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Zombie Zoo: Adventures in Tub by Melanie Abed #bookreview #middlegrade #stembooks #rabtbooktours @Melanie_Abed @RABTBookTours

Adventures in Tub (Felix & Ninja, Book 1)

Upper Middle Grade

Date Published: 09-15-2026

Publisher: Oculus Print

Two orphan loners. One supernatural plague. When wood-eating zombies threaten their island, mismatched investigators Felix and Ninja must combine science and instinct to save Spinachi-before they're next.

ZOMBIE ZOO is Book 1 in a five-book middle grade adventure series for readers ages 8-13, blending paranormal mystery, zombies, unlikely friendship, and STEAM-powered problem-solving.

When 13-year-old aspiring naturalist Felix Fizzystyxx discovers that orphans at Wayward Amok Orphanage are transforming into wood-eating zombies, his quiet tree-fort observations are no longer enough. Someone has deliberately unleashed a strange plague on Tub's island town of Spinachi-and they're still out there.

To find a cure, Felix must team up with Ninja, a shadow-dwelling orphan who trusts her instincts and never backs down. Intense and razor-sharp, she notices what others overlook and lives up to her name as the island's most mysterious sleuth. With their eccentric mentor Doc Brunne compromised and the town's water supply contaminated by a glowing bioluminescent substance, the two mismatched investigators must combine scientific observation with sharp intuition to stop the outbreak before their island home is devoured.

Set on the fictional island of Tub, this fast-paced, humorous adventure naturally weaves in STEAM concepts-biology, chemistry, bioluminescence, water systems, pattern recognition, and the scientific method-within an age-appropriate supernatural mystery. Themes include unlikely friendship, identity, trust across differences, courage, and finding your voice when adults won't listen.

Featuring diverse protagonists, quirky humor, spooky-but-fun scares, and strong female and male leads. ZOMBIE ZOO is ideal for reluctant readers and fans of Max Brallier's The Last Kids on Earth, B.B. Alston's Amari and the Night Brothers, and Goosebumps. Comprehensive educator resources-including discussion guides, vocabulary lists, STEAM extension activities, and printable maps-support classroom use, library programming, book clubs, and make this title ideal for cross-curricular lessons bridging ELA, STEAM, and SEL.

Review

There is a lot to enjoy in Zombie Zoo: Adventures in Tub, especially for young readers who like their mysteries with a healthy dose of weirdness.

Felix's scientific curiosity and Ninja's instinctive approach complement each other, showing that there isn't just one way to solve a difficult problem. Their partnership also reinforces learning to speak up when adults aren't listening.

I also appreciated the STEAM component because the scientific ideas are connected directly to the mystery and the characters' investigation.

A fun pick for middle-grade readers who aren't afraid to investigate the impossible.

About the Author

Melanie Abed is a behavioral expert turned story weaver. She believes dragons are real but hiding, and finds thunderstorms equally delightful and terrifying. A tea-loving bookworm, she champions young minds and writes to help kids discover their superpowers are real.

Contact Links

Instagram: @byMelanieAbed

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The Baal of Shangisha by O Mez #middlegrade #fantasy #adventure #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours

Middle-grade fantasy Adventure, fantasy

Date Published: January 6, 2026

Publisher: MindStir Media

One boy. One impossible dream. One journey that could change his world forever.

When a mysterious force hurls young Chetanna into the home of an enigmatic old bird, he arrives carrying an extraordinary dream: to bring peace to the wicked and divided world around him.

Even Chetanna is unsure such peace is possible.

But when his mother tells him of a distant land of possibilities—a place where hidden answers may be found—Chetanna finally sees a path forward. As darkness spreads across the island he calls home, he begins a dangerous quest armed with only a slingshot, a mysterious name whispered by his mother, and the ancient power of the Eight.

Chetanna believes that courage, hope, and determination will be enough to complete his mission.

He is wrong.

Halfway through the journey, betrayal changes everything. The companions he trusted most abandon him, convinced that the quest is doomed. Left for dead and stranded in an unforgiving wilderness, Chetanna loses nearly everything he depended upon.

He should turn back.

He should surrender.

Instead, he holds tightly to the one thing no enemy can take from him: his dream of creating a better world.

