Marvelous Middle Grade Monday # MMGM Book Review: The Secret Winner's Club by Donna Galanti

 

Three friends, Sunny, Vee, and Trev, start a secret club in order to reach their goals. They all have a common goal of winning. Trev wants to get the lead role in the upcoming musical, Vee wants to beat her nemesis in swimming, and Sunny wants to build the best junkbot and win the upcoming competition. Each of them has their reason for wanting to win, part of which is having others see them without their autoimmune conditions. They come up with plans to reach their winning goals. They agree that they’ll stop at nothing and tell no one. When a new girl named Josie asks to join their club, she tells them that she has an autoimmune disease just like they all do. Soon something seems amiss and their winning plans have a few hiccups. Is winning everything?  If you do whatever it takes, will getting what you want really make you happy? You’ll have to see what happens to this group of friends on their journey to win.

The Secret Winners Club by Donna Galanti is one of many books that I’ve read by her. I like how the story was told from different viewpoints, so we got to see what each of the main characters were thinking. Sunny, Vee, and Trev seemed very real because they had their good qualities, but they also had their flaws. I know a lot of kids that have a variety of autoimmune conditions, and I think this would be a book where they could see themselves. Two of my friends have alopecia, and there aren’t a lot of books with kids who are going through the same thing. Learning about vitiligo, psoriasis, and alopecia will help other kids learn about what life is like for some people and may answer some of their questions. It was interesting to see what each person did to try to reach their goal and how they felt afterwards. It makes you think about what you'd do to win. I would recommend this book to anyone in fourth grade and up who likes books about friendship. 

Has anyone else read The Secret Winners Club? Or have you read another book by Donna Galanti?

We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~L

For other MMGM posts, please visit Greg Pattridge's blog.

Margo's Musings: Feeling Comfortable

Margo saw this book and the penguin was wearing the same hat she was donning. Of course, we had to borrow it! Clive Penguin by Huw Lewis Jones and illustrated by Ben Sanders was on display as a new winter read. So glad we picked it up and read about Margo's "twin".

Clive Penguin does the same thing, in the same place, day after day. He's also freezing. He doesn't want to be cold anymore in a place he isn't happy, so he decides to look for somewhere better. Somewhere warmer!

Clive sees amazing things on his journey! Amazing sights are around every corner. But will Clive be happy once the journey is over? Will the new place he finds be better than where he started from? 

The style of the illustrations was just perfect for this story. I love how we got to really see and feel Clive's expressions. 

We enjoyed this book- and Margo thought Clive was funny. We just had a snowstorm, with about two feet of snow- so we could easily relate to Clive's unhappiness with the frigid temperatures!

This was a great book to read more than once because there is a lot to look at in the pictures, and the words make you think. 

Has anyone else read Clive Penguin? Have you read another book written by Huw Lewis Jones? Or one illustrated by Ben Sanders? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~F

Views From the Pond: November and December 2025

2025 has come to a close, and I am thrilled to be actually wrapping up the Views from the Pond from the final two months of the year. I hope to stay on track in 2026 with two months per post. Fingers crossed!

In November, we got some more much needed rain, and the pond got back to a better level. The colors of fall were still mesmerizing, but the temperature was going down. We were able to get out and weed the brook, after it became overgrown during the drought. It was a lot of work- but worth it, as we got lots of rain right after we finished, and the water had somewhere to go. Fall went out with brilliance!

December was cold! There was some snow, which always looks beautiful. I do love the atmosphere of the pond and trees in the wintertime- there's a magical feeling for sure! We ended the month with super cold temperatures and lots of wind. I am ready for some warmer temps for sure. 

Sit back, relax, and enjoy some pond views of the end of 2025. 

November 2025

Still lots of colors to be seen!

Love the clouds in this one!

The sky and the trees look so beautiful together. 

Just look at that orange! Love it!

So vibrant!

The brook- overgrown with weeds from the drought.

The bottom of the brook still had a lot of weeds- just a different kind.

The colors and the reflection were so stunning. 

After the weeding!

So much better!

Finally, a place for the water to flow again. It started raining as we were

 finishing up. We didn't quite finish- but it is MUCH better!

Reflections in the rain.

So many stars out that night!

The leaves are mostly gone. Goodbye November. 

