Category Archives: Middle Grade 8-12

Review: Milk Bar: Kids Only: A Cookbook by Christina Tosi

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Milk Bar: Kids Only: A Cookbook by Christina Tosi

Milk Bar: Kids Only: A Cookbook
Christina Tosi
Clarkson Potter Publishers
Published October 27, 2020

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About Milk Bar: Kids Only: A Cookbook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER – Over 85 stellar, totally do-able desserts and other fun-fueled treats for kids (or adults!) to make, from Christina Tosi, founder of Milk Bar and MasterChef Junior judge!

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW AND FOOD NETWORK

Dedicated to the next generation of young bakers, Milk Bar: Kids Only presents more than eighty-five fun and empowering recipes to inspire imagination in the kitchen, from Apple Pie Waffles to … Continue reading →

Review: Deephaven by Ethan M. Aldridge

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Deephaven by Ethan Aldridge cover shows a boy holding up a torch and standing in front of an opened gate. Behind and above him lurks a shadowy monster with glowing eyes and tentacle-like hair.

Deephaven
Ethan M. Aldridge
Quill Tree Books
Published September 5, 2023

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About Deephaven

From Ethan M. Aldridge, bestselling creator of ESTRANGED, comes a gothic middle grade prose novel that follows a nonbinary student who is drawn to their boarding school’s forbidden east wing, where something stalks the shadowy corridors. Perfect for fans of J. A. White and Mary Downing Hahn!

When Guinevere “Nev” Tallow receives an acceptance letter to the exclusive Deephaven Academy, … Continue reading →

10 Best Middle Grade Books I Read From Summer 2023

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10 Best Middle Grade Books from Summer 2023

This summer definitely did not go as I planned. Looking back, I wonder why I imagined I’d have so much more time to do things like create list posts. Ha! Alas, here I am at the end of summer, and instead of a big list of the middle grade books that looked so great, please enjoy a list of the 10 best middle grade books I read from summer 2023.

10 Best Middle Grade Books I Read From Summer 2023

The Gray by Chris Baron cover shows a boy's face in the foreground with flat gray smoke or clouds covering part of his face. A few houses … <a class= Continue reading →

Review: J.R. Silver Writes Her World by Melissa Dassori

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J. R. Silver Writers Her World by Melissa Dassori cover shows a girl holding up a book in front of the lower half of her face. The cover of the book she's holding completes the image of her face.

J.R. Silver Writes Her World
Melissa Dassori
Christy Ottaviano Books
Published July 19, 2022

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About J.R. Silver Writes Her World

What if you could write your dreams into reality with the stroke of a pen? 

Sixth grade is off to a difficult start for Josephine Rose Silver. Her best friend, Violet, returns from camp with a new best friend; her parents refuse to grant her more independence; and her homeroom teacher, Ms. … Continue reading →

Review: How to Train Your Dragon: How to Be a Pirate by Cressida Cowell

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How to Train Your Dragon: How to Be a Pirate by Cressida Cowell

How to Be a Pirate (How to Train Your Dragon #2)
Cressida Cowell
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published February 1, 2010 (orig. 2004)

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About How to Be a Pirate

When Hiccup finds a coffin at sea, he opens it to discover a riddle that will lead to the treasure of Grimbeard the Ghastly, the world’s greatest pirate and Hiccup’s ancestor. So Hiccup and his friends set out on a treasure hunt, determined to master the art of swordfighting. How else will they escape an island of murderous dragons, defeat a boatload of … Continue reading →

Review: Nowhere Better Than Here by Sarah Guillory

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Nowhere Better Than Here by Sarah Guillory

Nowhere Better Than Here
Sarah Guillory
Roaring Brook Press
Published September 20, 2022

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About Nowhere Better Than Here

In a town slowly being destroyed by rising tides, one girl must fight to find a way to keep her community’s spirit from drowning.

For thirteen-year-old Jillian Robichaux, three things are sacred: bayou sunsets, her grandmother Nonnie’s stories, and the coastal Louisiana town of Boutin that she calls home.

When the worst flood in a century hits, Jillian and the rest of her community band together as they always do—but this time the damage may simply be too great. After the local school is padlocked and … Continue reading →