Format: Middle Grade Fiction

Forbidden Mountain (Guardians #1)

Forbidden Mountain (Guardians #1)Forbidden Mountain (Guardians #1) by Brandon Mull
Published by Random House on April 14, 2026
ISBN: 0593712048
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Middle Grade Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

 

Forbidden Mountain is the first in the new Guardians series by Brandon Mull. Anoran children are matched with a spiritual guardian when they turn 14 years old.  Mako hopes to become a great warrior like his father.  When he matches with an Accursed, a guardian of destruction, he hopes to wield his new powers for good.  Across the kingdom, Arden has a mysterious gift of knowing when someone is telling the truth.  She hopes to use her gift to find her friend Kiko, who disappeared after joining a gang.  When she double-crosses the boss, Arden and her family must run for their lives.  Eventually, Mako and Arden’s paths cross when they both join Anoran Warmaster Rojan’s crew.  Are Mako and Arden ready for epic adventures, battles, and conspiracies?   

This book sets the stage for future books in this series.  The pacing is slow with occasional action and predictable characters and plot lines.  Students interested in epic world-building sagas may enjoy this one, but it is not necessarily written for your average middle/high school reader.

Reviewed by Jaime Beal, RSU 40, Waldoboro

three-stars

Sprout

SproutSprout by Taylor Tyng
Published by Random House Children's Books Genres: Fantasy, Magical Realism
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Middle schooler Sprout has ‘plantlers’, which is how she describes the woody growths protruding from her head that burst into bloom when she can’t control her emotions, so being out in the public eye seems out of the question. She generally keeps to herself, though she longs to go to public school and be able to be outside without a hat. After meeting a new friend named E.B. at her therapist’s office, the two set out to discover why Sprout is the way she is, and whether their New England town might be responsible for it.  This would be tricky enough, but Sprout has a few run-ins with a creepy man who seems to know a lot about her, and soon she and E.B. are simultaneously working to solve their mystery and fleeing from a sinister trio of men who want to capture her.

There is a lot going on and the story is a bit frantic, but middle grade fantasy fans who might be a little young for Stranger Things or Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth will enjoy the magical realism of Sprout’s world. While it’s frightening that Sprout is being pursued, the book is ultimately an exploration of loving self-acceptance.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

three-stars

The Second Life of Snap

The Second Life of SnapThe Second Life of Snap by Erin Entrada Kelly
Published by Greenwillow Books on May 12, 2026
ISBN: 0063485958
Pages: 164
Genres: Science Fiction
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Erin Entrada Kelly creates a plausible, if bluntly drawn, near-future dystopia in The Second Life of Snap: Working-class residents of Barren, Texas, live to serve their corporate overlords in nearby Bountiful while suffering deprivation of every kind. But don’t be deceived by the bleak setting or the sharp class contrast: This book is full of hope, nuance, and reverence. 

Eleven-year-old, Filipina Zuzu lives with her widowed dad and runs with the Valleycats, a foursome of “stray” kids in one of Barren’s subsidized camps. When her laid-off dad brings home his severance, a factory-reset robot, Zuzu worries the Secure Network Android Processor will babysit her, and worse, snitch on her and her friends for playing in the off-limits local scrapyard. As Zuzu gets to know the device she dubs Snap, both are transformed: Zuzu sheds her black-and-white thinking while Snap develops what appears to be sentience, feelings, and even loyalty. 

“Do you think it’s possible to change the world?” Zuzu asked. “No. Everything’s already ruined,” Elias said… “I don’t think it’s ever too late to change things,” said Zuzu.

A different story would have gone down a number of tired, well-worn paths, but Kelly gives her young audience more credit: No one saves the world, no one starts a revolution, no one comes back from the dead (battery) just the same as before – and all for the better. In the end, changes for good do occur, but they unfold subtly and gently, just like Kelly’s themes: community, change, and the interconnectedness of things. Key offscreen actions are wisely never spelled out in detail, which might frustrate some readers used to more literal storytelling. The ending is likewise not resolved tidily and predictably, going out not with a bang but a whisper – of hope.

What to love: Intersectionally diverse, endearing characters; moral complexity; taut, straightforward writing; real-life problems portrayed relatably – from best-friend envy to climate anxiety and despair; and, dare we say, snappy humor. A book for our times. 

