Blog

STEM Tuesday– Light Pollution– In the Classroom

By on July 14, 2026   /   Light Pollution, STEM Tuesday  

 

It’s been a big firefly summer in Minnesota this year, and we’ve been watching their lights flicker each night in our back garden. Summer is always a time to linger outside in the warm and long nights, look up, and see what you can see. Close to the city, the stars are hard to see though. So, we go up north to see the stars, and they are dazzling.

Here are some activities to try with your kids now or when school is back in session to illustrate how light pollution not only blocks stars, but can upset the natural balance of our days and nights. I’ve curated this list of activities that could easily go with the books from this mont’s Stem Tuesday list. Read a book, try an activity, and enjoy the summer nights!

 

How Light Pollution Affects Animals

Book cover - glowing frog on a black background.Dark Matters: Nature’s Reaction to Light Pollution by Joan Marie Galat

A blend of science and memoir that focuses on the environmental consequences of increasingly artificially lit night skies. She describes its impact on sea turtles, fireflies, birds, and bats and provides basic steps to address light pollutio

 

 

 

 

Book cover - newly hatched sea turtles heading for the ocean.Follow the Moon Home : a Tale of One Idea, Twenty Kids, and a Hundred Sea Turtles by Philippe Cousteau and Deborah Hopkinson

Informational fiction inspired by the student-initiated Lights Out for Loggerheads program in South Carolina. The story presents a model for community engagement, and back matter outlines actions appropriate for preteen environmentalists.

 

 

 

Activities

Citizen Science to Reduce Light Pollution

Book cover - bird and moth perched on three ornate lights lit at night.Who Hid the Stars? How Light Pollution Changes Our World by Danio Miserocchi & Maciej Michno; illus. by Valentina Gottardi, and translated by Sylvia Notini

This well-documented book examines how city lights affect birds and bats, reptiles and insects – even trees and flowers. It also provides hope, sharing things cities and people can do to minimize light pollution. Back matter includes ideas for bringing back the stars (dark skies) and resources.

Book cover - person sitting on a slope watching te setting sun.Saving the Night : How Light Pollution is Harming Life on Earth by Stephen Aitken

Full of fascinating photos and facts, this book examines many interactions creatures and plants have developed with light, the differing effects of various sources of light pollution on land and in our waterways, conservationists working to preserve the night, and successful projects. It includes suggestions for reducing our individual light pollution.

 

 

Activities

  • Globe at Night: a citizen science campaign to raise awareness about the effects of light pollution inviting people to measure the brightness of their night sky and submit their observations
  • ASTROPHOTOS – Measuring Light Pollution: Make your smartphone measure the light in the night sky with this app and activity.
  • Audubon Lights Out Program: Survey where you live or your school and look for ways to help reduce light pollution with the useful list of actions on this site.
Back to Top

The Sweet Spot: Summer Picks for Kids Who Read Above Their Age (But Aren’t Ready to Grow Up Quite Yet)

By on July 10, 2026   /   Articles, Book Lists  

We have some ravenous readers in my house. My oldest can blaze through a few middle grade books in a single week. Sometimes it feels like my wife and I can barely keep up, and reloading his Kindle with picks from our local library is a nightly ritual.

Of course we’re delighted that our kids love to read, but sometimes it’s tough to find books that are engaging and complex without being overly mature. Our oldest is only nine, after all, and as much as I’d like to hand him some Michael Crichton, we’re still a few years out from killer dino territory. 

My wife is chief book curator in our house, so I asked her and my son (okay, I peppered them with questions on a long car ride when they couldn’t escape) about which books have been hitting the sweet spot. In honor of the summer beach read season, here are our top five picks for advanced readers on the younger end of the middle grade spectrum:

 

Island of Spies

by Sheila Turnage

According to my son, this book is a great pick for anyone interested in history. Island of Spies follows a group of friends investigating strange happenings on Hatteras Island, North Carolina, in 1942. It does explore some themes of war, keeping friends safe, etc., but it’s fairly balanced thematically and mostly sidesteps the gritty details of war in favor of broader ideas. 

 

 

The FunJungle series

By Stuart Gibbs

FunJungle follows Teddy Fitzroy, a middle-schooler who lives inside FunJungle — the largest zoo and theme park in America, where his parents both work. Throughout the series, Teddy and friends chase down clues and solve mysteries, usually revolving around animals in the zoo. It’s mostly lighthearted fun, but Gibbs doesn’t hold back with his prose, and advanced readers will appreciate language that feels “adult” but still reads as kid-friendly. 

