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

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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!

Middle Grade Monday: The Last Resort by Erin Entrada Kelly

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The Last Resort by Erin Entrada Kelly. 240 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc. September 16, 2025. 9781546132431. Review of arc courtesy of the publisher. 

Middle Grade Monday features a review of an arc I finally got around to reading, The Last Resort by Erin Entrada Kelly. I'm sorry it took so long. 

This was fun, even if horror is my least favorite genre. It's also multi-platform, where readers can scan a QR code and speak to three ghosts from the many haunting the inn where twelve-year-old Lila has to spend part of her summer after her Grandpa Clem dies. 

She doesn't want to leave her Arizona home at the start of summer before seventh grade. Her friendship with Lexi and Ava is on the skids and she has to repair it before school starts. To make matters worse, they are driving from Arizona to Ohio because her dad is afraid to fly. Lila has a "near death" experience along the way and when the family arrives at the inn, she discovers she can see ghosts, of which there seems to be many inhabiting the inn, including her grandfather's. She has never met him, but she recognizes him from photos. He claims that he was murdered before flickering out. It's up to Lila and her neighbor Teddy to get to the bottom of this mystery.

This fast-paced tale has plenty of suspense and features a relatable tween dealing with realistic friendship issues along with surprising grief over the grandfather she never met. 

The QR code in the arc brought me to the site for the book and a demo. If you click on the link to the image, you can check out the demo. The actual book will feature more. The Last Resort is a series starter and sure to be a hit with your tween lovers of horror. It strikes just the right note of scary. 

The second book in the series, The Claiming, was written by Jasmine Warga and was released in late January. I'm ordering it now, because, you know, I don't like horror. 

Teen Tuesday: I am Made of Death by Kelly Andrew

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I am Made of Death by Kelly Andrew. 368 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., March, 2025. 9781546104483. Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.

Teen Tuesday features I am Made of Death by Kelly Andrew.

Thomas Walsh has been working odd jobs ever since having to leave college to support his chronically ill, deaf mother. He interviews for a job with a wealthy businessman as an ASL interpreter for his daughter. The job is a good distance away, but the pay would go a long way towards helping the family financially. 

Vivienne has been mute since her disappearance at age four which left her traumatized. What most people don't know is that she is possessed and if she does speak, anyone who hears her voice dies. Of course, Thomas does not know this. Her parents are controlling and keep her on a short leash and Vivienne is determined to make Thomas' job difficult. 

This horror/ romance hits the ground running and doesn't let up! Chapters switch point of view between Thomas and Vivienne breathlessly. Tension is high throughout this page-turner and is sure to please high school fans of horror with a side of romance. 

Middle Grade Monday: One Wrong Step by Jennifer A. Nielsen

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One Wrong Step by Jennifer A. Nielsen. 336 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc. March, 2025. 9781338275865. Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher. 

Middle Grade Monday features One Wrong Step by Jennifer A. Nielsen. For the last three years, it has been just Atlas and his dad. His dad is a map-maker and mountaineer and the two have been climbing together for most of Atlas' life. In fact, they were away climbing when Atlas' mother died, something Atlas can't quite forgive his father for. 

In 1939, Atlas and his father join an expedition to Mount Everest. Atlas has brought along a scarf his mother knit for him, hoping to place it at the top of the world and also hoping to find some peace. His hopes are dashed when he's informed that he's not going to leave advance base camp. The organizer of the trip was not happy that he's tagging along and puts his foot down.

When Atlas sees an avalanche near where the climbing party would be and then loses radio contact with them, he decides to mount a rescue. How can he, a sherpa and the inexperienced daughter of a researcher scale the most dangerous part of Mount Everest? 

Major suspension of belief is required here, but the intended audience will buy in. Each chapter begins with a mountaineering definition and a map showing where Atlas is. The chapters are short and suspenseful. 

Fans of Ms. Nielsen's books will not be disappointed.

ARC Review: War Games by Alan Gratz

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War Games by Alan Gratz. 368 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., October 7, 2025. 978225000257. 

Any book by Alan Gratz was an automatic purchase for me until I retired as a middle school librarian recently. I continue to read books for middle and young adult audiences and will continue to read whatever Mr. Gratz publishes. My students adore his novels and I ordered multiple copies of most of his titles. 

