August Round Up

I buy a tiny fraction of the books I read, and when I realize I'm not going to buy them, it's sometimes hard to write a full review. Back in the day, I had a "Not What I Wanted Wednesday" post, but with social media, I stopped doing that. There have been so many books that I haven't been buying that it's made me crabby (writing this during state testing in April), and I have been debating losing my filter and saying what I REALLY really think. That won't happen for a few more years, so we'll stick with a round up of things that just didn't work for my library collection. 

O'Connor, Barbara. Dream 

August 26, 2025 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Idalee's mother wants to be a country singer, but in the meantime is renting rooms out in her old and somewhat run down family home to a variety of quirky individuals. When she gets the opportunity to travel and perform, she rents out her room to the star struck Jackie and leaves the house under the capable care of Mrs. Randall, a teacher at Idalee's school. Idalee wants to win a song writing contest, and really wants a new guitar. 

This would be a good choice for readers who liked guitar centered books like Ormsbee's 2023 Candidly Cline, Zarr's 2022 A Song Called Home, Sumner's 2021 Tune It Out, Larson's 2018 All Summer Long, or Kelly's 2016 Blackbird Fly.

This is a nice, short book that might do better in elementary libraries. Everyone seems to love O'Connor's work, but it's a bit too quirky and Southern for me. Not seeing how this relates to Wish (2016), but it's been a long time. 

Myracle, Lauren. Incredibly Penelope
Expected publication August 12, 2025
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Readers who are familiar with Myracle's middle grade and young adult novels will be surprised by this elementary retelling of Burnett's 1905 A Little Princess. Penelope's mother and godmother are off on an adventure because the godmother, Queenie, is a fat positive social media star. Penelope would like to start a school for disadvantaged children, and in order to do so, needs to finally attend an educational institution. She struggles with fitting in with the girls at her boarding school, but the headmistress likes her... as long as she can spend Queenie's mother. When the mother and godmother go missing, all of the assets are frozen, and Penelope is made to do chores around the school. A secret about her ancestry is revealed, and there is a happy ending.

Read this yourself to see if your library needs another retelling of this classic novel. Gilded Girl (Gilded Magic, 1) by Alyssa Colman is another version, with a little touch of fantasy. I don't have the readers for it at my middle school library, since the language is rather young, but it might go over well in elementary libraries where readers are fans of Jane's character in Birdsall's The Penderwicks.

O'Connell, Joanne. Stitched Up

August 5, 2025 by Macmillan Children's Book

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Cassie goes to a school that requires uniforms, but is incredibly interested in the history of fashion. Her prized possession is a 1920s style flapper dress, and she also has a 1960s mini skirt that her grandmother wore. When her school announces a contest to create a more modern uniform, she's pleased to be working on the "dream team" with her friend Azra, who is into trendy, of the moment fast fashion and brand names, and Fern, who is more eco conscious. Cassie enjoys learning to knit, and working with a local KnitWit group. In the end, the head of the school decides that despite good entries from other teams, the school will work with the KnitWits to custom design uniforms for each girl in the school.

At which point, it's not "uniform" anymore, is it? This was a very British title that I really, really wanted to like, since I am a big fan of uniforms, fashion history, and knitting. All about "Me made" clothing! Even though the Louise Rennison Angus, Thongs, and Full Frontal Snogging vibe was strong, I don't think this would resonate with my current students, who seem to live in hoodies and pajama pants. I have enough trouble getting readers to check out Taylor's Sew Zoe books.

Holiday, Tess and Coon, Kelly. Take Up Space, Y'all: Your Bold & Bright Guide to Self-Love
August 26, 2025 by Running Press Kids
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Guides to beauty and fashion generally become hilariously outdated; I have a collection of 1950s etiquette manuals that I bought in the 1970 and 80s, but what I should have been doing was buying brand new copies of books published in those decades, because I can only imagine how horribly the advice within them has held up. 

Take Up Space, Y'all embraces the modern body positive zeitgeist with a vengeance. Tattoos figure largely, and the expectation that standards are bad and expectations should be ignored comes up frequently. 

My mother was in my head as I was reading this, and she wants you all to sit up straight, get your hands out of your pockets, and for goodness sake, do SOMETHING about your HAIR. This would make a great gift from a cool aunt to a tween or teen struggling with body image, but I will pass on purchase for my school library, since the information will no doubt be completely different in five years, and budgets are tight right now. 

Dassori, Melissa. Greta Ever After
August 19, 2025 by Christy Ottaviano Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

After a trip to Germany to visit relatives, Greta has to start the school year at Simmons Middle School. She has good friends in Isabell and Chloe, and has a mild crush on the cute Isaac. She's excited to be writing for the school newspaper, which is going to publish online twice a month instead of only once a month in print. At home, she's rather amused that her relative Ingrid has sent her a cuckoo clock she admired in Germany. It belonged to a girl who died, so is a little creepy, especially when one of the figures on the clock, Lulu, comes to life! Hiding Lulu from her parents and younger brother, Max, is a bit of a struggle, but not as hard as coming up with ideas for stories. Frantic to have something to turn in, Greta plants the ideas for several stories, including persuading someone to stage a birthday surprise for the orchestra teacher, putting puzzles around the building for people to work on, and posting positive sticky notes in the girls' restrooms. Of course, the journalism teacher wants her to investigate the last two and find out who was behind the initiatives, which Greta can't do. As her stress mounts, Lulu offers her a way out-- Greta can go into the world of the cuckoo clock, where everything will be pleasant. The catch? She can never leave. 

I loved the idea of visiting relatives in Germany, and fell down quite a rabbit hole investigating Schultüte, but had a hard time accepting that Greta's staging of news stories was that problematic. Going into the clock struck me as being all too close to suicide, which creeped me out. Readers who are interested in journalism and who liked the magical realism in this author's J.R. Silver Writes Her World may not be as creeped out as I was. Love the cover, and the connections to German culture. 

Cartoon Saturday

Everett, Tiffany. Diary of a Nature Nerd: A Graphic Novel
August 19, 2025 by Graphix
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Brooke is happy when her mother, Wendy, marries Terrance, because he is her best friend Jayla's father! Now, the four get to travel around in an RV, visiting national parks while the parents do conservation research. Brooke is very interested in nature, and keeps a very detailed journal of all of the animals she encounters. She has an extensive bucket list, but has yet to see a moose! For her birthday, she is given an infrared trail camera, and when she and Jayla set it up, they see some really interesting activity, including a fox and a baby owl. When Jayla sees a moose swimming in the river, Brooke is a little jealous of her new sister, but the two make up quickly. They also go off the trails to look for animals, which doesn't end well, and they learn a lesson about observing safety protocols. 

This was a very fun graphic novel, and I loved the illustration style. There are a lot of pages that show the inside of the RV that made me a little nostalgic for the travel trailer my parents had when I was young. There's lots of information about plants and animals, and good tips about best practices in nature. This was a lot more upbeat than most graphic novels, so I will purchase a copy, and definitely would recommend this for an elementary library. 

