, and finally finds her. She's hurt her ankle in the stream, and Opal manages to contact Mark, who sends someone up to help. Worried about the fire, she tries to get back to report, and worries that the fire will get to her grandmother. After a fall that causes her to lose her backpack, she ends up fighting small fires by herself before help arrives. Will this quick thinking convince her mother that she should be allowed to go to middle school, or encourage her mother to keep her on Wolf Mountain. 

Strengths: This is based on several real people and events, but with some poetic license. I loved that there was a great-aunt who was a pioneer in the Forest Service, and that the family felt strongly about keeping the area safe. Of course Opal wants to do that... but she also would like to be able to walk to the library and check out a pile of books or hang out with friends. There are lots of details about previous fires, and about how forest management has changed over the years; this is something more tweens need to know. Of course everything goes wrong at once; I was just surprised there wasn't a bear attack thrown in there! The best part of the book was Opal fighting the fires on her own. It was very intense. This ends on a happy note, and it was interesting to see all of the people behind the scenes who were helping Opal and her family. The author's notes on the area and fires were very interesting as well. 
Weaknesses: I would have loved more details about the cabin and living on the top of a mountain! How did the grandmother bake that delicious chocolate cake? Since my daughter once lived off the grid in a tiny house, I know many of the accomodations that would have to be made, but young readers may not and would be enthralled with details about composting toilets and solar heated showers! 
What I really think: Add this to the list of books that make it impossible for me to go out into any kind of wilderness without extreme back up, along with Downing's Just Keep Walking, Philbrick's Wild River, Behren's Alone in the Woods, and Goeble's Back Country. Books about forest fires that would go nicely with this book include Downing's Controlled Burn,  Vrabel's When Giants Burn, and Marrin's nonfiction When Forests Burn. 

Rinella, Steve, Henderson, Brody and Temescu, Max (illus.). 

Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars: Fun Projects, Skills, and Adventures for Outdoor Kids

May 27, 2025 by Random House Trade Paperbacks

Copy provided by the publisher

Since my own children were allowed to play in a nearby creak, and would often come home with mud and mulberry body art, I knew I had to take a look at this adventure guide. Many of my students don't get a chance to be outdoors, even to walk home a mile from school! 

The fact that being outside and having adventures comes with risks is acknowledged in the beginning of the book, and it even mentions the idea of "situational awareness". Parents are encouraged to know their children and what they are capable of, and to do activities with them if the children lack the skill level or maturity to do them on their own. 

There are four main chapters; Navigation and Exploration, Collecting and Foraging, Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife, and Garden and Home. It's important to know how to get around ones environment, and the first chapter covers everything from compasses, following trails, planning hikes, and paddling canoes, but also includes how to set up a tent and fix a bicycle chain. 

The second chapter has a lot of good information about discovering the outside world.  This could also help with outdoor survival, since there's a great how-to guide for obtaining drinkable water, as well as a few tips for wild edibles (with proper caveats, of course). This also discusses collecting rocks and fossiles, finding bugs and stocking an aquarium, and even how to prepare an animal skull to display. The author, whose other work includes The Meat eater Outdoor Cookbook, acknowledges that some parents might be squeamish about hunting, and dead animals in general. The suggestions for obtaining a skull include talking to hunters and trappers who might have one, or finding a "deadhead" in the wild. 

My father and grandfather were avid fishermen, taking yearly trips to Canada. I never had any interest in the sport, but I DO know the trick to making one's catch look bigger than it is! (Hang the fish on a line and stand a few feet back, and pose like you're holding the line.) This chapter inspired some great conversation about the roles and skill sets of my grandson's grandparents, and I've decided to hand this book over to his paternal grandfather, who camps and hunts. I'm mainly vegetarian, so I am not the grandparent to gig a frog or skin a squirrel, but Grandpa does hunt. I'll leave intricacies of firearms safety up to him; I stick with Eddie Eagle's firearm safety rules: "Stop! Don't Touch. Leave the area. Tell an adult."