Impossible Creatures

By Katherine Rundell

Impossible Creatures will appeal to young fans of fantasy without getting too deep into the social dynamics that often mark the more sprawling fantasy titles in the young adult space. It follows a duo of kids racing to save a magical world full of unique animals, and it’s the first in a series, the third of which is expected at the end of the summer.

 

 

The Treasure Hunters series

By James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein

One of my son’s favorite things about this series is that it just keeps going! Currently clocking in at nine books, there’s plenty of material here to keep readers busy all summer, and while there’s some danger from pirates, rival treasure hunters, etc., it’s balanced out by plenty of humor and a general sense that the good guys always come out on top. 

 

 

 

The Penderwicks collection

By Jeanne Birdsall

Jeanne Birdsall is another author who never writes down to kids, so readers with a big vocabulary will appreciate the rich language in The Penderwicks. The stakes overall tend to be more grounded in these books, with themes of sibling loyalty, first crushes, and low-grade danger. The more mature concepts like the death of a parent and remarriages are handled carefully and are vague enough to advance the story without crossing into upper middle grade territory. 

 

It’s worth mentioning that this list is hardly exhaustive, and there are many other explorations on this topic, including a very helpful breakdown from Screenwise that dives into the topic of “Advanced Young Readers”, along with a much longer list from Brightly. 

Maybe you even have a few suggestions? Leave a few recommendations in the comments and help our community find some new favorites! 

And if you’re looking for more summer reading from The Mixed Up Files, check out this graphic novel roundup, this list of books about summer changes, some spooky summer reads, or the June 2026 new releases.

Happy reading!

Back to Top

Thinking Outside the Box

By on July 8, 2026   /   Book Lists, WNDMG  

Thinking Outside the Box:

WNDMG Summer 2026 Recommendations

WNDMG Logo

Summer is the perfect time to unwind and relax. This is true for parents, children, teachers, and students alike! So while we rest our minds, it’s best to try thinking outside the box and finding time to discover some unconventional and lighthearted reads. What am I referring to, you ask? Graphic novels!

This summertime post is dedicated to graphic novels, illustrated chapter books, anthologies, online magazines, and all things unexpected. The push for more illustrated middle grade reads and graphic novels is an excellent way to get our kids reading and falling in love with the stories they discover. Check out this list of upcoming (or recently released) stories! 

Descriptions are pulled directly from the books, so you’ll see why these stories will automatically draw you in.

 

InbetweensInbetween by Faith Erin Hicks

Faith Erin Hicks. First Second, Released Mar. 31

($22.99, ISBN 978-1-250-83875-9)

A new tween graphic novel by bestselling author Faith Erin Hicks. Perfect for fans of Sweet Valley Twins and Ride On!

Twin sisters Ash and Sloane are headed to animation camp―where their courage, drive, and sisterly bond will be put to the test!

Twin sisters Sloane and Ash are two peas in a pod, and they do everything together: watch movies, attend classes, and most importantly, draw! So when the summer animation classes of their dreams are about to start, they can barely contain their excitement!

Well…Ash is excited but Sloane is surprised to find she isn’t as jubilant about it, which makes no sense, since she loves art. Meanwhile, Ash discovers that just because you love something, doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be good at it, and she struggles under the weight of her own expectations and those of her teacher’s. Soon, the trials of challenging classwork and new friendships drive a wedge between the twins. Can their bond survive the summer? 

 

Kingdom Unraveled by Mariana DeMercurio

Kingdom Unraveled: A Closely Knit Graphic Adventure

Mariana DiMercurio. Andrews McMeel, Coming July 28

($22.99, ISBN 978-1-5248-9888-5)

One unlikely champion. One quest to save the kingdom. Two knitting needles.

For lovers of Amulet comes a new full-color graphic novel for kids with an unlikely hero. Jo’s life is changed forever when she is made the new Champion—the person tasked with saving the Kingdom from the insidious evil that’s mysteriously taking over. She’ll have to tap into her own bravery and wisdom and start on a quest through the kingdom unlike any other!

Jo is a 70-year-old woman who lives a quiet life in her village, with just her knitting needles and nature to keep her company. But when a mystical guardian knocks on her door one day, Jo is tasked as the new Champion. With help from her snarky friend Roy—whose goals seem to suspiciously align perfectly with hers—she’ll have to do what no other champion has been able to save the Kingdom (and her family) from certain demise.

Featuring the exclusive, never-before-published ending to the popular online story, Kingdom Unraveled is an original graphic novel packed with humor and heart! 

 

SuperpunkSuper punk by Mirtes Santana and Guilherme Petreca

Mirtes Santana and Guilherme Petreca. Oni, Released May 5

($14.99 trade paper, ISBN 979-8-89488-076-1)

Meet Violeta! Violeta is a thirteen-year-old skateboarder and podcaster. But most importantly? She’s a PUNK! Oh, and a superhero, too. Superhero + punk = SUPERPUNK. That’s Violeta!

