Queen of the Sea

Eschmann, Reese. Queen of the Sea
February 4, 2025 by Scholastic Inc.
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Caitlin and her brother Dylan are trying to get used to the changes in their lives after their parents' divorce. They are both looking forward to staying in one place as they stay with their father for six weeks in the summer, but their father has big news. He has taken a job as a doctor on the Wandering Princess cruise ship, and they will be joining him! With a hastily packed suitcase, their shared journal, and Caitlin's bearded dragon Peaches in tow, they are soon off on their adventure. Caitlin and Dylan have to share a room, but they get along pretty well, and there's the whole rest of the ship to explore. In the staff quarters, they meet Olive and Max, who are staying with their grandfather, the ship's chef, while their own parents travel. They are old hands at cruise ships, and Caitlin doesn't enjoy feeling like a "newbie". While lounging at the pool, the group meets Gigi, a retired movie star, and her poodle, Pearl. There's a little mishap with spilled food, and the cruise ship manager, Simone, gets involved, but Gigi doesn't mind the kids, and is soon involved in Caitlin's attempt to change the nightly reading of the Wandering Princess legend on the loud speaker. Being on a cruise ship and helping to take care of passengers involves a bit of a learning curve, but Caitlin and Dylan manage to enjoy their new surroundings.

What a great adventure the high seas would be for a nine year old, especially if it involves all you can eat buffets, a pool with a slide, and glamorous passengers! I've never been on a cruise, but have watched PLENTY of The Love Boat episodes, so learning about the behind-the-scenes details of a cruise ship was very interesting. I liked that Caitlin and Dylan got a long with each other, and that they were also able to make friends with Max and Olivia. Including an adult who was not a parent, Gigi, was fun as well.

Chapter book series are a great way to get elementary aged readers hooked on a story, and this volume will be followed by Raining Cats and Dogs and Ship Shape, so readers who want to continue their journey (and find out why Max doesn't have any hair) will want to pick these up as well, maybe at their next school book fair.

Having a bearded dragon on a cruise ship seems like a bad idea; when Peaches went missing, I was sure she would be swept overboard, and that's not something anyone survives. I was also concerned about Pearl when I looked at the cover. Young readers won't have this anxiety and will enjoy having the pets along.

There are so many good beginning chapters books, but many of them are set in very ordinary circumstances. Add the Cruise Life series to a list of books about more interesting experiences that includes Barnett's Mac B. Undercover (world traveling spy), Subramaniam's  V. Malar: The Greatest Host of All Time (living in India), and Jacobsen's Twig and Turtle series (residing in a tiny house).

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Adorable Empire and Ghost Circus

Terry, Laura. Adorable Empire

August 5, 2025 by Scholastic/Graphix
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Jinx (who doesn't like her mother to call her Jennifer) is having a hard time. Her father has quit his job because he doesn't believe in "meaningless grind for superficial achievement", which angers her mother but makes Jinx happy, since he spends more time with her and bakes a lot. When her parents announce they are separating, Jinx is sad that her father will move to Chicago to live with his mother while she stays in Manhattan. It doesn't help her mood that she doesn't have any friends at school since her best friend, Emily, stopped talking to her and hangs out with the mean Nidia instead. Jinx dresses is Goth-like attire, which makes her a target for teasing from her classmates, who also make fun of her weight. Moving into the new apartment building, she and her mother meet a neighbor, Greg, who tries to help them with a heavy mattress. During this, Jinx finds a crystal on the floor and picks it up. Greg shakes his head, says it is hers, and wishes her well with the advice that "kindness is everything". This confuses Jinx until she is at home and realizes that the crystal has given her custody of magical creatures she calls "adorables". She has names for some of them, like Pom-Poms, Squirrely, and the somewhat terrifying Bun who can get very large. These creatures follow her everywhere. She tries to ask Greg about them, but meets his niece, Robyn, and her brother TJ, who are watching his cats while he is away. The two girls get along, and have a lot in common, including the fact that they have both come out as gay to family and friends, something which hasn't always gone well. When Jinx gets fed up with her mother, she gets on a bus to visit him, which doesn't go well. Her mother rescues her, and the two come to a better understanding. Greg returns and tells Jinx that the adorables are "little gods of chaos", but Jinx has managed to accidentally pass them on. At the end, Robyn and Jinx share a kiss.
Strengths: Middle school students still believe that there MIGHT be a tiny bit of magic in the world, which is why they like stories of magical realism. Yes, school might be horrible and you might have to move because your parents get divorced, but what if you also had an infestation of adorable magical creatures who follow you everywhere? Could happen. You never know. The best part of this story was Jinx's troubled relationship with her father. He's the "nice" parent, the one who does fun things, and her mother is the enforcer, so of course she wants to run off to visit him. The fact that he tries to come to her rescue but is unable to because he has neglected car maintenance? Perfect. Young readers will enjoy Robyn and Jinx's budding friendship and romance, as well as Jinx's adventures with the adorables.
Weaknesses: It's a sad fact of middle school life that if you act weird, people will want to distance themselves from you. I speak from experience. Jinx's former friend Emily didn't stop talking to her because Jinx confessed that she had a crush on her; Emily knew that if she hung around with someone who chose to wear a spiderweb vest, she would get teased as well. Also, I sided with the mother on a lot of Jinx's behavior. Young readers will have neither of these problems with the story.
What I really think: This will be a big hit with fans of Terry's Graveyard Shakes or Ostow's The Girl From the Sea.  

Kress, Adrienne and Khang, Jade (illus.) Ghost Circus
August 19, 2025 by Union Square Kids
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Casey realizes that no one at school or home can see him, so he goes to the ghost circus to try to figure out what is going on. There, he meets Creepy Girl, and asks for her help, and a silent ghost, Polterghost, comes along as well. They figure out that Casey has been in a car accident, and is in the hospital in a coma. The Headless Horseman shows up frequently, and Casey and his new supernatural friends need to figure out how to return Casey to his body and to free the spirits trapped in the circus. 

It's interesting that a fair number of ghost graphic novels are not as scary as middle grade ghost novels, especially since there's the opportunity to create a spookier atmosphere with pictures. This felt a bit like other paranormal graphic novels that treat ghosts more sympathetically, like Lai's Ghost Book, Cooke and Costa's Paranorthern and the Chaos Bunny A-HopCalypse, Escabasse's Taxi Ghost and Colossal's Ghost Town: A Graphic Novel.

Cosmic Collisions: Supergiant vs. Neutron Star

Kuchner, Marc J. and Schu, Matt (illus.) 

