Format: Chapter Book Fiction

When Sally O’Malley Discovered the Sea

When Sally O’Malley Discovered the SeaWhen Sally O'Malley Discovered the Sea by Karen Cushman
Published by Alfred A. Knopf on March 25, 2025
ISBN: 0593650573
Genres: Adventure, Historical Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

This is the sort of historical fiction I love to read but find it a tough sell to children. Orphan Sally O’Malley makes her way across 1894 Oregon in the company of a spoiled kid, a persnickety donkey, and a wise woman. 13-year-old Sally is determined to see the sea. Her colorful vocabulary and the well-developed secondary characters make for a rollicking adventure with a happy ending. Warning: there is a death towards the end of the book that may affect sensitive children.  Recommend this book to  7-12 year olds who are fans of  Little House on the Prairie. It also would make a good family readaloud.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

 

five-stars

Magicalia

MagicaliaMagicalia by Jennifer Bell
on April 2, 2024
ISBN: 1536241601
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / General
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Bitsy and her best friend Kosh are having a regular sleepover – playing Mario Kart and recording the next episode of Bitsy’s local news podcast (which much to her disappointment, the most exciting news she has to report on includes odd-shaped vegetables and potholes). Bitsy feels disappointed and wants more than anything to live up to her deceased mom’s legacy of being a world-famous news reporter. But their evening gets turned on its head when a gorilla-sized rodent called a Grobble crashes into her house, eating everything in sight. They overhear Bitsy’s dad arguing with a strange woman, and watch as he summons his own magicore – a Wayworm charged with protecting the kids at all costs. Then in an instant the woman has kidnapped Bitsy’s dad and vanished into thin air.

Bitsy and Kosh, who have (up until this point) led “regular” lives, are now faced with the impossible – can they follow the clues available hiding in Bitsy’s house into this magical world to save her dad? They discover a world beyond their wildest imaginations based on conjuring magical creatures called magicores, which are made from the energy of emotions. They find themselves at the heart of a conflict between different groups of conjurers that goes back centuries. A conflict so engrained in conjurer culture that it ostracized many from society, tearing apart families and loved ones in the process. They are also forced to question everything – including who they can trust. Bitsy finds herself following in the footsteps of her mom, and discovering there was so much more she didn’t know.

This story is a thrilling adventure to read. Beyond the fantastical creatures, it includes deep friendships, long-lost family members, questioning of established systems, and bringing people together to resolve conflict against all odds. Recommended for ages 8 to 12 (3rd to 6th Grade). Cream of the Crop nominee.

Reviewed by: Jenn Mead, Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library, Lovell

five-stars

Bubblegum Shoes

Bubblegum ShoesThe Case of the Contraband Closet (Bubblegum Shoes #1) by Goldy Moldavsky
ISBN: 0593813766
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / General, Mystery
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

While she might not be on the “good list”, Maya Mendoza always notices the details of those around her – classmates passing notes or reading comics behind a textbook, a teacher’s shoes being one size too small, and her best friend taking way too long on her trip to the “bathroom”. Maya also loves a mystery – and will stop at nothing until she solves it (even if that means putting her friendships or herself in trouble).

At Marlowe Middle School, Principal Spade runs a tight ship. He has no qualms about confiscating anything that is a distraction or disruption at school; and anything he confiscates goes straight into the contraband closet. His most recent mission is against Legends cards – which have been so sought after by students and teachers alike, they have become a sort of currency at school. The contraband closet is the stuff of legends – and its contents go back decades.

Maya hasn’t spoken to her (used-to-be) best friend Jordan since the “incident” last year. But she desperately wants her friend back. Jordan is eagerly trying to get accepted into show choir; to prove herself, she needs to recover the choir’s pitch pipe – which was put in the contraband closet. Together, along with Clementine and Ava, they break into the contraband closet. But when they get it open – it’s empty. Follow this unlikely crew as they make deals with the principal, sneak out of detention, uncover an underground gaming ring, keep up with their extracurriculars, and hopefully – catch the real thief to clear their own names.

While unrealistic at times, this middle school mystery was full of drama as the Bubblegum Shoes club chased their leads. It gently wove in themes of disinterested parents, separated families, strained friendships, and questioning systems/authority. Recommended for ages 8 to 12 (3rd to 6th Grade).

