FOREST OF WONDERS (Wing & Claw #1), by Linda Sue Park

The story: Raffa has discovered a vine that not only helped his injured bat to heal quickly--it causes Echo to be able to talk. Afraid that the government will weaponize his discovery, the young apothecary sets off on a journey to prevent that from happening. Along the way, he makes friends who help him worm his way into the secret government compound where all the cruel experimenting is happening...and he's horrified to find that people he knows well--really well--are at the center of it. Can the group of teens keep the animals out of harm's way without jumping into it themselves?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult PG; GLBT content G; adult themes (cruelty to animals) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: Although the story seems a little slow to get going, Park does a good job of laying action and information until it's a real cliff-hanger at the end. Kids will want book 2 right now! Although it seems directed at an ES audience of grades 4-6, MS fantasy and animal lovers through 7th will be fine with it.

BRIGHTWOOD, by Tania Unsworth

The story: Daisy has never stepped foot outside the grounds of her home on the Brightwood Estate. A long-ago tragedy has made her mother fear change--and other people. But one day, mum disappears and frightening James Gritting comes instead, claiming to be a long-lost cousin. It doesn't take long for Daisy to realize he means her harm, and now it's up to her (aided by her pet rat, Tar, and the ghost of an adventuring girl named Frank) to escape the only home she's ever known and find help even though...it might already be too late.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult PG; GLBT content G; adult themes (mental illness, murderous intent) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: Reminiscent of a tale by Roald Dahl, this spine-tingling little story is perfect for people who liked last year's "The Imaginary", or anyone who loved the movie "Jumanji" back in the day.

JOSH BAXTER LEVELS UP, by Gavin Brown

The story: If Josh Baxter's life was a video game, he'd be dead. No more lives, no more health points, no new skills unlocked. It's his third new school in two years, he has zero friends, his grades are terrible, and there's a bully looking to kill him. But--when Josh goes into hero mode, it seems there might be more to him than meets the eye! Can he level up in time to avoid obliteration?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG (a fist fight); Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (death of a parent; grief; bullying; general adult cluelessness) PG-13; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: A really fun read! Hand this to anyone, boy or girl, who likes video games. Occasionally the not-so-subtle points about getting your homework done and working on your weaknesses get slightly preachy, but that's in no way a spoiler.

GENIUS: THE GAME, by Leopoldo Gout

The story: Two hundred of the best--geniuses--have been chosen to compete in teen tech billionaire Kiran Biswas's Game. Rex, Cai, and Tunde all have a reason to need to be there: Rex is desperately searching for his lost brother, Cai is trying to find who's corrupted her Chinese businessman father, and Tunde is trying to keep his family and village out of the hands of an African warlord. Working desperately to solve the puzzle and stay in the Game, they come to realize that they've been maneuvered right into a trap and that to stay alive, solving the puzzle is no longer enough. Now they'd better stay one step ahead of The Game...or it may be their last step ever.

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content PG; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (complex conspiracies; misuse of technology in order to take over the world) PG-13; overall rating PG-13--mostly due to the very tech-dense narrative that is simply too hard for most MS readers...unless they're GT types like the kids in the story.

Liz's comments: This is a Dan-Brown type thriller featuring super-smart kids doing what they do best. There's the occasional moment of inability to suspend disbelief that kids could perform this kind of technological wizardry...but maybe that's where the "Genius" part of the title comes in. If you're wanting to believe that kids are going to save the world someday, you'll enjoy this one.

MARK OF THE PLAGUE (Blackthorn Key #2), by Kevin Sands

The story: It's 1665, and the black plague has hit London with a vengeance. A unexpected message from Christopher's dead master, apothecary Blackthorn, reveals that there's a treasure hidden somewhere in the house...but Christopher can't seem to find it, and money is getting tight. Even worse, friends are falling victim to the plague, and a mysterious plague "prophet" has predicted that Christopher's best friend, Tom, will be among the next to die...

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG; Magic & the occult PG-13; GLBT content G; adult themes (manipulation of public fear for gain) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: I'm a big fan of "The Blackthorn Key", and thought this one was really good as well--although a little less like a Dan Brown book for kids, and a little more like the historical fiction that it is. Even so, there are puzzles to crack and mysteries to solve, and fans of book 1 will like book 2 also.

FUZZY, by Tom Angleberger

The story: When Maxine is assigned to befriend robot-in-training Fuzzy as part of integrated him into her school, she's thrilled. But it turns out to be a lot less exciting than she thought--the other kids make fun of her, her anti-robot mom isn't happy about it, and worst of all, she seems to have run afoul of the other AI presence in the school: evil robotic Vice Principal Barbara. Can Max keep one step ahead of Barbara, the military, AND the Russian baddies who want to kidnap Fuzzy?

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes PG (artificial intelligence overstepping its programmed bounds); overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: A fun read for sci-fi lovers. Too bad the main character isn't a boy...that way, more guys (the usual audience for this kind of book) would be willing to give it a go.

THE SEVENTH WISH, by Kate Messner

The story: When Charlie catches a magic fish that grants wishes, it's not long before she's back at the fishing hole again...and again. Her wishes seem to help at first--but then they go sideways, and somehow they've made things even worse than when she started. Can Charlie figure out how to solve her problems without magic? It doesn't seem very likely...

June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence G; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG-13; Magic & the occult PG; GLBT content G; adult themes (addiction) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: I liked this story a lot, but found it to be a very strange juxtaposition of whimsical magic fish/wish granting and the difficulties of dealing with an older sibling's addiction. Messner does a good job of showing the neglected child's anger as parents deal with putting out the older sister's fires, and she also shows that wishing for life to get better--and having those wishes granted--just leads to more complications. I'd say the audience here is grades 5-7; Charlie is a 6th grader, but her older sister's problems would resonate with older readers...if they can get past the magic, wish-granting fish.