Sol Goes for Goal and The Thing About Giants

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

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

 

Galvin, Christopher. The Thing About Giants 

June 9, 2026 by Candlewick

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

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

MMGM- Malt Shop Milestones

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

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

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

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

June 21, 2025 by Prismatic Prospects
Personal Copy

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

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

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

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

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

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

Perfect Enough (Good Enough #2)

Kuyatt, Megan. Perfect Enough

June 2, 2026 by Scholastic Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

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

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

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Midsummer Sisters and Really Rubie

Smith, Niki. Midsummer Sisters

June 2, 2026 by Graphix

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

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

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

Frost, Maddie. Really Rubie

June 2, 2026 by Aladdin

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

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

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

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

Fifth Grade Top Dogs

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

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

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

The Island at the Edge of Night

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

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

Raise Your Voice (K-Pop Power #1)

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

June 2, 2026 by Scholastic Inc.

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

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

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

The Haunting of Walker Pond

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

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

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

MMGM- My Roman Summer

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Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

deLuca, Bruna. My Roman Summer.

June 2, 2026 by Chicken House/Scholastic

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

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