The Secret of the Mansion (Trixie Belden #1)

Campbell, Julie. The Secret of the Mansion (Trixie Belden #1)

June 3, 2025 by Random House Books for Young Readers

E ARC Provided by Netgalley 

Trixie lives with her parents and brothers on Crabapple Farm near Sleepyside. She desperately wants a horse, but her mother says the family finances won't stretch that far, not do they allow her to go to camp, although her older brothers do. To occupy herself, she takes care of her younger brother Bobby. She also meets a new neighbor, Honey Wheeler, whose famiky is so wealthy that they worry about her being kidnapped. This doesn't stop the girls from snooping around Mr. Frayne's house after the 82 year old collapses and has to go to the hospital. In the house, they find Jim, who is fifteen and has run away from home and his stepfather, Jonesy. He hopes that he can live with Frayne, who is his uncle. If he can't, he will get a job on a cattle boat, because he is not about to go back home. The girls hope they can help him find the will, but when Mr. Frayne dies, Jim is afraid to contact the authorities. There are a number of other complications, including a pilot who parachutes into the area, leaving Bobby unattended at the sea shore, and Frayne's house being set on fire. The girls manage to pull a mattress out of the house, which ends up being stuffed with Frayne's purported treasure. Jim leaves, and is content to let everyone think he has died, but when the girls find out that he has been left a half a million dolllars in a trust, they think about going to look for him. 

Strengths: This is an excellent example of books that were popular at this time, and I can see why Trixie is one of the enduring characters of teen literature. She has a lot more spunk than a lotof the vintage characters I've come across, and is willing to take a lot of risks. There's a lot of action, and some real danger; Bobby gets bitten by a snake, Trixie hits her head in the water, a ladder falls on Jim. Sure, kids back in the day were allowed to go out and have adventures, but we never seem to mention that people actually got hurt while on them! also, back in the day, people apparently left diamond rings lying about a lot more than they do now. The Belden books were published by Whitman Publishing, so I doubt that many of them survive; they were generally had paper over board covers and highly acidic paper, so fell apart very easily. I did appreciate that the original illustrations were included. 

Weaknesses: This had a very Scooby-Doo quality to it, but without the fake ghosts. By modern standards, it's not very believable, or even very good. Since this book was originally published in 1948, Trixie was roughly the age of my mother, who would be 91 if she were still alive. It's hard enough to get children to read titles from the 1990s, since it is "the last century" to them! 
What I really think: I collect vintage teen literature, but hadn't read a Trixie Belden title before. This series has been reprinted countless times, so it's not in any danger of being lost to time just yet. This was interesting to read, but I don't think I can justify buying it for my middle school library. 

I do, however, sort of want to do a deep dive into all of Julia Campbell's work, especially the Cherry Ames titles that she wrote. My cousin had some of the books, but I was never allowed to read them. 

Coach and The Doughnut Club

Reynolds, Jason. Coach (Track #5)

October 14, 2025 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

We meet Otis Brody, the coach from Reynolds’ Ghost, when he is a teen growing up in Glass Manor in about 1988. His mother works in telemarketing, and his father is frequently traveling for business, and isn’t around as much to take Otis to the barbershop to keep his haircut fresh. When a boy at school, Quentin, gives him a hard time about this, Otis attempts to cut his own hair with a razor and accidentally cuts off one of his eyebrows. His mother steps in and decides that the only solution is to shave his entire head and claim it is to improve his aerodynamics for running. Otis is sure he can be as good as his idol, Carl Lewis, so when Dudley Anderson, who scouted Lewis, is due to visit his track team, he’s sure he can get a spot in the Junior Olympics. When his father returns from his most recent trip, he brings a pair of the new Air Jordans 3. Otis is very excited, since everyone is talking about the shoes, although his mother is apprehensive about them, since his father does not have the box. She is also concerned that kids have been robbed of their shoes, and insists on keeping them locked up much of the time in the family safe with other valuables like his video game console. Otis’ best friend, Goose, is involved in the Clippers gang, and Otis’ mother is wary of the street life around their apartment. Otis makes some progress in track, but is derailed when his father takes his shoes in the middle of the night. This leads to some revelations about what his father has really been up to, and gives us some backstory to an important character in the Track series.

Reynolds’ books are popular with students who want shorter, snappy, interesting stories about kids facing a variety of challenges while involved in sports programs. It’s a winning combination, so seeing a fifth book about the coach is an intriguing addition. We learn more about the area, the local culture, and the motivations that Otis has to grow up to become a Coach. His father also coaches, but has some significant personal problems that affect Otis negatively.

While it is clear that this book took place in the past, since we have met the adult Otis, it would have been nice to have a date specified. Because of the release of the Air Jordans 3, as well as some other cultural references, I’m pinning this down to sometime in late 1988.

Hand this to fans of Alexander’s Rebound, which tells the story of the father from The Crossover, or to readers who enjoy shorter sports stories from Fred Bowen, Matt Christopher, or Orca Currents.

 

Rahim, Kristina. The Doughnut Club
May 13, 2025 by Nosy Crow
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Quinn and her brother Olly have always known that their two mothers, Jodi and Sam, conceived them with the help of a donor, and both kids are secure in their identity... most of the time. When the family takes a vacation to a beach hotel, Quinn has to deal with Monika, whom she has met in previous years. When they were younger, Monika asked why Quinn didn't have a father, and misinterpreted "donor" as "doughnut". Monika is mean and snarky, but the two keep getting thrown together in the acitivities at the hotel. Quinn has started to question why she's the only one in her family with red hair, and why she doesn't like the same activities that they do. When her mothers talk about finding the other children of her donor, Quinn is very interested, and doesn't want to wait until she is older. She logs into the account, and even upgrades it with the family debit card so she can message other members. She's already suspicious that one of the staff members might be related to her, but when she finds out that one of the donor siblings (or "diblings", as she puts it) lives nearby, she arranges to meet up with the family. All the while, she is afraid that Monika might be related to her, and spends so much time on her far flung family that she ignores Olly. When he runs off after Quinn doesn't watch him closely enough, she realizes that he means more to her than people she hasn't met. She has to come clean to her mothers about her investigations as well as her feelings of not belonging and not being understood. 

I'm not sure where exactly this was set, but I would have loved to spend a week at this hotel! It's near a beach, but had the feel of an all inclusive Pocono Mountains family camp. Since the author lives in England, and this is based on her own family's experiences, there must be family centered hotels on the British coast somewhere. Finding them may be my new life goal! 

