My first Margaret Peterson Haddix reading experience was Running Out of Time, back when I was in elementary school myself. As a media specialist who now works with elementary and middle school age students, I frequently recommend Haddix books to my students who are avid mystery and adventure readers. I'm excited to add Moonleapers to our collection! I loved that this book was suspenseful without feeling too creepy or scary. The modern tie in with cell phones and text messages will really pull readers in as well! Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Childrens for the ARC!

Twelve-year-old Maisie is ecstatic when she finally gets her own phone, a hand-me-down from her Great Aunt Hazel. However, she is less than enthusiastic when she learns the family’s spending the summer in Maryland and that the only reason she has the phone is so she can babysit her younger brother and sister. Then a mysterious text shows up and everything changes.

I read this book with my 11-year-old son, and we loved it. Haddix did a great job developing the characters, especially the kids. My son could easily relate to Maisie and I felt the sibling banter was spot on. We also enjoyed Cat the Great and Little Dog. I hope she keeps them in key roles for future books.

The story itself is engaging, whimsical and imaginative. I loved the mystery behind moonleaping and the incorporation of time-travelling. I especially appreciated that Haddix used real-world events. This led to additional conversations about those events and about the impact our decisions can make. That impact serves as a major theme throughout the book, especially when time-travel is involved.

I found the pace to be somewhat inconsistent. Some parts raced by or needed more explanation, while others seemed to lag or were overloaded with information. The last chapter, at least for my middle-grader, was tough for him to get through, but the epilogue featured a nice surprise that made him eager for book number two. Overall, we really enjoyed the book and are looking forward to the next one.

If you (adults will appreciate this too!) or your kiddo enjoys imaginative stories with a touch of mystery and sci-fi, check out this one. It’s relatable, fun and, if you read it together, a great way to spend time with your kids.

Thank you to NetGalley, Margaret Peterson Haddix, and HarperCollins Children’s Books for this ARC. All opinions are my own. (Jennieandabook.com)

This book had a lot of things I would have been obsessed with as a kid! Secret missions, the chance to change the world, riddles and codes, no boys - what's not to love?

Our main character was reasonable, heroic, and fun to watch. Her family were a great study in character traits and how those could be applied both positively and negatively. Her pets and the moonleapers in general were cool, a little bit less explained than I'd like, but did add to a sense of magic and I expect that's partly that this is a series starter rather than a one off. Also, I appreciate the loner-child focused on realistic family relationships dynamic rather than focusing on school issues.

I'd absolutely recommend this book for the middle/early reader age group.

3.5 Stars

Although I am not the target demographic for this book, I enjoyed reading this quick novel. At times I felt the plot was a bit slow, but I think for younger children the pace would probably be perfect since the inclusion of historical fact might make it a bit challenging to understand.

The magic system based on time travel and children’s rhymes was really unique and I loved how the author blended this fantastical element with the What If scenario. Even for me this book was really thought-provoking. What would have or could happen if one decision we make is altered or changed? How big of an impact can it really have?

Overall it was a fun read that had a nice lesson, and I’m definitely curious about the next moonleaping adventure.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The concept of this story intrigued me, but unfortunately did not hook me.
It has such a slow start. It really didn't kick off until the end. I also had a problem with the kids' ages. Rufus and Dora didn't seem to act or speak their ages. Their mom expecting Maisie to remember someone from when she was one was weird from the get go. At times it felt like I was getting both too much world building information, but also just not enough information in general.
I'm definitely not the targeted age demographic, but I've read my share of middle grade books. I'm not really sure this would keep their attention. It was hard for me to get through.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC

12-year-old Maise’s mom finally gives her a cell phone - one that belonged to her Great Aunt Hazel, with the news that Hazel is in poor health, and their family will be going to Maryland for the summer to be with her. Mysterious texts begin coming in, and Maise quickly learns that Hazel has a far more interesting past than she initially realized.

This first Moonleapers book was a fun trip - everything 12-year-old me would have loved. Spies, playing with history, fun facts sprinkled throughout. Maise’s feelings of isolation and loneliness also resonated while thinking about a middle schooler enjoying this book. I can’t wait for the adventure to continue in the second book.

I highly recommend this book for kids who like mysteries, riddles, and the idea of time travel.

This book is well researched and the plotting is clever and well thought out.
This book is perfect for the Middle School age range and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone who also loves middle grade SciFi/Fantasy.