After discovering her grandfather’s old cassette player, Violeta decides to play a cassette tape backward. (Why? It’s pure punk rebellion, duh!) What she didn’t know was this rebellious act would grant her magical powers! Aaaaand . . . unleash monsters. A LOT of them. Violeta will need to use all her new superpowers to protect her home of Hollow Hills from the strange creatures and send them back to wherever they came from. Luckily, she’s joined by Alan, Violeta’s faithful sidekick and fellow podcaster. Together, they’ll have to find a way to put these monsters back in their place. But between homework, podcasting, and skateboarding, Violeta has a tough time managing it all. When a horde of monsters descend on her school, will this superpunk be able to save the day?

Multi-award-winning comic book artist Guilherme Petreca and TV writer Mirtes Santana bring you Superpunk, a radical adventure story about the need to rebel and act out to protect the people and things you love!

 

Hand Me Down by Damian AlexanderHand-Me-Down

Damian Alexander, First Second, Coming July 28

($22.99, ISBN 978-1-250-86020-0)

From the author of the highly praised debut Other Boys comes a moving graphic memoir about the love we pass down across generations. Perfect for fans of Hey, Kiddo and Flamer.

Damian’s mother died when he was a baby, and he has lived with his grandma ever since. Now, all he has left of his mother are old photos and the stories Nanny shares with him. Nanny has a lot of stories, some about his mom and some about her own childhood growing up in foster care.

When Damian feels lonely, he imagines what life was like when his mother and grandmother were middle schoolers like him. Through memories, stories, and daydreams, he feels closer to the mother he lost and begins to see the mother he found.

 

Journey to Tomioka Journey to Tomioka by Laurent Galandon

by Laurent Galandon and Michaël Crouzat, trans. by Anne and Owen Smith

First Second, Released June 9 ($19.99, ISBN 978-1-250-40671-2)

For fans of This Was Our Pact and Hayao Miyazaki films comes a breathtaking graphic novel about siblings who risk everything to return their grandmother’s ashes to her home inside the Fukushima Exclusion Zone.

Osamu hasn’t been the same since that day. When the tsunami hit Fukushima prefecture, it killed his parents, destroyed his home, and triggered one of the world’s worst nuclear disasters. Now, all Osamu has left is his grandmother, Bā-chan, and his big sister, Akiko. As he withdraws into his own world, he befriends friends yōkai―spirits only he can see.

Then, tragedy strikes again, and Bā-chan dies. Osamu and Akiko are determined to return her ashes to their family farm in Tomioka, a town within Fukushima’s forbidden zone. There, the siblings will face dangerous radiation and yōkai, both friendly and deadly―but they’re willing to risk it all to make it home.

 

A Fishboy Named ... Sashimi by Dan Santat A Fishboy Named Sashimi 

Dan Santat, Roaring Brook Press, Released Apr. 14

($14.99 trade paper, ISBN 978-1-250-35999-5)

“From the mega-talented Dan Santat comes a hilarious and beautifully illustrated tale of friendship, adventure and mystery. Sashimi is FRESH!!!” -Dav Pilkey, creator of Dog Man and Captain Underpants

He’s funny. He’s (too) friendly. He’s… a fishboy named SASHIMI!

A new, graphic novel series from bestseller and Caldecott Medal winner Dan Santat.

In the town of Barnacle Bay, a creature lurks. He’s come from the ocean, in search of others like him.

To fit in with humans, Sashimi sneaks into an elementary school and pretends to be a student. But he’s clearly a fish out of water!

When Sashimi finds out the whole town is on the hunt for the Beast of Barnacle Bay—a creature who sounds a lot like Sashimi—hijinks ensue! Fortunately, with the help of a new friend and the class goldfish, Sashimi figures out a way to stay afloat.

Perfect for fans of Bad Guys, Sharkdog, and The Investigator series!

 

Bonus Recommendation

Lit Kids Magazine

If reading stories isn’t your kid’s cup of tea this summer, maybe creating their own is more their speed! If so, have them try their hand at submitting work to Lit Kids Magazine – an online publication featuring creative works made by kids for kids! Lit Kids Magazine publishes four issues per year with rotating themes. The call is open for children ages 5 – 13 to submit their stories, poetry, artwork, and even photography. If you’ve got a creative youngster in your midst, nudge them to share their work and get published! Their next deadlines for submissions is August 7 and the search is on for your spooky stories!  

 

With so many unique finds, your summer reading list just grew a little bit longer. Which recommendation piques your interest the most? Share your graphic novel recs below or let us know which one you’ll be picking up today.

Back to Top