Paper Bag Mask by Brock Heasley

Paper Bag Mask by Brock Heasley
Publisher:  Th3rd World Studios
Publishing:  November 17th, 2026
Format Read:  Paperback  
Number of pages:   326 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Lines:  "At the end of his sixth hour waiting in line, Redmond hung his head in utter frustration, starred at the cold, unfeeling checkout counter, and insisted one more time:  He'd paid for the game system months ago and he was not--under any circumstances--leaving without it."

Redmond has been waiting for three years for Castle Destiny 4's release, and he even stayed up all night playing it.  Therefore, it was no surprise that he could barely keep his eyes open during AP History.  He only half heard Mr. Street when he mentioned the final that would count for 50% of their grade, or the jokes he made about Elodia to the class.   The moment the bell rings, Redmond is ready to hightail it home for another round of game play. 

Unfortunately, his history book slips from his hands and skids under a desk.  There's no way he can leave it behind because of their quiz tomorrow.  As he gets on all fours and scavenges the floor, he spies Mr. Street and Jasmine having a conversation.  When he sees them exchange small baggies, Redmond becomes convinced he has witnessed an illegal drug deal.  Filled with anger and suspicion, Redmond spots Mr. Streets prize possession, the Whomper, sitting on the lectern and impulsively he steals it.

Redmond soon learns that the hottest and most popular girl in school witnessed his theft and even has the photographic evidence.  She proposes that Redmond and his friend's team up with hers to hold the Whomper for ransom.  Before long, the students are plotting an even bigger heist while trying to expose Mr. Street to the entire school.  

This story has definite Ocean's Eleven meets The Breakfast Club vibes.  A group of students from different social circles come together to outsmart their history teacher.  There are the familiar cliques of jocks, popular kids and academic achievers, along with a shared determination to uncover what they believe is the truth about Mr. Street.  One of my favorite parts is the ransom video the students create, complete with the outlandish threats of what they will do to the Whomper if Mr. Street doesn't meet their demands.  The accompanying illustrations depicting the scenes from the video were a highlight of the book for me.  I couldn't help laughing with each new thing they came up with.  Their escalating schemes, however, make it increasingly likely that they'll get caught. 

Redmond is an interesting protagonist.  He genuinely believes that he is doing the right thing by exposing Mr. Street, yet he is also confused about what compelled him to steal the Whomper in the first place.  He jumps to conclusions and gets swept up in the attention that comes with his growing notoriety.  Like The Breakfast Club, the story raises questions about friendship and belonging.  Will this band of misfits still hang out after their prank is over?   It really captures the pressures of high school and the desire to find your crowd. 

Redmond's closest friends are Deep Singh and Alice.  I especially enjoyed Alice's character.  She is very loyal and always tries to look out for her friend's best interest, even when they disagree.  Elodia is equally loyal.  Although she's popular, she doesn't let it define her.   Her friendship with Jasmine is especially important to her and she is willing to support her however she can.  The story occasionally shifts to Alice's and Elodia's perspectives, revealing additional layers to their motivations.  Finally, I really enjoyed the footnotes from our unreliable narrator, which added levity to the story.  Paper Bag Mask is a reimagining of a prank that Brock Heasley and his friends pulled when they were in high school.  It's a delightful story that highlights the importance of forgiveness, taking responsibility for our actions and making amends when we've done something wrong. 

The Tiny Thing by Ellen Tarlow and Lauren Stringer

The Tiny Thing by Ellen Tarlow and Lauren Stringer 
Publisher: Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster
Publishing:  October 7th, 2026
Format Read:  Hardcover
Number of pages:   40 pages
Source:  Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Opening Line:  "One day, Mole was out walking when he saw a tiny thing."

While out on an autumn walk, Mole discovers a "tiny thing, " or a seed from a dandelion.  He brings the seed home and decorates it with some cloth and paint.  Each day as he goes about his routine, Mole talks, sings, tells stories and confides in his special guest.  When spring finally arrives, Mole takes his friend outside to explore.  Mole begins to build constructions out of flowers, sticks, leaves and flowers.  Each day as he works on something new, more and more animals come to watch.  Soon Mole is telling stories and singing songs to everyone's delight. 

Anyone who has ever made a wish by blowing on a dandelion and watching its feathery seeds dance away on the breeze will delight in reading The Tiny Thing.  With its gentle whimsy and bright, colorful illustrations the story celebrates the wonder than can be found in the smallest of things.  A truly warm and uplifting story of a Mole who with a little courage and a touch of imagination makes new friends. 

Socks & Secret Quests by Triona Murphy, illustrations by James Firnhaber

Socks & Secret Quests by Triona Murphy, illustrations by James Firnhaber
Publisher:  Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publishing:  September 29th, 2026
Format Read:  Paperback  
Number of pages:   272 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Lines:  "On days when Peri was being truly honest with herself, she had to admit that being apprenticed to the fabled and mystical shopkeepers wasn't quite as she'd imagined."

