All the Way Around the Sun by XiXi Tian

All the Way Around the Sun by XiXi Tian

Publisher:  Quill Tree Books

Format Read:  ARC E-book
Number of pages:   304 pages
Publishing:  September 30th, 2025
Source: Books Forward and Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Opening Lines:  "It's strange to think about how, for me, there is no time before you, but there will be, after."

Two years separated Stella Chen from her older brother, Sam, who passed away unexpectedly a year ago.  Her family has been trying to adjust to their new reality.  Initially moving from Mount Pierce, Illinois to San Diego, California where she's expected to finish out the second semester of her senior year.  But Stella hasn't been able to adjust to all of the changes since then.  Sam was her rock.  They were raised by their grandmother in China and had lived there together until they were eight years old when their parents brought them to the United States.  At first it was difficult for the two of them, being "Satellite Babies" and the only two Asian kids in a predominantly white school.  But now in California she is surrounded by perfect bilingual kids who instantly fit into the diverse school.  

At home, Stella hasn't been able to verbalize her feelings.  Both she and her parents don't share their lives with one another.  She hasn't even been able to tell them that she's scared about going away for college and that she hasn't even started her admissions letter.  So, when her parents suggest that she join an estranged childhood friend, Alan Zhao for a college tour across California, she is further frightened.  Stella hasn't seen Alan in four years, not since they both lived in Illinois.  Not since he broke off the connection that they had and never explained why he ghosted her.

Despite her reservations, Stella and Alan begin their awkward road trip.  Before long, they start to talk about what went wrong in their earlier friendship and confide in each other about their true desires and wishes for their future.  But can Stella reveal her deepest secret just as they are beginning to mend their past? 

 All the Way Around the Sun explores how grief feels to the one suffering from it.  Stella had a complicated friendship with Alan and certainly trust issues have remained.  Stella also has lingering guilt surrounding her brother's death.  There are many issues that her parents still do not know.  Alan and Stella work well together, he escapes from his overbearing father and she from her feelings of being an outcast.  Both try to be the person that their parents envision them to be.  The strength of the book is the way that Tian portrays Stella's grief and loss.  It shows how parents can get lost in their own grief and it's important for families to discuss their feelings.  Tian captures these beautiful and tender moments where Stella is able to reflect on happier times with her brother and grandmother.  While she struggles over the loss of Sam, she also yearns to discuss her feelings with someone, and I was happy that she had Alan to lean on.  This was a beautiful story that expresses the difficulties of losing someone very close to you and the importance of finding a way to deal with the pain. 

Favorite line:  " I was their only life preserver in a vast dark sea, and they didn't want to know that I was full of holes."      

Georgia Watson and the 99 Percent Campaign by Sara Shacter

Georgia Watson and the 99 Percent Campaign by Sara Shacter
Publisher:  Fitzroy Books
Format Read:  ARC-Paperback
Number of pages:   173 pages
Publishing:   October 14th, 2025
Source:  Author

Opening Line: "I know kids are supposed to hate the end of summer."

Georgia is about to start sixth grade alongside her best friend, Izzy whom she met in fifth grade through their shared love of science.  After two years of moving from place to place, Georgia is relieved to have someone as steady and fun as Izzy by her side.  Together they've taken on all kinds of projects, like collecting rocks, building DIY electric circuits and their latest experiment, creating an irrigation system using recycled water bottles.  

Just as sixth grade begins, Nicole unexpectedly shows up at Izzy's house, treating Georgia like she's invisible.  Nicole was once the leader of The Hair Posse but now seems determined to drive a wedge between Georgia and Izzy.  Why is she suddenly without her crew and why is she being so cold and mean toward Georgia?  

Then, a simple school project on genealogy unexpectedly upends Georgia and Izzy's friendship.  Georgia makes a huge mistake by revealing Izzy's secret and sparks conflict across the entire classroom.  As friendships fray, Georgia must face the consequences of her choices.  Can she repair the damage and earn back Izzy's trust and friendship?   And can she get her classmates to forgive her? 

Georgia and Izzy share that special spark of a friendship, both are curious, creative and resilient.  I just love their inventive idea of turning water bottles into an irrigation system, it makes science feel fun and accessible.  The arrival of Nicole at Izzy's house adds a classic dose of middle school tension, complete with the emotional anxiety of worrying about losing your closest friend.  

