​The Official Harry Potter Baking Book
Written by Joanna Farrow
Age Level: 10 and up
Grade Level: 5 and up

​This book is as beautiful as the cover, and I hope it tastes as good too. I’m not a baker, but I was tempted. Especially by Wand Breadsticks, Sorting Hat Cupcakes, and Salazar Slytherin’s Sourdough Snake. If you’re a big Harry Potter fan AND a baker, this is the perfect book for you and your family.

​Guts & Glory: The American Revolution
Written by Ben Thompson
Age Level: 10 - 12
Grade Level: 3 - 7

​Imagine reading a book that takes you from the sparks that started the Revolution to the end at Yorktown. Best of all, it’s not boring! I felt like I was on a time travel tour with a great guide who knows how to tell a story. When he talked about taxes on stamps and tea, he compared them to sales tax on video games and burgers. Then he said Sam Adams was pretty righteously mad about them. Would you believe I found those two examples on the same page?!
 
The book also breaks down big concepts like patriots and loyalists. It did a show and tell about American and  British soldiers in a way kids, especially boys would love. At the end of each chapter, there was a quick bio. My favorite part – the bonus fact. Did you know John Hancock’s dad was a minister, or that his parents died when he was seven? John was adopted and raised by his aunt and uncle.

​Pizza and Taco: Super-Awesome Comic
Written & Illustrated by Stephen Shaskan
Age Level: 5 – 8
Grade Level: K – 3

I loved this story! It’s #3 in a series of thirteen easy chapter books that are also graphic novels. The characters are a great combo -  pizza and taco. Who DOESN’T love them? They’re great as foods, but even better in their starring roles.
 
The problem,and the fun, it all begins when they decide to write a story together. Somehow they can’t agree on the plot or on their superhero features. How can they ever find their way back to a super-awesome comic book? You’ll have to read to find out!

The ​Puppy Place: Snowball #2
Written by Ellen Miles
Illustrated by Rich Davis
Age Level: 7 – 10
Grade Level: 2 - 5

I don’t usually read older books, but I found myself reading this one. Mostly because I was curious about the series. When I taught second grade, Puppy Place was always one of the choices in the Scholastic flier. I can see why. This is #2 in the series. It came out in November of 2011. Puppy Place is still publishing new chapter books. The latest, #69 came out this month, in February of 2024.
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And the plot, it’s short and simple, but these are great chapter book reads for kids who want to leave picture books behind. A kid wants a dog so he fosters one, a Westie. He decides the dog is better off with his grand-buddy so he gives it to her as a Christmas gift. He checks with the fostering place first, of course. This is an easy read, and it’s a perfect fit for its audience. Kids love dogs, and doggie books are best sellers at Scholastic.

​Aria Jones & The Guardians Wedja
Written by Melayna Evans
Age Level: 9 – 12
Grade Level:  4 – 7
 
If you read the first Jagger Jones book like I did, you couldn’t wait to get your hands on this one. It didn’t disappoint! Little sister Aria gets to be the main character. It starts with a field trip to an Egyptian museum where a pair of statues pass her some bracelets. They’re really tickets to the past. Aria hurries home to pack her bag, grab Jagger, and answer a call for help. Tatia is Pharaoh now, after the death of her father, mother, and step-brother, and she’s dying too. The Gods have stopped talking to the royal family, but they sent Aria and Jagger to help Tatia. Can the siblings figure out how to save them in time? You’ll have to read to find out, but be prepared – you won’t want to put this book down.

PS – Book 3 is in the works, and I can’t wait to read it!

​I Survived: The American Revolution, 1776
Written by Lauren Tarshis
Age Level: 8 – 11
Grade Level: 2 – 5

If you want to read history from a kid’s point of view, this is another great title from the I Survived series. It takes place in the run-up to the Battle of Brooklyn during the American Revolution. The date of that battle – August 27 of 1776.
 
Young Nathaniel Fox runs away from home, hoping to escape his mean old uncle. Instead he lands in New York Harbor days before the big battle. Follow Nathaniel and discover what life was like for tweens in 1776, whether they were soldiers or civilians.
 
Don’t forget the back matter! You’ll find some interesting tidbits, like how rich the colonies were, the importance of our French allies, and the author’s opinion of George Washington. The most shocking one – how many American soldiers died on prison ships by the end of winter 1777. Would you believe it’s more than the number who died during the entire war?
 
PS – if you’d like to read what I learned for my middle grade novel, click on this link: 
                   http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/the-books-i-read-for-research

​Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them
Written by J.K. Rowling & Newt Scamander
Illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill
Age Level: 8 and up
Grade Level: 3 – 6   
 
I didn’t think I’d like this book, but I’m glad I picked it up . . . it was great! J.K. took some of the creatures we’ve loved from her Harry Potter books, and she wrote about them in a nonfiction style you’d see in an encyclopedia. J.K. includes where the creature lives, what it eats, and any unusual traits it might have. There’s even a rating system to tell you how dangerous it is. What an incredible imagination she has to create a book like this! 

​The Peddler of Wisdom
Written by Laura Matthias Bendoly
Age Level:  14 – 18
Grade Level: Middle School/High School
                                      
If you love historical fiction with a touch of fantasy, you’ll love this story. Irene is the village healer of Les Echelles in Provence, and she’s already failed to save the village from the black plague. Now she faces an evil invader whose magician/ alchemist lays claim to her heart. The plot twists and turns with historical detail. The bonus, meeting 17th century figures like Nostradamus along the way. Read through the back matter to find out how Laura conjured writing magic.

​Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party
Written by Saadia Faroqi
Illustrated by Ani Bushry
Age Level: 6 – 9
Grade Level: 1 – 4

​Have you ever been jealous of that girl in your class, the one who has everything? She even has the best birthday parties ever! Marya is, and her family refuses to give one a try. They believe in family parties. So what’s a girl to do?  Marya comes up with Operation Help the Khans. Its goal – to convince her family she deserves an incredible henna party. Will it work? You’ll have to read and find out. 

Knights vs. Dinosaurs
Written & Illustrated by Matt Phelan
Age Level: 8 – 12
Grade Level: 3 – 7

When I saw this book in my local library, I had to pick it up, and I wasn’t disappointed! Imagine going back in time to meet four of King Arthur’s knights. I don’t remember these names, do you? Sir Bors, Sir Hector, Sir Erec, Squire Mel, and the black knight. The action begins when Sir Erec brags about beating 40 dragons. Merlin decides Erec needs a little more fun, with a few dinosaurs. That’s when the real sport begins!
 
PS – This book was so good it became a series, book 1 out of 3.