••ALWAYS in the MIDDLE is where I join the blog tour for Calliope Callisto Clark And The Search For Wisdom with a review and GIVEAWAY opportunity.
••Susan Uhlig is sharing THE EXPERIMENT by Rebecca Stead. Aliens, anyone?
••Linda Browne reveals her February Bookcase Bizarro. Although threre are no MG books she does have some helpful advice for authors: How to write book blurbs with human and AI feedback.
••Natalie Aguirre @ Literary Rambles has an interview with Christyne Morrell and a GIVEAWAY of her MG mystery The Case of the Scarlet Snakebite.
••Brenda @ Log Cabin Library is a part of the blog tour for The Secret Winners Club by Donna Galanti. Check out her review.
••Rebecca Douglassreviews both parts of Roald Dahl’s memoir. That includes Boy: Tales of Childhood and Going Solo.
••Jenni Enzor is featuring The Nine Moons of Han Yu and Luli by Karina Glaser.
••Rosi Hollinbeck has a review of DINOSAURS: EXPLORING PREHISTORIC LIFE AND GEOLOGICAL TIME. Rosi also shares three links of interest for her writing friends.
••Karen Yingling at Mrs. Yingling Reads has a book to share every day. Check out Karen’s MMGM choice for today and all her reviews from this past week.
ALWAYS in the MIDDLE is the fourth stop on the virtual book tour for this new middle grade novel (see below for the entire tour schedule and GIVEAWAY details). I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first saw the cover. A female character and a dog staring at a Greek Philosopher? What was going on here?
When I began reading the story, greatness and satisfaction arose from the pages. It was that good.
Callie Clark is a sixth grader being raised by her 80-year-old grandparents. At the young age of two her parents died in a car accident leaving her in the care of Granny and Grampy.
They eventually let Callie get a dog who supplies much love and friendship. Unfortunately, Archie hasn’t been trained to not jump up on others or limit his excessive barking. It hasn’t been easy. Grampy would like nothing more than to send the dog back to the shelter so the pup can be placed with another family.
A unit on ancient Greece in old Miss Kippenberger’s class gives Callie hope that she can learn more about her often disruptive behavior and how to keep Archie (Her Best Forever Friend) from being sent way. As she learns about the Greeks Philosophers, Callie decides her name should be more philosopher like. She chooses Calliope Callisto Clark.
Calliope is enthused about getting answers to her own big questions from these famous Greeks. After talking with the school librarian, a person she respects, they decide to create a club to do just that. Only her best friend Peggy and her never-ever friend Phillip join in for the weekly meeting.
Instead of answers, she finds that Socrates, Plato, and Epictetus bring more questions, but ones that will hopefully make her a better person and Archie a better behaved dog. Calliope’s first person narration is so engaging and spot on for an 11-year-old. She wants respect both at home and at school. The 45 chapters fly by with heartfelt humor, tension, and life threatening changes for her grandparents.
FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: CALLIOPE CALLISTO CLARK AND THE SEARCH FOR WISDOM by Claudia Mills
Peggy is the friend every kid deserves. She’s very different from Callie, but the two of them together bring about a bond they both need in their life.
The discussions about the Greek Philosophers are easily understandable for the intended audience. They can enjoy the sometimes erroneous thoughts and emotions Callie has about others and how she brings herself to realize not everything you believe in is true.
Phillip, her always perfect classmate, is another character you will like. His true story eventually surfaces and it is masterful how his character evolves by book’s end.
It’s hard to change when teaching one way your entire career. Miss Kippenberger is certainly set in her ways, but the emotional events in the story bring about a small welcome change.
Those who have owned a dog will understand the behavior of Archie. It’s not really a dog story but he does become a hero.
About the Author
Claudia Mills is the author of almost 60 books for young readers. To write her books she draws on childhood memories of growing up in New Jersey as well as funny stories her two sons brought home from elementary school and middle school as they grew up in Colorado. She loves to visit schools, where she is always on the prowl for material that can make its way into a chapter book or middle grade novel.
Claudia had a second career as a professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado at Boulder, specializing in ethics and political philosophy, which she left a few years ago to devote herself full time to writing. In addition to her books for children, she has published many articles on philosophical and ethical themes in children’s literature, including essays on the work of Maud Hart Lovelace, Eleanor Estes, Betty MacDonald, Louisa May Alcott, and Rosamond du Jardin, and published an edited collection, Ethics and Children’s Literature, as well.
