It’s May. In my neck of the woods that means it’s almost the perfect temperature for sitting outside and reading a book.
If that’s your idea of a perfect Spring day, we’ve got you covered with a great list of Middle Grade new releases.

 

The Bug Bandits by Jenni L. Walsh

Home Alone meets A Night in the Museum in this clever middle-grade heist story by USA Today bestselling author Jenni L. Walsh. When a science-loving girl and her friends overhear a plot to rob her dad’s insectarium, they embark on a mission to stop the burglary of the museum’s rarest insects. Inspired by true events, this STEM-based adventure is perfect for fans of hijinks and mysteries.

Without a mom and with her dad busy running the museum, Liberty Jacobs was practically raised by the tarantulas, leopard geckos, and rare butterflies of the Walnut Street Insectarium. She loves being the resident “Bug Girl,” but unless Liberty and her dad can snag a big investor, they’ll lose the museum, their home, and the funding Liberty needs to launch her dream business: a butterfly release program called Life & Liberty.

The investor meeting is a week away, but there’s a big problem: Liberty has reason to suspect there’s going to be a “buglary” of the museum’s rarest animals. But the police don’t believe her, and with Dad out of town for an insect convention, it’s up to Liberty and her friends (and her vast knowledge of bug defense mechanisms) to thwart the thieves and save the museum.

 

 

Yesterday was the first day of Spring here in the US, and goodness am I ready for some renewal, rebirth, and growth.

In the spirit of all things new and hopeful, I thought I’d round up a list of books with a Spring-vibe for you all.

Nature: Let’s get outside.

Here in the Real World by Sara Pennypacker 

Ware can’t wait to spend summer “off in his own world”—dreaming of knights in the Middle Ages and generally being left alone. But then his parents sign him up for dreaded Rec camp, where he must endure Meaningful Social Interaction and whatever activities so-called “normal” kids do.

On his first day Ware meets Jolene, a tough, secretive girl planting a garden in the rubble of an abandoned church next to the camp. Soon he starts skipping Rec, creating a castle-like space of his own in the church lot.

Jolene scoffs, calling him a dreamer—he doesn’t live in the “real world” like she does. As different as Ware and Jolene are, though, they have one thing in common: for them, the lot is a refuge.

But when their sanctuary is threatened, Ware looks to the knights’ Code of Chivalry: Thou shalt do battle against unfairness wherever faced with it. Thou shalt be always the champion of the Right and Good—and vows to save the lot.

But what does a hero look like in real life? And what can two misfit kids do?

 

One Small Hop by Madelyn Rosenberg

Perfect for fans of Carl Hiaasen’s classic Hoot, this humorous adventure story set in a not-so-distant future celebrates the important differences we can make with small, brave acts.

When Ahab and his friends find a bullfrog in their town — a real, live bullfrog, possibly the last bullfrog in North America — they have several options: A. Report it to the Environmental Police Force. Too bad everyone knows the agency is a joke.B. Leave it be. They’re just a bunch of kids — what if they hurt it by moving it?C. Find another real, live bullfrog on the black market. Convince their parents to let them bike to Canada. Introduce the two frogs. Save all of frogkind.Ahab convinces the rest of the group that C is their only real option. Because if they don’t save this frog, who will? Their quest, which will involve fake ice cream, real frog spawn, and some very close calls, teaches Ahab that hope is always the logical choice and that science is always better with friends.With humor and empathy, acclaimed author Madelyn Rosenberg builds an all-too-imaginable future ravaged by climate change, where one kid can still lean on his friends and dream up a better tomorrow.

 

 

Romance: Let’s fall in love – or at least like.

Redwood and Ponytail by K. A. Holt 

Kate and Tam meet, and both of their worlds tip sideways. At first, Tam figures Kate is your stereotypical cheerleader; Kate sees Tam as another tall jock. But the more they run into each other, the more they surprise each other. Beneath Kate’s sleek ponytail and perfect facade, Tam sees a goofy, sensitive, lonely girl. And Tam’s so much more than a volleyball player, Kate realizes: She’s everything Kate wishes she could be. It’s complicated. Except it’s not. When Kate and Tam meet, they fall in like. It’s as simple as that. But not everybody sees it that way.

From the author of House Arrest and Knockout, this unforgettable novel in verse shares the story of two girls discovering their feelings for each other–a story that will appeal to anyone who’s ever been unsure about the self they’re becoming. Sometimes you know who you’re meant to be with before you know who you’re meant to be.

 

Keep It Together, Keiko Carter: A Wish Novel by Debbi Michiko Florence

Fans of Wendy Mass and Lisa Greenwald are sure to fall head-over-heels for this sweet story about first crushes, friendship drama, and finding the courage to stand up for yourself.

Seventh grade is supposed to be a game changer. And Keiko thinks she’s got it covered, especially with Audrey and Jenna by her side to shop for a new look, pick out a prime lunch spot, and even hit up that cute new bubble tea place after school. Her trio is ready to tackle life as they always have… together.But when Audrey decides they need boyfriends before Fall Ball, it looks like things may be changing in all the wrong ways. Jenna is sick of caving in to Audrey’s demands, and soon Keiko’s besties are barely talking, leaving her caught in the middle. While she’s been dreaming about triple-dates, first kisses, and a boy she really shouldn’t have a crush on, the friendship she’s always thought was rock-solid is beginning to crumble.Keiko feels pulled in two directions. Should she try to help her friends — even if it means losing one of them — or follow her heart? When it comes to flirting, friendships, and fallouts, how is Keiko supposed to keep it all together?