December 2025

The month began cold, damp, and some wet snow.

There's a nip in the air for sure!

The snow is calm and peaceful. 

Some water is back in the brook! Yay!

Chilly morning before work.

The snow gave a festive feel!

Brrrrrrrr

The last night of the year and the moon was out early. 

Goodbye 2025 and Hello 2026!

I have loved sharing pictures of my views from the last year. Thanks for stopping by and visiting. Cheers to a wonderful 2026!

Cheers to 2026!

 

Wishing our readers a happy new year and a vibrant 2026! Thank you for stopping by our corner of the book block.We look forward to spinning story magic and sharing our creativity with you. 📖✨ 

Jess & Stephanie

Margo's Musings: What to do in the Snow?

 

Snow was predicted for this weekend, and we are blanketed in a couple inches of the white stuff.  While there isn't a ton of snow- there is enough to have some fun.  My little sister, Margo, has been waiting for the world to turn white and she has been obsessed with all books involving winter and all it entails. A new favorite story is The Snowball Fight by Beth Ferry and Tom Lichtenheld (authors of Stick and Stone). Honestly- it's the perfect book for a snowy day. 

The story has a nice flow, and the shorter texts and style of illustrations go perfectly together. Two children are waiting for a snow day, and it comes. I could relate to their excitement and so could Margo. But what will they do with themselves to pass the time? A snowball fight, of course! Margo loved watching them prepare and seeing their forts was inspiring. We don't have quite enough snow for snow forts, but there is enough for other exciting activities. 

I love the way the illustrations are done because they really help tell the story with the text. The kids in the story have a blast pelting each other with their snowballs, and just reading this book makes you want to get out and play!

After we play in the snow our parents always make us some hot chocolate. It's one of my favorite parts of a snowy day. I love how looking at this illustration gives readers other ideas for what to do out in the snow. Margo and I spent a lot of the day outside. We made snow angels, threw snowballs, and even made a tiny snow person. It was chilly, but we have been waiting for this, and we soaked it all in. 

It looks like the snow will stay around for a few days. Margo is already telling me, "Let's throw more snow", and I know what we will be doing tomorrow when I get home from school. I am sure we will also be reading this new favorite another few times before we return it to the library!

Has anyone else read The Snowball Fight? Or have you read another book written by Beth Ferry or illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!
~F

Views From the Pond: August, September, and October 2025

Well, I was on a great streak in 2025 of doing two months per Pond Post- but I somehow fell behind! So, I am doing three months today so that I can end the year with two. 

August felt like it went by fast, as I was spending time getting ready to go back to school. I tried to soak up the pond and all its critters before I had to go back. It was a hot August, and we didn't get as much rain as we needed. September was busy, and there was some rain. Then came October which had stunning colors. I was away midmonth for a conference but managed to be home for most of the peak fall foliage. Yay! 

Lots of pictures today, so sit back and enjoy the views!

August 2025

                                                    

August 1st in the early evening.

A deer visiting by the pond, while I waited for a friend. 

One of the heron's many visits. Always makes me smile.

A beaver staying out of the sun. 

A snapping turtle by the shore.

He's moving pretty fast!

Morning on the first day of school. Pretty light- but sad to have vacation come to an end.

I am not sure- maybe a baby heron in the junipers.

The last afternoon in August. 

September 2025

The heron hanging out. 

Colors of fall are beginning! 

The heron bathes in light!

Another day and the heron is soaking in the rays!

Leaves are turning!

So pretty, but the pond is definitely getting low around the edges. Rain is needed!

Love the blue in the reflection. 

Too low! But still love the reflection!

Wow! I feel so lucky to have seen all these beautiful colors in the sky and water. 

October 2025

Water is getting lower!

And lower!

And even lower!

Absolutely love the colors!

The heron taking flight when I startled him (I didn't see him at first).

Lots of pine needles!

Love the way the clouds look here!

Such fun shadows!

The red bush in the back is one of my favorites. I love the hue!

Fall in all its glory!

The brook is dry and overgrown with weeds. We have plans to weed it before winter! 

Such fun shadows!

The colors kept changing by the second!

The heron huddled looking for snacks!

Halloween morning! 

A Halloween visitor as I arrived home from work!

I told you- lots of photos! Thanks for stopping by the pond for a visit.