Michael Leali's Matteo is a contemporary spin on Pinocchio and The Giving Tree, but in a less-problematic, overall better way. Eleven year old Matteo just wants to grow a little so he can be a better baseball player. But the leaves, twigs, and bark growing out of his body is not what he had in [...]
Christina Li's Ruby Lost and Found is a thought-provoking middle grade novel that focuses on family, friends, and healing. Ruby has felt lost since her Ye-Ye passed away. She and her grandfather were incredibly close, and she doesn't understand how everyone else has moved on so quickly. With one of her best friends moving away [...]
Good Vibes Only is more than just a patch on Natty's backpack. It's her view on life, and she won't let anyone get her down. Even if Natty's mom left their family and keeps flaking on visiting. And she and her dad moved in with her grandparents. And she's having a hard time connecting with [...]
Angie Thomas's middle grade debut is just as stunning as her bestselling YA novels. Nic Blake knows that being a Remarkable in an Unremarkable world isn't always easy. Every time an Unremarkable sees her dad use the Gift, they have to move. She's never been to a Remarkable city, and her dad won't even teach [...]
*There will be spoilers for Healer of the Water Monster in this review, as Heroes continues the story from Healer* Heroes of the Water Monster is just as breathtakingly beautiful as Healer of the Water Monster. There's a lot of change in the air for Nathan. His mom is moving, and not just moving-- moving [...]
Jasmine Warga's A Rover's Story is a gorgeous combination of science and imagination that takes readers on a unique and engaging journey. Resilience is a Mars rover built to do a certain job a certain way, at least according to the other Mars rover, Journey. But Resilience, or Res, sees the world differently than Journey, [...]
Leslie Connor's Anybody Here Seen Frenchie? is as thought provoking as it is emotional. Aurora is known for being loud and blunt. When a new family moves in next door, Aurora sets off to finally have a friend. When she meets Frenchie and his mom, she learns that Frenchie is as quiet as she is [...]
The Unforgettable Logan Foster is a fast-paced action story full of memorable characters that is sure to be a hit with reluctant readers and bookworms alike. Logan Foster immediately pulls readers in with a great voice from an outright hilarious narrator. Logan Foster has lived in an orphanage for as long as he can remember, [...]
Kristin Dwyer's novel Some Mistakes Were Made is an intricate look at first love, found families, and the struggle of finding your place in the world. Ellis Truman has lived her life bouncing between two separate worlds: the world of her family, and the world of her best friend Easton's family. Easton's brothers are like [...]
A lyrical coming of age story told in a verse, Golden Girl is sure to pull at your heart. Reem Faruqi's middle grade novel follows Aafiyah Qamar, a Pakastani-American seventh grader who loves tennis, her family (even her sometimes annoying baby brother), and reading Weird But True Facts. Sometimes she doesn't feel like she fits in, [...]
Paw Prints in the Sink 