Cosmic Collisions: Supergiant vs. Neutron Star
April 15, 2025 by MIT Kids Press

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

After the tense battle of Cosmic Collisions: Asteroid vs. Comet, Dr. Marc. Kuchner, an astrophysicist, is back with another supposed altercation. In a knock down, drag out fight, who would be the winner: a supergiant or a neutron star? It there were two red supergiants, but one exploded, what would happen?

Giving great descriptions of the contenders and also their place in the universe, with plenty of statistics, this also has a lot of humor. In describing the heat of a supergiant, we find out that it has 100,000 as much power as our Sun and that we "would roast like a weenie dropped in a campfire"! Additional important information, such as an explanation of nuclear fusion, is also shared.

There is some guessing involved, since a note at the back explains that there has never been a head on collision like th one in this story. It is a good way to explore lots of different topics, however, and the narration makes this science engaging.

Spaced obsessed kids will turn to this epic battle again and again, and it's a great addition to a constellation of space books that includes Morancy's How to Survive on the Moon: Lunar Lessons from a Rocket Scientist, de la Bedoyere's My First Guide to Space, Vavagiakis's I'm a Black Hole (Meet the Universe), and Hodgson's When Moon Became the Moon.

D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T.

White, Abby. D.J. Rosenblum Becomes the G.O.A.T.
August 5, 2025 by Levine Querido
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

D.J. and her mother have moved from Indiana to Briar, Ohio, to live with her Aunt Judy, Uncle Jay, and cousin Davey after the death of her older cousin Rachel. Her mother is luck enough to have found a job teacher LGBTQIA+ studies at Briar Collge. Her aunt and uncle aren't doing well at all, since the death was ruled a suicide. D.J. struggles to understand why her artistic, wonderful cousin would do such a thing, and when she starts 8th grade and hears rumors about her cousin, she decides to investigate. She talks to Char, who is the editor of the school newspaper as well as a student greeter, and the two decide to work together. D.J. does not tell Char that she is related to Rachel. D.J.'s bat mitzvah has been delayed a year because of Rachel's death, so she starts to prepare for it with the very cute Jonah acting as her tutor. It's hard to balance looking through all of Rachel's social media and paying another student to hack into suspects' school records with studying her Torah portion, but D.J. can't cope any other way. She's obsessed with finding a small goat necklace that she gave her cousin that wasn't returned with her other effects. She and Char think that something is very suspicious, since there are no public police records about Rachel. They have quite a list of suspects, and the spy on them, and even steal something from a locker. 
Strengths: Even though D.J. thinks that Briar "has the misfortune of being mapped in Ohio", she makes the best of the move. She makes a friend quickly, enjoys being with Davey, and finds an interest. She and Char use their journalistic skills to figure out Rachel's movements and interactions with others. There's a nice inclusion of Jewish culture; I figured that the book was probably set near Cleveland, and it's not surprising that the author grew up in Shaker Heights. 
Weaknesses: The cover, and the fact that D.J. was in 8th grade, made me think this would be a middle grade book. There are eleven f words in the text, and there is also some drinking. I won't buy it, but I know other middle school librarians might want to take a look at it. If D.J. had gotten some counseling, or if her mother had talked to her more, she might not have needed to investigate what clearly was a death by suicide. 
What I really think: For books about dealing with the aftermath of suicide, more middle grade appropriate books include Morrison's Coming Up Short,  Bishop's Things You Can't Say, or Howard's The Visitors. For older readers, this is similar to Mather's Where Was Goodbye? Nolan's Running Past Dark. 

Still not enjoying the trope that parents who have a child die become catatonic. It's insulting. 

The Freedom Seeker

Gupta, Ruchira. The Freedom Seeker

August 5, 2025 by Scholastic Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Simi lives in India with her Ammi, who is a nurse, and her Abbu, who is a farmer like his father before him. She loves to play hockey, and is pleased to be named team captain. Problems arise in her home in India when COMBAM, the Committee to Ban Marriage to Muslims, targets her home because her father is Hindu and her mother is Muslim. After Abbu is attacked and injured so badly that he can no longer farm, the family decide to emigrate to the United States. Because of the politics in the US, they decide that the best way to do this is to have Abbu smuggled into the US through Mexico, and for Simi and her mother to join him later. He manages to get to the US and set up a life with a brother who drives taxis in Queens, but things do not go smoothly for Simi and her mother. Their visa for joining the father is denied, in order to stop "chain migration". They follow the same path as the father, but since a wall has gone up at the Mexican border, getting to the US is harder. Simi meets Jose, whose family has come from Honduras. The children are both separated from their mothers, and end up flagging down the border control. They are then taken to a facility, have their backpacks taken away, and are given only a foil blanket for warmth. The bad treatment continues, and they also have to contend with a lice infestation. They eventually end up at Casa Phoenix, where they meet a sympathetic counselor, Sophia. This still doesn't help, and Simi fights to find her mother and to be allowed to call her father. It's only when she is in contact with journalist Rini that things change. Her mother is found in another camp by Jose, who manages to call her. Through online donations, the family gets enough money to reunite the family in New York. 

Strengths: This is a sadly realistic look at the difficulties in India that lead Simi and her family to leave a country that they love and defy the odds to travel to the US, where things are even more difficult for them. The details about trying to get proper documentation and being denied despite overwhelming need will be informative to children who are not aware of these circumstances. The treatment in the detention centers is not pleasant, but there are moments when kind people step in to help, proving Mr. Rogers' wisdom of "look for the helpers". It's good to see a happy ending for Simi, even though many people facing resettlement in real life might experience this infrequently. 
Weaknesses: For the longevity of the book, it might have helped to reference a particular year so that the immigration policies and conditions were accurate to the time depicted. I'm sure things will change, most likely (sadly) not for the better. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who were interested in Salazar's Land of the Cranes, Diaz's Santiago's Road Home, or Anta and Salcedo's Frontera.

The Library of Curiosities and Ruff Day

Lundquist, Jenny. The Library of Curiosities
July 22, 2025 by Holiday House
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Rowan Fitzgerald doesn't have much luck with boarding schools, which is too bad, since her grandfather, Cillian, sends her off to them because her parents drowned when she was young. This last time, she has to go and live with him in Glassby Bay, but there's a lot he hasn't told her. Not only does he run a library of magical objects, but he lives in the same building. For the time being, Rowan will be homeschooled and volunteer at the library along with Henry, whose parents are caterers, and Lara, whose mother is head of records for the library. Rowan overhears family secrets being discussed and finds out that the family has an arch nemesis, Jack, who may or may not be responsible for her parents' deaths. There is an artifact called the Everheart that Jack wants, but which no one seems to have any clue about. Rowan gets introduced to some of the items in the library that are loaned out, like wishing socks, books that shrink for traveling, and some magical watering cans that have a few bugs. When objects start to go missing, Rowan is blamed, and must find out who is stealing from her family. Since her grandfather wants to send her back to boarding school to keep her safe, she doesn't have a lot of time. Will she be able to find out what the Everheart is, locate it, and keep Jack from destroying her family?

