Harry Potter is a good guy, without question. So are Pippi, Percy, and (it seems) all the other heroes for middle readers. And the evil they fight is unequivocal too. So it’s refreshing to read a story that explores what happens when people you love do things that maybe they shouldn’t (but maybe should)? Sara Nickerson’s new novel is set near Mount St. Helens, in a hot summer like this one, on a blueberry farm. It’s partly a mystery, partly a family drama, and partly a story of growing up, in which Missy and her family and friends have to come to terms with each other and themselves, even when none of them is perfect. (Ages 10 to 13)
—Laura Silverstein, Phinney Books, Seattle, WA
Pick this fantastic debut by a Seattle author at Phinney Books or other independent booksellers.