Very solid small town representation with multiple perspectives. One thing this book really nailed is the low stakes but feels incredibly high stakes nature of middle school. The story mostly covered everyday life but I was completely sucked in by the HIGH DRAMA of it all. Erin Entrada Kelly won that Newbery for a reason.

Upper middle grade perfection. This book fits perfectly in that slot of readers that the publishing industry usually ignores: getting old for middle grade, not yet ready for YA. This is the rare, magic book that will appeal to the entire range of 6-8th grade middle schoolers. Karthik is a 14 year old approaching his 9th grade year amid the 2009 recession. He is spending the summer reluctantly making bike deliveries around Boston for his dad's struggling Indian grocery store. One of the customers he delivers to is a playwrighting grad student who thinks Karthik would be perfect to star as a young Leonard Bernstein in her play. Karthik manages to keep this new experience a secret from his parents, all while working, maintaining friendships, and getting to know his secret crush. As readers we go along for his ride exploring Boston, learning about Leonard Bernstein, and watching Karthik's passions and identity develop as he learns to stand up for himself. 

This book was a joy to read. Something about it felt like watching a great indie movie. Karthik himself is such a loveable, real character who is working through struggles that are so acute at his age. The same goes for his friends, sister, and crush, who is not without her very relatable flaws. I found the writing to be poignant but with a light touch, and the story of Leonard Bernstein was the perfect backdrop and analogy for Karthik to explore his own experiences. The setting and time period were significant and provided depth to the story, particularly in Karthik's relationship with his family. The ending was executed perfectly and will appeal to middle school readers. One of my favorites of the year.

What I liked: Olive's experience with OI (informed by the author's own) is believable and informative and Olive herself is bursting with personality, the slow burn of magical realism grows on you in a really interesting way, the realistic representation of small town life and church culture without being dogmatic or evangelical, Olive's journey to better understand her step-brother and what is going on in his life. 
What I didn't like: The story was somewhat predictable at at times it, and Olive herself, came across as painfully saccharine. It almost felt like a story and character written for adults' ideas of tweens rather than tweens themselves. I wish Olive had been infused with just a little more actual 6th grader angst/personality. Because of this, I think it may have limited appeal to middle grade readers and would fit best for the lower end of that range: 8, 9, maybe 10. 

A captivating, fast-paced middle grade sci-fi with themes of first (queer) crushes, adoption, and family. The endearing characters, time travel adventures, and quirky sidekicks give the story wide appeal, while the specifics of the main character's journeys in adoption and queer identity will make this an especially meaningful read for some kids. Either way, it's a lovable, fun-filled page-turner that isn't easy to put down.

Phenomenal ADHD representation along with themes of divorce, family, and friendship. I found Elliot both endearing and authentic. He is self aware of both his flaws and his gifts and the journey and growth he goes through is believable and engaging for middle grade readers. It’s impossible not to root for him. This is an affirming and fun read that will mean a lot to kids with ADHD. 

Tender, down to earth, and reflective. This one will be really meaningful and important in the right hands.

I had high hope for this read, but was pretty disappointed. The concept of using QR codes to give early clues to readers was really clever and fun but poorly executed in the end. The scare factor just wasn’t that high, even for a middle grade novel. And I can’t imagine Mallory’s complete disdain for all things creepy would endear her to horror fans? Not a high recommendation overall, but I can see fans of Goosebumps, etc. having fun with this one. 

My feelings on this one are complicated. I very much see the value in the topics addressed in this book, but I'm not sure I'm enthusiastic about how it was done. In a middle grade book, I would have liked to seen clearer trigger warning on the front end for 

suicide, as this could be a really tough topic to be surprised by for some kids. I know this would have ruined a large reveal, but I'm not sure how I feel about  suicide as a plot twist in general. 

I'm also not sure how I feel about the plantation setting, as it could have easily been set somewhere else and I'm not sure the white author was equipped or able to give the themes of slavery the full gravity they deserve in an already weighty book. It's clear the issues addressed are important to the author and were dealt with sensitively, but I'm not sure that was enough to make me recommend this book. For middle grade horror that deals with the legacy of slavery, I would recommend Eden's Everdark. For a queer middle grade ghost story that deals with grief, I would recommend Too Bright to See. 

A well-paced, nuanced story that deals well with anti-Asian racism, friendship, small town life, and civil war history. Evan was an earnest lovable character, with a well-developed voice. A couple of story threads were lost along the way and would have benefited from being more fleshed out, such as the situation with the father, Evan’s relationship to lies, and the history of slavery and it’s impact on the town.