Garrity, Shaenon K. and Baldwin, Christopher (Illustrator)
The Nefarious Nights of Willowweep Manor (Willowweep Manor #2) 

August 12, 2025 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

After her adventures in The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor, Haley is rethinking her allegiance to an entirely Gothic wardrobe. After trying to present about gasket universes (using puppets!) to her physics class, she is relieved to go back to Willowweep Manor. Things go wrong, however, when Sybil, the hermitess, manages to get a transmission from another gasket universe and several people show up, although Sybil goes missing. Crickets, a fop, Mayberry, a butler, Miss Meadowsweet, Colonel Shotcroft, and Miss Harewood, a capable young lady, all descend on the manor. As they intereact with the residents, the manor starts to change. Miss Meadowsweet conjures up a conservatory where she can knit, and libraries and billiards rooms also pop up. The group claims to be the only survivors from their universe after "the War" has decimated it. When Shotcroft is found murdered, Haley starts to understand that instead of a Gothic universe, the new arrivals are from a mystery universe. In addition to solving the mystery of Shotcrofts death, she must deal with the manor dissolving into nothingness, and the disappearance of Sybil. 

I'm not sure how many of my students are well versed in the works of Wentworth, Sayers, or Christie, but those of us who know those mysteries well will understand the stock characters and appreciate how they are given new opportunities. I was glad that the knitting shown was fairly well done. Hand this to fans of Aldridge's The Pale Queen or Blasco and Springer's graphic adaptation of the Enola Holmes books. 

Stella: Ranch Patrol

Cameron, W. Bruce. Stella: Ranch Patrol

August 26, 2025 by Starscape

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Stella is a corgi who is born at a facility run by Danitta, Erra, and Memphis where larger Livestock Guardian Dogs are also being bred. She's somewhat interested in what the bigger dogs do, but ends up being adopted by Mateo. His family owns a sheep ranch that is struggling, run by his much older brothers Bart and Finn. Mateo's mother passed away when he was young, and he is being homeschooled, although no one seems to check on his progress. The father, Werner, is against having a frivolous small dog who won't be of any "use" on the ranch, but is too distracted by the poor state of the business to put up much of an objection. Times are tough financially, and the father wants to sell the ranch and maybe move to Texas to live with his sister. When she is killed in a car crash, her son comes to live with Mateo's family. Julian goes right to work on the ranch, coming up with great ideas like having some of the animals graze on a neighbor's troublesome knapweed in exchange for money. When it comes to light that Mateo is failing all of his courses, Julian comes to his aid. He not only offers to tutor Mateo, but points out that no one is paying attention to his cousin or listening to his opinions at all. Stella learns to herd, and enjoys it; she's also a bit alarmed that her littermates have gotten to be soft and overweight. When bad weather and wolves conspire to make conditions difficult, will Stella be able to prove her worth and save the day?
Strengths: I'm definitely a dog person, and love to see stories of working canines, even though my Shih Tzu, Leo, spends his days just keeping members of my household safe from squirrels and providing emotional support by way of demanding belly rubs! It was fun to see Corgi representation, especially since they are a herding breed, even though they are smaller than Great Pyranees and often serve as lap dogs. Life can't be easy on a sheep ranch, and the challenges that Mateo's family faces to keep their operation running are very realistic. My favorite part of this was Mateo's homeschooling... or lack thereof. I've seen many students who come back to public school after being left on their own to work through computerized courses, so even though it seems somewhat unlikely that no one was supervising Mateo's school work, it actually is something that happens! This will circulate well on the basis of the cover alone, and there are many readers at my school who have worked through all of Cameron's titles.
Weaknesses: This was a bit sadder than the other two books about service dogs, Zeus and Ripley. My readers who like dog books want more action and adventure and fewer problems. While this is written from Stella's perspective, it felt like the story often veered away from things she would have really known or understood.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like Cameron's work or are captivate by the relationship between tweens and their dogs in books like Hautman's Answers to Dog or Hoyle's Just Gus. 

Gloam

Mackay, Jack. Gloam
August 12, 2025 by Viking Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Gwen's mother has died, and her father lives far away. She and her younger brother, Roger, and twin sisters, Hazel and Hester, are being cared for by their stepfather, Henry. The family moves to Gloam Island, since the children have inherited their grandmother's home, Somnolent House. They haven't visited in a while, and the grandmother died a year ago, so it is rather damp and neglected, and filled with somewhat creepy objects, like taxidermied animals and pull cords for the lights decorated with eyeballs. The island itself is remote, and accessible only by a causeway that floods every night. The children try to make the best of their n ew life, but when Henry engages a babysitter, Esme Laverne, so that he can go on job interviews, Gwen is not happy. The woman is creepy, and Gwen feels that she should be able to watch her siblings by herself. Esme encourages Henry to take down many of the creepy objects, since the younger children are scared, but Gwen pockets one of the pull cord amulets because it makes her feel closer to her grandmother. Esme isn't a good child minder, although she will tell Henry about things that happened, like pulling Gwen's hair, in a way that makes her seem more sympathetic. Gwen visits the Rickety Den, the chidlren's treehouse, and the tree talks to her, warning her that she is in danger, and that Esme isn't what she seems. The twins are plagued by nightmares about the "Stitchy Man". When Gwen suspects that Esme has killed her grandmother's cats, the children start investigating and try to find a way to get rid of her. The house is being consumed by black rot, but the children do manage to get rid of the Stitchy Man. They get in trouble for also destroying the grandmother's bedroom, but things escalate. Gwen kills a monster in the well, and finds a key to the basement. Will the children be able to neutralize Esme before she hurts them? 
Strengths: Gwen is an engaging character who is a bit of a reluctant heroine; while it isn't explicitly stated, I get the feeling that she would much rather be back on the mainland, going to school and hanging out in the high street with her friends. If she has to be on the creepy island, isn't she old enough to watch her siblings by herself? Her tween voice is perfect; I can just hear her sighs and see her rolling her eyes. Henry is supportive and trying to do his best for the children. The setting is a good one, and the description of the rooms and furnishing of the house are creepy. Plenty of scary things happen; Roger hallucinates he is being chased by wasps, there are fights with several monsters, and Esme is definitely not how she presents herself to Henry! 
Weaknesses: This had its creepy moments, but wasn't really a fresh premise. It seems like almost every time a middle grade character moves into a new house, it will be haunted, and the family situation was very close to the one in Beil's Swallowtail Legacy books. (Mother died, family inherits house on island, supportive stepfather raising children.)
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who likes Royce's The Creepening of Dogwood House, Ocker's The Smashed Man of Dread End or Ford's The Headless Doll. 

