Moonleapers

White-cued middle schooler Maisie feels like she's the only one of her classmates who doesn't own a smartphone. Though Maisie is excited to unexpectedly receive a phone from her mother, the tween is puzzled by the gift's origins: The device once belonged to Maisie's ill great-aunt Hazel, who wanted Maisie to have it despite their not having seen each other in years. When the tween learns that her parents must care for Hazel during the summer, the family leaves Ohio for Hazel's Maryland gated community home, where Maisie babysits her rambunctious younger siblings while her parents are busy. Maisie's only forms of entertainment are Hazel's pets, Cat the Great and Little Dog, and the odd texts and nursery rhyme--themed riddles that Maisie receives from an anonymous sender. It soon becomes apparent that Hazel has passed along more than an old cellphone. She was a Moonleaper, a time traveling spy, and Maisie must now take up the mantle and leap into Hazel's past to change her great-aunt's--and the world's--future. A slow-moving buildup gives way to ample tension and suspense as Maisie jumps through time. Haddix (The Stolen Key) forefronts depictions of Hazel's childhood during the Great Depression and WWII in this potent series-opening adventure about one person's power to change the world. Ages 8--12. Agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary. (Sept.)

Gr 3--7--Haddix's latest book blends mystery and time travel alongside an exploration of loss. Sixth grader Maisie's summer is upended when her family learns that they need to care for Great Aunt Hazel, whose health is failing. Along with this news are two gifts for Maisie: Hazel's old cell phone, and a seemingly blank book entitled Guide for Moonleapers. But when Maisie begins receiving riddles and cryptic texts from an unknown sender, she learns that she has inherited the status of Moonleaper from Hazel, and must use her sleuthing and research skills to solve a problem in Hazel's past. The phone also has a special ability: it allows Maisie limited communication with people in both the past and the future, offering a potential to change history itself. This provides real stakes for the story, and ultimately reshapes the lived experiences of the book's characters. Haddix uses humor, historical asides, and liberal references to the nursery rhyme "Hey, Diddle Diddle" to keep readers engaged. But there are somber notes too: Haddix's story, inspired by an episode connected to her mother's dementia, reads as deeply personal. The exploration of grief tempers the fantastical elements of the book, muting the thrill of Masie unlocking her Moonleaper abilities. The book sets up a proposed duology. Great Aunt Hazel is from Great Britain; main characters are cued white. VERDICT An easy pick for readers who enjoy some fantastical elements in an otherwise realistic story; recommended.--Michael Van Wambeke

In this duology opener, strange text messages and a mysterious old book lead a preteen to a startling revelation. When 12-year-old Maisie gets her first phone, she's initially thrilled, even if it is a hand-me-down from Great-Aunt Hazel. But then her parents share disappointing news: She and her family must move from Ohio to Maryland for the summer so her mother can help Hazel, who's moved into a nursing home, while Maisie babysits her two obnoxious younger siblings. When mysterious texts begin to arrive from an unknown number containing riddles for Maisie to solve, she's confused and frustrated.The Guide for Moonleapers, a mysterious book her great-aunt has also left her, contains blank pages, which is just as annoying. But as Maisie slowly starts to piece together the puzzle, she discovers an incredible secret: As a moonleaper, or time traveler, Great-Aunt Hazel helped save the world by changing history--and she's planned for Maisie to follow in her footsteps. Connecting with both the future and the past, Maisie must help change the world before time runs out for her great-aunt. Disjointed time travel episodes and overly explained plot points drag down this first installment, but Haddix's unique talent for conveying the middle-grade voice shines through nevertheless. Main characters present white. A twisty if slightly uneven story celebrating the power of connection. (author's note)(Science fiction thriller. 8-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.