What do you think?
The Ginghams
An eerie middle grade mystery debut that follows a young girl who returns home to find the people of her little town, including her best friend, chillingly changed after the arrival of the prim and proper Gingham family.
"A rip-roaring adventure, but more importantly, a kids’ power ballad to the importance of being yourself.” —New York Times-bestselling author Gordon Korman
When 12-year-old Joni Bird returns home from summer camp, it’s clear something strange is afoot in Olive Springs. May, her usually head-banging best friend, now wears her hair in a tight bun and calls playing the drums “unladylike.” The ice cream shop only serves vanilla ice cream. The women and girls of the neighborhood all sport big pearl earrings and crisp cotton dresses.
At the heart of it all? The creepy new family in the neighborhood with their soulless, carnival smiles and retro fashion sense: the Ginghams. Everyone they invite to their Thursday night book club re-emerges as dead-eyed, smiling, Gingham-approved "model citizens," all thanks to Mr. Gingham’s lifestyle guide, The Pillars of Perfection—and something even more sinister hidden behind his basement door.
Through quick thinking and cunning, Joni and her friend Tyler set out to fight not only to get their friend May back, but to save their whole town from forever falling under the Ginghams' control.
"A rip-roaring adventure, but more importantly, a kids’ power ballad to the importance of being yourself.” —New York Times-bestselling author Gordon Korman
When 12-year-old Joni Bird returns home from summer camp, it’s clear something strange is afoot in Olive Springs. May, her usually head-banging best friend, now wears her hair in a tight bun and calls playing the drums “unladylike.” The ice cream shop only serves vanilla ice cream. The women and girls of the neighborhood all sport big pearl earrings and crisp cotton dresses.
At the heart of it all? The creepy new family in the neighborhood with their soulless, carnival smiles and retro fashion sense: the Ginghams. Everyone they invite to their Thursday night book club re-emerges as dead-eyed, smiling, Gingham-approved "model citizens," all thanks to Mr. Gingham’s lifestyle guide, The Pillars of Perfection—and something even more sinister hidden behind his basement door.
Through quick thinking and cunning, Joni and her friend Tyler set out to fight not only to get their friend May back, but to save their whole town from forever falling under the Ginghams' control.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published July 28, 2026
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March 30, 2026
Joni's excited to get home from camp and see her best friend, May, again—except, when she gets home, May has changed. The town has changed. And not, Joni fears, for the better.
Now, I read this because—bear with me—I've been down a trad-wife-thriller rabbit hole lately, and something told me that this might be the middle grade version of that. And I was right, or right enough for my (very arbitrary) purposes, which made this a super fun comparison point.
As a middle grade read, this feels just right. Joni is stubborn and sometimes a bit rash, but her heart is in the right place. There's a clear villain (we'll come back to this in a moment), and a fair amount of action, including a bit of blood (the ears, oh gosh), and a librarian who is part of the resistance, as a middle school librarian should be. I'm reminded a bit of Eventown, though The Ginghams is a fair bit darker.
I spent a fair amount of time thinking, while reading this, about ways in which this book might be different if it were written for an older audience. The first thing is religion—there's no mention of religion here, though there are clear influences from certain parts of white American evangelical Christianity (and of course the Stepford wives). In that way the book feels a bit sanitized for a younger audience, but in a way that is fair. Interesting to see, though, that one of Joni's friends is queer-coded without being explicitly identified as gay, and that's something that the bad guys pick up on too (to them it's officially a problem of standing out, but we all know where their real prejudice lies...)
And the second thing is how the bad guys are structured. Again, The Ginghams has a pretty clear villain here, which feels appropriate for middle grade. It becomes obvious farily early that there's an element of force to the changes in town: the people taking on new views and new personalities do not have a choice in it. And yet again, I think this makes sense for a middle grade read. But there's an extent to which this makes it a much less alarming read for me as an adult—it's one thing to have one main bad guy who is controlling the people around him, one main bad guy who can be vanquished. In a book for older readers, I would expect much more of an element of choice to it—imagine how much more difficult it would be for characters to come out of this book knowing that their fathers and mothers and friends had chosen to go down this track. (Do I have to watch The Stepford Wives now? I've never seen it, and I don't know where it falls on this.) Women choosing to give up their rights and men choosing to exert total control on women and girls is far more terrifying than a clear bad guy who can be vanquished.
