This is some of the best dialogue I've read in a middle grade title this year. Readers will love and connect to these characters.

A lovely, tender yet wacky story of grief and hope, I will be recommending this title to fans of sports titles and thoughtful realistic fiction alike. I especially love the number of recent children's titles tackling CTE and may have to create a display related to trauma and injury featuring this and similar titles.

The Losers at the Center of the Galaxy is a unique middle-grade read that students will relate to and adults will find charming. I especially liked the bear's chapter....

This is a touching book about grief and how everyone has a different way of dealing with it. After Winston’s & Louise’s dad disappears, they each have to find a way to come to terms with the fact they may never see him again. Louise loses herself in her scientific research, Winston gets caught up in his music (specifically the Imperial March from StarWars), and their mom seems to never be around. Through a crazy series of events, Winston & Louise find some true friends and learn to deal with their dad’s disappearance together.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy

Meh, I did not really care for this book. I can see how many people would find this funny, but the humor in the book didn’t align with my taste. I also couldn’t find myself caring for the mystery or the children, I look forward to seeing what other people think of this book!

There’s a lot going on here: several mysteries, a missing father with football related brain injury, a “worst case scenario” tuba player and his science club sister who turns her skin luminescent while researching brain recovery possibilities, teachers acting strangely- organized crime? - a caged bear needing liberation. The complexity of plot requires a strong reader of the “thinky” sort who is willing to keep all the pieces straight. But the characters are appealing and the journey, although not straight forward, is interesting.