It was good to see that while Quinn did have questions about her background, she was fairly happy with her family situation. She even gets along with Olly, even though she doesn't pay as much attention to him while she is dealing with Monika and trying to connect with her donor siblings. Monika's experience of being a donor child who was told later in life about her family history was a nice contrast to Quinn having known about her background for as long as she could remember. 

This reminded me strongly of the summer vacation stories Levy's The Family Fletcher Takes Rock Island and Moon's Family Week that also showcase LGBTQIA+ families, or Robert's Nikki on the Line, which is one of the few middle grade books that specifically addresses children who are conceived through artificial insemination with donors. The Doughnut Club is the only book I've read that specifically addresses finding possible siblings. 
 

Fantasy Round Up

Holm, Jennifer L. Outside

October 7, 2025 by Scholastic Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Razzi has lived in the Refuge with her mother, father, and young brother as long as she can remember, since it one of the few safe places. Over a decade ago, a space weapon rained poison down on the world, and Razzi's family has managed to eke out an existence with several other families, trading with people "Outside" for supplies and protecting their compound from the occasional "Poisoned" (people suffering from being caught out in the disaster) who try to breach their wall. They are fortunate that Jaya was a teacher in the Before Time, so can provide schooling for the children, and Saul was a doctor. The mansion is a fun place to be, but after a while, it has felt restrictive. One of the children, Ollie, felt so trapped that he tried to get away from the house by crawling out onto the roof, but slipped, fell, and died. The children are all struggling with their grief. Razzi loves to run around the mansion, but when she has trouble breathing, Saul determines that it is her heart that is failing. Because this is set in the near future, transplants have improved, and Saul is able to give Razzi the heart of a greyhound. She starts experiencing some odd symptoms, like finding ham appealing for the first time, but being sickened by chocolate pudding. She also wants to run, and finds herself longing more and more to get Outside. There are a few troubles in the Refuge; dealing with suppliers, keeping the compound protected, and an injury or two, and the pressures of life finally convince Razzi to run away. What she finds surprises her and ends up changing her life. 

If I've learned anything about a dystopian future, it's that after ten years, there's not going to be a lot of food supplies from Before Times left, so I will offer a brief spoiler: the mother bakes an awful lot of chocolate chip cookies. This reminded me strongly of Bodeen's 2008 The Compound or Haddix's 1995 Running Out of Time. If you had handed me this title without an author attached to it, I would have suspected it was written by Haddix, since the sub plot with the greyhound memories was so unusual. 

Cherrywell, Steph. The Ink Witch
September 16, 2025 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Becca Slugg is tired of working at her mother's Cape Disappointment Beach Inn and having to deal with cranky guests and an ancient ice machine. She wants to try out for the school play with her friend Sarah, for the role of the Wicked Witch of the West. Her mother, Rhubarbara, nixes that idea immediately because she doesn't like the idea of witches at all, and is also concerned that Becca, who is a trans girl, will bring too much attention to herself that might not end well. We find out why very shortly, when Becca's Aunt Malatrice visits. Malatrice wants to overthrow the Witch Queen, but Barbara won't sign her document. Malatrice puts a spell on her that not only makes her sign the paper, but renders her catatonic. Becca knows that she has to rescue her mother. When a tarantula, Natalya, who has been living by the motel dumpster starts to talk to Becca, she finds that she has inherited witchy powers even though she was not aware that she was really a girl until she was a child. Natalya tells Becca about her powers as an Ink Witch, and informs her that she can cure her mother by creating the Ink of Free Will, that is comprised of Mermaid caviar, troll's teeth, and the Queen Witch's treasure. Becca, Natalya, and Odvar, a troll who has been living in the ice machine, set off on a quest to find the ingredients, with Barbara driving. This takes them to a VHS store to meet a mermaid operating under a glamor, to the underground Rainier City to meet Odvar's brothers, and into the lair of their nemesis, Malatrice, where they must figure out what the treasure is. Will Becca be able to save her mother, and to embrace her new powers?

Fans of Natalie Lloyd's magical books or of this author's Unboxing Libby might enjoy this, but it was much too quirky for my students. It reminded me of Van Otterloo's Cattywampus, which I bought, but which hasn't circulated at all. The names were very odd, so this might do better with younger readers. 

Cornwell, C.M. The Memory Spinner

August 12, 2025 by Delacorte Press

ARC provided by Follett First Look

Lavendar's father is an apothecary in Hattertown, and when she turned 13, she became his apprentice. After the death of her mother, however, she experienced so much brain fog that she consulted a seller of used magical clothing on Lacrymose Lane and bought an ugly hat that was supposed to make her sharper. When she still can't remember things, she returns the hat, only to find that the enchantress who made it no longer produces magical clothing. Undaunted, she goes in search of the enchantress, and finds Frey on Boggs Hill. She makes a deal that she will act as a bicycle messenger for Frey in return for a custom garment that will help her with her memories. Lavendar is especially worried that she will forget her mother, because her father refuses to talk about her. Frey starts back up with her production of magical garments, but Lavendar begins to suspect that there is a dark side to the enchantress that may imperil everyone in the town.

This has a standard medievalish/1800s setting, with bakers, cobblers, and apothecaries, so the bicycle and modern language through me a bit. Fantasy fans will be okay with that, and middle grade readers may also enjoy that this gets a bit dark. I personally didn't care for this because of the way that it dealt with Lavendar's grieving for her dead mother, and the idea that her memory loss was because of her father not discussing her mother with her. If this is really set in an older time, people would have been expecting death and able to deal with it much more.

If I thought my students wanted fantasies like this, I would purchase it, but there are even fewer fantasy readers than there were last year. The few requests I have had have been for happy magical realism. Fans of Haydu's Eventown or Destephano's The Girl with the Ghost Machine may like this one.

Murray, Struan. Dragonborn

October 14, 2025 by Dutton Books for Young Readers

ARC provided by Follett First Look

Alex Evans is living with her mother, who has become overprotective since Alex's father died. Alex is struggling to hold it together, and thinks that if she does everything she's told, she'll be able to manage... but she's not. After some primal screaming in the forest near her house, she meets a strange man names Oliphos who invites several people from the area to Alex's house for dinner. When the mother gets home, she is angry and kicks everyone out. She says the stranger is dangerous, but when secrets are revealed, she allows Alex to go to Skralla with Oliphos, where she meets Dr. Archibald Puppinsworth, and is enrolled in a school with other Drakes, dragon children who have taken on human form in order to survive. Alex learns to fight and well as other helpful dragon skills, and helps to fight Azzar, a dragon also named Red Death, who might be responsible for her father's accident, as well as Drak Midna, who had her father killed. In the end, which side will Alex be on?

