MMGM- Just Like Home and Winnie-the Pooh

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Downing, Erin Soderberg. Love Rolls In (Just Like Home #1)

January 6, 2026 by Scholastic Press

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Twins Ruby and Henry live on a small farm right outside of town. Their mother is a veterinarian, and their father does "something in an office", and the family has a menagerie of three chickens, two goats, a dog, a cat, a pig, and a llama! Their mother has declared that there are to be no more animals, but when a puppy with a severe spinal injury is dropped off at her clinic in the middle of the night, she softens long enough to let the children foster the dog and prepare him for adoption. Ruby, who does the morning chores, would rather skip school and get right to work, but her mother firmly states that school is more important. Henry enjoys school because there are no chores, and he has a lot more friends than Ruby does. Harriet, a neighbor, was a good friend until the girls hit fifth grade, and their interests started to diverge. The puppy, whom they name Arlo, is a sweet guy who manages to drag himself from place to place, since he can't walk. The twins try to help him by putting him in a shirt so the rough ground doesn't hurt his tender stomach, and unearth an old cart in the barn that they try to fit to one of the other pets so that Arlo can be part of the pack. This has limited success, so Ruby (who likes to build things) fashions a cart. She is grouped with Harriet during a school program on planting seeds, and finds out that Harriet's dog, Zippy, has passed away from cancer. Near the end, Zippy had to have both back legs amputated, and used a cart, so Harriet is interested in meeting Arlo. Henry isn't happy that Arlo will find a new home, since most of the animals seem to prefer Ruby, so he tries to remember to do his chores so that perhaps his mother will consider keeping Arlo. This isn't in Arlo's best interest, but luckily Harriet, her younger brother Will, and her mother decide that Arlo would be a good fit in their home. Ruby and Henry's parents agree that because the kids both stepped up to help with Arlo's care and training, they are open to having more rescues in the future.
Strengths: I would have loved this book as a child! Ruby and Henry both have fairly positive attitudes, are willing to work hard, and are given a lot of autonomy (but plenty of supervision when needed) to help Arlo. There's lots of good information about caring for a dog with special needs, but also some good life lessons about getting along with others. These things are so much more interesting than the current trend of having problems and thinking through how to deal with them-- Ruby and Henry DO things. Their farm is an interesting setting, especially with a llama and a pig with a large personality! The friend drama with Harriet is spot on. I would have saved up my 25 cent a week allowance to buy this series, and would definitely buy it for an elementary library. The cover is great, and I wish the artist had been mentioned in the publication data.
Weaknesses: There could have been slightly more description about the barn and surrounding enclosures for animals. While I could see everything clearly in my mind, both of my grandparents all lived on farms when I was young. Most of my students don't have this background knowledge.
What I really think: Mills' The Puppy Place is the series to which this title is compared, but Peters' Jasmine Green Rescues is much more similar. It should be popular with fans of Liu's Near and Deer, or graphic novel series like Fairbairn's PAWS or Epic Reads' Animal Rescue Friends. It's great for readers who need something a little shorter than Cameron's Dogs with Purpose books. If you are having a Scholastic book fair, make sure you request extras of this as well as the sequel, Kitten Delivery.

Downing, Erin Soderberg. Kitten Delivery (Just Like Home #1)

January 6, 2026 by Scholastic Press

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Now that their foster puppy, Arlo, has a good home with their neighbors, Henry isn't as eager to do his after school chores taking care of the animals. When Ruby finds SEVEN kittens near their home in the country, the twins ask their mother if they can try their hand at fostering them. Since the kittens appear to be six weeks old and can't be adopted until they are eight, their veterinarian mother agrees. With the help of neighbors Harriet and Will, the siblings clean up that barn and create a "kitten camp". They name the kittens after the Seven Dwarves, although one particularly pretty kitten is named Snow White. The kittens are a LOT of work. They need baths, feeding, and an environment with things to climb and toys to play with so that they can release their copious kitten energy. Henry is glad when Grumpy, who has some health issues, is willing to take a bottle from him. The family's cat, Smudge, and pig, Big Mill, step up to try to channel the kitten's energy in appropriate ways, and Smudge helps with litter box training. The family plans a "kitten convention" so that the kittens can be matched with suitable adoptive homes, but right before it is to begin, Grumpy goes missing! The event can't be canceled, since the other kittens really need homes. The event is a success, and the twins feel good about all of their hard work. Henry even learns to rethink his approach to "chores", and thinks that he might feel differently if he frames his work as something he does to support the pets that he loves. Grumpy shows up, having been hidden away by Smudge and Big Mill, and the parents allow the twins to keep the cat. Another book seems to be in the works!
Strengths: Kittens are adorable, and the cover (whose artist I could not find) will insure that this book sees steady circulation. I loved that Will and Harriet have worked with Ruby and Henry to clear a path between their houses so that Arlo can visit, and that they all band together to spiff up the barn so that it can be used in the future for fostering other animals. Downing does a great job at realistically portraying learning experiences for both twins; Ruby at first just wants the kittens to be adopted, but realizes that the animals' personalities need to be matched up with those of appropriate adopters to secure a good outcome, and Henry decides that he needs to make lists of jobs that he must do in order to remember them. He's also open to Ruby's reframing of the purpose for doing chores. I'd love to see more of this kind of instructive coping skills incorporated into other middle grade titles, especially in such a natural and engaging way. I'm looking forward to another book in the series.
Weaknesses: Would Smudge and Big Mill really hide Grumpy? While this reinforces my bias that cats are evil, I'm not sure that they would be able to anticipate the adoption and stow their favorite kitten out of view. Still, it makes for a great crisis, and a happy ending, so that is just a quibble.
What I really think: It's harder to find books about cats than it is about dogs, so feline fans will be glad to see that Henry and Ruby have a whole gang of kittens to care for. Mills' The Puppy Place sometimes has cats show up at the rescue, as does Peters' Jasmine Green Rescues, which also has a pig! Scholastic must have a soft spot for cats, since they also published Yamile Saied Méndez' Random Acts of Kittens and Wish Upon a Stray. If you have a lot of Warriors fans and are having a book fair, make sure you request extras of these books as well as the first Just Like Home book, Love Rolls In.

Milne, A.A and Shepard, Ernest H. (illus.) Winnie-the-Pooh

January 6, 2026 by Aladdin

Copy provided by the publisher

Happy Winnie-the-Pooh Day, which is celebtrated on A.A. Milne's birthday, January 18. Born in 1882, Milne created When We Were Very Young (1924) in which Pooh was a character, and went on to feature this bear of very little brain in a total of four books. Disney started animating these tales in 1961, so Pooh and his friends featured largely in my childhood. My brother had a large stuffed version, complete with red velvet vest, and Pooh would often narrate his stories at bedtime. 

This 100th anniversary edition is not only bound in Pooh yellow, but is vaguely fuzzy as well. There was a missed opportunity to have a red slipcover for this, but that is more of a Disney interpolation. For a book that came out so long ago, it holds up surprisingly well. The writing still feels crisp and modern, and Pooh's antics are not treated in an overly moralistic way. The 1920s really are the start of the modern era, when children started to be treated as individuals in their own right who made mistakes but were able to learn from them. 

This volume includes several favorites, like the heffalump and woozle tales, as well as stories about Eeyore losting his tale, Pooh getting stuck, and Christopher Robin leads an expedition to the North Pole (which makes sense, since Peary and Amundsen were either in recent memory or currently trying to reach that location). Kanga and Roo come to the forest, and there is a birthday party. These stories are all told with a gentle good humor, and are quick enough that each story can probably be read in one or two sittings, depending on the patience of the people involved. 

I'm a big fan of original illustrations, so it was good to see Shepard's original illustrations reproduced. There's something reassuring about the gentle pencil drawings that are comforting. Both timeless and nostalgic, the depictions of the woods, the animals, and Christopher Robin goes perfectly with the text. 