As far as Garden and Home goes, I've also deputized the grandparent who recently made a rain gauge out of an abandoned and weathered plastic orange safety to be in charge of sprouting beans and planting a garden, although I will be glad to step in to make pickles, preserves, or cobbler. While I've always liked the idea of being an outdoor person, I'm really not. This is why I read a lot of books about getting children outdoors, like Spikol and Metallinou's  Forest Magic for Kids: How to find Fairies, Make a Secret Fort, and Cook Up an Elfin Picnic. Gutierrez' Hiking 101: Tips and Advice for Little Campers, Ward's Lonely Planet Kids America's National Parks, and Storey Publishing's Backpack Explorer books. 

This is a hefty book (350+ pages) with lots of reading, so more suitable for independent reading for middle school students, although it certainly can be useful to younger children with more support. I would have organized it in a somewhat different way, perhaps with more chapters, but there is a helpful index that makes it easy to find topics. 

My own children like to hike, camp, and garden, so I guess I didn't do too badly. I'll do my best to make sure that my grandson gets outside, and this will be a motivational text for me, since my skills tend more toward quilting, knitting, pie making, and knowing how to clean things INSIDE my house! 

Run Like a Girl

Egbe, Amaka. Run Like a Girl
July 3, 2025 by HarperCollins

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

When Chidera's mother tells her that she is going to have to move from Sunridge to live with her father in West Harmony, a posh suburb of Dallas, Dera is not happy. She knows that things are tough for her mother, and that she has to focus on her schoolwork, but she hasn't lived with her father since she was five and her father left. Knowing there's nothing to be done, she makes the move, and hopes that she can get onto the new school's track team so that she can be spotted by recruiters for colleges. When she falls while running in the neighborhood, she meets Liam, who bandages her knees and tells her there IS no girls' team, but he's the captain of the boys' track team. Starting school is a festival of microaggressions, not only from the white staff who can't get her name right, but also from one of the few Black girls, Arnell, who dismisses her down market clothing and box braids. Dera talks to a guidance counselor about running track, citing Title IX, and luckily, Coach Holder is understanding. Dera can train with the boys, and run in their meets for times. This doesn't go over quite as well with some of the boys on the team, who make inappropriate and dismissive comments. Gael, however, is very supportive... and a little cute. His cousin, Roz, wants to interview Dera for her blog, and information gets out about the girl who wants to be on the boys' team. Some people make unflattering comments, even opining that Dera might be trans, but there's generally some support. JJ, however, is angry that Dera beat him in a race, and rips off one of her braids after a meet. Her father calls the school, and the coach tells the team they have to do better. Things are rocky at home as well, since Dera's father, a doctor, is dating a woman with a Nigerian background like his own. Dera's mother is from the US South, so Dera knows little about her father's culture. Joyce is really nice, and introduces Dera to different foods, and is also in her corner about the braid incident. Dera manages to do well when put in as a sub on a boys' 4x4 race, but runs into some problems when a picture of her and Gael in what looks like a compromising position at a party gets spread around. Will Dera be able to find her place in the school and make peace with her family? Strengths: This was an excellent upper grade novel that involves sports, racial identity, romance, and friend drama. The characters were all very well developed. Dera was particularly well rendered, and my heart broke for her as she had to put up with all sorts of horrible treatment and still said that things were "just fine" and that the treatment "didn't matter". It was also good to see that there were people, like the coach and Joyce, who were much nicer than I would have expected them to be. The addition of Nigerian culture was excellent, and the details about the father's estrangement were interesting to find out. I loved Gael and Liam, and they were super supportive. Dera's best friend from Sunridge, Moot, makes an appearance frequently when he calls her. I'm not sure how many high schools can't field girls' track teams, but the sports details were good as well.  
Weaknesses: I wasn't quite ready for the viral pictures of Gael and Dera, and all of the drama that that created. They weren't doing anything inappropriate, but the fallout could have been bad. Since this is a young adult book, I should have known that there would be a little more drama than I was expecting. This is a little longer (384 pages) than a middle grade title, but I think a lot of my 8th graders will really enjoy this one. 
What I really think: This is a great choice for readers who like books about running, like Van Draanen's The Running Dream, or books like Riguad's Simone Breaks All the Rules that address the conflicts between children and adults who have different cultural backgrounds. I really enjoyed this one, and was glad that it was set in a high school but didn't have any more mature language or situations. I will definitely purchase a copy. 
 

