Book: Now You Say Yes (2021) Authors: Bill Harley Publisher: ‎ Peachtree Genre: MG, Historical/Contemporary Opening lines from the book …“The barbecue ones,” Conor says. “I know,” Mari says for the fourth time. “I don’t like the other ones. Especially not the vinegar ones. They’re bad.” Conor is standing sideways to the rows of snacks, facing the aisle that leads away from the meat section. His head is down—he’s not looking at her. He never looks at her… What makes this book stand out … This book is about a brother and sister. Mari’s adopted while Conor is the surprise baby in her adopted fami ..read more

Book: Slugfest (2024) Author: Gordon Korman Publisher: ‎ Balzer + Bray Genre: MG, Contemporary/Sports Opening lines from the book …Too bad Yash only has four letters. Having your name spelled out by a squad of cheerleaders feels pretty great—and it’s over practically before it starts. Mom and Dad should have named me Maximiliano or Demetrius. What makes this book stand out … Yash is a star football player who ends up in summer school PE class because he needs the credit to graduate into high school. And because of summer school, his spot as quarterback is in danger … because there’s a new QB i ..read more

Book: Harriet Spies (2023) Author: Elana K. Arnold Publisher: ‎ Walden Pond Genre: Lower MG, Mystery Sequel to: Just Harriet Opening lines from the book …If you’re not a people person, you probably wouldn’t like living at a bed-and-breakfast. (Even if you really like beds, and you really like breakfasts.) Lucky for me, I am a people person … most of the time. I think people are interesting. What makes this book stand out … This is another cute mystery for the younger MG audience. Harriet’s still living at her grandmother’s B&B. (Note: She arrives in the first book because her mom’s having ..read more

Book: Super Puzzletastic Mysteries (2020) Author: Chris Grabenstein, et al. Publisher: ‎ HarperCollins Genre: Lower MG, Mystery Short Stories Opening lines from the book …For me, a lot of the fun of reading mysteries comes from trying to solve the story’s puzzle before the characters in it do. I think this fun started Christmas when Santa brought me a book: Donald Sobol’s Two-Minutes Mysteries (Sobol was also the creator of Encyclopedia Brown). There would be some sort of crime, the clue would be presented, and the story would end without a solution. I had to rack my ten-year-old brain and try ..read more

Book: Nothing Else But Miracles (2023) Author: Kate Albus Publisher: Margaret Ferguson Books Genre: MG, Historical Opening lines from the book …If you were looking for Dory Byrne—not that there’s any reason you would be—you’d most likely find her at the Castle. Which makes it sound as if this is a story about a princess. It isn’t. Castle Clinton, as it was known to most people, wasn’t actually a castle at all. What makes this book stand out … This story is set during World War II. While Dad’s overseas, Dory and her brothers are home alone. But they can’t let their grouchy landlord know this ..read more

Book: School Trip (2023) Author: Jerry Craft Publisher: Quill Tree Books Genre: MG, Graphic Novel Opening lines from the book …As the Final chapter of my junior high school life comes to an end, there’s so much that I’m hoping for … or AM I? For example: I really hope that I get into art school. But I’d miss my friends at RAD. But then again, it would be great to be around other artists and people who get me. What makes this book stand out … Jordan and his friends get to head off across the ocean to Paris, France! What’s not to love about that. There’s a mix-up and the wrong teachers get sent ..read more

Book: Make a Move, Sunny Park (2023) Author: Jessica Kim Publisher: Kokila Genre: MG, Contemporary Opening lines from the book …Three words: Inflatable. Dinosaur. Costume. That’s how I’ll stand out from all the other people doing the Supreme Beat Dance Challenge on my social media feed. It’s so genius, I could smack myself. What makes this book stand out … This is the story of two girls, Sunny and Bailey, and how they grow apart. Sunny has a personality as sunny as her name, but she also has a wee bit of social anxiety. But Bailey is determined to try out for the school dance team and drags Su ..read more

Book: Hatchet (1987) Author: Gary Paulsen Publisher: Atheneum Books Genre: MG, Contemporary Newbery Honor Book (1988) Opening Lines of the Book… Brian Robison stared out the window of the small plane at the endless green northern wilderness below. It was a small plane, a Cessna 406–a bush plane–and the engine was so loud, so roaring and consuming and loud, that it ruined any chance for conversation. MY THOUGHTS… This is the granddaddy of survival books for kids! Brian ends up in the middle of nowhere with only the hatchet given to him by his mother. (A hatchet which lends much to the themes of ..read more

Book: The Hope of Elephants (2022) Author: Amanda Rawson Hill Publisher: Charlesbridge Genre: MG, Novel in Verse Opening lines from the book …There’s a hill you have to climb before you bike over the Golden Gate Bridge. I did it when I was nine, and it was so steep, I wanted to quit right there. What makes this book stand out … This is a book about cancer and grieving and living through tough days. Cass’ dad has had every sort of cancer in the book, and now the doctor has news that this is due to a missing cancer-fighting gene. But there’s more, except they’re not telling Cass. But at 12 years ..read more

Book: The Laura Ingalls Wilder Companion (2020) Author: Annette Whipple Publisher: Chicago Review Press Genre: Non-Fiction Opening lines from the book …Dear Reader, I remember the Little House books from my elementary school’s library stacks, when Mrs. Rhinehart shelved them in the back of the library. I visited those shelves again and again. Laura Ingalls Wilder’s stories stay with me throughout my life; I returned to them books as an adult and loved the stories even more. Then I shared them with my children. What makes this book stand out … This is the perfect book for every fan of the Littl ..read more