Middle Grade Monday: The Year I Stopped Drawing: an Illustrated Novel in Verse by Grant Snider

Image: Abrams

The Year I Stopped Drawing: an Illustrated Novel in Verse by Grant Snider. 312 p. Amulet Books/ Abrams, November 10, 2026. 9781419788383. Review of arc courtesy of publisher.

Adam Zane has always been known as the best artist in his class, but he's entering seventh grade and everything is about to change for him - his brother left for college and hasn't communicated with Adam, his parents are fighting, but pretending that they're not, his best friend had a growth spurt, and worst of all, a new girl is a better artist than he. He's at sea. His grades begin to suffer, he refuses to attempt to create any art. When his anger at being constantly bullied by Jason erupts, and he ends up with an in-school suspension, his counselor sets him a challenge

Trust me when I say that grade seven is cataclysmic. So much change is happening to these kids from the onset of puberty (or lack of onset) to the shifting friendships, to the increased difficulty of classes. The appeal of this illustrated novel in verse lies in its utter relatability and readability. Post-It Notes separate chapters by months of the school year and there are pencil drawings accompanying each poem. The presentation is clean and engaging. Middle school readers will find much to connect with. Touching at times, humorous at others, this book is a solid addition to any collection. I can't wait to read the finished book! Highly recommend!

Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: The Favorite by Gordon Korman

Image: Macmillan

The Favorite by Gordon Korman. 272 p. Balzar + Bray/ Macmillan, January 19, 2027. 9781250400406. 

Gordon Korman tweeted news of his upcoming new release the other day. His books are favorites among my middle school students. The publisher synopsis makes it sound like outlandish fun.

Publisher synopsis: Four siblings must compete with each other for the ultimate prize in this high-concept, hilarious new novel from the #1 New York Times-bestselling author of Restart, Gordon Korman. 

There can be only one…

The four Coleridge kids–Harper, twins Dylan and Lacey, and Bobby, live in Caddo, Oklahoma, where the most exciting thing that ever happens is cow tipping. Until their father swoops into town.

He happens to be billionaire Asher Coleridge, founder of Zzazz, the hottest fashion company for kids. And when his limo pulls up at school, it isn’t for an ordinary visit. Zzazz needs a new brand ambassador, who will travel the world, attend star-studded parties, and be the face of the company. Asher wants it to be one of his kids. But which one? That’s where the Contest comes in.

How do mere kids wow a billionaire? Over the course of several weeks, it is on. From soccer games, to a Monopoly smackdown, to a high-stakes school election, to the world’s most intense pizza-eating challenge, the siblings will do almost anything for the coveted title. Even the family pet - a three-legged rat named Ollie - gets involved.

Each kid has their own reasons for wanting to escape Caddo. But there can only be one Brand Ambassador. How far are they willing to go to win?

#tbt: Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson

Image: Simon & Schuster

Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. 272 p. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. 

#tbt features Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson. This book was originally published in 2000 with this cover:

Sometime between its 2003 and 2008, when I left my K-8 position for a middle school, I created a unit which paired fiction and non-fiction. I paired Fever 1793 with An American Plague by Jim Murphy, which pubbed in 2003. I honestly cannot remember what other fiction/ nonfiction pairings I created, but it was a good unit. The reason why this one sticks is because Fever 1793 created two of the most unlikely readers.

JJ fell in love with this book and recommended it to his bff. Both boy's mothers were so astounded by their enthusiasm that they also read the book!

This is what great historical fiction does. 

PS: I prefer the original cover. 

Happy reading.

Waiting on Wednesday: Absent by Rex Ogle

Image: WW Norton

Absent by Rex Ogle. Illustrated by L-J Baptiste. 304 p. Norton Young Readers, September 1, 2026. 9781324124894.

Rex Ogle posted a giveaway for this on Monday and I signed up for a chance. I just love his books and this one sounds great.

Publisher synopsis: 

From award-winning author Rex Ogle, a mixed-format middle grade novel about three boys who skip school, told in verse, prose, and comics.