 

Hope: Let’s make it all a little bit better.

The Chance to Fly (the Chance to Fly #1)

 

Perfect for fans of Wicked and anyone who has ever dared to dream big, The Chance to Fly is a testament to the magic of believing in yourself and the importance of representation in the arts.

The Chance to Fly by Tony Award-winning actress Ali Stroker and Stacy Davidowitz is an inspiring middle grade novel about Nat Beacon, a theater-loving girl who uses a wheelchair. Nat’s passion for musicals knows no bounds, and she dreams of performing on stage despite never having seen an actor with a disability in a leading role.

When Nat’s family moves from California to New Jersey, she discovers auditions for a kids’ production of her all-time favorite musical, Wicked.

Thrilled by the opportunity, Nat lands a spot in the ensemble. As she navigates new friendships and the challenges of rehearsals, Nat draws strength from the empowering themes of Wicked, particularly the song “Defying Gravity.”

But as opening night approaches, unexpected obstacles arise. Nat must confront her fears and insecurities, channeling the spirit of Elphaba to truly “defy gravity” both on and off the stage.

This heartfelt story celebrates resilience, inclusion, and the transformative power of theater.

 

The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore 

It’s Christmas Eve in Harlem, but twelve-year-old Lolly Rachpaul and his mom aren’t celebrating. They’re still reeling from his older brother’s death in a gang-related shooting just a few months earlier. Then Lolly’s mother’s girlfriend brings him a gift that will change everything: two enormous bags filled with Legos. Lolly’s always loved Legos, and he prides himself on following the kit instructions exactly. Now, faced with a pile of building blocks and no instructions, Lolly must find his own way forward.

His path isn’t clear—and the pressure to join a “crew,” as his brother did, is always there. When Lolly and his friend are beaten up and robbed, joining a crew almost seems like the safe choice. But building a fantastical Lego city at the community center provides Lolly with an escape—and an unexpected bridge back to the world.

 

I hope you find something to enjoy and maybe inspire you in this Spring-vibe book list. If you did, or if you have a Spring read I might like, please share in the comments below.

 

February is here! That means 2025 is well on it’s way and it’s time to stock up the To Be Read pile with some fabulous new middle-grade reads.

It’s an extra special New Release’s month here at the Mixed-Up Files as our very own Sydney Dunlap has a new book out. Happy book birthday, Sydney!!

Now, let’s get rolling with this month’s New Releases.

 Racing the Clouds by Sydney Dunlap

If thirteen-year-old Sage had done one thing differently that day last November, everything would be fine. Only she didn’t, so she and her dad had to leave Philadelphia for a new life in middle-of-nowhere Virginia. Her dad has never actually said he blames her for what happened, but how could he not?

Sage is determined to push it all out of her mind, but then, just before summer vacation, she hears from the grandparents she’s never met. They want her to visit, and she realizes this could be her chance to mend the rift that’s kept everybody apart.

When she meets Grandmother Marion, though, Sage is sure her trip is headed for disaster. Except she wasn’t counting on making a new friend or rescuing a sweet stray dog. With them by her side, maybe she can find the courage to face what she’s been avoiding all along.

From the award-winning author of It Happened on Saturday comes a heartfelt and empowering story that explores the complexity of family relationships, the value of forgiveness, and how to find your way forward in a tough situation with resilience and hope.

 

 Sweet Valley Twins: Sneaking Out by Francine Pascal (Author) Nicole Andelfinger (Adapted by) Claudia Aguirre (Illustrator)

The Sweet Valley Twins are ready to rock out as the hottest band comes to town…too bad they don’t have permission to go! Will they sneak out to dance the night away or will it all fall apart? Find out in the next installment of the New York Times bestselling graphic novel series!

Everyone at Sweet Valley Middle School is going to the biggest concert ever…everyone except twins, Jessica and Elizabeth! Their favorite band is back in town but no matter how much they beg their parents they can’t get permission to go. Elizabeth is ready to sulk and stay home, but Jessica refuses to give up hope. She’ll see this band even if it means lying or leaving her sister behind.

Caught between her parents and her twin will Elizabeth sneak out with Jessica? Or will she blow the whole plan out of the water?

Get ready to rock, laugh, and cheer for the unstoppable duo as they navigate the challenges of friendship, family, and following their dreams in the next Sweet Valley Twins graphic novel.

 

 On Thin Ice by Jessica Kim

For fans of Disney’s GO FIGURE, a laugh-out-loud, heartfelt dual POV sibling-rivalry story by acclaimed author Jessica Kim

Twelve-year-old fraternal twins Phoebe and Dexter Bae are polar opposites in every way except for their love of the ice. Phoebe is hyperfocused on pairs figure skating, and Dex loves his hockey team. But when Phoebe’s partner injures his knee just two months before competitions and Dex gets cut from his team in favor of a new hotshot goalie from Canada, they’re both left spinning.

With their skating dreams dashed, their mother suggests that Dex fill in as Phoebe’s doubles partner. It’s a hard sell–the twins haven’t been close since their father passed away two years ago. For Dex, working with a perfectionist like Phoebe would be a challenge, but if it means he’d improve his skating technique enough to get back on the hockey team–and he’d have something to keep his mind off his dad–it’d be worth it. Phoebe isn’t thrilled either, but what choice does she have if she wants to bring home the gold, something that would’ve made her dad happy?

