MMGM- Berry Parker Doesn't Catch Crushes

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Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
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Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

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Unleashing Readers

Sometimes, life hands you surprises. For instance, I never thought I would have a middle grade book dedicated to ME. The dedication to this book, by the fabulous Tanita Davis (whom I met at Kid Lit Con in San Diego in about 2014, and with whom I have corresponded about the Cybils Award and Latin in her novels), reads "For Ms. Yingling- and the fictional Mrs. Jüngling- who agreed that it would be nice if there were more middle grade books with Latin classes in them." There's also a wonderful tribute to librarians at the end. 

So just go buy two copies (at least!) for your library. You'll thank me- and Mrs. Jüngling.

Davis, Tanita. Berry Parker Doesn't Catch Crushes

September 16, 2025 by HarperCollins

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Like most middle schoolers, Berry doesn't like change, especially when life is going just the way she wants it to. She's having a great August with her mother, who comes once a year for a back-to-school "invasion", taking her vacation days from managing a resort hotel in Lake Tahoe to spend helping Berry get ready for the school year and spending quality time together. Berry's father, a surgical nurse, is goofy and embarrassing, but the two get along well. Her best friend, Lia, is going to be taking 7th grade Latin with her, so they'll be in the same cohort and have lots of classes together. Things go sideways when Berry suspects her mom has a boyfriend and is thinking about possibly moving to England, her father is hanging out with the new gym teacher, Coach Torres, and Lia isn't answering her texts... and is taking French! Even though she has the coolest Latin teacher EVER, Berry is not enjoying having to work with Lia's cousin Kai, even though some of the other students in the class, like Elyse, are friendly. Berry hopes that she can talk to Lia at her family's yearly barbecue, even if her father is talking about inviting Coach Torres. Lia has a huge crush on Miguel, and Berry thinks that some of her choices are motivated by this, but Lia also wants Berry to find some other friends. When Ivy, and Lennox, show up at the picnic, Berry isn't happy. Ivy wants to spend time cleaning out boxes of her mother's to free up space in the garage. Since Berry didn't quite realize that Grandma Gemma's boxes might be for her, she doesn't like this idea, especially since it means that Lennox is going to be hanging around as well. Things are rocky with Lia, although the two friends do continue to talk to each other, and school projects, like one on Ancient Roman bathrooms, are stressful. Berry's friends start to hint that she should be interested in Eirik, who might have a crush on her, but Berry just wants to focus on herself and her family. Ivy, who had Berry when she was 19, unearths some of Grandma Gemma's scrapbooks, and Berry is comforted to know that her grandmother also liked drawing and art the way that Berry does. When Ivy and Lennox get serious, will Berry be able to handle such a big change in her life? 

So many middle grade novels deal with grieving the death of a parent, when in real life, it's far more likely that tweens have to deal with parents who don't live nearby or parents who are dating. Davis understands how important family is to kids in middle school; her Figure It Out, Henry Weldon (2023) is a great exploration of problems with a sibling. The other huge concern of this age group is difficulties with friends. When Lia talked about how she felt a bit smothered by Berry I was sure the two were done, but it was more interesting to see them work things out. 

We learn so much about what Berry is experiencing emotionally (I LOVED her description of summer as a tangerine colored feeling!) that I was surprised halfway through the book to realize it is written in the third person. The details of everyday life are more vivid from this perspective, and there are so many excellent ones that made me feel like I was living Berry's story. There are delicious foods, fun outfits, activities with friends at school, and quality time spent with family that help give depth to Berry's inner life while making sure that the story moves along quickly. I don't often think about books in terms of dramatizations, but this would make an EXCELLENT After School Special! (What's the 2025 equivalent? A Disney Plus cartoon?)

Davis has a steady stream of excellent, upper middle grade novels that explore the middle school experience and include a wide variety of characters and events.  Partly Cloudy (2021) addresses the issues of having to live with a relative and the effects of wildfires, Serena Says (2020) includes a friend with serious health issues, and Peas and Carrots (2016) has both a student in foster care and a prestigious private school. One of my favorites is Mare's War (2010) that portrayed a grandmother who had been in the Women's Army Corps! These have all been popular with my students, who enjoy the endearing Black characters who struggle a bit with their lives but have a positive attitude and lots of support. Berry is in good company, and reading about her put me in a "tangerine" mood as well. 

Broyles, Anne and Li, Hannah (illustrator). 

Eating to Save the Planet: How Veganism Helps Fight Climate Change 

August 26, 2025 by Holiday House

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

I'm a firm believer that, as this book explains, our personal health and the health of the planet are closely intertwined. I walk to work rather than driving, and try to think through all of the aspects of the food I buy. There are a lot of novels that deal with climate anxiety, like Firestone's The First Rule of Climate Club, Dee's Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet, and Guillory's Nowhere Better Than Here, and Eating to Save the Planet is a great book for showing tween readers that there ARE things they can do to help the planet. 

Starting with an overview of why people eat what they eat (regional, cultural, and personal reasons), there is then a discussion of some staple foods across the world. Clearly, there is a need to address climate change, and Broyles lays out exactly how different types of food affect it. From greenhouse gas emissions to the cost of transporting foods, it's clear that people need to think through their food. The one thing that isn't mentioned, that I look for, is packaging. One of the reasons I don't eat a lot of the vegan "cheese" products, or lab cultured "meat" is the large amount of plastic that this food tends to come in. It's a balancing act, I know, but bears thinking about. 

There are a lot of meat alternatives mentioned, including bugs as food and meat substitutes, and a history of veganism. Even if people adhered to Meatless Mondays, reduces the amount of meat eaten would be a great start. Here in Ohio, there are a lot of soy products. One of the foods I eat a lot of is Cleveland Tofu, which is fairly local (reducing transport), and comes in ostensibly recyclable tubs. I guess I fall under the category of "reducitarian". 

The impact of dairy production and egg production is laid out well, but for me, personal reasons play into my choices; my mother's family were dairy farmers, so I get a lot of my protein from those products. I did find it interesting that the author uses flaxseed and water instead of eggs in baking, and I'm definitely going to look into that! There are lots of further resources and links to articles at the end of the book. 

While many middle school students think that a breakfast of Takis and sour gummy worms is perfectly fine, there are many others who are starting to give thought to how food fuels their bodies, and realizing that there are many things to consider. Both of my daughters became vegetarians in high school, and would have found this book to be very useful.  Saving the planet one meal at a time is a great way to think about the contents of this excellent nonfiction title, which I will purchase for my readers who are interested in learning more about how what is on their plate affects the planet. 