This was a really, really sad and fraught fantasy novel. There are several standard fantasy tropes at play, with both a school and forces of evil that need to be fought. This definitely feels like the first book in a series. Since I haven't even had students reading Harry Potter this year, I will pass on purchase, although libraries where Streadman's Skandar series or Messenger's The Keeper of Lost Cities books are popular will want to take a look at this dark middle grade fantasy. 

MMGM- The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli and Greeking Out

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Glaser, Karina Yan. The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli

September 16, 2025 by Allida

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In alternating timelines, we get two stories; that of Han Yu's journey from Chang'An to Tianshui in 731 when his merchant father is unable to make a delivery because of a widespread contagious respiratory infection, and Luli Lee who is living in New York City with her parents, who run a restaurant and apartment building where her best friend Sam's father has the Silk Road Gift Shop.

Han Yu feels that his only skill is making steamed dumplings, but when the chance presents itself, he undertakes a treacherous journey to secure his family's finances. He buys an abused camel, Lotus, and is also accompanied by a stray dog, Lok. After being scammed out of some of his money, he runs into Du Fu, who helps him after his cart cracks. Han Yu has a reputation as a Tiger Boy, because he seems to be able to communicate with animals. When he finally delivers the goods and gets paid, he buys a small quantity of silk to take back home. He tries to locate healing grasses to take back to his family, and is eventually successful. Du Fu, who writes many beautiful poems, decorates the silks that Han Yu has with his work. 

Luli's family is in danger of losing their livlihood because of the Great Depression. No one is eating out, or buying things at the gift shop. The mother goes to work sewing garments, and the restaurant is eventually closed down. Luli, who has been attending Catholic school, is appalled that her parents are spending $5 a month to send her, and quits school. She and Sam sell steamed dumplings to try to raise funds, and the mortgage is barely paid each month. While still in school, her class has visited the art museum, where she sees ancient Tang Dynasty scrolls that look a lot like ones her family has. An art dealer looks at them, and criminals target the family. Luli gets a reward for apprehending one of them, which saves the building for another month, and when the silks turn out to be the work of Du Fu, the museum buys them for $6,000, and the Lees are secure in their possession of the building. 

There are sources and notes at the end of the book. I'm not a huge fan of going back and forth in time, but it's interesting to see the connection between Han Yu and Luli. This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Park's A Single Shard, the Compestines' Secrets of the Terra-Cotta Soldier, or Zhang's The Emperor's Riddle. 

Curtis, Kenny Curtis, Hughes, Jillian, and Espila, Javier (illustrator)
Greeking Out Tales from the Underworld: Ghostly Myths from Around the Globe
October 7, 2025 by National Geographic Kids 
Copy provided by the Publisher

There is something appealing about Greek mythology in particular, and interest in this topic seems to peak in middle school, about the time that Ancient Greece and Rome are part of the social studies curriculum. Greeking Out does a great job of luring readers in with familiar stories about characters such as Theseus, Zeus, Odysseus, and Artemis, and interspersing their tales with less familiar ones. Loki from Norse mythology and Isis and Osiris from Egyptian mythology make appearances, as do Sidapa from Philippine traditions, Quetzalcoatl from Aztec stories, and even Gilgamesh, a Mesopotamian character who is vastly underrated.

This is the third book in this National Geographic series that also includes retellings of Greek myths as well as a volume concentrating on heroes and Olympians. This starts with an explanatory notes about why we are drawn to stories of death, and even issues a warning to parents that because of themes and some gruesome details, more sensitive readers might require supervision. Middle school readers are definitely drawn to dark topics, because it makes their own lives seem less horrible. Mythology is often used to explain situations that didn't make sense to ancient people, and death is still a topic that makes little sense to many.

There is a lot of information on each page, and also a lot of illustrations and background pictures. Nationals Geographic has a huge library of quality images, so there are photographs along the Espila's comic style illustrations. There are some sidebars with additional information supporting the text, with definitions, historical context, and explanations of side characters. In between the stories there are some two page spreads about other related topics, like the process of mummification or an article on "Putting the FUN Back in Funeral". This is rather text dense, so more suited to slightly older readers than early elementary ones.

The inclusion of a glossary of terms, world map, and an index is much appreciated.

There are lots of options for mythology books, but this would be at the top of my list, given the vast array of information presented. Add this to your scroll of ancient mythology related titles that includes the Greenbergs' Athena: Goddess of Wisdom and War, Cooke, Fitzpatrick, and Moon's Oh My Gods! graphic novels, Sekaninova's Magical Museum: Ancient Egypt, Marx and Prabhat's Hide and Seek History: Ancient Greece, and Napoli's Tales from the Arabian Nights.

This Way to Happy

Myers, Alison Green. This Way to Happy 
September 23, 2025 by Dutton Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Netgalley

Reilly Rhoades knows how much work her family's amusement park and campground are, especially since her recently deceased grandfather insisted that everything be homemade-- he even whittled the sticks for the candied apples himself! She watches as her grandmother spends hours in the park's apple refreshment stand, and as her mother and Aunt Caroline, along with park manager Barnett, struggle to keep the park afloat. Her cousin Nic is enthusiastic about their work, even stepping in to take the grandfather's place on the first opening day without him. When the grandmother collapses on the first day and needs a heart bypass, the aunt announces that they are closing because of rain, angering a lot of people. After a fight with Reilly's mother, Caroline takes Nic and leaves. As the rest of family rallies in order to keep the park running, Reilly runs into a boy her age from the campground, Alex, who is very enthusiastic and wants to help. He's struggling with living with his stepfather, mother, and baby half sister in a travel trailer, and pining for his father, who lives close by. Alex has few filters, and his incisive questions force Reilly to face some of the issues she has dealing with her grandfather's death. He had wanted to install a ski lift to transport campers to the park because the creek that needed to be crossed between the two properties is slippery, but the cost would have been difficult. Alex and Reilly find a way to build a bridge, even involving Alex's father, who works at a nearby lumber yard. The park survives, even though Grandma Jean's recovery will be long, and she doesn't want to come back to work, since she is enjoying her life of ease and socialization at the senior facility. Will Reilly be able to accept this new normal? 

Strengths: Family dynamics can be very fraught, and while Reilly and Nic are the best of friends, their mothers are not. The concept of a "camp friend" for kids who live in amusement parks is interesting, as is Nic and Reilly's "job" of testing the rides each morning. The author notes that this is based on some personal experiences, which is evidenced by details like a diaper pitchfork in the pool of balls! Grandma Jean was my favorite, and I think she is justified in retiring, especially since the park was her husband's dream and not hers. 