I'm not sure how many middle school students will be interested in these tales, but I'm sure my daughter will enjoy this copy to read to my grandson. I recently referenced the fact that the copyright had expired on this book and that it was now in the public domain; this is why there is now a slasher flick entitled Blood and Honey with Pooh as the main character! Pooh has appeared in other works through the years, including Hoff's Tao of Pooh (1982), which I received as a high school graduation gift and Leonards' 1958 Winnine-ille-Pu, the only title in Latin ever to make the New York Times Best Seller list. I may also have owned a copy of that in my previous life as a middle school Latin teacher. 

Given the amount of nursery decorations still available in both classic Shepard illustrations as well as the Disney versions, there are still fans out there. If you want to revisit Piglet, Roo, and Eeyore to find out what exciting things are happening, this new edition is a perfect one to pick up to snuggle and read. 

Going Viral

Berne Emma Carlson. Going Viral (Tween Era)

January 1, 2026 by Stone Arch Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Hannath Roth is spending the summer with her Aunt Susan and Uncle Dale, who run the Gentle Barn horse rescue. After a disastrous summer at a sleep away camp, Hannah's social anxiety has been so bad that she doesn't feel she can go back, which is why her two mothers have sent her to visit relatives. She is a bit apprehensive about hanging out with Kiera, who helps out at the farm in return for boarding her horse, Ranger, at the facility. Her single mother struggles to support the family by working double shifts at the Clam Shack. Hannah starts to realize that the rescue is having a lot of financial difficulties; the buildings are falling down, and the handyman and vet no longer will provide services because Uncle Dale hasn't paid their bills. Kiara is supportive and understanding of Hannah's anxiety, and is eager to help when Hannah decides that what the rescue needs it a social media presence that will go viral and raise funds. The posts raise a little bit of money, but Hannah's moms encourage her to be brave and post about how important the rescue is to her. It's hard, but with Kiara's help, she films a video. It goes viral, and enough money is raised to keep the rescue going. There is a glossary, notes on dealing with anxiety, and prompts for discussion and writing. 

Strengths: At just 72 pages, this short book packs a big punch for younger readers. There's the malady du jour of 2025, social anxiety, realistic financial strain for an aid organization, and social media, which tweens seem to love. There are some illustrations that add to the appeal. This Tween Era series from Capstone also has Carlson's Playing Up and Deen's Crush It and The Makeup Cover-Up. I would definitely purchase this for an elementary school library. 
Weaknesses: I always have a hard time buying that social media accounts can raise money, although they must from time to time. This is a short book, so things happen quickly; in real life, there would be a lot more nuance to saving a horse rescue organization from financial ruin! 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want shorter titles like Gallagher's Monica series or Pla's Invisible Isabel, which also has an anxious character. 

Wrong Friend

Harper, Charise Mericle. Wrong Friend

January 20, 2026 by First Second

E ARC provided by Netgalley

This semi-autobiographical graphic novel by the author of Bad Sister is once again set in the 1970s. Charise's best friend, Casey, lives next door to her in Vancouver, British Columbia, and the two spend lots of time together. When Casey starts high school while Charise is still in 8th grade, Casey completely ignores her former best friend, going as far as not even acknowledging  her presence if they meet on the street! This makes middle school even harder. Charise is a talented clarinet player, so she now has more time to practice. She knows she needs to make new friends, but it has been so long since she has had to do this that she feels out of practice. To complicate matters, her grandmother who doesn't speak English has moved from France to live with Charise's family. Charise actively searches out people with whom she might be friends, but doesn't come up with the perfect person. As much as she likes her school librarian, Mrs. Lee, adults don't make good best friends. Paul's parents are no longer friends with her parents, making thins tough. She gets a long with Nicole, but she lives three hours away. She likes the same books as Susan (I recognized the 1970s cover for L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time), but when Susan invites Charise to her house, Charise ends up being VERY allergice to Susan's hamster! Charise doesn't like to invite people to her house, since she is embarrassed by the laundry hanging outside, bargain snacks, and her grandmother. When she makes the Pacifi-Tones ensemble, she meets Eva from school, and the two spend lots of time together. Charise is reluctant to let Susan and Eva hang out together, perhaps afraid that the two will want to be friends with each other and exclude her. Will Charise ever be able to find the right balance to have another best friend? 
Strengths: Friend drama is a tremendously popular topic, especially in graphic novels. Even though Charise was definitely struggling with finding a comfortable friendship, this book was much more upbeat and less whiny than most graphic novels. Even though the friendship was the biggest part of this book, I really enjoyed the family dynamics as well, and Charise's developing relationship with her grandmother. The drawings indicate that the book is set in the 1970s, but it seems fairly universal, with only a few other touch points dating this to a different time (K.C. and the Sunshine Band's Shake Your Booty plays at one time). There's a touch of sibling rivalry, some good activities, and a feeling of forward motion as the book goes on, which many books lack. I'll definitely purchase this one, if only for the great illustrations of plaid pants! 
Weaknesses: It seemed a bit odd that Charise didn't want more than one best friend and that she kept Susan and Eva apart. It would have been nice to have a little more information about that. As a survival mechanism, it's better to have as many friends as possible in middle school because you just don't know when someone will stop speaking to you! 
What I really think: Comparisions to the graphic novels of Telgemaier, Hale, and Miller are apt, but this will also be a big hit with readers who enjoyed Montague's Camp Frenemies or Beka and Maya's Love Report books. 

Guy Friday- Sole Survivor

Ollestad, Norman and Kiely, Brendan. Sole Survivor
October 28, 2025 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This book is based on the true life experiences of the author. In 1969, Norman Ollestad is involved with lots of outdoor adventures with his father, Norm, who encourages his son to ski, surf, hike, and generally get outside for regular rushes of adrenaline. After winning a slalom race, the two, a long with dad's girlfriend, Sandra, have to go back home, but since the trophy is being awarded the next day, plan on renting a small plane in order to go back. Norman, whose parents are divorced, used to live on the beach in Topanga, California, with his mother, a school teacher, and her boyfriend Nick, but now lives in Palisades. He doesn't like his new town, which isn't as edgy and exciting, and Nick is sometimes abusive. Setting off with pilot Rob Arnold, the group runs into a storm, and the plane crashes in the cold and snowy mountains. Coming to, Norman realizes that the pilot is dead, and he looks for his father and Sandra. He hears Sandra's voice, and sees his father, who is very still. When he finds Sandra, she confirms that his father has died, and the two try to stay warm while they decide whether to stay put or to try to come down off the mountain. Sandra was badly injured, but the two make their way down. With no boots or even gloves, it's tough going, and Sandra eventually falls to her death. In flashbacks, we see glimpses of Norman's life before the accident as he continues his grim journey. Eventually, he makes it to a meadow, and is found by a teenager near Mt. Badly Village. A brief epilogue set a year after the accident discusses Norman's insistence that he be allowed to surf, as it is the only way he can process the tragedy and feel like himself.
Strengths: Survival stories are always popular with my students, with books like Tarshis' I Survived and Johnson's Survivor Diaries seeing frequent circulation. It's was easy to put myself in Norman's well worn Vans and imagine how hard it would have been to navigate the treacherous terrain of the mountains while processing grief. The inclusion of Norman's other pursuits like surfing and skiing make it clear that he had more skills than most to make this journey, and flashbacks to his troubled home life point out a root cause of his grit and resilience. His warm relationships with most of the adults in his life, especially his mother's friend, Eleanor, were nice to see. The book reads quickly, and would be an interesting choice for a school book project. (Three different teachers have assigned these in my school, so I have been thinking a lot about books that would be enjoyable for this task.)
Weaknesses: There were many, many flashbacks, and they slowed down the pace of the story in an odd way. My students often struggle to understand this narrative style, and the jumps in time were especially hard to follow in this story. This seems to be based on Ollestad's 2009 Crazy for the Storm, and I'm curious as to how that title was adapted for young readers. Kiely's background in writing young adult fiction is evident; middle grade writing is just very different.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoy Tod Olson's Lost In series, especially the Lost in the Amazon, which is based on a real life plance crash in the early 1970s. 