This reminded me a bit of Bell's The Crooked Sixpence, Magoon's The Secret Library, or Hannibal's The Lost Property Office , and was very similar to Shulman's 2010 The Grimm Legacy. There are plenty of fun magical things, and this seemed like a magical academy tales even though Rowan was homeschooled. The plot depended largely on Silverjack's backstory, but I wasn't as interested in that part of the narrative. I wanted to see more of Rowan, Henry, and Lara's exploits. 

Scott, Steven and Brandizi, Lavinia(illustrator)Ruff Day
August 1, 2025 by Stone Arch Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Sawyer lives with his mom, dad, and older sister Stacey, and has a big secret! He's a shapeshifter, a trait he has inherited from his grandmother, who unfortunately is stuck as a record player. When he is bugging his sister as a spider, she takes a swat at him, so he turns himself into a dog. Since the family doesn't have a dog, he's shooed out of the house. This leads to him being taken to a dog pound, but he managed to break out, impersonate the mayor, and get a lot of dogs adopted before turning back into himself.

 
The explanation of how Sawyer got his powers could have come sooner, and he could have made better choices. This isn't supposed to make a lot of sense, but once he was shooed out of his house, why not just turn back into himself? Young readers won't care.

This is an early graphic novel that would be great for fans of Pilkey's Dogman, Steinke's Mr. Wolf's Class, or Blabey's Bad Guys Novels.

MMGM-- Nature Nonfiction

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Back at school. We won't have students until Wednesday, and then only 6th graders and their WEB leaders. I suppose it's good for the 6th graders to ease into the year, but I'm not sure I would have liked that. I have VIVID memories of my first day of middle school... in 1975! Throw them in the deep end! There aren't regular library class visits until next week, but I am open the first day. Very glad to be able to do that, since last year I was stuck at home recuperating from surgery. Luckily, I'm back to about 90% and have even started running. 

If your school year is starting, hope it is as awesome as my 28th year in teaching. 46 years of being in school! 

Brunelle, Lynn and Jung, Anna-Maria (illus.)

Turn This Book Into a Beehive!: And 19 Other Experiments and Activities That Explore the Amazing World of Bees

April 3, 2018 by Workman Kids

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

I've been worried about the health of the world's bees since reading Burns' The Hive Detectives: Chronicle of a Honey Bee Catastrophe back in 2012. Like that book, Turn This Book into a Beehive gives a lot of facts and information about the crises facing bee populations, but also has a lot more information about how bees live, and plenty of interesting experiments and activities as well. Not only that, but the dust jacket can be taken off and turned into a hive for mason bees.

The descriptions of different types of bees and what they do. The activities support this; there's one involving getting cheese puffs out of cups to show how pollen gets dispersed, as well as instructions on how to dissect a flower. The list of fruits and vegetables and ingredients that depend on bees might astonish some younger readers, but the message is clear. Without bees, ALL of the food supply is in trouble.

The highlight of the book is, of course, turning the dust jacket into a hive for mason bees. About half of the pages in the book are supposed to be torn out and rolled up, then fashioned into the type of hive shown on the cover. The illustrations on these pages are very cute; there are single colored all over designs interspersed with solid color pages with little vignettes of tiny insect "houses" that are almost too delightful to roll up and put into the nest!

This series of nature activity books by Workman Publishing also includes Turn this Book Into a Bird Feeder, and both would be great to use for a summer study project. For more information on bees, definitely check out Burns' book mentioned above, as well as Fleming's Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera or Socha's enormous (in trim size, not in length) Bees: A Honeyed History.

Brunelle, Lynn and Jung, Anna-Maria (illus.)

Turn This Book Into a Bird Feeder!: And 19 Other Activities to Explore the Amazing World of Birds

March 25, 2025 by Workman Kids

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Bird watching has become something of a trend in middle grade literature (McCullough's Across the Pond, King's The Drake Equation, Miller's Rare Birds, Lord's Home Away From Home), so it's not surprising to see a complete guide to start this hobby for young readers. Along with tips to get started, there is a lot of good factual information about birds as a species. From "what makes a bird a bird" to chapters on feathers, how birds fly, and what they eat, the life of birds, and why we need them, this covers all of the information one could want to know about our feathered friends. This book is a paperback, but has a cardstock weight dust jacket that has directions on how to turn it into a bird feeder, which is very clever.

In between the chapters, there are activities that relate to the information presented. There is a duck call to make from a straw, an experiment putting oil on paper to mimic feathers' waterproof qualities, instructions on how to draw a bird, and even an experiment to replicate bird beaks with household items.

My favorite section might have been the illustrated list of birds that are common to different areas. The thumbnail sketches are labeled with the bird names, and are very detailed for their small size. I was able to identify the goldfinches and red winged blackbirds that are common where I live.

I'm looking forward to sharing a LOT of nature activity books with my grandchildren, and can't wait until they have good scissor skills to turn the dust jacket of this book into a bird feeder! I am shelving this title along with Storey Publishing's Backpack Explorer Discovering Trees and On the Nature Trail, Roehring's Rainbow Science, and Rothman's Ocean Anatomy Activity Book. For more information on birds, Collard's and Brooks' Waiting for a Warbler is also a good choice.

Are Bees Nature's Tiny Heroes?: Discover the Science behind Melittology
The Big Questions Answered Series
Jeffery, Eliza and Bittencourt, Lays (illustrator)
February 4, 2025 by Beetle Books
Copy Provided by Young Adult Books Central

It's important that young readers understand how valuable and endangered bees are, and this long picture book is a good way to introduce them to many critical topics surrounding out buzzy friends. Not only do bees help make sure that plants thrive, but humans have been using their products since the time of the ancient Egyptians! Information about how apian society is included, as are some of the challenges that bees face. There's a nice two page spread of different types of bees, as well as a beautifully illustrated flow chart of the pollination journey, bee facts, and a glossary and pronunciation guide. 

While this is marketed at readers in kindergarten through third grade, it is just the right length for older readers to use to learn a bit more about bees. It's a tiny bit long for a read aloud, but just has a couple of sentences on each page, which make it easy for impatient readers to move through quickly. Like Wheel of Fortune contestants who gain knowledge from reading middle grade books, actual middle graders can add to their information stores by reading books aimed at younger students. 