Winter of the Dollhouse

Schlitz, Amy Laura. The Winter of the Dollhouse

September 2, 2025 by Candlewick

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Tiph Stokes lives with her father, stepmother Holly, and two very young stepsiblings. Rain is an infant, but Phillip is three, and Tiph is often in charge of his care, taking him on stroller rides when their parents start to fight. They often look in to Mr. DiLucca's dollhouse shop, but are forbidden to go in because Phillip once stole a small but expensive cuckoo clock. When they are out one day, they come across an elderly woman in distress. Her dog, Loki, has run off, so Tiph retrieves him. The woman, Szilvia Rózsahegyi, has recently had surgery and is poorly. Tiph helps her home (even though she's not supposed to talk to strangers or go into their homes), and is offered a job walking Loki and cleaning the litter box while Szilvia recuperates. Her parents balk at first, the acquiesce. The two share a love of dollhouses, and Szilvia has one her father had shipped from Hungary. They start to restore it, and make a trip to Mr. DiLucca's shop for supplies. Tiph is allowed in as long as she causes no further trouble. In alternating chapters, we also hear about Gretel, a four inch tall vintage doll who has been for sale for a long time. Tiph wants the doll for herself, but she is very expensive, as is the Red Riding Hood doll on display with her. When she and Szilvia buy a number of furnishings for the house, they find out that Gretel costs $350. Tiph is shocked, but steals the doll. She's very nervous about this, of course, but couldn't help herself when Szilvia bought the Red Riding Hood doll. When she gets a call to come home because Phillip has had a small accident and she needs to watch Rain, TIph hides the doll and the clock at Szilvia's. Flosshilde, the cat, strikes up a conversation with Gretel, and settles her behind books on the bookcase to keep her safe from Loki. Trouble emerges when Gretel and Red meet up, and Red is not where Szilvia expects her to be. Tiph is suspect, but a nanny doll, Nanny Hestia, helps the dolls make a plan for Red to be found when Tiph can't possibly be blamed for taking her. It doesn't help that Szilvia is sick; thanks to Tiph's action, her niece Barbara takes her back to the doctor to be checked. Eventually, Tiph feels guilty for stealing the doll, and attempts to pay Mr. DiLucca. The two have a good conversation, but he informs her that the debt is no longer owing to him. Tiph doesn't want to talk to Szilvia about the theft, and plans to just leave the money around her house for her to find. Meanwhile, Gretel and Red work to get a doll that Szilvia played with as a child out of a locked puzzle box in the house, where she has been for a long time, with letters from Szilvia's father. Tiph gets involved with a school production of The Wizard of Oz, and when Holly wants her to skip the performance to visit Holly's sister Heather (who just had twins) in California, there are a lot of hurt feelings. Szilvia actually listens to Tiph and helps her through her difficulties, including navigating the fact that she stole a doll. In the end, Tiph's family understands her a bit better, and Tiph has a fast friend in Szilvia. 

Strengths: This is an extremely cozy book, even though Tiph has a number of anxious problems. Szilvia's presence, and the love of dollhouses that the two share, is even more comforting because of these problems. The details of the antique dolls, and of Szilvia's Hungarian doll house, are exquisite, and I could completely understand how Tiph was enthralled with Gretel. I especially enjoyed the serendipity of Tiph helping Szilvia home, then being allowed to walk her dog. Her parents are realistically reluctant at first, but see how important the job is to their daughter. The family dynamics are intriguing, and it's interesting to see how Tiph's understanding of Holly changes over the course of the book. There's a bit of mystery, some moral lessons about telling the truth, and even a little bit of electrical engineering. Fans of Lowery's Tree. Table. Book will enjoy this one, even if Szilvia is only 68 and has full command of her faculties. 

Weaknesses: While the age on Amazon is listed as 9-12, I think it is a rare child over the age of 8 who is interested in dolls, and those readers might be intimidated by a 400 page book. I'm not sure what the target demographic was supposed to be for this title. 

What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Rumer Godden's doll books, since it has the same classic feel, or Streatfield's Ballet Shoes, which is mentioned by Szilvia. My daughter was a huge fan of Martin's Doll People books, even though she didn't play with dolls; she also loved this author's A Drowned Maiden's Hair. 

 

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Dear Jackie

Bagley, Jessixa and Bagley, Aaron. Dear Jackie

September 9, 2025 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Jackie and Milo are next door neighbors who have been friends forever, spying on neighbors and calling each other endearing nicknames like "Stankbreath". When middle school starts, Milo spends more time with his soccer teammates, and Jackie's mother encourages her to spend more time hanging out with Adele and embracing more "feminine" pursuits. Jackie doesn't care about clothes or boys, but when Adele ane her friends give her a hard time, Jackie leaves herself a note that she's typed on her brother's typewriter from a "secret admirer" to divert their attention. She also tries some hair dye, which ends disasterously, and is the subject of teasing when her leg hair shows through the tights of a costume she wears at a school assembly. Milo's new soccer friends often make fun of her, and Milo does not stand up to them. Jabari, Jackie's brother who is away at college, often counsels her about being true to herself. It's something he has struggled with, since he occasionally wears dresses and has had some trouble getting support from their parents. As Jackie continues to get notes, fellow students opine on who might have sent them. Is it Milo? After some Valentine's Day drama, Jackie is angry with Milo, and at a sleepover, agrees to toilet paper  his house, uses the paper to spell out his nickname, Stankbreath. They manage to overcome this, but when Jackie stands Milo up for the end of the year dance, he is angry again and tells the others that she's been sending notes to herself. Will Jackie be able to find a way to be herself in middle school without alienating her friends. 

Strengths: The back and forth of who-likes-whom is very typical of middle school, and doesn't get enough coverage in most novels. Students still use the notes with the check boxes ("Do you like me? Yes, No"); I found one just last month! Fitting in is also a hard thing for middle schoolers to figure out, and Jackie's fights with Milo over their diverging interests are quite realistic. This follows the two through the school year, so covers major holidays and events. Jabari supporting Milo from college was good to see, and it's always good to have sibling and parent relationships depicted. Jackie is able to navigate some issues with her parents after her final blow up at the dance in a productive way. Fans of the Bagleys' Duel will be glad to see this new title. 
Weaknesses: The students at my school all dress like Jackie-- the halls are a sea of black and gray hoodies over dark track pants or pajama pants. I'm sure all schools are different, but no one would be giving Jackie a hard time at my school. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like the anxiety and friend drama in Meeker and Davidson's Swing or Libenson's Nat Enough. 