The Claiming (The Last Resort #2)

Warga, Jasmine. The Claiming (The Last Resort #2)
January 6, 2026 by Scholastic Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Teddy and his Castle Hill, Ohio neighbors Lila and Caleb defeated the Fire Maiden in The Last Resort... or did they. Teddy is excited to be starting seventh grade with an actual friend, since no one at school has really talked to him after the tragic drowning death of his friend Ethan, for which he blames himself. Lila seems to make friends with popular girls Mackenzie and Aubrey easily, although she admits that people at her previous school considered her prediliction for drama "a lot". After picking out a JAWS themed t shirt (rather than a creepy one with Jack Nicholson in The Shining), Teddy has a decent first day, but notices to his alarm that Lila is flickering. She becomes briefly invisible, and is drawn into the Land of the Dead, which is certainly alarming. Doing more research, the trio find that the ghosts they have been seeing in the hotel that Lila and Caleb's parents now own were all somehow related to the devastating circus fire that occurred nearby. Teddy reaches out to a trusted source on the online horror forum, Rosteen, and arranged to meet in person. Rosteen confirms that it is likely that the Fire Maiden is trying to pull Lila back in to the Land of the Dead. When Mackenzie and Aubrey decide that it would be a good idea to have a séance at the hotel, Lila agrees, even though Teddy thinks it is a horrible idea. It is, of course, and the group summons the Fire Maiden. This is particularly horrible, since Mackenzie is also a descendant of a performer incolved in the circus fire. Rosteen suggests getting herbs from a nearby lady, Debra, and putting them on the Fire Maidens grave, but visiting the cemetery reveals shocking information about Rosteen. At a big Halloween Party, things get very dicey, but most everyone survives. Teddy doesn't think the Fire Maiden has been laid to rest, and he's probably right! 

Strengths: Creepy, four story houses are always a great setting for a middle grade novel, and it's a bit rare to have a horror series. Readers will enjoy catching up with Teddy, Caleb, and Lila and learning more about the circus fire and the long term effects this had on people associated with that event. Starting back to school is a good call, since this brings in more characters. The Halloween party was just about as epic as the the one in Russell's new Down Came the Spiders. I loved that they passed it off as a publicity stunt!
Weaknesses: I'm still not sure that readers will access the interactive features; mine didn't for the Thirty Nine Clues series back in 2008. Since this series is by multiple authors, I'll shelve it under F LAS. The writing was oddly choppy; maybe Warga had trouble transitioning back from novels in verse. I also got a little tired of hearing how Teddy struggled to make friends. 
What I really think: Spooky books always do well, and the Fire Maiden is a good murderous ghost. Fans of Monahan's Mary: The Summoning  or Richardson's The Devil's Footsteps will be tempted to have a séance of their own, but they absolutely SHOULD NOT! 

Hattie Mae Begins Again

Flake, Sharon. Hattie Mae Begins Again
January 13, 2026 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Netgalley

In this novel in verse, Hattie Mae Jenkins leaves her home and family in rural Seed County, North Carolina to go to her cousin’s private school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1938. Attending Miss Abigail’s School for Exceptional Young Ladies will give her the education to have many more opportunities as a young Black woman, but she realizes right away that some of the other students hold her rural background against her. Lisa, whose father is a major contributor to the school, looks down her nose at everything about Hattie Mae. Fortunately, Hattie Mae’s roommate, Bert, is very supportive, even clipping the article in the society page about Hattie Mae’s enrollment and giving it to her. There is also Alabaster, the “school pet”, a boy who does odd jobs around the neighborhood and whose mother runs a shoe repair shop. Hanging out with him reminds Hattie Mae of the good times she spent with her twin brother, James. Cousin Abigail doesn’t want anyone to know that she and Hattie Mae are related, lest she be accused of favoritism. After losing her temper, Hattie Mae learns the hard way that she will not be spared punishment. It’s clear that Lisa’s family is not supportive, which might lead to her bitter attitude, since her father and step mother are always too busy to visit. When Lisa takes a necklace that belongs to Hattie Mae, she threatens to throw it in the river unless Hattie Mae acts as her maid, hanging up her clothes and cleaning her room. This problematic relationship casts a pall over the education Hattie Mae receives and the support she gets from cousin Abigail’s associates. When Lisa finds out that Hattie Mae is related to the school headmistress, she tells her father, who pulls funding from the school. Hattie Mae and Lisa come to an understanding about a secret that Lisa has been hiding, but the school is thrown into chaos nonetheless. Will the students at Miss Abigail’s be able to get donors from their community to keep the school running, and to open the doors to less privileged members of the surrounding Black community?

Strengths: This is a bit of a departure for Flake, but I definitely think she has a flair for historical fiction! An author’s note at the end explains her life long involvement in Philadelphia, and that the character of Bert is based on her own mother, so there is a great long for this topic. There are not as many books about the Great Migration as I would like, and this was a great combination of typical tween school drama and historical details. Boarding school tales are always interesting, and it was intriguing to see Bert and Hattie Mae’s experiences out in the neighborhood as well. Bert’s picketing of a movie theater that wouldn’t hire Black workers reminded me of Shabazz’s Betty Before X. My favorite part of the book was probably the woman who wrote Hattie Mae a list of all of the careers that would be possible; what a great way to highlight the idea that “If you can see it, you can be it.” There are useful notes and reading lists at the end of the book.
Weaknesses: The novel in verse format always leaves me wanting more details about daily life, especially in historical fiction. I was hoping that there would be more information about the employment opportunities for Black women at the time, but the story focused more on the problems with Lisa and the possible closing of the school.
What I really think: Readers of historical fiction like Cline-Ransom’s Finding Langston (and the companion volumes), Ireland’s Ophie’s Ghosts, and Jackson’s Midnight Without a Moon will enjoy this look at what life was like for people who moved from the South to the North during this time period. Binns’ Unlawful Orders: A Portrait of Dr. James B. Williams, Tuskegee Airman, Surgeon, and Activist and Taylor’s Overground Railroad (The Young Adult Adaptation): The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America are good nonfiction companions to add as well.

I did a project on this for one of the language arts classes!

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15SiI9lFNO-e4YswbTO8GD-YA9NC7KYfR1w_kJSN844E/edit?usp=sharing

Bad Sister

Alexander, K. R. Bad Sister

January 6, 2026 by Scholastic Inc.

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this sequel to Identikill, Angelica (who died some time ago) has come back from the Underside and assumed her sister Chelsea's identity after terrorizing her and her friend Janette. Chelsea is trapped with Riley, but the two are unsure about who is taking Riley's place in the "real" world. Angelica (as Chelsea) is bullying Janette, publically embarassing her, and trying to align herself with Pia and Riley, who had always given Chelsea a hard time. Eventually, Janette manages to talk to Chelsea in Underside by going to her house at night with a pocket mirror. Janette isn't too surprised that Angelica is on the loose, especially after she posts an unflattering article about her all around school. There is an escalation of meanness, but eventually Chelsea and Riley figure out that there is a portal to Underside at the cemetary. They have Janette invite Angelica there, but can they figure out how to restore the balance and get everyone to their proper places?

Strengths: Alexander does a gerat job at balancing realistic horror (your former best friend stops speaking to you and spreads rumors about you) with supernatural elements, like your dead sister luring you into an alternative reality and trapping you there while she takes your place! This is a quick read, and has plenty of scary moments that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. A creepy cemetery make perfect for Halloween! 
Weaknesses: Even with the different fonts when perspective changed from Chelsea to Angelica, this was a bit confusing. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like the idea of people being haunted or stalked by ghosts in books like Brown's The Forgotten Girl or Strong's The Secret Dead Club. 