The illustrations are done in a cartoon style that is well suited to older readers, and has a lot of earthy greens and browns with pops of bright colors for flowers. The words are positioned well, and easy to read. 

There have been many good books about bees in the last few years, so add this to a list of apian tomes that includes Brunelle's Turn This Book into a Beehive, Sekaninova's Diary of a Bee, or Burn's The Hive Detectives, or use it as a nonfiction companion to Delaney's The Big Sting, McDunn's The Queen Bee and Me, Wientge's Honeybees and Frenemies, or Cartaya's The Lasts Beekeeper. 

Outfoxed

McMullen-Ciotti, Elise. Outfoxed
August 5, 2025 by Scholastic Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Skye and her younger brother Leo are spending the summer with her aunt and uncle in Massachusetts since their father is deployed and their mother died years ago. She misses being at home in Oklahoma, but enjoys working at the family diner, hanging out with her much older cousin Braeden, and learning more about her Cherokee culture. She is working on a summer science project, and while she is collecting specimens from the Grandmother Tree in the nearby forest (an activity for which she has gotten permission from the park system), she finds an injured fox kit. Dr. Reed, the local veterinarian, treats the animal, and keeps it while it recuperates. Ivy's mother Dr. B., also a veterinarian, has moved her from Saskachewan because she is marrying Dr. Reed. Ivy isn't happy about this, but bonds with Skye over their shared Native heritage, as Ivy is Nokoda, with ties to Cree culture. Skye and Ivy go back to the tree to try to gather clues on the identity of the poacher who is targeting foxes in the area. They find clues, including a business card for a local creepy gift shop, but are warned away from the area by Warden Trombley, who is Braeden's boss. The girls decide to walk across town to interview the owner of the gift shop, and find that she sells animal pelts, but claims they are all ethically sourced. The girls cross the park on their way home and get caught in the rain. They find a suspicious cabin with taxidermy supplies, but have to be rescued by Braeden. They are groundf, but don't give up their investigation. Warden Trombley seems very suspicious, but there are other suspects in the small town. Will Skye and Ivy be able to figure out who is poaching foxes?
Strengths: A tiny baby fox and a family diner where you can eat all the pancakes you want? Yes, please! I'm a huge fan of books where children get to spend summers somewhere other than their own home, and including a father in the military was a nice touch. When they can also settle into their new surroundings fairly happily and make new friends, it's even better. Skye has the advantage of having spent time with her aunt and uncle before, so is familiar with the town. Ivy is less thrilled with her move from Canada, but happily helps Skye with her mystery. The details of Skye's science project are interesting, and the mystery is well developed. The cover of this is absolutely adorable, so order a handful of extras of this paperback title if you are hosting a Scholastic book fair.
Weaknesses: The girls were very thorough in their investigations, but it slowed the story down. The Native folktales were interesting, but also made the book a bit longer and didn't forward the plot.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed this author's Hedge Over Heels or other books about helping animals like Liu's Near and Deer, Lord's Because of the Rabbit, or Smith's The Wildes. 

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Supa Nova

Timothy, Chanté. Supa Nova. 

June 3, 2025 by Nosy Crow
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Nova and her older sister Cassi are being raised by parents who are scientists for a "boring" secret government agency, so when Nova is worried about the effects of plastic pollution on the planet, she springs into action. Heading to her scientific lair, she manages to create a creature who eats plastic, with the help of a discarded piece of Cassi's bubblegum. Chomp does a good job at eating and digesting plastic, but is a little TOO enthusiastic, and ends up eating kitchen cabinets and other items around the house. As Chomp continues his rampage despite Nova's best efforts, she decides to create a shrink-ray spray, since Chomp grows every time he ingests plastic. It's hard to catch him as he breaks out of his plastic box and hits the town, and his ever increasing size makes him hard to ignore. He ends up on the news when he ends up in the city, eating the plastic roads and interacting with rescue workers. Desperate, Nova calls on Cassi for help, even though the two fight more often than they work together. While Nova's parents aren't thrilled about the damage that Chomp has caused, they are glad to see her using her scientific skills for the betterment of the planet.

This graphic novel has bright colors and simple pictures, and young readers will adore Nova's brash ways and exuberant emotions. Nova frequently tells people around her that she is a genius, and only her sister reigns her in. The STEM focus of the book, and the concern about plastic in the environment, is good to see.

Readers who enjoyed Graley and Purenins's Donut the Destroyer, Brooks' Sanity & Tallulah, or Garrity and Baldwin's The Dire Days of Willowweep Manor will enjoy this goofy science fiction romp with an ecological focus.  

Smiley

Ross, M.C. Smiley
August 5, 2025 by Scholastic Inc.
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this companion to Nugly, we meet Smiley, who is a Pit Bull/ American Staffordshire Terrier being raised at the Blue Hills Bulldog Breeders Club Kennel in Boston. She's pampered, but also very well trained and socialized, and the dogs from this facility go for high prices. Smiley is adopted by Vanessa, who is a vet tech who helped to save the owner's dog, and given to Vanessa's cousin, Carlito. He's gotten accepted into the Boston Classical Academy, and his parents are worried that people in their "more affordable" South Side neighborhood might give Carlito a hard time, especially since he is on the smaller side, and a dog might be helpful. The big problem is that there are no dogs allowed in the Villa Victoria apartment complex. The Menino-Rosado family asks permission, and is allowed to keep Smiley. Carlito takes the dog with him to orientation at his new school. Some kids, like Thayer, give him a hard time and make racist and classiest remarks, and Cooper is friendly and invites Carlito to check out the rowing team. Their coxswain has undergone a growth spurt, and Carlito would be perfect to replace him. Carlito ends up being TOO lightweight, but Coach DiSorbo allows him to bring Smiley on the boat with him, bringing him up to a perfect weight. Carlito finds out that Cooper also has a Pit Bull, Boris, who has been in and out of shelters because he has not been well socialized. Boris is doing well with Cooper at home, but not so well out in public with other dogs. Boris comes to a scrimmage where Thayer falls overboard, and while Smiley rescues the boy and brings him to safety, the parents are upset when the dogs are rambunctious, and threaten to sue. Will Carlito be able to stay on the team, and will Smiley be a good addition to his household?
Strengths: This was a vicarious trip to Boston, complete with a trip to the zoo! The juxtaposition between the prejudice that Carlito faced because of his Puerto Rican heritage and the prejudice Smiley faced because she is a Pit Bull was very interesting. This might be the only book I've read that involves rowing, although Gerber's Liars' Society, which is also set in Boston, involves sailing. There are lots of good details about training and socializing dogs, and about why Pit Bulls are often seen as dangerous. This will be a popular choice at Scholastic book fairs, with Smiley on the cover. 
Weaknesses: This had a bit of an odd tone to it-- very conversational. It just didn't seem to fit the story as well as it might have. I don't think that my students will mind. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed books like Vlahos's Serge and Roscoe, Applegate and Choldenko's Dogtown, Hoyle's Stella, or Cameron's Zeus, where more of the dog's point of view is shown. Nugly is finally available in a prebind format through Follett, so hopefully this one will be as well. 

