#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: Rising Thunder by Neal Shusterman

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Rising Thunder by Neal Shusterman. A Prequel to Arc of the Scythe. 528 p. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, December 1, 2026. 9781665972086.

I posted a #tbt devoted to Scythe last week while waiting for the cover reveal of Rising Thunder. I can't wait to read this prequel even though I feel like we're living in a dystopia here in the U.S.

Here's the publisher synopsis: Discover Thunderhead’s origin—the fragile moment before the world changes forever and the hidden forces that set the storm in motion—in this long-awaited prequel to the New York Times bestselling and Printz Honor–winning Arc of a Scythe series by Neal Shusterman.

And of course, as every school child knows, December 2042 marks the end of the Age of Mortality.

What no one has ever fully understood is how the world reached that moment.

As death begins to seem optional, humanity looks for ways to bend the rules of existence. Twi-life centers begin storing the nearly-deceased, while eco-nihilists destroy civilization’s icons and threaten to end the human race entirely. Public opinion fractures. Systems strain. The world feels…unstable.

Behind the scenes, two powerful and diametrically opposed artificial intelligences set out to optimize, stabilize, and protect—each with its own idea of what that means. But in a world already tipping toward transformation, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Meanwhile, in an obscure online chatroom, a small group of teenagers from around the globe debate both the glorious and the terrifying prospects of the future, never realizing that they stand on a very literal cutting edge—and that their conversations, their choices, their very existence matter far more than they realize.

Because when humanity stands on the brink of immortality, someone must decide what survives…and what must be cut away.

Happy reading!

#tbt: Sycthe by Neal Shusterman

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Scythe by Neal Shusterman. Arc of the Scythe #1. 464 p. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, November, 2016. 9781442472426.

#tbt features Scythe by Neal Shusterman. I was a fan of the author for a while, having read his Dark Fusion series, his Skin Jacker series and the Unwind Distology. He came to visit my last school before I left for a nearby middle school. His visit was quite memorable for several reasons, not the least being that his rental car didn't show and he had to scramble to find a new one. It made him late to us, but he was calm and unruffled. He really connected with the students, and I also loved the fact that he checked out the eighth grade LA teacher's classroom library!

I was blown away by Scythe, but hesitated to put it in the YA (grades 7 & 8) section, where the Unwind books were favorites. I opted for my 8th grade only shelf, where it too, soon became a favorite. 

It takes place in a future where death and disease are basically eradicated. One cannot even commit suicide. In order to control the population, an elite order of Scythes glean candidates. Is this a good thing? How does a Scythe choose candidates? How does one become a Scythe? Are Scythes immune from corruption?

I recently heard that a prequel, Rising Thunder, the first book of a planned series called First Blade. It's not due out until December and there is no cover yet. Still, I'm excited to revisit this incredibly realistic possible world.

#tbt: Belly Up: Murder at FunJungle by Stuart Gibbs

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Belly Up: Murder at FunJungle by Stuart Gibbs. 304 p. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, May, 2010. 9781416987314.

Stuart Gibbs made his debut in 2010 with his first FunJungle book, Belly Up, featuring one of the coolest covers around. He followed this up with The Last Musketeer in 2011. 2012 brought us Spy School and a sequel to The Last Musketeer called Traitor's Chase. In 2013, Spy Camp was released, and then he published 1 - 3 books per year, totaling 41 books by October of this year. There are 9 FunJungle books, with #10 releasing in March (see Waiting on Wednesday); 13 Spy School books, 3 Space Case books, 4 Once Upon a Tim books, 4 Charlie Thorne books, 4 Spy School graphic novel adaptations, 1 graphic novel adaptation of Space Case and 3 Last Musketeer books! Wowzers! Is there no end to this man's energy and creativity? (I hope not.) 

He must be very busy updating his colorful and instructive website as well. His FAQ page is hilarious and worth a read. It really does cover all the questions that students with author assignments might have; but I fear it's a futile attempt to stave off emails asking what he has already painstakingly covered on his website. 

The Spy School series is slightly more popular with my middle school students, but the FunJungle series holds its own and the Space Case books were loved enough to require replacement. Mr. Gibbs' books take up a lot of library shelf real estate, and those shelves are only full twice a year- at the beginning and at the end. I'm pretty sure I posted a pic either here or on my socials. It's a fantastic problem to have as a librarian. I'm retired now, but still love to read books for younger readers, especially those by authors I love. 