Weaknesses: A family run amusement park that has been in operation for 53 years is certainly going to face a lot of problems, but it would be nice if there were more happy amusement park details, like the ones in DeVillers' Meet Me at Wonderland. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed the sadder amusement park books like Jortner's 2023 101 Days of Lying About Lauren or Kear's 2020  Forever Land. 

Goalkeeper

Bloor, Edward. Goalkeeper (Tangerine #2)

October 14, 2025 by Clarion Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this sequel to the 1997 book Tangerine, we catch up with Paul Fisher in Florida. His brother, Erik, is under house arrest after a robbery that left a young man dead, even though the cause of death was listed as a brain aneurysm. Paul was expelledd from Tangerine Middle School, where he was on the soccer team, and is currently enrolled at St. Anthony's, because the expulsion covers every school in the county. He makes friends with Jeffrey Kaplan when he protects the younger boy from being bullied, and spends time hanging out with him. He also goes to the eye doctor for new glasses, and his eyesight has recuperated enough (from Erik having thrown paint in his face when he was five) that he no longer has very thick glasses. Paul's grandparents visit from Ohio to tell the family that the grandfather has stage four lung cancer and is planning his funeral and burial in Florida. There are new neighbors, the McCarthy's, who are opening up a franchise of a sub shop. The father asks Mr. Fisher for help establishing contacts, but Paul is very concerned about the children, Connor and Caitlin, who seem to have criminal leanings. Caitlin often asks Paul for "protection", but Connor has stolen money from Erik. When Tropical Storm Ann hits the area, Erik and his accomplice Arthur threaten to beat Paul and damage his new glasses, but Jeffrey (who has been studying martial arts) saves Paul from being beaten. Erik and Arthur run off, and the Fishers wash their hands of him. The McCarthy's have the opening of their shop, but there is no food, and Connor claims that he has been robbed when he was closing up. One of Paul's teammates from Tangerine, Luka Guzman, is seen running away from the shop, and arrested for the theft. The Fishers get a call that Erik has been arrested in Houston, and go to see him. Meanwhile, Paul realizes that the McCarthy's has staged the theft and framed Luka, so Paul tells the police that he lied about seeing Luka, and spends the night in jail. He gets help from Jeffrey's mother, who is a youth lawyer. In the end, the McCarthy's leave town, Erik and Arthur go to jail, and Paul goes back to Tangerine Middle School to play soccer. 

Strengths: At one point in time, Tangerine was a popular title that was used as a class novel, and which won a number of awards. It was quirky and innovative, and beloved by soccer fans. The storyline with Erik's legal trouble, and his mistreatment of Paul, is something that is unusual for middle grade. The McCarthy's scams that fleece so many people in the neighborhood are vaguely reminiscent of Korman's Faker. The story moves fairly quickly, and the book is not very long. Paul is an engaging characters, and I was glad that his eyesight had improved. 
Weaknesses: It was hard to tell when this book was set. The cars mentioned were older (the Buick LeSabre hasn't been produced since 2005), the father mentions have a high lottery number for Vietnam, and there are other things that make this seem like an older title. The writing style reminded me of Robert Cormier for no specific reason that I can describe. The Home Owners Association gets a lot more mentions than one would expect for a middle grade book. There is no soccer played. 
What I really think: I am always curious as to why publishers come release sequels years after books are published; Holt's 1999 When Zachary Beaver Came to town was followed by the 2021 Ambassador of Nowhere, Texas, and Schmidt's 2007 The Wednesday War was followed by the 2021 Just Like That. I weeded Tangerine years ago, after the teacher who loved it retired, in part because the cover art was very much in the style of the 1990s. I won't be purchasing this new title. 

Poetry Friday- Lilac and the Switchback

Jensen, Cordelia. Lilac and the Switchback
August 19, 2025 by Holiday House

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
 

In this novel in verse, we meet Lilac Ethel Jones, who has been living with her Uncle Mack, Aunt Truly, and cousin Charla after her mother's death in a car accident when she was six. Life is pretty good; her uncle is a nurse, her aunt works at Wrap N Rolz and treats her and Charla to an evening at the shop every Friday, and she has her best friend, Callie. When a letter arrives from England and she finds that her long absent father, Simon, has sent a check for her upkeep, Lilac starts to question why she hasn't been in contact with him. She's even more motivated to hear from him when Truly announces that she is pregnant with twins. This causes some money worries, and Lilac starts to wonder if her family really wants her around. Things are a little rocky in seventh grade, as Callie takes French and starts to hand out with Charla more. Since Charla is a moody teen who seems to resent Lilac's presence in her life, this is disconcerting. Lilac has a math partner, Eli, who shares her father's Jewish heritage, and she investigates this part of her background. She also gets involved in a hiking group at school (hence the title) that is working on cleaning up a path in the forest. When the 7th and 8th grade make plans to take a field trip to Philadelphia, Lilac brings up the zoo, where her mother worked. When that is added as a destination, she asks Simon, who has been e mailing her, to meet her there. She even sends him money for the plane ticket, and he agrees to fly over. As tensions escalate in her household, Lilac yells at Truly for keeping things from her, and spends the night with her new friend Hyacinth and her grandmother before the trip. When Simon doesn't show up, she is devastated, but there's a bigger problem; Truly's pre eclampsia has sent her into premature labor, and the family gathers at the hospital for the birth of the twins. Will Lilac be able to make peace with her past, and feel comfortable in her family, once she knows more about her life? 

Strengths: Lilac's family struggles a bit, but manages to make do. Her classmates also have some challenges; Hyacinth lives with her grandmother because her mother can't take care of her, and her brothers live with her father. There are any manner of surprises that can hit families, and Truly's high risk pregnancy is realistically portrayed. The friend drama is always a good inclusion in a middle grade, and having Lilac's best friend take up with her cousin was a nice twist. It was also good to see that Charla was actually fairly nice. The absent father was well explained after Lilac spent the book being a bit angry about her situation because she hadn't been given all the details. 

Weaknesses: February seems like an odd time of year to plan an outside field trip with middle school students in Pennsylvania. The odds of unpleasant weather seem unnecessarily high. 