Can these siblings skate past their differences toward victory?

 

Max in the Land of Lies: A Tale of World War II by Adam Gidwitz

Max Bretzfeld is back in Berlin–as a British spy. His most dangerous mission is about to begin in the much-anticipated sequel to Adam Gidwitz’s instant bestseller Max in the House of Spies.

Max is on a mission.

Well, two missions.

One has been assigned by his British spymasters: Infiltrate the Funkhaus, the center of Nazi radio and propaganda.

The other they have forbidden: Find his parents.

Max Bretzfeld was willing to do anything to return to Germany, even become a British spy. Training complete and forged papers in hand, the radio wunderkind’s missions have begun. But nothing is as he expected. His parents are missing. Nazi intelligence is watching him. And the lines between lies and truth are becoming more blurred every day.

 

London Calling by James Ponti

In this sixth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies stages a rescue in Rome in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Charlie Thorne.

Cairo, the newest member of the City Spies, takes the lead when his sister disappears in Istanbul. Determined to save the family of one of their own, the team risks discovery as their search leads them to Rome. Meanwhile, there’s been intel that seems to threaten the royal wedding about to take place in Westminster, bringing the team back to the UK on an official case for MI6. With so much security all over the city, it’s harder than ever for the City Spies to go unnoticed. Will their skills be up to the task?

 

 

 

Pumpkin spice lattes are back at the coffee shop and school is back in session. It’s September. Time to pick up some new pencils, a uncreased folder, and a nice stack of new middle grade reads to see us through the cooler days. There’s a little something for everyone on the New Releases shelf this month. Take a look.

 

Team Canteen 1: Rocky Road by Amalie Jahn 

A hot pink boa that might be magic bonds 4 unlikely friends from summer camp and gives them the courage to face down the challenges they face back home.

This sassy, diverse series debut for tweens is perfect for fans of XO, Kitty, The Baby-Sitters Club, and Julie and the Phantoms.

On the final night of summer camp, Tasha, Raelynn, Claire, and Billie get busted stuffing themselves with ice cream in the mess hall’s walk-in freezer. But when they slip away without being punished, they’re convinced the pink feather boa Billie put on to stay warm is magic.

Back at home, each member of Team Canteen tests the boa’s powers as they face their own challenges. When her little cousin moves in with her destructive dog, Tasha struggles to find her place inside her adoptive family. Claire’s scared the kids at school will find out how hard life’s gotten since her dad lost his job. Raelynn longs to be someone other than her sister’s twin. And with a hockey-obsessed family charting his every move, Billie’s worried he’ll never be able share his dream of becoming a figure skater.

It’s going to be a rocky road from the start of the school year back to Camp Happy Hollow. Will the boa continue to protect Team Canteen, or will their friendship end up being the most magical find of all?

Alternating among the friends, Rocky Road is a smart, soaring celebration of the highs and lows of middle school, and the unbreakable friendships that see you through, no matter what comes next.

 

Monster Tree by Sarah Allen

Stranger Things meets A Monster Calls in this spine-tingling, emotionally rich middle grade novel about a boy who must protect his neighborhood from a malevolent monster tree while dealing with the recent loss of his father.

Something evil is growing . . .

Linus used to be an artist, like his dad. Now his father is gone, and Linus’s mom has moved them to the other side of the city, hoping for a fresh start. Maybe, for the first time in months, Linus will even draw again.

But there’s something unusual about their neighbor Maude and something wrong with the grotesque tree in her backyard. At night Linus sees it moving, changing, growing. When increasingly bizarre events plague the neighborhood–massive claw marks appearing on doors and cars, pets going missing, sightings of a red-eyed creature–he suspects Maude and her tree are to blame.

With his home under threat, Linus teams up with his goofy best friend, Spencer, and no-nonsense new girl Abby to unearth whatever sinister seeds have been planted next door . . . where something truly monstrous is just taking root.

 

 

The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd

From Natalie Lloyd, bestselling author of A Snicker of Magic and Hummingbird, comes a heart-expanding adventure about the magic of family, friendship, and the lengths we go for the people we love.

Eleven-year-old Roxie was excited to start sixth grade… until a mortifying incident at a pool party turns her into a middle school laughingstock. Roxie can’t imagine enduring a full year of bullying and body shaming, so when her country music star Granny invites Roxie to join her on tour, she jumps at the chance to leave her troubles behind. But then Granny–who’s been struggling with memory loss–goes missing, leaving Roxie without an escape plan… and without her best friend.

Grayson doesn’t mind being sent to yet another foster home. Her older sister, Beanie, is about to turn eighteen, which means she’ll be able to become Grayson’s guardian. It won’t be long until they live in the same house again. It won’t be long until they get to be a real family. But when Beanie’s birthday finally arrives, she doesn’t show up to collect Grayson. She doesn’t respond to calls or texts. It’s almost like she’s just… vanished.

Roxie knows Granny would never leave without saying goodbye. And Grayson is certain Beanie would never abandon her. So when the new friends learn about the Witching Wind that “steals” what people love most, Roxie and Grayson are certain they’ve discovered the truth. Granny and Beanie didn’t just disappear–they were taken. And it’s up to Roxie and Grayson to outwit the Witching Wind before it’s too late.