Keep them coming, Stuart Gibbs! 

 

Waiting on Wednesday: Ape Escape by Stuart Gibbs

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Ape Escape by Stuart Gibbs. 320 p. FunJungle #10. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, March 24, 2026. 9781665986779.

I discovered this news when I went to Simon & Schuster's website for my Monday post! I need to remember to read it with my eyes! While I have started reading more fiction and nonfiction for adults, I will continue to read for young people, especially when favorite authors have new publications. I love this cover. Ape Escape is due on March 24, 2026. 

Publisher synopsis: In the tenth novel in New York Times bestselling author Stuart Gibbs’s FunJungle series, super sleuth Teddy Fitzroy is on the case to rescue an abducted young gorilla!

When a baby gorilla is stolen from an orphanage in Rwanda, Teddy, his parents, and an old family friend find themselves in a race against time to save it. Teddy has to piece together clues to figure out where the little ape is being taken while traveling through some of the most incredible—and dangerous—terrain in the world.

At the same time, he’s long-distance consulting with Summer to help solve another mystery back at FunJungle. Between facing down lions on the Serengeti and chasing poachers through the bazaars of Zanzibar, will Teddy be able to find the baby gorilla before it’s too late?

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: All Ears by Stuart Gibbs

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All Ears by Stuart Gibbs. FunJungle #9. Unabridged e-audio, ~8 hours. Read by Gibson Frazier. Simon & Schuster Audio, May, 2025. 9781668134696. Review of audiobook borrowed from pubic library.

Middle Grade Monday features All Ears by Stuart Gibbs. This ninth installment does not disappoint. Teddy Fitzroy and his father have been called to investigate an elephant that went missing from a nearby ranch. While there, Teddy receives a call from his best friend, Xavier, who was arrested for trespassing and vandalism on a construction site. His loyalty is divided. His best friend is understandably upset and wants him to come immediately, but he needs to look for clues while they are still fresh. This causes some friction between the two.

As usual, Gibbs weaves a environmental themes (habitat loss, big-game hunting) in with plenty of suspense as well as humor. These plot-driven mysteries remain fresh and fun. 

I had forgotten my promise not to read these with my ears. The narrator is serviceable, but this first-person narrative is told by a teenager, and the voice in my ears is clearly adult.

Waiting on Wednesday: Coach by Jason Reynolds

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Coach by Jason Reynolds. 256 p. Atheneum/ Caitlyn Dlhouey Books/ Simon & Schuster, October 14, 2025. 9798347102372.

First off, I've been a bad book blogger of late. I have been reading a fair amount, but have lacked the concentration to actually sit down and write about what I've been reading. I want to get back into regular blogging. I came across this upcoming release quite by accident when I was looking up another book by Jason Reynolds.

Waiting on Wednesday features Coach by Jason Reynolds. This companion novel features Coach as a young boy. The Track series was a perennial favorite among my middle school students. I can't wait to read this when it releases in October!

Publisher synopsis: In this companion to Jason Reynolds’s award-winning and New York Times bestselling Track series, meet Coach as a boy striving to come into his own as a track star while facing upheaval at home.

Before Coach was the man who gave caring yet firm-handed guidance to Ghost, Lu, Patina, and Sunny on the Defenders track team, he was little Otie Brody, who was obsessed with Mr. 9.99 (a.k.a. Carl Lewis) and Marty McFly from Back to the Future. Like Mr. 9.99—and his own dad—Otie is a sprinter. Sprint free or die is practically his motto.

Then his dad, who is always away on business trips, comes home with a pair of Jordans. JORDANS. Fine as fine can be. Otie puts them on and feels like he can leap to the moon…maybe even leap like Mr. 9.99 when he won the Olympic gold medal in the long jump. But one morning he wakes up to find his brand-new secret weapon kicks are missing—right off his feet! And Otie just might have a fuzzy memory of his dad easing them off as Otie was sleeping, but that can’t be right, can it?

Unless all the reasons for his dad’s “gone’s” are very different from what he’s been told… Because now, not only are the Jordans missing, but so is his father.

Middle Grade Monday: Rebellion, 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson

                                                        

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Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson. 416 p. Atheneum Books for Young Readers/ Caitlyn Dlhouy Books/ Simon & Schuster, April 1, 2025. 9781416968269. Review of a finished copy borrowed from the public library. 

Middle Grade Monday features Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson. Thirteen-year-old Elsbeth works for a crotchety, old, loyalist judge in Boston, and feels lucky to have that job. She and her father recently moved to Boston from Philadelphia after her mother and siblings died from smallpox. Her father is a sailmaker and she is tall for her age, so she works for the judge and puts up with his abuse. But then, the Redcoats are routed from Boston and loyalists are evacuating. What will happen to Elsbeth? Her father wants her to evacuate, but she wants to stay. 

This first-person narrative drew me in from the start. Elsbeth is plucky, smart and feisty. Through Elsbeth, Anderson conveys the danger and uncertainty of the seige of Boston. As if the battle between the colonists and British was not enough, smallpox is rearing its ugly head in Boston. The resistance to vaccination is eerily similar to modern day antivaxers. 

Anderson is a masterful researcher, but also skilled in making her characters relatable. I loved this. 

Middle Grade Monday and Arc Review: Spelling It Out by Margaret Finnegan

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Spelling It Out by Margaret Finnegan. 208 p. Atheneum Books for Young Readers/ Simon & Schuster, May 13, 2025. 9781665969673. Review of arc courtesy of Blue Slip Media.

This story takes place in 1985, but is narrated by an adult Ben Bellini, who reminisces about his summer of freedom spent in San Francisco with his grandmother. After twelve-year-old Ben wins his sixth grade spelling bee, then his school's bee without much preparation or worry, he finds himself disappointed to lose the regional bee. He worries that liking spelling might get him labeled a nerd, but he really likes the adrenaline rush of competing. 

He lives in Southern California with his older sister and younger brother and rather overprotective parents. When his grandmother, a retired maverick architect, calls with the offer of having Ben stay for the summer so that a friend of hers can coach him, his parents are appalled and Ben is intrigued. This friend of Gran's actually won the National Spelling Bee some time ago! 

After his parents secure promises that Ben will be well supervised, Ben is placed on a plane to San Francisco. Only, his Gran isn't at the gate, and doesn't arrive for quite a while. This is just the first of many little slips to come.

And Gran's friend, Roger? He is nasty and abusive and doesn't seem interested in coaching Ben at all. When he finds refuge at the public library, he meets a kindred spirit. Asha spends her days there studying for the spelling bee!

I'm not sure why this coming-of-age novel had to be narrated by adult Ben, but readers who enjoy character-driven, gentle novels will find him very relatable. He's insecure, but smart and perceptive. He wants to do the right thing, but it takes him a while to realize what that is. He needs to learn to stand up to Roger. He needs to learn how to be a good friend. Most of all, he needs to realize that something is truly wrong with his grandmother. 

Contemporary readers' minds may be blown by Ben's freedom in a big city as much as by life before cell phones and gps. They will also appreciate the humor and heart. 

Spelling It Out will be released on May 13. Happy reading!

#tbt: Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle

Simon & Schuster

Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle. 288 p. Nate #1. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, February, 2013. 9781422446892.

#tbt features Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle. This book marked Federle's MG debut and features Thirteen-year-old Nate Foster doesn't fit in well in Jankburg, PA. He's a bit overweight, not into sports and adores Broadway musicals even though he's never been to even one. Luckily for Nate, he has one bff who shares his passion. Libby is his ride or die and Nate's alibi when he decides to take a bus to Manhattan to answer an open audition for ET: the Musical. 

Often laugh-out-loud funny, Nate's voice is earnest and endearing and believable. The book was named a Stonewall Honor and the audiobook, which was narrated by the author won an Odyssey Honor. Every budding theater kid should get to know Nate. 

Waiting on Wednesday: North of Tomboy by Julie A. Swanson

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North of Tomboy by Julie A. Swanson. 256 p. She Writes Press/ Simon & Schuster, September 25, 2025. 9781684633302.

Publisher synopsis:For fans of Kacen Callender, Lin Thompson, and Kyle Lukoff, comes a middle grade novel set in 1973 about a child who feels more boy than girl and is frustrated that people act blind to that when—aside for her stupid hair and clothes—it should be obvious!

Shy fourth grader Jess Jezowski turns the tables on her mom when she’s given yet another girly baby doll for Christmas. This time, instead of ignoring or destroying it, she transforms it into the boy she’s always wanted to be—a brave, funny little guy named Mickey. Making him talk, Jess finally lets the boy in her express himself.

But when Mickey evolves to become something more like an alter ego whose voice drowns out her own and the secret of him escapes the safety of her family, Jess realizes Mickey’s too limited and doesn’t allow the boy part of her a big enough presence in the world. She must find a way to blend him into her—so she can be that side of herself anywhere, around anyone.

Jess tries to wean herself from the crutch of Mickey’s loud, comical persona, and to get her family to forget about him, but she struggles to do both. What will it take for her to stop hiding behind Mickey and get people to see her for who she truly is? Based on the author’s experience growing up on Michigan’s rural Leelanau Peninsula in the ’70s, North of Tomboy includes artwork throughout.

#tbt: Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

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Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. 336 p. Seeds of America #1. Atheneum/ Simon & Schuster, October, 2008. 9781416905851. Own.

#tbt features Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson. This is the first book in the author's Seeds of America trilogy. Isabel is looking forward to being freed along with her disabled sister upon her mistress' death. Unfortunately, the woman's heir has other plans. He sells them to the Lockton family of New York City. They are Loyalists during the beginning of the American Revolution. Isabel meets Curzon, who is enslaved to a Patriot family. He wants her to spy for the Patriots. Isabel agrees, but does not agree with Curzon's belief that fighting for the Patriots will result in liberty for them.

This layered, character-driven novel has a strong sense of place and explores the multifaceted reasons behind the colonists' fight for freedom juxtaposed against the enslaved people's desire for freedom. 

Chains was a National Book Award Finalist and won the Scott O'Dell Historical Fiction Award. It was named an ALA Notable Book as well as a YALSA Best book and many state book awards.

The trilogy continued with Forge in 2010, and concluded with Ashes in 2016. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Rebellion, 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson

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Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson. 410 p. Atheneum/ Caitlin Dlouhey/ Simon & Schuster, April 1, 2025. 9781416968269.

Waiting on Wednesday features Rebellion 1776 by Laurie Halse Anderson. I'm a huge fan of Ms. Anderson. Her contemporary realistic fiction books are gripping and intense, but her historical fiction novels are as well. I can't wait for this.

Publisher synopsis: From New York Times bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson comes an eerily timely historical fiction middle grade adventure about a girl struggling to survive amid a smallpox epidemic, the public’s fear of inoculation, and the seething Revolutionary War.

In the spring of 1776, thirteen-year-old Elsbeth Culpepper wakes to the sound of cannons. It’s the Siege of Boston, the Patriots’ massive drive to push the Loyalists out that turns the city into a chaotic war zone. Elsbeth’s father—her only living relative—has gone missing, leaving her alone and adrift in a broken town while desperately seeking employment to avoid the orphanage.

Just when things couldn’t feel worse, the smallpox epidemic sweeps across Boston. Now, Bostonians must fight for their lives against an invisible enemy in addition to the visible one. While a treatment is being frantically fine-tuned, thousands of people rush in from the countryside begging for inoculation. At the same time, others refuse protection, for the treatment is crude at best and at times more dangerous than the disease itself.

Elsbeth, who had smallpox as a small child and is now immune, finds work taking care of a large, wealthy family with discord of their own as they await a turn at inoculation, but as the epidemic and the revolution rage on, will she find her father?

Middle Grade Monday: Time to Roll by Jamie Sumner

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Time to Roll by Jamie Sumner. Roll with It #2. 224 p. Atheneum Books for Young Readers/ Simon & Schuster, April, 2023.

Middle Grade Monday features Time to Roll by Jamie Sumner. I finally got to this sequel to Roll with It, which I loved!

It's the summer and Ellie's mom married her gym teacher. Yay! They are off on a month-long honeymoon in an RV and since Ellie's grandparents now live in a home, Ellie's dad steps up to spend the month in the trailer with his wife and sons. Boo! Ellie feels so weird around him because he treats her weirdly, plus, he's always on his phone!

Coralee decides to enter the Miss Boots and Bows pageant and Ellie and Bert go along for the ride. The pageant organizer takes one look at Ellie and wants her to sign up as well. Oddly, so does Coralee. Ellie doesn't think this is a good idea, but borrows the entrance fee from her grandmother. As expected, the pageant organizer treats Ellie as a commodity and tensions arise between the girls. 

As in the first book, Ellie's voice is unique and entertaining. This book continues exploring themes of disability awareness and rolls friendship issues, father-daughter issues and elder care issues seamlessly. Now, on to Rolling On, which released in October. Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Out of My Dreams by Sharon Draper

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Out of My Dreams by Sharon Draper. 320 p. Atheneum/ Caitlyn Dlouhy Books/ Simon & Schuster, September 3, 2024. 9781665949545

Thanks to the Simon & Schuster Fall Preview for the inspiration for Waiting on Wednesday! I had no idea a new Melody book was coming! Waiting on Wednesday features Out of My Dreams by Sharon Draper. Ms. Draper's earlier books about Melody, Out of My Mind and Out of My Heart are TMS favorites! Out of My Dreams will release on September 3, so mark your calendars!

Here's the publisher's synopsis: Melody flies to London to speak at a convention about differently abled kids in this stunning sequel to the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling middle grade novels Out of My Mind and Out of My Heart.

When Melody saves an elderly back-in-the-day actress’s life, the woman is so grateful—and impressed by Melody—that she nominates Melody to be a US spokesperson at an international symposium for kids with different abilities. To Melody’s utter shock and delight, she and two friends of her choice are chosen to participate—and this year’s symposium is in England!

Melody finally gets to fly on an airplane, and even the airline’s somewhat clumsy handling of her wheelchair can’t dampen her excitement to be in London. There, Melody meets kids from all over the world who are rallying for greater accessibility and more thoughtful planning on how to make the world more equal for every kid, no matter the unusual challenges they face. As Melody’s time to speak approaches, she hopes she can find a way to make every word count and make an impact.

Oh! Keep an eye on the Disney+ line-up. Out of My Mind has been made into a feature film, but the release date is not yet known. Happy reading!

#tbt: Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs

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Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs. 304 p. FunJungle #1. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, May, 2010. 9781416987314. Own.

Oops! Happy Thursday! I hope you had a terrific Fourth of July. I have been busy getting ready to take in a foster dog. She's coming tomorrow and you will definitely hear more about her in the coming days. I'm excited. Not so sure about Boo, though. He's going to have to learn to share.

#tbt features Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs. Mr. Gibbs is definitely a TMS favorite. His Spy School novels are constantly checked out, but did you know that he has several other series? Belly Up is book one of his FunJungle series and was his debut, publishing in 2010, two years before the publication of his first Spy School book.

Twelve-year-old Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt Fitzroy has just moved to Texas with his zoologist parents from Africa. In Africa, he was homeschooled and everyday was an adventure. At FunJungle, where his parents have just been hired? Not so much. That is, until the irrascible mascot of the theme park, Henry Hippo, turns up dead under mysterious circumstances. The list of suspects is long and Teddy is determined to find justice for Henry. The action is fast-paced and over-the-top - think, Home Alone visits an amusement park. Teddy's first-person narration is sassy and hilarious.

Middle Grade Monday: Duel by Jessixa Bagley and illustrated by Aaron Bagley.

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Duel by Jessixa Bagley and illustrated by Aaron Bagley. 320 p. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, November, 2023. 9781534496545. (Review of finished, purchased copy.) 

Happy Monday! It is the final Monday of the 2023- 2024 school year and we have a heat wave this week in the northeast. Middle Grade Monday features Duel by Jessixa Bagley and illustrated by Aaron Bagley. 

Siblings fight, but sisters, Gigi and Lucy's bickering is next-level and about to get worse. Gigi is a popular eighth grader. She's also a good student and star fencer. In fact, she will probably be named captain this year. Lucy is entering sixth grade and terrified of not fitting in and being as good as her sister. When Gigi humiliates Lucy in the cafeteria on the very first day of school in front of the entire school, she grabs Gigi's foil from her fencing bag and challenges her to a duel. Both girls end up in the principal's office and their over-worked, stressed out mother manages to talk the principal out of suspending them, but she's done. Now that the gauntlet has been thrown on multiple levels, Gigi and Lucy are committed to their duel and the entire school is taking sides and bets.

