Death in the Tallgrass by Andrea L. Rogers

Death in the Tallgrass by Andrea L. Rogers
Publisher:  Levine Querido
Format Read:  E-book 
Number of pages:   192 pages
Publishing:  September 15th, 2026
Source: via Edelweiss+  

Opening Lines:  "The road from the highway that led to the unincorporated town of Snake, Oklahoma was as serpentine as, well, a snake."

Cynthia, her older sister Diane, her younger sister Wren and their parents have moved onto their grandfather Haggard's ranch in the hills of Oklahoma. Diane has thrown herself into the anti-war and the growing American Indian civil rights movement, Wren continues to be a thorn in Cynthia's side with all of her tattling, and all of them do their best to stay out of their grandfather's way as he sulks, glares, assigns chores, and snaps in anger without warning.  Truthfully, he scares them all.     

The plan was to stay with Cynthia's grandparents for only a few weeks, just long enough for her father to sort out the ranch's affairs before it goes bankrupt.  The move also gives her parents time to find a new home in Tulsa before her dad starts his new job.  

While exploring the fields around the farm, Cynthia discovers a tarnished silver charm bracelet with a rearing horse.  For a moment she thinks she hears her name carried on the wind.  Later, Wren takes the bracelet and accidently drops it behind the dresser, revealing a loose piece of the trim.  Hidden inside is a small box and a diary belonging to Violet Wood, who lived in the house during the 1920's. 

Violet's diary delivers a chilling message, if her prized possessions are ever found and she is ever discovered dead, "presume she was murdered."  As Cynthia begins to unravel the truth behind Violet's death, she realizes the mystery may expose a secret capable of tearing her family apart.

I have to admit, the first thing that drew me to Death in the Tallgrass was its cover, the sweeping open field paired with the haunting feel of the title immediately caught my attention.  The story is a murder mystery rooted in a dark family secret, told with a tone reminiscent of Holes by Louis Sachar.

Interspersed between each chapter are historical notes, reflection questions, various Cherokee words, and traditional stories.  An approach that adds depth and context to the unfolding mystery.  Violet's past emerges gradually through brief, haunting glimpses of her life, while Cynthia and her sisters spend their days doing chores on the ranch and trying to understand and reconnect with their Cherokee heritage.  The reader should be prepared for moments of sadness, especially when the secret is finally revealed, but I remained fully invested in the story all the way to the last page. 

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

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.