Congratulations to Alison Cherry on her latest release, She’s the Liar (Scholastic Press). This middle grade book is about two sisters who transfer to a new boarding school where nobody knows them. Each sister sees this as an opportunity to reinvent themselves into someone they’d rather be, but neither knows of the other’s plan.  Having a hard time making friends at her old school, shy Abby, reinvents herself as an outgoing, confident sixth grader and changes her name to Abbi with an “i.” Her older sister Sydney also reinvents herself as a confident, intimidating school leader. The sibling riv ..read more

Three children are tested by puzzles, spies, a monster and more when they get lost in the woods. As you might expect, because this is a Christopher Edge book it’s the more that’s really interesting. Hair-raising interesting. Thought-provoking interesting. Pull- at- your-heartstrings interesting. You’ll immediately want to read the book over again to see what hints and twists you missed when you read it the first time. I cannot tell you more without spoilers. I can say Christopher Edge has written a modern day fairy tale that will keep readers guessing and wanting more. Perfect for middle grad ..read more

There are flying horses need I say more? Over the Moon is another richly imagined Natalie Lloyd tale full of heart and magic. It reminds us that the future is not set. It is what you make of it. Twelve year-old Mallie lives in the town of Coal Top where the wealthy live in mansions and the rest work in the mine or slave as maids. It wasn’t always this way. There are stories of flying horses and those who could weave magic into cloth. When men come to take Mallie’s little brother to work in the mine to pay off their family’s debts Mallie is desperate to come up with a plan to save him. She pos ..read more

Review by Sherry Ellis Aside from the loss of their father and subsequent move, things were fairly normal for Chess, Emma, and Finn Greystone. Then they learn of the kidnapping of three children in Arizona…all with the same first and middle names, birthdays, and ages. It’s a startling. When their mom suddenly leaves and has them stay with a neighbor, it gets downright crazy. What ensues next is a journey into a parallel universe to find their mom and save the other kidnapped children. The Strangers is a highly suspenseful middle-grade novel full of complex codes, mystery, and adventure. The ..read more

Congratulations to our own mafia family member, Lisa Lewis Tyre, on the paperback release of her award winning MG book, Hope In The Holler. This is a touching story about the true meaning of family and friendships. ABOUT HOPE IN THE HOLLER “This is a masterpiece of middle grade fiction, at once summoning the timelessness of life in rural America while blending in modern elements. . . . Wavie’s sincere narration and upbeat optimism carry her through the dark mysteries surrounding Conley Holler, and her close friendships with Gilbert and Camille are reminiscent of the young leads in J.K. Rowling ..read more

Seventh-grader Amelia is facing a boring Spring Break. Her professor father hates to travel so no trip to Florida for them. Amelia goes to the pottery studio where she spends most of her free time. When she gets there, she’s surprised to meet Casey, the studio owner’s nephew. Casey is spending spring break with his aunt Louise while his parents get marriage counseling. Amelia has never met anyone like Casey. His imagination and creativity fascinates her.  When Casey imagines that a woman is following Amelia and that woman is Amelia’s long-dead mother, things get weird quick. Amelia’s mother di ..read more

Just released in March, Tangled in Time: The Portal is a magical adventure into the life of English royalty in the 1500s. After a personal tragedy in her current-day life, Rose Ashley travels through a mysterious portal in her grandmother’s greenhouse to the time of King Henry VIII. Although living 500 years in the past has its own challenges, the time travel is an escape from the pain of losing her mother and dealing with the ‘mean queens’ at school. The story switches back and forth from present day to 500 years in the past. Rose goes from texting her friends and posting on her fashion blog ..read more

This is sure to be a classic in children’s science fiction. Ten- year old Maisie is a science genius who dreams of building her own nuclear reactor. When she wakes up on her birthday to an empty house and blackness outside her front door that seems to be expanding, she panics. Did one of her experiments go wrong? Can she stay one step ahead of the blackness and piece together what happened? Told in alternating chapters from two different time lines, we piece together what must have happened only to be surprised by a clever twist. The Infinite Lives of Maise Day will tug at your heart and make ..read more