Twelve-year-old Evie Harris hopes to help her "Okie" family out of poverty by winning gold in the 1936 Olympics in Germany as part of the U.S. Olympics gymnastics team. She thinks this is her ticket to Hollywood stardom, like her idol, equestrian and movie star, Mary Brooks. Unfortunately for her, her teammates ostracize her and she fails the qualifying rounds. Since her Olympic dreams are dashed, she considers joining the shady Solomon Monday with his plans to rob the Reichsbank of its gold. As Monday says, this is one way for Evie to bring home the gold. Only, she has to ditch the ever-present Hitler Youth guide, Heinz.

This layered, plot-driven heist novel illustrates the behind the scenes story of the 1936 Olympics. The main characters are fictitious, as is the heist, but the political precariousness of those Olympics are factual. A detailed Author's Note separates fact from fiction for the reader. 

Fans of the author and fans of heist novels will gobble this up. Due out on October 7. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Witchkiller by Ashlee Latimer

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Witchkiller by Ashlee Latimer. 336 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc. October 7, 2025. 9781546137689.

I absolutely love a great fairy tale retelling or spin-off and this one sounds amazing. 

Publisher synopsis: Gretel had no choice.

Her brother Hansel was in danger, and she had to kill the witch. Five months later, she is still ripped from her dreams and awoken by the noise of her sword tearing into the witch's flesh. Her waking hours are no better. Hansel has grown more and more like their monstrous father by the day. The society she now inhabits has trapped her in an endless cycle of balls with nobles who sneer at her family's new money. And worst of all, her greedy father has issued his newest ploy to increase his wealth. Gretel must marry, and soon.

Devastated at the prospect of a lifetime with an old, decrepit husband, she flees a ball...and runs right into Prince Wilfried. When Gretel divulges the reality of her situation, Wilfried comes up with a solution. He is also being pressured to find a suitable future queen -- they can both delay the inevitable by faking an engagement. Gretel agrees, and what starts as a ruse quickly deepens as she finds herself falling for the handsome prince.

But in the quiet of night, still trapped in her castle with her memories, Gretel feels the walls closing in and ventures into the neighboring woods. There, she meets Katharina, a beautiful witch who introduces her to the witch community. But these women aren't evil -- they're healers, and Gretel is drawn to them.

When information comes to light implicating her family's involvement in a traitorous plot and endangering the lives of herself and those she's grown to care about, Gretel must ask herself -- did the wrong person die in that cottage? And can the Witchkiller become a witch?

ARC Review: Afia and the World of Wonders by Maria Araujo

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Afia and the World of Wonders by Maria Araujo. 304 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., April 15, 2025. 9781338856736. Review of arc courtesy of publisher.

Afia and her identical twin sister have a few moments of freedom at the market the evening before their coming-of-age ceremony. Aya is looking forward to the ceremony and taking her place in the family business. Afia, not so much. When she meets a mysterious wood carver, she is intrigued by his wares, but her sister intervenes, but not before he injects some doubt in Afia.

During the ceremony, Afia decides to run away, away from the protection of her village and into the land of the unknown, guided by this mysterious wood carver. She is introduced to the queen of the realm and is entranced, but a pesky cat-faced being pesters her.

This Alice in Wonderland retelling, set in West Africa is just familiar enough and different enough to be beguiling. The art in the arc was unfinished, but intriguing. This was so much fun!

Teen Tuesday: The Second Chance of Darius Logan by David F. Walker

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The Second Chance of Darius Logan by David F. Walker. 384 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., July, 2024 9781338826425. Review of arc courtesy of publisher. 

Life since being orphaned in "the attack" eight years earlier has not been easy for Darius Logan. He was abused by his uncle, then moved in and out of a series of foster homes. School went by the wayside as he struggled to survive. The struggle included petty theft and arrests. His caseworker is the only person in his life who sees any good in him. But even she cannot help when he's literally caught holding the bag in a drug bust. It wasn't just any drug though. It was eXXeLL, which if caught, carries a mandatory long prison sentence. The fact that Darius is under-age won't help him. The knowledge of this compels him to resist arrest, assault a police officer and flee. He is saved by none other than the superhero, Captain Freedom of the Super Justice Force.

Captain Freedom runs a program called Second Chance and proposes that Darius enter the program. This program is usually for ex-convicts, but Captain Freedom remembers Darius from a time before "the attack," when he was named Student of the Year. Not everyone is in favor of this, especially Chuck Maslon, who is rooting for Darius to fail.