Where Only Storms Grow

Colman, ALyssa. Where Only Storms Grow
August 19, 2025 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Living on a farm in Oklahoma in 1935 is not easy. Joanna, her twin brother Howe, and older brother Lou live with their parents and are trying to hang onto their land, even though the drought has cut their harvest to almost nothing. They aren't as bad off as her uncle, who loses his farm, and has to move into Joanna's four room house with his wife and five chidlren before heading to California. Joanna and Howe still manage to attend school in town, taught by Miss Landis. Joanna, who struggles with painful scoliosis, sees town girls like Dimple McMains wear fancy clothes that are relatively free from the incessant dust that blankets the countryside. She feels a bit bad, but also knows that there are many of her classmates who can't attend school or whose families have moved away. Joanna isn't required to do many of the very strenuous chores because of her back condition, something which irritates Howe from time to time. Howe loves poetry, and would like to be a writer, but his father doesn't think that he will be able to make a living that way. There is some concern that there will be a measles outbreak, which turns out to be a fortunate thing. The town doctor has left, unable to subsist on being paid in bartered items, and a group of Red Cross nurses have been sent to the area to combat the possible outbreak. This means that when Lou breaks his leg in an accident, they come to his rescue, and he is able to stay at their hospital until the risk of infection is over. Joanna feels partly responsible, so is often at his bedside, and ends up helping the nurses. One of them, Evelyn, shares that she also has scoliosis, and helps Joanna learn exercises that help with her pain and mobility. Joanna eventually gets a job, earning thirty cents a day, helping with patients. This is especially handy since her father has gone to California to find work and send back money. It does have its downsides, like when classmate Dimple is hospitalized with dust pneumonia, and does not survive. When her mother also gets the disease, will Joanna be able to help her?
Strengths: Since we are almost 100 years from the stock market crash of 1929, I have been waiting for new fictional titles about this fascinating moment in history. This had particularly good details about the severity of dust storms, as Joanna and her family have to survive several, and are shown trying to keep dust out of the house by hanging wet sheets over windows, etc. The clean up is also detailed. Joanna's struggles with scoliosis are certainly something I have not seen in middle grade fiction; while there are modern titles, I can't think of any other historical ones. It's always interesting to see how differently common ailments were treated historically. The family suffers a lot of different problems, but they are all realistic, and no doubt happened to any number of people. Losing farms, injuries, sickness, being away from family; it was a tough, tough time. Joanna's experiences at the hospital, finding a vocation, offer a much needed bit of optimism and resilience. 
Weaknesses: I can understand why we see events from both Joanna and Howe's perspectives, but I almost wish this had been written in the third person omniscient point of view. This might have been a bit personal; as a failed poet myself, it was just painful to read about Howe's aspirations. Further niggling point: having feedsacks printed with patterns wasn't a kindness, it was a marketing ploy! The feed companies sold more product for a minimal investment, and everyone used the fabric. 
What I really think: I was a huge fan of historical fiction novels about the Great Depression as a child and loved titles like Gates' Blue Willow, Hunt's No Promises in the Wind, Snyder's The Velvet Room, Enright's Thimble Summer, Langton's The Majesty of Grace, and Lenski's Strawberry Girl. Perhaps the Great Depression was to girl readers in the 1970s what World War II was to our male counterparts. Something about surviving the deprivations and challenges of a period of history our grandparents lived throught was particularly appealing. I'll definitely purchase this one to have on hand with newer titles like Elliot's Bea and the New Deal Horse. Also, I'd love to do a discussion panel with Colman, Alyson Gerber, and Rachel Hruza about scoliosis in middle grade literature, but that's pretty niche! 

Stinetinglers #4

Stine, R. L. Stinetinglers #4

August 26, 2025 by Feiwel & Friends

Copy provided by the publisher

Like Stinetinglers #1, #2, and #3, this fourth volume is comprised of shorter stories that channel the horror and humor of this author's Goosebumps books. Unlike the previous titles, this includes three novellas rather than shorter tales. All three are set in Blooming Hills, Ohio with students who attend Hocking Valley Middle School. 

In "The Day I was Discontinued", Tony visits a new comic store in town to find out the valuations of some of his comic book collection. His best friend, Macy, thinks he's odd because everyone else wants to read manga and graphic novels, and certainly doesn't buy two copies of everything-- one to read, and one to encase in layers of plastic! Tony's favorite is Super Speed-Man, and he even has a costume for Halloween based on this super hero. His twin brother, Luca, gives him a hard time about it. At the store, Tony meets Caleb, who keeps his collection there. The owner, Duane, is out, but Tony has a good time talking to the young clerk, even though Caleb yells at him when Tony ventures too near a door marked "discontinued". Back at home, Luca draws a mustache in permanent marker on Tony's upper lip... right before picture day. Luca thinks this is hysterical, but Tony decides to skip school rather than face the humiliation. He goes to the comic shop, but Caleb isn't there. The owner, Duane, yells at Tony and claims that no one named Caleb works at the store, even though Tony finds Caleb's box of comics and a garment belonging to him. Tony sneaks a peek behind the forbidden door... and finds himself in the middle of a swamp, face-to-face with Swamp Beast, a discontinued comic character! He runs away, and the landscape fades as he finds himself running with super speed, just like his hero. The inhabits of this strange plane of reality start to attack Tony, but he is saved by a character called the Fabulous Flamethrower... and his friend Macy. Tony's suddenly back in Blooming Hills, but when he and his brother both wear a Super Speed-Man costume to a Halloween party, things take an  unusual turn. 

Kiley and Willa are best friends who are constantly trying to outdoor each other in pranks in "Guess What? I'm a Monster", and have both been voted "Most Annoying" at Hocking Valley Middle School. While Willa has a job as an assistant at Dr. Benson's animal science lab, she's allergic to dogs so hasn't applied to the new pet store in town. Kiley visits Donegal's Doggone Dogs and talks to the awner, Bruno, about possible employment. The shop sells dogs, fish, hamsters, and gerbils, but when Kiley finds an unusual lizard, Bruno acts strangely and whisks the animal away, claiming it is rare and valuable, so he has to be careful. Kiley gets hired, and Willa visits the shop with a rubber lizard she uses to prank Kiley. On the last day of school, Kiley accidentally hits Bobby Benson with a ball, and when they get to talking, Bobby warns her against the shop, since Bruno had worked with his father and acted strangely. Kiley doesn't listen. She and Willa are hoping to enter a photography contest to win some money, but Willa's pictures are much better than Kiley's. When Bruno leaves Kiley in charge of the shop for a moment, she seizes the opportunity to go to the basement to take pictures of the lizard, but gets bitten. Later, she starts breaking out in black spikes! Panicked, she calls Bobby, and he and his father come over with a possible antidote. Will it be enough?

Having just moved to Blooming Hills, Denny is settling in as the "new kid" in the story "Mr. Howell". When one of the teachers is sick, Mr. Howell substitutes, and reminds students of his name by throwing back his head and howling loudly! He ends up subbing for the gym teacher and coaching track as well. Denny and his brother Charlie are interested in the team, and befriend Bobby Benson, who is one of the star athletes. Denny thinks he sees Coach drop to all four and run on the track, but thinks that can't be right. When another teacher ends up sick, Mr. Howell takes over the school newspaper as well, forbidden the writers from investigating the teacher absences and focusing on happy stories instead. Denny sees Mr. Howell running again, and even sees him gulp down an entire raw steak in the grocery store, but none of his friends, or his parents, believe that anything is wrong. When there's a pep rally before a game against Westerville, Denny finds out the real reason no one is taking him seriously. But will he survive?