With a dad in jail and a lack of teachers interested in helping him learn, Manny doesn’t see the point in anything besides skateboarding and writing lyrics. Calvin has so many responsibilities to his father and little brothers that when his bike is stolen, he can’t make it to school on time. And while Liam is studious and wants to become a doctor, he is tormented by bullies and hides out in an unused janitor’s closet instead of going to class. When the boys are thrown together in detention, they realize that they might still have a lot to learn—not just from their teachers, but from each other.

Absent tells the boys’ stories in three distinct voices: Manny’s in verse, Calvin’s as a comic, and Liam’s as a prose journal. Printz Award Honoree and YALSA Nonfiction Award winner Rex Ogle explores school absenteeism in a compelling, entertaining, and utterly distinct novel.

Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: How to Build a Miracle by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Image: Penguin Random House

How to Build a Miracle by Lynda Mullaly Hunt. 240 p. Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Young Readers, February 16, 2027. 9780399546860.

I recently saw a cover reveal of How to Build a Miracle online somewhere, and did a happy dance since I've been a huge fan of Lynda Mullaly Hunt's since reading her debut, One for the Murphy's. I absolutely adored Fish in a Tree, and had the privilege of hosting the author after the release of Shouting at the Rain.

Needless to say, I'm beyond excited about How to Build a Miracle. The scheduled release date is February 16, 2027. Here's the publisher synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Lynda Mullaly Hunt’s moving story of a boy struggling to rebuild his life after a family tragedy and his own big mistakes

Peter blames himself for not saving his brother, Russ. After all, if the roles had been reversed, Russ would have figured out a way to keep him alive. His sadness and anger about his family falling apart, as well as his guilt, make Peter lash out—and ultimately break the law. When he finds himself in front of a judge and sent to a juvenile rehabilitation “camp,” Peter figures it will be all about punishment. But at the program, he’s handed some tools to help restore old wooden boats, as well as tools to understand himself. Under the direction of Bud, a therapist and boat builder, Peter and five other juvenile offenders must work together. The kids are wary at first—arguing over everything, wondering who’s the most dangerous, and who committed the stupidest crime. With time and connection, the kids become protective of each other and Peter finds the rhythm of working on boats helps him breathe easier. Nicknamed “Shakespeare” because of his love for words, Peter realizes he’s now living out a metaphor; just like the most dilapidated boat that’s unable to float, he too—as well as his family—can be rebuilt.

Lynda Mullaly Hunt deploys her trademark insight on the map it takes to heal from trauma, in this memorable story about a boy who learns he can still stand even as his foundation shifts.

Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday: Sunny Figures It Out by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Image: Scholastic

Sunny Figures It Out by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. Sunny #6. 224 p. Graphix/ Scholastic Inc. July, 2025. 9781338792478. Review of finished purchased copy.

Middle Grade Monday features Sunny Figures It Out by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. This sixth installment in the Sunny series does not disappoint. Sunny is enjoying her friendship with Tony, but is pressured to take it to the next level by her boy-crazy friend, and it just doesn't feel right. Meanwhile, her mom is about to re-enter the work force. 

I love this series and the fact that all the 70's stuff, like rotary phones is explained. The peer pressure to conform has not changed at all though, making this gn memoir relatable to contemporary readers. Keep them coming!

Waiting on Wednesday: Huda F Would Love You? by Huda Fahmy

I attended a Penguin Young Readers preview of fall releases yesterday and they have lots of great books in the pipeline! 

Image: Penguin Random House

Waiting on Wednesday features Huda F Would Love You? by Huda Fahmy. 256 p. Dial Books/ Penguin Young Readers, October 26, 2026. 9780593855669.

I have loved Huda F ever since her first book, Huda F are You? hit the shelves back in 2021. I retired in January of 2025, so I missed the third Huda F book, which was published in April of 2025. I will remedy that tomorrow. Her first two books were quite popular with my seventh and eighth graders.

Here's the publisher synopsis: In this funny and tender finale to the Huda F series, Huda has a plan to find love—but she might need to find herself first!

It’s the summer after Huda’s high school graduation, and love is in the air! Or it’s about to be, anyway. Because Huda has the ingredients for a perfect love story: a butt-kicking girl power squad of new friends, and a plan to woo all the aunties into setting her up with their eligible sons. But when she finds herself caught between her friends and her heart, gender roles and ambitions, and her fears and dreams, Huda begins to realize that finding her own “happily ever after” might require changing herself—or her expectations.