This is a lovely heartfelt story about forgiveness, having compassion and the courage to rectify our mistakes.  Georgia's growth is both realistic and inspiring.  She learns that many things connect us as human beings and that true friendship means striving to do better, even when it's difficult.  The story shines in its connection to STEM, showing how curiosity and problem-solving can lead to real-world solutions.  There are meaningful lessons through realistic consequences, and I love how it portrays the value of cooperation.  A standout debut that should not be missed.  I'm hopeful that there will be a sequel in the future. 

**A huge thank you to Sara Shacter for providing the paperback ARC for my review**

I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE      

It's Middle Grade Monday with a review of Haru: Book 3: Fall by Joe Latham

Haru: Book 3: Fall by Joe Latham
Publisher:  Andrews McMeel Publishing
Format:  E-ARC
Number of pages:   272 pages
Publishing:   October 28th, 2025
Source:  Edelweiss +

Opening Line:  "It was true that darkness's power had never really been undone, for as long as there are those who favor the night and relish the cold, it cannot be killed."

Haru begins with a glimpse of a past memory.  The initial pages resemble aged photographs, yellowed with time. Secrets unfold, and a prophecy emerges, though I’ll refrain from sharing too many details to avoid spoilers.  The series began with Spring and has now been followed by Summer and Fall.  Each book should be read in order.

Just a little background to get you up to date.  Haru is a non-binary blue colored bird, their younger sibling is a chick named Goose, and their mother is a bird ghost.   Fall opens with Haru awakening, alone and in the darkness.  Sad and frightened they begin to search for their friends, making a perilous journey across a great distance that ends in a cave.  

Meanwhile, Yama (Haru's pig best friend), Herb (a mushroom) and Frei (a fly) are in the valley searching for Haru.  We then return to Haru who encounters Hecate (Cate) a ghost cat who guides them on a journey through The In-between.  At the same time, Goose is with their mother searching for a special kind of path that leads to an old gate. Each group is trying to reconnect with one another.

The illustrations within Fall express feelings of loneliness and isolation.  There are full color pages of trees with leaves, an approaching storm and dark shadows, to name a few.  Haru appeared very fragile and dismal in these images.  Some of the themes that I've picked up on are darkness, sacrifice, fate, kindness, family and death.  With the overreaching premise of how grief can be overwhelming and of not taking any shortcuts, that we must go through all the tough things and feelings.  I loved how the darker and lighter shades of the artwork convey so much emotion.  As a side note, the author has a Substack called The Wandering Pen where he goes into greater detail about writing Haru's journey and includes his artwork that is really worth a read.  My favorite panel in the book is where there are mice sitting, singing, crying, hugging and reading while spirits appear above their graves.  It gave off the feeling of peace and community.  Fall was definitely my favorite of the series because of its hero quest, gorgeous illustrations, and an ending that culminates with an epic battle.   Read the Haru series for the author/artists gorgeous illustrations and a story that will capture your heart.  

I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE      

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with a review of The Vale by Abigail Hing Wen, illustrations by Yuna Cheong and Brandon Wu

The Vale by Abigail Hing Wen illustrations by Yuna Cheong and Brandon Wu

Publisher:  Third State Books
Format Read:  ARC-e-book
Number of pages:   270 pages
Publishing:  September 16th, 2025
Source:  Books Forward

Opening Lines: "A gust of wind from the East blew Bran's hood off his head as he ran through the elder grove, eagerly searching for Gnomly." 

Thirteen-year-old Bran, with the support of his inventor parents, has dedicated most of his time to creating the Vale, an immersive, AI-generated, virtual-reality world.  So far, he's created Bran's Blue Forest and a Castle.  He's even programmed the code for Gnomly, an AI elf that he's teaching to play hide and seek.  Bran plans to showcase Gnomly's skills at the upcoming Invention Convention, aiming to win the prestigious million-dollar prize.  Money that the family desperately needs to continue funding their inventions and to complete the Vale.

During the Expo, a series of unexpected mishaps and glitches occur within the Vale.  A beautiful, and mysterious girl appears, and a wizard begins corrupting the Vale, even stealing from its inhabitants. Bran quickly loses control, as the elves and the wizard start acting independently, making decisions they shouldn't be capable of.  Can Bran and Gnomly uncover the truth behind what is happening within the Vale in time to save it from being destroyed?

The Vale marks Abigail Hing Wen's middle-grade debut. Fans may recognize her from the Loveboat, Taipei series, which inspired the Netflix film Love in Taipei. Alongside the book's release, Wen is stepping into directing with a planned companion short film, The Vale-Origins, featuring Tony Award-winner Lea Salonga, known for Miss Saigon and the Disney classics Aladdin and Mulan.  