While the novel's opening is quite atmospheric, the world building resorts to info-dumping as Darius goes through his training. Still, Darius is a likable character and slowly gains friends and trust in them and himself. 

This debut should have wide appeal in middle and high school libraries. I switched to reading it by ear about 2/3 of the way through and regretted the decision. The narrator's choice of voices and accents, though varied, did not appeal to me, especially his female voices, which were stereotypically simpering. 

Picture Book FNG Review: That's Not Funny, David! by David Shannon

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That's Not Funny, David! by David Shannon. 32 p. Orchard Books/ Scholastic Inc., March 4, 2025. 9781546123187. Review of fng courtesy of publisher.

It's hard to believe that it will be 27 years this September, since boisterous, rambunctious little David burst on the scene in all his triangular-toothed glory. Has he grown either physically or emotionally? No. Is he still a perpetual motion machine? Yes. As the author/ illustrator notes in his introduction, humor is subjective. David definitely goes for low-brow and provocative. His antics will delight his fans.

#tbt: The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

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The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. 544 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., March, 2007. 9780439813785.

Hugo, a twelve-year-old orphan, lives in the Paris train station and works to keep the clocks on time. He also harbors secrets and is a thief. He steals items he thinks might help him repair an automaton. One day, he is caught by a grumpy, old toymaker and is brought to the man's home, where he meets, Isabelle, the man's goddaughter. It seems the toymaker has secrets as well, and Hugo and Isabelle work together to uncover them.

Selznick, no stranger to the Caldecott, having won an Honor for illustrating Barbara Kerley's The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins in 2002, turned the children's literature world upside down when this 500+ page book received the Award. 

This is a book I loved to give reluctant readers. Their eyes would widen with disbelief that they could ever get through such a brick! Then, once shown that it was mostly illustration, they happily checked the book out. 

The book was adapted for film and I was privileged to be invited to a screening, which included a talkback with the author afterwards. The film was gorgeous and quite faithful to the book. Selznick even had a cameo in the final scene. 

Teen Tuesday and ARC Review: Run Away with Me by Brian Selznick

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Run Away with Me by Brian Selznick. 320 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., April 1, 2025. 9781339035529. Review of arc courtesy of publisher.

It is the summer of 1986, and our narrator is a sixteen-year-old lonely young man forced to move, yet again due to the nature of his single mother's rather esoteric job as a rare books expert. After wandering sullenly around Rome, he takes refuge in a cathedral to get out of the heat and falls asleep. When he awakens, he is struck by paintings of two angels seemingly staring at each other across the room. Haunted by these images, he resumes wandering and, at an intersection comes across a statue, which, unlike the many others in Rome, lacks beauty. As he turns away, he hears someone shout, "Wait!" and thinks for a moment that it is the statue. He finds a folded piece of paper jammed into the statue and upon unfolding it, finds that it is a map with a location circled. He makes his way to an elephant obelisk and meets the creator of the map, who looks exactly like the angel he just saw, and this angel speaks perfect English. Suddenly, Rome has become interesting. This mystery person names our narrator Danny, short for Dante, the sculptor of the elephant and Danny names his guide, Angelo, for the angel in the church. 

The next weeks unfold dreamily for Danny as he aches to reunite daily with Angelo, who is filled with anecdotes about Rome, not all of which Danny can believe. Angelo is secretive, but so is Danny, especially with his mother. 

Lies and truths intermingle in this intense story of first love, and identity. There are stories within the story that are utterly enchanting and heartbreaking. The narrative feels occasionally forced, especially when Angelo disappears and the cause is revealed. Sorry, the nurse in me is especially critical of medical stuff. This will not be noted by intended audience. 

The narrative is bookended by Selznick's signature pencil drawings that are so incredibly detailed they feel architectural and dreamy at once. 

Run Away with Me publishes on April 1. Mr. Selznick's YA debut is impressive. 

Fact Friday: Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming

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Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming. 384 p. Scholastic Focus/ Scholastic Inc., March, 2024. 

Fact Friday features Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming. During World War II, the Axis powers sent coded messages that were very difficult to crack due to their use of Enigma machines. The British government sent telegrams to hundreds of young women from all walks of life, many of them teens to Station X at Bletchley Park. There, they were sworn to secrecy and embarked on work attempting to decode intercepted messages from the enemy. Ms. Fleming introduces the reader to ten of those extraordinary women in this intense and fascinating work of narrative nonfiction. Some of the women were skilled in mathematics and others spoke several languages. All worked tirelessly to turn the tide of the war. Their work was instrumental in the British Navy's defeat of the Italian Navy as well as during the planning of the D-Day invasion. 

