The Storm Keeper's Island

Fionn Doyle and his sister Tara are spending the summer on Arranmore Island with their grandfather.  Tara was on the island last summer, but Fionn has never been before, and the moment he steps off the ferry, he knows something is strange about this place.  The earth seems to move and change beneath his feet leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

Their grandfather's cottage is filled with candles with strange names, and the old man seems to spend all his time making them.  Tara immediately sets off with a boy in search of some magical cave.  Fionn is skeptical, but it seems it's all true.

His grandfather isn't just a candlemaker; he's the storm keeper.  Each of those candles allows the user to relieve the moment it captures, and Fionn's grandfather has spent a lifetime preserving the island's magic.  Once in a generation, the island chooses a member of one of the old families to wield its power, and Fionn's grandfather is nearing the end of his time.

There is also an ancient evil buried deep beneath the earth in the island.  Long ago, Morrigan used her power to subdue and control before she was defeated.  Now, it almost seems like she can sense a change even deep in the earth after all this time.  Is that ancient evil waking once again?

Catherine Doyle's fantasy series begins with this wonderful Celtic adventure.  It's a great fantasy, but it's grounded in the real world with an annoying older sister, a grandfather struggling with memory loss, and the pain of a lost father.  I loved it all, and I can't wait to find out what happens next!  Fantasy fans will fight for this one!  This book is inspired by the author's experiences growing up on the real Arranmore Island in Ireland, and now I'm sad I didn't go there when I was in Ireland myself.

The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane

Emmy's dad has been a mystery to her since he disappeared on her third birthday.  Her mother has always refused to talk about him at all.  That just leaves Emmy and her mom, the parenting guru who is always moving Emmy to a new and "better" school.  It's hard to make friends when you never stick around for more than a year.

But now her mother has reached an all-time high in best (worst?) parenting.  She has a new TV show that will have her traveling all over the country, and she'll be so busy working she won't really have time to pay attention to Emmy.  So she's sending Emmy to boarding school.  In England.

Despite a rocky start at Wellsworth (including a terrible roommate), Emmy eventually starts to enjoy life at boarding school.  She's actually made some real friends for once.  Then she uncovers a surprising coincidence; her dad went to Wellsworth, too!

Determined to find clues about her father, instead, she uncovers dark truths about the school including a secret society.  The Order of Black Hollow Lane has been around for centuries, and her dad seems to be connected somehow.  Emmy and her new friends are determined to uncover the truth, but some people believe the truth should stay hidden at any cost.

Julia Nobel's mystery series starter was a pleasant surprise.  The cover puts this book squarely in middle grade territory, but the characters could easily have been older.  This is an engaging mystery with plenty of twists, a secret criminal society, and a missing father.  Great fun!  I can't wait for the next one!

On Thin Ice

Ked's life just seems to be getting worse every day.  His mom left years ago looking for better opportunities on the other side of the country.  Ked and his dad live in a Maine town on the edge of failing.  His dad barely brings home enough from factory job to cover the rent, and there is no guarantee he won't gamble it all away. 

Ked's lost his friend's over the years, and the last one just abandoned him to eat alone in the cafeteria.  He tries to tell himself it's no big deal, he doesn't really mind, he saw this coming.  When he was diagnosed with kyphosis, he thought things would be ok.  After all, it took years before he even noticed the curving of his spine, but once it started, the damage intensified quickly.  Now the hump on his back is so bad, he can't really fit normal sized clothes.  Not only are all his friends gone, but he is also the obvious target for bullies at school.

When he finds out his dad gambled their rent money, and they are about to be homeless, Ked takes a risk of his own.  He decides to buy a pocket bike in poor condition, rebuild it, and sell it for a profit.  If he can fix it in time and make enough money, he might be able to save their home, but it's not going to be easy.

This new book by Michael Northrop is good in a lot of ways.  It has a child with a disability that is often not represented and plays to the kids who are mechanically inclined.  I just found it a difficult to swallow that a kid with no experience rebuilding an engine could get it right on the first try.  The conclusion is wrapped up a little too neatly, as well.  I'm not sure how many 7th graders have the maturity to see beyond themselves and recognize the "person beneath the surface."  I'm also not sure how many bullies would have such a quick turn around.  I'm interested to get a student's perspective on this one. 