Wen drew inspiration for the Vale from her previous background in the tech world.  Her publisher, Third State is the first and only publishing house that is exclusively focused on publishing AAPI voices. I hope you'll visit their website and check out all their currently released books.                                                  https://thirdstatebooks.com/pages/the-vale         

Bran is a fascinating kid who describes himself as being in "asynchronous development," meaning his social emotional growth hasn't kept pace with his intellectual abilities.  He's a bright kid who casually uses terms like chatbots, omnidirectional and haptic suits, while fully immersing himself in the Vale, where Gnomly is his only friend.  Then he meets Piper, a part-time hacker who says she steers clear of anything illegal.  Bran is instantly attracted to her as she eases his feelings of isolation and offers him alternatives to his interacting with software and programing.  He begins to see the value in real world experiences.

I quite enjoyed how The Vale brings up ethical questions about the use of artificial intelligence.  Highlighting the hazards of AI like using lip reading software designed for the hearing impaired to spy on people.  Seemingly weaponizing software into ways that it was not intended.  Wen also stresses that AI technology should be built by good, ethically reasonable people in a humancentric way.  The story blends fantasy, the folklore of Brother's Grimm and The Magic Paintbrush with sci-fi and technology.  It's both an entertaining and fascinating look at the ethics surrounding the use of artificial intelligence and raises many questions for the reader to explore.  The full color illustration of Bran in the forest is my favorite one by Yuna Cheong and Brandon Wu it has these blue and purple hues with flowers and animals and Gnomly snickering while Bran is calling his name.  Which is so like his character.  There are also lovely black and white illustrations at the top of each chapter, so cute. 

**A huge thank you to Books Forward for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.**   

About the Author

Abigail Hing Wen is an author, film producer and director, as well as former tech executive. She is the New York Times bestselling author of multiple novels for young people, including Loveboat, Taipei, which has been adapted as the movie Love in Taipei, now on Netflix. Abigail served as an executive producer and on set during production. Her novel Kisses, Codes and Conspiracies, a thriller and romantic comedy novel featuring three teens on the run through the Bay Area, is an instant national bestseller, USA Today bestseller and Amazon Editor’s Pick for YA Book of the Month. Abigail is directing her first short film starring Lea Salonga, a prequel to her middle grade debut The Vale, coming September 2025, and featuring an inventor family that builds an AI generated virtual world. She serves on the board of Harvardwood and is a member of Dan Lin’s Rideback Rise Circle. In 2025, she served as a judge for the Golden Trailer Awards, recognizing the industry’s most outstanding film trailers.

Abigail is a frequent keynote speaker for young people, including Y’Allfest, US Presidential Scholars, and the Los Altos High Writer's Week, as well as libraries, colleges, high schools and bookstores around the country. She’s also given keynotes and fireside chats for the National Conference of State Legislatures, Meta, Google, Paramount, Paypal and other tech and entertainment companies, and spoken on panels at venues such as SDCC, LACC, LA Times Festival of Books and ALA. For more, visit AbigailHingWen.com. 

Follow Abigail Hing Wen on social media:

Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X/Twitter: @abigailhingwen

 I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE      

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with a review of Surviving Summer Camp by Paul Breau

Surviving Summer Camp by Paul Breau

Publisher:  TKI Productions, Inc
Format Read:  E-book
Number of pages:   175 pages
Published:  July 4th, 2025
Source: Author in exchange for an honest review

Opening Lines: "How could my parents be so cruel?  Sending me out into the "great outdoors."  What was so great anyways?"

Twelve-year-old Eddy would rather be inside, where it's quiet, predictable, and safe.  No pickup games where he's picked last and no bullies waiting to harass him.  He finally has space, his video games and a summer of solitude while his brothers are away at summer camp.  He's got it all planned out.  But his parents have other ideas.    

After a heated argument with his brothers ends in the accidental breakage of their mom's favorite porcelain figurine, Eddy's summer takes a dramatic turn.  Fed up, his mom decides that she's had enough with the three of them and Eddy is going to join Zack and Adam at summer camp.   

Now Eddy's big plans have turned into a nightmare.  Zack isn't just tagging along; he's going to be his camp counselor.  That also means forced nature hikes and team-building activities like kayaking.  Things go from bad to worse when an overnight hike causes Eddy and his brothers to get separated from the other campers and they find themselves lost in the woods.  With no one else to rely on, Eddy is left leading them back to safety.  But he's not a hero.  At least, that's what he's always believed.