Stine sticks close to his formula of writing snappy sentences and creating dramatic tension even though some of the plot points are a bit goofy. There are plenty of unpleasant siblings and classmates, and some surprising metamorphoses, none of which are too dark. There are unpleasant and sometimes icky situations, but not too much blood or gore, making this perfect for middle grade readers. 

Horror has gotten more and more popular in my library, and collections like Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark or Poblocki's Tales to Keep You Up at Night are always in demand. Stine is a perennial favorite, and an Ohio native, so I loved that he created Blooming Hills as the backdrop for these creepy novellas. The covers are all deliciously disturbing and add to the appeal!

MMGM- Playing for Keeps and Grin

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

As adults we forget about what thoughts REALLY fill up tweens' heads, because we are not tweens, and our own heads are filled with things like "What's for dinner?" and "How will tariffs affect my Roth IRA?", and, apparently, a lot of concern about everyone around us dying. Tweens think a lot about friendships, because those define who they are. For older middle school students, the idea of romance figures very strongly, and when this plays out in reality, can be very volatile. "Going out" with someone can take weeks of lead time, relationships are often short lived, and break ups are often messy and involve changes to friendships as well. 

Oddly, there are relatively few books that deal with this, which is why I was so glad to see this new Spotlight Sprinkles series by Lee Heart that includes Meet Me at Sunset and Written in the Stars. I would have devoured these when I was in middle school.

Heart, Lee. Playing for Keeps

August 26, 2025 by Simon Spotlight

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Aaliyah is starting 7th grade at Glen Creek Middle School, but hasn't heard from her long time best friend Travis for a while. She's surprised to find that he's grown seven inches, gotten muscles, and become a topic of conversation among the other girls at school, who all think he is cute. This includes popular soccer star Harlee, who is apparently "going out" with him. Even Aaliyah gets a little flustered when talking to him now. Travis is a soccer star, and all of Aaliyah's friends, including Emma, seem to be involved in a sport or activity, while she just plays piano on her own, since she is too shy to play in public. Aaliyah feels like she is "popular, but not uber popular", and fairly happy with her life, but is discombobulated without her best friend. Due to some misunderstandings, she thinks he is acting like a jerk, and she doesn't appreciate having to give Harlee information about his favorite color. The two eventually talk, and Travis tells her that an 8th grader on his soccer team, Zac, would like to take her to the Harvest Dance. This is a problem, because Emma has a crush on Zac. Travis and Harlee are in the same homeroom with Aaliyah, and Mr. Paulson has assigned them all a short "getting to know you" project. Aaliyah's involves a lot of pictures of Travis, and in putting it together, she realizes how much he means to her. She learns a lot about her classmates during these presentations, including the fact that Harlee lives with her wealthy but disinterested grandparents, and is being raised largely by nannies. Aaliyah is motivated by an insistent and somewhat geeky 6th grader, Connor, to perform a piano and clarinet duet at the school recital, and she gets a lot of compliments on her playing, even though performing in public is outside her comfort zone. Eventually, she and Travis are comfortable enough in their 7th grade lives that Travis asks Aaliyah to the dance, and she accepts. 

Strengths: It was such fun to watch Aaliyah struggle with very realistic problems, like possibly losing a best friend, dealing with drama, struggling with school work, and thinking that she doesn't have any special talents or skills, when she is an excellent piano player! My favorite character might well have been the well spoken and precocious Connor; I have to admit that I sort of hoped that he and Aaliyah would break conventions and go to the dance together! There are fun descriptions of fashions that won't necessarily go out of style, but which add some depth to the characters. Clothing is communication! There's even an episode of babysitting, which I wish we would see more in books, but which I understand is not something that tweens do as much of now. This is a great length, has a fabulous cover (the three books together will look AWESOME on display), and is a fun, fast paced read. If I had the budget, I would buy two copies of this. A new book, Fun in the Sun, is on the horizon, but I can't pin down a release date. 
Weaknesses: Are there schools that have middle school exchange students? Not sure. Although my school certainly has a homeroom that it too long; perhaps I should assign a similar project to my advisory students next year. 
What I really think: If your students really like Nelson's Cake Pop Crush, Darling's Crush books (which still circulate well after 12 years!), Dalton's Pulled Under, or Miller's Not If You Break Up With Me First, this is an essential purchase. It's also a book that adults who are recommending titles to young readers should read right now; the Newbery titles are all well and good, but if you want to hook reluctant readers, THIS is a title that will do it, not The Eyes and the Impossible. 

The other thing tweens love is horror, and this will be a title that will be HUGELY popular. 

Gillespie, D.W. Grin

August 26, 2025 by Delacorte Press

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Danny is thrilled to be spending a week with his Uncle Bill, mainly because he owns that biggest arcade in Tennesse, PixelWorks. In addition to having access to all of the cool games as well as the snack  bar, Danny gets to geek out about the history of arcade games, and doesn't have to worry that he's disappointing his parents by not going outside and playing "sportsball". On the ride to his uncle's he sees his favorite YouTuber, Mr. Griller, talking about an arcade game that has quite an urban legend around it. The game Grin is apparently privately manufactured, since only one machine seems to have existed, and this one is quite mysterious and seems to have led to the death of anyone who ever played it. Danny is enthralled, and, of course, when he is touring the back rooms of PixelWorks, he finds the very game in the "graveyard" of old machines that his Uncle restores. It was a pricey piece of equipment, $8,000, and when Danny mentions it to Bill, his uncle decides to drag it out onto the floor and plug it in. He cuts his hand doing so, but is so enthralled by playing the game that he barely notices. The next day, the vibe in the arcade is odd, and the workers, including Emma, Trey, and Sam, who runs the kitchen, notice it. Danny wants to investigate more thoroughly, and when he meets up with an old friend, Jodi, who has moved back to town, the two decide to approach the matter scientifically. In addition to reaching out to Mr. Griller, Danny watches Jodi as she plays Grin, and logs her reactions. She seems to get sucked into the game, and when Danny tries to break her trance, she gets rather violent. Danny has seen the same behavior in other arcade patrons, and even in his uncle. He himself has played the game, and seems to hear a voice in his head afterwards. Bill tells Danny that he purchased the game from the daughter of Griffin Patterson in Chicago, and after he tells Mr. Griller this, the YouTuber uncovers a lot of disturbing information about the history of the game, including the fact that the body of Gregory Heller, the Peach State Peeler (who killed his victims with scissors) was found on top of the arcade game after he was shot by police. When Danny finds Bill in the arcade sharpening a large pair of ceremonial ribbon cutting shears, as well as acting rather altered, he begins to worry. With the help of Trey (who doesn't play games), he manages to get the game back into storage, and Mr. Griller lets him know that his only chance to free his uncle from the game's grip is to smash it. Even if Danny and his friends manage to do this, will the spirit of Heller really leave the arcade?