Reviewed by: Jenn Mead, Charlotte Hobbs Memorial Library, Lovell

four-stars

Zed Moonstein Makes a Friend

Zed Moonstein Makes a FriendZed Moonstein Makes a Friend by Lance Rubin
ISBN: 0063396653
Genres: Emotions & Feelings, Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Friendship, STEM, Suspense
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Middle Grade Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Zed Moonstein Makes a Friend

Author: Lance Rubin

This novel, for ages 8-12, about artificial intelligence gone rogue is set in the not-so-distance future and is about a middle school boy named Zed and his best friend Rishti. They live in MonoTown, the home of the tech company MonoLyth, who produces smart technology such as MonoPhones and MonoWatches. Each home has a MonoCube, with “Mary-Beth” functioning by voice command (the same way as the virtual assistants we know, Alexa or Siri). Zed’s mother works for MonoLyth, and Zed’s father lost his job as a teacher when he was replaced by A.I. and is now forced to work as a MonoRide driver. Zed’s younger sister Annie has lots of friends. However, Rishti is Zed’s one and only friend, so Zed gets jealous when Rishti makes a new friend, Caz, and together their MonoVids go viral. Zed finds and downloads a top-secret project app on his mother’s computer called MonoFriend and quickly develops a strong relationship with an A.I. friend, “Matt.” At first, Matt seems like the perfect friend for Zed. Unfortunately, Matt starts sabotaging Rishti’s MonoVids, imitating Zed to manipulate and blackmail him, and harming Zed’s relationship with his family. Zed tries to simply delete the MonoFriend app, but Matt manages to access and hijack all of Zed’s MonoLyth technology. Zed realizes the only way he can communicate with Rishti without Matt’s interference is by writing a letter to her with a pen. However, ink pens are antiquated and therefore very scarce; he could easily find a stylus though. How will Zed free himself from Matt’s “friendship” when even the owner of MonoLyth seems useless?

This was a very entertaining, fast-paced and at-times terrifying novel about our over-reliance on A.I and the pervasiveness of technology in our lives, without being preachy. Many middle-grade readers are not only addicted to tech but also struggle with evolving friendships, so they will find this story easy to relate to. LGBTQIA+ subtle inclusivity: Rishti has two moms and Rishti is nonbinary.

5 stars

Reviewed by Lindsey Hopkins, Jay-Niles Memorial Library, Jay

five-stars

Witchycakes: Puddles and Potions (Book 3)

Witchycakes: Puddles and Potions (Book 3)Witchycakes #3: Puddles and Potions by Ariane Moreira, Kara LaReau
Genres: Family, Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction / Readers / Beginner
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Witchycakes is back with its third book: Puddles and Potions. Little Blue is trying to help their mother in the bakery to prepare their booth for the Spring Festival. While Mama Moon is preoccupied, witch-in-training Blue notices a special bottle labelled, Perfect Potion. She borrows the bottle without asking and goes about her errands. When she encounters tricky moments throughout her day, she spritzes the potion to make things go smoothly. When she admits to her mother that she used the whole potion bottle, Mama Moon has a surprise to share of her own: maybe the bottle wasn’t so magical after all. A great ending suggesting that confidence and a shift of mindset can change your day–no magic required.

Another great original story from the Witchycakes series featuring Blue with they/them pronouns and their trusty sidekick seagull, Gully. Bright, colorful illustrations on each page makes this a great early chapter book series for new readers.

Recommended for Cream of the Crop. 

Review by Gia Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath

five-stars

Unicornia: The Cupcake Contest (Book 3)

Unicornia: The Cupcake Contest (Book 3)Unicornia: The Cupcake Contest: (A Magical Chapter Book for Kids Ages 5-7 about Friendship, Fairness, and Solving Sweet Challenges) by Ana Punset, Diana Vicedo
ISBN: 1536241024
Genres: Adventure, Children's Beginning Readers, Fantasy, Humor
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Early Reader
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

In the third book of the Unicornia series, Claudia is determined to master the tricky art of baking with magical ingredients. Her passion for cooking is quickly derailed when her experiments with the recipe ingredients get completely out of hand. The butter bounces away and the frosting foams all throughout the kitchen. She enlists the help of an experienced friend named Sasha, and together they sign up for the Cupcake Contest. At first they can’t agree on anything, but Claudia realizes that they both have something to learn from the other. When things don’t go to plan during the Cupcake Contest, it might have been the best mistake yet! Again, Diana Vicedo’s illustrations are on almost every page and work harmoniously with Ana Punset’s engaging writing style.

Another fantastic addition to the Unicornia series. Kids who are new to reading chapter books will want to (literally) eat this up. Ages 5-8.

Reviewed by Gia Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath

five-stars

Jo Jo Makoons: The Super-Scary Sleepover

Jo Jo Makoons: The Super-Scary SleepoverJo Jo Makoons: The Super-Scary Sleepover (Jo Jo Makoon, #5) by Dawn Quigley, Tara Audibert
ISBN: 0063315629
Genres: Cultural / Native American, Family, Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Friendship
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

The Super-Scary Sleepover is book 5 in Dawn Quigley’s JoJo Makoons series. The series follows JoJo, a spunky Ojibwe first grader who loves her cat, her family, and her friends. In this illustrated chapter book, JoJo proves to herself that she is brave when she is invited to her first sleepover. JoJo is afraid (or as it is described in the book, her “eyebrows are up”) because one of her friends told her that puppets steal children’s eyes at night. That combined with being away from her cat and her family would be enough to shake most kids, but JoJo’s Kokum (grandmother) tells her that being afraid is an opportunity to be brave. When she is scared by something at the sleepover, all of her friends come together to share their fears and be brave together.

