humor – Page 6 – Susan Uhlig

Georgia Watson and the 99 Percent Campaign

Posted on June 2, 2025May 22, 2025 by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Georgia Watson and the 99 Percent Campaign (Fitzroy Books/Regal House, October 2025*) by Sara F. Shacter was so good it was a one-sitting read. Ask your libraries to order it. I mean it!

Georgia and her one friend Izzy are entering 6th grade and thrilled to be in Mr. C’s class. (They both love science which he teaches.) But when Izzy’s former friend, mean Nicole, tries to squeeze Georgia out, Georgia is so mad she does something mean back with unfortunate consequences. Will she lose Izzy now? And what will their other classmates think? Worse yet Mr. C is disappointed in her. What a horrible start to the school year that may mean Georgia doesn’t get her wish for the two of them to go to science camp together next summer.

I love how what they’re learning in class effects Georgia’s actions, and how class assignments help her to see others differently. We all want kids to have teachers like fun and inventive Mr. C. Georgia’s science themed t-shirts are great, too. I also like that this ISN’T the typical “mean girl” story.

This is the author’s first middle grade novel. Read about Sara here and check out her picture books here.

*I got to read an Advanced Reader Copy.

Job Wanted

Posted on March 28, 2025March 16, 2025 by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

I know I shared a “dog book” last Friday, too, but Job Wanted (Holiday House, 2015) by Teresa Bateman and illustrated by Chris Sheban is so fun and inspirational.

Dog wants a job, but the farmer says he doesn’t need a dog. So dog asks if he needs a cow. “Well, sure. But you’re not a cow.” “We’ll see about that,” dog says. But the next day, when dog says, “moo” the farmer is not impressed and tells him there’s “no job here.” Dog is not discouraged.

You can read an article about the author here and see many of Teresa’s books reviewed here.

Read about the illustrator here and see some of his illustrations (One is quite famous.) There’s a long list of the books Chris has illustrated here.

Award Winners, MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Nightingale

Posted on March 24, 2025March 16, 2025 by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Nightingale (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2022) by Deva Fagan was a fun fantasy–there’s a magic sword, flying, an evil factory owner, workers literally ghosting, princes, a giant robot, a possibly war on the horizon, and a hero or two.

12-year-old Lark is an orphan just trying to earn enough money to get her mother’s locket back from mean Mrs. Starvenger. During an attempted theft she accidentally touches a magicked sword and becomes the fabled hero Nightingale expected to save Gallant from an ancient evil. 13-year-old Prince Jasper was the one who awakened the sword, but unfortunately the sword has a mind of it’s own and won’t go back. But Lark can’t be a hero, can’t she?

The book is a 2022 Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year and has been put on a several state lists. Read more here.

Read about the author here and check out her other books on her site.

PB, So Many Good Books

Dudley’s Day at Home

Posted on March 21, 2025March 16, 2025 by Susan Uhlig

Perfect Picture Book Friday

Dudley’s Day at Home (Flashlight Press, 2020) by Karen Kaufman Orloff and illustrated by Renee Andriani is funny and adorable.

When Sam wonders what his dog does all day at home, and Mom explains, Sam pictures quite different scenarios than Mom intends. Plus we get to see what Dudley thinks they do all day too.

I really enjoyed the humor and the kidlike feel.

Read about the author here and check out Karen’s other books here.

Read about the illustrator here, scroll through her books here, and check out some sketches here.

MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Stay, Girl

Posted on March 17, 2025March 10, 2025 by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Stay, Girl (Crow & Pitcher Press, 2024) by Angelica R. Jackson was a compelling read.

It’s 1953 in Sacramento, CA and 13-year-old Bet’s dying mother makes her promise to go to her Uncle Earl. The moment Mom dies, Bet packs up a few things and steals hidden money from her crooked stepfather, and is on the run. She plans to only stay a few days with her uncle and then go on to Oregon, but a small injured dog needs some care, so Bet decides to stick around a bit longer.

I enjoyed the details of small town life in this story and was rooting for Bet to have a real home in Amberfields, CA. And, of course, the dogs were fun.

Besides being a writer, Angelica has also rescued some dogs, which you can read about here. Read about the author here and see her other novels here.