Press One for Invasion

Dauber, J.A. Press 1 For Invasion
September 9, 2025 by Aladdin
E ARC Provided by Netgalley

Matt, who is ten, would really like a cell phone like his best friend Gene has, but his parents won't agree. When he finds a cell phone on the sidewalk, he takes it home and tries to get it to work. The only thing he can get it to do is to take pictures, and he snaps one of the school crossing guard, Mr. Mackintosh... but it looks like a monster! Gene doesn't see this at all. The phone never seems to run out of charge, but has an alarm that seems to be going off. When Matt realizes that a cafeteria lady, Mrs. MacGillicuddy, is also a monster, he asks her some questions. She admits that there are aliens on Earth, and they do want to occupy the planet so that they can eat people, but she herself has become a vegetarian, and is willing to help him. Matt is able to see the monsters because he has heterochromic eyes. He briefly tries to alert Principal Delgado to the invasion at his school, but Matt is dismissed as unstable and referred to the school pyschologist. Mrs. MacGillicuddy is part of the foreign service, and knowing how to cook humans is part of her mission, but she thinks that if Matt can work to prove that humans aren't worth eating, the invasion will not happen. Along with classmate Marcella, they try to come up with a plan that does NOT involve Marcella and Matt giving up an ear, some blood, and a few bones so that Mrs. MacGillicuddy can serve appetizers to the visiting aliens. They visit her eerie house to work on plans, and a report is made to General Guggenheim that the food source is ruined, but that isn't enough. Will space aliens take to spy or seitan meat sources more readily than humans do and leave earth alone?

Strengths: Of course space aliens are going to infiltrate elementary schools first! That's where the tenderest, tastiest humans live. It was inspired to use a phone as the way that Matt found out about the aliens, because I imagine there are a lot of children who would pick up a phone and play with it because they want one so much. It was good to see that not all of the aliens were completely evil, but even Mrs. MacGillicuddy is fairly scary... she just wants one ear to serve up to her superiors! The chapters in this were short and snappy, so the story moved along quickly. 
Weaknesses: This is a retro looking cover that I'm not sure will do well with my students. It looks a bit like Lubar's 2006 Punished. Middle school readers usually wants their aliens to be a little more frightening and less goofy, so perhaps the cover will appeal more to elementary readers. 

What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who liked goofy space aliens adventures such as Mackel's Can of Worms, Lerner's Enginerds, London's We are Not Eaten By Yaks, or Lubar's Emperor of the Universe series. 

And now I have the line "Soylent green is PEOPLE" stuck in my mind! 

Ghoul Summer

Badua, Tracey. Ghoul Summer

September 2, 2025 by Storytide

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Barnaby Vargas is not happy that he has to spend three weeks of his summer in the beach community of Sunnyside, helping his grandfather pack up his home so that he can move in with Barnaby's family. He would rather stay at home so he can hang out with friends and play Warricane Five. Instead, his mom, dad, dog, and "perfect" younger brother Leo are staying in the Morgan House. At least he has a room to himself in the attic, although that ends up being haunted by Maxwell Warner, who passed away under suspicious circumstances in 1984. Maxwell is even unhappier than Barnaby is, and keeps tripping up the interloper, demanding that he leave. Since this isn't possible, the two decide to help each other out. Barnaby will investigate what happened to Maxwell so that he can move on, and Maxwell will leave him in peace. They first ask neighbor Anita, an older Black woman who knows Barnaby's grandfather, if she knows anything. She gives them an address for Maxwell's parents, but this leads only to the realization that both died in a car crash years ago. When the landlord of the rental property, Mr. Morgan, keeps popping by because he is selling the property, the search for answers becomes more urgent. Plans to sell the property to Blue Spoon Betty's cookie shop means that Maxwell will no longer have a place to live. Mr. Morgan and his family have had the city council in their pocket for a long time, and the community is being changed in unpleasant, corporate ways, including the demolition of the Grand Seabird Hotel. Anita's house is on the historic register, but she doesn't really want a shop next door. Barnaby thinks briefly about trying to get the Morgan House on the register, but time is short. He makes a plea to the council, and sees how wily Mr. Morgan is. Is it possible that he poisoned Maxwell in an attempt to silence Maxwell's father? As their time runs out, Barnaby invites Maxwell to live with his family since he can't locate his own, and this is enough to finish his business on earth and release his spirit.
Strengths: Ghosts aside, I'd love to spend time in Sunnyside! Middle grade students often have grandparents who need help, so it made sense that Barnaby and his family had to spend time helping his grandfather clean out his house in order to move in with them. I really enjoyed Leo's character; even though Barnaby bristled at Leo's perfect demeanor, the two got along and worked well together. The research into Maxwell's family came to realistic dead ends, and it was interesting to see the city council process. The brief glimpses into the grandfather's life were endearing, and I would have loved to see more of him.
Weaknesses: I was really hoping that somehow that Barnaby would soundly defeat Mr. Morgan, and that the Grand Seabird Hotel would remain open and the Morgan House would not become a shop. Of course, this is unrealistic, but consuming a lot of middle grade literature made me expect that Mr. Morgan would end up in jail for the forty year old murder. That's my fault, not the books, which has a much more touching and realistic ending.
What I really think: This is a good choice for children who prefer friendly ghosts, like those in Jones' Sauerkraut, Iriarte's Benny Ramírez and the Nearly Departed, or Uhrig's The Polter-Ghost Problem.  

Candace, the Universe, and Everything

Smith, Sherri L. Candace, the Universe, and Everything
September 9, 2025 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

At Walden Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois, there are some odd things happening at locker 235, and have been for years. In 1908, Elizabeth Simpson sees birds flying through a "window in the sky" on the school's building site, and one of the workers, Ellis Monroe, promises to preserve her view. The two later marry, and eventually have a granddaughter, Loretta. We catch up with the school in the present day, when Candace Wells, an 8th grader, gets the same locker. When birds explode out of the locker, it seems odd, but odder still is the notebook that she finds from 1988. It belongs to Tracey Auburn, and Candace manages to hunt her down. Tracey is surprised, but the two bond, and Tracey tells Candace about her middle school experience, including strange happenings with the locker, and her love of the Skylark book series. When a note appears in the locker with an address, Tracey and Candace (after checking with Candace's parents!) go there and meet Loretta. She was a student at the school in 1948, and had the fabled locker. Her grandmother, Elizabeth, had told her stories about interdimensional magpies, and Loretta is the author of the book series that Tracey loved. She has been researching the sky windows, and as she is in her 90s, asks for help from the younger women. They start to track the sightings of the birds in hopes of finding a portal. This search takes them across the state of Illinois, and into some interesting places, some real, and some magical. 

Strengths: I love the idea of a multigenerational tale; this reminded me a bit of Stanton's 2017 Waking in Time, that I loved so much that I bought a copy for my daughter. Having unrelated girls who have the same lock connect over time was brilliant, and Smith even makes the math work. It's fun to think of Loretta writing the Skylark series that Tracey loved, and its truly heartwarming to see the bond that develops between the three. There's good use of historical places (I have some parks in Illinois that I clearly need to see!), and even some discussion of famous architects from the state. 
Weaknesses: Walden Elementary School doesn't seem to be a real place. Drat! I often have a hard time understanding fantasy worlds, so I was often confused about where the interdimensional magpies came from, and how the portals worked. Readers who are fond of the genre will have a better grasp on the plot, so it won't bother them. 
What I really think: The cover is fantastic (assuming that that's the Chicago skyline in the background), and a nice tribute to Smith's hometown. This a book that readers who like time travel adventures tied to specific places like Tash's The Queen of Ocean Parkway or Lerangis' Throwback, or Otheguy's Cousins in the  Time of Magic will definitely want to pick up. 

