Daphne and Velma: The Dark Deception by Morgan Baden

Interest Level: YA

Genre: Mystery
Reading Level: 7.5

Daphne and Velma have barely started investigating one case when another mystery strikes. Hundreds of valuable gems begin washing ashore, and soon everyone is convinced it's a sign from the Lady Vampire of the Bay, a ghostly creature who's said to have haunted the town a hundred years earlier. Daphne and Velma are convinced there's a logical reason the jewels have appeared, and they're determined to find out what it is. But asking questions about Crystal Cove's legends can be dangerous. It seems like everyone in town has something to hide . . . especially the families who've profited off the town's mysterious past. Can the girls discover what's lurking behind all this dark deception?

I was excited to read this book because I enjoyed the first book in the series. This book had promised a more prominent role for Shaggy and Scooby. I don't feel that Shaggy and Scooby were as involved as I had hoped. I did not enjoy this book as much as I did the first book. But it was written by a different author, so that may be why. I didn't dislike it enough to give up on the series. When and if the third book comes out, I will read it as well. I would still recommend this book to all Scooby Doo and the gang fans.

The Forgotten Girl by Indie Hill Brown

Interest Level: 3-6

Reading Level: 5.2
Genre: Fiction / Ghost Story

When eleven-year-old Iris sneaks out at night to make snow angels, she was not expecting to raise the ghost of Avery Moore, a girl her own age; but bringing to light the segregated and abandoned black cemetery seems like the perfect way to help Avery get the recognition she craves, and it will also be a good idea for the school project about the history of her small North Carolina town, where racial tensions are never far from the surface--only it seems that if Avery gets everything she wants Iris will join her as a ghost, best friends forever.

This book is listed as an interest level of 3rd to 6th grade. I think it might be to scary for 3rd and 4th graders. I thought it was well written. The author made you care about Iris and Daniel. You do not want any harm to come to them. I liked that the author threaded in some historical facts regarding segregation of graveyards. I would recommend this to any student who likes scary stories. I am usually not a fan of scary stories but enjoyed this book.

The Vanishing Girl: Daphne and Velma #1 by Josephine Ruby

Interest Level: YA

Genre: Mystery
Reading Level: 5.1

I LOVE Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang. In this book the gang is in high school but have not yet come together, all five of them, to solve mysteries. The book gives a nod to "A Pup Named Scooby-Doo" and acknowledges that Daphne and Velma were friends when they were children. I enjoyed this book so much that I bought the second book in the series. I will be donating this book to the library collection. I recommend it to all who love Scooby and the gang.

Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee

Interest Level: 5-8

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: 4.2

For seventh-grader Mila, it starts with some boys giving her an unwanted hug on the school blacktop. A few days later, at recess, one of the boys (and fellow trumpet player) Callum tells Mila it’s his birthday, and asks her for a “birthday hug.” He’s just being friendly, isn’t he? And how can she say no? But Callum’s hug lasts a few seconds too long, and feels…weird. According to her friend, Zara, Mila is being immature and overreacting. Doesn’t she know what flirting looks like? But the boys don’t leave Mila alone. On the bus, in the halls and during band practice—the one place Mila could always escape. It doesn’t feel like flirting—so what is it? Thanks to a chance meeting, Mila begins to find solace in a new place: karate class. Slowly, with the help of a fellow classmate, Mila learns how to stand her ground and how to respect others—and herself.

For the first quarter of this book, I was furious. I couldn't believe that none of her friends were listening to Mila when she said that the boys in her class were making her uncomfortable. I was disappointed that Mila felt has had to do something big in order for someone to listen to what she was saying. That being said, this book is a must read. The plot assumes that the boys didn't know that what they were doing was sexual harassment. If that were the case then their parents and the school's curriculum had done these boys a disservice. I would have liked the author to have mentioned some kind of counseling for Mila. I am unsure what moved me to give this book 4 and not 5 stars, maybe it was the topic. 