MMGM- Secrets of the Broken House

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Souders, Taryn. Secrets of the Broken House

January 6, 2026 by Sourcebooks Young Readers

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Tucker lives in the small town of Everson with his father, the chief of police, and his mother, a pharmacist. He has a good friend in Clemmie, who comes to stay with her grandmother, Mama E, who runs the local beauty parlor. There's plenty of gossip in town, and everyone knows that Geraldine Guss (aka "Fussy Gussy") is a cantakerous old woman who has bever gotten over the death of her brother, the town postal inspector. When the town threatens to condemn her house, Ms. Geraldine asks Mama E. if Clemmie can help her clean some antiques for appraisal. She also suspects that the mayor, an electricion, is sabotaging her power box. Clemmie agrees to help, as long as Tucker can as well, and the two are paid by taking possession of an abandoned row boat that Ms. Geraldine has. Their friend Sadie helps as well. Tucker is very observant, and the group makes a list of all of the furniture. This helps when Mr. Linus comes to appraise it. He doesn't offer enough money for Ms. Geraldine's taste, and she yells at him and breaks his fountain pen. The next day, the group returns to help, but Ms. Geraldine doesn't answer the door. Peering inside, Tucker sees Ms. Geraldine sprawled at the bottom of the stairs. The kids break in, and discover that their employer is dead. They follow the correct procedures, calling 911 and not touching anything but the bowl that they accidentally knock over. They take Van Gogh, Ms. Geraldine's cat, and go next door to Miss Rowena's house. Everyone is upset about the death, and the children all are retrieved by caring adults as the rumors start to swirl. Tucker talks to his father and is allowed to check the scene for clues with the permission of the assistant investigator and makes a suspect board. Along with Sadie and Clemmie, he investigates everyone from Mr. Linus, the mayor and his wife, local postal carrier Turtle, and even Miss Rowena, who is set to inherit everything. He also has to deal with his best friend, Aiden, with whom he had a falling out over a fishing contest. Using his skills, Tucker is able to find the culprit, which puts him in some danger! 

Strengths: One of my favorite books as a child was Encyclopedia Brown, and Tucker's situation echoes this brilliantly. Everson is a close knit town with lots of quirky characters, and is small enough for the kids to wander about investigating. There are plenty of suspects who all seem plausible (my bet was on Mr. Linus!), and there were enough red herrings that the culprit, when revealed, is quite a surprise! I loved that both of Tucker's parents are around, but give him room to explore. Having some friend drama with Aiden adds some nice tween tension to this, and the kids act like kids, not mini adults. Tucker even forgets some major clues but remembers them in time. The ending had some great feel good elements. This will be a hugely popular title with my students, who are constantly asking for murder mysteries! 
Weaknesses: There has been a societal shift in what elderly people look like, but literature hasn't quite caught up with it. My father would be 91, and rarely wore anything but jeans; anyone younger would have been part of the youth movement of the 1960s. Ms. Geraldine and Miss Rowena weren't necessarily portrayed in skirts and cardigans, but they FELT that way. Maybe it was the antique furniture. I'd love to see more older characters fashioned after Pierce Brosnan's or Helen Mirren's characters in the film adaptation of Osman's The Thursday Murder Club.  
What I really think: Souders' other titles like The Mystery of the Radcliffe Riddle and  Coop Knows the Scoop have some elements of classic adult murder mysteries in them, but Secrets of the Broken House absolutely nails the formula for cozy middle grade MURDER. Ms. Geraldine is old and not pleasant; she dies in a bloodless and not too violent way (even when the mystery is solved), the children have logical access to the scene and the suspects, and it doesn't hurt that Tucker's father is the chief of police. I would be perfectly happy to read more books with Tucker, and would love to see Aiden get involved in the solving of more murders in Everson. There are thousands of murder mysteries for adults, but not many for grades 4-8. This is perfect! 

Scattergood

Bowman, H.M. Scattergood.

January 21, 2025 by Neal Porter Books 

Ohio Digital Library Copy

Peggy is having a difficult time in 1941 in West Branch, Iowa. She's not quite thirteen, so her older cousin Ida Jean treats her like a baby, even though Peggy is a year ahead in school because she is talented, especially in math. Another cousin, Delia, is about the same age. She is very poorly because she has leukemia. Peggy has to research what this is because the adults aren't very forthcoming; they have told Peggy that she is anemic, and will get better, although the doctors think she has only six months to live. Peggy is determined to find a cure, going to the public library and reading articles that she painstakingly copies out and gives to her aunt. She's also enthralled by a Jewish refugee, Gunther, who is a few years older than she is. Gunther lives at Scattergood, a Quaker community that is housing a number of refugees, including a professor who has lost most of his family and takes comfort in teaching Peggy chess. A local boy, Joe, is equally enamoured of Peggy. Against the backdrop of the historical times, teenage mistakes are made, family secrets are revealed, and Peggy has to find her way forward. 

Strengths: This had a very classic feel to it, like Hunt's Up a Road Slowly, Enright's Thimble Summer, or McCuller's The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. The summer heat and the quiet of the Iowa countryside were so well described that I felt like I was with Peggy on her miles long walks to get to the library or Scattergood. The way Delia's cancer was handled was very true to the time period. I appreciated that this was an upper middle grade/young adult book, with some romantic longing and chafing at family restrictions. I would have loved this book when I was in middle school. 
Weaknesses: This was a bit long and introspective, and WWII books set on the home front are not as popular with my students as I would like them to be. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed historical novels like Bundy's Pixie Pushes On or Buzzeo's Light Comes to Shadow Mountain, or for teachers and librarians who really want to recommend Greene's The Summer of My German Soldier to students but can't locate a copy of this beloved 1974 title. The midcentury Grant Wood-esque paperback cover is intriguing. 

I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011

Tarshis, Lauren, Ball, Georgia and Chalik, Chris (illus.)

I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011: The Graphic Novel

August 5, 2025 by Graphix

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Ben, Harry, and their mother visit Shogahoma, Japan after the death of Harry's father in a car accident. He had been in the military, and survived all manner of horrific experiences, so Ben is taking his death especially hard. He's glad to be staying with his father's uncle, but finds that being in Japan makes him think of his father frequently, where at home he had been more successful in not thinking about him. When an earthquake occurs, Ben's fast thinking keeps him and Harry safe under a bed, but the tremor is so extreme that his uncle wants to evacuate immediately. The family piles quickly into their car, but do not get very far before it is swept away by water. The others are pulled through open doors, but Ben is trapped. Thinking about his father's advice, he assesses the situation and manages to kick out the windshield to escape. He is swept along with debris, but comes across his uncle's cat, Nya. When Ben realizes that the water is beginning to recede, he fears the water will drag him out to the ocean, so he manages to jump onto a tree with Nya, and to hold on. Devastation is widespread, but Ben manages to get to a local school, where he encounters Dr. Sato, whom his brother had visited when he had a mishap. Even though Ben doesn't speak Japanese, he is put in charge of watching some of the younger children who have come to the school without their parents. Eventually, the rest of his family shows up. The uncle's house is badly damaged, but he wants to stay in Shogahama. Ben returns home, and is able to deal better with the death of his father, since his memory was helpful to him when he was trying to survive. 

It's hard to imagine just how a tsunami works, and this graphic novel representation makes things a little clearer. While the devastation is clearly shown, and there is an inkling that Ben saw a lot of things he would like to forget, there isn't much gore on page. This is good if you want younger readers to enjoy this. The pictures also show how different Japanese houses are, which is not something I picked up from reading the novel version. 

The end notes add a lot of information about tsunamis, as well as the Fukushima nuclear disaster that was caused by the tsunami.  

The story is well developed, and Ben's grappling with his father's sudden death does work well, since he thinks about some of the difficult situations his father talked about while he was in the military. Ben manages to put these lessons to good use, and also feels that his father will always be with him in spirit. 