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Reel Life

Lynch, Kane. Reel Life: A Graphic Novel
May 20, 2025 by Graphix
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Galen and his friends Luna and Kyle are working on a film about Laser Slug, but Kyle hasn't followed the production schedule that Luna organized, and hasn't made the slug. When Galen and Luna are angry that the have to stop filming, Kyle decides to take all of his figures and quit. Luna reminds Galen that Kyle's parents are in the middle of a bitter divorce, and his father wants custody of the kids, and may move them to California. Galen, who lives with his yoga instructor father and graphic designer mother, can't really understand Kyle's anger, since he is close to both of his parents, watching movies on the couch with both of them every Friday evening. Soon, though, his parents start to argue more and more over things like sending him to camp so he doesn't spend all of his time indoors messing around with filming, and he finds his father sleeping on the couch, texting a "pal" whom he met at a conference. Sure enough, his father has a girlfriend, and his parents are separating. His father moves into an apartment, and he has to learn to deal with new people and situations. His father's girlfriend is Jasmine, a twenty six year old with green dyed hair who wants to be his friend, and who shares old sci fi horror flicks with him. His mother is angry, since she was supporting the family working long hours at her better paying job. She starts dating as well, and Galen is surprised to find her kissing a man on their couch! She's been dating Mike for a while, and arranges a get together for her new boyfriend and his daughter, Autumn, who does videos for her social media channel. She hangs out with Galen, but ends up taking the footage they film together and using it against him. Kyle has still been a jerk, and Luna even tires a bit of his attitude. When Autumn gets in trouble for her posts and runs away, Galen is the one who figures out where she has gone. How will Galen learn to navigate all of the new friend and family dynamics in his life. 

Strengths: I'm still of the opinion that more tween readers have to deal with difficult situations with parents than with processing grief over ones who have died, but the amount of literature about dead parents far exceeds the stories about divorce. Galen's situation will speak to a lot of young people who are dealing not only with their parents being apart, but with new adults and possible step siblings in their lives. It was interesting that we first start with Kyle, who is handling things so badly, and then find out that Galen will have to deal with many of the same issues. Even Luna's parents are portrayed as having a loud argument. It is good that Galen is able to look at his situation critically and do a documentary about it, and I also appreciated that he rather liked Jasmine and didn't mind Mike or Autumn. Since this is based on family dynamics from the author's own youth, I was glad to see that these situations weren't entirely horrible. 
Weaknesses: It was painful to read about how dysfunctional and short sighted the parents in this are, but I am sure it's harder for teens and tweens to live with these parents. There are lots of reasons for divorce, but its effects can be so devastating for children that I wish there were a better solution. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Soontornvat's The Squad, Knisley's Stepping Stones or Gallego's Match Point. 

Guy Friday- Sam

Walters, Eric. Sam

May 24, 2025 by DCB Young Readers

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Sam, who has red hair, has been in a variety of foster care homes since his parents were killed in a car accident four years previously. One morning, as he is trying to pick up breakfast at a convenience store on his way to high school, he has a problem with the owner, who claims Same gave him a $10 bill instead of a $20. The two argue, and the owner eventually flings a $10 at Sam. He leaves, and runs into Cody, a football player, who also gives him a hard time. Fed up with everything, Sam hits Cody with a pop can, breaking his nose. Sam runs to school, where Cody's friends find him in the bathroom. Luckily, a coach finds them before more harm can come to Sam, but he ends up in trouble. His social worker, Jenna, gets him a lawyer, but he ends up being sent to the Johnson Juvenile Center, aka The Gables, for assessment. On the way, he meets Nigel, who is also in because of a temper flare up, and his stepfather didn't want him back home. There are some problematic guards at The Gables, like Mr. Roberts, but also nice people, like Kate, who  manages to have Sam and Nigel room together. Sam has trouble controlling his temper, and runs afoul of Bruce, a boy who is in the center for the long term. There are some nice guys, like Scott and Jordan, who try to warn Sam about how things are. Nigel and Sam are being taught by Mrs. Martinez, who tests them and finds they are quite smart. They've also read a lot, including all five books in The Rule of Three trilogy. She assigns Sam Anne of Green Gables to read. He's insulted, and doesn't want to read it, but is intrigued when Nigel starts to read it out loud. As he progresses, he starts to see why Mrs. Martinez assigned it. He has to navigate issues with Bruce, as well as him impending trial. He's not happy that the lawyer wants him to take a plea deal, and asks if the security footage can be reviewed. Jenna is looking for another placement for him, and it looks like Nigel won't be able to go home, either. When there are allegations that the boys are dealing drugs, it's clearly a set up, and Kate saves the day. In the end, there is a very happy ending, just like in Anne of Green Gables. 