What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who are interested in stories about grief and alternative families like Carr's Lost Kites and Other Treasures, Fusco's The Secret of Honeycake, or Watson's All the Blues in the Sky

The Golden Necklace: A Darjeeling Tea Mystery and Blackout

Perkins, Mitali. The Golden Necklace: A Darjeeling Tea Mystery

October 7, 2025 by Charlesbridge

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Sona, a Nepali girl, lives in the mountains near Darjeeling, India. Her father has passed away, and her mother picks tea for the greedy owner of a plantation, Banerji, to support Sona and her troublesome older brother, Samiran. Samiran has taken out loans to set up a food stand, since he is a good cook, but got into trouble. No one will buy from him, and he's finding it hard to get work to repay the loan. Sona is studying for exams so that she can further her education at the Darjeeling International School on a scholarship. Sona occasionally lurks outside the windows of Banerji's house to hear his son being tutored by Sir, and has made friends with Banerji's orphaned Bengali niece, Tara. Tara is older, but enjoys Sona's company. She confides in Sona that her Uncle is arranging a marriage for her, and using the gold jewelry her parents left her as her dowery. While Sona feels that arranged marriages can be good, she wants her friend to be able to make her own choices. When the gold goes missing, Sona works behind the scenes to try to find it for her friend. Her life is hard enough, since she must go every day to a broken pipe to get water, and Banerji is giving the workers a hard time. Getting involved with the local police, and having to sneak around town looking for clues is a tremendous challenge. When the head tea picker, Kaki, is accused of stealing, Sona knows that she must find a way to clear her name. 

Strengths: I'm an enormous fan of Perkins' work, since it often sheds light on the conditions of everyday life in other countries. (Tiger Boy , Bamboo People, and Rickshaw Girl.) My students often complain about "having" to go to school, and don't seem to understand how fortunate they are. Seeing Sona work so hard on her studies in order to have the opportunity to get more education is something that is helpful for my students to see, as is her hard work at getting water and caring for her family. The class differences between Sona and Tara are shown, but  it's good to see that they are still friends. The mystery is rather light, so the book is a quick read. There's a very satisfying ending, with Banerji getting his comeupance and a lot of improvements being made to the community that will benefit Sona and her family. 
Weaknesses: It would be helpful to have some more information about the different ethnic groups and why they are in India. We have a small population of Nepali students at my school, but many of my students won't understand why Sona and her family are in India, since they don't keep up with the US news, much less what is going on in other countries. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for Readers who enjoyed Saeed's Amal Unbound or Butterworth's Running on the Roof of the World, and had some similarities to Menon's A Mystery at Lili Villa.  Upper elementary students, as well as middle school students who want an interesting, shorter book, will enjoy this slice-of-life mystery. 

Gibb, Stuart. Blackout (Spy School #13)
October 7, 2025 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ben still just wants a little bit of a time out after having had over 150 near death experiences, so he's glad to be heading to the home of Orion, a hacker who has invited them to stay at one of his many homes, this one in Indonesia. Alexander Hale is flying there on one of Rufus Shang's jets, that he won't need because the group has put him in jail. Everyone is along for the ride- Cyrus and Mary, Alexander (although Catherine is elsewhere), Erica, Trixie, Mike, and Svetlana. When a hacker deploys a "Birthday Cake" maneuver, all of the lights are out, and the jet has to land in a less than optimal way. The group narrowly manages to get to Orion's, where there are back up generators, but Cathering wants them to help solve the problem of who is messing with the world power. What do they want? Unfortunately for Ben, he has to press pause on his idyllic vacation since the group is near the hacker. Cue up near death experiences 160-175 as Ben and his classmates have to save the world YET AGAIN. 

I snorted audibly several times while reading this, and is was a very fun romp. I always enjoys these, and I do buy them for my school library, but we are getting to the point in the series where students aren't necessarily going to be able to finish the entire series in their three years in middle school. Gibbs is a fantastic writer, but I'd love to see him move away from Spy School and Fun Jungle to do some stand alone mysteries so that my students who don't want to commit to 14 books can experience Gibbs' talents. 

Still want a button from SimonKids proclaiming that I have read all of these books! 

1. Spy School

2. Spy Camp

3. Evil Spy School

4. Ski Spy School

5. Spy School Secret Service

6. Spy School Goes South

7. Spy School: British Invasion

8. Spy School Revolution 

9- Spy School at Sea

10- Spy School X

11- Spy School Goes North 

12- Spy School Goes Wild

A Method for Magic and Misfortune

Farmer, Craig Kofi. A Method for Magic and Misfortune

September 9, 2025 by Roaring Brook Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus 

Marcus Pennrider and his younger sister Arianna are living with their Aunt Donna after being removed from their abusive father's custody. This was made possible by Mr. O., who runs the Orisha Corner Store in their close knit Grand Park neighborhood. Mr. O. kept records of injuries incurred by the children, and reported the father to child protective services. Marcus is keenly aware of his aunt's sacrifices in taking care of him, and tries to help out around the house and volunteers at Brian's Sole Food restaurant as a delivery boy, helping the community get Brian's food, which is all priced at $1 per dish. When Marcus draws some magical symbols, they come to life and wreck the apartment while his aunt is out working her second job. He asks Mr. O. about it, and Mr. O. informs him that the two share Divinator powers. Mr. O. and his apprentice, Jade, clean up the apartment, and give Marcus Circe's Cast book, which proves to be a big distraction at school. When Marcus forgets to pick up Arianna and doesn't show up for work at Brian's so he can attend training sessions with Mr. O., his aunt grounds him. Mr. O. claims that Marcus' aunt doesn't want to have him around, so Marcus stays with Mr. O. and Jade to make sure that his Divinator powers are properly trained, but when it turns out that the aunt is looking for him, Mr. O. whisks him away to a Divinator conference. Everyone seems to not quite trust Mr. O., and Marcus is warned repeatedly about this fact, but still stays with his mentor. When Mr. O. hits him, however, he has a heart to heart with Jade. Is being trained by Mr. O. the best way to control his powers and help his community?
Strengths: Books about tweens discovering magical powers are always a big hit, and the details about how these powers are trained are essential to readers' enjoyment. Grand Park is a fascinating community, and the background about Marcus' magic is developed well. I loved the Sole Food restaurant! It's great that Marcus has a good relationship with his younger sister and normally takes good care of her; I wish we would see more of this in middle grade literature. Mr. O. saved Marcus from an abusive father, so it makes sense that he trusts the older man even when everyone around him says not to. It was good to see that once physical abuse started, he was willing to walk away, even though it meant leaving Jade.
Weaknesses: I didn't like this one personally, since I could tell right away that something was deeply creepy about Mr. O., and that he was essentially grooming Marcus. The fact that Marcus couldn't see that is no doubt a completely accurate portrayal of a tween who has escaped abuse, but troubled me the whole time I was reading. Younger readers will not necessarily feel this way.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Farmer's Kwame Crashes the Underworld or other books that involve tweens finding out they have magical powers like Dumas' Wildseed Witch or Leathley's Meticulous Jones and the Skull Tattoo (Inkbound #1).

