This is an intense read so please check the trigger warnings. In a year stacked with bad moms in middle grade books, Mama in Shark Teeth may take the cake. In addition to putting her kids in physical harm, the emotional impacts of her neglect and abuse was heartbreaking to read.

Sharkita "Kita" is 12 years old but has the responsibilities of an adult. We start the book with her being reunited with her younger siblings and her mama, after the 3 of them were separated in different foster care homes due to their mama's neglect. Readers quickly realize several things. 

What gives me hope is that the community rallies around Kita and her siblings. There are people who truly care for her, including her friends, her assistant principal, her counselor, and her art teacher. The love and bond that she and her siblings have for each other is beautiful.

A tough book to read (be mindful of sensitive kids), so recommended for ages 10+ who can handle mature themes.

I reread this childhood classic for my #RereadYourChildhood challenge. I just finished the audiobook and sat in my car weeping. I am unwell. It is beautiful and wonderful but oh so heartbreaking.

35+ years after I originally read this with my mom and sister, Where the Red Fern Grows is just as emotional as ever. Probably one of the first coming of age books I can remember, I had forgotten the details, but one thing I have always remembered are the courageous, loyal, noble, and brave Old Dan and Little Ann. The best dogs a boy could ever have.

I learned more about coon hunting than I thought possible, and enjoyed the adventures that Billy and his dogs went on. Had completely forgotten about much of the story. But I cherished it during this reread.

This book has stood the test of time and remains a beloved classic. I'm so glad I reread it.

This book packs a lot in a slim 104 pages. A beautiful story covering a very dark part of Canada's history and its treatment of Indigenous children being sent to residential schools, and the abuse they endured. Summer is visiting her grandparents with her mom and younger brother Sage. They pass by a former residential school and learn that their Mosom (grandfather) had been sent to a school when he was only 5 years ago. Summer starts having dreams about a girl named Buffalo Dreamer who ran away from a residential school and got caught in a blizzard. She sets about discovering if the dreams are based on a real person.

Ultimately while the story is steeped in a sad part of history, this is ultimately a book about hope and how future generations can heal and thrive, while learning about their ancestors' pasts.

Recommended for ages 9+.

Incredibly well written middle grade contemporary fiction with a unique premise. 12 year old Fern and her mother live in an off the grid community in New York run by a man named Dr. Ben. It's been their home for 6 years. One night, Fern's mother has them leave their home behind, and they drive all the way across the country to California. Fern is confused and wants nothing more than to return to her home, as she starts to the experience the real world and learns that maybe things weren't quite what she thought they were.

I couldn't put this down. I was caught up in Fern's story and rooting for her and her mother to find their way away from their past life. I adored the people they met in Driftwood Beach and the friendships they developed. I was frustrated with Fern trying so hard to get back in touch with Dr. Ben but found it to be so realistic given how she had been raised.

Also loved that the fictional town was based on Rockaway Beach in Pacifica which is an area I know very well. And that the beloved tea shop was based on a local darling, Lovey's Tea Shop which is one of my favorite places to get tea!

This sequel to the Door of No Return takes place in the south during the Jim Crow era. The main character is Charlie, granddaughter 

This historical fiction middle grade book was excellent. Set in the 1930s in New York, the book starts when 10 year old Halle's mother comes down with tuberculosis (also known as consumption). Tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in the early 1900s and many people were afraid of getting it. There was no known cure in the 1930s and antibiotics did not exist yet. Halle's mother is sent to a sanatorium to recover, with a treatment focus of sunlight and fresh air. When Halle also becomes ill, she is admitted to the children's wing of the sanatorium.

I was captivated from the start and finished this in one day. Halle was a tremendous main character - courageous, empathetic, scared, and tenacious. Her relationships with each of her parents were an important part of the story, as well as the friendships she gained while at the sanatorium. 

A touching and informative historical fiction that was riveting and hopeful. Recommended for ages 9+. 

I am really enjoying reading middle grade historical fiction! And this Newbery Award winning book captured my imagination and stole my heart, all while I learned a lot about the 2 time periods it alternated between.

First of all, the author captures the respective eras perfectly. There are two timelines, the first in 1918 follows a young boy nicknamed Jinx who comes upon the town of Manifest and befriends a 17 year old orphan named Ned. The two become friends and some of the folks from the small town, which already considers Ned an adopted son to all, takes a liking to Jinx as well. 

The second timeline is in 1936. A young girl named Abilene Tucker has been sent to Manifest by her young father, who has decided that his lifestyle on the road is no longer suitable for a young girl. Abilene is upset but believes that she'll only be there for the summer. Still, she meets a couple of friends and uncovers a bit of a mystery early on, and she starts learning the backstory of the town of Manifest, and what potential ties her father had to the town.

Manifest is a mining town made up of immigrants from Europe who came to the US for a better life. It's just as important part of the story as the characters and plot. I've been reading a lot Newbery contender books this year, and in thinking through the selection criteria, I think Moon Over Manifest is one of the finest examples I've seen of delineation of setting. Manifest is such a unique setting and so important to both storylines and moving the overall plot forward. I really commend the author on this.

Full of twists and turns and hijinks and good old fashioned wholesome fun, this is a must read!

Jamie Sumner sure knows how to write about mental health. This novel in verse that takes place over the course of a 6 hour marathon swim across Lake Tahoe is quite the powerful story. It handles the topic of depression with rawness, emotions, and truth. And it broke my heart.

Tully's mom has disappeared. She's not a bad mother, but she stopped taking her anti-depressants a few months ago, stopped therapy, and she hadn't been herself. She's been gone for a few months, and Tully and her dad are working through it. Tully, with the help of her best friend Arch who is her support crew, decide that Tully will do a 12 mile swim across Lake Tahoe in hopes of getting her mother to return home.

The way the book is structured is so interesting, and it's impossible to put down. This is easily a one sitting book. Every chapter represents an hour of the 6 hour swim. We're right there with Tully as she attempts the marathon swim, trying to be the youngest swimmer ever to do it. It's a seat of your pants read as we see Tully struggle and persevere and learn about her family's backstory.

A beautiful book that will tear your heartstrings. Recommended for ages 10+.