Driven by resilience, courage, kindness, and an unshakable belief in what might still be possible, Chetanna presses forward. But when he finally reaches the legendary land he has risked everything to find, a devastating truth awaits—one powerful enough to destroy his mission and shatter everything he believes.

The Baal of Shangisha is a lyrical middle-grade fantasy adventure filled with mystery, ancient power, dangerous choices, unexpected betrayal, and unforgettable lessons about hope, sacrifice, selflessness, and perseverance.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

• Courageous young heroes and epic quests

• Magical lands inspired by rich cultural traditions

• Fantasy adventures filled with danger and discovery

• Stories about friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness

• Meaningful lessons about resilience, love, kindness, and hope

• Young characters who discover that even the smallest voice can inspire extraordinary change

Blending atmospheric storytelling, African cultural echoes, and timeless themes, O. Mez delivers a powerful debut novel for young readers who believe that courage is not the absence of fear—but the decision to keep moving forward.

How far would you go to save your world when everyone else has stopped believing?

Begin Chetanna’s unforgettable journey in The Baal of Shangisha today.

Review

An imaginative fantasy adventure that gives young readers much more than a thrilling quest.

The fantasy elements, mysterious forces, wilderness dangers, and legendary destination create an engaging sense of adventure, while the story's deeper messages about kindness, sacrifice, forgiveness, and resilience give the book substance beyond its magical elements.

This is a thoughtful middle-grade fantasy for readers who enjoy courageous young heroes. Chetanna's journey is ultimately a reminder that even when hope seems unreasonable, refusing to surrender it can be an act of extraordinary courage.

About the Author

O. Mez is a Nigerian-born author whose storytelling is shaped by the rich oral traditions, cultural rhythms, and imaginative tales that surrounded him while growing up. Inspired by stories passed down through generations, he writes lyrical, atmospheric fantasy that explores courage, resilience, hope, and the quiet strength of those who dare to believe in a better world.

Now based in Colorado, Mez brings together African cultural echoes, timeless life lessons, and immersive fantasy adventure to create meaningful stories for young readers. His debut middle-grade fantasy novel, The Baal of Shangisha, follows a young hero on a dangerous quest filled with mystery, betrayal, ancient power, and the unshakable determination to change his world.

Through his writing, Mez hopes to encourage children to embrace kindness, perseverance, selflessness, and the belief that even the smallest voice can make a lasting difference.

When he is not writing, he enjoys watching football, spending time with his wife and daughters, and reading stories about forgotten lands, brave souls, and extraordinary journeys.

Purchase Links

Zombie Zoo: Adventures in Tub (Felix & Ninja, Book 1) by Melanie Abed #middlegrade #newbooks #releaseday #giveaway #rabtbooktours @Melanie_Abed @RABTBookTours

Adventures in Tub (Felix & Ninja, Book 1)

Upper Middle Grade

Date Published: 09-15-2026

Publisher: Oculus Print

ZOMBIE ZOO is Book 1 in a five-book middle grade adventure series for readers ages 8-13, blending paranormal mystery, zombies, unlikely friendship, and STEAM-powered problem-solving.

About the Author

Contact Links

Instagram: @byMelanieAbed

Purchase Links

B&N

Walmart

Zombie Zoo: Adventures in Tub by Melanie Abed (Felix & Ninja, Book 1) #uppermiddlegrade #middlegrade #comingsoon #rabtbooktours @Melanie_Abed @RABTBookTours

Adventures in Tub (Felix & Ninja, Book 1)

Upper Middle Grade

Date Published: 09-15-2026

Publisher: Oculus Print

ZOMBIE ZOO is Book 1 in a five-book middle grade adventure series for readers ages 8-13, blending paranormal mystery, zombies, unlikely friendship, and STEAM-powered problem-solving.

About the Author

Contact Links

Instagram: @byMelanieAbed

The Baal of Shangisha by O. Mez #middlegrade #fantasy #adventure #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours

Middle-grade fantasy Adventure, fantasy

Date Published: January 6, 2026

Publisher: MindStir Media

One boy. One impossible dream. One journey that could change his world forever.

When a mysterious force hurls young Chetanna into the home of an enigmatic old bird, he arrives carrying an extraordinary dream: to bring peace to the wicked and divided world around him.