Strengths: Sam has good reasons for his anger, and it was constructive to see that the judge, lawyer, and social worker all make it very clear that Sam is being sent to The Gables (which are blue!) so that he can get help. Mrs. Martinez does a good job of keeping the boys engaged in their education, and praising them. Kate is kind and helpful. There's even a psychologist who helps Sam understand why he keeps lashing out. There are also very realistic problematic people, like Cody, Bruce, and Mr. Roberts, and these never veer into the cartoonist evil that many stories embrace. I adored Mr. Walters' shout out to his own books, and the little joke about the five books in the "trilogy"! Nigel is much more centered than Sam, but has family problems, so the two work well together. The cover is fantastic. Tween readers are very curious about the juvenile justice system, and this has a lot of good details about Sam's process through it without being sensationalistic. 
Weaknesses: While the use of the iconic Canadian Anne of Green Gables is well done, I'm not sure how many of my students will appreciate the reference. It will definitely ladn well with teachers and librarians, though! The ending is a bit unlikely, but still good to see. 

What I really think: This is about the only book I know of about life in a juvenile detention center, aside from Holman's On the Run, and is a bit grittier than Farr's Pavi Sharma's Guide to Going Home. It has the same sort of vibe as Choldenko's The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman, in that it's oddly fascinating to read about Sam's horrible circumstances, but also a huge relief when things work out well. I think this will be a big hit with the right readers, so I will definitely purchase a copy. 

Horse Camp: A Horse Girl Mystery

Seim, Carrie. Horse Camp: A Horse Girl Mystery (Horse Girl #2)

May 13, 2025 by Penguin Workshop
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Wills and her friends are devastated that their Oakwood stables in Nebraska have to close for the summer, but the triplets (Gwyneth, Everleigh, and Noel) use this opportunity to apply for the Juniper Ranch summer camp in Colorado. Amara, Wills' sometimes enemy, sometimes friend, also is planning on attending. Wills, whose mother is an Air Force pilot, can't go because of lack of funds, but at the last minute is awarded a scholarship. All of the girls are off to camp, and end up in the same cabin. Wills manages to irritate Amara by falling asleep on her bunk and messing with her phone, but Amara seems on edge even before this incident. Amara's step brother, Pasquale, is also at the camp, and Wills runs into him in the barn when both are checking on Amara's horse, Silver Streak, whom she has brought to camp. Her parents made a large donation to the camp, which caused them to allow this, and also allowed Wills to have her scholarship. After this late night outing, Silver Streak goes missing, and Wills feels responsible, so starts investigating the disappearance. She has a list of suspects, and notes clues, like the fact that Silver Streak's saddle and snacks are also gone, and there are heart star hoofprints on the floor of the barn. She brings the triplets on to the case to help her, and uncovers a bigger plot than just a missing horse. Will Silver Streak be able to be reunited with his owner? And will Wills' family be moving for her mother's career again, just as she has bonded with her friend group?
Strengths: This definitely can be read as a stand alone, which is helpful. After a brief explanation of the friend dynamics at Oakwood, we jump right into the story, which is move involved with the mystery, even though the drama with Wills and Amara continues. I enjoyed the flirtation between Pasquale and Wills, both of whom make their own horse themed t shirts. There are plenty of details about horse riding, even including swimming with horses. There are copious footnotes explaining many equestrian details that were helpful. The mystery ended up being rather serious, and having financial implications, but is offset by a fun inclusion of a film production crew coming to the camp to save the day on several fronts.
Weaknesses: Willa is a very exuberant character, but I often wished that she would make better choices. Younger readers will not be as worried about her exploits as I was.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like the mysteries in Henson's 2017 The Whole Sky, Farley's Phantom Stallion books or the drama in Burkhart's Saddle Hill Academy series.

