Category Archives: Middle Grade 8-12

Review: The Girl Who Sang by Estelle Nadel, Sammy Savos, and Bethany Strout

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The Girl Who Sang by Estelle Nadel shows a girl standing on a grassy hill with images of soldiers, yellow stars, and a partially obscured flag behind her.

The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival
Estelle Nadel
Illustrated by Sammy Savos
Edited by Bethany Strout
Roaring Brook Press
Published January 23, 2024

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About The Girl Who Sang: A Holocaust Memoir of Hope and Survival

A heartrending graphic memoir about a young Jewish girl’s fight for survival in Nazi-occupied Poland, THE GIRL WHO SANG illustrates the power of a brother’s love, the kindness of strangers, and finding hope when facing the … Continue reading →

Review: Courtesy of Cupid by Nashae Jones

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Courtesy of Cupid by Nashae Jones

Courtesy of Cupid
Nashae Jones
Aladdin
Published January 2, 2023

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About Courtesy of Cupid

In this middle grade rom-com sprinkled with a dash of magic, a girl uses her newfound ability to make people fall in love to sabotage her rival.

Erin Johnson’s thirteenth birthday unfolds like any other day, from her mom’s quirky and embarrassing choice of outfit to racing her nemesis, Trevor Jin, to the best seat in class—front row, center. But her gifts this year include something very out of the magical powers.

Erin discovers her mysterious father is actually the love god Cupid, and she’s inherited his knack for … Continue reading →

Review: Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit by Jesse Q. Sutanto

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Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit by Jesse Q. Sutano cover shows a boy reaching for a glowing birdcage. A fox with two tails sits on his shoulder.

Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit (Theo Tan #1)
Jesse Q. Sutanto
Feiwel & Friends
Published May 31, 2022

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About Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit

After inheriting a grieving fox spirit, a Chinese American boy must learn to embrace his heritage to solve the mystery of his brother’s death in Jesse Q Sutanto’s magical, action-packed middle grade fantasy, Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit.

Theo Tan doesn’t want a spirit companion. He just wants to be a normal American kid, playing video … Continue reading →

Review: Keeper of the Lost Cities: The Graphic Novel Part 1 by Shannon Messenger, Celina Frenn, and Gabriella Chianello

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Keeper of the Lost Cities The Graphic Novel Volume 1 by Shannon Messenger

Keeper of the Lost Cities: The Graphic Novel Part 1
Shannon Messenger
Adapted by Celina Frenn
Illustrated by Gabriella Chianello
Aladdin Books
Published November 7, 2023

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About Keeper of the Lost Cities: The Graphic Novel Part 1

The first book in the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Keeper of the Lost Cities series is being reimagined as a graphic novel with the first half of the epic novel adapted to this new format with beautiful artwork!

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has never quite fit into her life. She’s skipped multiple grades and … Continue reading →

Review: The Giver by Lois Lowry

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The Giver by Lois Lowry cover shows the face of an older, bearded man in top right and a young man in profile on the bottom left. Bare branches of trees extend toward the center from the left side.

The Giver (The Giver Quartet #1)
Lois Lowry
Clarion Books
Published April 26, 1993

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About The Giver

In Lois Lowry’s Newbery Medal–winning classic, twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind his fragile community.

Life in the community where Jonas lives is idyllic. Designated birthmothers produce newchildren, who … Continue reading →

Review: The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

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The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo cover shows a small mouse with large ears and a red thread tied around his neck carrying a needle at his side like a sword as he runs.

The Tale of Despereaux
Kate DiCamillo
Candlewick Press
Published September 9, 2008

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About The Tale of Despereaux

A brave mouse, a covetous rat, a wishful serving girl, and a princess named Pea come together in Kate DiCamillo’s Newbery Medal–winning tale.

Welcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who … Continue reading →