It's
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
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and #IMWAYR day
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Migga, Florence. The Summer Scrapbook
May 5, 2026 by Carolrhoda Books
Copy provided by the publisher
Rising ninth graders Ava, Becca, and Cat are all upset because their summer has been ruined. While they would normally be hanging out at their Chatanooga hometown pool everyday and making plans, this summer they will be separated. Ava's father is doing a job swap with another professor, so the family will be living in London. Becca's parents, alarmed that all she wants to do is read the Reverse Elementals book series, are sending her to the Camp Whistling Ridge summer camp for eight weeks. Cat gets to stay at home, but her mother isn't content to let her write poetry and binge watch shows, and forces her to go to the pool by herself. Things are rocky at first for all of the girls, but they quickly improve. Ava, who is missing a summer at Girls State, keeps checking her phone and missing out on the sights, but her parents meet their neighbors and construct a scavenger hunt that Ava must do with Derrick, who is her age. They are given a list and a credit card, and are allowed to travel around the city on public transport. Ava slowly warms up to Derrick, although there are some bumps in their relationship. After initially keeping to herself at camp, Becca makes a friend in Allyson, connects with her small group, and participates actively in the game of Capture the Flag. Cat makes some new friends at the pool who invite her to do things with them, and she even develops a relationship with the cute Von... on whom Ava has a crush. The changes do cause some problems in the girls' friendship that are exacerbated by their distance, are solved by the end. The summer activities equip the girls with a new perspective, new life skills, and a new appreciation for their friendship.
Strengths: Like Holm's Sunny Makes a Splash, this is a book about summer vacation that makes me wonder why my OWN summers were never this much fun! My students often ask for happy, realistic novels, and summer settings are popular year round. This has a good mix of travel, summer camp, and staying at home. Ava and Cat both have sweet romances, and I really enjoyed that the girls each developed new skills and some perspective on what is important. Navigating friendship drama is always a popular topic, and the way the girls' handle their differences is realistic and constructive. Big bonus points for having all of the parents alive and involved, as well as a tiny bit annoying!
Weaknesses: Why do tweens today not want to travel anywhere or do anything? Some activities seem slightly dated; Ava's mother keeps scrapbooks, and the girls talk about making one for their summer experiences, although this isn't really followed up until the end. There's also a lot of hanging out at the mall, going to the movies, and even a visit to an arcade. When my daughters were in middle school 20 years ago, those activities were on their way out.
What I really think: Readers who like multiple points of view will enjoy seeing what summer is like thought Ava, Becca, and Cat's eyes. Hand to readers who were intrigued by the realistic problems in Shang's The Best Worst Summer of Esme Sun, Wientge's Best Friends, Bikinis, and Other Summer Catastrophes, or Calonita's The Taylors.
May 5, 2026 by Cicada Books
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central
There are two nonfiction topics I've been anticipating for years: the history of Black hair (which was partially filled by Qualls' Fros, Fades, and Braids: A Brief History of Black Hair in America) and the history of SHOES. Thanks to Cicada Books, my toes are tapping with this great illustrated history! (Insert video of beginning of the 1984 version of Footloose!)
Not only does this give some ancient types of shoes, but it also discusses the anatomy of shoe and different types of heels. A lot of young readers, who have only ever worn Crocs and tennis shoes, might find it interesting to know the differences between kitten heels, platforms, and stilettos that were ingrained in earlier generations. This also goes through different historical periods starting with the Victorian Era and then taking deeper dives into each decade since the beginning of the 20th century.
Along with descriptions of the different types of shoes that were popular in each era(do love a chukka or Chelsea boot!), there is some historical context; for example, women in the 1900s needed different shoes because they were engaging in new activities, like riding bicycles.
There are highlight on a vast array of shoe designers like Andre Perugia, Ferragamo, innovator Claire McCardell, Coco Chanel, and others. It was fun to learn that Birkenstocks had been around since the 1940s, even thought they didn't catch on until the 1966, when hippie culture embraced them. The 1990s saw the rise of Manolo Blahnik shoes, as well as Uggs and moon boots.
The history of sneakers will appeal to many tweens and teens, who might not realize that this type of shoe has roots in 1876 Plimsolls and 1916 Keds. I still regret not seeking out whatever centenary style Keds came out with for its anniversary! More innovation occurred with 1922 Converse shoes, as well as Adidas, Puma, Nike, Vans, and Reebok brands. Little did I know that when I bought my first pair of running shoes in 1981 that the Reeboks I purchased still included fairly new technology or that my college roommates' Freestyles (complete with the Union Jack on the logo) were iconic. This ends with a brief look at the future of shoes, which could be quite interesting with new technologies!
The illustrations are rendered in pastel colors, which makes them very pretty to look at. In my heart of hearts, I think I just want a photographic catalog of all the shoes of the 20th century, not just the fancy designer ones. What did my grandmother wear around the house and farm? Keds were available but I can't imagine her wearing them. Readers with a more casual interest in shoe history who enjoyed Frisch's The Story of Nike, Keyser's Sneaker Century, or Abdo's Sneakerheads series will appreciate this overview of everyone's footwear!
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