Dawn of the Dragons

Mancusi, Mari. Dawn of the Dragons
September 2, 2025 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Netgalley

Set five years before New Dragon City, this book alternates between the experiences of Lucas, who lives in a small town, and Cinder, a young dragon. Cinder and her brother Flame are being raised by their mother, the queen of their band of dragons, after their father is killed when rogue dragons try to take their territory. When Cinder gets separated in new territory from her family, she is rescued by Lucas. Lucas and his friends Jace and Jacinda Alvarez are interested in dragons, but it isn't until their friend Noah Miller (the main character in New Dragon City, 2022) and his father raise the alarm that the dragons are back that they take the existence of the creatures seriously. Lucas is missing his dog, Max, and his mother, father, and sister think that his grief is manifesting itself in an unhealthy interest in dragons. This isn't the case; Lucas has met Cinder, fed her beef jerky, and even brought her home overnight, since the two could speak telepathically. Sadly, Cinder accidentally sets fire to Lucas' house, which his parents think is suspicious, and they want Lucas to get counseling. When people start to show up in town, buying beef jerky and watching a video of Cinder and Lucas, he's worried that he has caused a problem. For her part, Cinder tries to convince the dragon council that humans are good and want to help. She plans to bring a gift to Lucas' town and explain the help that the dragons need. Unfortunately, Cinder's idea of a gift ends up being a horse, Mr. Bean, who is beloved by the town. Even though Lucas tries to explain, the townspeople are angry, and the event ends with another fire caused by Cinder. When Flare goes down to eat his sister's gift (why should it go to waste?), he is captured. Special agedne Gerda visits Lucas and his family and tells them that they should just stay put, and that things will be okay. When Lucas sees a video of Flare in captivity, he knows this isn't the case. After he and his friends save Flare, they fly to talk to Cinder's mother, and are able to convince the dragons that the humans don't mean them harm. Unfortunately, the rogue dragons are also loose on the world, and humans are scared. They want to attack any dragons that come near. Eventually, Lucas and his family relocate to the new territory of the dragons, and are eventually joined by Noah and his father. 

Strengths: Even though this went back and forth from Cinder to Lucas' viewpoint, it wasn't confusing at all, and I am often very confused by fantasy books. Mancusi's writing makes me believe that Cinder showed up, Lucas thought to feed her beef jerky, and the two just hit it off! The fact that there has been talk in the wider society about a dragon uprising is simmering in the background, so it's not too much of a surprise when the "dragon peepers" show up, and are alarmed by Cinder's gift. There's just enough about Lucas' life in his town to make it sad when he has to leave. This is a fast-paced story with some suspense as well as a satisfying "pet dragon" aspect to it. The first book has circulated well, so I will definitely buy a copy of this. 
Weaknesses: It's been a while since I read New Dragon City, so I had some trouble figuring out how Noah and his father figured in to the storyline. 
What I really think: This is a little more problematic than pet dragon books like Durst's Spark or Downing's Hatching Magic, and has some elements of Martin's The Edge of Extinction. Mancusi's fans will want to take a look, and I enjoyed the fact that you can really read either book in the series first.

MMGM- What Happened Then and They Battled in Blizzards

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Downing, Erin Soderberg. What Happened Then

September 2, 2025 by Scholastic Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Avery and her mom Eleanor and dad travel to the island her mom's family owns in the middle of Crooked Lake when her Aunt Robbie wants everyone to gather for one last get together and decide what to do with the property. Jax, along with his father, James, is there as well along with Aunt Robbie and Aunt Di and her family. There's a big house on the property, but also guest cabins that haven't been used since Avery's grandfather died. When Aunt Robbie announces that she has ALS and will probably be gone in two years, she makes it clear that even though her mother left her the property, she feels that it is up to the entire family to decide its fate. James, who has always been difficult, immediately wants to sell everything and be done with it. Avery, who is interested in the unmentioned youngest sibling about whom no one talks, is enthralled with this mystery when she finds pieces of an old journal around the island. As the family works on cleaning out the house, Avery and Jax try to figure out what happened, and uncover a lot of bad feelings among the remaining siblings that will effect the fate of the property. Avery comes to love the island, as well as Aunt Robbie, and wants to find a way for her aunts and uncles to make peace with the past. 

Strengths: There is something appealing about going to an island and meeting up with family one hasn't seen in a long time and uncovering family secrets. The Crooked Lake property is so well described that I could SMELL the cabins! Finding a 30-40 year old diary (Alexander's The Dead Girl's Diary or Ford's The Lonely Ghost also include these documents) is enthralling, and Avery and Jax work well together to solve the mystery. Each character has other problems as well; Avery is impulsive and loud, and has trouble with self regulation, while Jax has a troubled relationship with his father. I loved Aunt Robbie, and was sad that she was so ill, but it was nice that her family was able to rally around her. I don't want to ruin the family secret, but it was satisfying that all of the siblings thought they were responsible, and had felt guilty for years, and that when they finally talked about the issue, they realized that none of them were at fault. This is another great title by Downing, who also wrote Just Keep Walking and When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie. 
Weaknesses: In the middle of the book, Avery decides that the journal was written by Aunt Robbie, and I figured all along that it was. There's a name change, and I somehow got very turned around by this, but it could just be me. 
What I really think: There must be any number of old family lodges, camps, and larger houses that are impossible for younger generations to keep up. This reminded me a bit of Matson's The Firefly Summer, Baron's The Gray, or Haddix's The Mysteries of Trash and Treasure. There need to be more middle grade books that investigate the cultural phenomenon of Cabbage Patch Kids! (I was in high school, and remember selling patterns to grandmothers to make clothes for these dolls. Their stories of waiting in line to buy them were something else!)

Hopkinson, Deborah. World War II Up Close: They Battled in Blizzards
September 2, 2025 by Scholastic Focus
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

World War II is one of those topics about which I am conflicted. I have absolutely no interest in reading about wars, especially one from 80 years ago about which SO MUCH has already been written. However, there are always students who have a keen interest in everything to do with that conflict, so I keep reading the books. Hopkinson, who has several books on this topic, including two other World War II Up Close books, They Saved the Stallions and Race Against Death: The Greatest POW Rescue of World War II, does an excellent job of researching and presenting information in a way that is engaging and accessible. They Battled in Blizzards focuses on The Battle of the Bulge, a six week long conflict in 1944 that involved 600,000 US soldiers and resulted in the death of around 80,000 troops. The weather was a huge problem, and there are fantastic pictures all through the book showing what the landscape was like.

