Art Attack: The Sherlock Society #3 by James Ponti

Art Attack: The Sherlock Society#3 by James Ponti
Publisher:  Aladdin
Publishing:  September 8th, 2026
Format Read:  E-ARC via NetGalley
Number of pages:   320 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Opening Lines:  "Late November in Miami can be colder than most people would think, but my hoodie was still soaked in sweat."

Art Attack is the third book in James Ponti's bestselling middle grade series The Sherlock Society.  This time Alex, Zoe, Lina and Yadi are going undercover in Miami to track down an anonymous graffiti artist known only as Funky Munky.  A property development company wants to hire the artist to paint a mural on the side of one of their buildings, but there's one problem, no one knows who Funky Munky is. 

Because the artist has gone to great lengths to hide their identity, the gang decides their first step is to negotiate a firewall deal with the developer.  This protects Funky Munky's anonymity while allowing the team to present an offer directly to them.  If the artist isn't interested, they can decline without revealing their identity.  With only four weeks to locate the mysterious artist and Miami Art Week happening at the same time, the team has their work cut out for them.  Will the clues hidden in the city's street art lead them to the right person, or will they need a more elaborate plan?

Art Attack is a super clever mystery with an engaging plot.  I loved seeing Alex and Zoe's grandpa join the investigation, and thought the book provided a fascinating look into the world of graffiti art, everything from "tags, throwies to pieces," along with the artists motivations behind their temporary works on structures and buildings.  Banksy immediately came to mind, since their art also blends creativity with political or social commentary.

I appreciated the way the friends support each other, and how Alex and Yadi experienced real consequences when they took a drone into an empty building without telling their parents first.  The details about the Miami art scene were interesting and the mystery of Funky Munky's identity kept me guessing right up to the end. 

 

Our Favorite Day of the Week by Ashley Franklin and Rahele Jomepour Bell

 Our Favorite Day of the Week by Ashley Franklin, illustrations by Rahele Jomepour Bell
Publisher:  Salaam Reads/Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publishing:  September 29th, 2026
Format Read:  E-ARC
Number of pages:   40 pages
Source: Publisher

Opening Lines: "Musa was ready to begin his week with something amazing."

Musa is thrilled to have learned how to tie his shoes and can't wait to share the news with his next-door neighbor, Zohra.  But when he sees her, she doesn't seem in the mood to celebrate with him.   Zohra is worried that her upcoming trip on Tuesday means she'll miss her favorite pastime, seeing Mr. Joey and Mr. Brown collect her trash.  Recycling is her passion and watching them work makes Tuesday the best day of her week.  

Hearing this Musa shares what he enjoys about Wednesday's, and soon their friends from school join in as they walk to school, each describing what they love most about their favorite day of the week.   I loved the children's excitement and reasons for why they picked the day that they chose whether it was swimming with a parent, playing futbol, visiting a Chinese cultural center or celebrating the Jewish day of rest or Shabbat.  Every day held something meaningful and together created a joyful mixture of traditions and activities.      

The vibrant colors and expressive faces in the illustrations were the highlight for me.  The book features a wonderfully diverse group of children, and I especially loved that one of the days was spent with a grandparent creating art projects together.  It's a lovely sequel to Our Favorite Day of the Year, carrying forward the same sense of joy, connection and celebrating everyday moments.  

Included at the back of the book is a section explaining which countries consider Sunday the first day of the week, along with the origins of each weekday's name, including the Roman or Norse gods they were named after.  I can easily see this being used in a classroom during story time to spark conversations about each student's favorite day of the week, or even to create a chart or list so the class can compare their choices. 

Sisters Alone by Shifa Saltagi Safadi

Sisters Alone by Shifa Saltagi Safadi
Publisher:  GP Putnam's Sons Book for Young Readers
Publishing:  September 8th, 2026
Format Read:  E-book via NetGalley
Number of pages:   336 pages
Source: Egypt Street PR

Opening Lines:  "i cut carefully, scissors snipping, slicing."

Sixth-grader Leena is working on a scrapbook filled with happy memories of her mom, who died six months earlier in a tragic accident.  Creating the album is the only way that she feels she can keep her mom's memory alive.  Since the loss, both Leena and her older sister, Rama, have changed in ways they don't fully understand.  Rama has become angrier and struggles with intrusive thoughts.  She feels like Leena can't do anything right and that she's constantly cleaning up her messes.   She gets easily irritated and has alienated her best friend Madiha too.  Leena, meanwhile, is the only one who secretly blames herself for their mom's death.