There aren't a lot of books about tsunamis, but I've read enough to know that if I am ever near the sea and there's an earthquake, I am heading for higher ground as soon as possible. Pair this with Philbrick's Wild Wave, especially if there is a reader who isn't quite understanding how the children in that fantastic adventure book get moved so far inland. 
 

At the Speed of Gus

Scrimger, Richard. At the Speed of Gus

December 2, 2025 by Scholastic Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Augustus Constantine lives in Vancouver with his mother and father while his older sister, Ruby, is off at college. He has ADHD, and has a lot of trouble maintaining a train of thought, much less appropriate behavior at school. For example, he has been given the opportunity to read the announcements at school, but can't stick to the script, and ends up making fun of other people in an attempt to be funny. When the principal, Ms. Gorby, tells him he can't do that, he calls her a Nazi and is suspended for hate speech. It's good timing, though, because Ruby is moving back home and wants Gus to hop on a bus to come and help her. Of course, Gus forgets the instructions she has given him and has a series of accidents where he hallucinates and passes out. For instance, on the ferry he thinks that a dog has jumped overboard and that he has gone after it and gotten wet, when he has apparently had a seizure and just fallen to the ground. This happens again on the street, and an ambulance is called. At the hospital, when he is lying on a gurney, it is hit by a car and speeds off down the street. Gus is saved by a skateboarder named Jamie who knows Ruby. Soon, Gus is at his sister's apartment. His friend Gale has gotten a call from Gus' mother and has driven with her to get Gus. After another incident, he is back in the hospital and talks to another doctor about medication and coping strategies. He also learns to breathe through some of his spirals. At the end, he goes to a comedy show and gets applause for his interactions with the comedian. There is an author's note that is not included in the E ARC that I read. 

Strengths: There are a significant number of students on medication for ADHD, so it's always good to see representation in middle grade literature. Despite Gus' difficulties, he is generally upbeat, and straight forward with his friends about his therapy appointments, even though his mother tends to be more secretive about them. Road trip books, even by bus and ferry, are always fun. Gus' hallucinations, especially about a dog he calls Buddy, add an extra layer of interest. It was fun to travel around Vancouver with Gus, and it was certainly a frenetic journey. 
Weaknesses: This was rather hard to follow at times because of the stream of consciousness style, and I would have liked to know a LOT more about Gus' medical diagnoses. These may be included in the author's note to which I did not have access. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Larsen's Quagmire Tiarello Couldn't Be Better  or Pla's The Someday Birds. 

Down Came the Spiders

Russell, Ally. Down Came the Spiders

December 2, 2025 by Scholastic Paperbacks

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Andi and her older sister Adrienne are decorating for Halloween, but there is some tension between the two girls. Adrienne is social, and likes to go out with her girlfriend, but 6th grader Andi is quieter, and prefers to spend her time studying spiders and watching horror movies with her best friends Carly and Devon. When Clementine, an 8th grader, has a Halloween party, the trio consider themselves invited because Devon is on the track team, which Clementine has invited. Andi's dad drops her off, and Andi is apprehensive about staying, but is glad to see her librarian, Ms. Kaye, serving refreshments. Mr. Mendez is a science teacher at the kids' school, and when Andi finds out that he collects spiders, she wants to have a tour of his office. Mr. Mendez gets sidetracked before he can show her the collection, but when the office is open, Andi and her friends sneak in. There are interesting specimins, like a Black Widow and Brown Recluse, but it is Specimin 17 that draws Andi's attention, especially since it seems to speak to her in a hypnotic fashion. Andi takes the lid off the cage to take a picture, but is startled when she hears Mr. Mendez approaching. Carly and Devon encourage Andi to be more social, and comment about her reclusive habits in a negative but somewhat supportive way. She also has the attention of Jason Arnold, who is rather cute and dressed like an owl. Eventually Andi notices an spider invasion that gets progressively worse. Not only that, but no one has cell phone service way out in the country, and all of the adults are missing! The group heads out to a Ferris wheel size spider web, and even more spiders. They call 911 on the landline, only to be laughed off as a prank; they wisely tell the dispatcher that there is a teen party out of control in a desperate attempt to get help. Oddly, they don't want their own parents to come. There are spiders everywhere, and Andi starts to suspect, after reading some of Mr. Mendez's paper, that Specimin 17 is behind the odd activity. After discovering a web with woodland animals trapped under it, Andi knows that she needs to figure out what's going on in order to save everyone. But will she be able to?

Strengths: Andi's interest in spiders is a great way to introduce this topic, and there's certainly a lot to be frightened of if there are cascades of the creepy critters everywhere. I'm all for saving spiders and putting them outside because they eat other more annoying bugs, but this many of them (including some parasite infested zombie spiders in the basement) would make me want to squish them. Andi is able to use her knowledge to make sure the infestation doesn't get worse. Both of her parents are alive, and she has some realistic interactions with her older sister. The idea that she is a 6th grader and gets invited to an 8th grade party was something that I'd like to see in more books. Even one grade is a huge difference in middle school. Mr. Mendez's position on the school staff (and his secret back history!) is used to good effect. Carly and Devon, as well as Jason, are good foils for Andi's quieter personality. 
Weaknesses: Once again, Scholastic brings us a brilliant book available only in paperback. This was similar in fear level to Russell's It Came From the Trees and Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave. I didn't find it all that scary, which would make it great for upper elementary readers. My students want a lot more blood and gore than most publishers want eleven year olds to have, but I will buy this because the cover is so brilliant. Pacing is a bit uneven, and my horror readers won't care about Andi's social awkwardness, but inclusions like this will help sell this to adults. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who don't have arachnaphobia and enjoyed other creepy crawly books like Gillespie's Give Me Something Good to Eat, Killick's Dread Detention, Lawrence's Many Hauntings of the Manning Family, and Alexander's The Fear Zone. 

 Look at that cover. It's one of the best scary ones I've seen lately. Stephanie Yang is credited for book design, but I'm not sure that includes the cover. I wish publishers would make this information easier to find. 

The Road From Nowhere

Avi. The Road From Nowhere

January 6, 2026 by Scholastic Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Gus and Ollie are brothers living in Gatchett's Gulch, Colorado in 1893. They are unable to leave this silver mining town even though their father was killed in an explosion, because their mother doesn't have the money to move, even though she is barely able to keep everyone afloat by doing laundry for miners. Since they are the only children in the area, aside from Alys Thomas, there is no school for them to attend, and neither boy can read or write. Mr. Gatchett keeps a stranglehold on the town, forbidding anyone from doing any prospecting, claiming all the land around is his, and running anyone who crosses him out of town. When Gus and Ollie are out with a divining rod looking for silver, their dog, Poco discovers a cave-- of course, there is a run in with a snake before the boys are able to get in. Once they do, they are amazed to find a large space with what they suspect is silver ore. They ask a newcomer to town, Bertram Blake, how to stake a claim, since he is a well educated geologist who teaches at a university. Mr. Blake is interested in their discovery, and goes with them to look at the rocks. He concurs that there is probably silver, but since Mr. Gatchett's henchmen overheard Ollie talking to Blake, Gatchett soon shows up at Ollie's house threatening to run the whole family out. After Blake talks to Ollie's mother, the group decides to borrow Alys' family's wagon and go to Franklin, 25 miles away, to file a claim. However, when they set out, Gatchett's me refuse to let them pass. Later, Ma tells Gus and Ollie that Mr. Blake has asked to marry her, and if it's okay with them, she would like to. The family will have to move, but there will be more financial security, and Blake seems like a good guy. The couple sneaks off to walk to Franklin to get married, and leave the boys behind with orders to lay low. Ollie, who just really wants to strike it rich with a silver mine, despite the fact that Blake has warned him that silver may soon not have as much value, decides to take a rock with ore in it to the saloon, at night (when they are forbidden from going), to try to see if the miners will join his cause. This doesn't go well, and soon the news comes by stagecoach that the price of silver has fallen so much that all the miners have stopped shipping ore, the smelter has shut down, and the coach and mules who have been bringing supplies to Gatchett's Gulch will do so no more. Ma and Mr. Blake aren't back yet, but the town clears out. Alys and her mother take off for Alys' sister's in Denver, and Gatchett even blows up his mine as well as the cave! Will Gus and Ollie's mother come back to take them away from what has become a ghost town? 
Strengths: There aren't as many books set in the American west written now; when I was growing up, there were tons, both historical and involving the ghost towns that events like the silver panic of 1893 created. (Didn't both the Brady Bunch AND the Partridge Family visit ghost towns?) Avi has investigated a lot of history from the 1800s (think Gold Rush Girl, as well as The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle), so his details of daily life, as well as the larger historical context, are fabulous. Modern middle schoolers probably have no idea about what life was like in a mining camp, and how hard children their own age had to work. Of course Ollie wants to strike it rich, but it is reassuring that even though he doesn't, the kind Mr. Blake comes through for his family. 
Weaknesses: My students aren't great fans of books set in the West, even though I would like them to be, so I am debating purchase. Once Mr. Blake offered to marry the mother, I couldn't get too invested in Ollie's quest, especially since there was no way he could stand up to Mr. Gatchett, but young Readers won't have that objection. 
What I really think: While there are some titles about gold  mining (like the late Will Hobbs' City of Gold and Rose's Jasper and the Riddle of Riley's Mine), I haven't read any about silver mining. If you're looking for an adventure set in the West to go along with other books by Avi like Avi's The Secret School or Dallas' TenMile, this is a good choice. 

