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.

Waiting on Wednesday: Landslide by Betty Culley

Image: Penguin Random House

My sons always make fun of me over the number of tabs I have open in my browser. I do that so that I don't forget about whatever I come across that I find interesting. Unfortunately, I sometimes still forget because those tabs become teeny-tiny. News about this story popped up some time ago and I left the tab open in order to feature it on a Waiting on Wednesday post. It releases next week!

Publisher synopsis: A perceptive boy worries the landfill across the street is on the verge of collapse, forming a brave plan to save his dad who works at the top of the heap.

Nathan Savage has always been fascinated by anything that moves; he sees movement others don’t notice. But what he sees now out his living room window sets off major alarm bells—the massive landfill across the road is shifting, and could be heading toward a catastrophic landslide.

The landfill is also where Nathan’s dad works, on the top of the heap driving the huge compactor that crushes the garbage with its enormous metal wheels. The more Nathan watches the landfill, the more worried he becomes. What will happen to his father if he’s at work when the garbage hill collapses? A fate that seems closer and closer to happening every day if Nathan doesn’t act soon. But how does a ten-year old boy stop a force of nature? In this fascinating and fast-paced story, author Betty Culley exposes kids to lots of garbage, and the natural and environmental impact country landfills have on local towns.

Happy reading!

#tbt: Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys

Image: Penguin Random House

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys. 400 p. Philomel Books/ Penguin Young Readers, February 2, 2016. 9780399160301.

Last week, I happened to see online that this book was ten years old. This book illuminates an event in history of which I was unaware, a maritime tragedy whose losses actually dwarf the more well-known sinking of the Titanic and Lusitania. 

The story switches POV between four young narrators. They are trekking across war torn Europe in 1945 hoping to obtain passage on the Gustav Wilhelm, a pleasure cruiser, now tasked with evacuating refugees. It is a difficult read that is both poignant and heartbreaking as it depicts the horrors of war in unflinching detail. 

Salt to the Sea was named to many State Book Awards lists, was a Goodreads Best for 2016, and won the Carnegie Medal. I can't recommend this, or any other book by this author enough. 

Middle Grade Monday: Popcorn by Rob Harrell

Image: Penguin Random House

Popcorn by Rob Harrell. 288 p. Dial Books/ Penguin Young Readers Group, September, 2024. 9780593697924. Review of book borrowed from public library.

It's picture day for seventh grader, Andrew Yaeger and he's anxious. It doesn't take much for Andrew to feel anxious. He even has a scale of anxiety, with a kernel of popcorn as the barometer for how anxious he feels. His mom is anxious as well. She wants a good school picture and has even gotten Andrew a new shirt. She's also starting a new job that day as well, one that pays better. Maybe the family will even be able to move to a larger apartment. Things have gotten a bit cramped since G., Andrew's grandmother moved in. He loves G., but sometimes she doesn't recognize Andrew and now he has to sleep on the couch.

This charming, touching, often hilarious novel is told from Andrew's POV and accompanied by spot art and comic panels that add humor to the narrative. It takes place during one school day. Andrew's voice is authentic and immediately relatable. His best friendship with Jonesy is changing, thanks to her being a star on the basketball team, but they are trying to keep things going. Thankfully, he has teachers and the school nurse around who notice and care. 

I can't think of a reader who wouldn't love this book. Popcorn won the Schneider Family Book Award for Middle Grade Fiction this past January. I think it will begin showing up on many state book lists soon. Highly recommend!

#tbt: Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar

Image: Penguin Random House

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar. 279 p. Dutton Children's Books/ Penguin Young Readers, July, 2005. 

#tbt features a favorite book of mine, Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar. Scott Hudson is entering high school. He thinks his bffs will be in his classes and help with the transition. Unfortunately, Scott is in honors classes, and his friends are not.  He's small. He's bullied. He's also suffering because of his older brother's less than stellar reputation. Then, there's Julia, an acquaintance from kindergarten, who has morphed into a goddess, so Scott joins everything that Julia joins with hilarious results. Scott thinks things can't get much worse until his mother announces that she is pregnant and Scott decides to write a user's manual - not a diary - to help his future sibling navigate freshmen year. 

