After her mother dies, 12-year-old Lydia goes to live with her aunt Brat, and her aunt's wife Eileen on a farm that they care for while also caring for the ancient owner of the farm, Elloroy. This story about grief and starting over is as soft, comforting, and beautiful as the hand-knitted sweater that Lydia wears constantly to keep her mother close to her. Before she died, Lydia's mom spent several years waiting on a [...]
I'm so excited to interview Leah Henderson about her middle-grade novel, The Magic in Changing Your Stars, a story about a boy named, Ailey Benjamin Lane, who wants to be a star in the school production of The Wiz. But when he messes up the audition, he's ready to give-up dancing altogether. Then his grandfather tells him a secret story about his youth and where he can find his special tap shoes. Ailey puts on the shoes [...]
When Oleg and Emma invent a classmate to trick their substitute teacher and he shows up real, they turn magical forces upside down with hilarious consequences. Oleg and Emma aren’t happy. Emma’s mother is always at work and Oleg’s father won't move off the couch since he lost his job. They miss their best friend who has moved away and worry about being separated when they change schools next [...]
Hilary McKay has written a beautiful story about family and finding magic where you least expect it. When Abi’s father marries Polly, Granny Grace who helped raise Abi after her mother died returns to Jamaica. The newly blended family moves into an ivy-covered house in London that has a spooky vibe and a lantern outside the front door described as “straight out of Narnia.” Abi may want to escape [...]
Spooky middle grade isn't just for Halloween. Neil Gaiman's Coraline meets Stranger Things in this soon to be Fall classic. Every thirteen years, three thirteen-year-olds disappear in the town of Eden Eld. When Eleanor and her new friends discover they are next, they must find a way to break the curse. Soon after Eleanor moves to Eden Eld to live with her uncle and aunt, she starts seeing strange [...]
For readers who love Neil Gaiman's Coraline and mysteries comes a spooky new read just in time for Halloween. Part modern fairy tale, part mystery, all spooky, The Peculiar Peggs of Riddling Woods keeps readers guessing until the very last page. Something odd is going on in the town of Suds. Children are fading to gray and disappearing. When Poppy’s mother dies, she goes to stay with her Gran [...]
As the follow-up to the award winning New Kid, Class Act by author Jerry Craft is another must read. It delivers a powerful message for children (and adults) to absorb, especially in a time where there is a lot of attention being focused on social justice and equality. Craft is able to present the internal and external conversations that capture how different, and yet similar, we all are. Though this is a story focused on [...]
Forced into exile on an enchanted, moving island, ex-princess Noa Marchena has two missions: reclaim her family’s stolen throne and ensure that the dark powers her older brother, Julian, possesses don’t go to his head in the process. But between babysitting her annoying little sister, Mite, and keeping an eye on the cake-loving sea monster that guards the moving island, Noa has her hands full. When the siblings learn that their enemies are searching [...]
For twelve-year-old JJ, an invitation to a free weekend at the famously haunted Barclay Hotel is the best thing that could happen to a ghost hunter, which he is. He pulls the guilt card on his workaholic CEO mom and she agrees to take the weekend off and go. When they arrive, they meet the other guests: a cowboy, an actress, a librarian, and a detective with his granddaughter, Penny. Once all the guests have [...]
Quintessence by Jess Redman Happy Book Birthday to Jess Redman’s Quintessence, a beautiful tale of hope that is equal parts fairy tale and STEM science. Alma suffers from panic attacks. Things have gotten so bad for her she feels like the spark that makes her herself is fading. Moving to the town of Four Points has only made things worse. She struggles to fit in. But then she meets [...]