 

Accidental Demons by Clare Edge

Conjuring demons seems like something you should totally not be able to do by accident, right? Well, normally it isn’t. But Bernadette Crowley is the perfect storm of magical accidents.

For the youngest in a long line of witches, demons used to be no big deal. A spell and a quick prick of the finger, and a witch like Ber could summon a demon to do anything she needed–clean a mess, send a message, you name it.

But that was before Ber was diagnosed with diabetes. Now each time she tests her blood sugar, accidental demons are slipping into the human dimension…and causing absolute chaos.

Good thing Ber and her older sister, Maeve, know that every magical problem has a magical solution. They’ll just conjure a low-order demon to monitor her blood sugar! Bonus: they only have to bend one or two teeny, tiny rules. But before they know it, they’ve stumbled into deeper, more mysterious magic than they ever could have predicted. And soon it’s not just Ber’s magic but her entire coven that’s in danger.

See what else is coming out in September over at From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors.

 

It’s June. Time for long sunny days, lots of ice-cream, and a pile of books to get you started on your summer reading lists. The June New Releases have a lot to offer this year:  Friends, road tips, fires, and new places. Take a look for yourself.

 

Asking for a Friend by Ronnie Riley

Eden Jones has exactly three friends. And they’re all fake.

From a web of lies and social anxiety to true friendship and queer joy; this is the wonderful second book from the author of the Indies Introduce and Indie Next List pick, Jude Saves the World.

Why go through the stress of making friends when you can just pretend? It works for Eden and their social anxiety . . . until their mom announces she’s throwing them a birthday party and all their friends are invited.

Eden’s “friends,” Duke, Ramona, and Tabitha, are all real kids from school . . . but Eden’s never actually spoken to them before. Now Eden will do whatever it takes to convince them to be their friends — at least until the party is over.

When things start to go better than Eden expects, and the group starts to bond, Eden finds themselves trapped in a lie that gets worse the longer they keep it up. What happens if their now sort-of-real friends discover that Eden hasn’t been honest with them from the very beginning?

 

Camp Prodigy by Caroline Palmer

Perfect for fans of Victoria Jamieson and Raina Telgemeier, this heartwarming middle grade graphic novel follows two nonbinary kids who navigate anxiety and identity while having fun and forming friendships at their summer orchestra camp.

After attending an incredible concert, Tate Seong is inspired to become a professional violist. There’s just one problem: they’re the worst musician at their school.

Tate doesn’t even have enough confidence to assert themself with their friends or come out as nonbinary to their family, let alone attempt a solo anytime soon. Things start to look up when Tate attends a summer orchestra camp–Camp Prodigy–and runs into Eli, the remarkable violist who inspired Tate to play in the first place.

But Eli has been hiding their skills ever since their time in the spotlight gave them a nervous breakdown. Together, can they figure out how to turn Tate into a star and have Eli overcome their performance anxieties? Or will the pressure take them both down?

Dinner at the Brake Fast by Renee Beauregard Lute

Dinner at the Brake Fast is a hilarious and heartfelt story about road-trip mishaps, a murderous rooster, facing down anxieties, and unexpected friendship that is a must-pick for readers who loved The Science of Unbreakable Things and The First Rule of Punk.

Tacoma Jones loves working at her family’s roadside diner, the Brake Fast, pouring coffee and serving eggs and muffins to truckers all day long. But tonight, she is finally going to break out her collection of cookbooks and prepare the best dinner the state of Washington has ever seen.

But her excitement is dampened when she learns that today is one of Dad’s bad days, when his depression makes it hard for him to get out of bed.

Tacoma knows she can’t fix her dad’s depression. But what she can do is steal back his prized photograph of his second-best day from her nemesis, the nasty Crocodile Kyle–while also planning a dinner that is sure to brighten up his bad day.

She just might need an accomplice or two to pull off the heist. . . .

 

 

Lei and the Invisible Island by Malia Maunakea

An exciting follow-up to Lei and the Fire Goddess features a mysterious, invisible island, dangerous spirits, and a newcomer who does not need Lei’s
help . . . or does she?

After saving her best friend and ancestral guardian, Kaipo, from Pele the Fire Goddess’s traps, and successfully preventing lava from destroying her Tūtū’s house, all Lei wants to do is take a nap. The only problem? Kaipo’s ʻaumakua pendant is missing, and without it, he will soon disintegrate . . . emotionally and physically.

So Lei, Kaipo, her favorite talking bat, Ilikea, and newcomer Kaukahi–a fiercely independent fashionista–set off on a journey to an invisible island where they hope to find Kaipo’s pendant. To get there, they’ll have to contend with sharks, jump over a rainbow, and literally float on clouds. And when they arrive? The crew realizes that the missing pendant is the least of their problems. For there are evil spirits on this island, and they’re out for blood.

In this exciting follow-up to LEI AND THE FIRE GODDESS, Malia Maunakea crafts a tale about friendship, family, culture, and what it means to forgive each other, and yourself.

 

 

This post first appeared at the From the Mixed-Up Files blog.

Some time ago, a friend from grade school texted me a photo of an old news clipping he had found among his grandfather’s papers. It was a group photo of my friend and I and a couple of other kids who had won our fourth grade art contest. I was surprised at how clearly I remembered that day and the days the leading up to it when we worked on our pieces. All the time spent deciding what to make, trying to get the lines right, choosing the colors, and my own surprise that it was shaping up to be a pretty decent picture. I also remember that winning was a total shock, since I never thought of myself as particularly good at art. I even remember the prize – a Nestle Crunch bar – my very first, and how I doled it out to myself, eating little pieces of it for days to prolong the joy.

