Middle Grade Roundup: Reviews and Author Features for October 12, 2026

For readers looking for their next middle grade read, this October 12 roundup brings together reviews, an author guest post and a book feature from across the children’s literature community. Its appeal is the variety: the linked posts point toward contemporary titles, a story inspired by a familiar classic, and a return to a well-known Gary D. Schmidt novel. Each link offers a different way into the week’s reading, whether you’re choosing a book for yourself, a young reader or a group discussion.

Reviews of new stories and familiar favorites

ALWAYS in the MIDDLE reviews ABSENT by Rex Ogle. The roundup identifies the book and reviewer, leaving the linked review to explain what the reading experience is like and who might connect with it. For readers comparing middle grade titles, that’s a useful starting point: a review can help clarify whether a book’s subject and approach fit a particular reader, while the title and author provide a clear path to find more information.

At Carol Baldwin, guest reviewer Kate Lundeen shares a review of A STORM INSIDE HER by Lola Mae. Including a guest reviewer gives the post a distinct perspective within the roundup. Readers interested in the book can follow the link for Lundeen’s response and consider how her view speaks to their own tastes.

Susan Uhlig highlights Maire Roche’s LITTLE MONSTERS, described here as a retelling of Little Women with a big twist. That connection gives readers an immediate point of reference, while the mention of a twist suggests that the book takes its own direction. Anyone drawn to stories that revisit well-known material can use Uhlig’s feature to find out more without needing the roundup to give away what changes.

There’s also a classic in the mix. Rosi Hollinbeck continues her reviews of Gary D. Schmidt’s work with WEDNESDAY WARS. For readers who already know the book, this is a chance to revisit it through another reader’s response; for those meeting it for the first time, the review may help them decide whether it belongs on their list. Hollinbeck also shares three links of interest for writers, broadening the post’s use beyond readers looking for book recommendations.

Author conversation and a featured title

At Literary Rambles, Natalie Aguirre hosts a guest post by Shifa Saltagi Safadi and a giveaway of SISTERS ALONE. The guest post gives readers a route into Safadi’s perspective, while the giveaway offers another reason to visit the original page. Together, these elements make the feature relevant to readers curious about the author as well as those interested in the book. The roundup doesn’t describe the story, so the linked post is the place to learn more about its subject and Safadi’s comments.

Jenni Enzor features Thunder and Mercy by Jennifer Robin Barr. The brief mention keeps the title visible among the week’s selections and directs interested readers to Enzor’s page for the feature itself. For anyone building a reading list, the entry adds another author and title to explore alongside the reviews and guest post.

A week’s worth of places to browse

Karen Yingling at Mrs. Yingling Reads shares a book every day, and the roundup points readers toward her review for the day as well as posts from the preceding week. One specific recommendation is Sunday’s review of EVERYTHING NEW AGAIN. That regular pace makes the blog a useful destination for readers who like to browse beyond a single weekly selection and discover books through an ongoing stream of reviews.

Taken together, these links make the roundup a compact reading guide rather than a single verdict on what to pick up. Readers can move from Rex Ogle’s ABSENT to Lola Mae’s A STORM INSIDE HER, consider Maire Roche’s LITTLE MONSTERS, or follow a reviewer back to Gary D. Schmidt’s WEDNESDAY WARS. The author feature and daily review archive add further paths to explore. The next step is simple: choose the link that matches your curiosity, then let the original reviewer or author provide the detail.