Maisie gets a used phone from her Great Aunt Hazel and mysterious texts start to come through, raising questions and giving no answers.
Then Maisie is expected to watch her two younger siblings all summer while her mother puts Hazel's affairs in order and her father travels for work and everything just feels frustrating and unfair.
Seeing the effects of generational trauma play out is one of my favorite parts of this book, how trauma in the past can cause more trauma in the future. Then in contrast, how more love in the past results in more love in the future. My only criticism is that the leap in logic to time travel is non-existent, it's a little jarring, but it's something that I can read past.

Margaret Peterson Haddix is one of my favorite childhood authors, she's the reason I know what telomeres are. Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for providing this ARC of her newest series in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Disclaimer: I'm not the target demographic for this book. That being said, the concept of this time travel YA novel was super exciting to me. I thought the history aspect was well-researched and the concept of phone-based time travel was cool, but it took me about 60% before I was really interested in the story. Again, I may be thinking about it too much because I'm not exactly the intended audience, but the younger characters' ages+behavior didn't add up and were inconsistent for me, and the family dynamic/structure seemed a bit odd at times. Overall, the ending of the book was heartwarming, many chapters were thought-provoking, and I think that the twists would have kept me hooked when I was younger.
Sincere thank you to NetGalley and the HarperCollins for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review!

Maisie’s world is turned upside down when her mom says they are moving to Maryland to take care of a sick, distant great-aunt. Things only get more confusing when her new cell phone, a hand me down from the aunt, starts receiving mysterious texts.

This was an adorable middle grade read! Maisie really reads as 12 years old, which is always a point I’m really picky on in younger reads. But she was such a plucky protagonist, who cared about her family so much. Even as she griped about babysitting her younger siblings, she still loved them.

I’ve seen other complaints about a slow beginning and a rushed ending, and while I agree mostly, I believe the rushed feeling can be partly attributed to the introduction of the second timeline in the very end that Maisie still remembers. I’d be interested to see if this second set of memories plays more of a role in sequel books.

I usually love knowing how everything works, but I have no idea how the magic or science of time travel works or which it is, & I honestly don’t care. Of course Maisie doesn’t know, so why would I at this point? I genuinely loved this, and would happily pick up a sequel.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the opportunity to review this arc.

I was genuinely excited to dive into Moonleapers. It had all the makings of a standout middle grade read, and I’m usually all in when it comes to stories about time travel and self-discovery. There were definitely elements I admired, but overall, my response ended up being a bit mixed.

Time travel is always a favorite trope of mine, and this book introduced a creative take through the idea of moonleaping. I also appreciated the central message, which emphasized how small actions have the power to create big ripple effects. That theme felt empowering and well-suited to young readers.

However, I struggled with the pacing. The beginning felt slow, and it took half the book to really get going. By contrast, the ending rushed through too many developments too quickly. The sudden gear-shift made it difficult to maintain a rhythm with the story and stay connected.

Maisie’s arc was another sticking point. She started off unable to crack a simple riddle, then suddenly she was solving everything with ease. The shift in her abilities happened so abruptly that it didn’t feel realistic, and I found myself wishing for a more gradual evolution.

In addition, the characters didn’t fully come alive for me. They felt more like caricatures than characters. Then, when the ending arrived, it introduced several possible timelines that made things feel more jumbled than resolved. Instead of wrapping up the story, it revisited earlier moments and what-if scenarios, which added confusion rather than clarity in my opinion.

I tend to love middle grade books no matter the setting or theme, but this one didn’t quite hit the mark. It’s not a bad book by any means, and the imaginative foundation gives it promise. Still, the execution was bumpy enough that I couldn’t fully embrace it.

Thank you @netgalley and Quill Tree Books for an eARC, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

I think for a middlegrade audience this is an interesting book.

Personally I found it to be a little slow, and a little intangible. I will not be buying a copy for the child in my life who is a little adverse to reading, however I would probably buy this for an avid reader.

I actually found myself more interested in the idea of moonleaping, something that is hardly covered in this book (but promises to be covered in the sequel) rather than the mystery of what a moonleaper is.

Overall I think they focused on the wrong things in this novel, the magic is what we're all here for.

Great start to a new middle grade series. I have long been a fan of this author and she did not disappoint.