Monsters of Fife: Sea Dragons

Yolen, Jane and Lowenthal, Celia. Monsters of Fife: Sea Dragons

June 3, 2025 by Charlesbridge Moves

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

In 1890s Anstruther, Scotland, Cat Douglas is excited to be a member of the Royal and Ancient monster hunters squad, which is lead by the teacher of her one room schoolhouse, Mr. Harris. This is especially important to her, since her father was lost at sea. Along with Callum and Jamie, she is prepared to drop everything and go take care of monsters that endanger the local population. The trio is well armed, and even paid for their efforts, which helps out Cat's family a lot. When a farmer has his cow eaten, the hunters find the culprit in a cave, lure him out, kill him, and haul the body off to be used as bait for a menacing sea dragon. When Ann McLeod loses her sons at sea, this creature is to blame. The local culture supports the "no body, no closure" philosophy, so the Royal and Ancient members set out to both find the boys and hopefully take care of the dragon as well. They borrow the McLeod's boat and take off, but are soon dragged out to sea. Ending up at an island, they come across a young dragon choking on a fishing net, which makes it easier to kill him. Having done so, they worry that the dragon's mother might be lurking in the caves on the island. Investigating this leads them to find the McLeod boys, who are alive but not well. They also discover a number of dragon eggs that they smash. In the ensuing battle with the dragon, old family secrets are revealed and Cat proves herself a valuable member of the monster hunters. 

Yolen, who has written over 400 books in her 86 years, harnesses her experience of living in Scotland by incorporating a lot of history, local color, and even some dialect into this short novel. There are plenty of details about equipment needed to deal with monsters, and some rather gory chopping up and carting away of said prey, which brings the thrill of the hunt down to earth.

Lowenthal's art appears in several graphic novel style spreads, including the one that ends the book, as well as a couple of full page illustrations. The end papers mimic the beautiful marbled designs found in vintage books, and the cover under the desk jacket looks like it is embossed with a dragon's head. Even the reverse of the dust jacket is well designed-- there is a poster for the book, and the sequels will also have covers that can all be displayed to form one larger poster. 

Monster and dragon books are always popular. Kagawa's Shinji Takahashi and the Mark of the Coatl and Fournet's Marius Gray series are a bit long, but Monsters of Fife is just right for readers who prefer shorter fantasy books like Yep's  A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of HumansA Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans, the Tsangs' Dragon Realm series, and Soontornvat's The Legends of Lotus Island.

This reads like a title I might have seen thirty years ago; it hurt  my heart when Cat and her fellow hunters were smashing the dragon eggs! My students are far more likely to want to befriend and train a dragon than to kill it and cut it up for bait. The Scottish dialect might be hard for some readers; I knew what a "clootie" was, but some of my students would probably stop cold and return the book, especially since it took some time to figure out that this was set in the 1890s. 

MMGM- X Marks the Haunt

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Currie, Lindsay. X Marks the Haunt
January 6, 2026 by Delacorte Press
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

In X Marks the Haunt by Lindsay Currie (published January 6, 2026 by Delacorte Press), Will Stone spends a lot of time at the Graceland Cemetery in Chicago because his mother is the executive director, and because he is very interested in the history and the stories of the people who are interred there. Not only does he help his mother with looking up information in the old fashioned file cards for inquiring families, but he rides along with groundskeeper Art and intern Addie on security sweeps that also check on the coyote population.

His best friend, Sean (aka Stash) understands and doesn't give him a hard time, but Will downplays his background at school, worried that the unpleasant Chris will treat him the same way he does Toby, whose parents run a local funeral home. Chris calls Toby "body boy" and badgers him constantly, so when Will finds out that his class is taking a field trip to Graceland, he is worried that this will put him on Chris' radar. Will and Stash are put on a team for a scavenger hunt along with Henry and Michelle, who are both friendlier with Chris than Will would like, but they all enjoy finding out information about the cemetery and seem to get along. Unfortunately, Chris decides that getting into the cemetery after dark and live streaming from a tomb is a good idea, and he compels Will to give him a key to the Marvin Ryerson tomb. Will knows that the tomb is hard to get into, and he's not surprised when Chris and Henry are spooked and run back to the entrance, pursued by Art, before they can get in.

What is surprising is that Chris has thrown the 150 year old key somewhere in the grounds. This is catastrophic, and Will knows he needs to find it. As he searches, he feels that something is off, and he also hears something sinister whispering his name. When a ghost appears in his bedroom, the trees in the cemetery start dying, and the lake level goes down, Will feels that there are ghosts at work, although he doesn't really believe in them. With the help of Stash, Michelle, and Henry, Will scours the historical records and finds a young woman who died of tuberculosis. This incurable, deadly disease often devastated entire families, and was sometimes thought to have some vampiric qualities. Because of this, Anna McDowell's body was exhumed, and her ghost won't move on until she gets some better treatment. With more trees dying, and Will's mother concerned that the cemetery will lose its hard fought status as an arboretum, something Will's late father worked on, can Will and his friends appease the ghost before she causes more chaos?

I enjoyed X Marks the Haunt as much as I did this author’s It's Watching and It Found Us, because Ms.Currie uses her knowledge of and research into actual cemeteries to give her creepy tales an extra layer of verisimilitude. This is set in November, and the feeling of the dark, dank, chill crept right into my bones! Will is an engaging character who truly enjoys taking care of the cemetery and protecting its legacy, but he also yearns for friends who can understand his somewhat unusual background. This makes his struggle in dealing with Chris realistically painful to watch; some of my favorite moments were when Will had had enough and told Chris that he needed to stop what he was doing! The inclusion of Chicago cemetery history is interesting; I wonder if readers will be compelled to pick up Murphy's (2012) Invincible Microbe: Tuberculosis and the Never-Ending Search for a Cure by Jim Murphy or John Green's new Everything is Tuberculosis (which I haven't read) to find out how widespread the connection between "consumption" and vampirism was! The adults in the book were both harried yet supportive, and treated Will with respect, even when he makes poor choices. Young readers will pick this up for the late night graveyard runs and the frightening ghosts, making this a book that will command a variety of audiences.