What I don’t remember is why I quit drawing and coloring and making art after that. Why I don’t have a single memory of art making after that day other than a vague sense of being really miserable in a middle school drawing class years later.

Which is why I’m a little surprised to find myself now, after all of these years, picking up pens and colored pencils, and even watercolors again. Mostly, I’m doodling. Drawing funny little cartoon animals, trees, and swirls of watercolor that sometimes look like something you’d see in the world, but mostly look like a blend of colors.  Safe, small snippets of artish somethings that are (dare I say it?) kind of fun.

Which got me thinking that there must be some other kid (or adult) out there who might be looking for a kind of fun, totally safe way to play around with those pens and crayons and paints again. So, I decided to take a look at some fun art books for kids. Books that might help you or someone you know embrace the secret artist inside.

 

Art Lab for Kids: 52 Creative Adventures in Drawing, Painting, Printmaking, Paper, and Mixed Media-For Budding Artists of All Ages by Susan Schwake (Author) Rainer Schwake (Photographer)

Art Lab for Kids is a refreshing source of wonderful ideas for creating fine art with children. This step-by-step book offers 52 fun and creative art projects set into weekly lessons, beginning with drawing, moving through painting and printmaking, and then building to paper collage and mixed media.

Each lesson features and relates to the work and style of a contemporary artist and their unique style. The labs can be used as singular projects or to build up to a year of hands-on fine art experiences. Grouped by medium, the labs are set up loosely to build skills upon the previous ones; however, you can begin anywhere.

Have fun exploring:

• drawing by creating a whimsical scene on a handmade crayon scratchboard.
• painting by using watercolors and salt to create a textured landscape.
• printmaking by using lemons, celery, mushrooms, and other produce to make colorful prints.
• paper by creating an expressive self-portrait using pieces of colored tissue paper.
• mixed media by making insects from patterned contact paper and watercolor pencils.

Art Lab for Kids: Express Yourself: 52 Creative Adventures to Find Your Voice Through Drawing, Painting, Mixed Media, and Sculpture by Susan Schwake 

Art Lab for Kids: Express Yourself contains 52 brand new original art projects that will draw out each young artist as they discover their style, document their thoughts, and build confidence in their unique perspective. Each lesson asks questions and offers personal choices while encouraging diverse approaches and creative thinking.

One of the most important gifts we can give children is to nurture their creativity and allow them to express themselves freely. There’s no better way to express yourself than through creative art projects. This is especially true for children because it gives them an outlet to explore their developing interests and strengths.

The Colorful Beasts project, which incorporates discussion of endangered animals with the Blue Rider art movement, asks children to use torn colored tissue paper and glue to create an expressive representation of a favorite vulnerable animal. In I Built This City, children imagine and build their own cityscape using columns of newspaper text to make buildings on top of a watercolor painted background, and detailed with marker.

Many projects include varying examples and executions of the activity to illustrate and reinforce the open-ended nature of the labs, inspiring children to embrace and share their own voice.

Give children the great gift of creative self-exploration with Art Lab for Kids: Express Yourself.

 

 

All the Things: How to Draw Books for Kids by Alli Koch

Fun 5-minute drawing lessons for kids ages 6-12

Perfect for budding artists and kids who have never drawn before, this beginner drawing book will teach your kid how to draw cool things in no time! Author and professional artist Alli Koch’s kid friendly, mini drawing lessons will help your child practice their basic art skills and teach them how to draw with confidence. This book is perfect for kids 8-12, but kids as young as 5 will be able to easily follow along as well. From cupcakes, to unicorns, to cars, and cats, your kid will be drawing all sorts of things that they’ll want to show off to their friends, or color afterward and hang on their room! No experience required!

• Easy-to-Follow Instructions: Simple steps and diagrams from start to finish
• 42 Cool Projects: Learn how to draw an ice cream cone, fruit, castle, spaceship, cactus, airplane, animals, and so many more cute and cool things!

• Layflat Binding: Making it easier for kids to keep the book open as they follow along

• Perforated Pages and Premium Paper: Easily removable pages that are thick and sturdy

• 9 x 9 Size: Big pages so your kid has no problem seeing each step

 

Scavenger Art: Creative challenges for curious kids by Lexi Rees (Author) Molly O’Donoghue (Illustrator)

Scavenger hunts are fun.

Drawing is fun.

Put them together for SCAVENGER ART!

This unique art-based activity book includes 52 scavenger hunts designed to

• encourage curious minds
• spark creativity
• practice mindfulness
• develop drawing skills

 

Art Matters: Because Your Imagination Can Change the World by Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell 

A stunning and timely creative call-to-arms combining four extraordinary written pieces by Neil Gaiman illustrated with the striking four-color artwork of Chris Riddell.

“The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before.”–Neil Gaiman

Drawn from Gaiman’s trove of published speeches, poems, and creative manifestos, Art Matters is an embodiment of this remarkable multi-media artist’s vision–an exploration of how reading, imagining, and creating can transform the world and our lives.