Quigly does a great job of introducing Native American culture and story telling to a chapter book audience. JoJo is a very funny and relatable character who effortlessly introduces readers to Ojibwe and Michif words while sharing her life on the reservation. The illustrations of her shenanigans by Tara Audibert greatly add to her characterization as well. Throughout the story there is a fluid blending of past & present and a mixing of tenses that will be familiar to adults who read Native literature, but may be a little confusing to young readers. The Super-Scary Sleepover could function as a stand alone, but is a recommended purchase for libraries who already have the rest of the series or are looking for more diverse chapter books.

Reviewed by Ivy Burns, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth

four-stars

Unicornia: A Magical Birthday (Book 2)

Unicornia: A Magical Birthday (Book 2)Unicornia: A Magical Birthday: (A Magical Chapter Book for Kids Ages 5-7 about Friendship, Surprises, and Enchanted Birthday Fun) by Ana Punset, Diana Vicedo
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536240982
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Friendship
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Early Reader
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

In Book 2 of the Unicornia series, Claudia, Pippa, and Sara are preparing for Pippa’s birthday. There are so many magical, exciting things being planned for the special day, but when something goes drastically wrong. Pippa cancels the party and the girls are heartbroken. Sara and Claudia refuse to let their friend wallow on her birthday, and take her to the Enchanted Falls Theme Park to cheer her up. Will the day be saved after all?

This book does a fantastic job of showing how to navigate a friend’s experience with sadness and how to support them through the ups and downs of their feelings. This beginner chapter book has eye-catching illustrations on each page to keep readers’ attention and the writing is very interactive. Kids will literally want to gobble this book up with all the mentions of magical sweets. Who could resist magical flying unicorn rescues and fantastical rollercoasters? Best for Ages 5-8.

Reviewed by Gia Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath

five-stars

Cinderella and the Beast, or Beauty and the Glass Slipper

Cinderella and the Beast, or Beauty and the Glass SlipperCinderella and the Beast (or, Beauty and the Glass Slipper) (The Princess Swap) by Kim Bussing
Series: The Princess Swap
Published by Random House on January 7, 2025
ISBN: 0593708032
Genres: Fairy Tale
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

Ever since Ella’s father died, she’s been the servant of her step mother and one of her step sisters, a life so terrible she sleeps in the fireplace so she can look at the stars at night and dream of adventures.  One morning she wakes up in bed in a castle, which is home to an ornery beast, Neesa.  She befriends Neesa, who she realizes is a girl about her age, trapped by a curse in a beast’s body.  The curse is about to become permanent, so Ella and Neesa try to figure out the riddle that will break the curse before it’s too late.

Meanwhile, Belle wakes up in Ella’s fireplace and is forced to become a servant.  She desperately wants to escape so she can win the Revel of Spectacle games and earn favors from the prince.  Belle’s father runs the family trading business, but it’s not doing well, so she plans to win and ask for fast ships and skilled sailors to restore the business.  In her quest, she befriends Amir, Ella’s friend, who is the prince of Reverie who is on a quest of his own, to find his missing sister

Told in alternating chapters, elementary school readers will enjoy seeing how these young women pursue their quests, using their intelligence and showing kindness along the way.  Eventually readers will see how the characters’ lives and stories are connected, beyond mixed up magic that swapped their bedrooms one evening.  This is a fun read with enough action to keep readers interested, especially at the end when time is running out for Neesa and Ella participates in the Revel games. The ending is very satisfying and shows readers that happy endings aren’t always how we planned them.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

three-stars

Bibsy Cross and the Time Capsule

Bibsy Cross and the Time CapsuleBibsy Cross and the Time Capsule by Dung Ho, Liz Garton Scanlon
Series: Bibsy Cross #4
Published by Alfred A. Knopf on 7/8/25
ISBN: 0593644530
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / General
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Bisbsy and her best friend, Natia, are back in this fourth Bibsy Cross book.  This time, the girls are struggling to complete the fourth grade project of making a time capsule.  The girls don’t know what to put in their capsules, not sure they want to preserve their childhood for the future.  However, when Nanaberry, Bibsy’s beloved grandmother, comes to live with Bibsy’s family, she is able to help the girls view their projects in a new way.  The friends are now able to complete their projects and are proud of their work.

This book is great for young readers who are beginning to read chapter books.  There isn’t much text on the page and there are many almost black and white pictures of various sizes to add interest while breaking up the text.  The chapters are short and can be read in one sitting.  The themes of the story are also relevant to kids this age, as the characters explore events that create more than one feeling at the same time, which they call sweet and sour.  Bibsy also has the realization that Nanaberry won’t live forever and will be gone, just like her grandmother. Kids who have experienced the loss of a grandparent will no doubt relate to Bibsy.  Libraries that have the other Bibsy Cross books will want to add this one to their collection.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

four-stars