The best part about this book is the fact that Hopkinson made the war personal. She interviewed a few survivors, some of whom died before the book was published at advanced ages. She read memoirs, talked to families, and got personal photographs. Think about this: men during WWII often took cameras with them, so there are snapshots of people sitting around campfires, walking along snowy lanes, and hanging out. I had a friend who fought for the Wehrmacht and was stationed right at the Russian front, and he had photos of himself and his friends hanging out with Russian women as they waited for the US troops to arrive and end things. But did men have cameras with them on the field of battle? My friend also told the story of having his camera hanging on the rear view mirror of his vehicle… and the vehicle getting blown up! So yes, I don’t doubt for a second that there are plenty of photos like this that great grandpa brought back for the war that are now in people’s basements.

The stand out for me was the inclusion of sketches and paintings by official army artists like John Jarvie, Victor Dowd, Robert Blair, Olin Dows, and Ashley Bryan. There should be a whole book on their work. Talk about riveting and moving! I was particularly taken by the work of Dows, who also has mid century landscapes that I would love to hang in my living room.

Hopkinson, who also has the fantastic Deadliest series, has written another great book that is an essential purchase for middle school libraries. This even includes a photo scrapbook at the back as well as a timeline. Her source notes are exquisite, and make me disappointed when I read books that DON’T attribute their sources as well as she does. If you have a Scholastic book fair, make sure you have a good stock of her work for your nonfiction loving readers. 

Vote for the G.O.A.T.

Terese, Ali. Vote for the G.O.A.T.

August 26, 2025 by Aladdin
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Jo Belmonte is very interested in fashion design, as well as Somerset Babbette, the goat who is the school mascot. She's been trying to get the goat a better living environment, but the principal keeps changing things. As a new school year starts, she's dealing with a particularly bad flare up of her juvenile rheumatoid arthritis while waiting for insurance to approve a new medication for her. To complicate matters, she has four older brothers in high school! Meg, on the other hand, has her own issues to deal with. An avid soccer player, Meg has ignored a twinge in her hamstring until a random movement at a game makes it a critical injury. The doctor recommends rest and crutches, but Meg's father thinks she should ice it and get back to playing. Luckily, she doesn't take his advice! For a while in the summer, Meg goes to stay with her quirky Nana Rose at her retirement facility, where she contemplates the school year without soccer. The big interest for the upcoming school year is a student competition to be elected the Greatest of All Time, with students working on projects that contribute to the school. There's also a massive Harvest Ball that occupies their thoughts. Jo is still working with her friend Arvin, whose father has a farm, to improve conditions for Babette, but when the goat is stolen, Meg jumps in to help investigate. The school year is very busy with plans for the dance, the G.O.A.T. competition, and finding Babette, and having to deal with physical problems while also doing school work becomes difficult for both Jo and Meg. Jo has treatments and therapy, and Meg must work on a return-to-play plan while missing her soccer teammates. There's a happy ending, with Jo sharing a sweet kiss with Vanessa.
Strengths: It was interesting to see a character with juvenile RA, since I've only seen this in Mendez's Aniana del Mar Jumps In and Otis' At the Speed of Lies. There's just enough information about treatment and coping strategies that Jo's other interests aren't overwhelmed by her health concerns. Meg's sports injury is something that I see a lot more of at school, but which is woefully underrepresented in literature, and I loved the idea of a return-to-play plan. The author's personal experience with both of these issues lends a lot of realistic detail to the story. Of course, there's the dance, the hunt for the goat, and the competition to move the story along as well. Like this author's Free Period, there's some LGBTQIA+ representation as well.
Weaknesses: There was a LOT going on, and since this switched between Meg and Jo's perspective, it was sometimes hard to keep track of all of the activities. I also had a hard time believing that the G.O.A.T. competition would take place.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed busy realistic school stories like Kelly and Mbalia's On Again, Awkward Again, Ryan's Mountain Upside Down, or Arango's It's All Or Nothing, which also involves a sports injury. 

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Tuck Everlasting and The (Not So) Superheroes

Babbitt, Natalie and Woodman-Maynard, K.  (illustrator)

Tuck Everlasting: The Graphic Novel
September 2, 2025 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Babbitt's beloved classic, it gets a beautiful graphic novel adaptation. 

Winnie Foster chafes at all of the restrictions that her mother and grandmother place on her in the early 1900s. She longs to run away from Treegap, especially in the heat of the summer when everything feels oppressive. When she ventures into the woods, she meets Jesse Tuck, who claims to be 104 years old. Winnie, at ten, knows this isn't true. When Jesse's mother, Mae, shows up, she says that Winnie has to come with them because they have a secret that the world mustn't know. Winnie's a little scared, but also wants adventure in her life, and Mae is a comfortable sort of woman who doesn't make her afraid. Winnie learns the Tuck's secret; they drank from a spring in her family's woods 87 years ago, and haven't aged since. Miles, Jesse's brother, is sad about this because he had gotten married, and his wife and children got to be older than he was, and left him because they thought he had made a pact with the devil. Angus, the father, is somewhat bitter, because he is left out of the cycle of life and will never die, since the spring keeps the family members from experiencing injury. A man in a yellow suit has spoken to Winnie, and sees her with the Tucks. He has come to investigate stories his grandmother told him, and offers the Tucks information about where Winnie is in exchange for the land where the spring is located. They agree, and the man and a police officer head off to retrieve Winnie. The man offers the Tucks a deal; they will come and serve as an example of what the water can do, and he will sell the water to a select few for a very high price. When they decline, he threatens to make Winnie drink the water instead. Angered, Mae hits him in the head with the butt of a rifle just as the policeman arrives on his horse. She is jailed, and will most likely hang for her crime. Winnie returns home, but knows that she must save Mae. They manage to get her out, and the family must leave town. Jesse has given Winnie a bottle of the water, asking her to drink it when she is 16, and the two of them can spend their lives together, traveling the world. We find that she doesn't do this, pouring the water on a toad that is  in danger instead. In an epilogue, the Tucks come back to Treegap and find her tombstone that tells of her long life as a friend, wife and mother. 

Strengths: I rarely rave about the beauty of writing in middle grade books, but Babbitt's prose is so beautiful that I couldn't envision this book as a graphic novel. To my great delight, Woodman-Maynard includes key portions of the text in her gorgeous illustrations. These have an appropriate soft and dreamy quality, and it made me ridiculously happy to find out that she hand painted all of the book in watercolors. Really, this couldn't have been digitally colored. The story follows the original (which was a little more violent than I remembered!), and is a great way to introduce this timeless tale to a new generation of readers. Both of my daughters own a copy of this, and have reread it many times. If you are involved with children's literature and haven't read this one, pick up a copy somewhere right away! If you want to watch the movie, don't look at the 2002 theatrical release; hunt down the 1981 made for television version, where Winnie is ten instead of 16. 
Weaknesses: I may be imagining this, but there seemed to be a missing scene at a fair, when one of the boys falls off... the Ferris wheel? Since the symbolism of wheels figures largely, and this seemed like a pivotal scene, I was suprised it was left out. I could be wrong, because I thought Winnie put the water on a turtle instead of a toad. 