A Beautiful and Terrible Murder

Andrews, Claire M. A Beautiful and Terrible Murder
August 5, 2025 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Irene Adler is living a double life; she's attending All Souls College in Oxford as Isaac Holland while attending Lady Margaret College as herself. It requires frequent changes of costume, including a fake mustache when she is Isaac. Her courses are similar, but the men's science classes are much more informative and demanding. She is in classes with Sherlock Holmes and James Moriarty... who is also  her half brother. Their father, a professor at Oxford, was a customer of Irene's mother, a courtesan, and while James doesn't care for Irene, her grandmother Augusta is very supportive. Irene is good friends with Geraldine, but doesn't care much for the popular and snotty Ermyntrude who looks down on people who are not from refined backgrounds. When Irene is the first to discover the body of Bertram, she talks to John Watson, who is on the police force. When Isaac is suspected by the police, it's clear that "he" is being framed, and Irene sets out to investigate, even after the police rule the death a suicide. It's clearly not, since several other young men are killed. She partners with Sherlock over their shared hatred of James, and clues take them to the Bullingdon Club. When several more young men, including Geraldine's brother, are killed, it becomes even more imperative to solve the crimes. Sherlock is framed for one of the murders, and James eventually figures out Irene's alter ego. Will Irene and Sherlock be able to figure out the murderer before they both land in jail?
Strengths: This was an interesting twist on the Sherlock Holmes' stories: the main characters as college students. I had to look up Irene Adler to find out that she was in the story "A Scandal in Bohemia". Her relationship with Moriarty is an interesting one. This read rather like classic Christie or Sayers books, and seeing college life at Oxford in the Victorian era was fun. The murders aren't too bloody, and the real draw of the book is the relationship between the characters. That, and watching Irene going back and forth between being Isaac and being herself. 
Weaknesses: This is more of a young adult book; it's on the long side, very descriptive, and mentions a few things like courtesans and brothels. I was a bit unclear how Irene could manage two enrollments at college, but that's kind of a boring detail. 
What I really think: This would be an intriguing choice for readers who loved Lane's Young Sherlock Holmes series (starting with Death Cloud) or Lee's The Agency: A Spy in the House, also from 2010.

Island of the Forgotten Gods and Dark and Darker Still.

Pineiro, Victor. The Island of Forgotten Gods
August 5, 2025 by Sourcebooks Young Readers
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Nico is being "dumped" with his abuela in Puerto Rico for the summer as his parents try a second trial separation. He's glad to be with his cousins, Kira and Nessi, who are experiencing family problems of their own. Their grandmother's small village, Quebradillas, is a great place for the three to run around. Nico, an aspiring filmmaker, has recently applied to LaGuardia High School for their arts program, but has been put on the waitlist after what he considered a horrible interview. Since there is a video essay contest run by a popular director who went to school with his father, Nico has decided to work on a documentary about Puerto Rico during his visit. He workshops ideas with his cousins, especially when he sees the poverty and unemployment all around him. He starts interviewing relatives and neighbors, but when the subject of his recurring nightmares seems to come to life, he switches gears. Long traumatized by having been in a storm when he was young, Nico often sees a wind witch in his dreams, and thinks he has hallucinated seeing her on the plane. When all three see what is later determined to be a Puerto Rico version of a chupacabra (more like a bat, with glowing red eyes!), he feels a need to investigate. At first, the cousins are afraid of the creature, often called the Shadow beast, but when it saves Nessi and a toddler from falling over a cliff, they reconsider. Abuela Lina takes the children up into the mountains, where relevant information about their Taino family heritage is shared, and they learn a lot about the life and legends of the indigenous people of the island. How does all of this feed into the current mystery of the chupacabra? And will it all make a good film?
Strengths: Nico isn't thrilled to be going away for the summer, but mainly because his parents' marital problems are bugging him, and he is generally grumpy after his school interview. A generally grumpy but resilient main character is somewhat hard to find, and I enjoyed that he was able to spend time with his cousins, work on a project, and have some interests that got him outside of his head. The depiction of everyday life in Puerto Rico is something that I would love to see more of; there are not a lot of books set there. The explanation of indigenous culture and history was interesting as well. The fantasy elements make sense, and help drive the plot. Abuela Lina is a great character, and I wish we could see more of her, even though her hands off approach gives the kids more room to venture out on their own.
Weaknesses: There are so many culturally connected fantasy novels and, at my school, they don't circulate well. Something like Cartaya's Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish, however, does. I would love to see a realistic fiction story set in Puerto Rico. The parts of the story set in the village were fun to read, and shed a lot of light on some of the problems this US Territory has had.
What I really think: The combination of visiting a grandparent for the summer and learning that the family has magical connections is a tried and true formula. This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Maunakea's Lea and the Fire Goddess, Rivera's Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls, Cole's The Empty Place, or McMann's Going Wild series.

White, J.A. and Jialun, Yang. (illus.) Dark and Darker Still

August 6th, 2025 by Clarion Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Possibly no longer being published. 7/6/25

This author's 2018 Nightbooks has done very well in my library, and was even turned into a Netflix movie. Since the storyline of that title involved stringing together a number of scary stories, I was not surprised to see a collections of stories with illustrations, ala Schwartz's 1981 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, from White. There are some stories with an urban legend feel to them, and others that have a creepy but somewhat funny, unhinged feel, like Lubar's Lawn Weenies books. The innovation in this collection, however, is dividing the stories into scary, scarier, and scariest. While I'm not a fan of scary stories, and don't normally find them to be all that scary, these were definitely clever, and do hinge on some innate fears that tweens have. "The Early Bus" is fairly poignant, and some like "The Shell" turn to popular horror topics like children turning into zombies. "The Color of Your Eyes", in the "Darker Still" section, was intriguing. Many of these have unresolved endings, so a lot of the fear factor has to do with what the reader imagines happens after the story is over. There's a bit of a gross out factor with entries like "Meat". Bonus points for a creepy Santa tale, and a snow day gone wrong. Jialun's illustrations add a bit more eeriness. 