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

Interest Level: 5-8

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: 6.3

Jude never thought she'd be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives. At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven't quite prepared her for starting school in the US --and her new label of 'Middle Eastern,' an identity she's never known before.

I enjoyed "Other Words for Home". I liked the character Jude and cared about her struggles. The story moved along nicely and I found myself looking forward to reading it. I would recommend this book to any middle school student.

I Can Make This Promise By Christine Day

Interest Level: 5-8

Genre: Realistic Fiction
Reading Level: 6.2

When twelve-year-old Edie finds letters and photographs in her attic that change everything she thought she knew about her Native American mother's adoption, she realizes she has a lot to learn about her family's history and her own identity.

I choose to read this book because it is a nominee for the 2022 Oregon Readers Choice Award. After reading all of the nominated books. This is my vote for the award. I loved the main character Edie. I cared about her journey to find out about her heritage. The plot kept moving. I was compelled to keep reading. I would definitely recommend this book to middle schoolers.

Mighty Moe: The True Story of a Thirteen-Year-Old Women's Running Revolutionary by Rachel Swaby & Kit Fox

Interest Level: 5-8

Genre: Biography

Reading Level: 5.8

The untold true story of runner Maureen Wilton, whose world record-breaking marathon time at age thirteen was met first with misogyny and controversy, but ultimately with triumph.

I chose to read this book when I heard a character on the Netflix series "Atypical" talk about it. I knew that there was a gender barrier in competitive sports that needed to be broken. However, I did not know more than that. Now I know about the women that not only broke that barrier but shattered it in the sport of track. I will be purchasing this book for the middle school library collection. I recommend this to anyone who likes running or stories of perseverance or history.

Some Places More Than Others by Renee Watson

Interest Level: 5-8

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Reading Level: 4.6

Amara, almost 12, leads a comfortable life in Beaverton, Oregon. Her dad works for Nike, and that brings perks. Her mom owns a boutique and is pregnant with Amara’s soon-to-be sister. But when her teacher assigns a family history project, she realizes there’s a lot she doesn’t know: Why is her father estranged from Grandpa Earl? For her birthday, Amara wants to go to New York with her Dad on a business trip and see Grandpa Earl. But her Mom thinks that it might not be the best idea.

A great book with many twists and turns. It made me want to visit New York again. I routed for Amara and I wanted her Dad and Grandpa to reconcile. I highly recommend this book for students in 5th grade to 9th grade. 

Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl's Baseball Dream by Crystal Hubbard

Interest Level: K-3
Genre: Historical Fiction

Reading Level: 4.3

A biography of African-American baseball player Marcenia Lyle, whose love of baseball as a child allowed her to break the gender barrier by becoming the first female member of the professional Negro Leagues.

I happened on to this book; and although I knew it was too young to buy for the middle school library, I had to pick it up and read it. I love baseball and I loved this book. Growing up with all brothers, all boy cousins and in an all boy neighborhood, I was routing for Marcenia. If you happen to see this book in a library or a bookstore, READ it. Or buy it for a young person that you know that loves baseball.

Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Interest Level: 3-6

Genre: Historical Fiction
Reading Level: 5.8

 Danger is never far from Audra's family farm in Lithuania. She always avoids the occupying Russian Cossack soldiers, who insist that everyone must become Russian -- they have banned Lithuanian books, religion, culture, and even the language. But Audra knows her parents are involved in something secret and perilous.

When Cossacks arrive abruptly at their door, Audra's parents insist that she flee, taking with her an important package and instructions for where to deliver it. But escape means abandoning her parents to a terrible fate.

As Audra embarks on a journey to deliver the mysterious package, she faces unimaginable risks, and soon she becomes caught up in a growing resistance movement. Can joining the underground network of book smugglers give Audra a chance to rescue her parents?

I LOVE historical fiction. I highly recommend this book for 3rd through 9th graders. The characters are compelling. The story moves along at a nice pace. The story comes to a nice close; and an ORCA (Oregon Readers Choice Award) nomination for 2021.