Art Matters bring together four of Gaiman’s most beloved writings on creativity and artistry:

• “Credo,” his remarkably concise and relevant manifesto on free expression, first delivered in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo shootings
• “Make Good Art,” his famous 2012 commencement address delivered at the Philadelphia University of the Arts
• “Making a Chair,” a poem about the joys of creating something, even when words won’t come
• “On Libraries,” an impassioned argument for libraries that illuminates their importance to our future and celebrates how they foster readers and daydreamers

Featuring original illustrations by Gaiman’s longtime illustrator, Chris Riddell, Art Matters is a stirring testament to the freedom of ideas that inspires us to make art in the face of adversity, and dares us to choose to be bold.

 

I hope you feel inspired to grab some supplies and make some art. If you have any great resources or books to help all of us embrace our secret artist, please share in the comments over at From the Mixed-Up Files.

February is here, and it’s a leap year, which means you have a extra day to fill. Why not grab one of these New Releases to help you celebrate?  Realistic, Historical, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Lyric Novels, even Horror – there’s a book for every reader this month.

 

 

The Liars Society by Alyson Gerber

The Inheritance Games and One of Us is Lying for middle grade — beloved author Alyson Gerber’s new series is an unforgettable mystery featuring a secret society, a mysterious island, and dangerous family secrets.

Weatherby is a fish out of water. When she lands a scholarship to the prestigious Boston School, she’s excited to be in the same world as her dad, whom she’s never met, and make real friends. But Weatherby has a secret she’ll risk everything to protect, one that could destroy her new life.

Every member of Jack’s wealthy and privileged family has made their mark at the Boston School. Everyone, that is, except for Jack, who is entirely mediocre. He’s desperate to prove his worth to his influential father. But Jack has a secret of his own . . . one with the power to ruin everything.

When the money for their school trip to a private island–exclusive to Boston students–is stolen, Jack and Weatherby are invited to play a high-stakes game and solve the mystery of the missing money. If they win, they’ll be selected to join the oldest, most powerful secret society in the world–and they’ll be Boston royalty forever. If they lose . . . well, they better not lose.

Beloved author Alyson Gerber crafts an unforgettable mystery that asks–are some secrets and lies impossible to overcome?

 

 

Lost Kites and Other Treasures by Cathy Carr 

Cathy Carr’s Lost Kites and Other Treasures is a moving and heartfelt middle-grade novel about mental illness, the transformative power of art, and the ever-changing complications and joys of family life.

“Sincere and funny . . . leaves readers with a sense of hope.” –Sara Zarr, author of A Song Called Home

“Will be treasured by readers everywhere.” –Megan E. Freeman, award-winning author of Alone

Twelve-year-old Franny Petroski never lets anyone know how often she thinks of the charismatic, troubled mom who left her years ago–any more than she talks about the unaccountable things Mom did while she was still in the picture. Life with Nana is safe and secure, and Franny’s innovative art projects fill in any lonesome times.

But when Nana has an accident and Franny’s estranged uncle comes home to help out for a while, some long-guarded family secrets come to light. Franny has to use all of her courage, as well as all of her creativity, to come to terms with the discoveries she makes about her mother–and herself.

 

 

 

 

The School for Invisible Boys by Shaun David Hutchinson

What would you do if no one could see you? In this surreal adventure, a boy who is used to being overlooked literally becomes invisible, only to realize there may be far more dangerous threats in his school than bullies.

Sixth grade takes a turn for the weird when Hector Griggs discovers he has the ability to turn invisible. Sure, ever since Hector’s former best friend Blake started bullying him, he’s been feeling like he just wants to disappear…but he never thought he actually would. And then, Hector meets another invisible boy, Orson Wellington, who has an ominous warning: “I’m stuck here. Stuck like this. It’s been years. The gelim’s hunting me and it’ll get you, too.”

It turns out, there is more than meets the eye at St. Lawrence’s Catholic School for Boys, and if Hector is going to save Orson–and himself–from the terrifying creature preying on students’ loneliness and fear, he’ll need to look deeper. With the help of a mysterious new classmate, Sam, can Hector unravel the mysteries haunting his school, and discover that sometimes it takes disappearing to really be seen?

See what else is coming out in February over at From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors.

 

I’m over at From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors today with a list of books that are all about kindness and community in honor of World Kindness Day. Keep reading for a sneak peek of the post. Then head over to From the Mixed-Up Files for the rest of the list.

 

Today is World Kindness Day – a holiday that I only learned about because it was on my calendar. For some reason that struck me as a little sad. An international day promoting large and small acts of kindness seems like something we could all use right now. Lucky for us, one place that it’s really easy to find acts of kindness is middle grade literature. So, in the spirit of World Kindness Day, I’m sharing the books I’ve read this year that center kindness and community, and I’m including and handful of books that are next up on my to be read list.

 

Invisible: A Graphic Novel by Christina Diaz Gonzalez (Author) and  Gabriela Epstein (Illustrator)

For fans of New Kid and Allergic, a must-have graphic novel about five very different students who are forced together by their school to complete community service… and may just have more in common than they thought.

Can five overlooked kids make one big difference?

There’s George: the brain

Sara: the loner

Dayara: the tough kid

Nico: the rich kid

And Miguel: the athlete

And they’re stuck together when they’re forced to complete their school’s community service hours. Although they’re sure they have nothing in common with one another, some people see them as all the same . . . just five Spanish-speaking kids.

Then they meet someone who truly needs their help, and they must decide whether they are each willing to expose their own secrets to help . . . or if remaining invisible is the only way to survive middle school.

