Sophie and family have moved to Boston. This includes a mom and two Jack Russell terriers.

There’s both good and not so good things about the move. The bad happens when her new classmates make fun of her Vermont overalls. Sophie also worries about a neighbor who hates barking dogs and could file a complaint to have them evicted.

The good part includes not being the only brown kid in the neighborhood anymore and meeting Juno, an older teen next door. Juno’s hard to resist pug named Bonney becomes the focus of the story. The cute dog needs surgery that costs $3000 which neither of them can afford.

But leave it to Sophie and Juno to come up with a plan. They write and illustrate the first newspaper for dogs written by dogs: THE BARKING PUPPY. The challenge is how to sell this newspaper and make enough to pay for Bonney’s surgery.

The first person narration by Sophie is engaging throughout the 33 chapters. Her character is based on a real live Sophie you can meet in this fun video introduction of THE BARKING PUPPY…

Many fun illustrations are included in the book along with a few photos. THE BARKING PUPPY has a perfect cast of diverse characters along with the setting in Jamaica Plain, MA. Young readers may not be familiar with a newspaper, but this tale might motivate them to create their own. THE BARKING PUPPY is a heartwarming story for dog lovers and anyone who has ever had to relocate into a new neighborhood.

PAGES: 248 BOOK BIRTHDAY: April 22, 2025

ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR

Lori Lobenstine and her goddaughter, Sophie Canon, have been collaborating on the original Barking Puppy newspaper since Sophie was ten years old. The Barking Puppy is Lori’s first children’s book, and Sophie was her chief creative consultant. Like some of her characters, Lori is a twin, has a dog named Summitt, and lives in Jamaica Plain, MA. She is proud of having been editor-in-chief of her fourth-grade newspaper back in the day. For more on Lori and Sophie’s real life Barking Puppy adventures, check out thebarkingpuppy.com.

Il Sung Na has illustrated several acclaimed books, including Welcome Home, Bear, and My Tree. Currently based in Kansas City, Il Sung spends time teaching illustration courses at the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) and working on new books. In his downtime, Il Sung hits the flea markets to expand his collection of old and interesting items, which he then takes home to show off to his wife and small dog.

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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 from other individuals blogging 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.

A ghost story in verse with a neurodivergent main character. Valeria (or V as she prefers to be called) is reluctantly spending the summer at Grandma Jojo’s house. With her collection of colorful socks and an interest in art, Jojo is not impressed and constantly criticizes V.

This relationship will surely lead V to have a miserable summer. But then she finds a ghostly girl hiding in the walls of Grandma’s old house. They seem to think alike in many ways. The ghost wants some help carrying out pranks to get back at Grandma for her relentless perfection and critical nature.

As secrets about who this ghost girl might be surface, it becomes much more dangerous. The truth is the only way of making things right with V and her family. It’s time to end the suffering several generations have endured from the traumatic ways of their upbringing.

Novels in verse are dependent on a strong connection with the main character. This is crafted perfectly here as V is a girl you truly care about and want others to understand her better. Messages young readers will gain from reading this novel are important ones: Hiding emotions and how words can damage self esteem or be uplifted by the simple act of empathy.

THE GIRL IN THE WALLS is a great discussion starter and a new shining star on the bookshelves.

PAGE COUNT: 288 BOOK BIRTHDAY: May 20, 2025

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE GIRL IN THE WALLS by Meg Eden Kuyatt

1. I prefer the traditional way of reading a novel, but the verse format here actually worked and made it the right choice for readers.
2. The message of healing is one that will have you smiling by the last page.
3. The awareness that adults are often not perfect was embedded into the plot in memorable way.
4. Fitting in can be one of the toughest challenges for middle school students and this story will move them toward a different path of acceptance from classmates.
5. Creepy in parts, but it never overwhelms the purpose of this engaging tale.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Meg received her MFA in creative writing from the University of Maryland College Park. She teaches creative writing courses and has taught at a range of places, including Anne Arundel Community College, Southern New Hampshire University online, University of Maryland College Park, MTSU Write, Eckleburg Workshops, and The Writer’s Center in Bethesda since 2013.

She is the author of five poetry chapbooks, the novel Post-High School Reality Quest (2017), the 2021 Towson Prize for Literature winning poetry collection “Drowning in the Floating World” and children’s novels including a 2024 ALA Schneider Family Book Award Honor “Good Different,” and the forthcoming “The Girl in the Walls” (Scholastic, 2025). She is also a participating author with the PEN/Faulkner Writers in Schools program, and part of the Neurodiverse Kidlit Collective.

Besides being a writer, Meg has worked as an advertising manager, creative writing instructor, eBay seller, research assistant in linguistics and neuroscience, and publishing and marketing contact for a small press. She has served as the webinar coordinator for the SCBWI MD/DE/WV region, and ran the Magfest MAGES Library blog, which posts accessible academic articles about video games.

Meg Eden is a follower of Jesus, neurodivergent, an extroverted-introvert, and a complete nerd for all things Pokémon and Fire Emblem. She loves to hear about what people believe, what shows and games they love, and why. She lives with her husband and two cats, Chaos Theory (CT) and Hazel, also known as “Floaf” (the fluffy loaf).

She is represented by Lauren Spieller at Folio.

Find her online at http://www.megedenbooks.com or on Instagram (meden_author) or Twitter (@ConfusedNarwhal).

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COMMENTS ARE WELCOME BELOW! AND BE SURE TO VISIT ALL THE OTHER BLOGGERS ON TODAY’S MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY!