Format: Chapter Book Fiction

The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene

The Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden GreeneThe Ordinary and Extraordinary Auden Greene by Corey Ann Haydu
Published by Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins on January 13, 2026
ISBN: 0063348144
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Auden “Denny” Greene is a 12-year-old girl who is in no rush to leave childhood.  She loves spending time in her shed with her best friend Runa, developing Sorrowfield, the world they created full of princesses and dragons.  Sorrowfield is safe, a comforting place far from the reality of an alcoholic mother and a father who puts too much responsibility on her.  Meanwhile, Princess Auden is the last princess in Sorrowfield.  Her family has been taken by dragons and it’s up to her to save Sorrowfield, now that she’s twelve.  Auden and Denny suddenly find themselves in each other’s world and they are the only ones who know they have switched places. As they work to fit into their new locations, they discover their inner strength and power as they fight each other’s dragons.

This novel would be a great addition for any library serving 3rdth-5th graders.  It’s a fun twist on the switching places trope and is a great coming of age story, especially for kids who aren’t in a rush to grow up.  The real Denny faces peer pressure and changing friends, which many kids can related to, all while dealing with her mother who has relapsed in her battle with alcoholism.  Denny and Auden are great examples of characters learning to speak their truths and being true to who they know themselves to be.  This novel could also be a good entry point for kids who are hesitant to read fantasy. The story is told simultaneously from the perspective of each girl, so half of the story takes place in an imaginary place, and the other half is most certainly realisitc.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

four-stars

Some of Us Are Brave

Some of Us Are BraveSome of Us Are Brave by Saadia Faruqi
Published by Quill Tree Books on 2/10/26
ISBN: 0063389533
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Summer is winding down in Houston and kids are enjoying the last part of summer before school starts, including playing soccer at the local rec club. Soccer is on the minds of Cody and Yasir, two boys competing for team captain.  Mona is also at the field, but only because she is babysitting her little brother Omar while their parents are away. The kids try to focus on soccer, but the weather reports of tropical storm Harvey are becoming more concerning to those living in the low-lying areas of Houston.  When Harvey makes landfall, Yasir, Cody, and Mona are driven from their homes and find themselves forced to survive the storm together.  Cody, Yasir, and Mona were not friends before the storm, but they know their survival depends on them becoming a team.  The situation is life or death, and the three older kids are able to help each other work through their fears, one step at a time.

Readers who enjoy realistic fiction with strong characters will enjoy this book.  There is depth and growth to these protagonists.  Mona and Yasir build their confidence and leadership skills and Cody decides to turn over a new leaf, leaving behind his bullying behaviors and disdain for foreigners that he inherited from his father. The chapters are relatively short and are told from the perspective of one of the older kids.  Mixed in throughout the book are weather reports that are based on real weather reports Houstonians would have heard at the time.  Readers might also enjoy learning about flood myths from different religions and cultures that are woven into the text throughout the novel.  This book would be a great addition to libraries serving students in 4th-7th grade.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

five-stars

Into the Wild Magic

Genres: Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
four-stars

“Into the Wild Magic” is a middle grade fantasy novel by Michelle Knudsen. Bevvy is a sixth grader who is used to being bullied. She loves fantasy books. She meets Cat, a new student, at her favorite tree and wonders if they could be friends. Cat is brusque and doesn’t plan on making any friends. Cat has magical powers and creates a magical portal to an alternate world called LorelKey. The world-building in the story is well done and interesting. I liked the themes of believing in yourself and your own strengths and that a person’s identity doesn’t make them a bad person; their actions do. A suggested purchase where middle grade fantasy is popular.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.

four-stars

Run Away With Me

Run Away With MeRun Away with Me by Brian Selznick
on April 1, 2025
ISBN: 1339035529
Genres: LGBTQ+, Romance
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Young Adult
Goodreads
four-stars

 

Boy meets boy in 1986 Rome.

While his mom works the summer away as a book conservator, American Danny spends his time exploring the city. Lured by a voice and a hand-drawn map, Danny meets the mysterious Angelo and his world is turned upside down. The two fall for each other quickly, embarking on a whirlwind romance. During their days together, the boys discover various love stories throughout history similar to their own, in eras where such love needed to be secretive but still endured over time.

