For the past two summers, I participated in my library system’s Public Libraries of Suffolk County (NY) Summer Tour. There are 66 libraries in my county and I visited all of them, locating the hidden posters and getting my “passport” stamped. What’s especially wonderful about this program is viewing all the different libraries and how they’re organized as well as meeting their staff and patrons. Each library is unique, but they all support their community in a multitude of ways.
During the 2026 Tour, I decided to borrow a middle-grade book from each library I visited to bring home and read. Here are just a few that I particularly enjoyed.
AMINA’S VOICE by Hena Khan (2017). 208 pp.
Amina has never been comfortable in the spotlight. She is happy just hanging out with her best friend, Soojin. Except now that she’s in middle school everything feels different. Soojin is suddenly hanging out with Emily, one of the “cool” girls in the class and even talking about changing her name to something more “American.”
Does Amina need to start changing too? Or hiding who she is to fit in? While Amina grapples with these questions, she is devastated when her local mosque is vandalized.
Read an interview with the author here.
THE BUTTON WAR by Avi (2018). 229 pp. 
Twelve-year-old Patryk knows little of the world beyond his tiny Polish village; the Russians have occupied the land for as long as anyone can remember, but otherwise life is unremarkable.
Patryk and his friends entertain themselves by coming up with dares — some more harmful than others — until the Germans drop a bomb on the schoolhouse and the Great War comes crashing in. As control of the village falls from one nation to another, Jurek, the ringleader of these friends, devises the best dare yet: whichever boy steals the finest military button will be king.
But as sneaking buttons from uniforms hanging to dry progresses to looting the bodies of dead soldiers — and as Jurek’s obsession with being king escalates — Patryk begins to wonder whether their “button war” is still just a game. When devastation reaches their doorstep, the lines between the button war and the real war blur, especially for the increasingly callous Jurek.
CONFESSIONS OF A MANGO by Kate Lumsden & Nate Pieplow (2026). 224 pp.
Ruby Emmerson has always felt like the “dumb” twin. Struggling with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia, she feels out of place at her competitive charter school, especially as her twin brother Bryce excels both academically and socially. When she fails a math test despite getting extra help, she fears she’ll flunk out of Benton Academy and drag her brother back to their old school.
In a moment of frustration, Ruby vents anonymously online, describing herself as an imposter—a mango among lovebirds. But to her surprise, she’s far from alone.
As her account gains a following, tensions rise with her brother and her posts draw the unwanted attention of the school administration. Now, Ruby must find the courage to challenge Benton’s high-pressure environment and advocate for herself and all the other “Mangoes” out there.
DEER RUN HOME by Ann Clare LeZotte (2024). 224 pp. 
Effie and her older sister, Deja, have recently moved into their father’s trailer after an incident at their mom’s house. Daddy communicates with Effie by pointing, stomping on the floor, and making thoughtless jokes. Even if they did understand each other, could she tell the terrible secret she carries when telling feels impossible―and dangerous?
But what if telling is the only way to be seen?
This tender, spare, emotionally charged story about the impact of abuse and the power of love explores what it feels like to be an outsider in your own family and to awaken―through friendship, writing, and kinship with the natural world―to a new understanding and appreciation of yourself.
Read an interview with the author here.
DR. ZEUS by James Patterson & Chris Tebbetts (2026). 352 pp.
Nick Andino isn’t exactly “hero” material. He’s perfectly happy working at his family’s Greek diner, pining over his crush, and avoiding his bully. His life isn’t very exciting … until destiny comes calling.
Dr. Zeus, the over-the-top king of the gods, zooms into town with a quest that Nick must complete to save Andinos past and present from being erased from history. Accompanied by a fast-talking Hermes, Nick journeys back to ancient Greece, where his ancestors await—along with new friends and a whole host of Greek gods and monsters. Can Nick be the hero the Andinos need, or will his story be another Greek tragedy?
This fast-paced, feel-good adventure from the world’s favorite storytellers has black-and-white illustrations throughout, and amphitheaters full of humor and heart.
THE HAUNTING OF WALKER POND by Nancy Tandon (2026). 368 pp. 
