Middle Grade

Don’t Want to Be Your Monster / Deke Moulton

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Don’t Want to Be Your Monster
By: Deke Moulton
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 304
Published: August 1, 2023
Publisher: Tundra Books
Dates Read: March 10, 2024 - March 12, 2024
Format: Hardcover

Adam and Victor have fights just like all brothers – over the remote, over chores, over rather or not it’s morally acceptable to eat people… well, more like when it’s okay to drink someone’s blood. They’re young vampires hiding in the woods with the sibling Sung and their Moms in Lacey, Washington. Pacific Northwest. United States of America.

For the most part, everything has been great – until bodies start to appear all over town and it becomes pretty clear there’s a vampire hunter involved. But as both boys try to find their own way of solving the murders, it creates a wedge between them. Can they reconcile their differences and work together before it’s too late?

Okay, this was cute. I was a little bit worried about it when I first started it because young literature with vampires can go so many different ways. This one however, went in the right direction! There’s of course a small change up from what you usually think of vampires with how the author pictures them in their world, but through the characters, they explain kind of their reasoning as to why their vampires are a little different than your classic ones. Which, in all honesty, all made complete sense to me!

I also loved the idea of a Jewish Vampire. Cause yea, nearly everything around vampires has been centered around Catholicism (I mean, so is most history if we’re being real honest), so that was another nice change to see in a vampire world.

Overall, a wonderfully cute, middle grade vampire novel. I didn’t think it was really scary or gory or anything like that so it fits well with younger readers. I don’t know if “soft fantasy” is what I’m looking for because there is a vampire hunter and murder, and it’s high stakes, but it’s not terrifying! This is a book I can see those who like the vampire world would enjoy – no matter the age!

*Thank you Tundra Books and LibraryThing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Marshmallow & Jordan

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Marshmallow & Jordan
By: Alina Chau
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 384
Published: January 1, 2021
Publisher: First Second
Dates Read: February 27, 2024 - February 28, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

After an accident left her paralyzed from the waist down, Jordan is no longer the star player for her school’s basketball team, even though she’s still captain, her competition days are over. After practice one day, Jordan encounters a small, baby white elephant, whom she names Marshmallow. The duo bond quickly and Marshmallow even helps Jordan discover a new sport.

This is so cute and I love it so much.

What a wonderful, positive representation of friendship, love, and different abled bodies. I absolutely appreciated how much support everyone was always giving Jordan. Sure, when the water polo team first met Jordan, they had some doubts but for the most part, everyone was still supportive of her.

The illustrations of this graphic novel were beautiful and sometimes intense (like the water polo games!). It also had really delightful setting panels of Indonesia.

Overall – this is a little long and sometimes a little choppy when it comes to the storytelling, but the elegant illustrations made up for it. It’s aimed at Middle Grade readers for sure – but if you want something cute and sweet, those of all ages will find enjoyment between these pages.

Wildful / Kengo Kurimoto

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Wildful
By: Kengo Kurimoto
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 216
Published: February 6, 2024
Publisher: Groundwood Books
Dates Read: February 18, 2024 - February 18, 2024
Format: eBook

One day while Poppy’s out walking Pepper, her dog leads her through a hole in a fence; there she finds a forgotten wild land as well as a new friend – Rob. Poppy’s mother hasn’t been the same since her Gran passed away and barely leaves the couch. Poppy spends more and more time outside with Rob, who teaches her all the magic of the wilderness. Poppy would love to share it with her mom, but her mom barely has enough energy. Can Poppy help get her mom to see the beauty of the world again?

This is such a beautifully illustrated story. It’s almost a silent graphic novel, with few words – and even those words weren’t really spoken much until near the end.

This story is a lot about grief and how to find joy again after the passing of a loved one.

It’s simple, but still powerful.

What Happened to Rachel Riley? / Claire Swinarski

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What Happened to Rachel Riley?

By: Claire Swinarski

Genre: Middle Grade

Number of Pages: 352

Published: January 10, 2023

Publisher: Quill Tree Books

Dates Read: February 2, 2024 - February 3, 2024

Format: Library Book / Hardcover

rigger Warnings: sexual harassment, #MeToo

Anna Hunt is the new girl at East Middle School, but it doesn’t take her long to notice former popular girl, Rachel Riley, is now the social outcast no one talks to, or about. As a lover of podcasts, Anna decides to create her own podcast around the question, “What Happened to Rachel Riley?”. Told through first person narration from Anna, emails, texts, notes, podcast transcripts, letters, and flyers compiled together through Anna’s journal in finding out the truth.

