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MIDDLE GRADE FICTION REVIEW : City Spies: Europa by James Ponti

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  CITY SPIES : EUROPA City Spies #7 written by James Ponti Aladdin, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-5998-8 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK In this seventh installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies work to prevent a dangerous criminal from escaping prison in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Charlie Thorne. The City Spies are ready to start fresh with a new home, new schools, and a new directive now that Clementine has come in from the cold and Le Fantôme has been put behind bars. But their plans are put into jeopardy when Umbra threatens to attack multiple high-level targets across Europe unless he is released from prison. With intel leading them to Rome, Paris, London, and Amsterdam, the City Spies split up and race across the continent solv...
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WILD & WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY : The Secrets of the Jellies by Karen Jameson & Marie Hermansson

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  THE SECRETS OF THE JELLIES Amazing Jellyfish and Their Surprising Talents written by Karen Jameson, illustrated by Marie Hermansson Chronicle Books, 2026 Source : Blue Slip Media/publisher Ages  4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by Blue Slip Media & Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Soak up a sea of secrets and fun facts about jellyfish in this information-rich picture book! A spectacular world of weird and wonderful jellyfish awaits in The Secrets of the Jellies. Engaging rhyming text will amaze young readers with awe-inspiring information about these beguiling sea creatures. Filled with facts and energetic undersea artwork, this aquarium-exhibit-in-a-book helps us learn all about jelly anatomy, behavior, habitats, and ecosystems as we get to know the moon jelly, lion’s mane jellyfish, fried-egg jellyfish, flame jellyfish, and so many more. Dive in and be dazzled! ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR Karen Jameson is a children’s ...
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PICTURE BOOK REVIEW : The Case of Old MacDonald and his farm by Mark Teague

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  THE CASE OF OLD MACDONALD AND HIS FARM written & illustrated by Mark Teague Beach Lane Books, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-9076-9 Source : publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK From New York Times bestselling and award-winning author-illustrator Mark Teague comes a hilarious whodunit picture book about something suspicious afoot on Old MacDonald’s farm! Something mysterious—and silly!—is up at Old MacDonald’s farm. Thank goodness Officer Busby is on the case, because, as she says, “Whoever did this knew their business.” Silly business, that is. What could possibly be going on? Well, it’s April 1st. And everyone knows what that means… REVIEW Poor Old MacDonald, his farm seems to have been attacked by a rash of silliness. Officer Busby of the Animal Control department arrives to help him sort things out. At first, she suspects that a rabbit in a blue coa...
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#MMGM : Dragon Girl and the Awakened Flames by Jenny Moore

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  DRAGON GIRL AND THE AWAKENED FLAMES Dragon Girl #1 written by Jenny Moore Sourcebooks Young Readers, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-4642-5404-8 Source:  purchased/publisher for review in a professional magazine Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK An orphan girl discovers she has dragon blood—the key to immortality. Hunted by an evil necromancer, she must learn to control her emerging powers if she is going to stop him. "A hero forged in fiercest flame, A child of iron and pain. By blood shall heal and chasm seal A kingdom torn in twain."—The Final Prophecy from the Tome of Terrible Tomorrows* *Also known as Odolf's prophecy. (But only by Odolf!) All the best stories and adventures start with a knock at the door… Or the thwump of a dragon's tail at the entrance to her cave, in the case of Emba Oak. But then nothing about Emba's story is normal; from the scales on her arms ...
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MIDDLE GRADE NONFICTION : The Amazing Generation by Jonathan Haidt & Catherine Price with Cynthia Yuan Cheng

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  THE AMAZING GENERATION Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World written by Jonathan Haidt & Catherine Price, illustrated by Cynthia Yuan Cheng Rocky Pond Books, 2025 ISBN: 979-8-217-11190-9 Source: purchased Ages 10-14 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller The Anxious Generation, this new book for kids and tweens is a comprehensive guide for living a happy and exciting life that isn’t hijacked by a smartphone. Jonathan Haidt’s blockbuster book, The Anxious Generation, has sparked a global conversation about the effects of smartphones and social media on young people’s development, and has inspired millions of parents, teachers, and leaders to take action. Now, Haidt and Catherine Price, author of the bestselling How to Break Up with Your Phone, have teamed up to create a new book that speaks directly to kids. Their goal? To em...
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ACTIVITY BOOK : Plant Pandemonium (Big Brain Puzzles) by Camille Pichon

