Short, easily digestible chapters that entertain and pack an emotional punch.
A DAY AT THE BEACH
by Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge
Clarion Books, April 2025
From two-time Newbery Honoree Gary D. Schmidt and two-time PEN Award Winner Ron Koertge comes a moving and often laugh-out-loud funny middle grade novel about family, friendship, and belonging, told by a group of kids whose lives intersect one day at the beach.These thoughtful and funny vignettes brilliantly weave together an irresistible tale of tween relationships and connections.
Gary D. Schmidtis the bestselling author of The Labors of Hercules Beal; Just Like That; National Book Award finalist Okay for Now; and more.
Ron Koertgeis a two-time winner of the PEN Award and author of many acclaimed novels for young people.
Margaret is a mean, cranky human toddler from a family of nine. She is such a pain that her beleaguered parents chuck her out, and she’s on her own, grousing and grumping until two caring woodchucks, Phoebe and Fred, take Margaret in as their own. But despite their love, Margaret continues to wreak havoc with her loud, destructive ways, ruining the burrow and shrieking nonstop. Soon the woodchucks are as beleaguered as Margaret’s human parents were, but because love is more powerful than temper tantrums, they are determined to make it work. So they enlist a little unconventional help, and with the guidance of a snake, bats, and a skunk, their feral little human just might realize there’s more to life than being mean.
Io has spent her whole life on Planet Meow. After much begging, Io finally convinces her mom to let her visit her dad—who lives on Earth—every other Wednesday. There’s just one space-time problem. A “Wednesday” on her planet is a whole YEAR on Earth!
Senka lives between the realm of the Living and the realm of the Dead. As ward to Charon, the Ferryer of the Underworld, Senka assists in ferrying recently departed souls across the river and into their afterlife. Although Charon has taught her many Rules about life in the Underworld, there is much he avoids telling her. Though she doesn’t understand why the Rules are so important, she listens—she must heed them in order to become an official Ferryer, just like Charon.