The Final Whatever After and Speculative Fiction Round Up

Mlynowshi, Sarah. Mirror, Mirror (Whatever After #17)
October 7, 2025 by Scholastic Press
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

When Abby and Jonah's parents break the news that the family might have to move back to Naperville after barely a year in Smithville, Abby is devastated. Not only would she miss her new friends Frankie, Robin, and Penny, but leaving their current home would mean leaving the enchanted mirror that housed Maryrose. Desperate to find out their fate, the two call on their favorite fairy and are swiftly whisked away to a fairy tale world, still in their pajamas! Things look a bit familiar, and when they meet some of Snow White's dwarves, they realize they are back in Zamel. Snow and Prince Trevor's wedding is in a few days, so Snow thinks they have come for that, but in reality, Maryrose has asked them to help Gabrielle, another fairy trapped in a mirror, this time by her twin, the evil Gluck, who is currently trapped in the story of Peter Pan. Doing their research, Abby and Jonah discover that they have the best chance of freeing Gabrielle if they can assemble eleven fairies from their previous journeys. While they are inviting these fairies to the wedding, the realize that Prince Trevor is acting very oddly. This is just part of an enormous magical problem they have to solve with the help from characters from their past. Will they be able to free Gabrielle and figure out a way to continue their adventures even if their parents move them back to Naperville?

This was a fantastic final volume in the Whatever After series, which was first published in 2012. Mlynowski manages to tie together both the siblings' magical and realistic journeys, and to reconnect them with pivotal allies from the past. The parallel construction of Maryrose and Gabrielle's entrapment is clever, and there is a bit of a dark turn where Abby finds herself trapped in the mirror! Prince the dog is a steadfast character, and he gets to stay with the children, which was a huge relief. 

The magical elements align nicely, and there are some explantions that are helpful if one has followed the entire series. Revisiting the Snow White tale and having Abby and Jonah help with the wedding is a nice touch, as was having their grandmother's fairy tale book feature them in all of the updated stories. 

There isn't as much attention paid to Abby's friends in Smithville, but that's understandable since there are so many threads to be woven together to end this tale. It was heartening to see that not only will the children be closer to their Nana, who has stayed in Naperville, but to watch as they start off on a new adventure with her at the end of the book. 

While I am not normally a fan of series that last twenty books (including super special editions), each book is rather short, and the stories move quickly. Fans of Baker's The Wide Awake Princess series, Zahler's fairy tale retellings, or Colfer's Land of Stories books will enjoy Abby and Jonah's fractured fairy tale adventures, and revel in this all inclusive finale. 

 

Stead, Rebecca. The Experiment

September 16, 2025 by Feiwel & Friends

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Nathan from New York has always know that he and his mother and father are Kast, who are living on Earth as an experiment. While his father is an accountant, his mother studies HIM, weighing his food, making sure he brushes with pink toothpaste, and spending twenty minutes a day collecting data about everything he's done. It's been hard hiding this from his best friend, Victor, but when the family has to report back to Hester at the Wagon, the Kast headquarters, he finally comes clean. For some reason, Nathan has grown a tail, which is a first for the Kast community. At first, Nathan thinks he's in trouble, especially since other Kast kids his age have stopped showing up at the monthly video chat. He especially misses Izzy, whom he had once met, and who sent him a cell phone with which the two could communicate. He suspects she is at the Wagon, and when the family arrives at the U-STORIT center behind a mall in Pennsylvania that masquerades as the Kast facility, he does find her. She is living in horrible conditions, and Nathan would like to help, but after Hester evaluates him and sends him home, there's not much he can do. Reconnecting with Victor, the two decide to travel back to Pennsylvania and try to rescue Izzy. Once back, Nathan leaves Victor at the mall and is plunged into a vast history of secrets about who the Kast are and are NOT, and must struggle to reconfigure his world view. (I don't want to spoil the twists!)

Strengths: The idea of being a space alien and living on Earth will speak to MANY middle grade readers, who have a faint idea in the back of their mind that perhaps this is why their life is difficult! I loved the close relationship between Nathan and Victor, and the way that they bonded over Calvin and Hobbes and made sure to contact each other even when they weren't supposed to. The parents were also interesting, and their back story of being raised at the Wagon was really intriguing. The mother's attention to detail was explained nicely when it was revealed that she had wanted to go to college and become a scientist, but was denied the opportunity. Nathan's friendship with Izzy was also fantastic, especially the tiny bit of romance that didn't quite work out. Of course tweens are going to have these feelings even when they think they are going to have to return to their home planet! There were plenty of interesting details about the Wagon, and the other residents, to give this a science fiction feel, but there was a bit of suspense about whether or not the Kast really existed, which was fun. 
Weaknesses: I really loved the beginning of this, with the details of being aliens living on Earth, but the plot took a turn that seemed odd. On the plus side, it was definitely new and innovative, but took the book in a completely different, somewhat goofy, direction. 
What I really think: Stead has had a steady stream of books since her 2009 Newbery Winner When You Reach Me, but this might be my favorite so far. It's a good choice for readers who liked science fiction like Holm's Lion of Mars, van Eekhout's Weird Kid, or Schaefer's A Long Way From Home. 

I think I was expecting something more like Waugh's Space Race which was a HUGE favorite back in the day. 

Waugh, Sylvia. Space Race
August 8, 2000 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Library copy

From the publisher:

Every night before going to sleep, 11-year-old Thomas Derwent says to his father, "Nallytan, Vateelin mesht." It's the one thing he remembers from the language of The Other Place, and Thomas has never thought much about it. Until now. Now, because his father has told him that they're leaving. Not just the small town in England where they live, but Earth. They're returning to The Other Place, the planet of Ormingat, from which they came five years before. It was so long ago, though, that Thomas can't remember anything about his life there. All he knows is his life on Earth, and he can't imagine leaving the places and people he loves so much. But the only other option is to stay behind. Alone.

Baskin, Nora Raleigh and Mass, Wendy. The Planet, the Portal, and a Pizza
October 7, 2025 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Piper lives in Rockdale with her parents, who make clocks and often have explosive experiments with them. She has a robotic dog, Roody, who is often left in charge of keeping her safe. She has a friend, Sofia, who is in her class at school. Raisa lives in the future, and her mother is working on a device to travel through the multiverse. It doesn't look at will work, so she and her friend Lev take her mother's scientific notebooks and try to use the device. It works, and they end up in an alternate version of Rockdale where someone else is living in Raisa's house, but there are some constants, like the kids favorite pizza restaurant, Toozy Patza. Piper notices that her parents are getting odder and odder, and they eventually go missing. In both timelines, the children consult the brown leather bound book, but not everyone can see the writing in it. Raisa and Lev lose the book, so can't get back to their own time, but luckily run into Raisa's mother, who is not her mother, but who helps take care of the children. The multiverse is a complicated place, and the kids have to figure out a lot of different things in order to keep their universes intact. 