While having Will's father killed in a car accident two years before the book begins does make Will's desire to preserve the trees and the arboretum status more understandable, it was unnecessary to kill yet another middle grade parent. It would have been more realistic and poignant to have Will's grandfather be the one who had passed away after spending a life devoted to Graceland. I am never a fan of books where middle grade parents are killed without reason.

Like Currie's other books, X Marks the Haunt is a masterful mix of history and spookiness that will give readers shivers down their spines, but not scare them so much that they are afraid to hunt down a local cemetery, do some grave rubbings, and learn about local history through gravestones. They might want to be just a little more careful than they should be not to disturb any murderous ghosts! 

Millie Magnus for Mayor and Bridge to Bat City

Mazique, Brittany and Glenn, Ebony (illustrator). 

Millie Magnus for Mayor (Millie Magnus #2)
September 2, 2025 by G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Millie is back after her introduction in the beginning chapter book Millie Magnus Won't Be Bullied, and immediately sees a HUGE problem. She overhears her mother, the mayor, talking about plans for tearing down the local playground. This is horrible! She gathers her friends in The Moody Bubblegums, Atticus and Poppy Anne, and try to come up with a plan to save their favorite place. They also loop in Greta, a cool fourth grader, and her group, The Real Chill Pickles. Millie thinks that there needs to be a leader, so gets herself voted the "mayor" of the project. This doesn't go over all too well with Greta, who thinks that she should be the leader since she is older, and the groups' momentum stalls.  Millie confides in Josephine Draper, her mother's assistant and also Millie's caregiver, and Josephine tells Milie to talk to her mother about the project. She doesn't, but does apologize to Greta. The groups make buttons and posters to take to the community press conference, even though they are not supposed to crash a press conference. In the end, it turns out that Millie's mother is working to make the playground bigger and better. The next book, entitled Millie Magnus is Jealous, is likely to revolve around the new relationship between Millie's widowed mother and Mr. Longfellow, an architect. 

Accompanied by fun illustrations (Extra Spicy chicken glory needs to be seen!), Millie's story reflects the exuberance and misguided intentions so often seen in early elementary school students. While she's not quite as off the mark as Amelia Bedelia, it's apparent early on that the beloved playground is not in the danger Millie suspects. Millie would benefit from some guidance in peer relationships, and is lucky to have Josephine to keep her sassy ways in check. The tensions between Millie and Greta reminded me of Stella Diaz's struggles with her Sea Musketeers in Dominguez's Stella Díaz Dreams Big. Leading a group is not always an inherent skill, so seeing this modeled in literature is great. 

Young readers who enjoyed Millie's exuberance, as well as her pet chicken, Extra Spicy, will be glad to follow Millie's attempts as she deals with situations in her life, rather like a Junie B. Jones (Parks, 1992) for the new millienium. Millie's would find co conspiritors in Allen's The Magnificent Mya Tibbs, Draper's Sassy, Sheth's Nina Soni, or Watson's Ryan Hart in Ways to Make Sunshine.

Cline, Ernest. Bridge to Bat City

April 9, 2024 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Ohio Digital Library Copy

Opal Flats moves from Lubbock to Austin, Texas after her mother, a talented seamstress, passes away from a stroke. Opal, who is 13, is on the heavy side, obsessed with Buddy Holly, and very sensitive to music. Her father died in the Vietnam war, so her Uncle Roscoe, her father's brother, takes her in. Roscoe still runs the family farm, which was started in 1865, even though he doesn't like farming, because he wants to protect his family's legacy. Not far from the farm is a cave that is home to a colony of bats. Muckerno Limestone has been trying to buy the farm in order to mine the area, but Roscoe doesn't like the environmental impact the company has. Opal starts to notice that the bats seem to like it when she plays music, and even chitter in response to it, and she names the bats after streets in Austin, because they seem to especially enjoy the television program Austin City Limits. When the cave where the bats live is blown up by Muckeno, they fly out to Roscoe's farm, unaware that the Flats are losing their home to foreclosure. Roscoe and Opal string up clotheslines in the barn so that the bats have somewhere to stay during a storm, but everyone needs a long term solution to their displacement. Roscoe and Opal move to Austin, where they find a bridge under which the bats can live. The flocks of bats, however, panic the population of the city. Can Opal convince the citizens of her new home that the bats are an asset? 

Strengths: There are lots of good details about Austin's music scene in the 1980s, and despite the sad beginning, is an upbeat story. Opal does seem to have some actual exchanges of information with the bats, (she knows, for example, that many of them are orphans like she is) if not conversations, so this does have a fantasy aspect to it. Uncle Roscoe, despite his poor financial planning, is a good choice for a guardian for Opal, and the two have a great relationship. Their move to Austin improves the quality of their lives, since Roscoe is able to get a job at a newspaper as well as at a Radio Shack (I hope he retired before he lost both of those 1980s gigs!) The illustrations are a nice touch, and showcase musicians of the time as well as historical figures like Nancy Richards and Molly Ivins. Texas readers will enjoy this look at their recent history. 
Weaknesses: Don't know what in the Sam Hill Cline was trying to do with the folksy language, but I think it would have limited appeal with my readers. It got tiring hearing about how socially awkward Opal was, and the names were a bit twee (Flats on her father's side and Sharp's on her mother's? Sigh.)
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want folksy, Southern tinged books like Tubbs' Luna Howls at the Moon or Lloyd's The Witching Wind.  I will pass on purchasing. 

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Champion and Time to Win

Abdul-Jabbar, Kareem, Obstfeld, Raymond and Laroche, Ed (illustrator)
Champion: A Graphic Novel
September 2, 2025 by Ten Speed Graphic
E ARC provided by Edelweiss plus

When Monk makes the poor decision to add graffitti to a rival school's mascot sign, he is caught. His coach and parents decide to implement some restorative justice, so he and his teammates have to clean up the paint (which is at least chalk based), and Monk has to write a report on basketball star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The report can't be about his basketball playing, however, which confuses Monk. He seeks some help from people in his life, like Lark, who is on the girls' basketball team, and Sissy, who hires him to work in her store. All of the people in his life are a little concerned that he is laser focused on basketball, and no longer seems to have interest in art, even though he's very good. As he starts to delve into research on Abdul-Jabbar, he learns a lot about the Civil Rights movement, and the sports legend appears to him and has conversations. He even takes Monk back to different places and points in history so that he can understand how difficult the struggle was, and how Abdul-Jabbar was involved in a lot of things, not just basketball. Monk meets many road blocks; his notes and files on his computer disappear, his work hours are cut, and he angers Lark by not coming to her game. When he finally finishes his research, he decides to present it in a unique way, and with the help of his teammates, creates a mural about Abdul-Jabbar's life on the side of Sissy's store. 

Strengths: I wanted to buy this graphic novel for this quote from the coach alone (from the E ARC): "Reality check: There are over 18,000 NCAA players, of which only about 4,000 are eligible for the NBA draft. Of those, only 60 will get drafted." Of course, Monk replies that he will be one of the 60. There are so many of my students who think that they have a chance to play professional ball, even though they aren't particularly talented, so maybe they will take away the message that it's important to have other plans for careers. My students are also ridiculously fond of LeBron James and ONLY want to read books about him, so this might tempt them to investigate another basketball player who has a wider impact than sports. This had an older, more serious illustration style to it that I enjoyed, and that will appeal to middle school and high school readers. 

Weaknesses: This was fairly text dense, and I'm afraid that some of my readers might give up early on. 
What I really think: I'm always interested in more sports graphic novels; the Jake Maddox ones are quite short but very popular. Champion is a little more complex and a good choice for readers who liked Soria and Williams' Who is the Man in the Air: Michael Jordan or Smith, Barnes, and Anyabwile's Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist or Justice. Don't forget that Abdul-Jabbar also wrote the Sasquatch in the Paint series. Sadly, I didn't find out about book three until it was no longer available! 

Shah, Amar. Time to Win (Play the Game #3)

August 5, 2025 by Scholastic Inc.