With text in English and Spanish, Invisible features a groundbreaking format paired with an engaging, accessible, and relatable storyline. This Breakfast Club-inspired story by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, award-winning author of Concealed, and Gabriela Epstein, illustrator of two Baby-Sitters Club graphic novel adaptations, is a must-have graphic novel about unexpected friendships and being seen for who you really are.

 

 

A Horse Named Sky by  Rosanne Parry (Author) and  Kirbi Fagan (Illustrator)

A stand-alone companion to the acclaimed national bestsellers A Wolf Called Wander and A Whale of the Wild.

Exiled from his band, a young, wild horse must find his way across treacherous terrain to reunite with his family after being captured for the Pony Express. A fast-paced animal survival story about wild horses, family bonds, and a changing environment. Illustrated in black-and-white throughout.

Young colt Sky was born with the urge to run. Alongside his band, he moves across the range searching for fresh water and abundant grazing. But humans have begun to encroach on Sky’s homelands. With fewer resources to share, Sky knows that he must leave if his family is to survive. He hopes that one day, he’ll be strong and brave enough to return and challenge the stallion to lead the herd.

Being a lone wild horse in a vast landscape is not easy, and things get even more dangerous when Sky is captured and forced to run for the Pony Express. Now, against all odds, Sky must find a way to escape and reunite with his family.

A Horse Named Sky is a stand-alone companion novel to Rosanne Parry’s New York Times bestsellers A Wolf Called Wander and A Whale of the Wild. Chronicling the perils of westward expansion and the grueling Pony Express from the perspective of a wild horse, A Horse Named Sky is a gripping animal survival story about family, courage, trust, leadership, and loyalty. Impeccably researched and illustrated in black-and-white throughout, A Horse Named Sky is an excellent read-aloud for parents and teachers, and a wonderful choice for fans of DreamWorks’s Spirit and Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty.

Includes black-and-white illustrations throughout, a map, and extensive backmatter about wild horses and their habitats.

 

 

Wishing Upon the Same Stars by Jacquetta Nammar Feldman

This powerful and poignant coming-of-age middle grade debut novel follows an Arab American girl named Yasmeen as she moves to San Antonio with her family and navigates finding friendship–and herself. Perfect for fans of Other Words for Home, Front Desk, and American as Paneer Pie.

When twelve-year-old Yasmeen Khoury moves with her family to San Antonio, all she wants to do is fit in. But her classmates in Texas are nothing like her friends in the predominantly Arab neighborhood back in Detroit where she grew up. Almost immediately, Yasmeen feels like the odd girl out, and as she faces middle school mean girls and tries to make new friends, she feels more alone than ever before.

Then Yasmeen meets her neighbor, Ayelet Cohen, a first-generation Israeli American. As the two girls grow closer, Yasmeen is grateful to know someone who understands what it feels like when your parents’ idea of home is half a world away.

But when Yasmeen’s grandmother moves in after her home in Jerusalem is destroyed, Yasmeen and Ayelet must grapple with how much closer the events of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are than they’d realized. As Yasmeen begins to develop her own understandings of home, heritage, and most importantly, herself, can the two girls learn there’s more that brings them together than might tear them apart . . . and that peace begins with them?

 

 

 

The Winterton Deception 1: Final Word by Janet Sumner Johnson

In this twisty middle grade mystery for fans of Knives Out, The Inheritance Game, and The Westing Game, thirteen-year-old twins Hope and Gordon enter a spelling bee in a last-ditch effort to save their family from financial ruin, only to find themselves in a cut-throat competition to uncover a fortune and dark secrets about the wealthy relations they’ve never known.

Hope Smith can’t stand rich people–the dictionary magnate family the Wintertons most of all. Not since she and her twin brother, Gordon, learned that their dad was one. So when Gordon enters the family into the Winterton’s charity spelling bee, Hope wants nothing to do with it. But with their mom losing her job and the family facing eviction from the motel where they live, they desperately need the money, and it looks like Hope doesn’t have much of a choice.

After winning the preliminary round, the Smiths are whisked to Winterton Chalet to compete in the official Winterton Bee against their long-lost relatives. Hope wants to get in and out, beat the snobbish family at their own game, and never see them again. But deceased matriarch Jane Winterton had other plans for this final family showdown. Before her death, she set up a clue hunt throughout the manor–an alternate way for Hope and Gordon to get the money that could change their lives.

Still, others are on the trail, too. With tensions at an all-time high, a fortune at stake, and long-simmering family secrets about to boil to the surface, anything could happen.

A tense, clever clue hunt unafraid to tackle the challenges and secrets often kept behind closed doors, Final Word is a gripping series starter sure to satisfy even the most voracious armchair detectives.

Head over to From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors for the rest of the World Kindness Day Book List. 

 

The leaves are falling and the scent of pumpkin spice is wafting out of coffee houses everywhere. Two sure signs that October is finally here. So, find a comfy spot. grab a warm drink, and pick up one of our October New Releases to keep you company this month.

 

Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen By Geri Halliwell-Horner

A sweeping adventure filled with a hidden island, family secrets, shocking betrayals, amazing music, and girl power, by iconic Spice Girl, songwriter and author Geri Halliwell-Horner.

It’s time to find your power.

Suddenly orphaned and alone, Rosie Frost is sent to the mysterious Bloodstone Island–home not only to a school for extraordinary teens, but also a sanctuary for endangered species. There, Rosie confronts a menacing deputy headmaster, a group of mean kids intent on destroying her, and shocking family secrets. She also discovers that history can come to life in ways she never could have imagined.

