The best book I read in August (2023)

[C.J.]

We've reached a change in the seasons. For many of us, it's the end of summer reading challenges. What books did you discover in August? Recommend your favorite middle grade reads to us!

I fit in several middle grade books last month. One of my favorites was The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf, which has a group of kids pulling together to help the new boy in their class who's a refugee. I also really enjoyed Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd, which has this lovely blend of contemporary quirkiness & magical whimsy that I've come to expect from Lloyd. I also fit in an "X" book (one of my missing letters for the A to Z Reading Challenge) with The Explorer by Katherine Rundell. I've always loved survival stories, and this is a great one. Set in the Amazon jungle. Recommended!

[Niyyah]

I really liked "The Boy at the Back of the Class!" Last month, I enjoyed The Clackity (a darker fiction - a little fantasy, a little horror) and The Glass Witch which was super lighthearted and fun - relatable characters and family dynamic.

[Justine]

I loved Song of the Far Isles. It’s got a musical theme, with a pirate ship called the Overture and crew known as the Opera.

[Melody]

I really enjoyed The Lost Library. It features ghosts, a tiny library, and a cat. Very whimsical and sweet.