Because The Ginghams is a middle grade novel, this is all fine, of course; I'm pushing the boundaries of what is on topic because I have tangential interests! Given the recent rise of trad wife thrillers (and everything that is the contemporary mashup of politics and contemporary religion), I would not be surprised to see more along these lines in the near future.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
Now, I read this because—bear with me—I've been down a trad-wife-thriller rabbit hole lately, and something told me that this might be the middle grade version of that. And I was right, or right enough for my (very arbitrary) purposes, which made this a super fun comparison point.
As a middle grade read, this feels just right. Joni is stubborn and sometimes a bit rash, but her heart is in the right place. There's a clear villain (we'll come back to this in a moment), and a fair amount of action, including a bit of blood (the ears, oh gosh), and a librarian who is part of the resistance, as a middle school librarian should be. I'm reminded a bit of Eventown, though The Ginghams is a fair bit darker.
I spent a fair amount of time thinking, while reading this, about ways in which this book might be different if it were written for an older audience. The first thing is religion—there's no mention of religion here, though there are clear influences from certain parts of white American evangelical Christianity (and of course the Stepford wives). In that way the book feels a bit sanitized for a younger audience, but in a way that is fair. Interesting to see, though, that one of Joni's friends is queer-coded without being explicitly identified as gay, and that's something that the bad guys pick up on too (to them it's officially a problem of standing out, but we all know where their real prejudice lies...)
And the second thing is how the bad guys are structured. Again, The Ginghams has a pretty clear villain here, which feels appropriate for middle grade. It becomes obvious farily early that there's an element of force to the changes in town: the people taking on new views and new personalities do not have a choice in it. And yet again, I think this makes sense for a middle grade read. But there's an extent to which this makes it a much less alarming read for me as an adult—it's one thing to have one main bad guy who is controlling the people around him, one main bad guy who can be vanquished. In a book for older readers, I would expect much more of an element of choice to it—imagine how much more difficult it would be for characters to come out of this book knowing that their fathers and mothers and friends had chosen to go down this track. (Do I have to watch The Stepford Wives now? I've never seen it, and I don't know where it falls on this.) Women choosing to give up their rights and men choosing to exert total control on women and girls is far more terrifying than a clear bad guy who can be vanquished.
Because The Ginghams is a middle grade novel, this is all fine, of course; I'm pushing the boundaries of what is on topic because I have tangential interests! Given the recent rise of trad wife thrillers (and everything that is the contemporary mashup of politics and contemporary religion), I would not be surprised to see more along these lines in the near future.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
July 6, 2026
4.25⭐️
Wow! This was not at all what I was expecting, but in the best possible way!!
I received this as a complimentary eARC from Henry Holt via NetGalley ahead of publication, and it was such a fun read.
I literally didn’t want to put it down. I kept my eyes cracked open well into the night because, while I had a pretty good idea where it was going, I still couldn’t wait to watch it all unfold.
It’s a fast-paced, thrilling read that dives into AI, patriarchy, and misogyny, exploring how they can shape our lives. It serves as a warning about the capabilities and impacts of AI, but does so in an age-appropriate way for its intended audience.
I think that even if younger readers don’t fully grasp every message it’s delivering, the story itself is exciting enough to keep them hooked, and they’ll still be able to see themselves in its pages.
I definitely think this is a winner for school, classroom, and home libraries, and it’s just as entertaining for adults to read as it is for younger readers.
Wow! This was not at all what I was expecting, but in the best possible way!!
I received this as a complimentary eARC from Henry Holt via NetGalley ahead of publication, and it was such a fun read.
I literally didn’t want to put it down. I kept my eyes cracked open well into the night because, while I had a pretty good idea where it was going, I still couldn’t wait to watch it all unfold.
It’s a fast-paced, thrilling read that dives into AI, patriarchy, and misogyny, exploring how they can shape our lives. It serves as a warning about the capabilities and impacts of AI, but does so in an age-appropriate way for its intended audience.
I think that even if younger readers don’t fully grasp every message it’s delivering, the story itself is exciting enough to keep them hooked, and they’ll still be able to see themselves in its pages.
I definitely think this is a winner for school, classroom, and home libraries, and it’s just as entertaining for adults to read as it is for younger readers.