Twelve-year-old Maisie is so excited when her mom gives her a phone. She's the only one of her friends who doesn't have one. But then she finds out the phone comes with strings attached--the family is moving to take care of Great-Aunt-Hazel, a person Maisie has never heard of before, and Maisie has to be in charge of her younger siblings while her mom cares for Hazel. Then Maisie gets a strange text message and discovers that the phone used to belong to Hazel. Maisie finds out about something called the Moonleapers, and embarks on a quest to figure out how she fits into the puzzle.

This book has a long setup until we figure out exactly what the Moonleapers are and what they can do. When we do put the pieces together, it's thrilling and exciting. I liked Maisie and I especially liked Cat the Great and Little Dog. I hope they continue to make appearances in future installments. If you have someone in your life in the tween demographic, this book would make an excellent choice.

The good news is that 12-year-old Maisie is finally getting a phone like everyone at school. The bad news is that her family is going to spend the summer in Maryland so her mom can be with her great-aunt who is dying. A mysterious text on the phone that actually used to belong to Great-Aunt Hazel, a blank book, and a brief phone call from a dying woman launch Maisie into the world of moonleaping.

The official synopsis gives as little clue about what moonleaping is and what angle this sci-fi book takes as I did above, so it sort of feels like a spoiler to explain. But the info is available in the genre sections on both Goodreads and Amazon, and I really don't think I can write this review very well without stating it, but I'll still try to be vague. This book is an interesting take on time travel, especially since there's technically no travel involved. It's all about communicating with other times, not traveling there. I'm the kind of person who really appreciates a time travel story that is well done, where connections to the past or the future are made well and flow in the way that would make the most sense if time travel were real. And though there are definitely some liberties taken here that are somewhat common in this genre, they really worked for me. I can't explain further, but I actually got really excited by a sort of twist that the author brought out later in the book to make the time travel angle work in a fresh way.

The story and journey along the way to Maisie discovering what she can do and what she's supposed to do with it are maybe a little on the slower side, but I was never bored. As the set-up for more to come now that Maisie knows about her moonleaping abilities, the book did what it needed to do and gave plenty of intrigue along the way. Some things are left unexplained—maybe they'll be explained in a future book, but to be honest, they didn't feel to me like loose enough threads to be certain they'll ever be explained. Though that doesn't make me want an explanation any less. Then there were other aspects that I wish had simply been fleshed out more in the plot, especially some details related to the climax. Also, Maisie's younger siblings at times acted or talked older than their ages, especially her brother, which threw me off now and then.

Overall, though, I enjoyed this book and am already looking forward to the next one, even though this one won't be released for over a month! I do recommend this book for anyone who likes mystery and intrigue and light time travel elements. It is middle grade fiction, but I don’t think the younger audience makes the story any less readable for adults.

I think I would have enjoyed this book more as a kid (which, to be fair, is the target audience for this book. So read this review with that in mind). The idea for the plot sounded good however, the execution just didn’t hit the mark for me. The story seemed to plod leisurely along until the last 25% and then it galloped to the finish line. I think after reading multiple books by this author, it’s time to admit that I’m not a fan of her writing style. That being said- if you are a fan of her writing or you enjoyed her The Missing series, this book will probably be a hit with you!

How have I never read a book by Margaret before? This book was so magical and whimsical! I would have devoured this as a child (spoiler… I devoured it as an adult too!) Maisie was inquisitive yet childlike and reminded me of little me. It was so nice to read a book that just felt like childhood! I also didn't expect to get emotionally checked within this book I was on the verge of tears multiple times! Can't wait for book two and this one hasn't even come out yet!! 🫣

Moonleapers was a fun and funny middle-grade science fiction novel. Maisie and her family uproot their lives to go to Maryland and help Maisie's elderly and estranged great Aunt Hazel. Maisie starts getting weird messages from an unknown person, which leads to her trying to solve a mystery. There are riddles to solve, people's lives to save, and some time travel.

Overall, this book was entertaining and easy to read. The timeline jumps were executed well and easy to understand. I especially liked that the FMC, Maisie, is from Ohio (me too!). I liked the cast of characters, including Maisie's younger siblings and her adventure pals (Cat the Great and Little Dog).

Moonleapers had that classic mystery vibe I grew up loving, but with a cool time-travel twist that made it feel new. I really connected with Maisie—she’s anxious and overwhelmed but also curious and brave in her own way. The whole idea of “moonleaping” through time to fix pieces of the past was super intriguing. Some parts dragged a little or felt like they were spelling things out too much, but the emotional moments and little reveals kept me hooked. I loved the mix of family, mystery, and history—it gave the story this soft, reflective feeling that stuck with me after I finished.

selected this book from #netgalley as a part of their summer camp program. In the spirit of summer camp, I selected a young adult book.
Maisie is a 12 year old with a traveling dad, a busy work at home mom, and 2 younger siblings. Coming home from school, her mom gifts Maisie her great aunt’s phone. Finally! However, it’s given as they’re visiting her great aunt for the summer and Maisie will be the babysitter. The phone seems to have a mind of its own and Maisie receives random texts.
What seems like a boring summer turns into a suspenseful one as Maisie does a little time travel, a little mystery solving, and just a few changes in time. Plus she gains a cat, a dog, and a lot of self-confidence.
I think this is an interesting young adult story and should be enjoyed by that audience along with a few stray campers.

I’ve been a fan of Margaret Peterson Haddix since her Shadow Children series. It was nostalgic to experience her writing again. Moonleapers has likeable characters, a strong theme about feeling accomplishment in increased responsibility, and thought-provoking powers that are a cross between time travel and telepathy. I was expecting a little more bold of an adventure for Maisy, but it was more of a trivia/puzzle plot. It shows there is value in all knowledge, which I appreciate. I also like how it presented phones as both a portal to adventure, and a vessel of responsibility. It was satisfying watching Maisy as she navigated the limbo between childhood and growing up that middle school is, and how she slowly took charge of herself. I have an odd comparison to make to help readers decide whether this book is for them: in Zelda Breath of the Wild, if you like finding and solving the shrines and discovering the recipes more than you like defeating the monsters and Divine Beasts, then this book is for you. The ending provided a nice resolution to this conflict, and has made me excited to see how book 2 expands the scope.

Thank you Margaret Peterson Haddix and HarperCollins for the review copy! I leave my review honestly and voluntarily.

Starting out, I have to say that I am a huge fan of Margaret Peterson Haddix. I discovered her years ago, when Running out of Time came out, and have read most of her books since! The current summer reading for our incoming 7th graders is Among the Hidden, which is a favorite!

All that said, I adored Moonleapers! What started out a little slow picked up by chapter three and had me hooked. Hooked like stayed up until 2am to finish reading!

In Moonleapers, we meet Maisie's family - her sister Dora, brother Rufus, mom, dad, and the crux of the story, Great Aunt Hazel (whom Rufus refers to as Terrible Aunt Hazel.) At the start of the story, Maisie is thrilled to finally get her first cell phone, because, you know, being 12 without a cell phone is the worst thing to a tween. The caveat is that it's Great Aunt Hazel's old cell phone, since she is in a nursing home and no longer needs it. The catch? The whole family is moving into Great Aunt Hazel's house for the summer, to care for her while she's in the nursing home. And Maisie is NOT happy about that.

Throughout the story, we learn more about Maisie's mom (cybersecurity expert) and her dad (some sort of fairly-secretive traveling job) and how Maisie kind of resents her parents for always requiring her to watch her siblings. That's another annoyance for Maisie, the first being the fact that she just can't understand why her parents sign her up for all these weird extra classes - Morse Code, Logic, Greek, Latin, and other classes that are an absolute waste of time in the tween world.

Then Maisie meets Cat the Great and Little Dog, Great Aunt Hazel's rather special pets. And she starts getting strange texts on her phone. And there is some strange obsession with Hey Diddle Diddle, the Cat in the Fiddle. And then there's Aunt Hazel's strange, uber bland neighborhood, that's a gated community where every single house is the exact same. And the weird, secret-service like agents who watch Great Aunt Hazel's room. And then there's Great Aunt Hazel's deceased brother Gilbert. And Ainsley-from-the-future. And why is Mom being so weird?

All of this comes together in an adventure filled read that is perfect for middle grades. Readers will enjoy Haddix's engaging writing style that draws you in by the end of chapter three. They will root for Maisie to solve the riddles that keep showing up on her phone. They will want to snuggle with Cat the Great and play with Little Dog. They will want to beg Haddix to release the sequel as soon as possible so they can go on another Maise the Moonleaper adventure!

Or, at least, I can't wait for the next adventure!