Even Chetanna is unsure such peace is possible.

Chetanna believes that courage, hope, and determination will be enough to complete his mission.

He is wrong.

He should turn back.

He should surrender.

Instead, he holds tightly to the one thing no enemy can take from him: his dream of creating a better world.

Perfect for readers who enjoy:

• Courageous young heroes and epic quests

• Magical lands inspired by rich cultural traditions

• Fantasy adventures filled with danger and discovery

• Stories about friendship, betrayal, and forgiveness

• Meaningful lessons about resilience, love, kindness, and hope

• Young characters who discover that even the smallest voice can inspire extraordinary change

How far would you go to save your world when everyone else has stopped believing?

Begin Chetanna’s unforgettable journey in The Baal of Shangisha today.

About the Author

Through his writing, Mez hopes to encourage children to embrace kindness, perseverance, selflessness, and the belief that even the smallest voice can make a lasting difference.

When he is not writing, he enjoys watching football, spending time with his wife and daughters, and reading stories about forgotten lands, brave souls, and extraordinary journeys.

Purchase Links

Ivy Leigh Ever After by Gael Lynch #giveaway #excerpt #juvenilefiction #middlegrade #grief #rabtbooktours @gaellynch @RABTBookTours

Middle Grade Fiction

Date Published: Feb 24, 2026

Publisher: Small Circles Press

Ivy Leigh’s a feisty eleven, almost twelve-year-old who could never imagine using a fist to solve a problem. But that was before. Before Momma died. Before her BFFs, Lizzie and Ruthie, started pressuring her to change. Before they told her that Michael, the cutest boy in school, has a crush on her. And, before two jealous bullies—Rachel and Winona teamed up to badger her on the bus and at school. Rachel calls her ‘Poison Ivy.’ Winona shoves her into a crowd at school. Hurt and humiliated, Ivy Leigh, on impulse, fights back. It’s a mistake she instantly regrets.

Ruthie and Lashonna know these bullies. They know their backstories and where they’ve come from. But they’re not the only ones. A cast of quirky characters like Mr. Winters, the wannabe cowboy next door who speaks his advice in the language of old-world slogans. There’s Miss Aurelia, an old hippy, whose eyes don’t work so well anymore, but who has a special kind of wisdom she shares with Ivy Leigh. And there’s Momma’s best friend, Miss Neola, who takes Ivy under her wing, and helps her understand that bullies have struggles too.

In the end, Ivy stands up for herself, not with a fist, but with a heart, walking in the shoes of Rachel and Winona, Lizzie and Ruthie, and even Grandma and her sister, Viv, who all struggle with loss and loneliness and sometimes misunderstanding too. Ivy soon learns that through all of this, she has never been alone, that Momma is still living in her midst, under that strawberry moon they both loved so much.

Excerpt

Chapter One: The Package

“She’s coming for you, Peachy.”

He leaped off the bed and scrambled toward me. Together, we stood at the window, watching. I’d heard the roar of that muffler. The sound of the crash. It all spelled trouble. Up until now, Peachy was unknown to her. But I knew it would never stay that way. Dad was at work. She always knew the perfect time to strike.

“That was Mom’s gnome!” Nat’s shriek pierced the air, and I knew this was going to be bad. I took the stairs two at a time, in boxers and a tank top, with Peachy trailing behind. It was early on a Saturday, Viv was still in bed, and I hadn’t even brushed my teeth. But that never mattered to Grandma. This was a surprise attack; we were in her sights, and she had a total takeover in mind. I tucked Peachy away in his crate and latched him in tight before heading out to the front porch to see what was going on.

And there she was. Bulb shaped and full of bluster, Grandma stood with Nat at her side, staring down at the smashed garden gnome. He was pink-faced with a green hat and a little red jacket. Mom named him ‘Happy.’ He made her laugh just to look at him in the midst of her treatments and trips to and from the hospital. But now Happy was here all smashed up in the garden, and Mom had been gone for almost a whole awful year.

“That is the tackiest thing! People will question the sort of people who live in a house with a thing like that out front!”

Things went quiet for a moment, I don’t think Nat even knew what to say to that.

