Tag: MMGM

cover of Greenglass House - a drawing of fantastical house in a forest with snow
Posted in Award Winners, MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Greenglass House

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

I love when a book does something unexpected that makes me wonder if I should read the whole thing again to see what hints I missed. Greenglass House (Clarion Books, 2014) by Kate Milford is one of those.

In a fascinating old inn that smugglers use and his parents run, twelve-year-old Milo Pine expects to get to relax for Christmas vacation. But then these people keep showing up (and getting to this inn is not easy in winter) and they all seem to want something connected to the old house. Milo, and Meddy, the cook’s daughter, plan to figure out what is going on.

This Roaming World book is a New York Times Bestseller, National Book Award Nominee, Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery, and Nebula/Andre Norton Award Nominee.

There’s a sequel, The Ghosts of Greenglass House, a companion book that Milo is reading in Greenglass House—The Raconteur’s Commonplace Book, and more. Check them all out here. The newest one, Rialto, comes out next month.

cover of Outside
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Outside

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Outside (Scholastic Press, 2025) by Jennifer L. Holm is a compelling story set in the near future. I found it difficult to put down. The story also has several surprising twists.

Since the Great Poisoning Razzi has never been Outside. Neither have the other six, I mean five, kids in the Refuge. She’s the oldest kid and the others look up to her, so Razzi always follows the rules–especially since Ollie died. But when a sprained knee turns into something else, Razzi has other strange things happen, that get her in trouble.

Scroll down on the main page of Jennifer’s website and you can watch a video teaser for this novel. Also read her bio here. You can see all her book titles by clicking on the 3 stacked lines in the upper right corner and clicking on books.

Previously, I’ve recommended two of Jennifer’s other books: Turtle in Paradise and Penny from Heaven.

cover of The Experiment
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

The Experiment

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The Experiment (Feiwel and Friends, 2025) by Rebecca Stead is such an unusual and intriguing story.

Sixth-grader Nathan’s world is ending–or at least his time on earth. He’s always had to keep the secret that his family is from another planet. They are part of ten families in the experiment. But then some of his friends in the group have been disappearing without a word. Today, locked in his room, he’s waiting for the people who are coming to pick him up!

I love that Nathan is a Calvin and Hobbes comic fan.

See the author’s other books here and learn about Rebecca herself here.

cover of Across So Many Seas
Posted in Award Winners, MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Across So Many Seas

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Across So Many Seas (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2024) by Ruth Behar is about immigrants–it covers four time periods and explores a variety of reasons why people leave their country.

We start in Spain in 1492 when Jews are forced to leave or face death. Twelve-year-old Benvenida’s family goes to Turkey where they are allowed to live freely. Of course, it wasn’t an easy journey. Next, we meet twelve-year-old Reina whose father ships her off to Cuba because of a small act of disobedience–there she is promised to marry a stranger. The story picks up in 1961 Cuba with Reina’s daughter, twelve-year-old Alegra, who becomes a brigadista teaching country people how to read. Again, the family has to leave their home–this time for the United States. In 2003 Miami, we meet Alegra’s twelve-year-old daughter Paloma, who with her family makes an amazing trip back to Spain.

Ruth was inspired by her two grandmothers, a Polish Jew, and a Turkish Jew, both who sailed on different ships to Cuba. She obviously had to do a lot of research into the times and places for this story, and makes them each feel real.

Read her fascinating bio here and check out all her books here–it also shows all the awards this book has won.

Previously, I recommended Ruth’s Lucky Broken Girl, another immigrant story.

cover of War Games
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

War Games

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

War Games (Scholastic Press, 2025) by Alan Gratz is more fictional than his usual historicals, but it is good nevertheless.

Thirteen-year-old gymnast Evie is in Berlin for the 1936 Olympic games and is determined to bring home a gold medal to help her displaced “Okie” family. But a mysterious note to help her “take home the gold” and tell no one, leads her on an adventure where she experiences what Hitler doesn’t want the Olympians to see.

Make sure you read the author’s note at the end.

Check out the bestselling author here and discover his other novels here. Alan also writes graphic novels and short fiction.

My previous recommendations of books by Alan include: Ban this Book and Allies.