This had a bit of a Willow Falls vibe to it, so I can definitely see Mass' influence in the title, but fantasy is not something that Baskin normally writes. There seems to be a resurgence in middle grade science fiction that deals with alternate realities; Stead's The Experiment, Haddix's The Moonleapers, and Schaefer's A Long Way From Home all have a similar feel. They are rather realistic, and have some themes of friendship and identity, but also include fantasy elements that have a scientific flavor. Holm's upcoming Outside looks to have some of these elements. 

Reintgen, Scott. The Rise of Neptune (The Dragonships #2)

October 7, 2025 by Aladdin

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

I loved the first book, The Last Dragon of Mars, and it's done really well in my library, so I will definitely purchase this one. But it's an object lesson in why it is so important to get children the right book at the right time. 

Having just finished one 8th grade language arts project, I was all set to do another. Since I read books in the order they are published, I started reading The Rise of Neptune with the assignment packet next to me, taking notes. Lunar is now a leader of some sort (I never remember the endings of books, so forgot exactly what he was; something with the dragon Dread, aka Ares, aka the planet Mars being linked to him?), and so takes charge when Earth people arrive on his planet. But then Neptune starts sending ships, and when they don't respond to the Martian communications, Lunar has them blown up. But wait! It's really a way for the Neptune forces to create a net out of the space debris and surround Mars! Okay, cool. But then one of the moons of Neptune, a shape shifting dragon, Proteus, is discovered to have come to live in the house Lunar grew up in, and his sister, Nereid, is loyal to Neptune. Then, I just got confused and started to be more interested in cleaning the house and doing laundry than reading the book, and I knew it would make a disastrous project. It's also 432 pages, and if I had committed to doing the project on this book as a student, I might have just given up, grade or no grade. 

I'm still trying to decide what book to use; it's looking like Avi's January 2026 The Road from Nowhere. Still, I'm having trouble restarting. So many students just pick completely random books, and when they have to spend a month reading the books, it's no wonder when they DO give up. 

When the class visits this week, the teacher wants me to share this story with them. The Rise of Neptune is a great book. It just wasn't the best book for me at this time. I'm still not understanding how the dragons are planets. Here's the publisher description:

Lunar Jones and the Dread Knights have brought hope to Mars. Between Dread’s power and a newly formed alliance with Earth, the once-dying planet is headed for prosperity at last. The only shadow is the one cast by Dav Robinson’s warning: Neptune is coming.

As predicted, Neptune’s ships arrive in Martian space—and they’re not interested in talking. The ships launch an immediate attack. Lunar was prepared for hostilities, but the way the attack happens is unexpected. Neptune’s dragons seem divided, and its ships, while countless in number, are almost too easy to defeat. It’s clear there’s more to Neptune’s story than meets the eye, and Lunar and his Dread Knights must figure out the mystery behind their looming foe quickly…before those secrets doom Mars for good.

MMGM- Let's Get Together

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Colbert, Brandy. Let’s Get Together
September 9, 2025 by Clarion Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This reimagining of the classic 1961 The Parent Trap movie, based on the 1949 German book by Erich Kästner, Das Doppelte Lottchen, starts with an important note by Colbert. She loved the movie growing up, but was bothered by the fact that the twins were split up. I recently read the Pushkin Press rerelease of Kastner’s title, and thought the same thing. It’s an interesting story, but how can it be made relevant to today’s young readers? This is how.

Kenya Norwood has been going to Biddy Mason Community School for her entire school career. She lives with her father, Wes, and her grandmother, Cookie. She has two good friends, Imani, who is Black like Kenya, and Willa, who is white. Her mother abandoned the family when Kenya was very young, and no one ever talks about her. Liberty has quite a different life. She is starting her tenth new school because she has been in the foster care system since she was an infant, and knows practically nothing about her parents. She has a really good foster mother now, Joey, who is supportive and fun. When Liberty starts at Biddy Mason, she is mistaken for another girl. Kenya also is confused, and when the two finally meet, they realize they share the same umber skin, dimpled chin, and unusual hazel eyes. Kenya is not happy with the interloping doppelganger, especially when her crush, Cameron, seems to be unable to tell the two apart… or is he more interested in Liberty? Cherry-Anne comes to Kenya’s aid and befriends her, but also asks her insensitive questions about being in foster care. When both girls end up in the outdoor explorers’ club (with Cameron!), the rivalry intensifies, and comes to a crisis at the school dance. After a fight, both girls’ parents are called in, and the truth emerges: Liberty likely IS Kenya’s twin, who was taken by their mother. She struggled with drug addiction, and even though the father and grandmother tried very hard to find the two, the mother did not want to be found, and eventually passed away. After a paternity test, Wes is revealed as the father, which puts Liberty in an awkward position. She wants to be with her father, but Joey was set to adopt her, and she really loves Joey as well. It doesn’t take long for Liberty and Kenya to hatch a plan to get their parents together so that everyone can be one happy family. This involves canceling a Thanksgiving dinner order so that Kenya’s family has to meet Joey’s parents, and a camping trip that goes fairly smoothly. There are still some problems, like Liberty’s anxiety over the whole situation that results in a panic attack at a haunted house. This ends on a happy but realistically inconclusive note; Wes and Joey get along well, but are still not a couple by the end of the book.
Strengths: This was exactly what I wanted in a retelling of Kastner’s tale! It has a great setting (I really want to go to Pasadena and visit Bungalow Heaven now!), supportive adults, and a plausible reason for the twins to have been separated that is realistic and not mean. Kenya’s reaction to Liberty is understandable, as is Liberty’s desire to be with both Wes and Joey. The inclusion of Cameron, Kenya’s crush, gives this another fun level of drama for tweens. The issue of drug addiction, and its effect on the family, is explained well, and even addresses the fact that the father had a brief problem as well. There is a touching scene where Cookie takes both girls to the house where they all lived together. Some local history is included as well, with Biddy Mason, a formerly enslaved woman who owned property in the area.
Weaknesses: It seemed a little unrealistic that Kenya’s father and grandmother wouldn’t have told her about her mother, considering how many children are being raised by one parent or by grandparents these days, but every family is different, and the plot does revolve around this secrecy!
What I really think: I really enjoyed this one, and it was a relief to read something that was generally upbeat even though it had children with serious issues. I will definitely purchase this one for my library, and see it being popular with readers who like books about twins like Meyer and Levy’s Let It Glow, Johnson and Wright’s Twins, Kim’s On Thin Ice, Benway’s The Girls of Skylark Lane ,or DeVillers and Roy’s (who are twins!) 2010 Trading Faces. 

