Tiny Worlds: A Story About Appreciating the Small Things by Brittany Cicchese

Tiny Worlds by Brittany Cicchese
Publisher:  Candlewick Press
Format Read:  E-ARC
Number of pages:   32 pages
Publishing:  January 1st, 2026
Source: Edelweiss +

Opening Lines: "I'm staying with grandma again."

A young boy visits his grandmother where he builds tiny worlds from scraps of ribbon, a pocket watch and popsicle sticks.  These are intricate constructions made with lovingly care and attention to detail.  Sometimes grandmother helps, like providing a pie tin, but other times she encourages him to go outside with her to the playground.  He instead prefers quiet spaces.  Grandmother tries a nature hike, a petting zoo and a trip to the beach, but he finds secret spots, away from the noise and bustle.  Secret places for him to explore.  Eventually, grandmother begins to join him in exploring his tiny worlds. 

Tiny Worlds is an adorable story with gorgeous illustrations.  The young boy has a large imagination and thinks in creative ways.  He notices all the beauty of nature and how it houses many things to explore.  I love how he sees the smallest of details and is content to be still and enjoy what he finds.  The illustrations are soft pastel watercolors with lots of color and convey a lot of emotion.  The stunning loudness of the playground with all the children bustling around versus the peace of a pond with a turtle on a rock and dragonfly flittering.  My favorite is his inquisitive look while viewing mushrooms growing on a mossy log.  This is a beautiful picture book that encourages children to look closer at the nature around them and to create their own special worlds.    

The Black Market by Jed Alexander

The Black Market by Jed Alexander
Publisher:  Union Square Kids
Format Read:  Paperback ARC
Number of pages:   272 pages
Published:  September 9th, 2025
Source: Bookmark Communications

Opening Lines: "My great-aunt Gabby always comes to visit once a year."

Martin's great-aunt Gabby is a seasoned world traveler who never arrives without bringing him a unique gift.  This year, she surprises him with a pair of rare foovaloos shoes, an item thought to be extinct.  Martin's great-aunt explains that she acquired them at the mysterious Black Market, immediately sparking Martin's curiosity.  She tells Martin that the market never appears in the same place twice and surfaces only on Halloween.  It's said to sell countless illegal treasures, but unlike ordinary markets, "you don't seek it out, it finds you."  Entry even requires a secret password. Martin's great-aunt makes him promise to keep the market a secret, but naturally he shares it with his best friend, Jess.

Later at the library, Martin and Jess meet up to work on their Civil War project, but Jess is far more interested in his new shoes.  She convinces Martin that they should search for the Black Market together, hoping to uncover an unusual treasure.  Sneaking out at night, the two manage to find the hidden entrance.  Jess, however, is denied entry, while Martin slips inside in his Headless Horseman costume, which allows him to pass as an adult.  Once inside the market, Martin discovers a Bag of Dirty Tricks and trades his shoes for half a bag and a book of instructions.

Back at home, Martin and Jess eagerly explore the dirty tricks housed in the bag.  Some can make everything taste like pickles, others cause your hair to fall out or leave you perpetually puzzled.  Deciding to start small, Martin tests a bar of trick soap on his dad, intending to turn his hands red for a week.  But when his dad showers with it, his entire body turns red.  Martin's next target is his neighbor, Mr. Murphy whom Martin suspects of stealing his dog.  Mr. Murphy falls victim to the Creeping Arborialis trick, sprouting sapling branches from his fingertips and ears. 

As the pranks escalate, Martin and Jess begin to realize the tricks are changing them, twisting their personalities and making them cruel.  Alarmed, they bury the bag and book under the cover of night.  But the following day, chaos erupts across town.   Random people suffer suspicious, bizarre aliments and fall prey to dirty tricks.  Horrified, Martin and Jess set out to track down the thief who unearthed The Bag of Dirty Tricks and stop them from unleashing any more.

I've never been a huge fan of pulling pranks on people.  Well not since that one time that a family friend put salt into my soda as an April Fool's Day prank.  That's why I really appreciate how Martin and Jess question whether their tricks are turning them into bad people.  At heart, they're good kids who recognize that their pranks can seriously harm someone if taken too far.  I especially enjoyed the concept of the Black Market, with its shadowy stalls and suspicious wares.  It adds a wonderfully mysterious atmosphere.  The true highlight of the book is Jess and Martin's friendship.  Included are these lovely illustrations that heighten kid appeal.  Altogether, this would be a delightful story to read aloud.  

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

**A huge thank you to Bookmark Communications for the review copy in exchange for an honest review**      

Love Wars: Clash of the Parents, A True Divorce Story by Matthew A. Tower , illustrated by Tsuneo Sanda

Love Wars:  Clash of the Parents, A True Divorce Story by Matthew A. Tower, illustrated by Tsuneo Sanda
Publisher:  Raja Media LLC
Format Read:  Hardcover
Number of pages:   370 pages
Published:  October 17th, 2025
Source: Books Forward 

Opening Lines:  "As I listened to my father read my favorite bedtime story, I curled up against his chest and felt the comforting rise and fall of his breathing."

The story begins with Matt around the age of three watching Star Wars six times across two days as his younger brother, Thomas was born.  The film left a huge imprint on his life.  Meanwhile, tension grows at home with an escalation of arguments between his parents.  Angry voices, send him to his room and his mother becomes increasingly absent.  At the age of six, Matthew's parents begin the process to divorce, and he and Thomas live primarily with their mom while splitting time with their father. 

Hoping to repair their relationship, his parents move the family from the city to the country, but the change only deepens their divide.  What follows is a painful tug-o-war, with Matt and Thomas caught in the middle.  Their mother disparages their father calling him horrible names like "cretin" and "bastard," often urging Matt to join in.  The boys are shuttled back and forth, each parent vying to appear as the better caregiver.  The conflict reaches a breaking point when Matt summons the courage to shout for them to stop fighting.  Stuck in the middle of their custody battle, Matt copes with the chaos by turning to the teachings of Luke Skywalker, using Star Wars as a guide to navigate his parent's battles.  

Love Wars chronicles the author's childhood memories of his parent's bitter divorce. It reveals Matt's sadness, confusion and longing to see his father.  Early on, it becomes clear that his mother struggles with mental illness, and her relentless criticism of his father deeply scars him.  She places Matt and Thomas at serious risk, leaving them in a motel with a babysitter on Christmas Eve, wages a "Violin War" over lessons, and even sues Matt for refusing to take Hebrew classes.  Matt is overwhelmed by anger and frustration, and he even lashes out at his younger brother, treating him cruelly.  

This heartbreaking memoir underscores how divorce should never place children in the middle of parental conflict.  Children should not be pressured to spy or forced to carry insults between parents.  I deeply appreciate that the author chose to share his story, despite how painful in must have been to relive.  By doing so, he offers a voice to children who are caught in similar situations, reminding them that they are not alone.  I hope that young readers whose parents are in the middle of a divorce will find comfort and strength from reading this book.  Love Wars is accompanied by stunning black-and-white illustrations by Tsuneo Sanda.  I can't fully express how powerful and detailed they are, but they are not to be missed (There's a sample in the video below).  The Star Wars references and Luke Skywalker's presence throughout the narrative add depth and resonance.  It is a powerfully moving story that I would highly recommend.

**A huge thank you to Books Forward for the hardcover review copy in exchange for an honest review**

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