Peri and master shopkeeper Hema live in a wandering shop that travels around the kingdom of Genta, outfitting adventurers so that they can succeed on their quests.  Peri is the first person in more than thirty years to be chosen as an apprentice shopkeeper after the Stone of Power indicates that her magic lies in that path.  What she truly wants, though, is to follow in her sibling's footsteps and develop magic for something extraordinary.  Unfortunately, she's still waiting for her abilities to appear.  So far, the only skill she's manifested is the uncanny ability to knit at a remarkable speed.  

Everything changes when a dark wizard appears in the shop, abducts Hema, and plans to use her magic to equip his army and the dark creatures under his control.  Terrified for Hema's safety, Peri rushes after a trio of adventures who were recently in the shop gathering supplies.  She hopes they'll agree to take on a new quest, one that will rescue Hema and stop the wizard before he can put his plans into action. 

Peri is deeply uncertain about what she can contribute to the adventurer's quest.  Does she have shop magic or is her rapid knitting ability a form of wizard's magic?  Her confidence wavers and she worries about what all of this means for her future.  Being outside of the comfort of the wandering shop also presents huge challenges for her. 

The trio of adventurers have their own struggles.  They don't work together harmoniously, and trust is in short supply.  The archer doesn't want to kill anything, the wizard can't fully control their magic, and the leader tries to manage the entire crew and quest without listening to anyone's advice or directions.  

Socks & Secret Quests is packed with action and carries a delightful blend of Howl's Moving Castle and Dungeons & Dragons style fantasy.   James Firnhaber's illustrations are superb and add to the story.  I especially loved that Peri's magic stems from her knitting and the authors inclusion of the pattern instructions for knitting Niam's hat was a very nice touch.  And really, who doesn't love a magic shop that roams around the kingdom, equipping adventures with exactly the enchanted items to suit their skills?  While this could be read as a standalone, I'm hoping there will be more books in the series.   

True Crime Files: Heist at the Museum! by Sam Subity

True Crime Files:  Heist at the Museum! by Sam Subity, illustrated by YaoYao Ma Van As
Publisher:  Sourcebooks Explorer
Publishing:  October 6th, 2026
Format Read:  E-book via NetGalley
Number of pages:   128 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Lines: "Charlie O'Neill crept through the dark fourth flo0r of the silent museum."

Ever since Charlie’s mom passed away, he and his younger sister Julie have been spending their afternoons at their father’s work. He’s a gemologist at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and to the kids, the museum feels like a giant playground. They wander the halls, explore the exhibits, and have even turned hide‑and‑seek into a regular tradition.

One day, while hiding from his sister, Charlie overhears a cryptic conversation between two men. He’s convinced they’re planning to steal something from the museum that very night. He reports what he heard to Mr. Hoffman, a security guard, who passes the information along to the head of security. But no one seems to take Charlie seriously, not even Charlie's father. Determined to impress his father, and to protect the museum, Charlie decides to investigate on his own. He’s especially worried about the Star of India, the largest sapphire in the collection.

Meanwhile, Jack Murphy, better known as Murf the Surf, is finalizing the heist plan with his crew. Charlie sneaks back into the museum that night and actually witnesses the thieves entering. He manages to slip a matchbook out of one thief’s pocket and even spots their elaborate escape route through a window. In the adrenaline of the moment, Charlie tries to follow them but can’t rappel down to the ground. Murf ends up saving him. When the police later arrive, Charlie shares everything he saw. His information helps lead to the thieves’ capture, and most of the stolen jewels are eventually recovered.

Heist at the Museum is a creative retelling of an actual jewel theft that took place in 1964.  I loved that the story is told through Charlie, it made the adventure and mystery exciting.  The Appendix is a great addition.  It shares what happened to the thieves and the stolen jewels, highlights other museums that have faced similar heists, and includes a snapshot of major events from 1964, like the World's Fair and NASA milestones.  This would pair wonderfully with Dan Gutman's The Picasso Curse, both books play into art museum thefts, and I can see this being something young readers would enjoy reading.  

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

Ezekiel's Volcano by Ana Angelica Teodoro , edited by Emma Dryden and illustrations by Yogita Chawdhary

Ezekiel's Volcano by Ana Teodoro, Edited by Emma Dryden and Illustrations by Yogita Chawdhary
Publisher: Barnes and Daughter Press
Published:  July 15th, 2026
Format Read:  E-book
Number of pages:   34 pages
Source: Books Forward and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review
Opening Line:  "Mrs. Barnes had always dreamed of being a teacher."

It's the first day of first grade, and Mrs. Barnes is meeting her new students.  Everyone is excited, especially Ezekiel.  He's energic and sometimes his feelings bubble up so quickly they feel like a volcano ready to erupt.  To help the class manage those big emotions, Mrs. Barnes teaches them a Rainbow Breathing strategy.  With a pause, a slow breath in and out, and a gentle arm movement tracing the arc of a rainbow, the children learn a simple way to calm their bodies and steady their feelings.        