I really enjoyed this book and the conversation it brings up for the middle grade readers. As Anna kind of discovers – harassment is still harassment, even if it’s meant to be “funny” or “a game”. This also gives these girls the courage to speak up and out about anything that’s not right.

I’m a little grippy about the ending though, cause I felt like it was super rushed <spoiler> and I wanted to know if Anna got into her podcast summer camp!</spoiler>.

Overall though, I will be recommending this novel to so many – middle grade, YA, and adult readers alike! It’s an important message, and with all the different types of format that the reader gets information from, it keeps your attention.

The Memory Thieves (The Conjureverse #2) / Dhonielle Clayton

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The Memory Thieves (The Conjureverse #2)
By: Dhonielle Clayton
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 416
Published: September 26, 2023
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.
Dates Read: January 4, 2024 - January 8, 2024
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Ella is ready to go back to the Arcanum Training Institute with her friends Brigit and Jason. But her celebrity status for saving the Marvellian world from the Ace of Anarchy is making it hard for Ella to focus on her school world. And, on top of all that, a mysterious magical illness has begun to sweep through the halls of the Institute, causing nose bleeds, headaches, and messing with people’s marvels! Can Ella and her friends save themselves and the Marvellian world before the Ace of Anarchy’s next big plan is put into place?

If you’d like another series that’s focused on a magical school (with an unproblematic author) and with much diversity, this is for you. Right now its focus is a middle grade audience, but I feel like it could move onward to more maturity as the characters also grow – especially if we keep following the line of each book is a new school year.

The world building in this is fantastic and wonderful. There’s so many layers of the Marvellian World we haven’t discovered yet and I can’t wait to see it.

Lately I’ve been a bit of a stickler when it comes to reading series – I don’t want to read them until it’s mostly all published because I hate waiting. But, waiting sometimes is the fun part and I read the first of this series before I really realized it was going to be a series.

Now, I’m glad I’ve always got something to look forward to.

Overall, I think anyone who enjoys magical schools and kids using their skills to outsmart adults – I believe you’ll like this book!

The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum / Lisa Yee, Dan Santat (Illustrator)

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The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum
By: Lisa Yee, Dan Santat (Illustrator)
Genre: Middle Grade
Number of Pages: 288
Published: January 2, 2024
Publisher: Random House for Young Readers
Dates Read: January 3, 2024 - January 4, 2024
Format: ARC / Library Book / Audiobook

Olive Cobin Zang has always slipped under the radar but problems have a knack for always finding her. But nothing would prepare her for the once prison, now turned to a reforming arts boarding school she’s dropped off at: RASCH. There, she’s lumped in with a team of four other kids whose goal is to fight crime.

Turns out, RASCH is in danger of closing. If Olive and The Misfits can stop the heist of the century, maybe she can stay at the school where she finally feels like she belongs.

One thing I want to make clear on this, is that I would not deem this as a graphic novel. It’s a novel with illustrations for sure, but not a graphic novel with pages full of panels; it’s mostly text. So hence my surprise when asked for the ARC, received it and opened it to find it mostly text. Now, it’s still a great story! And super fun and I can see a lot of kid enjoy the “being a spy” aspect 

Other than that, I enjoyed the middle grade spy/crime fighting book. Was some of it completely out there – yes. But it totally reads like a fun movie – and the illustrations here and there help with the film in my head. For those kids that like page turning action, this will do it for you.

*Thank you Random House for Young Readers and NetGalley for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

Big Tree / Brian Selznick

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Big Tree
By: Brian Selznick
Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Number of Pages: 528
Published: April 4, 2023
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Dates Read: December 31, 2023
Format: ARC / Paperback

The fate of life on Earth falls on the fluffs of two brave little seeds as they leave their mother to find their own place to grow.

Was I prepared to get emotionally invested in two seedlings from the prehistoric times on my New Years Eve afternoon – no, of course not. Did I make weird noises while reading it when crazy things happen – yes, yes I did.

The art in this book goes along wonderfully with the story – it really adds a whole other level to the telling by showing the events, which sometimes you don’t need words for.

I did enjoy the discussion of the entire plant system under our feet. Trees definitely talk to each other. Shoot, the smell of freshly cut grass is the grass telling others around it danger is coming! It’s a crazy unheard world around us.

Overall, this is something I can see myself recommending to loads of people – especially can see this on book lists for Earth Day for sure!