The sisters have been preparing for a school ski trip, but Leena is worried she won't pass one of her classes and won't be allowed to go.  Rama is desperate to fix things with Madiha, who seems to be drifting toward the new girl at school, and she hopes the ski trip will be able to repair things.  With her dad traveling to Japan for work, Rama is put in charge of Leena.  

On the morning of the ski trip, everything falls apart.   Leena is turned away from the bus because she forgot to turn in her permission slip.  Suddenly, both girls are stuck at home for the entire week.  They decide not to tell their dad, afraid that he will cut his trip short and risk losing his job.  At first, they try to manage with what little food that is left in the house, but things quickly become dire when a snowstorm knocks out the power, and a falling tree causes structural damage to the house.  Forced to take shelter in a shed, the girls face escalating hardships, and a painful misunderstanding puts them both at risk.

Sisters Alone is from the author of Kareen Between and the Amina Banana series, and is a verse novel that explores sadness, deep frustration, grief after losing a family member, shifting friendships, and evolving sibling relationships.  It portrays how trauma impacts people in different ways.  It's a beautifully emotional story rooted in the bond between these two sisters.

I loved the variety of writing styles for the verse, from cascading words to the conversational back-and-forth between Leena and Rema.  Switching between their perspectives allowed me to understand each girl's grief and anxieties.  The vivid winter setting came alive through detailed descriptions like, "salt crunches beneath the tires.  Ice covered evergreens line our way."  I also really appreciated how their culture shone through in the moments of them completing their five daily prayers.  This is a great read if you enjoy books in verse, survival stories or heartwarming sibling stories.  The author's note at the end shares her personal experiences with anxiety and intrusive thoughts, along with helpful links for further exploration.

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

We Are the Keystones: Animals That Hold Habitats Together by Katy S. Duffield, illustrated by Hannah Salyer

We Are the Keystones:  Animals that Hold Habitats Together by Katy S. Duffield, illustrated by Hannah Salyer
Publisher:  Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster
Format Read:  Hardcover
Number of pages:   36 pages
Publishing:  September 1st, 2026
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Opening Lines: "All throughout the nature-hoods, in marshes, grasslands, water, woods, they help themselves-help others too-just by doing what they do."

We are the Keystones introduces the reader to the concept of keystone species, or the "plants, animals or other organisms that have an outsized impact on the environments around them."  Real world examples include wolves hunting elk, to alligators creating a gator hole for cooling, each featured species plays a vital role in its ecosystem.  The back matter explains that scientist Robert Paine was the first to explore how removing a keystone species can dramatically alter an environment and he coined the term.

The illustrations open with two people in a misty marsh observing a bird through binoculars, then expands into scenes of animals in their natural habitats.   I especially enjoyed the range of environments represented, marshlands, marine ecosystems, forests, and grasslands.  Eleven creatures are highlighted, and the book even includes a list of additional keystone species for curious readers to explore.  My favorites were the sea otters and hummingbirds.    

The story is told in rhyming verse paired with illustrations that show each creature at work, like a beaver gnawing down a tree to build a dam while frogs, herons, and dragonflies thrive in the pond it created.  Beneath each illustration is a brief explanation of how that species supports its habitat.  In the beaver's case, its pond provides an essential breeding ground for other animals.  

This would make a lovely read‑aloud for exploring how animals contribute to their environments and why maintaining ecosystem balance is so important. It gently reinforces the idea that every species plays a part, and that some are especially crucial for the survival of many others.

It's Almost Time for Thanksgiving by Maisha Oso, illustrated by Tom Knight

It's Almost Time for Thanksgiving by Maisha Oso, illustrated by Tom Knight
Publisher: Margaret K McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster
Publishing:  September 1st, 2026
Format Read:  Hardcover
Number of pages:  32 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Opening Lines: "Once October's days are over, move without delay.  You must make sure you're ready for this thankful holiday."

A little boy and is pet lamb are busy preparing for Thanksgiving.  They put away the Halloween decorations, plan the menu, visit a turkey farm, and even squeeze in a football game before cooking a meal and settling in to watch the parade.  After sharing a lovely meal with family and friends, the reader is prompted to guess the holiday.  Following the humorous wrong answer of St. Patrick's Day, the book reviews everything the young boy did to prepare and finally reveals the correct holiday. 

It's Almost Time for Thanksgiving is described as How to Catch a Turkey meets The Night Before series and it continues Maisha Oso's It's Almost Time collection, which also includes books celebrating Christmas, Halloween, and Easter.  The illustrations are very colorful and detailed, filled with warm oranges, reds, and browns with touches of green and blue that perfectly capture the season.  There's even an adorable lamb to spot on each page as it holds a wreath, hugs a cabbage, and finds a clover, hinting at a very different holiday it's looking forward to.  A cozy read that captures the anticipation of Thanksgiving through its delightful rhymes and festive charm.           

Wish You Well by Jamie Sumner

Wish You Well by Jamie Sumner
Publisher:  Antheneum Books for Young Readers
Format Read:  E-ARC
Number of pages:   288 pages
Publishing:  September 1st, 2026
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Lines: "Wyatt once told me a heart can survive indefinitely outside the body as long as it gets oxygen."

Violet has been slowly losing her eyesight ever since she was diagnosed with Best disease, a rare genetic disorder that affects the macula of her eye.  She doesn't want to be treated any differently than the other kids at school, and more than anything, she wants to keep playing soccer.  Soccer and swimming are the two places where she feels free, where perfect vision doesn't matter.  But at the moment, she's grounded because of an incident behind the pool house, which she insists was completely accidental.    

Violet and her mom used to be close, they painted each other's nails and genuinely enjoyed spending time together.  But as Violet's eyesight worsened, her mom has been overwhelmed by medical bills and working late.  She even insists Violet attends a children's picnic at the hospital to meet other kids going through medical challenges.  There, Violet witnesses Wyatt Cass choke on a hot dog before he's saved by Nurse Priya and her daughter, Noor Singh.  Wyatt is recovering from a heart transplant, and Noor is undergoing chemotherapy which creates an instant bond between them. Soon, Wyatt urges the three of them to apply to the Wish Upon a Star annual wish-granting campaign.  His hope is that they each of them will get a wish and bring the other two along.  Three epic wishes, three big adventures...but they barely know each other.  And is it right to pretend to be close friends just to get their wishes granted?

From the author of Roll with It and Schooled comes her newest book, Wish You Well.  One of the first things that struck me was how beautifully descriptive the writing is.  The author paints a modern, relatable picture of kids navigating serious medical conditions while still watching Tik Tok videos and swooning over Wyatt's "boy band eyes."  It's adorable.  Even though each character is dealing with something heavy, the story never sinks into sadness.  It stays hopeful, upbeat and full of heart.

I especially loved Violet's inner monologue and how the kids respected each other's boundaries.  They don't pry, but eventual share the emotions of their chronic illnesses along with all the complexities that come with them.  Their wishes are another highlight; each one fits their personality perfectly.   Wyatt dreams of kicking a field goal (mostly to please his dad) though what he really wants is to go to Google Plex.   Noor hopes to meet a celebrity chef.  Violet wants to blow up a building, although the chances of her mom letting her are very low. It takes time for their wishes to unfold, but watching them connect, problem-solve, and support one another is incredibly satisfying.   There are even some sweet, lighter moments between Wyatt and Violet that made me smile.  In her acknowledgements, the author talks about wanting to write characters who feel authentic and empathetic, and I felt she wonderfully conveyed this.     

Spooky Scouts by Kimberly Shrack

Spooky Scouts by Kimberly Shrack
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster
Publishing:  August 25th, 2026
Format Read:  Hardcover
Number of pages:  40 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Opening Lines:  "Luna loves being a Spooky Scout."

It’s the eve of the Spooky Scouts’ annual camping trip when wolf‑girl Luna discovers there will be a full moon. Her excitement quickly turns to dread—she’s been hiding a secret from the other campers; full moons transform her into a beastly creature she’s sure the troop won’t want around.

As the moonrise draws closer, Luna scrambles for excuses to stay behind or clever ways to escape its glow. But the moon screen she brings washes off, and the hat she designs doesn’t work as planned. When her secret finally comes out, Luna is embarrassed—until she remembers the Spooky Scouts’ pledge about being brave. She’s even more surprised to learn that her friends have been keeping secrets of their own.

Spooky Scouts is an adorable picture book that reminds readers to be themselves. It highlights the power of honesty, trust, and embracing the little bit of weirdness in all of us. The illustrations rich in purples, browns, and deep greens, capture the cozy, slightly eerie feel of Halloween. It’s a delightful spooky read‑aloud for young children, best enjoyed with a campfire vibe and maybe even some s’mores to celebrate.