What I really think: I am not only buying a copy of this, but also a copy of the 50th Anniversary Edition, which still has Babbitt's original artwork on the cover. The graphic novel includes a picture of Babbitt's house (that is now under a reservoir!) that looks just like this. This is such a sad and touching story that I can't bear to think about what the Tuck's lives would be like if they were still around today. So much change, and so much harder to move about undetected! 

Haddow, Swapna. The (Not So) Superheroes (The Terrible Trio#1)

September 2, 2025 by Scholastic Paperbacks

ARC provided by Scholastic

When the Powers That Be agree that all animals can have super powers, Zeb the Zebra, Barry the Lemur, and Margarine (Marge) the Penguin get stuck at the end of the line behind an enormous rhinoceros. They almost don't get powers, but when they convince the bestower to forgo watching his favorite show, Watching Paint dry, and give them powers, they end up with ones that are a bit odd. Marge gets the ability to make mac and cheese out of anything by stirring briskly, Barry gets beautiful handwriting, and Zeb gets the ability to blend in with crosswalks, which he can do anyway. The three really still want to be super heroes, so apply to work at the Superheroes Cafe. They are hired, since super heroes don't want to work there. Marge and Barry are fairy happy, but Zeb constantly feels like a failure. When Zeb overhears a chicken with super strength talking about a plot for a very dangerous crocodile to escape from prison, the trio decides that they will be the ones to save the day. They manage to get into the prison by offering up a pot of mac and cheese, but Barry and Marge chicken out. Zeb perseveres, and his superpower ends up helping to capture the evil crocodile. Will the trio find more goofy adventures where they can use their powers?

While the goofy, slapstick humor of this was more on the elementary side of the Pilkey Line, I'm sure my incoming 6th graders will fight to have my ARC of this title. Hand this one to fans of Krosoczka's 2013 The Platypus Police Squad, Blabey's Cat on the Run, or Barnett and Harris' The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza. 

The Picasso Curse

Gutman, Dan. The Picasso Curse

September 2, 2025 by Holiday House

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Edwin Hodge finds a cool poster of Kobe Bryant at a flea market near Peoria, Illinois and pays $10 for it to the seller, Mr. Ledger. A classmate, Vinnie Capanella, also wanted the poster, which makes Edwin happy, since Vinnie is a bully. When Edwin gets the poster home, he finds a drawing under the frame. He takes it to school for show and tell, which of course makes Vinnie even angrier, but also draws the attention of his art teacher, Ms. Castello, who later calls his home to tell his parents they really should get it appraised. Since there is a flashback in the book telling us a story about a doodle by Pablo Picasso, supposedly done while he was being questioned as a suspect in the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa, we know that Edwin does indeed have a valuable piece of art. This recommendation starts a whirlwind of activity, as Edwin and his family have to deal with the "curse" of a string of ups and downs. Mr. Ledger appears, first offering a few hundred dollars for the return of the sketch, and then $10,000. The family travels to an art museum in Chicago, where a graduate student sees the sketch and introduces Edwin to her professor. They think about listing it with an art auction house in New York City, but as they are making plans to travel there, the house rescinds the offer to represent the piece. Insurance on the art is high, and travel is expensive especially since the Hodges are dealing with the loss of the mother's job after the Dollar General where she works is damaged in a tornado that almost takes the sketch away. Edwin eventually makes the news and does a lot of talk shows on Zoom, but this brings a lot of unwanted attention. He decides to cut down on the folderol by staging a shredding of the piece, but even that gathers an unwarranted amount of interest, with bids for pieces of the artwork commanding large prices, and a company offering $100,000 to sponsor the streaming event. It's all a fast-paced, nutty ride... and ends up on a cliff hanger. What would YOU do in Edwin's shoes, if Picasso's curse targeted YOU?

Strengths: Like Gutman's The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle, The Picasso Curse blends fact and fiction nicely. Gutman even goes the extra mile to point out what parts of the story are true, and which are not! There are even photographs and reproductions of posters and other historical artifacts to add a sense of realism to the story. The best part about this is the wish fulfillment angle; Edwin not only gets a rare bargain, but he takes it from right under the nose of the school bully. While a lot of the occurrences seem unlikely, they also seem entirely possible, and I loved how the parents were willing to go along with Edwin's plans, not matter how wild they got. Not having a firm ending to the story makes this an intriguing title to use as a read aloud, and to have students write what they think will happen next. I don't think that Gutman had any formal training as an educator, but he definitely has an innate ability to trick readers into learning a lot in most of his books. 
Weaknesses: The back story about the Mona Lisa theft and Picasso's artwork is introduced rather early in the book, and is rather long. I thought it moved along quickly, but I can see how readers who aren't interested in history might find this bit of the book slow. 
What I really think: Gutman's books are always such fun, and he is such an asset to the world of children's literature. He clearly spends a lot of time listening to what young readers want. The blurb for this book quotes Gutman as saying “I want my readers to think that reading my books is like watching a movie. One where you never know what’s going to happen next.” He certainly accomplished that with this fun and funny story of an unlikely flea market find. This is a must purchase for middle school and elementary libraries. 
 