Strengths: If there is a book that better describes the average tween of 2025, I don't know what it is. Watching YouTube on a car ride instead of talking to one's mother? Wanting to spend all day inside playing arcade games, drinking pop, and eating chicken nuggets? I'm surprised that Gillespie didn't dress Danny in plaid pajama pants, a black hoodie, and Crocs. Uncle Bill is aspirational to Danny; he owns an arcade full of weird, vintage games, never went to college, and best of all, lives in a trailer packed with video games in the parking lot of PixelWorks even though it's technically illegal. And would be glad to have Danny work for him. Also, Danny has suffered from anxiety and has had panic attacks, although these have been better since he turned to horror and started scaring himself so he could learn to cope. That explanation alone is why teachers and librarians should read this book. In addition to all of that, this has some excellent scary moments. An unhinged uncle in a trance sharpening giant scissors? A warehouse full of arcade games? The ghost of a serial killer not only haunting an arcade game but using the game to take over people's bodies so that the serial killer can wander around wearing someone else's meat suit? Oh, my! Gillespie, who did the clever Give Me Something Good to Eat, has definitely hit all of the things tweens want in a creepy tale! 
Weaknesses: I'm not a fan of creepy books, and this was a bit too much for me at times, with the game having a flesh like screen, and lots of blood and murders. However, this is EXACTLY what my students want. So that they can, you know, learn to deal with any life situation that involves gory dismemberment?
What I really think: This is the perfect book for readers who loved Alexander's Darkroom. Just look at that cheesy, 1990s style cover! I'll definitely have to buy two copies of this one, and might later purchase a third if it is as popular as I think it will be. 

The Library of Unruly Treasures

Birdsall, Jeanne. The Library of Unruly Treasures
August 5, 2025 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Netgalley

Because Gwen MacKinnon's parents are divorced and involved with a long line of romantic partners, they are less than interested in taking care of her, so she's setn to spend a couple of weeks with her Uncle Matthew, whose wife has died, and his dog Pumpkin. His daughter, Nora, is grown and living away from home. Gwen is a bit anxious about many things, since her life hasn't been exactly stable, but she loves the pretty room at Matthew's house, and he goes above and beyond at cooking food she might like. There is a young neighbor girl who lives upstairs, Julia, and when Gwen goes to the MacKinnon library with Pumpkin, she feels at home there, too. Julia and the other children have a lot of stories about creatures they call the Lahdukan, whom they describe as being about 8 inches tall with feathered wings. At the beginning of the book, the reader is introduced to this tiny race, which was brought from Scotland by Charlotte MacKinnon in 1866. Ms. Lexie, the librarian, humors the children with their "game", and agrees that once children are older than six, they can't see the Lahdukan. Gwen, however, can. She has special powers, and is likely the Qalba, a type of liaison, for the Lahdukan. One of the younger members has been separated from his parents, who live at the nearby Isabelle Gardner Museum. Gwen talks to Zarakir, who is one of the leaders, and a plan is made to go visit the other clan. This becomes more imperative when construction in the library threatens the Lahdukan population, and they consult prophecies to find the best course of action for their survival. Gwen, in the meantime, has to contend with her father vacillating on when he wants her to return home, just as her role of Qalba is vitally important. Nora comes back to help out, and Gwen musters her inner resources to deal with not only her own problems, but the Lahdukans'. 

Strengths: It's sweet that Birdsall wanted to pay homage to Norton's 1952 The Borrowers, which is one of my favorite books, and one of the very few I read aloud to my own personal children. Setting it in Boston gives a lot of scope for imagination, and having another clan of creatures at the real Gardner museum is inspired. Older cousins are always fun, so seeing even more of Nora would have made me happy. Ms. Lexie was a great character who played along with the "game", but wasn't too surprised when it turned out to be real. Uncle Matthew is a wonderful steady influence, and it was endearing that he let Gwen come to work with him. Pumpkin was also appealing, and not I want a pocket vest for my own dog. 
Weaknesses: The reason The Borrowers is so appealing is that we get a first hand look at the Clock family. We get to live under the floor boards, go looking for small objects to borrow, and get a great perspective on what it would be like to be that small and face the challenges that Pod, Homily, and Arriety do. This is more like having the original story told from the point of view of Kate and her aunt. We don't really see enough of the parents to understand just how horrible they are. 

What I really think: This will be greatly beloved by teachers and librarians who have fond memories of Norton's The Borrowers, and younger readers who enjoy classic literature. I will pass on purchase because I don't have the readers. I couldn't get any of my students to read The Penderwicks and finally weeded the two books I had. Elementary students might be more of the target audience for  The Library of Unruly Treasures. 

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Say Something, Poupeh Babaee!

Massey, Haleh and Qadri, Ghaza (Illustrator). Say Something, Poupeh Babaee!
January 1, 2024 by Little Bee Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Poupeh has arrived in Los Angeles to stay with her aunt, uncle, and cousin Afrooz while her parents finish their business in Tehran, Iran, before joining her. When the group goes to the airport to pick the parents up, they find that they have been sent to Amsterdam after being denied access to the US because of the 2017 Muslim travel ban. Poupeh is sad, and going to a new school and being bullied because of her name doesn't help. Trevor calls her "Poopy Baby", and makes fun of the fact that Penelope befriends her, calling her "Pee". Poupeh reacts to all of the stress in her life by not eating and saying very little. Her aunt knows enough to take her to the school counselor, Mrs. Clawson, who had helped Afrooz. Adding to Poupeh's stress is the fact that she is going to have to talk to an immigration official about why she needs her parents to come to the US, so that they can get a "golden ticket" visa. This is about the only way they will be able to make it into the US. Poupeh's teacher assigns a project on another country, and pairs Poupeh with Penelope and Trevor to research Iran. The trio plan to have a fashion show with some of the aunt's clothing, and serve some traditional Persian dishes. Trevor doesn't like this idea, and worries that his father will get upset, as he doesn't believe that Iranians should be in the US. Oddly, however, Trevor has a crush on Afrooz. Poupeh's father pressures her again and again to do well on the interview, and the project progresses with difficulty, although Penelope's mother is friendly to Poupeh's aunt. Eventually, with Mrs. Clawson's help, Poupeh is able to start standing up for herself, and is able to overcome her selective mutism long enough to do the immigration interview. Her parents are granted a visa, and finally make it to the US. 

Strengths: It's good to see a wide variety of backgrounds in graphic novels, and I can't say I have seen one with Iranian characters before. This is based on a combination of the author's experiences as a child, and the experience of some of her patients in 2017, so there are a lot of good details about what it is like to come to the US. Afrooz is a great character who is unhappy to be sharing her room with her younger cousin, but who does manage to be nicer once she understands how difficult the changes are for Poupeh. Penelope and her mother are also kind. The issue of having one's name mispronounced is well handled. This is a more modern and easier to read book about Iranian immigrants than Dumas' 2016 It Ain't So Awful, Falafel. 
Weaknesses: Even though the letters were in all capitals, the i's and j's were dotted, which was visually distracting. Almost all of the adult male characters in the book were unpleasant, and weren't really brought to task for their behavior. Trevor's father is the worst, but Poupeh's uncle and father weren't great, either. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed graphic novels about the immigrant experience like Yu's Lost and Found, Tsong's Fake Chinese Sounds, or MacLeod's Continental Drifter.