The Collectors

Van is small and quiet, and people have a tendency to overlook him, but he notices everything.  He may not be able to hear well, but he can focus in on the small things in the world around him like no one else he knows.  He travels the world with his mother.  They live in the city where his mother is performing in the opera and then move on to the next. 

One day Van notices something he shouldn't--a girl in a long black coat taking pennies out of a fountain.  She's accompanied by a talking squirrel.  Not only can the squirrel talk, but Van has no problems hearing him.  It's like the squirrel is talking directly into his mind.  He follows the girl and her squirrel and discovers the truth, wishes are real!  Pebble is a collector.  It's their job to collect wishes before they can get out into the world.  As Pebble tells him, some wishes are silly, but others are dangerous. 

No one is supposed to know about the collectors.  No one has ever even seen them before.  Van is sworn to secrecy and sent on his way, but he can't stop thinking about the collectors and the creatures who help them collect the wishes. 

He soon discovers the collectors aren't the only ones after the wishes, and they haven't told him the whole truth.  He's stumbled on a strange new world full of rivals where everyone seems to be keeping secrets.  Can Van uncover the truth before he makes a terrible mistake?

This series opener by Jacqueline West is a fun fantasy adventure featuring a character with a disability.  While Van's hearing loss sometimes leaves him confused, it is also often an advantage.  It's an interesting premise, but I couldn't help questioning the impossibility of collecting ALL the wishes and other creatures important to the story.  Maybe those questions will be answered in subsequent books.  Recommended for fantasy fans.

The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James

For the last few years, Sunny St. James has been held back by her weak heart.  She couldn't even go to school, and she was always tired and out of breath.  A heart transplant offers her a fresh start, and she intends to make the best of it.

Her amazing new life plan has three parts:  have adventures, find a new best friend, and kiss a boy.  It's a great plan in theory, but maybe not so easy in real life.  Her long lost mother who abandoned her when Sunny was four has suddenly reappeared, and Sunny isn't sure she even wants to see her.  She has Kate who has never let her down and took care of her during all those bad years before the new heart.

She wants nothing to do with her former best friend Margot.  Sunny can't get over Margot's betrayal, but she doesn't really have any other friends since she's been out of school and homebound for so long.  When she meets Quinn, a blue-haired girl whose life is all about adventure, it seems like a dream come true.

Quinn's never had a best friend either.  She's constantly moving because of her mom's job, but she and Sunny make an instant connection and decide to embark on a kissing quest together this summer.  But Sunny is coming to the realization it isn't a boy she wants to kiss.

Ashley Herring Blake has written another novel about an LGBTQ living her life, and it's perfect for middle school.  These are so hard to find, and I am thankful for each one.  This is a beautiful story about friendship, belonging, love, and living life to the fullest.  Highly recommended.

Spin

DJ ParSec's career was poised to take off when she was murdered.  No one is more upset than her former best friend Kya and current publicist Fuse.  Kya and Fuse are both upset about ParSec's death, but there's no love lost between them, and they are angry and suspicious.

Even though she was only sixteen, ParSec's music has already inspired a rabid fanbase, #ParSecNation.  But there's a dark side to everything and the Dark Nation is not satisfied with the police investigation, and they are equally suspicious of ParSec's former friends.

The Dark Nation makes Kya and Fuse an offer they can't refuse:  find out who killed ParSec, or pay the price themselves for her death.

As the story unfolds in the present, DJ ParSec, AKA Paris, tells her own story in flashbacks of the months leading up to her death.

Kya and Fuse are getting closer to the truth, but that also means they are getting closer to a killer.

Lamar Giles's newest thriller is his best so far.  This is a great mystery set in the heart of the homegrown music scene with strong ties to the power of social media.  Recommended for grades 8 and up.

Watch Hollow

The Tinker family is on the brink of financial and emotional ruin.  Since their mother died, Olliver and have been struggling with their grief.  The family watch shop is also funning in the red, and creditors are hounding them.

It seems too good to be true when a strange little man named Mr. Quigley shows up offering an insane amount of money to fix the clock in his new house.  He even gives them a downpayment in gold coins!

When they arrive at Blackford House in Watch Hollow, Lucy immediately feels uneasy.  The house is in worse shape than they anticipated, and it's surrounded by a dark dense forest.

The clock itself is set into the wall of the house and generates electricity for the house.  Mr. Tinker has never seen anything like it, but he and Oliver set about trying to figure it out.  Meanwhile, Lucy has made some discoveries of her own.  There are enchanted animals living in the house.  During the day they are wooden statues, but after midnight they come alive.

