November 2023 New Middle Grade Releases

I haven’t read this one (I couldn’t get an ARC), but my pre-order is on the way! Sixth grader Lucy enjoys fantasy novels and is a new middle schooler, while her older sister GiGi is the queen bee of eighth grade, and their relationship has fallen apart even worse since their dad died. I’ve heard so many great things about this graphic novel about sibling rivalry, fencing, and family. I’ll update you once I’ve read it.

Remember this graphic novel from last year about a middle schooler who built an app to hack coolness? I enjoyed it, and if you had kids who did as well, they might be interested in the sequel. In this sequel, the coding club finds that their app has a malicious user. Morgan, Zoey, and Daniel code an update to contend with a mischievous AI llama that’s guiding a not-so-popular kid named Marcus to cause chaos in the school. Annoying little siblings, chaotic pranks, and more abound as they race to repair the glitchy app—and their own friendships—in their school before the damage is irreversible.

Claire is on vacation with both her parents in Maine, observing the widened rift between both of them as they go solo on activities, sometimes dragging her with either of them. Finally, her mom confesses to her that she’s planning on leaving her dad — exactly two seconds before she collapses due to a ruptured brain aneurysm. When Claire’s mom comes to, she doesn’t remember her last conversation with Claire and is forever changed emotionally and mentally. Now, Claire must cope with these changes while moving forward with the burden of her mom’s secret. This is a lovely verse novel with a book-loving protagonist who learns a lot about aneurysms after her mother’s experience. It will be invaluable to kids whose parents have experienced medical emergencies. There’s also a blossoming friendship with a boy, although it never progresses past platonic. Despite the age of its protagonists, this felt firmly middle grade to me.

This historical fiction novel is a charming follow-up to Daring Darleen, Queen of the Screen. It’s set in 1915 and follows missing heiress Victorine who is living incognito with Darleen as they find themselves caught in the midst of a mystery while traveling incognito. I’ve yet to read this one or its prequel, but I am duly intrigued.

Orthodox Jew Shaindy lives in a tight-knit Jewish community but feels invisible and socially inept. No one at school particularly dislikes her, but no one tries to befriend her or return her friendliness either. She envies her next-door neighbor Gayil who is beloved and excels academically, but she also wants to befriend and be Gayil. So when Gayil invites her to set up pranks on several students and teachers at their school, Shaindy is just happy to be in the inner circle. Unfortunately, the mischief quickly turns into something malicious as Shaindy realizes that Gayil’s pranks are designed to hurt her targets, and Shaindy is on the list of targets. This is an intricately plotted, strongly character-driven story about the inner lives of tween girls and the human emotions of envy. Although at times bogged down by detailed portrayals of Jewish tradition, this book is exceptionally engaging and truly unique.

The bombing of Pearl Habor is an unforgettable part of American history, but you’ve never seen it depicted as Marc Favreau does in this nonfiction title. We revisit that day and its aftermath through the eyes of several people, including a Japanese spy, a relegated American soldier, residents of the island of Hawaii, and members of the military families in the area. It includes real historical photographs and was pieced together from an array of eye-witness accounts. I love how accessible and easy to read this book is.

This stunning graphic novel follows Cinzia, Avvisi writer’s apprentice living in sunny Sianerra. Cinzia and her Mestra write news stories/pamphlets to the city, but not everyone likes it when they tell the truth. After an edition exposing the ruling family for extortion, Cinzia and her Mestra are arrested at night, and she has to join forces with the princess to fight back against censorship. Besides the wonderfully imaginative and powerful storyline, I loved the visuals and the diverse representation in this graphic novel. The main character has a bad leg and gets around with a walking stick, which is something rarely depicted in graphic novels (and it’s barely even discussed—it just is!). Although this book feels closer to fantasy (but without magical elements), it’s set in a Renaissance-style Italian village, so it could work for lovers of realistic fiction too.

Ever wondered why people say black cats are bad luck? Or why four leaf clovers are lucky? This book dissects the history of worldwide traditions, superstitions, and folklore, exploring which ones have scientific backing and which are just superstitions. With full-color illustrations and sections about animals, the natural world, the body, and other random stuff, this novelty book covers just about everything. If you have readers who are curious about luck and superstitions, this is a great choice for them.