Of course, while 6th and 7th graders will love this and ask if the author has more, 8th graders will publicly state that this wasn't scary at all, even if they thought it was. Of course, the fright factor is always upped by glow in the dark covers, especilly if there's a menacing hand like on Allen's Only If You Dare. 

This has an appropriately dark cover, and since my students will read just about ANY book of scary short stories, I will add this to my collection that includes Lubar's Lawn Weenies, Allen's Once They See You, San Souci's Dare to Be Scared, Rissi's Hide and Don't Seek, Priestley's Tales of Terror, Graves' Midnight Library (2008- wow. Gotten my money's worth out of these!), and Stine's Stinetinglers series.

STEM Tuesday

Foster, Sarah. STEM Like a Girl: Empowering Knowledge and Confidence to Lead, Innovate, and Create
September 14, 2021 by Workman Kids
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

It's one thing to have a book of science experiments. There are tons of those. What makes STEM like a girl different is the inclusion of a wide variety of tween girls who are interested in science. Alongside their pictures are interviews with them that discuss their interests in science and how they work their experiements into their everyday lives.

There are eleven experiments and four design challenges. All are rated as to the level of difficulty, and include a "STEM application" page that discusses the real life uses of the project. For example, the bath bombs are an example of acid-base chemistry and the marble maze uses skills that aspiring civil engineers might find helpful. There are a few unusual items needed for the projects, but the only thing I was missing for the bath bombs was Epsom salts, which my parents always had on hand! Most items are things that would be found around the house, or would be easy and fairly inexpensive to find at a store.

There's a lot of white space on the page, which gives this a fresh, clean, lab-like feel to the pages. There's a lot of use of blue and green in the text and photographs, which was nice to see; this wasn't stereotypically "girly" and pink, which will appeal to a wider range of readers.

As someone who frequently asked to melt string onto an ice cube with salt (the only science experiment I remember being allowed to do!), I know I would have loved this as a tween. I may yet make the squishy soap, since I have a container of gelatine at home! Give this to a budding scientist in your life with the promise of working on several of the experiments with her. Other books you may want to consider to go with this book include Campbell's Science Experiments for Girls: Science Activities for Kids 8-12 (At Home Science Experiments for Kids), Connolly's The Book of Terrifyingly Awesome Technology: 27 Experiments for Young Scientists (Irresponsible Science), Brunelle's Turn This Book Into a Beehive!: And 19 Other Experiments and Activities That Explore the Amazing World of Bees, or Storey Publishing's Backpack Explorer books.

Parker, Kate T. Strong Is the New Pretty: A Guided Journal for Girls
October 30, 2018 by Workman Kids
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Using some of the photographs from her 2017 Strong Is the New Pretty: A Celebration of Girls Being Themselves, Parker has constructed a helpful guided journal to motivate girls to think about their emotions, their place in the world, and the intersection of these things with traditional societal expectations.

Prompts include introspective questions like "What is your happy place?" and "Who are your heroes?" They often include instructions for drawing pictures or defining words. I enjoyed the different templates for these; some involve bubbles for weekend activities or a plate to draw favorite foods.

The accompaning photographs show a diverse group of girls climbing trees, playing ball, or just giggling together. The colors on the templates are often pastel, and the light line drawings leave lots of room for the owner of the journal to express themselves. This book would make a great gift along with some gel pens and a carrying case, so that the book would be easier to take up into a tree!

Some tweens will need help to work through this entire journal, but some will need more than one outlet for harnessing all of their writing energy. Other similar activity books include Carter, Chamblee, and Walthall's I Am, I Can, I Will: A Guided Journal of Self-Discovery for Black Girls, Peterson's You're Weird: A Creative Journal for Misfits, Oddballs, and Anyone Else Who's Uniquely Awesome, and Whitehead's Girl Power: A Journal: Encouraging Prompts and Affirmations to Empower a Confident You.

MMGM- Wish I Was a Baller

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Shah, Amar and Doucet, Rashad. (illustrator)Wish I Was a Baller

August 5, 2025 by Graphix
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this graphic novel memoir, sports journalist Amar Shah details his interesting path into the profession. Early in his 1990s high school career in Orlando Florida, he set out to get a press pass so that he could interview players like Michael Jordan. It took a lot of determination, as well as a good dose of luck. Entering the school gym on a forged pass, he interacts with a coach in a funny way, and is interviewed for a radio program. After months of calling, he finally gets a press pass for the Orlando Magic, and interviews Shaquille O'Neal at length. Shaq is incredibly nice to him, and the two interact on several occasions, with the basketball player even taking Amar home after a Christmas event, buying him a jersey and shoes, and graciously taking pictures with the family! Amar also calls different magazines about writing for them, and gets a gig with SLAM magazine. The other students at his school aren't tremendously helpful, and some are unkind, but he does have two good friends, Kasey and Sophia, who help him out. He continues to work for the school newspaper, and to write for SLAM, and even ends up on the cover of Sports Illustrated for Kids in a photo with Shaq, and his article is featured. He gets in trouble for bringing friends to his SLAM writing assignments, and is put on probation for unprofessional behavior, but this doesn't stop him from continuing his career. A note at the end of the book details Shah's successful career with ESPN and other news outlets before he ended up working for the Orlando Magic back in his hometown. 

Strengths: There are very few graphic novels about basketball, and I could probably check out twenty different titles every single day. If they existed. The publishing world seems to dislike sports books in general and sports graphic novels in particular, which I do not understand. Shah wrote the fun Hoop Con, and its sequel, Take the Shot; it must be noted that Scholastic published these only in paperback. This is a great story about loving basketball and wanting to be involved in it professionally, then actually doing the work and having the persistence to make it happen! There's a lot going on in this book, and it will definitely keep readers flipping the pages. It would be fantastic if more sports journalists would follow in the footsteps of John Feinstein and Fred Bowen and write middle grade sports books. If you are having a Scholastic book fair, you will want to make sure you have an entire box of this title on hand. 
Weaknesses: Every single time I put this up on display, I will be irritated by the lack of the subjunctive in the title. Wish I WERE. Even though I'm glad to see a sports graphic novel, I wish that Shah's editor had left this as a memoir. There are a lot of characters and events that are mentioned briefly and never appear again, because the graphic format doesn't leave much room for elaboration. Shah's story is an interesting one, and I would have loved to know more of the details. 
What I really think: This is much more accessible than Yang's Dragon Hoops, and will be an absolute hit with my students who love basketball. Add this to the small handful of basketball graphic novels like Tavares' Hoops, Khan and Zerrougui's We Are Big Time, Misako Rock's Bounce Back, and Dawson's Fifth Quarter. I can't wait to see what Shah will write next, but do kind of hope it isn't as concerned with celebrity, even though I sort of want to go back and rewatch Shaq's Big Challenge, which I actually watched with my children back in 2007!