November 5, 2025
You’re telling me this is a debut novel? I read it not knowing that and was in love with the characters immediately, but also the writing style. When I came on to submit a review I saw in the description that this is a debut novel and was blown away. If this is what this author can do with their debut novel, they are going to be a big name in the future. This book is easily read and perfect for the middle grade audience it was intended for and I have already recommended it to the patrons of my Little Free Library for them to read when it comes out next year! Fantastic job!
* Thank you, Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. *
* Thank you, Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. *
August 12, 2026
The Ginghams had absolutely no business keeping me this invested. 😂 It was funny, entertaining, and had me saying, “Okay, ONE more chapter…” like I didn’t have responsibilities.
I wanted to read it slowly and enjoy the ride, but apparently patience is not one of my spiritual gifts because I needed to KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. Immediately. 😂 I was basically trying to fly through the pages while simultaneously not wanting it to end.
Funny, engaging, and dangerously bingeable. If a book makes me neglect my bedtime because fictional people have problems I suddenly need resolved, it gets five stars from me.
I wanted to read it slowly and enjoy the ride, but apparently patience is not one of my spiritual gifts because I needed to KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. Immediately. 😂 I was basically trying to fly through the pages while simultaneously not wanting it to end.
Funny, engaging, and dangerously bingeable. If a book makes me neglect my bedtime because fictional people have problems I suddenly need resolved, it gets five stars from me.
April 7, 2026
Wow! I inhaled this! Kemper’s thoughtful writing and spot-on pacing combined meant I never wanted to put this down. This story was so creative and entertaining! It shared powerful thoughts about individuality and modern society, but it did it in a way that was easy and fun for young readers to think about these ideas and concepts on their own. Through powerful analogies and fierce protagonists, it shows — not tells — readers why diversity is so good. I can’t wait for young readers to get sucked into the visual storytelling and then celebrate their uniqueness and their friends, neighbors, and classmates uniqueness, too. I also can’t wait to pick up whatever Kemper writes next!
August 8, 2026
i love books that get a little culty (but make it young reader appropriate). middle grade yesteryear kinda.
October 2, 2025
The Ginghams is a deliciously eerie middle grade debut that perfectly blends suburban strangeness, small-town mystery, and the kind of creeping dread kids love to read with a flashlight under the covers. T. C. Kemper has crafted a story that’s as thrilling as it is empowering, with 12-year-old Joni Bird at its heart—a sharp, brave heroine who refuses to let conformity swallow her town.
From the moment Joni notices her best friend transformed into a pearl-wearing, polite stranger, the story builds with uncanny detail: vanilla-only ice cream, cookie-cutter smiles, and the too-perfect Ginghams pulling all the strings. The atmosphere is unsettling in the best way, like Coraline crossed with Goosebumps, but layered with the warmth of friendship and the importance of staying true to yourself.
What makes this shine is its balance—creepy and suspenseful without being too dark, while delivering an empowering message about individuality and courage. Kemper’s pacing is tight, the imagery is vivid, and the ending is both satisfying and just the right amount of unsettling.
This is a must-read for fans of spooky middle grade adventures—one that kids will devour and parents/teachers will love for its heart and message. An instant favorite.
From the moment Joni notices her best friend transformed into a pearl-wearing, polite stranger, the story builds with uncanny detail: vanilla-only ice cream, cookie-cutter smiles, and the too-perfect Ginghams pulling all the strings. The atmosphere is unsettling in the best way, like Coraline crossed with Goosebumps, but layered with the warmth of friendship and the importance of staying true to yourself.
What makes this shine is its balance—creepy and suspenseful without being too dark, while delivering an empowering message about individuality and courage. Kemper’s pacing is tight, the imagery is vivid, and the ending is both satisfying and just the right amount of unsettling.
This is a must-read for fans of spooky middle grade adventures—one that kids will devour and parents/teachers will love for its heart and message. An instant favorite.
November 6, 2025
I haven't read a middle grade novel in a while, but this book was honestly one of the best books I've read this year. This middle-grade retelling of The Stepford Wives is so thrilling and also highlights such important aspects of community, friendship, and conformity. While our country is so individualistic, this book still celebrates being a unique individual while also being part of a wonderful community. I really loved the friendship that the characters had, and the overall plot was suspenseful and enjoyable. I loved this book as an adult, but if I read this as a middle schooler, it may have encouraged me to lean into my hobbies and passions even more.
