Middle Grade 2023
Shadows by the Sea
December Box
Gloom Town by Ronald L. Smith
Page 4: "He reached inside the dark hole and retrieved the money jar, then opened it up and counted."
The included gift was a custom set of three multicolored money jars that said spend, save, and share.
Page 110: "Rory dropped his cup. It was the black box."
The included gift was a 12oz white aluminum mug with an image of trees and the quote: You're not getting involved in some adventure without me .
Page 131: "He carefully placed his small watercolor in a panel in the folding easel kit and then clicked it shut."
The included gift was an Artist's Kit with a variety of crayons, colored pencils, paints, and more along with a small canvas and easel.
Of Dust and Dragons
November Box
Alliana, Girl of Dragons by Julie Abe
Page 28: "Alliana settled on the thick floor cushion at the low table in the center of the room, across from the old woman."
The included gift was a custom, sequin, reversible throw pillow.
Page 106: "She spun a wand in her fingertips, and it gave off little sparks of bronze light."
The included gift was a magic wand with glowing tip.
Page 302: "Alliana carefully held the letter to her chest and put on the necklace, pressing it close..."
The included gift was a stone necklace inspired by Alliana's.
The Shapeshifter
October Box
Trouble in the Stars by Sarah Prineas
Page 100:"Reetha is using a first aid kit to clean and bandage the acid burn on the captain's arm."
The included gift was a custom set of space-themed adhesive bandages.
Page 118:"I lie down and look at the ceiling. It is painted dark blue too, and it has tiny stars stuck all over it."
The included gift was a set of 200 glow-in-the-dark sticky stars.
Page 178:"She taps a band on her wrist and speaks into it. 'Yes, I've got him, Reetha.'"
The included gift was a set of wrist watch walkie-talkies.
Mystery at the Earhart House
September Box
The Amelia Six by Kristin L. Gray"While she and Dad talked shop, I reached into the duffel bag at my feet and found my Rubik's Cube."
- a custom designed weekender bag.
"A few quick turns on my cube-right, left, right, and I'd made a wish. Two wishes in fact."
- a Rubik's cube.
"I caught a glimpse of Mom's pilot wings pinned to my jacket. Then I saw my shiny new pin fastened next to hers and my heart exploded like a million stars."
- a custom wings pin.
The Brave Explorer
August Box
The Adventure is Now by Jess Redman"Milton's ensemble included many-pocketed pants that unzipped into shorts, a patch-covered vest, hiking boots, and a utility belt, complete with flashlight, and other wilderness trekking necessities."
- a wilderness adventure kit including vest, hat, wind-up flashlight, and compass.
"Fig was busy unzipping a small pocket in her utility belt. From inside, she produced a small plastic jar with a hole-poked lid."
- a bug catching kit including plastic insects, magnifying glass, specimen jars, and more.
"Milton unwrapped the newspaper, slightly terrified it might contain more bugs. It didn't. Inside was a pair of binoculars."
- a pair of binoculars.
Village of Magic
July Box
The Leopard Behind the Moon by Mayonn Paasewe-Valchev"As Ezomo walked, he blew warm air into his cupped hands and peeked with one eye at the frog hopping around his palms."
- a wooden frog instrument.
"Ezomo did not see the old drum lying in the dirt, and when his elbow brushed against the instrument, it boomed."
- a custom designed spinning drum.
"Bisa chased Humongous the bird around the forest and cornered him in a banana tree."
- a custom designed rubber band flying bird.
Journey of the Wolf
June Box
The Wolf of Cape Fen by Juliana Brandt"Winnie closed her eyes and felt around on the floor, grabbing up the wooden owl Pa had carved for her birthday."
- a wooden owl keychain puzzle.
"Her eyes slammed shut and arms shot up to block the light. Eliza screamed and dropped the lantern."
- a custom travel lantern.
"She laid out the cards as required for Kings and Queens, dealing enough for both Dire and me to play."
- a custom designed set of XL playing cards.
School of Vikings
May Box
The Last Shadow Warrior by Sam Subity"He extracted a plastic cup from the side pouch of his backpack and sipped a bright orange liquid through a plastic straw."
- a set of two collapsible travel cups with lids.
"Granny V extracted a bingo card from her bag and slid it across the table to us along with a red tube that I assumed was the dauber."
- a set of two ink daubers and pad of 50 road trip and 50 restaurant bingo sheets.
"That's when I noticed that if the light hit the spoon at just the right angle, its form seemed to shift. Like it wasn't just a spoon but something much larger and more dangerous. Its shape flicked between a spoon and...a Viking battle-ax."
- a set of two inflatable axes.
Toy Shop of Wonders
April Box
Winston Chu vs. the Whimsies by Stacey Lee"'I brought you your own practice ukulele, plus chord charts.' He deposited the ukeleles in our living room, then handed me a sleek presentation folder."
- a DIY wooden ukelele.
"He glanced up at an inflatable moon hanging in a corner. Just under it a poster of the phases of the moon ran the length of one wall. He was a real lunatic, a moon fanatic."
- an oversized inflatable moon beach ball.
"There, on her upper lip, the Mischief Mustache was poised like a peregrine about to dive-bomb a vole."
- a sheet of six mustache stickers.
"From my backpack, I slid out a present for Mom. She took the twisty gold object and examined it carefully. 'Your dad was a unicorn. Rare and wonderful. Happy Dad-iversary.'"
- a gold twisted lollipop.
The Bayou Curse
March Box
The Monster Hypothesis by Romily Bernard
Page 4:"'I don't know what I was thinking.' Kick flipped to a new page in her experiment book and scribbled."
The included gift was a custom science experiment journal.
Page 29:"She wedged one foot and then the other into sneakers, and allowed herself two minutes to check her latest experiment: glow-in-the-dark slime."
The included gift was a set of three, glow-in-the-dark slimes.
Page 209:"Mrs. Flagg flipped off the light and plunged the classroom into dark. And the green glowing message scrawled across the projector screen emerged: The curse of Bohring is here. No one will escape."
The included gift was an ultraviolet pen with light.
Survival Island
February Box
The Forgotten Five: Map of Flames by Lisa McMann
Page 154:"They went together, rising out of the water in their gray parachute clothing and backpacks. When they were waist deep, Tenner stopped to pull the sunglasses out of his backpack and put them on."
The included gift was a set of night vision spy goggles and an invisible ink pen (inside the box)
Page 202:"She turned the backpack inside out. Her eyes widened as she pulled out a tiny velvet pouch. Carefully she loosened the pouch strings, then poured the contents into her hand. They sparkled in the sun. 'Diamonds,' she whispered, then swiftly counted them. 'Thriteen of them.'"
The included gift was a bright teal, one-shoulder backpack plus a small drawstring bag containing thirteen diamonds, just like in the story!