This sibling rivalry story is unique. Each chapter opens with a page from a fencing guidebook, the significance of which, I will not spoil. The full-color art is expressive, with flashback action presented in blue tones for contrast. This graphic novel will have wide appeal. I loved it. Stay cool and happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Unstuck by Barbara Dee

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Unstuck by Barbara Dee. 288 p. Aladdin/ Simon & Schuster, February 27, 2024. 9781534489868.

Happy Wednesday! It's a beautiful fall day outside here in northern NJ. Waiting on Wednesday features Unstuck by Barbara Dee. Ms. Dee's books portray lots of relatable issues that tweens face. TMS Library owns quite a few of her titles. Maybe He Just Likes You is a TMS fave. Unstuck releases on February 27, 2024.

Publisher synopsis: Lyla is thrilled when her seventh-grade English language arts class begins a daily creative writing project. For the past year, she’s been writing a brilliant fantasy novel in her head, and here’s her chance to get it on paper! The plot to Lyla’s novel is super complicated, with battle scenes and witches and a mysterious one-toed-beast, but at its core, it’s about an overlooked girl who has to rescue her beautiful, highly accomplished older sister.

But writing a fantasy novel turns out to be harder than simply imagining one, and pretty soon Lyla finds herself stuck, experiencing a panic she realizes is writer’s block. Part of the problem is that she’s trying to impress certain people—like Rania, her best friend who’s pulling away, and Ms. Bowman, the coolest teacher at school. Plus, there’s the pressure of meeting the deadline for the town writing contest. A few years ago, Lyla’s superstar teen sister Dahlia came in second, and this time, Lyla is determined to win first prize.

Finally, Lyla confides about her writing problems to Dahlia, who is dealing with her own academic stress as she applies to college. That’s when she learns Dahlia’s secret, which is causing a very different type of writer’s block. Can Lyla rescue a surprisingly vulnerable big sister, both on the page and in real life?

Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday: A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner

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A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner. 368 p. Aladdin/ Simon & Schuster, May, 2023. 9781665905152. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Sorry for this late posting! Middle Grade Monday features A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner. This heartbreaking first-person narrative is difficult to classify. It's notebook design implies a journal, but it's filled with disjointed free verse and sketches depicting Will's fragile mental health since fourth grade, when a cruel classmate fat-shamed him. He withdraws, and tries to make himself invisible by dressing in the baggiest of clothing and, eventually suffers from disordered eating. This honest, unflinching portrayal of what it's like to live as a fat kid in a world that values thinness will make readers reflect on how they might treat others. It's a powerful gut-punch. Highly recommended.

Waiting on Wednesday: Maid for It by Jamie Sumner

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Maid for It by Jamie Sumner. 240 p. Atheneum Books for Young Readers/ Simon & Schuster, Sept. 5, 2023. 9781665905770.

Happy Wednesday! I hope you have plans to spend some time outdoors today! It looks like a great one here in northern NJ. Waiting on Wednesday features Maid for It by Jamie Sumner. Many TMS Readers are fans of Ms. Sumner's 2019 debut, Roll with It, which had a sequel, Time to Roll released earlier this year. Maid for It will be published on September 5. 

Here's the publisher synopsis: Now that Franny and her newly sober mom have moved to a cozy apartment above a laundromat, Franny’s looking forward to a life where her biggest excitement is getting top grades in math class. But when Franny’s mom gets injured in a car accident, their fragile life begins to crumble. There’s no way her mom can keep her job cleaning houses, which means she can’t pay the bills. Franny can’t forget what happened the last time her mom was hurt: the pills that were supposed to help became an addiction, until rehab brought them to Mimi’s laundromat and the support group she hosts.

Franny will not let addiction win again, even if she has to blackmail a school rival to help her clean houses. She’ll make the money and keep her mom sober—there’s no other choice. But what happens if this is one problem she can’t solve on her own?