Four 2019 Middle Grade Novels Not to Miss

THE SIMPLE ART OF FLYING by Cory Leonardo  -- A parrot who writes poetry. Need I say more?

THE BRIDGE HOME by Padma Venkatraman -- Kids making it on their own -- and making discoveries about themselves -- in a tough world. A good one to pair with the movie SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.

TO NIGHT OWL FROM DOGFISH by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer   -- I'm a sucker for an epistolary novel, what can I say? (This one told in email.)

THE LINE TENDER by Kate Allen -- This book got like a zillion starred reviews... I learned what a line tender is (both realistically and metaphorically), and the shark drawings inside are gorgeous!