The kids will team up with these animals to protect themselves and the house from a monster living in the woods named the Garr who feeds on fear and who wants to ring every last drop of terror out of them before destroying them.

This middle grade thriller by Gregory Funaro is creepy and atmospheric with an interesting fantasy twist of the magical clock and animals.  Illustrations at the beginning of each chapter add to the dark tone.  Recommended.

Lovely War

When James sees Hazel playing the piano at a party, he is instantly drawn to her.  It's 1917, and he is a brand new soldier on his way to training and then the war.  Hazel is a quiet girl who loves the piano and has never had a real adventure.  The two feel an instant attraction and decide to spend time together over the few days they have.  Hazel never thought she could fall in love so quickly.

Aubrey Edwards is an African American soldier and gifted musician.  He's played Carnegie Hall, and now he will play for the soldiers at the front.  He's faced racism at home, but he and some of the other soldiers in the 15th New York Infantry are hoping their service in the war will change minds. 

When Aubrey sees Colette, he is instantly smitten.  Colette has a lovely face and an amazing voice.  The two make beautiful music together, but Colette always holds a part of herself back.  She has already survived a terrible horror at the hands of the Germans and has vowed to keep her heart locked away.

Thirty years later, at the height of WWII, the Greek gods have assembled to deal with a problem at an elite Manhattan hotel.  Hephaestus knows his wife is cheating on him with Ares, and he has vowed to catch her in the act and put her on trial.  For her part, Aphrodite uses this opportunity to show that love and war are always intertwined.  She and the other gods tell their parts in the story of the four young lovers in 1917.  In the end, she just may prove that love is more powerful than war after all. 

I think I actually became the heart eyes emoji while reading this book.  It may be my favorite book of the year.  I studied Greek mythology, and the idea of using Hephaestus' trap to catch the cheating Aphrodite to tell these beautiful stories of love and war is wonderful.  Julie Berry also reframes the ancient love triangle beautifully.  Seriously.  Just read it!

Inkling

Ethan's dad created a mutant comic book hero that brought him and his publisher success, but since Ethan's mom died, he hasn't been able to draw much of anything.  He's barely even taking care of Ethan and his little sister Sarah.

Ethan wishes he had his dad's drawing ability, but he just doesn't.  He's been bluffing for years, and everyone at school thinks he's a great artist.  Now they are working on a group project to create a graphic novel, and his group nominates Ethan to do the art.  Is his secret about to be revealed?

Late one night, the ink on one of Ethan's dad's sketchbooks begins to move and twist and coalesce.  After a great deal of effort, the ink blob jumps free of the page.  Inkling is born!  He can think, he can learn, and he can draw!

Could Inkling be the solution to all their problems?

Kenneth Oppel's newest middle grade novel is good fun and adventure with a dose of moral philosophy.  When is it ok to use someone or something else for your own purpose?  Is it ever ok to take credit for someone else's work?  Comic panels illustrate the story and show Inkling's work.  This one does skew younger, but any middle school artist would enjoy this tale!  Recommended.

Small Spaces

When Ollie sees the crying woman by the river, she knows she should look away, but she can't.  Then the woman tries to throw her book in the river, and Ollie can't stand it; she grabs the book to save it from destruction. 

The book tells the story of Beth, the two brothers who loved her, and the smiling man who will grant your wish but only for a price.  Ollie can't stop reading and even brings the book with her on a class field trip to a local farm.

She's surprised to find the crying woman is the owner of the farm, and she is acting like she doesn't recognize Ollie.  Smoke Hollow has its own tragic history, and when Ollie finds a graveyard with the very names from her book, she begins to wonder if the story is true. 

Then the bus breaks down in the middle of nowhere.  When the teacher goes for help, the strange bus driver warns the kids they should get moving because night is coming soon, and "they'll be coming for the rest of you."  Ollie isn't sure why she believes him, but she and two other kids decide to leave the bus and keep to the small spaces as the driver warns. 

Could the smiling man be real?  What about the strange scarecrows that seem to follow them with their eyes and move when no one is looking?  Now Ollie has only the old book and the driver's warnings to keep her safe in Smoke Hollow.

Catherine Arden's new book is a creepy ghost story with the mysterious smiling man at its center and his animated scarecrows who house the souls he has taken.  This book also deals effectively with Ollie's grief over her mother's recent death.  Highly recommended!