Selznik’s signature illustrations comprise the first 90 and final 20 pages of the book and are striking as always. Each chapter is a countdown to the end of the summer, when Danny will leave and his relationship with Angelo will have to come to an end, which helps add some urgency to the story. Messages of identity and the timelessness of love, no matter what barriers or struggles exist, abound. The book reads quickly, though the writing is flowery and poetic so it will likely appeal to a specific audience, not necessarily your average YA reader. 

Grades 9 & Up

Kerrie Lattari, York Middle School, York ME

four-stars

Meet me at Blue Hour

Meet me at Blue HourMeet Me at Blue Hour by Sarah Suk
on April 1, 2025
ISBN: 0063255189
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Young Adult
Goodreads
four-stars
Speculative fiction with a bit of romance. 

Told in alternating perspectives, Yena and Lucas have both traveled to South Korea to visit the Sori of Us clinic–Lucas to try to get his grandfather into a trial to help restore his memories lost to his worsening Alzheimer’s, and Yena to connect with her mom, Dr. Bae, the clinic’s founder. This clinic is not only running trials to help restore memories, but it also originally developed the technology to erase unpleasant ones. Once upon a time, Yena and Lucas were best friends. That is, until Lucas moved away and went radio silent. So when the two cross paths at Sori of Us, Yena is shocked to run into the boy she hasn’t heard from in four years, only to find out he has no idea who she is. 

Reminiscent of the movie, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” Meet Me at Blue Hour grapples with the ethics of meddling in memories–those we are hoping to keep and those we want nothing more than to forget. The controversy of erasing and restoring memories will give readers a lot to chew on and make for great group discussions. Throughout the book, we hear from the perspective of a lawn mower, a wind chime, and various other inanimate objects whose sounds were recorded to help erase Lucas’ memories and allow us to learn more about Lucas and Yena’s friendship–a neat storytelling technique. 

Grades 7 & Up

Kerrie Lattari, York Middle School, York

four-stars

The Winter of the Dollhouse

The Winter of the DollhouseThe Winter of the Dollhouse by Laura Amy Schlitz
on September 2, 2025
ISBN: 153623608X
Genres: Magical Realism
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Eleven-year-old Tiphany is enchanted by her town’s dollhouse store and would love to own a small antique doll, named Gretel, for her own. Tiph is longing for a friend and wishes she could feel more at home with her family as she tries to connect with her stepmother and young half-siblings. After helping an old lady named Szilvia from collapsing on the street, she lands a job walking her dog. Come to find out, Szilvia is actually planning to restore an old dollhouse from her childhood. During a visit to the dollhouse store, Tiph shoplifts Gretel while Szilvia purchases another doll named Red, only for Tiph to lose Gretel somewhere in Szilvia’s house. From there, while Tiph holds the guilt of her shoplifting secret and continues to bond with Szilvia, the two dolls hatch their own plans to have the lives they’ve been dreaming of.  

The escapades of Gretel and Red as they try to navigate the human world and find their own fulfillment are endearing. Each doll has its own distinct personality, and the longing to belong and be loved by a child mirrors Tiph’s own desires to be understood and seen. The inclusion of older and younger generations making close connections is lovely, and the development of our flawed main characters is well done. A warm, sweet, emotional story exploring mistakes, forgiveness, loneliness, friendship, and the complexity of family–blended, found, or otherwise. 

Ages 9-12

Recommended for Cream of the Crop.

Kerrie Lattari, York Middle School, York

five-stars

The Magician Next Door

The Magician Next DoorThe Magician Next Door by Alice McKinley, Rachel Chivers Khoo
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536241970
Genres: Emotions & Feelings, Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Friendship
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars
Callie, a ten year old girl, feels homesick and alone in a new house in remote Northern Ireland. Her mother lost a battle to cancer, and her father is burying himself in work. One night, when Callie feels full of despair for her former life, her mother, and friends in London, she discovers a mysterious woman and an upside-down house have appeared in her backyard–but then quickly disappear. What is happening? With the help of her new friend and neighbor, Sam, they help Winnifred Potts set her house right side up again. What Callie doesn’t realize, is that she needs to find her place in the world too. Seems like this is the only the beginning of more adventures in this fantastical Irish landscape.

