Welcome to Litsy!

Zhao's debut novel is a middle grade fantasy inspired by Chinese mythology and folklore. This is a fast-paced novel that takes you on a trip across the United States. There is a strong focus on the theme that things are not always what they appear and that one shouldn't judge based on appearances. The book has a strong female protagonist and a lot of humor. #netgalley #katiezhao #dragonwarrior #middlegradelit

This book is rooted in a Cree worldview and is based on stories of the author's great-grandmother's life. It starts light and fun and the concept of collecting ghosts in your hair is intriguing. Then the book takes a more serious turn as Shelly has to learn how to handle her own grief. Mills masterfully and uniquely handles the topics of death and grief in a way that is accessible to younger readers. #middlegradelit #readinginthemiddle #netgalley

A beautifully written middle grades novel full of mystery, suspense, and emotion. I love the use of dream sequences to weave together the two story lines and create suspense. The book covers several themes related to belonging that readers will relate to: being a third wheel, not fitting in your family, etc. This is a great summer read. #aswirlofocean #beachbook #middlegradelit #kidlit

Time Sight is a fantastic, fun, and adventurous time traveling romp through Scottish history. I really enjoyed learning about the Copper Age, Bronze Age, and late Middle Ages in Scottish history. I loved the underlying message about violence that runs throughout the time periods and novel. Middle grade readers will love this book. #timesight #timetravel #historicalfiction #kidlit #owlcratejr #readinginthemiddle #middlegradelit

A beautifully written middle grades mystery novel about family and letting go. The book tackles the topics of divorce, loss of a loved one, and grief. When Miranda arrives on August Isle, she is determined to be brave and become a person she believes her mom would want to spend time with. Though lonely at first, she quickly makes friends who help her look into her mom's mysterious past on the island. #middlegradelit #mystery

This book is absolutely amazing, and I have so many good things to say. I love that it brings attention to neurodiveristy, PTSD, and immigration issues/laws. This book covers some big issues and it does so in a way that is accessible to middle grade readers and get them thinking about what is going on in their world. I'm looking forward to reading other books by Cartaya. #mglit #middlegradelit #readinginthemiddle

This is a quirky middle grades novel full of magic, mystery, and intrigue. I loved the world of Lundinor and learning about all the uses for uncommon objects. The characters and world are unique and the story had a solid mystery line. Sometimes it's easy to predict what will happen next, but this book had some twists that I didn't see coming. #mglit #mgseries #fantasy #middlegradelit #readinginthemiddle

This book is full of mystery, adventure, and humor. I love all the allusions to The Tempest (which is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays). I also loved the use of annotations by the narrator they not only provided additional information, but insight into the mysterious narrator, and humor to the overall story. I think this is a great book for my readers who like James Patterson books. #mglit #readinginthemiddle #middlegradelit #badmagic

Continuing to help out in the library and was blasted by nostalgia when I got to this series on the shelves. I LOVED these when I was a kid! Did anyone else read these? I couldn‘t even tell you which ones I have read, I just remember they had the little ribbon and pseudo old paper to make them feel like authentic diaries. #nostalgia #middlegradelit #historicalfiction #viloniareads #vhsreads

Jason Reynolds's Track series concludes with Sunny and Lu. In these final two books, he continues doing what he did so well with Ghost and Patina: developing unique characters who have faced tragedy and have struggled. For each of the four, the Defenders track team offers friends, family, an amazing mentor in Coach, and something to strive for beyond themselves. What a fabulous middle-grade series . . . though I loved it just as much!!!