I wasn't blogging in 2005, when I read it, but I have book talked this book whenever I had the opportunity, especially to eighth graders getting ready for high school. There is a companion novel, Sophomores and Other Oxymorons, which was published in 2015. 

This is the original cover, which I prefer. Happy reading!

Teen Tuesday: Light Enough to Float by Lauren Seal

                                     

Image: Penguin Random House

Light Enough to Float by Lauren Seal. 354 p. Rocky Pond Books/ Penguin Young Readers, October, 2024. 

Teen Tuesday features Light Enough to Float by Lauren Seal. Fourteen-year-old Evie is dying, though she is unaware, as are her parents, until they are not. She finds herself admitted to an in-patient treatment facility for her eating disorder, and she wasn't able to say goodbye to her sister, her best friend, or her beloved dog. 

This searing verse novel brutally depicts the hold that anorexics have, that prevents them from seeing themselves realistically. Evie hears voices that tell her she is fat, that she is a burden to her family, that she is unworthy. In treatment, she is weighed daily and is forced to eat. She wants to crawl out of her skin. But, she is also forced to attend group therapy sessions along with one-on-one sessions with a skilled therapist. 

This is a worthy addition to any middle and high school library and stands along side John Schu's Louder Than Hunger. Both are important novels for young people. 

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi

Image: Penguin Random House

Kareem Between by Shifa Saltagi Safadi. Unabridged e-audio, ~3 hrs. Narrated by Peter Romano. Books on Tape/ Listening Library, September, 2024. Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.

Middle Grade Monday features Kareem Between by Shifa Salvage Safadi. Kareem isn't too excited about starting seventh grade in 2016. His best friend moved away, he was cut from the football team, and his mother expects him to befriend a new Syrian boy whose family recently immigrated. Kareem was born in America, struggles to learn Arabic, loves the Chicago Bear and all things football. When the school bully, who happens to be quarterback of the football team promises Kareem a place on the team if he does a project for him, Kareem knows he shouldn't, but wants to be part of the team so badly, he does. Of course, it isn't only one assignment, but Kareem is stuck.

When his grandfather who lives in Syria falls ill, Kareem's mother travels there to arrange for her parents' transfer to the United States, but becomes stuck in Syria when then-President Trump's Muslim Ban goes into effect.

I read this one with my ears and the narrator did a good job, especially pronouncing the Arabic that is woven throughout.

This novel in verse flows lyrically, but the visual structure of the poems also convey meaning, so I reread it with my eyes. It's a short, powerful read that should resonate long after the story ends.

Kareem Between won the National Book Award/ Literature for Young People earlier this fall and appeared on several Best Books lists as well. 

#tbt: Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

Image: Penguin Random House 

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan. 384 p. Dial Books for Young Readers/ Penguin Young Readers, August, 2013. 

Today was the first day back from break for TMS students. I dropped my laptop, swipe card and keys off early this morning and went to yoga! Now that I'm retired, I hope to have the time and energy to do what I love best! Talking/ blogging about books for young people! Honestly, my job evolved from librarian to LA teacher as my flexible schedule gave way to a packed schedule, leaving little time for my super-power, Reader's Advisory and little energy after grading, to keep up with my reading.

I will start today with #tbt, which features Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan. Twelve-year-old Willow Chase is rather matter-of-fact about the fact that she doesn't fit in, like anywhere, except in her adoptive home with her "oh so white" adoptive parents. She's a genius with rather specific interests. This is a rather sad, but uplifting story told from multiple perspectives. Willow's first-person narration shifts to third person narration from those around her whose lives she unknowingly transforms.

Counting by 7s was published in 2013 and was named to both School Library Journal and Booklist "Best Books List." in 2015 it received The Hans Christian Andersen Award for Best Novel for Children 12+. The book has been a TMS favorite consistently over the years. Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday: Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson

Image: Penguin Random House

Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson. 192 p, Nancy Paulsen Book/ Penguin Books for Young Readers. October, 2023. Review of e-audio borrowed from public library.

Happy Monday! It has been a minute since I posted a daily book talk. I thought I had enough energy to return to school after my health travails last school year, but I truly do not. I am sad about this, because I enjoy interacting with students. I don't have the energy to do all the things that teachers do, let alone keep up with these posts, during the evenings and weekends. I take care of Boo, feed and walk him and am in bed at ridiculously early hours each night. I think I lost all my immunity while on sick leave last year!

Today's book talk is Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson. Eleven-year-old Sage is at a crossroads.. She loves to play basketball, but her friends who are girls are distancing themselves from her and her baller frienda are as well. She's trying to decide where she belongs as her Bushwick neighborhood burns down. Her mother is looking to move the family out, but Sage isn't so sure she wants to move.

This character- driven novel will make you ponder much. It is short and lyrical and touches upon the reality of many working class families.

Middle Grade Monday: The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln

Image: Penguin Random House

The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln. 256 p. Dial Books for Young Readers/ Penguin Young Readers, July 30, 2024. 9780593617663. Review of arc courtesy of publisher.

Happy Monday! The temps continue to sizzle her in northern NJ, but not as bad as some locales in the U.S.! Middle Grade Monday features The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln. Twins Page and Turner Reed love the New York Public Library and reading better than anything in their home town of New York City. It's a good thing they are pragmatic and self-sufficient because their parents are usually traveling for business and their nanny often leaves them alone. Page decides to smuggle their dad's first edition of Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula out of the apartment in order to get the book appraised by one of the librarians. Unfortunately, it goes missing! Their father will not be happy if they don't get it back. The two enlist the aid of Ms. Literati, the Night Librarian, who's tasked with managing and containing the mysterious vandalism that is happening at the library almost nightly.

This pun filled debut graphic novel has something for every reader. It's action-packed and fast-paced featuring the relatable to the fantastic; from sibling rivalry to villains who are breaking free from their books to wreak havoc.

I read an arc (advance reader copy), so most of the art was unfinished. Sample finished pages featured hues of blue and varied panel placement that engages. This should appeal to a wide range of readers. It's out on July 30 and on my book order for my school's library. I can't wait to reread the finished book. Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko

Image: Penguin Random House

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko. Unabridged e-audiobook ~7 hours. Narrated by Javier Prusky. Books on Tape/ Listening Library, June, 2024. 9781984833716. Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.

Happy Monday! What are you doing the beat the heat? It's pretty steamy here. Too hot to garden and too hot to take the dogs for long walks. Middle Grade Monday features The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko. 

Eleven-year-old Hank adores his three-year-old sister, Boo, even though she calls him Pooperman. He also adores his mother even though she doesn't make the best decisions. She has been gone for a week now and Hank has stayed home from school to take care of Boo, but food is running out and there's no money to buy more. The electricity was turned off and the landlord is about to evict the family for non-payment of rent. When Hank finds the name of an emergency contact, he knows his mom will be angry with him, but he feels he has no choice. Together, he and Boo take buses to find their way to LouAnn Adler's house. Ms. Adler was Hank's grandmother's best friend and runs a day care center from her home. She's not happy that Hank and Boo showed up, but she takes them in out of respect for his grandmother's memory. Hank starts a new school, makes new friends and might even make the basketball team, but deep down, he knows this arrangement isn't permanent and he really misses his mom.

There is so much to love about this first-person narrative. Hank is so earnest and endearing and Boo is just a hoot! Be prepared though, Hank and Boo's situation is dire. LouAnn can't/ doesn't want to keep the siblings and social services might split them up. Hank is very resourceful, but makes some poor decisions of his own out of love. My heart just broke for Hank and Boo.

The audio performance was well done. Mr. Prusky sounded appropriately young and had a wide variety of voices to distinguish the characters. I can't wait to add this to my library's collection and share it with my students. Highly recommended. 

PS: Posting might get a little hit or miss in the coming days. On Friday, I became a foster mom and Boo became a foster brother to Helga. She's a German Shepherd who was pulled from an animal cruelty situation. The rescue thinks she's around three. An amazing trainer has been volunteering his time to work with her and help her trust again. She's eager and smart, but a bit mouthy, especially if I try and sit down. She's doing really well and Boo is getting lots of extra treats.

Teen Tuesday: Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino

Image: Penguin Random House

Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino. 320 p. G.P. Putnam's Sons/ Penguin Young Readers, July, 2023. 9780593533796. Review of finished, purchased copy.