What initially began as an attempt for his parents to get the siblings out of their hair and Eddy out of his comfort zone has spiraled into a series of life-or-death challenges.  They face a raging river, unpredictable terrain, and close encounters with wild animals that test their strength and resilience.  When Zack is injured, Eddy has to draw deep and use the skills that he learned from Samantha, a seasoned camp counselor.  Through her nature classes, Eddy learned to read a compass, navigate with a map, how to administer basic first aid, and to tie knots.  Her encouragement plants a seed of confidence in Eddy which helps him to overcome the hazards that the harsh wilderness throws at them.   

One of my favorite survival stories has always been Hatchet and anything by Terry Lynn Johnson.  Along with Surviving Summer Camp, they're all action packed where characters are plunged into the wild and have these edge of your seat tense moments that keeps you flying through the pages.  I love how Eddy began as a reluctant camper and how he unexpectedly steps into a leader role.  How the brother's relationship transformed each step that they took in the woods, growing them closer.  Samantha was a very cool counselor, calm and understanding.  I really enjoyed her natural familiarity with hiking in the woods and use of herbs to deter mosquito bites. There are real concrete examples for surviving a hike following being stranded or injured.  Kids will enjoy the action and humor of Eddy's interactions with his brothers.  They'll also enjoy seeing that summer camp isn't all smores and ghost stories but how being prepared, staying calm and understanding some of these essential survival skills can help you to manage a stressful situation.  Overall, I really enjoyed the story for the moments of typical sibling fighting and especially when their mom confused up their names when she got angry.  Not to be missed.    

**A huge thank you again to Paul Breau for the opportunity to read/review Surviving Summer Camp and the e-book copy.**   

 I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE      

North of Tomboy by Julie A. Swanson

North of Tomboy by Julie A. Swanson
Publisher:  Sparkpress
Format Read:  E-ARC
Number of pages:   376 pages
Publishing:  September 2nd, 2025
Source: Publisher

Opening Lines:  "On the day I was born, God made a mistake."

North of Tomboy is inspired by the author's personal experiences of growing up in the rural Leelanau Peninsula in Michigan, during the 1970s.  At the start of the story, Jess uses the metaphor of blue and red clay in place of gender to relate how she feels like she is a "mishmash" of the two.  Jess identifies as a tomboy, and more as a boy than as a girl.  She experiments being more like a boy by trying on her brother's clothes and wants to cut her hair shorter.  Then for Christmas, Jess receives yet another baby doll, which angers and frustrates her.  Jess views this as yet another sign that her parents haven't been listening to her.  Determined to voice her thoughts finally, Jess alters the doll to resemble the boy she envisions herself to be, naming it Mickey.  She even starts speaking and acting as if she has embraced the persona of Mickey. Gradually, Jess starts to realize that Mickey's voice cannot substitute her own.  She understands that she needs to find a way to express herself that doesn't rely on Mickey to voice the important, and challenging things that she wants to say. 

At first, I felt conflicted about Jess speaking through Mickey. It seemed like she was putting on a ventriloquist act for her family instead of sharing her genuine thoughts. However, it also served as a humorous way for her to break the ice.  As the story progressed and Jess relied on Mickey less and less, I came to understand why she initially needed this support.

Mickey's voice is sassy and often pushes back on what Jess's family is saying.  While Jess gets tight feelings in her chest and is riddled by anxiety from bottling things up.  The entire family walks on eggshells from their dad, who clearly has anger issues.  Jess tries to conform to her catholic family's beliefs and views on proper manners for young ladies but is frustrated by how her brothers get to do the things that she would like to do.  She has to wear dresses to school at least part of the week and can't wear the comfortable clothing that they wear, and her hair is always getting in the way.  Jess's mom also constantly meddles in her life, trying to encourage her to have sleepovers and wanting her to get closer to Candy and Tricia from her class.  Even though Jess doesn't feel she has anything in common with these girls and has repeatedly told her that she doesn't want to go.

