Category Archives: Middle Grade 8-12

Review: Camp Prodigy by Caroline Palmer

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Camp Prodigy by Caroline Palmer

Camp Prodigy
Caroline Palmer
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published June 11, 2024

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About Camp Prodigy

Perfect for fans of Victoria Jamieson and Raina Telgemeier, this heartwarming middle grade graphic novel follows two nonbinary kids who navigate anxiety and identity while having fun and forming friendships at their summer orchestra camp.

After attending an incredible concert, Tate Seong is inspired to become a professional violist. There’s just one they’re the worst musician at their school. Tate doesn’t even have enough confidence to assert themself with their friends or come out as nonbinary to their family, let alone attempt a … Continue reading →

Review: Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea by Pari Thomson

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Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea by Pari Thomson

Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea (Greenwild #2)
Pari Thomson
MacMillan Children’s Books
Published June 4, 2024

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About Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea

Daisy Thistledown’s epic adventure continues in the spellbinding sequel to New York Times bestseller The World Behind the Door by Pari Thomson.

In a land ruled by water, treachery runs deep . . . Daisy Thistledown and the Five O’Clock Club might have defeated a terrifying foe, but their journey to find the missing Botanists is only just beginning.

Desperate to join the long-awaited expedition to the heart of the Amazon, Daisy and … Continue reading →

Review: The City Beyond the Stars by Zohra Nabi

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The City Beyond the Stars by Zohra Nabi

The City Beyond the Stars
Zohra Nabi
Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published May 14, 2024

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About The City Beyond the Stars

The captivating sequel to “perfect for fans of Philip Pullman and Tahereh Mafi” ( Booklist ) The Kingdom Over the Sea follows Yara and her friends as they change the fate of the kingdom and their magic forever.

Yara may have stopped the magical plague spreading its way through her new home, but to do so, she had to leave her mother in the hands of the sinister alchemists.

Now Yara longs to return to … Continue reading →

Review: Code Name Kingfisher by Liz Kessler

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Code Name Kingfisher by Liz Kessler

Code Name Kingfisher
Liz Kessler
Aladdin Books
Published May 7, 2024

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About Code Name Kingfisher

When Liv finds a secret box from her grandmother’s childhood she uncovers an extraordinary war-time story of bravery, betrayal and daring defiance. A story that will change Liv and her family forever…
 
Holland, 1942. The world is at war and as the Nazis’ power grows, Jewish families are in terrible danger. Twelve-year-old Mila and her older sister Hannie are sent to live with a family in another city with new identities and the strict instruction not to tell anyone … Continue reading →

Review: Not If You Break Up With Me First by G. F. Miller

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Not If You Break Up With Me First by G. F. Miller

Not If You Break Up With Me First
G. F. Miller
Aladdin
Published June 4, 2024

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About Not If You Break Up With Me First

Two friends who have unhappily found themselves in an accidental relationship try to drive the other one to call things off in this tongue-in-cheek middle grade romance.

Childhood friends Eve and Andrew are destined to be together— everyone says so, especially their friends and classmates who are all suddenly crush-obsessed. So when Eve and Andrew’s first eighth grade school dance rolls around and Eve, feeling the pressure, awkwardly … Continue reading →

Review: Puzzleheart by Jenn Reese

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Puzzleheart by Jenn Reese

Puzzleheart
Jenn Reese
Henry Holt & Co.
Published May 14, 2024

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About Puzzleheart

Get ready to solve the mystery at the heart of this middle grade adventure about family—and a house with a mind of its own.

Twelve-year-old Perigee has never met a problem they couldn’t solve. So when their Dad’s spirits need raising, Perigee formulates the perfect road trip to Dad’s childhood home to reunite him with his estranged mother. There’s something in it for Perigee, too, as they will finally get to visit “Eklunds’ Puzzle House,” the mysterious bed & breakfast their grandparents built but … Continue reading →