Happy Tuesday TMS Readers! We have been gifted with another gorgeous summer day. Please take advantage of it and get out in nature. Teen Tuesday features Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino. This first-person narrative is told by seventeen-year-old Lilah. She has been partially deaf since birth. She wears hearing aids and her IEP calls for an FM system, but they aren't always used, so she relies on lipreading and her hearing aids to "pass," but it's sometimes frustrating and challenging. 

She wants to brush up on her ASL (American Sign Language) skills and applies to be a camp counselor at a summer camp for deaf and blind children. She has fond memories of the camp as she attended one summer when she was in the eighth grade. At camp, she meets a variety of campers and counselors with varying degrees of deafness and blindness. Oh, and one really cute boy.

In addition to being a cute, slow-burn romance, readers will learn about the deaf community - about the myriad degrees of deafness and their causes, as well as the challenges they face in a sometimes uncaring hearing world. Ms. Sortino is deaf and Give Me A Sign is her debut novel. Happy reading!

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim

Image: Penguin Random House

Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~ 13 hours. Narrated by Mirai. Books on Tape/ Listening Library, August, 2023. Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.

Happy Tuesday! It looks like it'll be another beautiful day here in northern NJ. It'll be slightly hotter and not as breezy, but I hope you enjoy the day and get outdoors in nature today. Teen Tuesday features Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim. Two sisters, Channi and Vanna, are devoted to one another, but in their village, Vanna is adored and Channi is reviled. 

When Vanna was born and their mother lay dying, their father took Channi to the Demon Witch as a sacrifice. The king of the serpents saved Channi's life, but the Demon Witch cursed her with a snake face. The only way to break the curse is for Channi to bring Vanna to the Demon Witch before her seventeenth birthday, which Channi will not do. As Vanna's birthday approaches, their father, intent on enriching himself, has a contest for possible suitors to win her hand. When the cruelest, most vile suitor wins, Channi intervenes, challenges the man's champion, and when she beats him, she finds the man's attention is now drawn to her.

This layered and rich epic fantasy unfolds slowly. The world-building is vivid and based on Chinese folklore. Her Radiant Curse is a prequel to the Legends of Lor'yan duology, and, while it does stand alone, knowledge of the duology does enhance enjoyment of the prequel.

New-to-me narrator, Mirai has a wide range of convincing voices for the many characters and her performance was utterly engaging. 

Teen Tuesday: Huda F Cares by Huda Fahmy

Image: Penguin Random House

Huda F. Cares? by Huda Fahmy. Huda F. #2. 208 p. Dial Books for Young Readers/ Penguin Random House, October, 2023. 9780593532799. Review of finished, purchased copy.

Oops! Happy penultimate Tuesday TMS Readers! Sorry for the late posting. Appointments.

Teen Tuesday features Huda F. Cares? by Huda Fahmy. This is the second book in the Huda F series, and before you all get your panties in a twist, take a look at the author's name.

In this hilarious follow-up to Huda F are You?, Huda and her sisters are bickering non-stop despite their mother's entreaties to please get along. When their parents surprise them with a trip to Disney World, Huda and her sisters are thrilled; that is until they realize that they have to share the backseat of the minivan all the way from Dearborn, Michigan to Orlando!

As in Huda F are You?, Huda and her family are visibly Muslim. While she loves her religion, sometimes it's difficult to practice on the road. Combine those concerns with sisterly bickering and you get a thoughtful and poignant graphic novel that is utterly relatable.

Huda F Cares? was a National Book Award Finalist. It is laugh out loud funny and belongs in any library. Happy reading!

#tbt: Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

Penguin Random House

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko. 228 pg. Tales from Alcatraz #1. G.P. Putnam's Sons/ Penguin Young Readers, March 30, 2004. 9780399238611.

Coming in very late to post a #tbt, because one of my favorite authors posted that one of my favorite books of all time turns twenty this week! #tbt features Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko. The year is 1935, right in the middle of The Great Depression. Moose Flanagan's out-of-work electrician father, takes a job on Alcatraz Island. The catch? He also needs to double as a prison guard and his family needs to move into an apartment on the island. Moose's older sister, Natalie, has what would now be diagnosed as autism, but was not well understood at the time. His mother hopes to get her accepted to a special school and Moose is tasked with keeping her out of trouble, which means he often cannot play baseball with other children who live on the island. He also has to contend with the warden's spoiled daughter, catch the ferry each day to school and worry about the the prison's most notorious inmate, Al Capone.