Frankie Wilkins waits all year for her favorite thing—summers in coastal Maine. This time, she and her best friend, Parker, are Leaders-in-Training at Camp Asticou on nearby Walker Pond. For Frankie, it’s not just about proving her skills but also the hope that a successful LIT run will convince her dad and stepmom to stay in the area, rather than move them all to Long Island.
During their first night there, the LITs learn about a local legend called The Bride of Rippowam. A young woman named Eugenie fell in love with a sailor, but after a tragic accident, she and her fiancé, Raleigh, both drowned. And weird happenings have occurred at the camp ever since, with incidents increasing in recent years.
People suspect that something is keeping Eugenie from officially crossing over, and Frankie realizes Eugenie is trying to send urgent messages about what really happened with her and Raleigh. With their campers in danger, Frankie, Parker, and the rest of the LITs are determined to help Eugenie cross over. But are they willing to break almost every camp rule to do so, and will they find what Eugenie is after—and why—before tragedy strikes again?
Read an interview with the author here.
HOUDINI AND ME by Dan Gutman (2021). 224 pp.
Eleven-year-old Harry Mancini has always admired the famous escape artist Houdini. And when Houdini asks for help in coming back to life, it seems like an amazing chance … or could it be Houdini’s greatest trick of all?
Harry is NOT Harry Houdini–the famous escape artist who died in 1926. But Harry DOES live in Houdini’s old New York City home, and he definitely knows everything there is to know about Houdini’s life. What is he supposed to do, then, when someone starts texting him claiming that they’re Houdini, communicating from beyond the grave? Respond, of course.
It’s hard for Harry to believe that Houdini is really contacting him, but this Houdini texts the secrets to all of the escape tricks the dead Houdini used to do. What’s more, Houdini’s offering Harry a chance to go back in time and experience it for himself. Should Harry ignore what must be a hoax? Or should he give it a try and take Houdini up on this death-defying offer?
Read an article about Dan Gutman’s Weird Writing Tips here.
THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR by Ellen Oh (2025). 192 pp. 
But the vicious forces lying within the house are plotting something evil, something that puts Jack’s little sister in extreme danger. Soon, Rory understands he’ll need the help of his new friend and some friendly ghosts in order to stand a chance at defeating whatever lurks within its walls for good. But what exactly lives in the house next door, and will Rory and Jack find out in time to save the day, or can its evil never be evicted?
THE LOST LIBRARY by Rebecca Stead & Wendy Mass (2023). 215 pp.
When a mysterious little free library (guarded by a large orange cat) appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, eleven-year-old Evan plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change.
Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and a long-ago event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about. The two boys start asking questions whose answers will transform not only their own futures, but the town itself.
Told in turn by a ghost librarian named Al, an aging (but beautiful) cat named Mortimer, and Evan himself, The Lost Library is a timeless story from award-winning authors Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass. It’s about owning your truth, choosing the life you want, and the power of a good book (and, of course, the librarian who gave it to you).
Read an interview with Rebecca Stead here.
MAGNOLIA WU UNFOLDS IT ALL by Chanel Miller (2024). 160 pp. 
Magnolia Wu is a ten-year-old sock detective bent on returning all the lonely only socks left behind in her parents’ NYC laundromat.
Down at the bottom of the tall buildings of New York City, Magnolia Wu sits inside her parents’ laundromat. Magnolia has pinned every lost sock from the laundromat onto a bulletin board, in hopes that customers will return to retrieve them. But no one seems to have noticed. In fact, barely anyone has noticed Magnolia at all.
What she doesn’t know is that this is about to be her most exciting summer yet. When Iris, a new friend from California arrives, they set off across the city to solve the mystery of each missing sock, asking questions in subways and delis and plant stores and pizzerias, meeting people and uncovering the unimaginable. With each new encounter, Magnolia learns that when you’re bold enough to head into the unknown, things start falling into place.
NOWHERE BOY by Katherine Marsh (2018). 366 pp.
Fourteen-year-old Ahmed is stuck in a city that wants nothing to do with him. Newly arrived in Brussels, Belgium, Ahmed fled a life of uncertainty and suffering in Aleppo, Syria, only to lose his father on the perilous journey to the shores of Europe. Now Ahmed’s struggling to get by on his own, but with no one left to trust and nowhere to go, he’s starting to lose hope.
Then he meets Max, a thirteen-year-old American boy from Washington, D.C. Lonely and homesick, Max is struggling at his new school and just can’t seem to do anything right. But with one startling discovery, Max and Ahmed’s lives collide and a friendship begins to grow. Together, Max and Ahmed will defy the odds, learning from each other what it means to be brave and how hope can change your destiny.
THE SEVEN WONDERS OF SASSAFRAS SPRINGS by Betty Birney (2005). 224 pp. 
Life in Sassafras Springs has always been predictable, boring even, but one afternoon that changes when Eben McAllister’s pa challenges him to find Seven Wonders in Sassafras that rival the real Seven Wonders of the World. The reward? An adventure that Eben’s been craving — a trip to Colorado.
Eben doesn’t think he’ll have any luck — he can’t think of one single thing that could be considered wondrous in Sassafras — but he’s willing to try. Little does he know that the Wonders he’ll discover among his neighbors, friends, relatives, and family will give him the adventure of a lifetime … without ever leaving home.
SMALL WONDER by Ross Montgomery (2026). 224 pp.
Remember everything I taught you, Small Wonder. Take care of Leaf. Take care of Pebble. I’ve done all I can. The rest is up to you . . .
Tick, called Small Wonder by his grandfather, lives peacefully at the edge of Ellia, along with his little brother and faithful horse. But then a deadly assassin and an invading army arrive. The kingdom is in danger and Tick has six moons to get to King’s Keep and warn their ruler.
Traveling through forests and over mountains, encountering bandits and rogue knights, Tick is determined to honor his grandfather’s last words of advice … “make it count.” Can Tick warn the kingdom in time and protect his little brother from the dangers they encounter? As they make their treacherous journey through Ellia, Tick starts to uncover a long-buried history that will change everything he thought he knew.
THE STRANGE DISAPPEARANCE OF IMOGEN GOOD by Kirsty Applebaum (2026). 231 pp. 
A hidden garden. An ancient tale. A missing child. This is an addictive mystery with crossing narratives that’s impossible to put down.
Fran doesn’t want to stay with her aunt and uncle and her annoying cousin, Imogen. Imogen is rude and unfriendly and, as it turns out, missing. And worst of all, her parents don’t seem to remember who Imogen is. They think Fran is being silly because … they don’t have a daughter. So it’s up to Fran, and Imogen’s best friend, Bex, to find out what’s happened to her.
Except Bex doesn’t know who Imogen is either. All Fran knows is that it’s got something to do with the hidden garden at Stillness Hall and the twelve statues that belong there. Could a mysterious old tale, a story of enchantment and death, hold the answers?
THE SUMMER WE FOUND THE BABY by Amy Hest (2020). 192 pp. Center Moriches PL
On the morning of the dedication of a new children’s library in Belle Beach, Long Island, eleven-year-old Julie Sweet and her six-year-old sister, Martha, find a baby in a basket on the library steps. At the same time, twelve-year-old Bruno Ben-Eli is on his way to the train station to catch the 9:15 train into New York City. He is on an important errand for his brother, who is a soldier overseas in World War II.
But when Bruno spies Julie, the same Julie who hasn’t spoken to him for sixteen days, heading away from the library with a baby in her arms, he has to follow. Holy everything! he thinks. Julie Sweet is a kidnapper.
Of course, the truth is much more complicated than the children know in this heartwarming and beautifully textured family story by award-winning author Amy Hest. Told in three distinct voices, each with a different take on events, the novel captures the moments and emotions of a life-changing summer — a summer in which a baby gives a family hope and brings a community together.
Read an interview with the author here.
THREE PENNIES by Melanie Crowder (2017). 192 pp. 
For a kid bouncing from foster home to foster home, The Book of Changes is the perfect companion. That’s why Marin carries three pennies and a pocket-sized I Ching with her everywhere she goes. Yet when everything in her life suddenly starts changing—when Marin lands in a foster home that feels like somewhere she could stay, maybe forever—the pennies don’t have any answers for her.
Marin is positive that all the wrongs in her life will be made right if only she can find her birth mother and convince her that they belong together. Marin is close, oh so close—until she gets some unwelcome news. Her resolve, like the uneasy Earth far beneath the city of San Francisco, is shaken.
Next summer, check your local library to see if they host a Library Tour. You never know what you may find.
Here are some photos of my favorite library spaces:
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