Library Copy

Raam is now on the school team with Beast, the Moore twins, and Jason. He's glad to finally be able to play basketball, but feels like everyone is questioning his suitability to be on the team. His best friend Cake also seems angry, and the two don't spend much time together. There are problems at home as well. His mother's Indian dance studio is having financial difficulties, and losing students. His father is very worried about this, and interviewing for more stable jobs. When he gets one offer that means the family would have to relocate away from Orlando and Raam's grandparents who live there, Raam is very worried. Jason is very mean on the court, and causes several painful but not too serious injuries, but things do get a little better after Coach Demer has the boys doing some team building exercises at the Orlando Science Center. Raam gets more insight into Payton's life when the team stops by his house to pick up uniforms, and Payton's father can't stop talking about building his son's brand, and the clothing line and training app they are releasing. When Raam's mother loses another student, she asks Raam to help her studio compete, but Raam breaks his toe fooling around. Cake has to step in, but the mother's team wins, which helps the studio remain solvent. Raam's father decides not to take the job, and Raam is glad that he can remain at his school, near his grandparents, with his family intact.

Strengths: It's important for middle grade sports stories to have two things: lots of sports action, but also another plot to move things along. Raam's family issues are great for this; young readers will relate more to parents who are arguing and struggling with finances than they will to having all the parents die. My students love these books for all of the celebrity mentions, like when one of Raam's favorite players comes to his team's game, and the two later meet at an Indian dance festival that the Orlando Magic is hosting in its facility. Not sure whether this was a real player, but probably was; I don't pay attention, but my students certainly do. These are a great length and move along quickly. I like to suggest titles like this for book projects; kids who like sports do so much better on projects when they LIKE the book they are reading! 
Weaknesses: There are a lot of references to current players and contemporary trends that will cause these books to be dated in a few years. It's a fine line to walk. I also don't understand why these books aren't available in hardback! Scholastic tends to publish its most popular titles only in paperback, which doesn't make sense to me at all. Luckily, prebinds of these books are available. 

What I really think: Three books is perfect for a middle grade series, and I would love to see another sports title from Shah. It would be great if he could write standalone basketball books similar to the ones Fred Bowen writes (with his own insider, celebrity spin); I'd buy three of every single one! 

Guy Friday- Gone Viral

Soto, Gary. Gone Viral.
January 6, 2026 by Clarion Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

When Jason decides to put together a band, he informs his best friend Sean that their new names will be Metallic Z and Half-Lo, respectively, and together they form Gormax. Gormax will embrace the musical philosophy of John Cage, who in 1952 performed a piece entitled “4’33” that was essentially silence. Jason, aka Metallic Z, argues that in the current age of noise, this style would gain new appreciation. He seems to be right. With the help of Chase Stravinsky, their eleven year old agent (nicknamed White Socks), the boys inform their parents, and school principal, Mr. Kidman, that they will be dropping out of school. Soon, Chase has them booked for a gig in Cologne, Germany and billetted in a fancy hotel. Their performances involve a lot of swaying to silence with “implied feelings”. They are a hit, and find themselves in a wide range of European and world cities, performing and eating copious amounts of junk food. Chase arranges for them to be joined by a girl from Tulare, near their hometown of Visalia, California, and soon Samantha (who changes her name to Skylark), and her cockatiel, Zep (who can play a tiny harmonica), are gathering even more fans than Gormax. From wearing kilts in Scotland to having Cal Tech name a planet after the band, the two friends have a kaleidoscope of goofy experiences. But, like many band stories, theirs soon has an end. Skylark, who has developed a crush on Principal Kidman’s daughter, Priscilla, quits the band after Zep goes missing. Gormax struggles to gather audiences at progressively smaller venues, and when Chase’s investments literally sink (the island with their Bitcoin goes down), the two return home. Principal Kidman makes them repeat seventh grade, which they do willingly, and there is a happy ending for Skylark and Priscilla, as well as Zep.

N. B. This is considered a "modern fantasy" and is purposefully silly and over the top, according to the publisher. It is very different from Soto's other work.   

Strengths: Readers who enjoy goofy, nonsensical adventures that are told in a slap dash, episodic, non sequitur style will revel in Gormax’s pell mell exploits. Perhaps aimed at attention spans more used to TikTok videos than connected prose, this story feeds readers a constant stream of places, people, and anecdotes, sometimes within the same paragraph. It’s also a lesson in wish fulfillment; the boys are supposed to keep up with school work, but do so only cursorily, find the skateboards that were stolen from them when they were ten in a huge pile in Amsterdam, have pizza delivered to their hotel by robots, and get a chance to travel the world. This is a fairly happy tale, with no time for introspective navel gazing or processing of grief, even when the band’s run comes to an end, which sets it apart from the current middle grade trend of depicting anxious characters processing loss.
Weaknesses: Gormax’s initial appeal is a focus on silence and body consciousness, which is an interesting premise, but the addition of Skylark and Zep, with their more traditional performances, negates this. There was significantly less cohesive plot and compelling character development than is generally found in novels for children.
What I really think: Like Soto’s 2023 Puppy Love, Gone Viral shows a significant change in style for Soto’s work. If you are a fan of Soto’s books like Taking Sides, Baseball in April and Other Stories, and Fire in My Hands, I would read this before purchasing for a school library, as it is more reminiscent of Kinney’s Wimpy Kid books or Daniel Pinkwater’s chaotic adventures. 

A Year in Nature

Happy New Year! We are truly living in the future now that it's 2026. If my 11 year old, 1976 self asked what life would be like fifty years in the future, I would have to say that while technology has really taken off (Texting pictures to people! MP3 players with a thousand songs on them! E Books! Streaming movies!) and there is almost a complete lack of fashion, most things are still the same. There are no flying cars, jet packs, or enough silver spandex clothing to be concerned about. 

I'm not sure that overall, 2026 is an improvement. 

That said, patting myself on the back for 14 solid years of posting at least one book review every day. Not that anyone really cares, but there is a sense of accomplishment in the continuity. 

 

Mettler, René. A Year in Nature: Explore the Countryside, Month by Month
March 18, 2025 by Post Wave
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

In this beautifully illustrated, oversized French import, the reader is transported to an idyllic countryside with rolling hills and two amazing châteaus. This starts with a complete but succinct explanation of the seasons, and how they change in Europe and North America. After that, every month gets a fold out overview of the temperature, length of day and night, and a description of what the prevailing weather conditions are. There is even a "Gardener's Basket" which lists what foods are being harvested; who knew that Brussels sprouts had such a long winter growing season! On the other side, the plants, trees, animals and birds that pepper the landscape are described, along with what changes are occurring because of the weather. The real draw to this book is the two page spread of the countryside that shows a view from a hill complete with a winding country lane, far off village, fields, and a river. 

Mettler, who first published this book in 1997, wrote and illustrated many books dealing with nature and the environment, including Flowers, The Rain Forest, and Animal Camoflage. His attention to detail makes these illustrations come to life, and each feather on a bird or leaf on a flower is painstakingly drawn. These should really have been made into wall posters, since they are the sort of picture I could stare at for hours. 

The information about the seasons is equally complete, although there is an inordinate amount of discussion about hedgerows that tipped me off (along with those châteaus) that the scene was set in Europe. The temperatures also indicate that this takes place a bit further north than where I live (82 degrees in July sounds lovely and cool!), but also might indicate that climate change is indeed warming this up. I am a little suprised that the text was not updated with some information about current conditions. 

Seasons are a big topic for younger readers, and I enjoyed that this gives good basic information about the reasons for the changes. I can see an interested reader consulting this book at the beginning of each month and checking to see how the world outside compares with the description in the book. Combine this with Barnum and Frost's A Stroll Through the Seasons, Jenkins and Jones' Squirrel's Busy Year, and Duvoisin's classic 1950 The House of Four Seasons to give your young reader a good overview of the changing natural world.