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!

Waiting on Wednesday: Leaving Birdsong by Brenda Woods

Image: Penguin Random House

Leaving Birdsong by Brenda Woods. 224 p. Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Young Readers, October 13, 2026. 9780593461563.

I came across an announcement about this on Twitter a few weeks ago. I really enjoyed The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA as well as St. Louis Armstrong Beach.

Publisher synopsis: An inquisitive bookworm explores a whole new world when her family moves north during the Great Migration in Coretta Scott King Honor winner Brenda Woods’s stand-alone companion to The Unsung Hero of Birdsong, USA.

It’s 1946 when eleven-year-old Abigail and her parents move from Birdsong, South Carolina, to Detroit, where her parents say there are more opportunities for people of color. This promise is fulfilled when her father gets a good job at an auto factory, and on her visits to the city’s impressive library, where she not only gets to walk through the front door for the first time but also meets her first Black librarian. And though her parents encourage her to focus on the new possibilities, it doesn’t take long for Abigail to see that some of the limitations imposed by segregation also exist in the North.


Abigail keenly observes it all, as she’s determined to become a writer, even though not everyone takes her seriously. The Motor City offers plenty of inspiration, and she writes poems about Caesar, her funny neighbor, and the goings-on at the fancy hotel for wealthy Black folks where her mom gets a job. But before long, Abigail becomes more than an observer when a tragedy occurs after a homeless boy robs her. When she and her friends set out to help the boy’s younger brother, she is confronted with uncomfortable realities about poverty. Throughout her summer of adventures and unexpected happenings, Abigail keeps her light shining as she reluctantly sheds her country-girl beginnings and starts to embrace Detroit as home.

Fact Friday: The Pocket Change Collective from Penguin Workshop

Images: Penguin Random House

Fact Friday features a new series from Penguin Workshop called Pocket Change Collective. Since the four I was given to review are all around 64 -65 pages, I will talk about them together. These are mini-memoirs/essays written by young, passionate activists covering a wide variety of timely topics.

In Imaginary Borders, Xiuhtezcatl (pronounced shoe-tex-caht) Martinez talks about his climate change activism. He started when he was six-years-old and he's not yet twenty! 

In This is What I Know about Art, Kimberly Drew relates her journey from student at Smith College where, she was not only one of few Black people on campus but one of few art history majors. She went on to curate and write about making art accessible for ALL people, not just rich, white people. 

In Beyond the Gender Binary, gender non-conforming performance artist, Alok Vaid-Menon challenges the concept of the gender binary as being a Western construct that is not only narrow and limiting but needlessly punitive to those who do not conform. 

In The New Queer Conscience, community organizer and LGBTQ+ activist Adam Eli argues for kindness and compassion not only from those outside the LGBTQ+ community but also those within it. 

I found each of these tiny books absolutely fascinating and often found myself wanting more, wishing the book were longer. But that defeats the purpose of the collection. I did Google each activist and spent some time online reading more and watching videos. And that's the point. Read with an open, curious mind and set out for more information.

Two additional titles are releasing this fall: Concrete Kids by Amira León and Taking on the Plastics Crisis by Hannah Testa. All the books are illustrated Ashley Lukashevsky. 

Leading by example, these young activists and their messages are sure to resonate with teen readers. What a terrific way to inspire.