Ezekiel's Volcano was written by educator and assistant principal Ana Angelica Teodoro.  I love how the story pairs a physical movement with deep breathing to help reduce stress.  The reciting of the seven colors reminded me having my kiddo sing "happy birthday" while brushing their teeth to make sure that they got the full two minutes in.  The book supports social- emotional- learning, self-regulation, empathy, conflict resolution, and emotional resilience.  It not only teaches children about feelings, but it also gives them a practical coping strategy they can use when they're overwhelmed.  The strong visuals also help children recognize what anger looks like while reassuring them that it's okay to have big emotions.  The acknowledgement section at the beginning of the book provided some wonderful sentiment with the author thanking her parents, husband, former teachers and students.  This would make for a wonderful read aloud in a classroom.           

The Christmas Wish by Lee Heart

The Christmas Wish by Lee Heart
Publisher:  Simon Spotlight
Publishing:  September 22nd, 2026
Format Read:  Paperback  
Number of pages:   160 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

It's the day after Thanksgiving, and the Rudolph family is already in full Christmas-celebration mode.  Joy is especially excited because this year, for her sixteenth birthday, which happens to fall on Christmas Day, her parents have finally agreed to let her throw her own birthday party.  She gets to choose the color scheme, decorations, food and even gets to buy a brand-new dress.  She's been thinking about nothing else but planning every detail, and how to get her crush, Kris to come.  But, on the day of the party, a freak snowstorm forces her to cancel everything.  Now she has no idea how she'll spend her special day with the boy she likes.

The Christmas Wish is an adorable rom-com that delivers all the cozy holiday vibes of ice skating, hot cocoa, decorating the tree and baking cookies.  Joy just wants to have the "perfect" party, something that feels like her birthday rather than another Christmas celebration.  She also hopes to impress Kris.  Even though things don't go entirely according to her plan, she learns a lot about herself and discovers that fun doesn't depend on perfection.   She also realizes she shouldn't have been so absorbed by her perfect party or the boy that she likes that she forgets the important people in her life, like her grandma and her best friends.  I loved the story focused on Joy's supportive family and the absence of bullying and major friend drama, aside from Joy needing to make amends with Violet after getting distracted.  A very cute and festive story for tweens. 

Hardy Boys Clue Book Fall Mysteries 3-in-1: The Bad Luck Skate; The Pirate Ghost; The Great Pumpkin Smash by Franklin W. Dixon, illustrated by Santy Gutiérrez

Hardy Boys Clue Book Fall Mysteries 3-in-1: The Bad Luck Skate; The Pirate Ghost; The Great Pumpkin Smash by Franklin W. Dixon, illustrated by Santy Gutiérrez 
Publisher:  Aladdin
Published:  September 8th, 2026
Format Read:  Paperback 
Number of pages:   288 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

I was an avid Nancy Drew reader when I was younger and even dipped into a few Hardy Boys books.  I loved the thrill of the mysteries, following clues, a few red-herrings, piecing things together, and trying to deduce the culprit.  It's probably also why I adored Scooby Doo. 

This latest collection brings three chapter-book mysteries in one volume.  In the Bad Luck Skate, 9-year-old Frank and his younger brother Joe are at a championship hockey game cheering on their friend Pete when the team's lucky skate is vandalized with paint.  The team always touches the skate before each game for good luck, and now they're convinced that the damage is a sign that they're doomed to lose the game.

The second story, The Pirate Ghost, follows Frank and Joe's friend, Jason who enters a talk like a pirate contest.  He wins a treasure map as his prize but before the brothers can go searching for the treasure, Jason abruptly cancels the dig. Jason is spooked by the legend of ghost Captain Scurvydog, and even more concerned when his bird Crackers starts singing a pirate song, and he receives a mysterious note in a bottle and pirate coins.

In the final story, The Great Pumpkin Smash, Frank and Joe attend the annual Boo at the Zoo celebration, only to discover that every pumpkin in the decorating contest, except one, has been smashed.  The brothers jump into action to figure out what happened.  

Each story centers on a single puzzling incident and follows the boys as they work to uncover the truth.   Joe keeps a clue book where he answers the five W's, who, what, where, when and why and the brothers build suspect lists, gather evidence, and avoid making assumptions.   At the end of each mystery there is a section with a series of questions for the reader to answer about the suspects, motives or which clue would help solve the case before the final solution is revealed. I love that kids are encouraged to think critically and actively participate in solving the case.  

The stories are engaging and will definitely appeal to younger readers.  The black and white illustrations are charming and help set a cozy fall mood.  With short chapters and around eighty pages per story, this collection makes a fun read-together experience, and a great introduction to the Hardy Boys series.

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