This face-paced, hilarious, historically accurate story captured my heart immediately. It won a Newbery Honor, though I was hoping it would win the medal. Ms. Choldenko wrote three sequels to Al Capone Does My Shirts, each one cemented Moose Flanagan's place in my heart as a favorite character. All of her historical fiction novels are well researched and contain extensive back matter. Fun fact: read the author's note in Al Capone Does My Homework for a surprise.

Middle Grade Monday and ARC Review: Barely Floating by Lilliam Rivera

Image: Penguin Random House

Barely Floating by Lilliam Rivera. 240 p. Kokila/ Penguin Young Readers, August 29, 2023. 9780593323120. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher.)

Happy Monday! I spent a lovely weekend with my youngest sister up in her home in the Berkshires. It was lovely family time filled with good food and lots of walks and talks. Middle Grade Monday features Barely Floating by Lilliam Rivera. Twelve-year-old Natalia de la Cruz Rivera y Santiago goes by Nat and is unapologetically fat. She's also athletic. She uses people's assumptions about her size to her advantage in a side hustle at the town pool, where she challenges unsuspecting mean kids to a swim race. She's planning on earning bank this summer and reading endless manga, but when the LA Mermaids perform at the pool, she falls hard for synchronized swimming. When she asks her activist mom and professor dad for permission to join, she's dismayed to learn that they view the sport as a "pageant in water." Sure, the sport is dominated by very thin white girls, but the LA Mermaids is a mostly Black team and there's even a boy who wants to try out! So, Nat tries out secretly and, when she makes the team, talks her cousin into helping her attend practices and meets without her parents' knowledge. Surely, once her parents see her dedication, they will change their minds! Won't they?

Nat is a sassy, saucy narrator with a strong sense of self and a strong sense of social justice that occasionally gets her in trouble. Readers will find her hilarious, endearing and occasionally annoying. I loved her complicated friendships and her supportive family. She's a lucky girl. Barely Floating goes down real easy, but has depth. It releases on August 29. Put it on your radar. 

#tbt: The Good, the Bad and the Barbie: a Doll's History and Her Impact on Us (Unauthorized) by Tanya Lee Stone

Image: Author's Website

The Good, the Bad and the Barbie: a Doll's History and Her Impact on Us (Unauthorized) by Tanya Lee Stone. 130 p. Viking? Penguin Young Readers, 2010. 9780670011872. (Own.)

Happy Thursday! How are you keeping cool in this heat? Boo and I have to take our long walks pretty early to avoid the heat. It's pretty bad. 

In honor of the release of the movie, Barbie, #tbt features The Good, the Bad and the Barbie: a Doll's History and Her Impact on Us (Unauthorized) by Tanya Lee Stone. Published in 2010, this book is part biography of Ruth Handler, creator of the doll and of Barbie, the doll itself, but it also examines the impact that the doll and its popularity had on culture. There are lots of photos and personal anecdotes from girls and women reflecting on their love or hatred of Barbie. Back matter includes a note from the author, source notes and a bibliography.

The book was named an SLJ (School Library Journal) Best Book and won the Golden Kite Award. I enjoyed knowing this backstory a bit before watching the film, however, I realized I forgot a lot and decided to reread it. Very balanced and informative! Happy reading!

Arc Review: House of Marionne by J. Elle

Image: Penguin Random House

House of Marionne by J. Elle. 432 p. Razorbill/ Penguin Young Readers, August 29, 2023. 9780593527702. (Review of bound manuscript courtesy of publisher.)

Happy Tuesday! I hope you are enjoying the sunshine and relative cool this morning! Boo and I were finally able to get in a nice long walk this morning. Teen Tuesday features House of Marionne by J. Elle. This is a fantasy series starter and will release in late August.

Seventeen-year-old Quel is used to life on the run with her mom. Quel possesses a dark magic she calls Toushana and an elite band of assassins called Draguns are tasked with hunting down anyone with this forbidden magic and killing them. So far, Quel's mom has been successful in keeping her hidden by moving frequently, but Quel messed up and now she's separated from her mom and the safe spot they were to meet in turns out to be not-so-safe. She turns to the one person her mother has forbidden, her grandmother. Turns out, her grandmother is headmistress of House Marionne and is delighted to reunite with Quel and determined to have her hone her magic and debut.

