Format: Chapter Book Fiction

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

The Peach Thief

The Peach ThiefThe Peach Thief by Linda Joan Smith
Published by Candlewick Press on March 4, 2025
ISBN: 1536237787
Genres: Adventure, Historical Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Scilla, a hungry and desperate workhouse orphan, risks sneaking into an earl’s walled garden to get a peach. Caught and mistaken for a boy, she’s given a job washing garden pots to work off her crime. Finding the food better and the bed softer than she’s ever had, Scilla hopes to stay. She learns about gardening and discovers she has a passion for it, but unfortunately she cannot pass as a boy forever. The situation is complicated by a handsome, young troublemaker,  a housekeeper from India, and the head gardener, and others. Beautiful, detailed descriptions of an 1850s English estate and its gardens.

(I have not yet finished this book so may adjust my opinion after I have finished it.)

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

 

four-stars

Snow

SnowSnow by Meera Trehan
Published by Walker Books on January 14, 2025
ISBN: 1536219258
Pages: 304
Genres: Adventure, Fairy Tale, Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

This is a smart modern fairy tale about the friendship between a strong princess and a modern-day Indian American girl in the kingdom of Mistmir. This story combines science and magic to create a moving setting with charming, detailed worldbuilding that’s tinged with eeriness and sadness. There is a good bit of humor in the book, as well. An enjoyable read that I have been vacillating between a rating of a 4 or 5. Reading age 8-12 years.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

five-stars

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