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Book Reviews, Middle-Grade · March 3, 2022

Review | Squad Goals (Hearts & Crafts #1)

Book Review - Squad Goals (Hearts & Crafts #1

Summary: Squad Goals (Hearts & Crafts #1)

Squad Goals (Hearts & Crafts #1) is the first in a new middle grade series about Mackenzie Miller, a new seventh-grader who calls herself a “maker.” Mackenzie loves projects especially when they involve crafting artsy things or planning things. After her parents’ divorce and her father’s remarriage, it’s just Kenzie and her mom and Kenzie wants her mom to find a boyfriend.

Last year, her BFFs also dumped her and Kenzie is convinced she can try to win them back this year while working hard to make new friends. In the spirit of making, she quickly finds herself embroiled in a fundraiser to help get some of the Band kids in her school (she’s also in Band) new instruments. But can Mackenzie balance it all?

The Good

This was a fun book! For a while, I just read it because I liked MacKenzie and enjoyed seeing all she had going on in her life, but there’s a poignant lesson near the end of the story and that made me like this one more. Mackenzie has a great relationship with both of her parents, even though they’re divorced. She’s also close to her grandfather whose wife has died. Her best friend is an animal lover with a pet reptile that plays a fun role in the story.

Mackenzie is a really interesting character. She loves her friends and supports them deeply, but she has trouble letting other people help her. I strongly identified with her in that way because I’ve been there. Doing the fundraiser, trying to parent her mother, and care for her friends all while being a tween with her own issues was a lot for her. I liked seeing her figure stuff out in the end.

I think this is one of those books that may not win the Newberry but will be LOVED and adored by tween readers. It reminds me of books like Pizza My Heart and Alpaca My Bags, both of which I enjoyed and will resonate hard with the tween crowd.

Overall: Squad Goals (Hearts & Crafts #1)

Squad Goals (Hearts & Crafts #1) is a relatable, enjoyable middle grade book about crafting, friendships, and letting others help you. With a cast of lovable characters, a protagonist with divorced parents, and a fundraiser at the center of its plot, this story will appeal to tween girls (and boys) dealing with similar issues to Mackenzie’s. I really enjoyed this one and can see the series quickly becoming a hit.


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Squad Goals (Hearts & Crafts #1)

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Posted In: Book Reviews, Middle-Grade · Tagged: business savvy kids, divorced parents, friend break ups, perfectionism, single moms

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Comments

  1. Heather says

    March 3, 2022 at 8:18 am

    I enjoyed your description of this one. It made me want to read it. Sounds ideal for its intended audience. Thanks.

    Reply

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✨how ‘bout a little virtual reality?✨

☀️ Addie has reluctantly moved across the country with her dad for his summer job in the virtual reality industry. He's working on research to use VR for therapeutic purposes, such as helping people cultivate empathy. Addie is not into VR, but that starts to change when she meets Matteo another kid on campus, and tries out VR on her own. Eventually, the two find a helpful use for VR that helps other people.

🥽 I loved the illustration style in this one and while I found the VR setting a bit disorienting, I appreciated the unique lens of the story. The graphic novel format works brilliantly for helping readers appreciate the power of VR. I think with text, it would have just been too much “world-building.” This is more engaging and exciting for kids.

🐢 Lo and Behold is a clever middle grade graphic novel about virtual reality, grief, and parental addiction. Readers who enjoy VR will love this one, but as the Author's Note mentions, it will also be a fantastic introduction for those who, like me, aren't familiar with it. A fun summer read with hints of serious themes.

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✨surprisingly heartwarming middle grade✨ 🗺 ✨surprisingly heartwarming middle grade✨

🗺️ Ginny’s summer is thrown off when her dad gets a surprise redeployment in the middle of their family’s moving to another city. Then, her geography camp gets canceled. Her sister seems to be making new friends, but no one appears to like Ginny–even when she starts her own geography camp. 

❤️ I loved this book way more than I thought I would (from the synopsis). Ginny has such a great voice and she isn’t always the most likable character but she’s always real. I loved watching her grow throughout the story.

📍This sweet, unique young middle grade book made my heart grow and ache for Ginny and her family as they navigated a season of change. Features illustrations and a new geography fact in each chapter.

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🤓 Sixth grade is off to a rocky start for Rex. His district moved most of his elementary school to another middle school, his best friend ditches him for the popular crew, and his blurry vision means he has to get clunky new glasses–the only kind his family can afford. 

❤️ This sweet graphic novel for fans of Telgemeier is an ode to middle school, family, and finding your people.

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Do you like to hop on the “buzz train”? I find Do you like to hop on the “buzz train”? I find that buzzy books are often worth the hype. Even the few people who dislike them tend to have STRONG feelings about them 👀 which to me is a sign that the story got to you somehow. Of course, not every book is for every reader — hype or not. I share my tip for finding a hyped book that matches your reading tastes.

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I loved this graphic memoir about the author’s time as a counselor at a camp for kids with cancer. It was my first time reading anything by this author and I totally get the appeal.

This one didn’t end up being as sad as I thought it would be but it was very moving, especially because Krosoczka shares newspaper clippings and pictures of one the families with whom he forged a particularly close relationship even until his college years.

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You'll like this if you like:

Multiple perspectives (3 perspectives, 3rd person POV)
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If you prefer straightforward, plot-rich, fast-paced stories, you might struggle a bit with this one at the start. But it's worth it!

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Hi, new followers! It’s such a pleasure to have a few new faces around. I love finding new readers to follow on the gram. 

My name is Afoma and I run a book blog called Reading Middle Grade. I also run a Facebook Group and newsletter related to my blog. In my day job, I’m a freelance writer and editor, with a degree in medicine.

I’ve lived in three continents (born in Nigeria, med school in Ukraine and the Caribbean). I live in Nigeria now with my husband and many, many books 🤭 I love to cook and travel and run. This year, one of my goals is to become a better runner. I’m currently able to run 2K without stopping. 

Even though we don’t have traditional four seasons in Nigeria, the summer months are my favorite. From childhood, they were the one time when my overachieving, perfectionistic self could RELAX. And do nothing! And even now, I try to take time off in the summer to do nothing.

Some of favorite books this year have been LASAGNA MEANS I LOVE YOU, THE LOST YEAR (I lived in Ukraine for 3 years, so this resonated with me!), and MAAME. 

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