Welcome to the Ghost Show

Ocker, J.W. Welcome to the Ghost Show

August 26, 2025 by Storytide

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Zel, Theo, and Lucien are members of the "Creepy Club" and are obsessed with haunted houses and ghosts, and often visit sites in their hometown of Leonardtown, Maryland to record what they find. The town has a very troubled history; it was the site of the Glo-Wyrm chemical factory, which exploded in 2016 in a spectacular way and killed over 3,000 people. The resultant pollution has taken even more lives and lead to an infestation of neon orange "glop". Zel lost her sister Tori in the explosion, and her mother is dealing with a serious illness because of the contamination. This leads her to look for ghosts, because if they exist, perhaps Tori is still around somewhere. When the club investigates the local Corpse House, they see an eerie ad adverting the Ghost Show. This is all very mysterious, and when the show finally arrives, under the aegis of Everet Nocturama Mance, the kids are interested in attending. It's a creepy collection of individuals, and the display includes their names, dates, and manner of death. Interesting, but the kids feel that it feels more like a fake haunted house than real ghosts. Mance admits as much, and shares some of his trade secrets, and also invites Zel to a special showing. He also offers a way to connect with Tori's ghost, but this doesn't go well. Tori manifests as a rather gross, fleshy ball oozing red slime who can only scream and groan. Zel really wants to help her sister, and the school custodian, Miss Janet, wants to help her father. Both are told that Mance can regenerate their family members by using them for parts; Miss Janet is okay with that, but Tori hesitates. She also untethers many of the ghosts, and rectifying this situation occupies the Creepy Club for quite a while. Will Zel and her friends be able to save Leonardstown from supernatural horror while Zel makes some peace with her sister's death?
Strengths: Ocker has a solid fan base in my library, with his The Black Slide and The Smashed Man of Dread End being constantly checked out. This had plenty of gross moments, with slime, glop, squelching, and even a giant skeleton that tries to crush people. Zel's obsession with ghosts is nicely explained, and the ensemble cast works well. The history of Leonardstown, and the description of its troubles historical sites, is one of the best parts of the book.
Weaknesses: Another reviewer on Goodreads, Fifi's Bookshelf, commented that this lacked "scares and urgency", which aptly explained how I was feeling about this one. Somehow, I never felt like the ghosts were that much of a danger. Part of this might have been that while the GloWyrm disaster was horrible, it was treated rather lightly for having killed so many people. It lacked the visceral horror of radioactive glop that can be found in Zindel's Rats.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Neilsen's Dr. Fell and the Playground of Doom or Davies's The International House of Dereliction and want a somewhat gross ghost story that isn't too scary.

The Last Resort and How to Free a Jinn

Kelly, Erin Entrada. The Last Resort
September 2, 2025 by Scholastic Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Lila Clements is not thrilled that she and her parents, along with her younger brother Caleb, have to travel from Arizona to Castle Hill, Ohio when her grandfather dies. Her father, an actuarial scientist, hasn't had a good relationship with the man since his mother died and the father bought an large, old home to run as a bed and breakfast. On the car trip, the father has to hit the brakes suddenly, and after that, Lila starts to see ghosts, starting with a lot of customers at a diner who aren't there. Once they reach Castle Hill, Lila meets Teddy Hamed, who was good friends with her grandfather. Teddy is not surprised about the ghost sightings, and lets Lila know that there are some rooms in the inn that she doesn't want to stay in for very long. Mr. Clements is surprised that the house wasn't left to Mr. Howler, the grandfather's business partner. When Lila runs into her grandfather's ghost in the hallway, she finds out that he was likely murdered, and sets out with Teddy and Caleb to try to solve this mystery. Things get trickier when there seems to be a portal on the fourth floor that isn't working properly, and there is an evil spirit named Grimsbane who is working against the kids. There are a number of ghosts hanging around the house, including four year old Bonnie, Mary, a Victorian ghost, and a young boy named Timothy. Lila's family is all having nightmares, since ghosts feed on people's fear. Lila also has to contend with some friend drama with Ava and Lexi who are back in Arizona. While the three friends have been close (I love that they call themselves the Neapolitans, since they are a brunnette, red head, and blonde!), Lila tends to over react and needs to always "dial it down a notch". Ava and Lexi think she is childish. Is it overreacting if you can actually see ghosts, and they seem to mean your family harm? Will Lila, Teddy, and Caleb manage to fix the portal because the Clements family has to head back to Arizona? Once this book is published, there will be a website that can be accessed via the QR codes in the book, and readers can "talk" to several of the characters. 

Strengths: If middle grade literature, and especially the late, great Betty Ren Wright, has taught me nothing else, it's that if you are a tween who has to move to or visit an older home, it's going to be haunted. This had enough of a twist to it that I kept turning the pages to find out more about the grandfather, and the inclusion of friend drama will please actual middle grade readers. Having a local character to help out was good, and the house itself was fascinating. Four floors! Great! The parents don't get too involved, but I was glad to see Caleb and Lila get along fairly well. It doesn't hurt that Lila has to learn to "dial down" some of her reactions to things; it's something a lot of tweens could do! This is probably my favorite of Kelly's books, although a bit of a departure from her realistic titles like The Land of the Forgotten Girls, or her science fiction themed The First State of Being. 
Weaknesses: I'm not sure that readers are necessarily going to access the online content through QR codes. Also, the friend drama wasn't resolved as well as it could have been. 
What I really think: There's always a need for books with creepy houses, and this will be a great book to add to a Halloween display along with Oh's Spirit Hunters or Haru: Zombie Dog Hero, Urban's Almost There and Almost Not, or Strong's The Secret Dead Club. 

Idil, Raidah Shah. How to Free a Jinn

September 3, 2024 by Allen & Unwin

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Insyirah and her mother, a freelance artist, live in Australia, but when Syirah's nenek (grandmother) falls, the two move back to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to help take care of her. Nenek is wealthy, and lives in a mansion, but still wants to have her family close. Syirah isn't happy about the move, but glad to be closer to her grandmother. When she goes to her school, she is astonished to find that she can talk to what appears to be the ghost of a young boy. After talking to her family, she finds that she has inherited the ability to talk to jinn. Her new friends Fai and Nadia don't doubt her, and her grandmother gives her some information about the family's history of interactions with the supernatural, especially after her grandmother has a heart attack. Syirah is helped by the half jinn Sensei Bilqis, who helps her prepare for dealing with evil spirits. In the end, it's clear that one of the issues that needs to be addressed is the fact that the school was built over a deposit of bodies from World War II. 

If Jinn related books Zargarpur's Farrah Noorzad and the Ring of Fate, Khan's Amir and the Jinn Princess, Lough's The Fire Wish (The Jinni Wars #1), Speakman and Galvin's Rebels of the Lamp, or Crowl's Eden's Wish are popular in your library, definitely take a look at this well-paced fantasy title. My students, who don't pick up as much fantasy as other tweens, definitely don't seek out books about jinn. (Or pirates. Or circuses. No idea why.)

The Steps

Van Draanen, Wendelin. The Steps

September 2, 2025 by Holiday House
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ruby Voss appears to have a privileged existence, living on the grounds of her grandmother's estate with her father, stepmother Vivian, and stepsiblings Brielle and Liam. Under the surface, however, tensions roil. After the car accident death of her mother and aunt, her father and uncle had a tremendous falling out over the insurance payout, since the uncle maintained that Ruby's mother caused the accident, and therefore he should get some of the much larger insurance payout for Ruby's mother. Ruby is not supposed to talk to her cousin and best friend, Sterling, because of this, and the two girls even help out their grandmother, Oma, on separate shifts so they don't see each other. When Sterling shows up, knocking on Ruby's second floor window like she used to, Ruby is surprised. She follows her cousin to Oma's, where they find that their grandmother has been bound and gagged, and her pink diamond engagement ring has been stolen. Sterling helps her grandmother, but Ruby hides so that her presence isn't detected. Despite the drama that unfolds in the afftermath of the robbery, with her father and uncle renewing their fighting, Ruby still has to go to high school. Without Sterling, it's been hard, but she's made a a good friend in Izaan Ray. He invites her to join the chess team, and the advisor, Mr. Archambeau, tells her that he is tutoring Oma in French in exchange for being able to stay at the French chateau Ruby doesn't even know Oma owns. Back at home, her Aunt Katrina stops by, and provides some calm support for Ruby, who gets so little support from her father and Vivian that she's been living on coffee and Twinkies. Since Oma's ring is worth three million dollars, the police question everyone. When Ruby's room is ransacked, and some of the tools she keeps in her room to make herself feel safe (a hatchet, saw, and rope!) are taken, things look grim, but the police officer who is investigating is helpful. As Ruby and Sterling try to find out what really happened, and why Ruby seems to be targeted now, family secrets galore are revealed. I don't want to reveal any of the twists and turns that this action and suspense packed novel takes, but it's a good thing that Ruby has the support of her Aunt, as well as for the members of her school chess team, who help save the day! 