Zarina Divided

Faruqi, Reem. Zarina Divided
May 20, 2025 by HarperCollins
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Zarina lives in Poona, India with her father (Abajan), mother, and three older brothers. The family has a spacious home as well as servants, including Khushboo, to whom Zarina is particularly close. Zarina goes to school and has friends from other religions, but as the political tensions increase in 1947, her world starts to change. Even though her mother has assured her that they won't leave, her father is a proponent of Muslims like their family going to Pakistan when the British leave. He makes plan, but delays them because the mother is pregnant and not doing well. When a mob attacks the house, however, it's clear that the time has come. The family gets on a train, but are not out of danger. They almost lose one brother, Adil, and survive an attack on the train only because they are hidden in a bathroom. When they get to Bombay, they are given some food and help by Sikh residents, and manage to get on a ship for Karachi. The ship is crowded, and many people are ill, but they eventually arrive. In Karachi, they manage to find housing, although the small place they are renting is already occupied by a Sikh woman who is not happy to give up her home. After they save her from a mob, she leaves, and wishes them well. Abajan gives her the name of the person they have left in their house in Poona. The children start school, but after they hear about a boarding school in the mountains, the boys want to go. The mother, who has had some setbacks in her pregnancy for which Zarina blames herself, doesn't want Zarina to go, but eventually relents. Zarina takes a train to Muree to attend a school run by English women. The other students are all from Christian families who stayed, or Muslim families. Some of the girls are nice, like Daphne Drinkwater, who becomes a close friend, but others are hateful and balk at doing chores for themselves. Zarina gets letters from home, as well as from Khushboo, makes peace with her mother's health, and is relieved when her new sister arrives. The events are based on the life of the author's grandmother, Zarina. 

Strengths: It was interesting to see Zarina's life in these three different stages; living in India, traveling to Pakistan, and going to a school in the mountains. So often, books concentrate only on one aspect of history, so it's interesting to get the full picture. I loved that pictures from the real Zarina are given. While many portions of this book were very difficult, Zarina keeps a fairly good attitude about all of the situations, even when they mean that friends desert her or that she has to leave loved ones. Her guilt over her mother's illness, while misplaced, will be understood by Young readers. The depiction of the school was especially interesting, since the book is set after many British citizens leave the country. While Zarina knows some of the downfalls of colonialism, she doesn't seem to hold anything against individuals. Readers who enjoyed Faruqi's Unsettled, Call Me Adnan, or Golden Girl will want to pick up this new title. 
Weaknesses: This does a good job at providing details for a novel in verse, but this format is still a difficult sell to my students. This seems not to be the case for other young readers, given the sheer number of novels in verse that have been published recently. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who have read books like Senzai's 2015 Ticket to India,  Kelkar's 2017 Ahimsa , and 2024 The Night Diary, and Saadia Faruqi's Partition Project, and want even more accounts of what the Partition of India was like. 