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PLANT PANDEMONIUM! Big Brain Puzzles by Camille Pichon Twirl, 2025 ISBN: 978-2-40806-181-4 Source: Publisher/Blue Slip Media Ages 6 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by Blue Slip Media & publisher through Amazon.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Be a puzzle master! Forty-five challenging games designed for kids aged 6 and up are included in this interactive plant-themed book. Fold and unfold flaps to arrange the houseplants, move play pieces around to plant vegetables, slide tabs to find the earthworms that have been digging underground—and more! • Features 45 challenging puzzles • Includes QR code for puzzle solutions • Interactive elements add an extra layer of fun • Helps develop problem-solving and creative-thinking skills REVIEW The puzzles in Plant Pandemonium  present readers with numerous opportunities to practice hand-eye coordination. With 45 challenges on 5 different boards, kids have plenty of room to interact with the book. Each d...
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WILD & WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY : The Secret Life of a Sea Turtle by Maddalena Bearzi & Alex Boersma

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  THE SECRET LIFE OF A SEA TURTLE written by Maddalena Bearzi, illustrated by Alex Boersma Roaring Brook Press, 2025 ISBN: 978-1-250-90167-5 Source: purchased Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Follow the captivating yet perilous life of one sea turtle in this dazzling nonfiction tale by the co-founder of the Ocean Conservation Society, perfect for fans of Jason Chin's ISLAND. On a beach at the Ría Lagartos nature reserve in Mexico, a sea turtle is born. Newly hatched into a big world, she breaks out of an egg buried in the sand. Now, her journey begins. To reach the ocean she must avoid predatory opossums, crabs, and raccoons -- many of her siblings will not make it. But our sea turtle does, and when she finally dives beneath the blue sea, she’ll travel for thousands of miles on a beautiful and pulse-pounding adventure. Brilliant, informative, and compelling, The Secret Life o...
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WILD & WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY : Monarch and Mourning Cloak by Melissa Stewart & Sarah S. Brannen

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  MONARCH AND MOURNING CLOAK : A Butterfly Journal written by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen Beach Lane Books, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-6271-1 Source : Publisher through Blue Slip Media Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by Blue Slip Media. ABOUT THE BOOK A luminously illustrated and thoroughly informative picture book poetry collection by Sibert Honor–winning duo Melissa Stewart and Sarah S. Brannen that captures the beauty and complexity of monarch and mourning cloak butterflies. Monarch and mourning cloak butterflies may seem similar on the surface; they are about the same size and common throughout North America. But following along at a butterfly’s-eye-view, readers will discover how they live in different habitats, eat different foods, and have different strategies for avoiding enemies and making it through winter. Because even though all butterflies have the same basic body features and life cycle, each specie...
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PICTURE BOOK REVIEW : I'm Busy by Michael Ian Black & Debbie RIdpath Ohi

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  I'M BUSY written by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-1524-3 Source: publisher/author for review (Thanks!) ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK In this fifth book in the series from New York Times bestselling author Michael Ian Black and celebrated illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi, a flamingo, a girl, and a potato tackle what it’s like to feel super-busy-all-the-time. So much to do and so little time! How can a girl get everything done? Especially when Potato and Flamingo are asking her to hula hoop or play superheroes, when she has more important things to do, like piano practice, Spanish lessons, solving mysteries, and getting into the right college. Okay, that might be too much… Can friends can help her find some balance and understand that no matter how busy you get, you should always find t...
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WILD & WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY : Just in Case: Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault by Megan Clendenan & Brittany Cicchese

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  JUST IN CASE : Saving Seeds in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault written by Megan Clendenan, illustrated by Brittany Cicchese Charlesbridge, 2025 ISBN: 978-1-62354-480-5 Ages 6-10 Source: Blue Slip Media All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Psst . . . Guess what? 800 miles from the North Pole, buried deep in a mountain, the Svalbard Seed Vault holds priceless treasure. Seeds! Perfect for 5-8-year-old future conservationists, this is a fascinating glimpse into a unique conservation collection, highlighting the importance of natural resources and protecting planet Earth. On the Arctic island of Spitsbergen in Norway, polar bears roam and there are no gardens, forests, or fields. But buried deep underground, the Svalbard Seed Bank protects more than 580 million seeds with plenty of room for more. How and why was the vault built? What's it like inside? How does the vault protect the seeds? Lear...
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