All of Claudia’s books have been written between 5 and 7 in the morning, while drinking Swiss Miss hot chocolate at her cozy home near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. She likes to write for an hour every day, watching little bits of daily writing grow into big piles of published books to share with children everywhere. (For about Claudia and her writings visit her author website)
GIVEAWAY
Enter for the chance to win one of 10 signed hardcover copies of Calliope Callisto Clark and the Search for Wisdom. One grand-prize winner will receive two additional signed books by Claudia Mills, plus an unforgettable one-hour Zoom visit with the author!
A chapter book and one that will also resonate with middle grade readers. I had never heard of Maysoon Zayid, This non-fiction look at her life assured me that I will never forget her. Growing up, Maysoon’s dream is to become a actress on Broadway and TV. Her favorite show is the popular daytime serial General Hospital.
She never gives up despite her long odds. Being a Palestinian girl from New Jersey with cerebral palsy makes the road even tougher. But Maysoon achieves her dreams along with becoming a popular comedian, appearing in comedy clubs across the U.S.
The message of not letting hurtful comments stop you from achieving your dreams, is an important one. You’ll be cheering her on throughout the seven chapters. Illustrations add to the reading experience.
Maysoon Zayid, The Girl Who Can Can is inspiring and perfect for discussion. The book is the first in the MUSLIM MAVERICKS series of stories. You’ll. be looking forward to what comes next.
BOOK BIRTHDAY: Feb. 10, 2026
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Seema Yasmin is a Pulitzer Prize finalist, Emmy Award-winning journalist, medical doctor, professor, poet and author. A fiction fellow of the Kundiman and Tin House workshops, she is the author of five books including Muslim Women Are Everything, Viral BS: Medical Myths and Why We Fall for Them, and the poetry collection, If God is a Virus. Yasmin trained in medicine at the University of Cambridge and in journalism at the University of Toronto. She served as an officer in the Epidemic Intelligence Service and is director of the Stanford Health Communication Initiative, clinical assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University and visiting assistant professor of crisis management at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management.
It’s almost time for another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. Won’t you join us? It’s here I share highlights and links from other bloggers about middle grade books. Many of the posts will have reviews, interviews, and tips on writing. Take a look at PAST MMGM POSTS. Details on how to submit your post can be found in the right margin.
••Jenni Enzor is featuring The Friendship Awards, honoring friendships in middle-grade books with Wish, Wonderland, PeonyWatercolor’s Wish for Sun and Moon, Always Abigail, Anne of Green Gables, Betsy Tacy, and The Story Girl.
••Rosi Hollinbeck has a review of DEAD ENDS!: FLUKES, FLOPS & FAILURES THAT SPARKED MEDICAL MARVELS. Rosi also shares three links of interst for her writing friends.
••Karen Yingling at Mrs. Yingling Reads has a book to share every day. Check out Karen’s MMGM choice for today and all her reviews from this past week. (Happy 20 years of reviews, Karen!)
The first book in tie CITY SPIES series hit the shelves for the first time in 2021. The popularity of this unique story brought five sequels:
GOLDEN GATE
FORBIDDEN CITY
CITY OF THE DEAD
MISSION MANHATTAN
LONDON CALLING
Now in 2026, the seventh novel, CITY SPIES EUROPA has arrived.
I had read several of the books in the series but had missed the past three. A helpful appraisal of each of the seven team members appears in the back pages so I started there to re-familiarize myself with these smart group of kids. I then went back to page one and began reading.
This may not be the best approach if you are new to the series so I would suggest reading CITY SPIES first, or all six as they are available to purchase in a set.
CITY SPIES EUROPA brings another exciting and clue inducing story line. Umbra, a bad guy previously imprisoned with the help of the spies is somehow continuing his destructive thoughts from his cell with the help of outsiders he recruited. Umbra plans to bomb famous locations around Europe, destroying many landmarks and innocent people. He’ll stop the attacks only if he is released from prison.
The CITY SPIES separate into different teams to solve codes and investigate clues in Rome, Paris, London, and Amsterdam. It’s a nerve wracking adventure for all of them.
