Category Archives: Middle Grade 8-12

Review: Worldwide Crush by Kristin Nilsen

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Worldwide Crush Kristin Nilsen cover shows a girl sitting on the back of a leather couch looking up. Behind her is a giant poster of a boy with a guitar.

Worldwide Crush
Kristin Nilson
SparkPress
Published July 11, 2023

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About Worldwide Crush

Rory Calhoun is a teen popstar with perfect teeth and messy hair who’s inspiring first crushes all over the globe. Millie Jackson is just one of the millions of fans who love him—but that doesn’t mean her heart doesn’t break for him every single day in this laugh-out-loud coming-of-age story.

How many of Rory’s fans collect “data” about him in a special notebook hidden in their underwear drawer? … Continue reading →

Review: Lightfall: Shadow of the Bird by Tim Probert

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Lightfall: Shadow of the Bird by Tim Probert

Shadow of the Bird (Lightfall #2)
Tim Probert
HarperAlley
Published April 26, 2022

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About Lightfall: Shadow of the Bird

In the second installment of the Lightfall series, Bea and Cad continue their quest to stop Kest, the mythic bird who stole the sun.

After a battle that nearly cost them their lives, Bea and Cad awaken in the hidden settlement of the Arsai, mysterious creatures who can glimpse into the future. The Arsai’s vision paints a dire picture for their planet, as the bird Kest Ke Belenus–now awoken from a restless slumber–threatens to destroy all the Lights of Irpa. … Continue reading →

Review: Maybe There Are Witches by Jude Atwood

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Maybe There Are Witches by Jude Atwood cover shows three people approaching a crooked house surrounded by mist.

Maybe There Are Witches
Jude Atwood
Fitzroy Books
Published June 13, 2023

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About Maybe There Are Witches

“I can’t think of a better fate for young readers.” -Steven T. Seagle, co-creator of Ben 10, Big Hero 6, and Camp Midnight.

After moving to the tiny village of Biskopskulla, middle school student Clara Hutchins discovers that her family has a history in the region: one hundred forty years ago, one of her ancestors was hanged as a witch from the white oak tree on the edge of town. When Clara finds a mildewed diary in the basement, … Continue reading →

Review: Theo Tan and the Iron Fan by Jesse Q. Sutanto

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Theo Tan and the Iron Fan by Jesse Q. Sutano

Theo Tan and the Iron Fan (Theo Tan #2)
Jesse Q. Sutanto
Feiwel & Friends
Published June 27, 2023

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About Theo Tan and the Iron Fan

A Chinese American Boy and his snarky fox spirit face down demon kings as they race against time to be reunited with his brother’s spirit in Jesse Q. Sutanto’s magical, action-packed sequel to Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit.

Theo Tan and his fox spirit, Kai, are willing to go to hell and back for their family. Literally.

After exposing the corruption at Reapling Corporation and trapping the demon king Niu Mo Wang, they learn that Jamie … Continue reading →

Review: Greenwild: The World Behind the Door by Pari Thomson

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Greenwild: The World Behind the Door by Pari Thompson cover shows a girl in overalls, a long braid over her shoulder. A black and white cat sits on her shoulder. She holds a glowing ball in her right hand. A glowing doorway is behind her.

Greenwild: The World Behind the Door
Pari Thomson
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Published June 6, 2023

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About Greenwild: The World Behind the Door

Open the door to a spellbinding world where the wilderness is alive and a deep magic rises from the earth itself . . .

Eleven-year-old Daisy Thistledown is on the run. Her mother has been keeping big, glittering secrets, and now she … Continue reading →

Review: Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston

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Amari and the Night Brothers by B. B. Alston cover shows a girl with a hand extended over a glowing ball. Swirls of light extend out from the ball, circling around her, lifting her hair.

Amari and the Night Brothers (Supernatural Investigations #1)
B. B. Alston
Balzer + Bray
Published January 19, 2021

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About Amari and the Night Brothers

Quinton Peters was the golden boy of the Rosewood low-income housing projects, receiving full scholarship offers to two different Ivy League schools. When he mysteriously goes missing, his little sister, 13-year-old Amari Peters, can’t understand why it’s not a bigger deal. Why isn’t his story all over the news? And why do … Continue reading →