Reading about Jess's experiences in the 1970's was fascinating, with moments like the family gathering to watch TV, playing games together, and hearing the news about Watergate and Bille Jean King's pioneering gender equality with her participation in the Battle of the Sexes.  The story has a charming small-town vibe, focusing on family, school, church and work.  Religion and catechism lessons have an important role in the family and Jess works hard to avoid committing a sin.  There's an interesting moment between Jess and her mom where her mother tells a white lie, prompting Jess to reflect on how politeness or sparing someone's feelings can sometimes win over honesty.   Jess's family is genuinely caring, yet undeniably flawed.  Her parents are dealing with their own struggles and imperfections, while Jess works to find her place in the family and her voice.  By the end of the book, she succeeds in getting her mother to understand her better and the family dynamics begin to shift positively for her.  At nine, soon to be ten, it's not entirely clear what Jess fully desires by the end of the book, but this ambiguity feels authentic given her age and the era.

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with a review of Not Lucille by Mike Steele

Not Lucille by Mike Steele
Publisher:  Creative James Media
Format Read:  E-book
Number of pages:   254 pages
Published:  June 24th, 2025
Source:  Author in exchange for an honest review

Opening Lines: "Rumor at Robbins Elementary was that from the windows on the top floor of the building, you could see the whole city of Trenton and across the New Jersey side of the Delaware River to Pennsylvania."

10-year-old Lucy Contento is thrilled for the first day of fifth grade and rushes out early, eager to check out the view from her new classroom.  Both Lucy and her best friend, Ann Salvatore, find themselves in Miss Gillingham's class, the teacher with the strictest reputation at school.  Ann takes the news in stride, but Lucy, who often finds herself in trouble, dreads the possibility of drawing Miss Gillingham's attention.  However, just as Lucy anticipated, everything goes wrong.    She forgets to raise her hand, wiggles in her seat, writes with her left hand not her right, and gets caught daydreaming, landing herself in afterschool detention.

After serving her detention, Lucy decides to take a shortcut through the nearby Trenton Academy for the Deaf to quickly meet up with her friends.  However, she gets sidetracked when she notices a girl sitting alone in a room.  Curious about the girl, Lucy starts sneaking onto the campus, even resorting to telling lies to cover up her trespassing.  Lucy soon starts meeting daily with Florence, a lonely girl her age.  Florence teaches Lucy about lip reading and a few signs and even shares how frustrated she is about not being able to speak as clearly as she wants.  Lucy really hopes to be able to learn sign language to communicate with Florence better, she even tries to locate a dictionary to learn sign language faster, but her family doesn't have the funds for her to spend on a book.  Can Lucy manage to juggle all her secrets while keeping her daily visits with Florence hidden from her parents and friends? 

Lucy is a sweet girl who despite her best intentions tends to get in trouble in Miss Gillingham's class.  She tries hard to sit quietly and to remember to use her right hand when she's writing.  Her teacher has an extensive list of rules for what to do and what not to do in her class, but not all of Lucy's mishaps are her fault.  Miss Gillingham insists on calling her Lucille instead of her given name, Lucy.  Concetta's constant cheating off her paper also makes Lucy speak out of turn.  It's no wonder that her frustration at school begins to bubble up to the surface leading her to an unfortunate outburst.  

Lucy's home life adds to her discomfort. Her family recently had to downsize to a place half the size of their previous rental. She now shares a room with her younger brother, and there's stress at home since her dad lost his job, with everyone trying to save money to cover the rent.  Lucy's home life was one of the highlights of reading the story for me.  I love how the emphasis is on the family having meals together, going to church and watching television together.  How everyone tries to pitch in, despite their father's desires for them to not give up on their education.  Lucy's parents have strong morals and try to instill them in their children.    

Florence is such a great friend to Lucy, always patient and kind while teaching her how to sign. She even motivates Lucy to try writing with her right hand. Their interactions remind me so much of my child's early kindergarten days. My child started out ambidextrous, easily switching between their right and left hand for most tasks, but unlike Lucy, they were encouraged to choose a hand for writing not told that they had to write with their right hand only.  How frustrating that must be. 

I also empathize with Florence’s struggle over whether to focus solely on learning American Sign Language (ASL) or to pursue spoken language as well. It’s a deeply personal and complex choice. I truly appreciate that the author worked with sensitivity readers to ensure Lucy’s deaf representation was portrayed with care and authenticity.  Overall, Not Lucille is a beautiful story about a lesser-known time period.  The characters read realistic, and the story is both informative while entertaining.  Finally, I really like stories that surprise me, and I loved how Miss Gillingham finally began to show her compassion for teaching and true desire to help her students to be successful.  

 I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE      

** A heartfelt thank you to Mike Steele for reaching out me about the possibility of a review and for generously providing me with an e-book.  Given my background in speech-language pathology and previous desire to work at a School for the Deaf, I was genuinely delighted while reading this book. **