Quel is relieved to be safe, eager to learn magic that she hope will tame her toushana, but not too thrilled about the wardrobe, curtseying and etiquette lessons. She's also terrified of Jordan. He's been assigned to mentor her, but he's also a Dragun. What will happen if he finds out who she really is? And why is he so hot? It's distracting and dangerous.

Sinister and gothic with a steamy, slow-burn romance and plot twists galore. This was fun. Look for it August 29. Apparently, there's a limited edition first printing available for pre-order. Happy reading!

Teen Tuesday: Thieves Gambit by Kayvion Lewis

I can't believe I did it again! I posted to my school's learning platform and forget to upload. 

Image: Penguin Random House

Thieves Gambit by Kayvion Lewis. 296 p. Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Random House, September 26, 2023. 9780593625361. (Review of a bound manuscript courtesy of publisher.)

Happy Tuesday and Happy Independence Day! Teen Tuesday features Thieves Gambit by Kayvion Lewis. Seventeen-year-old Ross Quest is an accomplished thief. She works in the family business. The Quest family, led by Ross' mother, are international thieves and Ross' particular talent is planning escape routes. The family motto is "trust no one." Ross planned her own escape from the family, at least for the summer, so that she could be a normal teen for once. She almost got out, but the heist went south and now her mother is being held captive and her ransom is 1 billion dollars. The only chance she has of raising that kind of money is by entering the Thieves Gambit, a heist competition where the winner gets one wish. All she has to do is win and ask for the billion. Easy, right?

If you are a teen or know a teen who enjoys heist novels, put this one on your radar. It's due out on September 26. I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy. Thieves Gambit is a pulse-pounding page-turner with enough twists and turns to give you whiplash. Ross is a smart and snarky narrator whose nemises include her former best friend and a guy whose good looks and smooth demeanor are so disarming, Ross begins to doubt everything she's been taught.

Middle Grade Monday: The Order of Things by Kaija Langley

Image: Penguin Random House

The Order of Things by Kaija Langley. 278 p. Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Random House, June, 2023. 9780593530900. (Review of finished hard cover courtesy of publisher.)

Happy Monday! What a mixed bag of weather we are having! The air quality hasn't been the greatest lately. Between that and the heat, I've noticed that Boo isn't his usual bounding self on our walks, so I've modified them to frequent and less lengthy. It's so humid and damp and I'm being plagued by those little gnats or whatever. Ugh! 

Middle Grade Monday features The Order of Things by Kaija Langley. Eleven-year-old April lives in an apartment in Boston with her single-by-choice Mom. They live right across the hall from Zee and Papa Zee. April and Zee were born within months of each other and are more than best friends. The four of them have formed a family. Things are changing for sixth grade for April though, because Zee, who is a violin prodigy, was accepted into a prestigious STEAM charter school. Not only does she not have her best friend in class, but her teacher has assigned seating and she's stuck next to Asa, who is socially awkward, a bit unkempt and shunned by the only two white girls in April's class.

April and Zee try to maintain life as they knew it, but Zee is driven to be the best and this requires a lot of after school practice and lessons, so April decides to pursue drumming and Papa Zee agrees to teach her. Then, her mom brings Robin to their sacred family dinner and April takes an instant dislike to her.

When Zee has a fainting episode at school, Papa Zee wants him to slow down, but Zee sneaks away to practice in the building's laundry room. April finds him when she goes to do the family laundry and he swears her to secrecy. He also swears her to secrecy when he suffers another cardiac episode and reassures her that it is nothing.

It's not nothing though, and just before Christmas, the unthinkable happens. The family receives support from their community, but April does not know how she will cope without Zee. "I'm dreaming solo from now on." She feels guilt in addition to her grief for keeping Zee's secret. Soon, she's keeping Papa Zee's secret. Then, she discovers Asa's secret and it may be just too much for April to handle.

This novel in verse is told from April's point-of-view. It's well-crafted and immediately engaging, featuring fully formed characters and an authentic sense of community. April thrives in her found family. She's a realistic mix of thoughtful and thoughtless, and confident and uncertain. Readers who love sad books will root for April as she tries to find her footing. I read this in one sitting and just love it. I can't wait for my students to meet April.