A sweet chapter book geared towards elementary readers. Slim, with wondrous illustrations and lovely British sayings. Would definitely recommend this for introductory fantasy readers. Ages 7+

Reviewed by Gia Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

Hattie Mae Begins Again

Hattie Mae Begins AgainHattie Mae Begins Again by Sharon G. Flake
Published by Alfred A. Knopf on 1/13/26
ISBN: 0593650344
Genres: Historical Fiction, Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Friendship
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars
In this companion book to Once in a Blue Moon, Hattie Mae is sent up north to Philadelphia to an elite boarding school during the great migration.  She doesn’t fit in with most of the rich girls at the school and finds herself getting in trouble and contemplates leaving the school entirely.  From day one she doesn’t get along with Lisa, and once Lisa finds out that Hattie is related to the headmistress, she blackmails Hattie into doing chores for her.  Eventually everyone finds out that Hattie is attending the school for free and several of the girls are pulled from the school.  The school receives bad press, and protesters gather outside the school.  Hattie Mae steps up and pulls together the remaining students and her friends from the local neighborhood and they work together to help save the school.

This historical fiction novel in verse would be great for elementary-aged readers.  Hattie Mae grows a lot throughout this book, learning from her many mistakes.  She builds confidence and emerges as a leader among the students. She stays true to herself and her roots while also having big dreams for herself.  Readers who enjoy books with happy endings will enjoy how this novel concludes with a successful campaign to save the school and an improving relationship with Lisa.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

four-stars

Rica Baptista: The Box of Possibilities

Rica Baptista: The Box of PossibilitiesRica Baptista: The Box of Possibilities by Gladys Jose, Janet Costa Bates
Series: Rica Baptista #3
Published by Candlewick Press on 11/11/25
ISBN: 1536227676
Genres: Family, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars
Rica Baptista is back and this time, she and her friend Laini, are impatient to find out what’s in the box that Uncle Moose sent.  Their imaginations run wild, with creative ideas like a polka dotted unicorn, lava from an erupted volcano, and a variety of superpowers.  While the girls imagine endless possibilities, Rica worries about her cousin, Serenity, who is staying with them.  Serenity’s brothers are camping with their dad, and Serenity is feeling left out.  Rica and Laini try to cheer her up with their antics and by just being there for her.  At the end of the story, Uncle Moose returns from his vacation in Cape Verde and reveals what’s in the box and Serenity’s dad clears up a miscommunication with Serenity and she returns to normal.  There is a big porch party, celebrating being together as a family.

This book is part of a series but would work as a standalone.  It is ideal for newer readers to chapter books.  The font is big and there is a lot of space between the lines.  Some pages are full text, but others include black and white drawings.  The story doesn’t have a lot of action, but young readers will still enjoy the balance of silliness with more serious topics like Serenity’s feelings.  Rica’s family is black and that is evident in the illustrations and Cape Verdean culture is mentioned, especially in relation to a meal that is served.  Serenity’s parents are divorced, but Serenity’s dad is still a welcome part of the porch party at the end of the book.  There is a religious component as Rica writes a couple of letters to God.  This is not overly done in any way and is more just a mechanism for readers to learn Rica’s inner thoughts.  This would be a good addition to a library looking for early chapter books with diverse characters and experiences.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

three-stars

The Princess Swap: Rapunzel and the Sea Witch or The Little Mermaid and the Tower

The Princess Swap: Rapunzel and the Sea Witch or The Little Mermaid and the TowerRapunzel and the Sea Witch (or, The Little Mermaid and the Tower) (The Princess Swap #3) by Kim Bussing
Series: Princess Swap #3
Published by Random House on 11/11/25
ISBN: 0593708113
Genres: Adventure, Fairy Tale
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars
In this third installment of the Princess Swap Series, Rapunzel and the Little Mermaid switch places.  Before being swapped, both princesses felt trapped. Rapunzel was forced by her mother to stay in a locked tower and Hana, the Little Mermaid, felt a pull towards land and humans and felt trapped by being in the ocean all of the time.  Now that their locations have been switched around, both princesses find themselves in danger.  There are evil forces trying to gain control of the merpeople and war looms over land and sea.  Rapunzel and Hana, along with their friends, put their lives on the line to confront the dangerous people with bad intentions.

This story is great for elementary readers who like fairytale mashups with a little bit of adventure.  There is a lot of action in this novel and readers will no doubt want to see how these characters get themselves out of trouble.  The two princesses learn about the power of their magic, but more importantly, they discover the power of their voices and their ability to make their own decisions.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

three-stars