Schooled

Sumner, Jamie. Schooled
January 1, 2023 by Atheneum
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Lenny and his Latin professor father have moved from their home in New Jersey to Arrington University, where they will be living in student housing, since his mother passed away after battling skin cancer. His father, along with three other parents who work for the university in various capacities, have decided to work together to homeschool their children while incorporating the university resources. Fellow students include Hen, who likes to cleanse auras, Makai, who loves football and is especially interested in the Alabama team, Allison, who is interested in cosmetology, and David, who is interested in engineering. The Copernican "school" schedule is as follows: Mondays are for self care, Tuesdays are for auditing classes, Wednesdays are devoted to social integration, Thursdays to researching a project, and Fridays to visiting the library. The philosophy is that knowledge shouldn't just be handed to students, they need to find it for themselves. As the school year progresses, Lenny meets Vereen Winters (VW), a 76 year old literature professor whose wife also passed away in the past year. The two have a lot of interesting conversations about literature, including one about the Egyptian deity Anubis. VW also gives Lenny his personal copy of McCloud's Understanding Comics. This leads Lenny to make his special project a comic book involving Anubis and talking about processing grief that his father does NOT like at first. When VW doesn't show up for classes for several days, and Lenny is afraid he is being fired, Lenny and his classmates make some ill considered protests to try to save him. Will the Copernican 6th grade class graduate? 
Strengths: This was an interesting premise, and I would have loved to hang out on a college campus virtually when I was in 6th grade. It's an interesting look at collaborative home schooling with children who have access to all that a college has to offer. Lenny and the other students generally get along, and Lenny's relationship with VW was charming. Since Scott McCloud and Raina Telgemeier have a new book out, The Cartoonists Club, name dropping this influential graphic novel artist will resonate with young readers. The cover is charming. 
Weaknesses: I have many friends who wanted to be Latin or Classics professors, but even 30-40 years ago, there were no jobs. If Lenny's father thinks that "carpe cuppa" or "carpe syllabus" are proper Latin (both nouns should have accusative endings), I doubt very much he would get hired anywhere. Also, there are plenty of middle grade books dealing with the death of a parent. 
What I really think: This might be a good choice for readers who enjoyed hanging out on college campuses in Parks' The Summer of Brave or Wang's The Summer of Squee. I don't think that I have readers for this one, although Sumner's work is usually popular. 

Eternal Flame: National Archive Hunters #2

Landis, Matthew. Eternal Flame: National Archive Hunters #2
August 19, 2025 by Pixel+Ink
ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central

Ike and Iris are back after their adventures in Capitol Chase, and have made a wary peace with Luna Laurent, who is now attending the school where their father is principal.They are still concerned that the evil criminal mastermind, Cincinnatus, is following them, so there are new security protocols put in place by Agent Brooks. In addition, there is a new mission for the kids. The US has planned a big 150th anniversary celebration of the Statue of Liberty, which has been moved up since the guest of honor, the grandson of Frédéric Bartholdi (the sculptor of the statue) is ailing. An exhibition of artifacts relating to the statue is planned, but some are missing! A different version of the torch, not seen for years, is not where it is supposed to be. Ike and Iris plan on doing lots of research, and since some of it is in French, they bring in Luna, who is having trouble connecting with other students in the school. When the trio head to the National Archive, they find that a page of the records is missing, which propels them into a lot of travel to try to solve the top secret mystery. At the same time, Ike is struggling with his mental health and nightmares after all of the trauma of the first book, and the entire family goes to see a counselor. On a trip to France, made possible by Luna's father, the ambassador, the kids are once again followed by Cincinnatus, and manage to elude his grasp with the help of the French secret service. It helps to have Luna's bodyguard, Rasmus, assisting them as well. As the research continues, and more documents and items end up missing, clues point to an inside job. Will Ike, Iris, and their retinue be able to solve the mystery and recover the torch in time for the celebration?

Harnessing the modern zeitgeist surrounding mental health, it makes sense for Ike to struggle with being the target of an international criminal, and there is a nice twist to the mystery involving their therapist. Of course, it also makes therapy seem like a difficult proposition if you are a spy! 

I learned a lot about the Statue of Liberty, as well as a great deal about a variety of government historical agencies! The solution to the mystery made sense, but was a bit sad. My favorite part was learning that rose gold is made from a combination of gold and copper! I don't know how that wasn't clear until now. 

The twins interchanges with Luna make sense; even though she was their nemesis in the first book, they understood her motivations. As nice kids, they didn't want to see her struggle and not have friends, so of course they agree to go to her birthday party even though it involves formal wear. It didn't hurt their research to have the amenties of a French ambassador at their disposal, either. 

Hand this to spy aficionados who enjoyed Gibbs' long Spy School series (Spy School: Blackout comes out in the fall!), Ponti's City Spies, or history lovers who found Landis'  Not-So-Boring Letters of Private Nobody intriguing. I'll be curious to see what mystery the National Archive Hunters solve next. 

As personal preference, I would have liked to see a bit less of the adult interaction. I appreciate that the parents are alive and around, but between the Carters, the Laurents, Agent Brooks, Ruby, and Rasmus, the kids didn't have very much freedom. Ike's nightmares and therapy slowed down the book a bit. Since I harbor secret ambitions to be a spy, his failure to completely embrace the fun of spying would have irked me intensely as a child, and narratively, this just slowed down the story a bit. 

The Teacher of Nomad Land

Nayeri, Daniel. The Teacher of Nomad Land
August 26, 2025 by Levine Querido
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

During World War II, Babak Noori and his sister Sana having been living in Iran with relatives after the death of their father, a traveling teacher. He was killed when the British mistakenly fired on a group of shepherds whom he was teaching. Babak is working with Mr. Turani, running errands for his store and living in a back room. Dana is at her grandmother's, so she can help out, and also gets to attend school. The two don't like being separated, so Babak saves up all of his money in the hopes of connecting with the Bakhtiari tribe his father served, who travel across the Zagros mountains every year from Isafahan to Ahvaz to graze their cattle. When Mr. Turani takes the money, Babak decides there is no time like the present to leave. He and Sana find the group, and talk to Traveler, a friend of their father's, as well as the leader, Mr. Hussein. He agrees that the two can travel with them as long as Babak can teach the children the alphabet and how to write their names. Things are tense in Iran, since the British and Russians are occupying areas around the country. Some European refugees have come as well, and there are Jewish children being care for at an orphanage and Polish children living at a wealthy estate. When a chance encounter with Vulf, a Russian who is looking for a Jewish boy, puts the children in danger, they seek help from British soldiers. Callum Hargis is helpful, and gives them some food and provisions, but the troops soon move out. Babak runs in to Ben, who is the boy for whom Vulf is looking. Ben wishes he had gone to the Jewish orphanage, since he has heard they are being taken to Israel. Ben isn't particularly grateful for Ben and Sana's help, and takes more than his share of their provisions. Vulf resurfaces several times, even after what appears to be a fatal fall. Eventually, Babak reconnects with the nomads, and eventually is useful when he sets up a chain of translators to help the group get through a check point. The war is horrible, but Babak and Sana manage to help people along their way and get help in return. 

Strengths: As much as I have read about World War II, I had no idea what was going on in Third World countries at the time. This book even explains where the phrase "Third World" comes from! Babak and Sana's circumstances were no doubt very common, and their route to try to stay safe is interesting. What really makes this book intriguing, however, is the father's teaching of the nomadic people, and the details about things like carrying a chalkboard on his back. 
Weaknesses: This was a bit slower paced than I was expecting. It bears some stylistic similarities to this author's The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like to read about children surviving on the fringes of war torn societies in books like Nielsen's Resistance, Hartnett's The Silver Donkey or Couloumbis' War Games. 

Anomalies 53: Into the Shadows and Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Destiny

Cervantes, Angela. Anomalies 53: Into the Shadows
August 12, 2025 by HarperCollins

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ollie and his best friend Garen live in a scientific complex near Area 51. Their parents both work at Area 53, where magical creatures who have worked their way into our world are captured and taken care of so they are safe. These include benign ones like Henry, a helpful Golem, and Luna, a cute lavender llama corn, but also dangerous ones like Ariel, a Wyvern, who is kept in a state of hibernation so that she doesn't attack anyone. When lightning storms (or perhaps the ball the two are hurling around) wake Ariel, she talks to them, but when Garen's mother arrives, Ariel's medication is increased and she goes back to sleep. Ollie and Garen have never really left the compound; Ollie's dad tells him that the creatures require so much care that there's no way they could even go to a ballgame or back to their hometown of Miami to visit. When a baby manticore is brought to the facility, a mistake causes the Golem as well as two sprites, Tatum and Tory, to escape. Ollie and Garen go after them, locating them at a diner where they are causing problem. Shortly after, however, the kids get sucked into a "darkest shadow" portal to the Shadowland, where most of the magical creatures live. It's a dangerous place, where Henry is taken by gnomes and later crumbles. Yadira, the guardian of the forest, is on hand to help them, but warns that the scientific facility may be destroyed, after revealing secrets about both Ollie and Galen's past. Things settle down by the end of the book, but a cliffhanger lets us know that another book is in the works.
Strengths: This was a pleasant and fast paced fantasy series by the author of The Cursed Moon, as well as realistic fiction titles like Allie, First at Last, Me, Frida, and the Seacret of the Peacock Ring, and Gaby, Lost and Found. Galen and Ollie, who have an endearing friendship, are already living an adventure in the scientific facility, but then get even more of one when they have to deal with wild magical creatures and travel in the Shadowland. This had plenty of classic fantasy elements like a quest, a past secret, and some emerging powers. The connection to Area 51 might draw some science fiction fans into this well developed fantasy world.
Weaknesses: I have countless fantasy series where the first book is falling apart and only one person has ever checked out the fifth book. With budget cuts, I have to think long and hard about committing to a series. If this were a stand alone, I would definitely buy it. If it ends up being longer than a trilogy, I definitely won't, due to both monetary and space concerns. 

What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who liked Sutherland's The Menagerie, Mann's The Forgotten Five series, Mull's Fablehaven books, or Durst's Even and Odd.

Swanson, Matthew and Behr, Robbi (illus.) 

Ben Yokoyama and the Cookie of Destiny
August 19, 2025 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by the publisher

After five books of funny adventures, Ben is faced with his worst dilemma yet: his parents are moving him to California. He's clearly not happy about this, and will miss his friends Walter and Darby, but especially Janet. As the family is getting the rental travel trailer ready to pull out, Aunt Nora decides that she will go with them and get a job in California, but Janet is not around to say goodbye. The mother has a very strict schedule of activities and miles to be logged, so isn't thrilled with the addition of Aunt Nora, but eventually, they get on the road. The father has a promise of a better (i.e. more remunerative) job, but Ben doesn't care. He's surly, and having a broken bathroom, and having tasty leftovers disappear from the fridge don't help. Eventually, he finds that Janet has stowed away and has been hiding in the bathroom, wearing a helmet since the toilet doesn't have a seat belt. Aunt Nora knows about her, but thinks it's best to wait until they are a little farther from home so they don't turn around to return her. Janet and Ben try to come up with a plan to insure that Ben doesn't have to move; Janet has a list of ideas that includes becoming a rock star, winning the lottery, finding a rare coin, etc. The group doesn't make good enough time to see the Crater of Diamonds, disappointing Ben's mom, as well as Janet, who hoped to find a diamond. The trailer has all kinds of problems, and when a tire goes flat, it's discovered that the father didn't pay extra to have a spare. After trying to sing for donations in Nashville (Arkansas!), hoping to be discovered, Janet is found out by Ben's parents. They call her folks, and arrange to put her on a plane when they get to California. Ben and Janet buy a lottery ticket that doesn't pay off, think the parents are speaking in flower code, and talk about building a time machine. The father ends up driving the wrong way when the mother is napping, and the trailer leaks horribly in the rain, leading the group to stay in a hotel. Ben and Janet find a dog, Goji, while taking coins from a fountain, and Ben is allowed to keep the puppy. At a restaurant, the ever impulsive Nora meets a waitress with a similar tattoo to her own, and decides to take a job and stay there. It's almost time for Janet's flight, but the group still isn't in California. The parents finally tell Ben more of the reasons that they need to move to California, but when the father gets a communication about his job, it seems like Ben and Janet might not have to be separated after all. 

Strengths: The authors loaded their own four children up and went on a nationwide school book tour in a travel trailer, so they bring a lot of first hand experience to this humorous adventure. There are lots of fun sights and activities along the way. Younger readers will appreciate the schemes that Ben and Janet have to convince Ben's parents that he shouldn't move. There are lots of themes from other books in the series that show up here, although not quite as many cookies. As always, the  mix of illustrations and text is quite well done, so we get vivid pictures of how Ben's family is living. The text is large, so this isn't quite as long as most books of 320 pages are. 
Weaknesses: I bought the first two books in this series for my 6-8 middle school library, but they haven't circulated particularly well, despite the brilliant formatting. I found it a bit hard to believe that the father was so incompetent... the trailer was a wreck, and he has no back up plan for when things fall through. How are they going home? Didn't they sell their house? If you were able to believe that The Vanderbeekers had no back up plan when their lease was up, this won't bother you. Aunt Nora also seemed like she might need some assistance. 
What I really think: This could be the last book in the series, but we could also see more of Ben's adventures back home. Third and fourth grade readers who like notebook novels and are not daunted by the length (320 pages) of this book are the sweet sport for the goofy humor and somewhat magical thinking in which Ben and Janet engage. I would definitely buy this series for an elementary library. 