Have not been reading as much as I should have this summer, but am finally working on books being published in November, so can't feel too bad about my progress. At 599 books for the year. 

Sugar Shack (Peapod Farm #3)

Knisley, Lucy. Sugar Shack (Peapod Farm #3)
August 5, 2025 by Random House Graphic

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

After Jen's experience in moving to Peapod Farm with her mother and step father in Stepping Stones, and continuing to make peace with her situation in Apple Crush, she is back in a fairly good place. Somewhat pushy stepsister Andy is busy preparing for her bat mitzvah, and Jen has learned to give her her own way in situations where Jen doesn't particularly care. Young Reese's exuberance is easier to tolerate, and Jen is starting to feel like an older sister. Even Walter has calmed down a bit, and thinks before he speaks. Since Andy has to go to town on the weekends to prepare for her bat mitzvah, Jen's mother suggests that she attend the local 4H group, where she find some people that she likes, and others, like a boy who unnecessarily talks a lot about "culling" rabbits after a petting zoo fundraiser, who are harder to take. The family has decided to tap the maple trees on their property and host a small festival with the maple syrup they make. We follow the family through the winter, with some epic snow days, one of which almost ends disastrously, and Andy's bat mitzvah celebration. By the time the syrup is made, Jen has a few more friends, and feels more a part of her family. Ms. Knisley has extensive notes and sketches at the end of the book, explaining how her own life story parallels but isn't exactly like Jen's. 

Strengths: Like all of Knisley's work, there is something utterly compelling about Jen's story, and it was a relief that it was also primarily a pleasant story. It was fascinating to read her note about readers' reactions to Walter, and her decision to include him; I had also felt that it was valuable to see flawed characters and learn how to deal with them without changing them. I loved that the girls had a lot of chores. The wintery setting, complete with sugaring off in a tiny cabin and mugs of warm maple juice... this just speaks to me in the same way that the 1970s family room in Holm's Sunny books does. It doesn't hurt that the first two books really helped one of my students who was struggling with a difficult stepfather. Look at that cover! This is a cozy book about how family makes us feel loved and wanted even when the people in it are messy and difficult. 
Weaknesses: I wanted to know more about how the farm was staying in business. It's a somewhat unusual setting, and while young readers won't really care about the economic value of maple syrup, I was really curious, especially after reading in the afterword that Knisley's mother and step father divorced when she was in her teens and she left the farm. 
What I really think: Now I want to go back and read Sorenson's 1957 Miracles on Maple Hill again, complete with Joe and Beth Krush illustrations. There are a lot of similarities, tapping maple trees, and another cozy house. I'll definitely purchase this for my school library, since the first two books have been very popular. 

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Schoolbot 9000

Hepburn, Sam. Schoolbot 9000

July 22, 2025 by Dial Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

James does not enjoy the robots that are an increasing presence in his life. Since his dad died, his mother has used the Homebot to cook, clean, and keep tabs on his whereabouts while she works long hours, and his town of City Square has other community robots as well. School is a sanctuary filled with caring teachers like Mr. Hendry, the art teacher who believes in the human touch, just like James' dad. When Mayor Briggs announces that the parents will vote on whether the school should pilot a program with Schoolbots in order to improve test scores, James is devastated to find out that his mother supports this idea. The bots know all of the student data, and offer addictive games to students who are falling behind, so that they spend a lot of time practicing their skills. The initiative is not without pushback; a community organization called Hit the Kill Switch wants the robots removed. James' friend Charlie is one who has been given more practice, and he sees the effect this has on her. The teachers are dismissed one by one, as the Schoolbots take over their classes, processing the information in the textbook in the blink of an eye and coming up with engaging songs to help students remember content. Once the teachers are gone, the bots resort to giving daily exams in order to improve scores. The teachers have been given technology jobs for BuxGlobal, the manufacturer, and use these positions to gain intel. Eventually, the Schoolbots seem to be able to read emotions, and there is some hope that they won't be completely evil... until the founder of BuxGlobal announces the creation of a homeschooling program. 

Strengths: While it's getting easier to find graphic novels that aren't whiny memoirs, that's still the main genre available, so this vaguely futuristic, humorous science fiction title was a nice change. While I personally don't worry about testing, a lot of people get quite up in arms; interestingly, this is a British title, which would explain why the mayor was involved in school issues. The robot incursion takes place slowly, teachers are let go a few at a time, and artificial intelligence has a few moments when it seems like under some circumstances it might be a good idea. But, of course, it's not! James' struggles with his home life impact his school experience, and he and his friends do a good job of banding together to fight against BuxGlobal, which is also turning the soccer firleds into a data center! 
Weaknesses: I'm not sure if there will be a sequel, or what direction it will take if there is one. I'm all for a sequel if I can see more of Ms. Welsh, who wears pleated skirts and looks a bit like me! 
What I really think: Books taking a stand against testing have been around for a while (Buyea's 2017 The Perfect Score), and there have even been some books about robotic school staff (Angleberger's 2016 Fuzzy), but since I read J.E. Thomas' The AI Incident (7/8/25) right after this, there might be more of these books on the way. This was a different type of graphic novel, and I enjoyed Hepburn's illustration style, so I will purchase a copy for school. 

Guy Friday: Miles Lewis: Pet Sitter

Lyons, Kelly Starling and Spencer, Wayne (illustrator). Miles Lewis: Pet Sitter #5
February 18, 2025 by Penguin Workshop
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

In this latest installment of this early chapter book series, Miles is envious of the other students in his class. Ms. Taylor has gotten three frogs for the classroom, and at circle time asks the children to share about their own pets. Everyone seems to have one but Miles. He had asked his parents to consider getting a dog, and they agreed to think about it if he could be more conscientious about his chores around the house, which he was not. When his great aunt Dee plans to go away for the weekend, Miles sees a golden opportunity in watching her dog, Mo. He can hang out with the dog AND prove to his parents that he is responsible. He forgets to take Mo out because he is busy with other things, and there are some indoor accidents. He also gets the opportunity to watch his friend RJ's hamster Herbie, but he doesn't put the lif on the cage and Herbie gets out. Luckily, the hamster is found, but Miles realizes that he might not yet be ready for a pet. He does get another opportunity to watch Mo, and does learn a bit about what makes a responsible pet owner.