Each Tiny Spark

Emilia has trouble focusing in school because of her ADHD.  Too much noise makes her feel overwhelmed, and she's easily distracted by things outside the classroom. 

She knows this week will be a challenge. Her mom is headed out to California for a conference, and her dad is returning from an eight month deployment in the marines.  Things with her abuela aren't getting any better either.  Abuela is always trying to turn Emilia into a young lady, including straightening Emilia's curly hair every day.

Her father isn't his normal self.  Emilia knows not to make sudden movements or sneak up on her dad, but he doesn't seem to want to be around anyone or even talk to Emilia. 

When her social studies teacher gives the class an assignment to create a travel guide for their town, Emilia decides to start with the Latino grocery store where her family gets all the ingredients for Cuban food.  Her research gets her on the track of immigration and unfair laws, which doesn't make everyone at school happy. 

The town is also in upheaval over proposed redistricting for the schools.  It seems like Emilia is going to have to choose between her overbearing former best friend Clarissa and her new best friend Gustavo.  Emilia has always struggled to stand up for herself, but maybe it's time to speak up.

I really love Pablo Cartaya's books, and this is a great addition to middle grade collections.  We always need more books with culturally diverse characters, and many readers will see themselves in Emilia's family and friends.  From a critical perspective, however, this book tries to tackle multiple issues with varying degrees of success.  Based on the cover and the little hints in the beginning, I expected Emilia and her friends and family to come to an awareness of her mechanical ability, and I certainly thought there would be more welding.  I enjoyed the characters and the world, and I just wanted a more focused plot.

Survivor Girl

When Ali has to spend the week with her dad and older brother working on his survivalist tv show, Survivor Guy, she's not as excited as she should be.  She's been telling anyone who would listen for years about her excellent survival skills and the cool trips she's been on with her dad, but none of it is really true.  She's read all the books, but she's never really had an adventure of her own, and now she's afraid the truth will come out when she looks like a total wimp on tv.

But Ali quickly realizes her dad isn't the survivalist she thought he was.  Survivor Guy is a massive production with luxury campers, a props department, and even a chef.  Everything on the show is fake, and Ali is having a difficult time accepting the truth. 

She's also in denial about her family.  She believes her family will be whole again if her parents could just spend some time together without fighting, but all this time on set with her dad is making it more difficult to believe.

When a disaster strikes, Ali will have to put all her reading and survival skills to the test in a life and death situation.

This adventure tale by Erin Teagan was engaging and suspenseful.  Ali is believable as a young girl who accepts her father at face value while struggling to be honest with herself and her friends about her own life.  Recommended for middle grade readers who enjoy a good survival story.

The Lovely and the Lost

Kira's earliest memories are of surviving alone in the wilderness for weeks before she was rescued.  She doesn't know why no one ever came looking for her, but she does know her adoptive family saved her in every way possible. 

Kady Bennett has spent her life training dogs and working search and rescue.  She and her son, Jude, are possibly the only people who could have coaxed Kira back from the feral child she appeared to be.  Their family, along with best friend, Free, and the dogs have a close bond. 

The Kady's estranged father shows up asking for help to find a lost girl.  The kids have never met Bales Bennett, and it's clear Kady has not forgiven her father something from the past, but they load up the dogs and head to the mountain in search of Bella.

Kira expected this search might bring up some old memories, but the experience is triggering her more than she expected, keeping her on edge and bringing out the ferocious lost girl who was more animal than human.  She is desperate to find Bella herself as a way to make amends with the past. 

The longer the search continues, the more desperate the situation becomes.  Will they find Bella alive?  And is this more than just a case of a little girl wandering away from her campsite?

I was not expecting Jennifer Lynn Barnes's new mystery about a lost girl and buried secrets.  This is not only a great mystery but also a meditation on how traumatic events from childhood can remain beneath the surface.  Recommended for grades 7 and up for more mature characters and storylines. 

Don't Cosplay with My Heart

Edan loves dressing like her favorite superhero, Gargantua.  She may be tiny, and her life may be a mess right now, but becoming Gargantua makes her feel powerful. 

Her best friend is in Japan for the summer, and Eden's family is falling apart.  Her dad may or may not have been involved in some shady actions at the Hollywood payroll office where he works.  He's been sequestered for the summer pending trial.  That means no trips, no money, no dad, and a depressed mother. 