HOWEVER... I will say, I wish Joni apologized at the end of the book for the action that occurs. I think it would make Joni more well-rounded and a more compassionate person!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for this eARC!
HOWEVER... I will say, I wish Joni apologized at the end of the book for the action that occurs. I think it would make Joni more well-rounded and a more compassionate person!
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan for this eARC!
July 7, 2026
This delectably creepy retelling of The Stepford Wives (middle-grade version) held me captive the whole way through. The novel makes a profound statement about conformity in such a clever way: a girl comes home from summer camp to discover everyone is different—or rather, exactly the same. Think The Giver but more playful. I look forward to more from TC Kemper after this amazing debut.
August 6, 2026
A debut middle grade eerie mystery about identity, individuality, and the dangers of conformity that will have readers on the edge of their seats!
August 7, 2026
I went into this book expecting a middle-grade Stepford Wives... and that's exactly what I got.
I know it sounds bad, but I was expecting more. We follow Joni and her best friend Tyler as they come back from summer camp and realize that their town and their other best friend May are different than they left them. There is also a new family, the Ginghams, who seem to be behind it.
This book follows what I would expect from a Stepford Wives retelling, but it also didn't seem to have as much social commentary. I know it is for a middle-grade audience, but I expected more than "your children need to conform, individuality is bad, boys will be boys," etc.
This is a book that isn't necessarily bad, and did what you expect it to do... but I will forget about it.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I know it sounds bad, but I was expecting more. We follow Joni and her best friend Tyler as they come back from summer camp and realize that their town and their other best friend May are different than they left them. There is also a new family, the Ginghams, who seem to be behind it.
This book follows what I would expect from a Stepford Wives retelling, but it also didn't seem to have as much social commentary. I know it is for a middle-grade audience, but I expected more than "your children need to conform, individuality is bad, boys will be boys," etc.
This is a book that isn't necessarily bad, and did what you expect it to do... but I will forget about it.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 16, 2026
Full review to come! This was a fun read based loosely on The Stepford Wives…but from the kids’ perspective. This was surprisingly dark and so I’d recommend it for older middle grade readers and any aged YA reader. Love the queer rep & strong themes.
September 30, 2026
Great thriller/high suspense without being scary and with excellent messages for middle grades readers! Will definitely be recommending this one!
August 9, 2026
4.5⭐️ rounded up.
Honestly, I ate this book up and had such a fun time reading it. If you liked The Stepford Wives, but were disappointed that Levin didn’t go into detail on how the wives were brainwashed, The Ginghams scratches that itch. I loved learning the methods behind the Ginghams’ madness, as the story developed. This book is perfect for middle graders who want to get into horror, but don’t want anything too scary, so more like light weird girl fiction. Even as an adult reading this, I had a good time. It wasn’t too childish. I am excited to see what T.C. Kemper will write next!
Honestly, I ate this book up and had such a fun time reading it. If you liked The Stepford Wives, but were disappointed that Levin didn’t go into detail on how the wives were brainwashed, The Ginghams scratches that itch. I loved learning the methods behind the Ginghams’ madness, as the story developed. This book is perfect for middle graders who want to get into horror, but don’t want anything too scary, so more like light weird girl fiction. Even as an adult reading this, I had a good time. It wasn’t too childish. I am excited to see what T.C. Kemper will write next!
August 6, 2026
As a middle-grade mystery novel, I really enjoyed this book. I found the premise to be very intriguing, and I thought that all the various concepts and elements were very well executed! While the writing is geared towards young readers, I was impressed by its quality overall and I enjoyed the author's writing style almost as much as the story itself.
I would absolutely recommend this book to middle grade readers and fans of mysteries, light sci-fi, and stories that deal with social issues in creative ways.
I would absolutely recommend this book to middle grade readers and fans of mysteries, light sci-fi, and stories that deal with social issues in creative ways.
July 31, 2026
I genuinely enjoyed this from start to finish, and even read it in one sitting! My first thought upon reading the synopsis was it was similar to a My Little Pony episode where the Mane Six visit a town where everyone acts the same, and after reading I can confirm it is very much like that but in so much more depth and intrigue! Definitely recommend for anyone looking for a slightly dystopian middle grade novel!