I enjoyed Lyons' note at the end that talked about her own pets, and acknowledged that pet ownership is not always easy. Most books for young readers end with children who want pets getting them, but that's not always the reality. As much as I love my dog, he can be a lot of work! It's good to offer a realistic portrayal of this experience to young readers.

Spencer's two color illustrations that are spread throughout are fun, especially since we get to see all of the pets! This has a larger font, which makes it perfect for readers of other early chapter books like English's Carver Chronicles, Mills' Franklin School Friends, or Dillard's J.D. and the Barber Battle.

Miles' father is a professor of African American history, so it's fun to see the historical facts and brief biographies of famous people spread throughout these. I'm a huge fan of early chapter book series, since they can offer readers a familiar and comforting face, and encourage them to continue reading books. The nice thing about Miles' portrayal is that while he is clearly in elementary school, both his attitude and his adventures are also interesting to emerging middle school readers who might struggle with longer books. I always look forward to his new adventures.

The Case of the Contraband Closet (Bubblegum Shoes #1)

Moldvasky, Goldy. The Case of the Contraband Closet (Bubblegum Shoes #1)
July 1, 2025 by Random House Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Netgalley

Maya Mendoza loves to solve mysteries, even though it's gotten her in trouble with her former friend Jordan. When Maya asks to go to the restroom during class to check on her friend (and to get a hit of bubblegum), she and Jordan are caught in front of the contraband closet, where the school stores all of the toys, technology, and other distractions that get taken away from children. The principal sentences them to an after school detention, where they meet Ava Agarwal, a ten year old prodigy who runs a Happy Helpers business, as well as Clementine, who has moved to the school from a ritzier neighborhood. Jordan has had the school choir pitch pipe confiscated, and Clementine has lost her cell phone, so the group distracts the monitor and breaks into the closet... only to be caught again. The closet is empty, and unless they can find the culprit, the group will be in detention every day. Maya's parents are divorced, and her father has a girlfriend, Madge, who doesn't appreciate the 1940s detective films as much as her father does, but is a better cook, and her parents' inattentiveness gives her some leeway to investigate the case. Using Ava's Happy Helpers as a front, they give coupons to the suspects so they can sneak into their houses. They start with Johnny Persnicowitz, but find no evidence, and are hired to do someone's diorama for school, to clean bathrooms, and to play cards with someone's grandmother. None of their investigations pan out, although they get some leads to follow. A tagger named Frito seems a likely suspect until he turns out to be a fairly mild mannered (and a little bit cute) classmate named Seth. Suspecting Jordan's friend Kaylee makes checking her out difficult, but Maya spray paints her garage and then sneaks into her house while cleaning it up. Is she the culprit? Maya and her group won't rest until they find out who has stolen 40 years worth of contraband. 

Strengths: Maya's love of a mystery causes a lot of tension with Jordan, and that kind of friend drama is definitely typical of middle school. The investigation is well constructed, and lets Maya and her fellow detainees talk to all manner of different students. My favorite part of the book was the father's girlfriend, Madge, who ends up picking Maya up from school one day after she gets in trouble, and is a very reasonable and supportive person. I'm curious to see what the next mystery will be. 
Weaknesses: I cannot even imagine the wrath of a parent whose child's cell phone was taken away and not given back the same day! This would never happen at my school. If a student's phone is taken away, a parent is called IMMEDIATELY, and the parent has to pick up the phone. Phones are expensive! Also, if there is 40 years' worth of contraband, why doesn't it get handed back to students at the end of the book after the mystery is solved? And why is the closet in the hallway and not in the office? This was not at all realistic, which made it hard for me to become invested in the story. There is some problematic language as well. I don't think my students use phrases like "take a leak", "other side of the tracks', or "broad" (which is highly offensive!).
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed the film noir highjinks in Tidhar's The Candy Mafia, Daneshvari's The League of Unexceptional Children, or Krosoczka's  Platypus Police Squad.

The Other Side of Imani

Springer, Lisa. The Other Side of Imani

July 29, 2025 by HarperCollins

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Imani's father is from Barbados, and after spending time assisting in high end restaurants, has moved the family from California so that he can open the Calypso Grill food truck in New York City. The family, including Imani's mother, who is from Ghana, as well as her sister Lyric and brother Jesse, all pitch in, especially at events like the West Indian Day Parade. Imani is very interested in fashion, so is excited to be in the city, although she is a bit apprehensive about starting a new school. She makes some friends right away, including Harlee, who also designs clothes and has a mother who was a model and now works in the industry. Imani's mother works as a cook for the school, which Imani doesn't mind. After visiting Harlee's house and working on designs for an upcoming, high stakes school contest (the winner gets a place at the Dekalb Art and Design High School), Imani questions Harlee's use of traditional Ghanian Kente cloth in her designs and discusses the idea of cultural appropriation with her. Harlee doesn't think what she is doing is wrong, althought Imani gets back up from her family, who agree with her. After the visit, Imani realizes her sketch book with all of her designs for the contest is missing, and Harlee says she hasn't seen it. When the two submit designs, however, they submit almost identical garments. The school admiistration gets involved, and Imani is accused of plagiarism, in part because she is new and Harlee's mother gives the school donations, but there is some implied racism involved as well. Imani is hurt and devastated, and starts a new Imagegram account under the name of Estelle to post some of her new inspiration and to try to educate people about culture and fashion. Many people like Estelle's account, but Harlee of course does not. Will the school finally clear Imani's name and let her enter the contest?

Strengths: Imani's family was great fun, and it was delightful to get to see all of the delicious food that the father made for the family dinners. I was glad to see that Imani didn't complain about moving such a distance, and that she was able to make friends quickly, even if not all of them worked out. There are strong themes of cultural identity and racial justice. My favorite part was all of Imani's exuberant and colorful fashions. Not many 8th graders can sew clothing, much less have their own machines. Having her work with a mentor, Aida, in the garment industry was fascinating. 
Weaknesses: The way the "plagiarism" was handled in the school did not ring true to me at all. Schools are so concerned about law suits these days that it was surprising that Imani was very pointedly guilty until proven innocent. Certainly makes for a more compelling story, though! Also, my students don't care very much about fashion. Most wear sweats and hoodies in gray, black, and navy. Perhaps things in New York City are just very different. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoy fashion design and liked Taylor's Sew Zoe books, West's Maybe This Time or Wilson's Be Real, Macy Weaver.