Joey the Good

Fry, Erin. Joey the Good 

May 20, 2025 by Jolly Fish Pr
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Joey (aka Giovanni Carlo) Bellini has been struggling with a lot recently. Two years ago, his grandfather, Nonno, passed away, and he feels responsible. Recently, his best friend Xander's mother was diagnosed with diabetes, and his whole family has adopted healthier habits. Xander is on the cross country team now, and would rather hang out with teammates or go running than sit on the couch and watch soccer matches with Joey while eating his Nonna's Italian food. Not only that, but his cousin Leo, who was there when Nonno died, is coming to live with Joey's family for the entire summer, and expects Joey to train in order to hike Mount Whitney with him later in the summer. Joey just wants to wallow in cannoli and television, but his mother, a pediatrician, isn't having it. Joey reluctantly goes on hikes with Leo, and the two have a hiking group, led by Deb. This is a rag tag bunch dubbed "the Ascenders" that includes emo-looking Romero and the silent Dominic, the recalcitrant Maya, and some adults. While Joey doesn't really mind hanging out with the cross country team, especially Desiree, who seems to like him, he misses his one-on-one time with his best friend. He also misses the closeness he had with Leo, but just can't get past his anger over Nonno's death, even though there is something really wrong with Leo's health. As hiking becomes more enjoyable, and Joey is even invited to hike Mt. Baldy with Desiree, will he be able to make some peace with both the past and the present in order to stop feeling so horrible?
Strengths: It's always fantastic to have writers who do things most of us will never do (climb Mt. Whitney!) and then write about them. The details about being on the trail are great, and it's good to see Joey changing a lifestyle that many of my students embrace. Middle grade friendships often fall apart because of changing interests, so the fact that Xander still includes Joey with his new friend group is rather admirable. Having a light romance with Desiree is perfect, and Harrison is a perfect nemesis, with his stockless loafers and ironed pants! The family dynamics are realistic; grandmother moving in with the family after the grandfather's death, Leo having problems with his stepfather, and the mother worrying about Joey will all resonate with this age group. Leo's illness is sad, but handled in a hopeful manner. There's a lot of Italian culture and cooking, which I don't see a lot. Having grown up near Youngstown, Ohio, though, it certainly sounds very familiar! Fry clearly knows middle school students well, and crafts another excellent novel about overcoming a variety of challenges.
Weaknesses: I was really rooting for Joey to join the cross country team! Ms. Fry coached middle school cross country at about the same time I was coaching, so I was thinking this book would take a similar turn to her 2012 Losing It. Also, the beginning of this is frighteningly similar to my own sad attempt at middle grade fiction (of which I wrote just seven chapters), Two Mile Sprint! I also would have been happier with a little less angst, and for Joey to come around a bit more quickly.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who liked Downing's Just Keep Walking or Messner's new The Trouble with Heroes. I'm not sure that I want to take up hiking up mountains, but these books might certainly encourage my students to look into the sport.  

MMGM- The Bug Bandits and Lonely Planet Kid's Guides to Paris and New York City

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Walsh, Jenni L. The Bug Bandits
May 6, 2025 by Zonderkidz
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

It's always been just Liberty Jacobs and her dad running the Walnut Street Insectarium in Philadelphia after the death of her mother when she was very young, but they do get help from Grams, who lives nearby, and Dr. Rosie Rossetti, her dad's business partner. There's also Mary Sue, who runs the gift shop and keeps an eye on Emmy, since the family apartment is on the fourth floor of the museum. Emmy is worried about the financial health of the museum, and her dad has an appointment with bankers in a week to try to get some funding. She also misses her friend, Emmy, who has moved to Florida, although the pair video chat every day. Liberty wants to propose a new program to her father which she hopes will bring in some revenue so that she can travel to see her best friend. She wants to deliver pipeline swallowtail eggs to people, give them a talk about the butterflies, and help them hatch the eggs... all for $49.99. Her father is trying to spiff up the museum a bit, and brings in her classmate Cam Jones to refresh some of Emmy's paintings that decorate the walls of the museum. Liberty (or Libs) is a little leery, since Cam is a track star and very popular, while she is often referred to as "bug girl" and doesn't have many friends. The two hit it off, however, and are able to band together when Emmy overhears (via the phone) to men talking about Thursday and things bringing "a pretty price". "Buglary" is a real problem, and after a scourge of recent insect deaths, Libs knows the museum can't afford to lose any more creatures. She confides in her father, the police are called, and they do take things seriously, posting a guard. But when there is no activity, they call off surveillance. Libs is sure that it will happen, so she and Cam find a way to stay in the museum when her father is out of town, and study the ways the insects repel predators in order to boobytrap the museum, ala the 1990 film, Home Alone. They do a good job, but there are some false starts. Will they be able to save the museum from closing, even if the theft might be an inside job?
Strengths: I love that Liberty gets along with her father and Grams, and is super passionate about her family's museum, even coming up with new and interesting ways to spread the word about the collection and to raise money. Having Cam come to do volunteer work in the museum was a great way to introduce a side kick, and having Emmy on the phone is probably all too realistic for friends who are separated. I don't want to ruin the mystery and reveal the culprit, but it made sense, and I only have the slightest inkling early in the book. I also really appreciated that the father believed Liberty, as did the police. This makes the situation even more serious. The description of the museum, with the location of all of the different collections, was very interesting, and there's plenty of good STEM inclusion about insects. This is a departure from Walsh's historical novels I am Defiance (2021), (Over and Out (2022), and Operation Happy (2024), but is a fun, action packed mystery. 

