Midnight on Strange Street

Gr 5-8–This original sci-fi novel for middle-graders introduces the Sardines, a team of four friends who must deal with their newly discovered telekinetic powers as they practice “glowboarding” for the annual Glow in the Park competition. Their Texas town is where the mysterious substance Component G (commonly referred to as “Glow”) was discovered, and though it isn’t believed to be powerful enough to use as a weapon in the ongoing global war, it fuels their glowboards and the town’s economy. Glow’s connection to their powers, and to alien beings who attempt to communicate with them, drives the story’s action. The point-of-view shifts among Dani, newcomer Avery, and twins Bastian and Lola as they navigate common problems (strict parents, estranged family members, bullies, crushes) while also working to master their powers, save themselves from exploitation by the government, and—in the end—rescue the planet itself from the “light beings” who believe Earth should be destroyed.