8 New Middle Grade Books, Sept 2023

Two-Headed Chicken Beak to the Future written and illustrated by Tom Angleberger
FUNNY / GRAPHIC NOVEL
Our favorite two-headed chickens are back in the multiverse for another hilarious adventure, this time in the “Tammy” (the infinite time streams), which looks suspiciously like a piece of broccoli. As they travel, they’ll change shapes and try to avoid the evil Kernal Antlers. Dive into this wacky story and discover the art of silliness like random characters such as the poet Emily Dickinson, dumb knock-knock jokes, puzzling quizzes, a card game called “The Magical Gathering of Dragons in a Dungeon” (HAHAHA), and book-banning that leads to…you guessed it, DOOM. Plus, it gets a bit meta when the author offers marketing and writing advice, too. All in all, you won’t want to miss this smash hit. I promise your readers will love it!

The Little Match Girl Strikes Back written by Emma Carroll, illustrated by Lauren Child
FAIRY TALE REBOOT / HISTORICAL FICTION
With stunning black, white, gray, and red illustrations, this is a quick but compelling read set in Victorian England that improves upon the famous Hans Christian Anderson story about a little matchgirl. In this story, Bridie lives with a loving little brother and mother. She sells matches to help feed the family while her mother makes them at the match factory. The factory’s conditions aren’t just awful; the phosphorous fumes are toxic to the workers. Starving and hoping for a better future, she blows her last three matches, wishing as she does. Her wishes help her find the courage to get a reporter involved and organize a worker’s strike.

Beneath the Swirling Sky (The Restorationists) written by Carolyn Leiloglou, illustrated by Vivienne To
FANTASY
Sent to his great-uncle’s house for the summer, Vincent learns his mom’s greatest secret when his little sister Lili wanders INTO a painting–and doesn’t come out! His cousin Georgia leads him through paintings, corridors, and museums to find Lili. At the same time, she explains their family’s talent –they travel into paintings to protect the art from other nefarious travelers. They track Lili to where she’s been kidnapped by a mysterious Lady. But they are captured, too. Forced to attend the Lady’s training, it becomes clear that the Lady is using stolen children and art to gain power and wealth. Even still, Vincent never expects the horrifying truth of who the Lady really is! Fast-paced and exciting with unique world-building, this art-filled, faith-implied, illustrated adventure will captivate readers from cover to cover.

The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown
Roz, our favorite sentient robot, is a friend to all the creatures on her island and mother to a special goose. In this excellent third book, the island is beset by poison tides, so Roz leaves to find the wise Ancient Shark in hopes of saving her friends from the poison destroying their home. Along the way, she meets new creatures and has interesting experiences, which also will teach readers a thing or two about ocean animals and the ocean biome. When she reaches her destination, will the Ancient Shark be able to help?

The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity written by Nicholas Day, illustrated by Brett Helquist
NONFICTION
You will love the incredible writing, the fun illustrations, the biographical information about the curious, brilliant, and distractable Leonardo Da Vinci, the other art heists from the poorly guarded Louvre (one involving Pablo Picasso), the burgeoning science of fingerprints to replace France’s ear-measuring methodology and the surprising, eventual discovery of the Mona Lisa. Interestingly, the Mona Lisa wasn’t a well-known painting until this art heist in 1911. And the Louvre wasn’t well-attended until after this dramatic theft. The theft was dramatic because the thief simply walked out with the stolen painting tucked under his shirt. Highly recommended!