Category Archives: Middle Grade 8-12

Review: The Whale’s Song by Rossana Bossù

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The Whale's Song: Discover the Giants of Our Ocean by Rossana Bossu

The Whale’s Song: Discover the Giants of Our Oceans
Rossana Bossù
Post Wave
Published June 24, 2025

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About The Whale’s Song

Whales have fascinated us for centuries—award-winning artist Rossana Bossù brings these giant, awe-inspiring creatures to life.

Dive into the fascinating world of whales. Did you know that, when underwater, the heart of a blue whale can slow down to as little as two beats per minute? Or that a narwhal’s famous unicorn-like horn is actually a long canine tooth? Readers will also discover how … Continue reading →

Review: The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell

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The Poisoned King by Katherine Rundell

The Poisoned King (Impossible Creatures #2)
Katherine Rundell
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published September 11, 2025

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About The Poisoned King

Return to the magic of the Archipelago in the dazzling sequel to the runaway, #1 New York Times bestseller Impossible Creatures, hailed as “an instant classic” (Katherine Applegate, Newbery Medal Winner for The One and Only Ivan)!

Christopher Forrester woke to find a dragon chewing on his face—and his heart leapt for joy! He’d been dreaming of going back to the Archipelago, the secret cluster of islands where all the creatures of myth still live, and … Continue reading →

Review: Three Keys by Kelly Yang

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Three Keys by Kelly Yang

Three Keys (Front Desk #2)
Kelly Yang
Scholastic Press
Published September 15, 2020

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About Three Keys

The story of Mia and her family and friends at the Calivista Motel continues in this powerful, hilarious, and resonant sequel to the award-winning novel Front Desk.Mia Tang thinks she’s going to have the best year ever.She and her parents are the proud owners of the Calivista Motel, Mia gets to run the front desk with her best friend, Lupe, and she’s finally getting somewhere with her writing!

But as it turns out, sixth grade is no picnic…1. Mia’s … Continue reading →

Review: Chernobyl, Life, and Other Disasters by Yevgenia Nayberg

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Chernobyl, Life and Other Disasters by Yevgenia Nayberg

Chernobyl, Life, and Other Disasters
Yevgenia Nayberg
Holiday House
Published April 14, 2026

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About Chernobyl, Life, and Other Disasters

Strong-willed Genya sets her mind to attending art school in 1980s Ukraine, amidst the turmoil of Soviet control, the Cold War, and the unfolding Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Genya—the nickname of the book’s author and story’s protagonist, Yevgenia—knows from age five that she wants to be an artist. When she turns eleven, she’ll apply to the same prestigious art school that her mother attended. But making the cut won’t be easy, especially with the school’s open-secret rule that no more than 1% of the student body can be Jewish.

The … Continue reading →

Review: A Wolf Called Fire by Rosanne Parry

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A Wolf Called Fire by Rosanne Perry

A Wolf Called Fire (A Voice of the Wilderness #4)
Rosanne Parry
SparkPress
Published February 4, 2025

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About A Wolf Called Fire

The stand-alone companion to Rosanne Parry’s New York Times bestseller A Wolf Called Wander tells the wilderness survival story of the wolf pup known as Warm and is illustrated in black and white throughout. This Voice of the Wilderness Novel features extensive back matter, including a map.

Warm is the smallest pup, the one his father calls the heart of the pack. But all Warm sees is his bigger brothers Sharp and Swift, even his sisters Pounce and … Continue reading →

Review: One Word, Six Letters by Adib Khorram

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One Word, Six Letters by Adib Khorram

One Word, Six Letters
Adib Khorram
Henry Holt & Co
Published March 17, 2026

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About One Word, Six Letters

Two teen boys grapple with identity and accountability and set off a ripple effect within their community after a school assembly is disrupted by a shouted slur.

Freshmen Dayton and Farshid couldn’t be more different—or so it seems.

When Dayton takes a dare and shouts the f-slur at a visiting author during a school event, it sets off a chain reaction that forces both boys to face parts of themselves they’d rather ignore.

Dayton, grappling with … Continue reading →