Rain Remembers (Rain #2) / Courtney Comrie

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Rain Remembers (Rain #2)
By: Courtne Comrie
Genre: Middle Grade, Novel in Verse
Number of Pages: 272
Published: October 24, 2023
Publisher: HarperCollins
Dates Read: December 21, 2023 - December 24, 2023
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

The start of this school year has brought a lot of changes for Rain. First off, her brother Xander is off to college and now it’s just her mom and her. Secondly, she’s a freshman in high school – where there’s no Circle Group, no Dr. McMalla, no Miss Walia, and no step team. Rain is struggling with all the new things in her life, including opening up to her new counselor. But when an older boy starts to give Rain more attention than she asked for, will she be able to open up again before it’s too late?

I just really enjoy the way things like therapy and Group Circle are talked about in this book. I grew up during a time where, though it was more common for people to go to therapy, it wasn’t talked about, and was still kind of taboo.

Rain is so well written and authentic that she seems real to the reader. There’s so much of the emotional rollercoaster of adolescence that older readers will relate to her as well and they remember their time growing up.

There is also a wonderful message of making sure you always have something that you love that you can go to in dark times – mine has always been music and writing. There are some heavy parts in this novel, but as it was in the book before this, that it’s not something kids aren’t going through nowadays and none of this is anything that even younger middle school students wouldn’t be able to connect with.

Overall, I loved this book – like I knew I would as soon as I saw it was coming out. This will be highly recommended for those who want to feel and connect with the main character of the story they are reading.

A First Time for Everything / Dan Santat

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A First Time for Everything
By: Dan Santat
Genre: Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Memoir
Number of Pages: 320
Published: February 28, 2023
Publisher: First Second
Dates Read: November 20, 2023
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Best selling author and Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat writes about his middle school class trip traveling around Europe in 1989. As he travels through France, Germany, Switzerland, and England, a series of first experiences begin to change him and his perspective on life.

I can’t remember exactly why I grabbed this title from my library but then it won the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature, and I knew I needed to read it. I’m glad I did! It was such a fun read.

When I was in high school, my French teacher took a group of kids to Paris every other summer for a week (it would be a part of the EF Tours, but just the Paris leg of the trip) so I could relate to a lot of what Dan Santat would bring up about the touring and such. It was also my first time traveling to a complete other country, halfway across the world, by myself.

As the title implies, there is a first time for everything, and Santat experiences a lot of firsts on this trip in the novel: first time traveling without his parents, first overseas Fanta drink, first cigarette, first alcoholic drink, first kiss, first time sharing his art with someone. Through flashbacks the reader sees experiences that Santat had before, which make him hesitant to try something new.

The art of this graphic novel is gorgeous and captivating. There are illustrations from all the famous European cities and historic buildings the students visited on their trip. Everything was clearly drawn and characters were different from one another where I was never confused as to who was who.

Overall, I can see why it won the award. I can also see myself putting this in the hands of those who like travelogues and coming of age stories.

Something Like Home / Andrea Beatriz Arango

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Something Like Home
By: Andrea Beatriz Arango
Genre: Middle Grade, Novel in Verse
Number of Pages: 256
Published: September 12, 2023
Publisher: Random House Book for Young Readers
Dates Read: October 29, 2023
Format: Library Book / Hardcover

Trigger Warnings: Foster care, abandonment, parental drug use

Twelve-year-old Laura Rodríguez Colón has a plan: to do whatever it takes to live with her parents again. She’s okay with living with her aunt – but only temporarily. So when Laura finds a puppy, she begins to train him as a therapy, hoping to use his skills as an in to her parent’s treatment center. Maybe Sparrow will help her parents get better so they can all be together again.

I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for pitties so when I saw the pittie on this cover, I was immediately drawn to it. And, I love me a novel in verse. I also didn’t recognize the author until I was getting ready to read it – but Iveliz Explains It All ripped by heart out last year. As soon as I registered it was that author, I knew I was going to be in for a good book!

As with her other book, Something Like Home isn’t an easy read, but it’s a needed one. It tells a story of a young girl separated from her parents by foster care because of their drug use, who, even though they’re neglectful of her when they use, still very much love their daughter. It shows the difficulty of not only that relationship but also what that was like for the aunt (Laura’s mom’s sister).

There’s amazing growth in this story of multiple characters, but Laura’s were my favorite. She had two unexpected relationships – one with the dog Sparrow, and one with a classmate, Benson. Sparrow and Laura’s journey was adorable and cute and shows the love that happens between a pet and their owners. Benson’s relationship with Laura was very organic, especially in the sense that there was a craving for a best friend, but that was hard for both because of previous wounds.

Though this is targeted for the Middle Grade readers, I highly recommend this to all as Laura’s story is sure to tug at your heartstrings, no matter your age.