(3) YA As thirteen-year-old football player Teddy Youngblood lies in a coma following an injury (supposedly) sustained at training camp, his family, friends, and fellow athletes try to determine exactly what happened. Bedside conversations, texts, hospital reports, interviews, and Teddy's interior thoughts slowly unveil the truth behind Teddy's injury. Multiple voices are effectively employed in this thought-provoking look at peer pressure, hazing, and off-field sports violence.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(2) K-3 Illustrated by David McPhail. Joe loves fishing, but it bores his father. However, Joe's father reluctantly agrees to chaperone Joe's fishing club on an ice-fishing trip, and in the abundant downtime the two bond. In simple, straightforward prose, Greenwald tells the sweet but never cloying story. McPhail's illustrations, rendered in warm pastel hues, depict the boy's emotional vulnerability and, later, the joy he feels at having his father's time and attention.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(3) 4-6 CrimeBiters! series. Illustrated by Adam Stower. In book three, the CrimeBiters, including narrator Jimmy and his "superhero" dog Abby, face their toughest challenge yet when new kitten Purrkins joins their ranks. The gang must stop their cat-and-dog fighting to together identify a school-exam thief and save their local animal shelter from closing. Brief chapters filled with humorous observations, buoyant dialogue, and black-and-white illustrations will appeal to young middle graders.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by J. P. Coovert. That a pimple (gasp!) prompts "pretty girl" Calista's decline down the middle-school food chain is a stretch. Still, Calista forms unlikely bonds with outcasts (and co-narrators) Laura and Damian, and her new social invisibility allows her to see what really matters. Though lightweight, this novel offers important insights into popularity, friendship, and insecurity (even in those who seem to have it all).

Reviewer: Rebecca Kirshenbaum

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Rebecca Roher. In this Charlie Joe Jackson series spinoff, class clown Pete suddenly finds himself starring in a movie. He discovers that being a star has its problems: his girlfriend is jealous of his beautiful co-star, and his other friends think he has abandoned them. Readers will enjoy the humor and the insight into how movies are made. Comic line drawings match the story's light mood.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by J. P. Coovert. In this sixth and final book, Charlie Joe Jackson's much-anticipated middle school graduation is upon him--on his birthday! But when he suddenly realizes that graduation won't bring freedom but rather harder courses and more responsibility, he looks for a way out. In typical hilarious and frenetic style, Charlie Joe careens through the day but, satisfyingly, becomes older and wiser by day's end.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(3) 4-6 CrimeBiters! series. Illustrated by Adam Stower. Jimmy's crime-fighting vampire dog, Abby (My Dog Is Better Than Your Dog), is sent to obedience class. Meanwhile, Jimmy has joined the lacrosse team, which is straining his friendships in the CrimeBiters club. When frequent injuries mysteriously start plaguing the lacrosse team, Abby returns to her former ways to investigate. A solid mix of mystery, humor, and hijinks, with appealing cartoonlike illustrations.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by J. P. Coovert. In this fifth series entry, Charlie Joe loves everything about middle school, except the fact that he is the only one of his friends without a girlfriend. Desperate for help, he checks out a book from the library on relationships. Soon he's the go-to person for romantic advice--but has trouble getting it right himself. Occasional black-and-white illustrations complement the funny, tender narrative.

Reviewer: Grace Worcester Greene

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by J. P. Coovert. Katie--like her bestie, Charlie Joe Jackson, and everyone in their middle-school class--texts constantly. After sending the wrong text and jeopardizing a good friendship, Katie takes a cue from her technology-hating rock-star idol and swears off screens for a week. The story feels purposeful, but Greenwald's meditation on the timely topic of technology use among tweens avoids preachiness.

Reviewer: Sophie Williamson

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Adam Stower. Just before the start of fifth grade, Jimmy Bishop gets a massive facial blemish (ugh). He also gets a dog that has vampire-like traits (cool) and a babysitter who's mean (ugh again). A nose-picking sidekick, a new girl, a bully, and a burglary ring also figure in this humorous mystery. The too-tidy ending won't bother most readers--they'll be eager for book two.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by J. P. Coovert. After attending his friend's bar mitzvah, Charlie Joe realizes that having a coming-of-age party is a super way to make money without actually having to work. Since he's not Jewish, a bar mitzvah is out, but what about an Ethiopian cow-jumping ceremony? Although the characters are not deeply developed, the enjoyable story races forward with lots of slapstick humor.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Melissa Mendes. Tired of being overscheduled with everything from baseball to karate to cello, Jack decides to take a stand--or, rather, a seat on the couch--refusing to move until his parents relent. His protest soon draws media attention and divides his family and community. Many kids will relate to Jack's well-developed frustrations, and Mendes's simple line drawings capture the squabble humorously.

Reviewer: Aimee Chevrette Bear

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by J. P. Coovert. Charlie Joe Jackson gets involved in extracurricular activities to improve his grades in Extra Credit. In Summer, he goes to a camp for gifted kids (a.k.a. nerds) and tries to remake the campers in his own image. These second and third installments contain some caricatures, but Charlie Joe's middle-school wise-guy voice is entertaining. Black-and-white drawings add humor.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by J. P. Coovert. Charlie Joe Jackson gets involved in extracurricular activities to improve his grades in Extra Credit. In Summer, he goes to a camp for gifted kids (a.k.a. nerds) and tries to remake the campers in his own image. These second and third installments contain some caricatures, but Charlie Joe's middle-school wise-guy voice is entertaining. Black-and-white drawings add humor.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by J. P. Coovert. Middle schooler Charlie Joe Jackson hates reading so much that he enlists friends, siblings, and others in schemes to avoid it. His punishment is writing a book (the one we're reading), and he discovers he likes writing. The narrator's faux I'm-one-of-you tone won't fool reluctant readers. However, his smart-alecky voice--and the lengths he goes in his attempt to escape reading--may entertain them.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee