Knights of the Kitchen Table is the first book in the Time Warp Trio series. For his birthday, Joe receives a book from his uncle. It transports him and his two best friends into the distant past, to the era of knights and dragons, giants and magicians. Short, funny, and a teensy bit educational. I had mixed feelings about Swing It, Sunny, the second volume in a graphic novel series. Vignettes centered more around fads and pop culture from the 1970s. (Remember this? Remember when?) I wanted to know more about the characters. Hoping for more in Bk3. In Mascot, we meet Noah, who lost his father in the same accident that put him in a wheelchair. A little about family, a little about friendship, a little about neighbors. I liked Noah’s sharp wit (and sympathetic streak) and Dee-Dub’s unassuming genius (and trove of information). My favorite part may have been Noah’s several turn-abouts, when his opinions (and assumptions) about people underwent a radical shift.

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Charlie can’t understand why nobody can remember his little brother Liam, not even their parents. But he’s determined to figure out what happened. And to get him back. The Missing Piece of Charlie O’Reilly is a difficult book to pigeonhole. Not too scary, but tension-inducing. Not historical, but Charlie dreams of the past as if he were a different person, so several scenes take place there. Perhaps a psychological thriller for the middle grade set? Next up: Logan probably shouldn’t have been messing around in the library. Regret sets in when he learns he’s been Punished. Every time he opens his mouth, he speaks in puns. The cure proves to be a threefold challenge that will warm the hearts of word nerds everywhere. And Danger! Tiger Crossing is the first in the Fantastic Frame series. It’s an interesting series concept. There’s a magical picture frame, and at a certain time each day, it’s possible to step through it into the painting currently on display. The paintings are always classics, so there’s a solid dose of art history at the end of the adventure.

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In Choke, Beck may be older, but he’s no wiser than he was in Pillage. Still groaning over Beck’s life choices, but rooting for him nonetheless. In Hattie on Her Way, Hattie Belle has grown up pretty wild, so when her Pa takes her into town and leaves her with her maternal grandmother to get a proper education, it’s a drastic change. Her blunt manner and short temper get her into all kinds of trouble. All she wants to do is fly home. In Yang the Third and the Impossible Family, Yingmei Yang (American name, Mary) is often embarrassed by her parents and siblings, who don’t act or sound American enough. She wants to fit in, to make friends, to belong. So it seems like a great idea to volunteer to take one of her school friend’s kittens, even though the Yangs home is filled with sheet music and valuable instruments. Keeping the cat a secret becomes increasingly difficult.

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The Adventurer’s Guild is perfect for fans of DnD. Best friends Zed and Brock are looking forward to being chosen by one of the guilds in Freestone. A half-elf, Zed would love to be taken by the Mage’s Guild. And Brock, the son of a wealthy merchant, is a lock for the Merchant’s Guild. But Zed’s hopes are ripped to shreds when he’s snatched up by the Adventurer’s Guild, and Brock won’t let him face its dangers alone. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is a classic-feeling orphan tale in a Gothic sort of setting, where terrible things happen to good children because of bad people who will get their due. And I adored This is Not a Werewolf Story. Raul has always sort of looked out for the littler kids at the boarding school where he spends his weeks, but he doesn’t exactly have friends. On the weekends, when everyone else’s parents pick them up and take them home, Raul heads into the woods. Because he has a secret.

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