In the midst of all this, Eden decides to go to her first con.  She's been obsessed with Team Tomorrow for years, and now she's going to take it to the next level.  At the con, she realizes she's found her people--the people who unapologetically geek out about the things they love.  She also has a chance meet up with her crush Yuri.  Even though his friends are jerks, Eden and Yuri start hanging out and eventually dating. 

With her newfound love of cosplay, Eden decides to start a club at school, but Yuri isn't the only geeky boy who catches her attention.  Kirk seems nice, but he's also a little mysterious.  She's had a crush on Yuri for years, but he may not be as great as she thought he was.  Add that to the fact that she hasn't told anyone, not even her best friend about her father's legal troubles, and Edan is setting herself up for a major plot crisis!

Cecil Castellucci's geeky romance novel is a fun read.  I enjoyed the inclusive friendships in the cosplay club and Edan's willingness to work hard and learn a new skill.  I also appreciated the representation of therapy as a normal and vital part of the healing process for people going through intense change.  This is a believable story about a girl who goes from a normal amount of teenage selfishness to a more mature self-aware character.  Recommended.

Boy Bites Bug

Will has had the same best friends since forever.  They live in a small Minnesota town, so there aren't a lot of new kids, and Will, Simon, and Darryl have always done everything together. 

When Darryl makes a racially charged remark to the new kid, Eloy Herrera, Will is shocked.  He tries to distract and diffuse the situation by eating a stink bug.  No one said it was a good idea.  It does distract everyone, but he also gets sprayed in the mouth by a stink bug.

Will is sure his life is over, but in a strange twist of fate eating a bug actually makes him popular.  Everyone else may think it's the greatest joke ever, but Darryl isn't happy.  The situation intensifies when Will decides to take the bug-eating further with a class presentation.  He makes a deal with Eloy.  Eloy's dad, the chef at Will's favorite restaurant, will prepare some grasshoppers for Will to serve his classmates, and Will will give Eloy help to join the wrestling team. 

It's still not an instant friendship as Will has to confront his own feelings about Darryl and his frustrations with Eloy who doesn't always welcome Will's version of help. 

In all his research for the class presentation, Will learns that people actually eat all kinds of insects on purpose.  They are a good source of protein and good for the environment.  Is Will becoming a bug eater for real?

Rebecca Petruck's new book allows her protagonist to examine his own biases about Hispanic people and have genuine change of character.  It has all the shifting friendships of middle school with the ickiness of eating insects.  Recommended.

Saving Orion

Rion feels a little out of place in his family.  They all have great passions and always have something to be excited about.  Honestly, their enthusiasm is sometimes a little embarrassing to him, and he refuses to participate in most of his dad's jelly bean experiments.  When your dad creates unusual jelly bean flavors for a living, you learn to be cautious; no way is Rion taking a chance on armpit flavor!

Rion's dad has never had a good relationship with his own father, but Papa Kwirk dies, things get a little strange.  First, a clown shows up on their doorstep to tell them the old man is dead.  And that's just the beginning!  Rion didn't know his grandfather well, but he's always been fascinated by his dramatic presence--from his Harley to weapons he gives Rion for Christmas presents.

Now Rion and his family will find out the truth about the man they thought they knew.

John David Anderson's latest novel follows a family who thought they knew everything there was to know about a man only to find out they were completely wrong.  I have mixed feelings about this one.  There were parts I definitely enjoyed, but it seemed to be trying too hard for quirky characters...who just happen to be named Kwirk.  The humorous tone is sometimes at odds with the funeral setting, and this is another book where I find myself disappointed by a father figure.  I know they can be disappointing in real life, but I have read a couple of middle grade books lately that seem to be saying, "But if you only knew me."  Okay, so maybe the father misinterpreted his entire childhood, but that doesn't change the fact that he was left alone while he assumed his father was out drinking.  I think this book just oversimplifies the situation.

Pay Attention Carter Jones

On a chaotic raining morning, Carter Jones opens his front door to find the Butler, Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick, to be precise.  It seems his family has inherited...a butler from his recently deceased grandfather. 

Even though life is crazy with his father overseas working in the military, and they could use some help wrangling all the kids, and breakfast, and the dog, Carter isn't sure he needs a butler.  He's been the one taking care of things and stepping up when his mother needs help. 

In spite of himself, Carter eventually begins to see the value of the Butler.  It is nice to have someone with a working vehicle who is also a great cook around.  Plus, Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick has some things to teach his young charge, like how to drive and play cricket.  Even though Carter never knew he needed to learn about cricket.

When the big truth finally comes out, the one that's been circling for a while, Carter Jones may just need a butler after all.

Gary Schmidt's newest is a nice little book.  It's no Wednesday Wars or Okay for Now, but it's a strong realistic fiction offering.  I'm not sure how many American kids will be interested in cricket.  I guess I'll find out!

Just South of Home

Sarah is happy to finally be deemed old enough to stay home with her younger brother Ellis this summer.  They've always had to stay with their grandmother, Mrs. Greene, who thinks summer is about working her grandchildren to exhaustion. 

Sarah was going to spend her days watching documentaries and reading books about the space program while Ellis played video games and built model cars.  Her parents throw a wrench in her plans when her cousin Janie shows up.  Janie has sticky fingers and a sour attitude, and Sarah will be responsible for her for two whole weeks!

After hearing ghost stories about the old Creek Church which was burned down by the Klan, of course, she insists on going.  Sarah is a scientist at heart, but she can't deny the creepy feeling she gets, and things only get worse when they have ghostly visitors in the back yard that night.  The haints have followed the girls home!

Now the kids are in a rush to figure out how to get rid of the haints without getting in major trouble.  Their search will reveal dark truths about the town's past and maybe even a tragedy in their own family tree.  But none of that will help them if they can't figure out what to do before the spirits become too powerful!

Karen Strong's debut novel has plenty of spooky scenes balanced with scenes of daily life in an African American family.  Mrs. Greene does have a miraculous and quick change of heart at the end, but maybe kids won't be so skeptical.  I really liked this book and will recommend it to my students, but that cover is very misleading.  The cover says this is possible a wilderness adventure story.  Umm...if you have ghosts and an abandoned graveyard, you should lead with that!  We are talking about middle schoolers.  I think this will require a lot of hand-selling just because of the cover. 

Changeling

Magic is fading from the Wild Wood, and the goblins have a choice. Allow themselves to fade away, or do something about it.  When a rare and magical changeling is born, Kull decides to do something.  He ventures out of the forest and into a human home where he plans to swap the changeling for the human baby, but a moment of distraction leaves him confused.  It also leaves a human family with a sudden set of twins.

Tinn and Cole are raised like twins, but everyone knows one of them is really a goblin.  They go about their mischievous 13-year-old boy lives until a mysterious message sends them on a quest to find out the truth once and for all.

As they venture into the Wild Wood, they will meet strange and magical creatures, and it will be difficult to know who to trust.  They know this much.  One of them is a goblin, and if they don't make it through the Oddmire, that brother will die.

There is also The Thing, a dark creature who feeds off fear and despair stalking the boys through the wood.  The Thing can smell the changeling's magic and wants nothing more than to devour him.

This series opener by William Ritter is fast-paced and full of strong ancient magic.  Though the book is relatively short, it fleshes out the characters well and even allows the mothers to be important to the story.  I can't wait to see where the next book goes.  This one gives me Neil Gaiman vibes!  Highly recommended!

Squirm

Billy is a snake guy.  He loves every kind of snake, even the poisonous ones.  What he doesn't like is moving all the time so his mom can be close to an eagle's nest with hatching eggs.  Also, he's pretty annoyed that his dad left when he was just a little kid, never to be heard from again.

Well, maybe not exactly never.  They do get the child support check on the 10th of every month, so they know he's still alive, but Billy's mom destroys the envelops so Billy can't track him down.  Just before summer vacation, his mom slips up, and Billy finds the address.  He decides to leave Florida and head to Montana for a long-overdue reunion.

But when he gets there, his dad is nowhere to be found, instead, Billy finds his dad's new family.  Lil and Summer may be fine with his dad disappearing for weeks or months at a time, but Billy isn't.

In the meantime, his new stepsister, Summer, shows him Montana.  It's a beautiful place, and Billy instantly falls in love with the mountains and wildlife.  But it's not exactly paradise.  There are poachers on the lose, and Billy finds out he and his dad just might something in common:  the desire to protect wildlife from those who would abuse it.

Carl Hiaasen's new middle-grade book is just as wild and improbable as all the rest, but it's a fun ride with beautiful scenery.