Reviewed by Emily Ender, Oxford Hills Middle School Library, South Paris

five-stars

Donutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers

Donutella Hamachi and the Library AvengersDonutella Hamachi and the Library Avengers by Kim Chi, Stephan Lee, utomaru
Published by Candlewick Press on September 5, 2025
ISBN: 1536236705
Pages: 183
Genres: Humor, Inspiration, Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Friendship, LGBTQ+
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Jae Han, a 12-year old Korean immigrant loves the time he spends at this library. While he’s there he plays video games, practices his English, hangs out with other outcast kids, and works on his comic book centered around drag superhero Donutella Hamachi.
When the mayor plans to close the library to create a parking lot Jae Han springs into action, recruiting the librarian and friends to come up with a fundraising plan to help keep their much loved home away from home open and available to them.
This is a modern story of empowerment for young people showing exactly the power that young people with passion hold in this world.

Ages 8-12
Reviewed by MaryAnn Lopes, Elementary Librarian. Lewiston Public Schools, Lewiston, Maine.

four-stars

Mystery James Digs Her Own Grave

Mystery James Digs Her Own GraveMystery James Digs Her Own Grave by Ally Russell
Published by Delacorte Press on September 16, 2025
ISBN: 0593896912
Genres: Horror, Supernatural
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Mystery James is 13, very smart, fond of spiders, and devoted to Tía Lucy, who found Mystery as an infant and has been caring for her ever since. Tía Lucy runs a funeral home, which Mystery helps her with, and after a cherished heirloom goes missing from a recently buried prominent town member, the future of the funeral home, and Mystery’s relationship with Tía Lucy, is threatened. Fortunately, Mystery has her wits, her best friend Garrett, and a spider named Coffin who lives in her hair to help her find out what happened to the heirloom, and how to clear her aunt’s name. Easier said than done, since Mystery soon discovers an elaborate plan to keep a malevolent spirit attached to a cemetery that has failed due to the grave robbing her aunt has been blamed for. Mystery finds herself wrestling some complicated emotions in a Faustian bargain that will solve her aunt’s trouble, but will allow a truly despicable, vampiric menace to escape its eternal entrapment.

With the exception of the vampire and his familiar, the grave robber, everyone in this book is so relatable and reasonable; Mystery is a wonderful kid, torn between some hideous choices and the chance to do right by her Tía Lucy. This is a step up in scares from many other middle grade horror titles, and will be a great transition into scarier YA books. Readers will be left wanting more, and as luck would have it, they’ll be able to get it with the sequel being released later this year.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

five-stars

Asterwood

AsterwoodAsterwood by Jacquelyn Stolos
on December 30, 2025
ISBN: 0593814843
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Asterwood is a middle-grade fantasy novel about a girl named Madelyn who lives with her father on the edge of a forest in New Hampshire. Madelyn and her father, Ezra, have only had each other for her whole life, but now, in middle school, she’s started to feel lonely and has more and more questions about her mother. Though her father has warned her not to go into the woods alone or down the “path of no return,” she finds she can’t help herself when her cat, Dots, runs down the path and shimmers out of view. On the other side, she discovers a group of kids who call themselves the “new hopefuls” and are trying to save the violet root (a source of power in their world — Asterwood). We discover that the antagonist is a group of “tree eaters” -humans who are trying to get all of the violet root possible to hoard the power of the root. As Madelyn learns more about Asterwood and the coming destruction, she finds out more about herself and her parents than she ever expected.

This is a great middle-grade fantasy that will appeal to readers who love magical worlds and especially those with an environmental interest. In many ways, it reminded me of a middle-grade version of “The Lorax” as the young children fight against the adults who are destroying the forest and Asterwood due to their greed.

One caution would be that the book includes a group of adults who are cannibals and steal young children to eat them. Though it is not graphically described, this idea could be upsetting to younger readers. This would be a good fit for readers in seventh grade and up, depending on the reader, and libraries that serve readers of that age. This was a four-star read for me; I loved Asterwood and the characters, but some aspects of it (ex. cannibalism) didn’t work for me. Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

four-stars

Broken Dolls

Broken DollsBroken Dolls by Ally Malinenko
Published by HarperCollins on September 30, 2025
ISBN: 0063355191
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

This spooky story explores how to manage grief, mental health, and some dolls that are alive with vengeance. 

Kaye is going through lots of changes. A summer move to upstate New York after her grandfather’s death leaves her coping in unique ways. She’s started counting everything around her to calm down and literally cannot find the words to speak. That is until she has no choice but to use her words to warn her family that the dolls her little sister keeps finding have sinister intentions of making her their forever playmate… 

This middle grade book is a great reflection on how to cope with the loss of a family member, especially when grief feels isolating. Students will take away the message that you are not alone, and it’s always good to reach out to friends and family for help. These more serious topics are sprinkled in amongst chilling imagery of human-like dolls, reminiscent of classic horror authors like R.L. Stine and Mary Downing Hahn, but with a modern take. Characters are also openly queer, with a hint of romance between Kaye and her new friend Joey. Recommended for ages 10 and up. 