July 29, 2026
seriously one of the best middle grade books i’ve ever read
October 8, 2025
Eerie without being scary or too dark. This is a very interesting sci-fi mystery story for middle-grades readers that is sure to keep them engaged! This book gave me vague vibes of The Giver (though it's a very different type of story and setting) -- a type of world that makes you stop and think about how "utopian" societies like the one that the villain here was ostensibly trying to build actually really do just feel quite dystopian after all. There's probably a good lesson here about the importance of diversity and being your true self, but honestly I loved the whole story in itself, taking it at face value. The main characters had personality and were easy to care about.
The one thing I found annoying was how the author overused various ways of stating "My stomach dropped/clenched" and "A chill ran up my spine." At some point I started noting each new instance, and I ended up with a pretty long list. It was so repetitive it was distracting and comical. Perhaps more of a me problem though.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC!
The one thing I found annoying was how the author overused various ways of stating "My stomach dropped/clenched" and "A chill ran up my spine." At some point I started noting each new instance, and I ended up with a pretty long list. It was so repetitive it was distracting and comical. Perhaps more of a me problem though.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC!
August 18, 2026
👯🏼♀️𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙝𝙖𝙢𝙨 // 𝘛.𝘊. 𝘒𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘳👯🏼♀️
This one was certainly a bit darker than I was expecting for a middle grade book, but you won’t see me complaining…you guys know I like my reads dark and weird. I honestly don’t think I’ve been this engrossed in a middle grade/YA book in quite a while. Think 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘞𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 and 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘔𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴 vibes, but then make it “kid approved” while maintaining the dark themes…boom! You’ve got 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘴!
Was the book creepy? Ummm…yeah!
Basically, 12-year-old Joni returns home from camp and begins to notice that something strange has happened. A family known as the Ginghams has moved to town at just about the same time that some…hmm…peculiarities begin to occur. May, Joni’s best friend, has changed her whole personality essentially…no more drums, no more rock music, because that’s “unladylike.” Everyone’s true selves seem to be hidden someone deep within, behind dead eyes and soulless smiles. All the women in town now look nearly the same- same big pearl earrings, same crisp cotton dresses, same vibe. But Joni knows that this is just not right…something about the Gingham Thursday night book club, and being “model citizens”, and Mr. Gingham’s self penned book, The Pillars of Perfection— it’s all just “off,” and Joni is determined to find out what sinister and eerie forces have taken hold of those in her town.
The themes of conformity and identity were strong with this one, especially the lessons taught about the dangers of sameness. Addressing the beauty of our differences in such a subtle but impactful way will certainly have readers walking away having a new found appreciation for uniqueness without even knowing that’s what they learned from this. The pacing was impeccable and the story is one that just doesn’t let you go. It was unsettling in all the best ways.
I cannot believe this is a debut book- I will DEF be looking for more from Kemper! I think this book would be a great read for pretty much anyone…teen to adult.
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤/5
This one was certainly a bit darker than I was expecting for a middle grade book, but you won’t see me complaining…you guys know I like my reads dark and weird. I honestly don’t think I’ve been this engrossed in a middle grade/YA book in quite a while. Think 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘱𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘥 𝘞𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 and 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘔𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘈𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘴 vibes, but then make it “kid approved” while maintaining the dark themes…boom! You’ve got 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘮𝘴!
Was the book creepy? Ummm…yeah!
Basically, 12-year-old Joni returns home from camp and begins to notice that something strange has happened. A family known as the Ginghams has moved to town at just about the same time that some…hmm…peculiarities begin to occur. May, Joni’s best friend, has changed her whole personality essentially…no more drums, no more rock music, because that’s “unladylike.” Everyone’s true selves seem to be hidden someone deep within, behind dead eyes and soulless smiles. All the women in town now look nearly the same- same big pearl earrings, same crisp cotton dresses, same vibe. But Joni knows that this is just not right…something about the Gingham Thursday night book club, and being “model citizens”, and Mr. Gingham’s self penned book, The Pillars of Perfection— it’s all just “off,” and Joni is determined to find out what sinister and eerie forces have taken hold of those in her town.
The themes of conformity and identity were strong with this one, especially the lessons taught about the dangers of sameness. Addressing the beauty of our differences in such a subtle but impactful way will certainly have readers walking away having a new found appreciation for uniqueness without even knowing that’s what they learned from this. The pacing was impeccable and the story is one that just doesn’t let you go. It was unsettling in all the best ways.
I cannot believe this is a debut book- I will DEF be looking for more from Kemper! I think this book would be a great read for pretty much anyone…teen to adult.