Kastner, Erich. The Parent Trap

Originally Das Doppelte Lottchen, 1949

Reissued by Pushkin Children's books, 9/25/25

While the premise of this book (twins separated and not aware of each other's existence, one living with the mother, one living with the father) is certainly intriguing enough to be made into a movie twice, the style of writing belongs to a long gone era and doesn't hold up very well. There's a lot of meanness, layered with a lot of sickly sweet talking to the reader that is just no longer in style. The fact that the girls got their parents back together seemed very unlikely, especially since we aren't really given a good explanation for why they split up in the first place. I did like the fact that the mother had a career, and this was an interesting look at post war Germany. The illustrations are definitely a plus as well.

I'm glad I read this, but can't imagine handing it to a middle school or elementary school reader. Would this be an interesting book to rewrite with modern sensibilities? Perhaps. I think the Hayley Mills movie version is probably the best middle ground for this plot. Have to love the original cover! 

A bit uninspired this  month. Finishing up January titles; some of the February releases look promising. 

Sweet, Tart

Thom, Kara. Sweet, Tart

September 30, 2025 by Candlewick

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Halle is struggling at the beginning of 6th grade. Not only have her two best friends, Norah and Ava, spent more time together because they live near each other, but she witnessed the death of a horse when her family attended their first ever race near their Minnesota home. Since they live out in the country, Halle is interested to find out that the horse, Carver d'Esprit, came from the Oak Creek Stables nearby. She visits the farm and meets the owner, Gale Gunnar, and strikes up an awkward conversation with her about the horse. Gale is also deeply affected by the death, and tells Halle that Carver had a best friend, Rocky, who is not doing well. The other horse loved to play soccer with Carver, so Halle sets out to win Rocky's trust to try to help him. Halle's parents don't understand, and her older sister Brenna is downright mean about everything. There is some comfort in writing in her language arts journal for Mrs. Delgado, who responds with supportive comments. Halle is so busy with swimming and working at Oak Creek that she is surprised that her older dog, Vern, is not doing well. When Brenna gets a concussion playing soccer, this adds another level of difficulty for the family. Combined with the fact that Gale is planning on selling the farm, Halle becomes more and more depressed. She works with Petra, who is helping out with the horses while Gale is visiting her grandchildren in California, to try to find a buyer for the farm so that it is not sold to developers who want to put 140 homes on the site. Being separated from Rocky would be devastating to Halle, who struggles when the family has to put Vern to sleep. There is some light at the end of the tunnel when Oak Creek is sold to a veterinary practice that will board horses and have equine therapy, and Halle learns that Rocky will be staying.
Strengths: I was not aware of the fact that SweeTarts had words printed on them (or the fact that horses would like them as a treat), and this was used to good effect throughout the story, and in the clever title. Language arts teachers will love the inclusion of the creative writing journal, as well as Halle's poetry. The friend drama with Norah and Ava will appeal to middle grade readers, and it was good to have the girls involved in different activities (even Girls on the Run!). There is always a solid fan base for books about horses, and the cover is great. There is a note at the end about real life events that inspired this story. This is a lyrical, heart print book that will be popular with many teachers and librarians.
Weaknesses: Halle is weirdly obsessed with her Apple Watch, just one of many small details that makes this book a bit long, at 352 pages. Vern's death occurs on page, and I wish that Mrs. Delgado had referred Halle to the school counselor for her obvious difficulty in processing trauma. There is a sonnet that has lines that are not in iambic pentameter; most of the poetry is free verse, so most people won't notice.
What I really think: If Mendez's The Trouble With Sunshine or Haas's The Hungry Place are not sad enough for your readers, this might be a good choice.  

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Home Sea Home

Chanani, Nidhi. Home Sea Home (Super Boba Café #2)
September 23, 2025 by Abrams Fanfare
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ever since she visited her Nainai in San Francisco for the summer in Super Boba Cafe and found out about her grandmother's secret job, Aria has been having nightmares. Not only that, but she has developed the ability to control water! Her parents don't believe her, so won't let her travel the 300 miles from Burbank to spend time with Nainai, but when she calls her grandmother, Nainai is able to make her parents see reason, and Aria is soon back in San Francisco. The two go to visit Rano, the monster living under the city to whom Nainai feeds boba, and find that the nightmares do have a tie to him. Rano was in thrall to a sea captain who made him damage ships, and in order to stop this activity, Rano hid himself under the city. He caused earthquakes because he was hungry, and boba is the only thing that satisfies his appetite other than prairie dogs! Now, he longs to go back to the sea, and hopes that Aria and her new powers can help him. Nainai and Aria come up with a plan to encase Rano in a water bubble and travel through the sewer system out to the bay so he can go home. This works fairly well until they are almost hit by a train! Aria's powers wane, and she needs more boba, but neither she nor Nainai can leave. Jay, whom the grandmother has employed in her cafe, managed to follow Hoshi, the prarie dog, whom Aria sends back home wrapped in a scarf that Jay has crocheted for her. He brings boba, but some of it is spilled onto the sewer floor. Nainai saves Aria from having to eat it, and uses her powers to help Rano out to sea. It's an exhausting process, but Nainai is glad that after 40 years of middle of the night trips to feed Rano, she is now free. Or is she? As Aria and her grandmother are relaxing, two mysterious people show up at their door, asking for help. 

Strengths: Aria and her grandmother have such a great time together, eating San Francisco delicacies, making boba, and dealing with supernatural monsters! Jay is a fun character, and I'm glad he was finally let in on their secret. The monsters back story is believable, and it's good to see that they are able to return him to his home, even though they run into some snags. Who knew that boba had so many powers? It's fun to travel around San Francisco, and we get to visit landmarks like the bridge and Chinatown. 
Weaknesses: There was something about the monster that I found weirdly creepy when I felt as if I was supposed to like him a lot more. Something about the eyes? I'm also still confused about the presence of the prairie dogs, but that is completely a "me" thing. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like fantasy graphic novels like 

Yogis and Truong's The Awakening Storm or Nguyen's Anzu and the Realm of Darkness. I bought the first book, so will most likely purchase this as well.