Strengths: Van Draanen is an author who consistently turns out well crafted books, and this stand alone novel had several things that will make it instantly appealing to middle grade and high school readers. Ruby is a troubled but privileged character who is in high school. She's struggling to make her life work even though she has adults in her life-- she's essentially on her own. I recently read a book where there was a similarly menacing character and a tense situation that was NOT as exciting as it should have been. The last third of this book was quite the nail biter, and Ruby was constantly in danger. The inclusion of Izaan and the chess team was important, but hard to properly describe. There were lots of cliff hangers, reveals of evil doers, and even some strategic fire poker wielding that was all well done.
Weaknesses: At least the mother's death was important to the plot, but I still could have done without it. I'm not being facetious when I say that about half the books I read deal with parents who have died, and surviving parents, like Ruby's father, who aren't dealing well with the situation in various ways. It gets wearing even as an adult, and can't be great for young readers' moods, either. Perhaps it would have been more interesting if Ruby's mother had been committed (wrongly!) for mental health issues and then reunited with Ruby after all of the situations with the family were resolved. 
What I really think:  The story had shades of Barnes' popular The Inheritance Games, Cavalancia's Mystery Royale, and Gerber's The Liars Society. The cover has the type of illustration aimed at older readers, which is so important, and it's a good length. I was even impressed by the somewhat distinctive san serif font. This is definitely a must purchase title that will circulate extremely well! 

MMGM- Forever Ripley and It's a Numbers Game! Hockey

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Hoyle, McCall. Forever Ripley 

September 2, 2025 by Shadow Mountain Publishing

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ripley was a working dog, patrolling the fields and swamps with her handler, Max. When Max passes away, Ripley is supposed to take care of his wife and daughter, Charlie. She's done that for quite a while, but is getting up in years for a German Shepherd. After simple things like jumping out of bed start to cause Ripley pain, Mom asks Mr. Chen, a friend and retired animal specialist, to help with some medication to make Ripley more comfortable. When even this doesn't help, a visit to the vet confirms that Ripley has an osteosarcoma and will most likely succumb to it in a couple of months. Charlie comes up with a bucket list of things to do to improve Ripley's quality of life, like eating fried chicken, playing games of tug toy, going to Nag's Head for ice cream, and sitting on the beach to watch the sunset. Mr. Chen, who lost his wife of over 40 years, encourages Ripley to talk about her losses, and says that doing so has helped him. A neighbor boy, Nathan, is dealing with the loss of his mother, but his idea of coping has led him to be rather negative. Mom is also a wildlife conservationist, and has been concerned about people who are poaching turtles and taking lumber out of the forest without permission. When Ripley takes a shortcut through the woods, she runs into the criminals, and they take Ripley, thinking she is a scent dog who would be able to find them. Charlie manages to save Ripley, but the experience has been hard on her body; she's even "met" Max briefly before returning to life. Charlie's training and observational skills help to catch the criminals, but Ripley's days are numbered. Having made an appointment at the vet when Ripley's health declines, the family throws a spectacular party involving cake and all of the people who love Ripley, Charlie, and Mom. Ripley curls up with her girls and peacefully passes away. While Charlie and Mom are sad, they have learned a lot from Ripley and will keep good memories of her, as well as the father, alive. 

Strengths: Hoyle's Stella, Just Gus, and Millie have been very popular choices with my students, and they are an excellent example of how to successfully tell a story from a dog's point of view while also making them just a tad omniscient. Some books from animals' points of view can be a bit cloying or confusing, but this is not the case here. The way emotions are expressed and explored follows the modern best practices for emotional regulartion, and it was interesting to see the difference in how Charlie and Nathan deal with their experiences. I was intrigued by the parents' jobs with wildlife, and Ripley's past as a working dog, and would have loved to know even more. The slow progression of Ripley's decline is realistically and delicately handled, and her ending is idyllically sad and sweet. 

Weaknesses: While Hoyle has an excellent note at the beginning of the book about why she feels that discussing grief is necessary and important, the combination of the father's passing and the on page death of Ripley might be too much for sensitive readers. While the mother should have talked to her daughter, the first thing she should have done was to get her daughter into therapy after her father's death. 
What I really think: This strikes me as a new millenium version of Where the Red Fern Grows or Charlotte's Web, and will be beloved by people who find books dealing with grief to be comforting and helpful. 

Zweig, Eric. It's a Numbers Game! Hockey

Publication September 2, 2025 by National Geographic Kids
Copy provided by the publisher

Hockey is a fairly new game in my town of Columbus, Ohio; the Blue Jackets didn't start here until 2000,  but now has a very loyal following. I've noticed that while hockey isn't necessarily a popular sport, it has very avid fans. There are few middle grade novels about it, and my readers who play hockey are always looking for something beyond Sigmund Brouwer titles to read. 

Since I know nothing about hockey (other than the singular fact that the sport didn't require helmets in the US until 1979, and that a grandfather clause allowed Cragi McTavish to play  until the late 90s without head protection!), I learned things on every page. Look at all the different leagues, with so many teams! Hockey was invented around 1875! The National Hockey Legaue started in 1917! 

The format of this book, and the inclusion of math, really sets this apart. There are "Pencil Power" insets that require some math calculations, although the answer is conveniently given upside down. The other thing that I really enjoyed was the inclusion of women's hockey; there's even a photo very early in the book of a player with two long braids! So many times, sports books overlook the female aspects of the sport, so it was reassuring to see the womens' statistics and history right alongside the mens'. 

Like It's a Numbers Game! Football, this has plenty of photographs, diagrams, charts, and graphs throughout the book, nd tons of statistics about various aspects. This is a great way to entice young readers to enjoy math, even if they don't really know that they are doing work! 

Fans of hockey who enjoyed Sports Illustrated Kids Hockey Then to Wow and fictional titles like Kadohata's Checked and Kim's On Thin Ice will want to take a look at this informative and amusing nonfiction title about this "cool" sport.