The third person narration takes readers through 39 chapters, often focusing on a few characters at a time. You’ll be confused right along with the spies as to what path they should take to stop this villain from creating havoc. The ending is a page turner and the door is left open for another book in the series.
BOOK BIRTHDAY: FEB. 10, 2026. PAGES: 384
FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: CITY SPIES EUROPA by James Ponti
Of course these kids aren’t traveling by themselves across Europe, There are helpful adults like TRU (their leader) and Mother (who is not a mother). They shined in their role as mentors.
The mystery surrounding another adult, Clementine, will have you guessing and re-guessing as to which side she is on. Clues about her whereabouts and if she is working with the bad guy made for an engaging sidelight.
Each of the spies expertise is different and working together is a must to decipher the clues. Paris was my favorite, but each one will for sure have fans.
The cover for each book in the series is always an attention grabber. With EUROPA’s cover you are pulled right into the exciting plot.
The time the author spent researching each location and the history of Europe brings another element to the appeal of City Spies. I learned many new things about this part of our world.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
James Ponti is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of four middle grade book series, including City Spies and The Sherlock Society. His novels have been named to sixty state award lists, optioned by Hollywood, and translated into sixteen languages. He’s a two-time Edgar Award-nominee, winning in 2018 for Vanished. He lives with his family in Orlando, Florida. (Author Website)
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BE SURE TO VISIT ALL THE OTHER BLOGGERS ON TODAY’S MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY!
Two sisters face tremendous challenges in a fantasy world all new to them. Twelve-year old Katie and her younger sister Jenny live in Minneapolis with their mom. Divorce in their family has upset both girls. Dad seems to never want to be with them again.
At the story’s beginning pages they have arrived at Grandpa’s gray stone mansion in Duluth, Mom has left for Ireland and the girls will be staying here under Grandpa’s care.
It’s a spooky place, including the fireplace in the basement. Turns out by entering you can travel to O’Mirra, a kingdom full of magic and mystery. When grandpa disappears, they know he has been captured and imprisoned by an elf whose actions are more like a dictator.
They travel via the portal to this realm with the help of another much friendlier elf. Once there they find it to be creepy with scary creatures and trees, but this place is also exciting and has unique scenery.
The third person narration stays close to Katie who discovers more about herself than ever imagined. She’s always been environmentally conscious, but the plot goes much deeper. Topics like divorce, grief, and the anxiety Katie feels provides the backdrop for this magical tale. The heartfelt ending adds to the appeal of the 28 chapters.
The relationship between brave Katie and the much more cautious Jenny was also a highlight. Leave it to Spunky the wolf pup to provide a few smiles. His name says it all. Small black and white illustrations appear throughout, adding a bit of visually appealing accompaniment. In the back pages is a perfect summary of MAGIC SPELLS and THE CORE WIZARD POWERS. You could even read these first before diving into page one.
THE WIZARD’S WAY is the first in a series and I’m guessing more visits to O’Mirra are forthcoming. Young readers will be anxiously awaiting.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa Kelly lives in sunny Santa Barbara, California, with her husband and two goofy dogs. Ever since she was a child making up magical bedtime stories for her brothers and sisters, Lisa has believed in the power of imagination.
With a PhD in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Human Development, Lisa has dedicated her career to helping children, teens, and adults discover the “wizard powers” they already carry inside. For over 20 years, she worked as a life coach, guiding people to name their dreams and take the steps to achieve them. As a college instructor, she taught the healing power of imagery—the way imagination can calm our minds, strengthen our bodies, and help us grow.
Now, through her book The Wizard’s Way and her school visits, Lisa combines storytelling, psychology, and creativity to inspire young people. She helps kids see that they are brave, lovable, and full of magic—and that through imagination, love, and hope, they truly can change their lives and even the world around them. (Website)
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It’s almost time for another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. It’s here I share highlights and links from other bloggers about middle grade books. Many of the posts will have reviews, interviews, and tips on writing. Take a look at PAST MMGM POSTS. Details on how to submit your post can be found in the right margin. Hope to see you back here on Monday!
••Brenda @ Log Cabin Library shares a graphic novel: Zicky: Wrath of the Rat King by Darin S. Cape, and a picture book for a blog tour that might have some crossover to younger kids: Katie’s Really Bad Day: A Story About Test Anxiety by Kathleen Jeffrey.
••Rebecca Douglass reviews Dusti Bowling’s Dust and Holding on for Dear Life.
••Jenni Enzor is celebrating the birthday over the weekend of Charles Dickens with four Dickens-inspired middle-grade books. Books are: The Traitor’s Gate by Avi, The Great Trouble and The Boy Called Dickens by Deborah Hopkinson, and The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson.
••Isabelle Knight reviews Greenglass House by Kate Milford, a cozy, wintry middle-grade book that is perfect to read when you’re snowed in!
••Valinora Troy features a review of The Big Bad Wolf Murder by P.G.Bell.
••Carol Baldwin has an update on her Work in Progress, a historical MG.
••Karen Yingling at Mrs. Yingling Reads has a book to share every day. Check out Karen’s MMGM choice for today and all her reviews from this past week.
Four very different kids experience Hurricane Harvey, the devastating tropical storm that hit the city of Houston in August of 2017.
The chapters rotate among the characters. They include:
Yasir Manzoor who hopes to become the next soccer captain of his middle school team. Dad passed away and his mom is struggling financially.
Mona Jennings-Shah is a talented artist and has a growing interest in mythology about floods. She often takes care of her younger brother Omar while her parents are away working in other states.
Cody Bevin is the current captain of the soccer team and has a terrible attitude, treating Yasir in unkind ways. His personality matches his fathers, a person he is scared to be around.
You see them all on the front cover after they are forced to work together in hopes of surviving the catastrophe. Each of their personalities comes across in memorable ways as we get to know each child. Their fears and the unique abilities combine to make them heroes. Weather updates and warnings are added in between many of the chapters to bring even more meaning to the devastation occurring.
It’s a compelling look at how a disaster can change lives both in a bad way but also the positive. HOUSTON STRONG became the label that helped the recovery. Through it all we see how a new beginning for each child and their family come about. SOME OF US ARE BRAVE is a compelling read and one you won’t want to put down.
BOOK BIRTHDAY: Feb. 10, 2026 PAGE COUNT: 336
FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: SOME OF US ARE BRAVE by Saadia Faruqi
We often take it for granted but here we learn how parents are the rock of support for a family. If that rock crumbles like it does for Yasir, Mona, and Cody, you see the importance of what a loving and supportive family can mean.
The unlikely friendship that develops between the kids and their understanding of each other. Yasir and Cody, Yasir and Mona, along with Cody and Mona, all change and readers will experience their well done character arcs.
The relationship between Yasir and the younger Omar brought smiles to my face. It shows how characters of different ages who are not related can come together and be supportive for each other.
You not only experience what the storm was like while it was happening but also the aftermath when the kids are able to return to their homes. The story came full circle.
The interesting inclusion of flood legends and myths. Many were new to me as they will be for most readers.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Saadia Faruqi is a Pakistani American author and interfaith activist. She writes the popular children’s early reader series Yasmin and other books for children, including award-winning middle grade novels, chapter books, and graphic novels. Her 2025 novel The Strongest Heart, depicting mental illness and its effect on families, received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publisher’s Weekly, School Library Journal, Booklist and the Horn Book. In 2024, The Partition Project, highlighting the partition of India and the creation of Pakistan, won the South Asia Book Award. Her 2023 graphic novel Saving Sunshine, about animal conservation and biodiversity, was a finalist for the Eisner award, a Kirkus Best Book, and a New York Public Library Best Book. Additionally, A Place At The Table (co-written with Laura Shovan) was a Sydney Taylor Notable in 2021 for its heartwarming friendship story between a Muslim and Jewish girl. Saadia is editor-in-chief of Blue Minaret, a magazine for Muslim art, poetry and prose, and was featured in Oprah Magazine in 2017 as a woman making a difference in her community. She lives in Houston, TX with her husband and children. (Author’s web site)
This newest addition to the “Gifted” series can be read on its own. You can always go back and checkout the popular predecessors, UNGIFTED and SUPERGIFTED.
HYPERGIFTED refers to one of the main characters, 12-year-old Noah Youkilis, who has an IQ of 206. Since my IQ follows the sign that hangs in my office, I was hoping I’d still enjoy reading about Noah.