When the island itself comes under threat, Rosie knows she must enter and win the Falcon Queen games in a desperate bid to save it.

But Rosie can’t do it alone. She finds that believing in herself–and her friends–is the first step to finding the power she never knew she had.

 

Eli Over Easy by Phil Stamper

From the acclaimed author of Small Town Pride, Phil Stamper, comes a heartfelt coming-of-age middle grade novel about grief, love, loss, and finding your way forward in the vein of Kate Allen’s The Line Tender and Jules Machias’s Both Can Be True.

The last few months have been pretty tough for Eli. He moved to New York City and left his small town in Minnesota with his extended family and everyone he knows. He hasn’t made any new friends. And his mom died unexpectedly, shattering his whole world. He misses Mom more and more every day, but Dad refuses to talk about her, leaving Eli alone in his grief.

Then Eli finds a stash of instructional cooking videos his mom made, revealing her dream of being a celebrity chef. With the help of the cute new neighbor boy, Mathias, Eli decides to follow his mother’s recipes using her videos. If he can re-create his mom’s special dishes, then maybe a part of her can stay with him forever. But what happens when the videos run out?

 

Mari and the Curse of El Cocodrilo by Adrianna Cuevas

From Pura Belpré Honor–winning author Adrianna Cuevas comes Mari and the Curse of El Cocodrilo, a new middle grade novel about a young Cuban American girl who must fight to break a curse of bad luck set upon her by El Cocodrilo when she rejects her family’s traditions.

If Mari Feijoo could, she would turn her family’s Peak Cubanity down a notch, just enough so that her snooping neighbor and classmate Mykenzye wouldn’t have anything to tease her about. That’s why this year, there’s no way that Mari’s joining in on one of the big-gest Feijoo family traditions–burning the New Year’s Eve effigy her abuela makes.

Only Mari never suspects that failing to toss her effigy in the fire would bring something much worse than sneering words at school: a curse of bad luck from El Cocodrilo. At first, it’s just possessed violins and grade sabotaging pencils, but once El Cocodrilo learns that he becomes more powerful with each new misery, her luck goes from bad to nightmarish as the curse spreads to her friend Keisha.

Instead of focusing on Mari’s mariachi band tryout and Keisha’s fencing tournament, the pair, along with their friend Juan Carlos, are racing against the clock to break the curse. But when Mari discovers her family’s gift to call upon their ancestors, she and her friends will have to find a way to work with the unexpected help that arrives from the far corners of Mari’s family tree. Only will it be enough to defeat El Cocodrilo before he makes their last year of elementary school the worst ever and tears their friendship apart?

 

See what else is coming out in October over at From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors.

 

It’s July! Time for a summer slow down. Lucky for you, we have a nice list of new middle grades coming your way – including one from our very own
Jennifer Swanson. Happy book birthday, Jennifer!!

Spacecare: A Kid’s Guide to Surviving Space by Jennifer Swanson

Have you ever wondered how astronauts stay healthy in space? What if an astronaut gets sick on the space station? Does snot run in space? This fascinating photo-illustrated look at space and medicine explores how scientists and physicians study astronauts in space, how they help keep them safe, and what we’ve learned about the human body through space exploration. Questions from real kids and answers form from astronauts, along with photos from NASA, combine for an out-of-this-world exploration of health.

 

Light Comes to Shadow Mountain by Toni Buzzeo

Cora Mae Tipton is determined to light up her Appalachian community in this historical fiction novel from an award-winning author and former librarian.

It’s 1937 and the government is pushing to bring electricity to the mountains of southeastern Kentucky. It’s all Cora can think of; radios with news from around the world, machines that keep food cold, lightbulbs by which to read at night! Cora figures she can help spread the word by starting a school newspaper and convincing her neighbors to support the Rural Electrification Act.

But resistance to change isn’t easy to overcome, especially when it starts at home. Cora’s mother is a fierce opponent of electrification. She argues that protecting the landscape of the holler–the trees, the streams, the land that provides for their way of life–is their responsibility. But Cora just can’t let go of wanting more.

Lyrical, literary, and deeply heartfelt, this debut novel from an award-winning author-librarian speaks to family, friendship, and loss through the spirited perspective of a girl eager for an electrified existence, but most of all, the light of her mother’s love and acceptance.

 

The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn by Sally J. Pla

Neurodivergent Maudie is ready to spend an amazing summer with her dad, but will she find the courage to tell him a terrible secret about life with her mom and new stepdad? This contemporary novel by the award-winning author of The Someday Birds is a must-read for fans of Leslie Connor and Ali Standish.

Maudie always looks forward to the summers she spends in California with her dad. But this year, she must keep a troubling secret about her home life–one that her mom warned her never to tell. Maudie wants to confide in her dad about her stepdad’s anger, but she’s scared.

When a wildfire strikes, Maudie and her dad are forced to evacuate to the beach town where he grew up. It’s another turbulent wave of change. But now, every morning, from their camper, Maudie can see surfers bobbing in the water. She desperately wants to learn, but could she ever be brave enough?

As Maudie navigates unfamiliar waters, she makes friends–and her autism no longer feels like the big deal her mom makes it out to be. But her secret is still threatening to sink her. Will Maudie find the strength to reveal the awful truth–and maybe even find some way to stay with Dad–before summer is over?

 

See what else is coming out in July over at From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors.