Gemeinhart, Dan. The Midnight Children. Henry Holt & Co., 2022. 978-1-250-19672-9. $16.99. 352 p. Grades 4-8.

Ravini Foster never has had a friend. Growing up in Slaughtersville is difficult. The town is a miserable place filled with miserable people, many of whom make their living at the slaughter house in the center of town. Ravi, an only child, is lonely. He delights in the woods, and birds, and the adult characters in his small town, but his greatest wish is to have a friend. Picked on by the town bullies, unathletic, unable to connect with his exhausted father, Ravi yearns for something to change. Then one night, unable to sleep for loneliness, Ravi sees something he isn’t supposed to see. A family of seven children move into the abandoned house across the street in the dead of night. There are no adults with them. Ravi’s curiosity gets the better of him, and with persistence, patience, and small, but exceedingly kind gestures, Ravi is able to earn the trust of Virginia and her siblings. Discovering the mysterious secret behind Virginia’s family life puts Ravi in a curious position. He is thrilled to finally belong somewhere but now must help his new friends remain a family. Ravi never has been prone to taking risks or accepting leadership, but friendship and belonging help him to see a different side of himself. The Midnight Children is darkly funny in the vein of Lemony Snicket but with an emotional and serious message about the nature of friendship and the meaning of family.

THOUGHTS: A stunning middle grade novel that is an absolute delight to read aloud.

Realistic Fiction          Anne McKernan, Council Rock SD