Despite that gap between myself and Noah, I pushed forth and I’m glad I did.
School is easy for this super genius, but now he has been invited to attend the prestigious Wilderton University. He’d rather not accept the opportunity but it happens anyway. One good thing is he can invite a friend, his very average IQ buddy, Donovan.
Donovan would prefer to have a summer of doing nothing, but his parents decide the better plan is to send him off to roommate with Noah while they vacation in Europe. His summer has for sure been ruined as he will now be working as an on-campus camp counselor for 8-year-olds while Noah takes college classes.
The experience has Noah attempting to join the secret Society of the Gavel while he also creates an AI program that causes a lot of problems. Meanwhile Donovan is busy with his group of 8-year-olds as one keeps disappearing for hours. Without giving too much away Noah and Donovan end up having to smuggle the University’s highly adored mascot, a 200 pound pig into their dorm room.
Yes, it’s a crazy summer for the two of them. Despite their different IQ’s, the two of them together and the conversations they have are often hilarious. Another highlight is seeing how Noah and Donovan interacted with the older college age students and the younger elementary age kids. It’s a challenge either way.
The plot is relayed through multiple viewpoints. While not my favorite way of story telling, it did work well here. I still think a dual format might have worked better. Regardless, this entertaining story is well worth your time and would make a great read aloud. It’s also a springboard for a discussion about the positives and negatives of AI. HYPERGIFTED ends on a high note but the intended audience would surely give a thumbs up for another one in the series.
BOOK BIRTHDAY: February 3, 2026 PAGES: 272
ALL ABOUT GORDON KORMAN
Welcome to the wonderful world of a regular guy who just happened to write 100 books for kids and teens.
I was born on October 23, 1963 in Montreal, Canada, and grew up mostly in the Toronto area.
My writing career began virtually by accident when I was in 7th grade. The track and field coach had to teach English. For creative writing, he gave us total freedom to work on whatever we wanted for the rest of the year. It was February. That added up to a class period per day for more than four months. The result was my first novel, THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING AT MACDONALD HALL.
I sent my manuscript to Scholastic because I was the class monitor for Scholastic Book Orders, and figured I was practically an employee. Seriously. (Full disclosure: my mom had to type my book for me.) It was a totally flukey and random way to launch a publishing career, but here’s the thing: It worked.! THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING AT MACDONALD HALL was published by Scholastic when I was a freshman in high school, and I was on my way.
I’ve been writing for more than three-quarters of my life. My books have been translated into 32 languages and have sold over 35 million copies worldwide. I have a BFA degree from New York University with a major in Dramatic Writing and a minor in Film and TV.
I now live on Long Island, outside New York City, with my wife and family. When I’m not writing, you can usually find me on the road, appearing at schools, libraries, and bookstores, meeting my readers. (FOR MORE ABOUT GORDON KORMAN AND HIS BOOKS VISIT HIS AUTHOR WEBSITE)
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It’s almost time for another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. Won’t you join us? It’s here I share highlights and links from other bloggers about middle grade books. Many of the posts will have reviews, interviews, and tips on writing. Take a look at PAST MMGM POSTS.
It’s easy to get a spot in the lineup. Email me the title of the book or feature and a link to your blog at gpcolo[at]gmail[dot]com
Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so it gets sorted accurately–and don’t forget to say what you’re featuring) You MUST email me your link by Sunday evening (11 PM Eastern Time)in order to be included in the list of links for that week’s MMGM.
*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.
••Maria Antonia has a post about Spelling It Out by Margaret Finnegan.
••Rosi Hollinbeck has a review and GIVEAWAY of HUNT FOR THE SILVER DRAGON by Linda Joy Singleton. Rosi also shares three links of interest for her writing friends.
It’s easy to get a spot in the lineup. Email me the title of the book or feature for any middle grade book, author or giveaway, and a link to your blog. Send it to: gpcolo[at]gmail[dot]com
Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so it gets sorted accurately–and don’t forget to say what you’re featuring) You MUST email me your link by Sunday evening (11 PM Eastern Time) in order to be included in the list of links for that week’s MMGM.
*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.
Always in the Middle... 