MMGM- Dive

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Anderson, John David. Dive

August 19, 2025 by Walden Pond Press

ARC provided by Follett First Look

Kass Conner is struggling. Her parents have enrolled her in the prestigious St. Lawrence Academy rather than the urban public school where her friend Leah still goes so that she can take advantage of their diving program. She enjoys diving, but never feels as good as her teammates, especially the "perfect" Amber Moore. Since she and her parents live in an apartment upstairs from the restaurant they run, she takes the city bus to and from school. One day after practice, a slightly older teen boy asks for help getting a television out of a dumpster. Intrigued, she starts up a conversation with him, and he even offers her a pair of boots that he has found. Miles tells her about some of the places he scavenges, and the type of items he finds while dumpster diving. The two talk the next day, and keep arranging to meet. Kass keeps the boots, and goes with Miles on an expedition to go through clothing a boutique is getting ready to send to the thrift store, and gets a jacket to go with them. The two also go visit The Professor, an unhoused man Miles has befriended, to give him a coat and some jeans. Miles is an excellent distraction from the tensions of swimming, as well as the worries about her parents' finances. While the two aren't drawn to each other romantically, there is something comforting yet exciting about meeting up. It's not always easy to get away, and when Amber covers for her when the girls meet while out at the mall with their mothers, Kass finally gets a chance to talk to Amber, whom she has considered her nemesis. It's another much needed friendship, since she isn't able to meet with Aleah in person. After meeting several times with Miles, learning a tiny bit about why he has dropped out of high school to keep an eye on his father, who struggles with mental health issues, Kass decides to go back to see The Professor to give him a pair of gloves. His outdoor accomodations aren't in a good part of town, and some men follow Kass, although The Professor warns them off. The next time she sees Miles, he's angry, but with himself. He tells her that he doesn't want to see her anymore; they are from backgrounds that are too different, and there is no point. Kass isn't happy, but sees his point, and has plenty of other issues to deal with. She has a sleepover with Amber that Aleah that gets off to a rocky start, but ends with her and Amber looking at diving with new eyes. When Miles needs help with his father, he calls the restaurant to ask Kass and her parents to lend him a hand. Her parents aren't happy that she has been lying to them, but help out. There are consequences, and she doesn't see Miles again, but having had him in her life for a short while gives her a new perspective about her own situation. 

Strengths: Not all of the people in our lives stay there for a long time. Miles' and Kass' relationship is one of those weirdly satisfying but sad happenstances that can stick with us for much longer than they should. Most middle grade readers haven't quite experienced this, but it's such an intriguing premise. It's perfect that Kass is in middle school, but Miles is a couple of years older, and I loved that Anderson didn't really make this about romance, although there is the vaguest of frisson when she tells Aleah and Amber about meeting an older boy. The information about dumpster diving and repurposing objects, as well as the philosophical musings about what constitutes value and worth of an object (and people) was so well done, and a topic that is near and dear to my own heart. Involving sports is always a good idea. While this isn't as humorous as Ms. Bixby's Last Day (2016), it's also not as sad. Instead, there's a palpable feeling of longing for something that Kass can't even identify or express. This is definitely part of the middle grade experience, but rarely seen in the literature. It's so much more widespread, and interesting, than all of the expressions of grief to which authors seem to default. Bravo, Mr. Anderson. Bravo. 
Weaknesses: This is a bit too perfectly constructed for class discussion, so teachers will all want to champion this one and assign this one to students. It will also catch the attention of all of the influencers and awards committees, so could well end up winning a Newbery. And then I'll have to hate it. (N.B. There's some sarcasm here!)
What I really think: I've followed Anderson's work for a long time, and watched with interest as he transitioned from superhero and fantasy books like Sidekicked (2013), Minion (2014), and Dungeoneers (2015) to more introspective novels like Posted (2017), Finding Orion (2019), Riley's Ghost (2022), and Keep It Like a Secret (2024). He's tried a little bit of everything, including realistic humor (Greatest Kid in the World (2023), One Last Shot (2020)) and speculative fiction (Stowaway (2021) and Granted (2018)), but I think Dive really points out what he does best; lightly philosophical works with unexpected adventure and complicated middle grade emotions. Definitely purchasing, and handing to students who enjoyed Choldenko's The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman. 

King, Billie Jean, Badiu, Alexandra (artist) and Christine, Jolie.
Trailblazers: The Unmatched Story of Women's Tennis, Young Readers Edition
August 12, 2025 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Women have been playing tennis for a long time; it's right up there with basketball as something women were able to play even 100 years ago. Certainly, Billie Jean King made a huge impact on women's sports in the 1970s, so it is interesting to see her put together a collective biography of tennis players. The illustrations are fantastic, and this is the sort of book that I always want to take apart to make bulletin boards! There could have been more biographies in this short book; I always was fascinated by Tracy Austin, who doesn't appear.

This is a great book to have in the 920s in most elementary and middle school collections along with Albee's Troublemakers in Trousers, Smith and Tariq's Game Changers: Stories of Hijabi Athletes from around the World Roberts, Russell and Jacobs' 100 Athletes Who Shaped Sports, and Buckley, Labrecque, and Walthall's Fearless Firsts: Athletes Who Changed the Game: 50+ Athletes Who Overcame the Odds.

Kamin Science Center, Brown-Wood,  JaNay, and Uroda, Kristen (illus.) 

Scientists Like Me: Stories, Advice, and Inspiration from 25 Trailblazers with Experiments to Try at Home  

August 5, 2025 by Workman Kids

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

This is more than a collective biography (although there are certainly lots of biographies!): there is also a lot of information about science, scientific inquiry, and experiments. After an introduction that has a good discussion about asking questions and what makes a good investigation, there are five chapters broken down into formal, physical, life, social, and medical sciences. Each chapter starts with a nice graphic detailing the different fields within general science area.  Within those chapters, we get several biographies, which each include inserts on "Science You Can Explore" and "Did you know...?". At the end of the chapters, there are several activities related to types of work similar to the work of the scientists profiled. 

There is a wide range of scientists from different countries, backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities, although there are more from North America. The biographies give a bit of personal information, but concentrate on the work that the person did. There are no photographs, but the bright and colorful illustrations are realistic. I liked the use of color to define each branch of science. 

I did not try any of the experiments at home, but they seemed reasonable. Many were more focused on information rather than anything requiring a lot of supplies. 

Recent years have seen a lot more collective biographies that include diverse representation, but single volume biographies have yet to catch up. Books like these are great for students to find subjects for biography projects, and hopefully they can find more material in encyclopedias online. Include Scientists Like Me in a collection of other STEM biography books like Miller's Groundbreaking Scientists, Lawlor's Super Women: Six Scientists Who Saved the World, Tiner's 100 Scientists Who Changed the World, Fletcher's Wonder Women of Science : Twelve Geniuses Who Are Currently Rocking Science, Technology, and the World, Bolden's Black Lives: Great Minds of Science, and Ignotofsky's Women in Science.