Tree Dog by Margarita Engle

Thank you to MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

In this novel in verse, Tiana has moved around with her biologist parents from Canada to Cuba to California studying fishers, a type of weasel. She comes across a dog that can climb trees (yes, there really are breeds that can climb) who lead Tiana to her shepherd who was lost in the forest. Tiana and Tree Dog bond and watch out for each other. Tree Dog turns out to be very valuable in the conservation efforts, finding fishers, owls, and steering Tiana away from potential danger. There are underlying themes as well about immigration (the family is about to become U.S. citizens), racism, and book banning.

I like to recommend novels-in-verse to our reluctant readers as they don’t take as long to read. Because of these heavier themes, I would recommend for readers in grades 5 and up.

#TreeDog #NetGalley

A Game of Pets: The Boy Who Knew Too Much by Aaron Blabey

Thank you to MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Here’s the set-up – there’s an intergalactic show with alien avatars in pet form that try to get humans to destroy the Earth. The Players control the pets and the pets control the humans. Enter Griff, a young, lonely boy with many allergies who wants to get a pet. He goes to the local pet store to get a hypoallergenic pet that is not a FISH! So Griff gets an axolotl that he names Bob. On the walk home, Bob informs Griff that he can hear his thoughts which freaks Griff out.  After Griff manages to destroy the tank and is forced to put Bob in a water bottle, Bob manages to calm the boy down and informs his human friend that the world is going to end and Griff is the only one who can stop it. After Griff recovers for this shock, boy and axolotl go on a journey to find a young activist that they believe can help.

I found this book very enjoyable. Middle grade kids, especially fans of The Bad Guys, will definitely enjoy this relatively short book. Spoiler: This is the first of two books. Book 2 will release next summer.

#TheBoyWhoKnewTooMuchAGameOfPets#1 #NetGalley

This title will be available September 29, 2026.

Snowballed by Nicole Castrovinci

Thank you to Familius and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Snow falls on a mountain top and the wind turns it into a snowball, rolling down the mountain and picking up all the woodland creatures in its path. Cute pictures but the rhyming seems forced.

#Snowballed # NetGalley

This title will be available October 20, 2026.

Splish by DK Ryland

Thank you to Astra Young Readers and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What kind of fish is Splish? That is the question each time Splish is caught – always escaping to the unexpected ending. A very cute and short picture book.

#Splish #NetGalley

This title will be available September 15, 2026.

Stray by Cale Atkinson

Thank you to Tundra Books and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This story is narrated by a brown dog when he was young and his people no longer wanted him. He mentions the good and bad parts of being a stray. He gets caught by animal control and is taken to the dog pound. A sad story with a happy ending.

#Stray #NetGalley

Wombat Waiting by Katherine Applegate

This novel in verse begins with the dog who would later be named Wombat wandering the streets in California as a stray, searching for food and trying to stay safe. One day, she hears a voice saying “That way.” She finds out from an older dog that by hearing the voice, she is a “destiny dog.” Wombat follows the Voice’s directions straight toward a wildfire. She arrives at one of the shelters for people fleeing the fires and the Voice tells her to stop – she had found her person. The problem was that Silas wasn’t ready. So she waited.
I loved this book! Fans of Applegate will also enjoy it. Written in verse helps those reluctant readers who might be overwhelmed by the thickness of the book but it is a fast read. I would recommend this title for readers in grades three and up.

Whale Fall by Elysia Rourke

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This middle grade novel is narrated by Whale, a young orca stolen from her family pod in the Pacific. Whale loved her grandmother’s stories, especially “Whale Fall.” When a whale dies, her body sinks to the ocean floor, becoming nourishment for the animals who live on the bottom. Her spirit joins the “Great Mother,” the Creator of animal life. Whale clings to these stories as she is held in various pens and tanks over her captive life. The first place was a sea pen where she could still feel the ocean. This place seemed harsh but nothing prepared her for what was to come. Whale was transferred to a marine park and placed with other captive orcas. They were forced to perform in shows for the two-legs’ amusement.

This was a very difficult review to write as this book truly affected me emotionally. It is beautifully written and immensely sad at what these beautiful animals endured for human entertainment. My recommendation is for readers ages 10 and up.

#WhaleFall #NetGalley

This title will be available September 15.

Creepy Kid by Caleb Roehrig

Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Twelve-year-old Edgar Alden, Poe for short, has always been a little on the weird side. Aside from his grandmother, he has no friends. Grandmother shared his love for all things macabre and supernatural so Poe is devastated when she passes. Shortly after the funeral, Poe’s parents buy a house on the “good” side of town but the house is quite rundown. This means a new school for Poe and a chance to start over. Poe isn’t very optimistic about this new chance – he’s been bullied in the past – but he is also contending with a roommate – 12-year-old Violet, who happens to be a ghost. But that’s not all – there is something creepy and evil in the basement, enough to frighten Violet. Poe visits Grandmother’s grave and while talking to her ghost, he finds out that his family has the ability to see and talk to ghosts. Apparently, this gift skips a generation so his mother doesn’t have it. Poe wants to help Violet “cross over” but must also contend with the evil in the basement.

This is a good book for young readers starting on horror as well as current fans. The ending is satisfying (and predictable for the adult reader) and leaves things open for a sequel or series. I would recommend for readers in grade 3 and up.

#Creepy#Kid #NetGalley

This title will be releases August 25.

Nando by McCall Hoyle

Thank you to Shadow Mountain Publishing and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Nando is a border collie whose job it is to help herd the sheep on his farm. He is getting older but still very capable of doing his job. His person is Esperanza and her daughter Cloe. Cloe’s dog is Stella (the first book in the Best Friends Dog Tales series) and they have a barn cat named Oscar. When a tremendous hurricane approaches their area, Oscar runs off and Cloe and Stella set out to get him. Nando, needing to protect Cloe, goes after them when the storm hits. They are separated when the storm hits and Nando is rescued by a boy, Levi, who also got caught out in the storm. As they make their way down the mountain, they find Cloe, Stella, and Oscar along the way. However, the storm has caused a lot of damage and the humans and animals must figure out how to get home safely.

I have enjoyed all the books in the Best Friends Dog Tales series. These books are companion books so it is not necessary to read them in order (although it does help). This is a great adventure book for dog-lovers and adventure seekers alike. I would definitely recommend this title and all the others as well!

#Nando #NetGalley

This title will be released August 4, 2026.

Fatal Glitch: Camp Zero by Erin Entrada Kelly & Eric Schrefer

Thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Sofia Mendoza, age 11, loves gaming. Her favorite game is Sandbox, a “Minecraft-like” game of building and fighting monsters. What she does not like is camp, where she finds herself with 6 other kid gamers of various gaming skill levels about her age. They have challenges to complete as a team and individually. But the challenges go from challenging to frightening as the tweens are eliminated in harsh ways. Sofia will do anything to win but her actions will have consequences.

This book has enough gaming lingo and creep factor to keep middle grade readers engaged. It was simple enough the I, a non-gamer, was able to follow along. There are several twists and turns that many readers will not see coming. I would recommend this book for readers in grades 4 to 6. This is book 1 of 2. This title will be available July 21, 2026

#FatalGlitch #NetGalley