Category Archives: Middle Grade 8-12

Review: Summer of L.U.C.K. by Laura Stegman

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Summer of L.U.C.K. by Laura Stegman

Summer of L.U.C.K.
Laura Stegman
INtense Publications
Published September 15, 2020

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About Summer of L.U.C.K.

Stuttering Darby is never perfect enough for her mother. Justin’s been silent since his dad died. Naz is struggling to learn English. But after they meet at summer camp, mysterious calliope music from an abandoned warehouse grants them power to communicate without words. When they sneak inside, the dark, empty space bursts into a magical carnival. They’re greeted by the ghost of Leroy Usher, who asks for their help convincing his family to restore the carnival to its former … Continue reading →

Review: Frank by Ece Gurler

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Frank by Ece Gurler

Frank
Ece Gurler
BookBaby
Published December 1, 2020

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About Frank

Have you ever dreamt of an alternate world? A world full of second chances and lost dreams, found again. Just like the one Frank has stumbled upon.

Frank, an eleven-year-old science nerd, fashions a hiding place in his closet with his favorite things. He calls it the “Aurora Shell”, where he retreats whenever he feels upset or scared. The day he learns that he was adopted, he discovers an empty space behind his Big Bang Theory poster, in the Aurora Shell.

He decides to crawl in … Continue reading →

Review: Otto P. Nudd by Emily Butler

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Otto P Nudd by Emily Butler

Otto P. Nudd
Emily Butler
Random House Children’s Books
Published December 29, 2020

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About Otto P. Nudd

Otto P. Nudd: The BEST bird in Ida Valley (at least according to him). While his buddies waste their days at the dump cracking jokes, Otto invents things with his human neighbor Old Man Bartleby in their workshop.

Marla: The Competition. This protective mama-squirrel will swipe Otto’s snacks from under his beak if it means another meal for her babies!

Pippa: The girl who loves the birds in Ida Valley, and Otto most of … Continue reading →

Review: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

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The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Barbara Robinson
HarperCollins
Published April 12, 2005 (Originally published 1972)

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About The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Laughs abound in this bestselling Christmas classic by Barbara Robinson! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows the outrageous shenanigans of the Herdman siblings, or “the worst kids in the history of the world.” The siblings take over the annual Christmas pageant in a hilarious yet heartwarming tale involving the Three Wise Men, a ham, scared shepherds, and six rowdy kids.

… Continue reading →

Review: Thomas Jefferson and the Return of the Magic Hat by Deborah Kalb

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Thomas Jefferson and the Return of the Magic Hat by Deborah Kalb

Thomas Jefferson and the Return of the Magic Hat (The President and Me #3)
Deborah Kalb
Schiffer Kids
Published September 28, 2020

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About Thomas Jefferson and the Return of the Magic Hat

After almost six months in Maryland, fifth-grader Oliver still misses his friends back in New Jersey. But things start to change one day, when his neighbor–and possible new friend–Sam lends Oliver a magic hat that takes him back to the 18th- and 19th-century world of Thomas Jefferson. Oliver and … Continue reading →

Review: The Monster of Marnmouth Valley by CJ Greene

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The Monster of Marnmouth Valley by CJ Greene

The Monster of Marnmouth Valley
CJ Greene
Published October 15, 2020

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About The Monster of Marnmouth Valley

“Deep in the Kelna forest in the heart of Marnmouth Valley lies a fountain with extraordinary water. A creature discovered the fountain and began to drink the water. It has since found a way to ensure it is the only one that gets any of the water from the fountain. The less water that reaches the land, the more it dies. And if the valley dies, everyone in it will have to leave, or … Continue reading →