Tag: MMGM

cover of How to Tell a True Story
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

How to Tell a True Story

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

How to Tell a True Story (Margaret Ferguson Books, Holiday House, 2025) by Tricia Springstubb is a fascinating story of dealing with trauma–a family home burning down.

Seventh grader Amber Price divides her world into Before and After. Before, hardly anyone noticed her. After, she’s the fire girl. And not only do students know her name, but they want to do a fundraiser for her family. However, she knows Dad would say, “the Prices don’t take charity.” Somehow the fundraiser goes ahead, and she’ll have to confess to Dad. Worse, though, her brother, the hero who saved Amber from the fire, is keeping secrets.

This book is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection.

Previously, I recommended her book Moonpenny Island. I need to find more of Tricia’s books. You can check them out here and read about the author here.

cover of Best of All Worlds
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books, YA Novels

Best of All Worlds

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Best of All Worlds (Scholastic Press, 2025) by Kenneth Oppel was fascinating, mysterious, and a freaky story of survival.

Thirteen-year-old Xavier hadn’t wanted to go to the cottage with his dad and pregnant stepmom–he’d rather be gaming at home with Mom and his brother–but when he wakes up the first morning, it’s as if the cottage has been removed from one place and plunked down somewhere else. Have they been abducted by aliens, as Xavier expects, or by the government for a secret project?

Later in the story, three years have passed, and Xavier is 16, so this book may not be appropriate for younger readers. I don’t know how else the author could have ended the book, but it wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped.

Read about the award-winning author here and check out more books here. (Note: the website appears to not have been updated recently.)

Cover of Leeva at Lasst
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Leeva at Last

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Leeva at Last (Balzer + Bray, 2023) by Sara Pennypacker with pictures by Matthew Cordell is a delightful bittersweet story.

Leeva’s parents only think of two things: fame and money. And since she’s only 8 or 9, she can’t help with either. But she can fix the food, wash the dishes, and never leave the house! But wondering what people are for, Leeva sneaks out through the hedge surrounding the backyard and discovers the library next door and the amazing librarians who share books and cookies with her. Discovering what people are for, ends up with Leeva changing the whole community.

Read about the author here and check out all of Sara’s books here.

Read about the illustrator here. Matthew is also an author.

cover of Holding on for Dear Life
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Holding on for Dear Life

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Holding on for Dear Life (Bloomsbury, 2025) by Dusti Bowling was super good and, as an adult, scary for what the kids go through.

Thirteen-year-old Canyon has to win the Junior Bull Riding Championship. It’s the only thing that might make his father get his act back together. Winning the buckle will make Dad pay attention to him and his little sister, Josie, quit drinking, and remember they are still a family. When the aches and pains of bull riding get to Canyon, it’s only playing his violin that helps. But now he wonders if he’s holding on to the wrong thing.

Dusti is an award-winning author with numerous books. Read about her here. Previously, I recommended her debut, Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus.

Another book readers might like is Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Parry.

For older readers I recommend Suzanne Morgan Williams’ book Bull Rider.

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

Restart

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Restart (Scholastic Press, 2017) by Gordon Korman is a great read!

Eighth grader Chase Ambrose fell off the roof, woke up in the hospital 4 days later, and doesn’t remember ANYTHING from before. Not his name, family, or friends. And definitely not school and who he was. As Chase says, “It’s like I’ve been parachuted into the middle of someone else’s life–someone who looks exactly like me, yet isn’t me.” Finding out who he was before the retrograde amnesia is different depending on who Chase talks to–he’s either a hero or someone to fear. Snippets of his old life return to his memory in bits and pieces. Will he return to who he was before or be someone new?

I missed this when it came out, but am very happy to discover it now. The book is on 49 state lists!

Gordon Korman is an award-winning author. Read the 10 ten questions kids ask and check out his 80 books.