The book is chock full of photos, side stories and information about codes and ciphers. Any new book by Ms. Fleming was an automatic purchase for my school library. This should have wide appeal and one I highly recommend. Happy reading!  

ETA: Here's a short video of the author talking about Enigma Girls. 

#tbt: Smile by Raina Telgemeier

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Smile by Raina Telgemeier. 213 p. Graphix/ Scholastic Inc., 2010.

#tbt features Smile by Raina Telgemeier. Smile, indeed all of Ms. Telgemeier's books are in high-demand at TMS. Smile is the memoir of Ms. Telgemeier's tween years, when an unfortunate fall caused tremendous damage to her teeth and resulted in dental work which impacted her socially and psychologically. 

Young readers respond to Ms. Telgemeier's humor, bold palette and dynamic panelling. Young Raina's situation is totally relatable. 

Smile was Ms. Telgemeier's Scholastic debut and won an Eisner Award as well as mentions in "Best Books" lists from YALSA and the Notable Books committee. It was also named a Boston Globe/ Horn Book Nonfiction Honor title. 

#tbt: The Hunger Games

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The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 374 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc. October, 2008. 

#tbt features The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. This is the book that started it all. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen lives in District 12 in Panem. There used to be 13 districts, but after District 13 revolted and was ultimately destroyed, the Capital instituted annual games known as the Hunger Games, where two tributes from each district fought to the death, with the sole survivor winning food for their district for a year. Katniss' sister was chosen, but Katniss volunteered in her place. District 12's other tribute was Peetah, the baker's gentle son, who once saved Katniss from starvation. 

The world building is vivid and believable. The pace is fast and the suspense remains high. The Hunger Games is a consistent favorite of TMS students since its publication.

Waiting on Wednesday: Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins

 

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Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. 400 p. A Hunger Games Novel. March 18, 2025.  9781546171461.

Waiting on Wednesday features Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins. I recently stumbled on this news, which was somewhat happy-making, until I saw the price! $27.99! Whee-o, but book prices are climbing!

Here's the publisher synopsis: 

Sunrise on the Reaping will revisit the world of Panem twenty-four years before the events of The Hunger Games, starting on the morning of the reaping of the Fiftieth Hunger Games, also known as the Second Quarter Quell.

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes. Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves. When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.

Middle Grade Monday: Sunny Makes Her Case by Jennifer L. Holm

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Sunny Makes Her Case by Jennifer L. Holm and illustrated by Matthew Holm. 224 p. Sunny Book 5. Graphix/ Scholastic Inc., February, 2024. 9781338792447. Review of finished copy borrowed from public library. 

Happy penultimate Monday of summer break! I hope to make the best of the remaining days. Middle Grade Monday features Sunny Makes Her Case by Jennifer L. Holm and illustrated by Matthew Holm. This is the fifth book in the Sunny series, which is loosely based on Ms. Holm's childhood. This graphic novel series is enormously popular at TMS. Sunny is settling into middle school, sort of. While her classmates have extracurricular activities, such as cheering, Sunny hasn't yet found hers. Then, her friend Arun talks her into starting a debate club.Sunny likes arguing, so she and Arun find an advisor. At first, it's just the two of them, and then, Sunny learns there's a lot more to debate than just arguing!

The artwork, by Matthew Holm, continues to shine. Bright colors and dynamic panels move the story along. Of course, Sunny in all her relatability continues to charm. Must purchase!

Happy reading!

#tbt: Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick

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Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick. 304 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., January, 2004. 9780545722865.

When I posted the Teen Tuesday review of Jordan Sonnenblick's latest book, Stepping Off, I stopped to wonder if I had read all of his books since his debut, Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. Turns out, I have! As I perused the list of his books in NoveList, it hit me that Drums turned 20 in January! How did I miss noting that in a #tbt? I thought I had posted about it, but maybe I just thought about posting? I haven't exactly been on my game this past year.

Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie is told from eighth grader Steven Alper's POV, opening while he's on stage for his graduation and flashing back to the beginning of the year when he thought his last year of middle school would be all about jazz band, drums and unrequited love. Instead, he also has to deal with his little brother, Jeffrey's leukemia diagnosis and treatment. What makes this cancer weepie unique, is that it is hysterically funny. Most middle school boys avoid weepies like the plague. Drums is checked out and enjoyed by both boys and girls over the last twenty years.

The cover image depicted above is the latest iteration. This is the cover of the original (and the one I read):

But, I think this is my favorite cover, especially as it complements the companion novel, After Ever After so well!

Teen Tuesday: Stepping Off by Jordan Sonnenblick

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Stepping Off by Jordan Sonnenblick. 336 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., June, 2024. 9781339023175.

Teen Tuesday features Stepping Off by Jordan Sonnenblick. Sixteen-year-old Jesse Dienstag lives on Staten Island, commutes into Manhattan to attend a prestigious public school and yearns to leave the real world for his family's vacation home in Pennsylvania each summer where he teaches tennis at the local recreation center and hangs out with his two besties, Chloe and Ava, who also happen to live on the same cul de sac as Jesse. There's a wrinkle this summer though. Jesse realizes that he is in love. With both of them. If he's being honest though, he's a bit more in love with Chloe and hopes he can maintain his best friendship with Ava. Love problems aren't the only things Jesse is facing during the summer of 2019. He's devastated to learn that his parents' marriage is in trouble, though neither one addresses the issue with him. His perfect July 4th moment with Chloe and Ava is marred by tragedy, leaving Jesse and Chloe struggling to find ways to support Ava and her sister. 

Returning to the "real world" leaves Jesse stressed and his school work suffers. He also feels a bit left behind by his city best friend, Carson, who seems to have matured over the summer. Visits to Chloe and Ava don't help. As the stress builds, the pandemic hits. 

No one does male teen angst the way Jordan Sonnenblick does. Jesse is smart, self-deprecating and a bit wise beyond his years, but so dorky and cringey, yet hilarious in his romantic misadventures. My students love Jordan's books, and I know this won't sit. Stepping Off is the perfect romance for middle school readers. 

 

#tbt: A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd

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A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd. 336 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., 2014.

Happy Thursday! Happy August 1! There's just a little over a month left of summer break. I am so far behind in my GR goal, it isn't even funny. Part of the reason is Helga! She takes up so much time and energy! She's coming along, but she's A LOT!

#tbt features A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd. This was Ms. Lloyd's debut and published in 2014. Twelve-year-old Felicity is tired of moving frequently. Her mother has a sad and restless heart. When they land in Midnight Gulch, Tennessee, Felicity sees possibilities. She also has the gift of seeing words in the air. It seems Midnight Gulch has lost its magic. Can she and her new friend, Jonah help the town break its curse and can Felicity get Mama to settle down and stay for a while?

A Snicker of Magic was an E.B. White Read Aloud Honor book, an ALA Notable book, a New York Times Editor's Pick, and an NPR Best Book of 2014. Ms. Lloyd's subsequent books are: The Key to Extraordinary, Over the Moon, The Problim Children series, Hummingbird, and her forthcoming The Witching Wind, which I reviewed yesterday.

Happy reading!

Arc Review: The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd

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The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd. 368 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc. September 17, 2024. 9781338858600.

I can't believe we are staring down the end of July and August begins tomorrow! I hope you are enjoying every moment of your summer.

I featured The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd for Middle Grade Monday in my Library Links group in our school's learning platform and forgot to post here. This dual narrative is told by eleven-year-old Roxie, who was looking forward to starting middle school and Grayson, who has moved in with yet another foster family and about to be the new girl yet again. 

Roxie was humiliated at the sixth grade swim party and is thrilled when her beloved grandmother offers to take her on tour with her folk band. Grayson uses a walker due to the fact that her bones are brittle and she is prone to fractures. She thinks that this newest placement, as nice as they are is just temporary, since her beloved sister, Beanie, promised to become her legal guardian when she turns eighteen, which is soon.

Then, the witching winds come and boy, they are fierce this year! They take what folks love most, so when both Granny and Beanie go missing without a trace, Roxie and Grayson team up to track them down, even if it means facing the witch who sends the winds.

This work of magical realism is filled with endearing, quirky characters, a lush southern setting and mystery. Fans of Natalie Lloyd will not be disappointed. I loved this and just might reread it with my ears if it's released in audio format.