But I knew this wasn’t going to be about the garden gnome. She’d come about Peachy who we’d hidden from her for a whole two weeks. But I’d had a funny feeling about that lately, Grandma had eyes and ears everywhere.

A minute later, I heard the squeak of metal behind me. And then, to my shock and surprise, the screen door flew open. Within seconds, Peachy bolted out, lunged at Grandma and nearly knocked her off her feet. How on earth did he get out of there, I thought.

“This! she bellowed. “This is exactly why I’m here!” Her face was wrinkled, powdered and puffed, with a coat of bright red lipstick smeared across her lips. Cruella had nothing on her. A true animal hater, she shrieked again at the sight of him.

I came running down the sidewalk then and scooped Peachy up in my arms. “It’s okay, boy,” I said, rubbing his peach-colored fur and holding him close.

“It is not okay! That dog has accosted the neighbors and now he’s attacked me! Always on the loose, with no training and no hope of it at all. Why was I not told about him?”

About the Author

Gael Lynch is a writer and storyteller, a teacher whose love of kids and furry creatures has followed her throughout her life. She now lives in coastal Carolina, a place of sunny beaches and warm breezes with her husband Tom and her rambunctious golden retriever, Wrigley. However, Newtown, Connecticut, with its pastoral beauty and kind-hearted people will always be a place she calls home.

Contact Links

Twitter @gaellynch

Instagram: @lynchgael

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Ivy Leigh Ever After by Gael Lynch #newbooks #middlegrade #giveaway #rabtbooktours @gaellynch @RABTBookTours

Middle Grade Fiction

Date Published: Feb 24, 2026

Publisher: Small Circles Press

Ivy’s life is a swirl of turbulence and change. It’s been almost a year since her sweet momma has died. Bottled up feelings tear her apart inside. Grandma wants to take her little dog away. Her BFFs pressure her to change. The cutest boy in school has a crush on her.

“It’s the universe, Ivy Leigh, welcoming in a little change.” Mr. Winters, her neighbor, a wannabe cowboy, tells her one day. But change is so confusing. When a pair of bullies taunt her on the bus and tease her at school, Ivy makes a giant mistake.

With a mix of humor and poignant moments and a quirky cast of neighbors and friends, Ivy finds a way to understand herself and make up for that mistake she’s made. Best of all, Ivy remembers Momma: Feelings are like fireflies caught in a jar, Ivy Leigh. They belong in the open, where a warm breeze can carry them away!

About the Author

Contact Links

Twitter @gaellynch

Instagram: @lynchgael

Amazing Amanda and the Crazy School Carnival by Beverly Abear #kidbooks #youngadult #middlegrade #rabtbooktours @RABTBookTours

Kids Books / Young Adult

Date Published: 01-14-2026

Amazing Amanda and the Crazy School Carnival includes comedy and yet realistic life issues. Readers will laugh, giggle, worry, and cheer Amanda's attempts at growth. Amanda is a pre-adolescent girl who deals with body issues, middle-school drama, angst with new girls, coming of age issues such as seeing beyond the surface, handling responsibilities of leadership, and questions about faith. Set in a mid-size central Minnesota town, the story is told exclusively from Amanda's point of view. Amazing Amanda is a clean, family friendly story.

This is Abear's debut novel.

Coming soon: Book 2 Amazing Amanda and the Mystery of the Black Cat and Book 3 Amazing Amanda and Her Bright New Day. The series takes readers through Amanda's entire sixth-grade experience.

About the Author

As a teacher for almost thirty years, Beverly Abear enjoys writing for middle-grade and young adult readers. She has several stories in progress that she hopes to finish and get published. The Amanda stories are mostly set in a k-6th elementary school like the one the author attended in northern Minnesota. Because her faith has greatly affected her life, Beverly's passion for her readers is that they grow to trust in the Lord and enjoy an abundant life in Him.

Amazing Amanda and the Crazy School Carnival is Beverly's debut novel.

Contact Links

https://mybook.to/AmazingAmandaCarnival

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Ivy Leigh Ever After by Gael Lynch #middlegrade #comingsoon #coverreveal #bookcover #rabtbooktours @gaellynch @RABTBookTours

Middle Grade Fiction

Date Published: Feb 24, 2026

Publisher: Small Circles Press

About the Author

Contact Links

Twitter @gaellynch