Reviewed by Hannah Doktor, Skidompha Public Library, Damariscotta

five-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

Scarlet Morning

Scarlet MorningScarlet Morning (Scarlet Morning, #1) by N.D. Stevenson
Published by Quill Tree on September 23, 2025
ISBN: 0063210347
Pages: 427
Genres: Adventure, Juvenile Fiction / Social Themes / Friendship
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

ND Stevenson’s first installment of a duology, and his first prose novel, is an exciting swashbuckling adventure set upon calamitously salty seas.

Fifteen years ago, the dreaded pirate Scarlet Morning murdered the beloved queen Hail Meridian. In response, pirates were hunted and killed. This precipitated a chain of events that destroyed the land and water, leaving Dickerson’s Sea a wasteland of glacier-like salt blocks and islands drifted with constantly blowing, toxic salt. Survival was difficult at best, particularly for Viola and Wilmur, who raised themselves from a very young age upon one of the most isolated islands of all.

Until one day, a ship appears, plowing through the nearly impassible salt blocks, and someone breaks down their door. It is the terrifying captain of the ship, Cadence Chase. She has come seeking a book that is in their possession; in exchange, they demand passage off the island.

Viola and Wilmur find that while everyone knows pirates were eradicated, the ragtag bunch crewing the ship are awfully…pirate like. When the ship is attacked and they are suddenly separated, the two friends must survive without each other for the first time in their lives. But finding their way back to one another is not their only goal, for as Viola comes to realize, they are also the best hope for saving the enigma that is Scarlet Morning, and in turn, Dickerson’s Sea itself.

This book is truly fantastic. It will appeal to so many readers – both fans of ND Stevenson’s previous work, and also new readers who love adventure, pirate stories, mysterious characters and the drama of long-held secrets. Stevenson has somehow captured the multitudes we all contain, giving so many readers the chance to see themselves reflected. It is a tale that will appeal to those exploring the limits of who they are, and their place in the world, found family, loving friendship, and universal acceptance; but then again, it’s also a layered, rollicking good pirate story with unique, beautifully executed world building. That’s a tall order for a middle grade book, but Scarlet Morning delivers. Partial and full page black and white illustrations, also by Stevenson, add to the drama. The end is a cliffhanger that leaves readers ready for the next installment as soon as possible.

Highly recommend; 5 stars, cream.

-Jenny Martinez, Maine State Library

five-stars

Danilo Was Here

Danilo Was HereDanilo Was Here by Tamika Burgess
on January 21, 2025
ISBN: 006315966X
Genres: Cultural / Latin America, Family, Sports
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Danilo Was Here by Tamika Burgess is an, at times, uncomfortably relevant middle grade historical fiction novel set in the aftermath of the United States invasion of Panamá in 1989. Danilo had a lot on his shoulders even before the invasion. His father, who was an exceptional baseball player before getting injured, moved to the US promising, but failing, to send money. This leaves Danilo to care for his sister when his mom is working multiple jobs. After the terrifying night of bombs, helicopters, smoke, and crumbling buildings, known as Operation Just Cause to the US military, Danilo’s home is condemned and his family is forced to live in a refugee camp. This trauma is palpable throughout the story and affects all of Danilo’s decisions. Though Danilo resents his baseball talent because of his father, he agrees to temporarily go to California to play baseball so he can attempt to get his father to send money back to Panamá.

Life in California is hard on Danilo in different ways. Despite the comfy bed and room bigger than the apartment he shared with his mother and sister, Danilo is constantly peppered with microagressions. Readers will feel Danilo’s inner frustration as he reminds himself to be polite despite the near constant ignorance and assumptions. Danilo isn’t able to take this baseball opportunity as seriously as everyone expects him to and he finds it hard to empathize with his new friends’ relatively small struggles, causing lots of conflict with his new team. And just when he starts to settle in, Danilo begins to experience PTSD induced panic attacks.

Though Burgess paints a very clear picture of childhood trauma, there are moments of joy and understanding that truly shine and provide necessary catharsis. Danilo’s host father and coach are excellent role models who support Danilo at his lowest and admit that bringing him to the US so soon after the invasion was insensitive. Danilo even bonds with his host family’s son, an autistic boy who shares Danilo’s love of accordion, and together they experience the power of music therapy. Burgess gives Danilo’s story a happy, but realistic ending that will leave readers with a feeling of hope. Danilo Was Here will resonate deeply with children who have experienced the trauma of war, family separation, immigration, or microagressions and will be a welcoming, passively educational window for those who just like historical fiction or sports stories. A highly recommended purchase for all libraries.

Reviewed by Ivy Burns, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth 

 

five-stars