Weaknesses: I'm trying to look more kindly at the inclusion of dead parents in middle grade literature after a Bluesky conversation with Kate Messner, but there really was  no reason for the mother not to be in the picture. Not entirely sure that today's children know about Home Alone, but maybe this will encourage them to look it up. I've never seen the movie, and it did not impact my enjoyment of the book. 
What I really think: Well, I just want to go live on the top floor of the Corning Museum in New York or perhaps the Victoria and Albert Museum now! A building with collections of amazing things is a great setting for a middle grade novel, and this will be popular with readers who have enjoyed museum-centered mysteries like Averling's The Curse of Eelgrass Bog, Durst's Spy Ring, or Hosch's Mabel Opal Pear and the Rules for Spying, Landis' Capitol Chase, Leali's The Civil War of Amos Abernathy, Noel's Cats of the Silver Crescent, Parks' Summer of Brave, Ponti's Framed, Savaryn's The Night Train, Wells' Eddie Red: Mystery on Museum Mile. 

Lonely Planet. Lonely Planet Kids A Kid's Guide to Paris
May 20, 2025 by Lonely Planet
Copy provided by the publisher

Traveling to the City of Lights, or just dreaming about it? This Kid's Guide offers an awesome, photoillustrated guide to all of the sights, sounds, and food you might want to experience, and offers tips for ones you may not even know about!

Getting around cities of the world can be the biggest challenge, so I loved how this started with a guide to walking, busing, taking the train, and even traveling by water. There are good details about the Metro, and the pictures will help young children who have not seen an undergroung get used to the idea. Seeing the sites from up high is possible from many locations in Paris, not just the Eiffel Tower, and it's helpful that there is a map to get people started in the right direction. Other chapters include information on places to play, monuments to see, and secrets of the city.

Even though Paris is a bustling urban area, there are plenty of parks and green spaces to visit in order to get away from the noise and congestion. I love that there are even descriptions of some of the animals that might be found in some of the more natural nooks in the city.

It's even more thrilling to step into a city that one has thought and dreamt about, and to see in real life the attractions that one has visited again and again in pictures. A Kid's Guide to Paris is really the only guide kids would need, but would be great in conjunction with the regular Lonely Planet Guide to Paris for parents, as well as A Walk in Paris by Rubbino, The Little Bookroom Guide to Paris with Children by Levesque, and Let's Go To Paris: Kids Activity Book and Travel Guide  by Moss and Moss, for those of us old enough to remember when Let's Go was an indispensable resource for backpacking around Europe.

Lonely Planet. Lonely Planet Kids A Kid's Guide to New York City
May 20, 2025 by Lonely Planet
Copy provided by the publisher

I don't often think of needing a travel guide within the continental US, but New York City has so many things to do and see that it's really a necessity. It's also a doable location if you live on the East Coast or the Midwest; I think it's about an eight hour drive from where I live. The maps at the beginning of the book are very helpful for navigating the different areas, but the information about public transportation is also important- I managed to drive through Queens on my way to Newport, Rhode Island, and I would not want to have to drive to see different places if I could help it! 

The international aspect of the city is definitely brought to light, not only in the plethora of restaurants with different cuisines, but in the historical background of Ellis Island, the different neighborhoods, and the cultural exhibits. It was also nice that there was a mention of the indigenous settlements that were displaced by the Europeans. 

Like other books in this series, there is good coverage of museums, monuments, places to play, sports, and even offbeat offerings, like a fancy public restroom at Bryant Park. Central Park is explored, as are some of the animals and natural elements that can be found around the city. The photographs are excellent, and the wide range of locations included gives a great overview to this bustling city. 

Reader who were entranced by the fictional No, Nancy, No! A Dog Chase in New York by Tait will enjoy this look at the city Nancy takes by storm. Families planning to visit the city will want to have this as a resource for planning excursions along with Beckman and Mauer's Little Kid, Big City: New York, Woodson's Kids Travel Guide to New York City, and Mills' Hey Kids! Let's Visit New York City. For extra fun on the car ride, make sure to grab a copy of National Geographic's Weird But True: New York City.