The Middle Grades New Release Spotlight for this second week of January is on the short side! I’ve got five new titles for you today, including two illustrated chapter books for elementary!
I don’t really have a “top pick” for middle grades this week. These titles look good, but none of them are blowing me away as “must haves” for the library. For most of these, I think it depends on your students and what’s popular at your school.
First Day, Worst Day will be a popular pick among fans of James Patterson’s Middle School series.
If you are looking for new sports fiction titles, Slugfest by Gordon Korman will fit the bill nicely.
Lulu Sinagtola and the City of Warriors will be popular with fans of the Percy Jackson series or the Rick Riordan Presents books.
Newbie Fairy, book one of the new Oona Bramblegoop series looks like a cute choice for readers who love the Rainbow Magic series.
The Reckoning will be great for budding activists who are too young for The Hate U Give or Stamped.
Author: Gordon Korman
Publication Date: 9 Jan 2024
Genre: realistic fiction, humor
Setting: summer school PE class
Recommended for: Grades 4-8
Themes: summer school, sports, friendship, different abilities, alternating perspectives
Protagonist: perspectives alternate among five rising 9th graders who failed PE for some reason; all default to white
Starred reviews: Kirkus
Pages: 304
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Author: Wade Hudson
Publication Date: 9 Jan 2024
Genre: realistic fiction
Setting: small and segregated town of Morton, Louisiana
Recommended for: Grades 3-7
Themes: grandfathers, filmmaking, grief, Black history, social issues, racism, murder, racial violence, activism, civil rights, systemic racism
Protagonist: male, age 12, Black
Starred reviews: no starred reviews
Pages: 256
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Lamar can’t wait to start his filmmaking career like his idol Spike Lee. And leave behind his small town of Morton, Louisiana. But for now, Lamar has to learn how to be a filmmaker while getting to know his grandfather.
When Gramps talks about his activism and Black history, Lamar doesn’t think much about it. Times have changed since the old Civil Rights days! Right? He has a white friend named Jeff who wants to be a filmmaker, too, even though Jeff’s parents never let him go to Lamar’s Black neighborhood. But there’s been progress in town. Right?
Then Gramps is killed in a traffic altercation with a white man claiming self-defense. But the Black community knows better: Gramps is another victim of racial violence. Protesters demand justice. So does Lamar. But he is also determined to keep his grandfather’s legacy alive in the only way he knows how: recording a documentary about the fight against injustice.
Author: Gail D. Villanueva
Publication Date: 9 Jan 2024
Genre: fantasy, mythology
Setting: Silanganan Village, a subdivision of Manila, The Philippines
Recommended for: Grades 3-7
Themes: Tagalog mythology, monsters, kidnapped parents, rescue missions, magical powers, quests
Protagonist: female, age 11, Filipina, adopted
Starred reviews: no starred reviews
Pages: 368
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Lulu Sinagtala can’t wait for a fun Christmas break. She’s excited to hang out with her sister, Kitty, and best friend, Bart; to reenact her favorite legends from Tagalog folklore (like the amazing tale of Bernardo Carpio); and, of course, to eat as much yummy street-side inihaw as possible!
But when a vicious wakwak attacks her neighborhood and kidnaps Mom, Lulu discovers the creatures and deities of Tagalog myth are real and that two additional Realms exist beyond our own. To make it worse, Lulu has superhuman strength and the ability to wield magic, meaning she’s the only one powerful enough to stop the evil spirit who’s determined to rule the three Realms at all costs. No pressure, right?
Lulu, Kitty, and Bart set off on a quest to rescue Mom, where they outsmart cunning enemies, battle vengeful beings, and form unlikely alliances. Soon they find themselves swept into a centuries-long fight, unraveling secrets about Lulu and her past that threaten to upend everything and throw the whole universe into chaos. Can Lulu muster the strength (superhuman or not) to find out who she really is and who she can trust to save Mom and the three Realms before it’s too late?
Author: Kate Korsh
Illustrator: Marta Altés
Publication Date: 9 Jan 2024
Genre: fantasy, humor, illustrated chapter book
Setting: Blackberry Bog, a magical fairy land
Recommended for: Grades 2-5
Themes: fairies, spells, magic, slugs, friendship, Tooth Fairy
Protagonist: young slug fairy, green skin
Starred reviews: no starred reviews
Pages: 128
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
Oona Bramblegoop is a Newbie fairy, and she’s determined to do big things, especially if they can impress her idol, the Tooth Fairy. There’s just one problem: Oona’s magic never goes quite how she planned.
Oona’s protection spells work great, but only if you don’t mind getting a wedgie from a pair of magical underwear. And don’t even mention the smell disaster that resulted from her first fire spell…yikes!
Good thing Oona is creative, and she never gives up, no matter how surprising her magic gets.
Packed with Fun Fairy Facts, humor, and lots of heart, this magical series celebrates finding friendship and your place in the world, even if you fit in a little sideways.
Author: Andy Nonamus
Illustrator: Amy Jindra
Publication Date: 9 Jan 2024
Genre: humor, illustrated chapter book
Setting: elementary school
Recommended for: Grades 1-4
Themes: new kid in school, bad luck, anonymity, embarrassment, gross-out humor
Protagonist: male, white, bright orange hair
Starred reviews: no starred reviews
Pages: 128
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY
[REDACTED] keeps his name and school secret—even hiding his appearance behind stickers. Why? Because his bad luck is super embarrassing!
It’s the first day at a new school, and this fresh new start means absolutely no one knows just how unlucky he is. But after missing his school bus, getting lost looking for his classroom, and getting smacked in the face with a basketball, he quickly realizes he is doomed forever. Luckily, some new friends might just help him make it through the worst first day ever!
With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, The Very Worst Ever chapter books are perfect for emerging readers.
THE LINKS YOU’LL NEED FOR JANUARY
- January 2024 – Middle Grade Books – Google Slides presentation – click “use template” to make a copy – share with students and teachers! Remember that this presentation will eventually include all Middle Grade Spotlight titles for January 2024.
- Printable list of all January 2024 Spotlight titles – sorted by genre and grade level group; click “use template” to make a copy
- The Ginormous Book List – this week’s Middle Grade titles are #3761- #3765 on The Ginormous.
MORE JANUARY 2024 NEW RELEASE SPOTLIGHTS
ABOUT THE SPOTLIGHT
The New Release Spotlight began in May 2016 as a way to help librarians keep up with the many new children’s and YA books that are released each week.
Each week, school librarian Leigh Collazo compiles the New Release Spotlight using a combination of Follett’s Titlewave, Amazon, Goodreads, and Barnes and Noble. Recommended grade levels represent the range of grade levels recommended by professional book reviewers. See the full selection criteria here.
Inevitably, there are far more books that meet my criteria than can make it on the Spotlight. When I have to make the tough decisions on what to include, I just use my “librarian judgment.” Would I buy this book for my own library? Would my students want to read this book? Is the cover appealing? Does it fill a need?