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤/5
August 18, 2026
i am actually extremely pleasantly shocked and surprised by how good this is …… and how many bases it covered …. misogyny and the patriarchy, AI overreach, intersectionality, indoctrination, how abusers choose their victims, even the importance of bodily autonomy and how it’s often denied to young girls/women.
this was a really really great read and i think it’s very important for children to be reading this book!!!! i think i especially love that the book doesn’t talk down to the kids and makes all of these complex ideas accessible and understandable for young readers without pulling any punches!!
the characters are compelling and well thought out (tyler and charlotte ann especially) and i loved the ethical conversations happening (what makes a crime bad vs excusable, are ppl who are complicit with bad things happening, always bad people?) because these are things we should be talking to kids about as they grow up and participate in the world around them. these characters provide a good framework for kids to think about vigilantism, criminality, etc and who it’s used against and for!
also i think a great companion piece to 1984 or yesteryear if you want to expose kids to some more complex ideas while staying age appropriate!!!! 5 ⭐️
this was a really really great read and i think it’s very important for children to be reading this book!!!! i think i especially love that the book doesn’t talk down to the kids and makes all of these complex ideas accessible and understandable for young readers without pulling any punches!!
the characters are compelling and well thought out (tyler and charlotte ann especially) and i loved the ethical conversations happening (what makes a crime bad vs excusable, are ppl who are complicit with bad things happening, always bad people?) because these are things we should be talking to kids about as they grow up and participate in the world around them. these characters provide a good framework for kids to think about vigilantism, criminality, etc and who it’s used against and for!
also i think a great companion piece to 1984 or yesteryear if you want to expose kids to some more complex ideas while staying age appropriate!!!! 5 ⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
this was such a pleasant surprise! i picked it up as one of the monthly picks and barnes because the premise intrigued me but it actually turned out so much better than i thought! great kids messaging delivered in such a natural way. definitely not subtle against the idea if conformining to gender norms but from multiple different angles thats was great. the character of tyler is so important to see. it was political without being aggressive and even got into the alludion of conversion therapy. the conversations of bookbanning and censorship for this age were handled with such care while still being a genuinely engaging book. definitely more culty then mystery but loved that. hope to see more from this author!
my fav quote
“Tyler once told me that it was like that for him too, but, more. He saw himself in Theo Tornado. Theo looked like him, talked like him, and had the same taste in crushes. There aren’t enough characters out there like Tyler. But Theo Tornado is.”
such good showing of how representation does effect kids and the stories they read need to include that!!
this was such a pleasant surprise! i picked it up as one of the monthly picks and barnes because the premise intrigued me but it actually turned out so much better than i thought! great kids messaging delivered in such a natural way. definitely not subtle against the idea if conformining to gender norms but from multiple different angles thats was great. the character of tyler is so important to see. it was political without being aggressive and even got into the alludion of conversion therapy. the conversations of bookbanning and censorship for this age were handled with such care while still being a genuinely engaging book. definitely more culty then mystery but loved that. hope to see more from this author!
my fav quote
“Tyler once told me that it was like that for him too, but, more. He saw himself in Theo Tornado. Theo looked like him, talked like him, and had the same taste in crushes. There aren’t enough characters out there like Tyler. But Theo Tornado is.”
such good showing of how representation does effect kids and the stories they read need to include that!!
September 8, 2026
This was a great story and I'm so glad that I read it! I read a middle grade book earlier this year and really enjoyed that one so when I saw a social media post (ad?) with a few adults saying this had them hooked, I decided to give it a try. And I was hooked too!
The start of the story shows Joni and Tyler coming back home after summer camp and looking forward to seeing their BFF, May, who couldn't come with them this year after breaking her wrist. But the minute Joni steps off the bus and spotted May in the crowd, she knew something was terribly wrong. And it didn't take long for her to figure out that the "something" wrong was also wrong with the whole town! She knew immediately that she needed to get to the bottom of it!
I couldn't stop reading this book, or thinking about it between reading it.. I instantly loved Joni and her strong friendship with Tyler and May. Joni fought hard to get her friend back and didn't back down even when faced with nearly impossible obstacles.
This story gave the vibes of George Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984. So if you read those books and enjoyed them, you'll most likely enjoy this modern day version of it too! I will definitely keep my eye out for future books by this author.
The start of the story shows Joni and Tyler coming back home after summer camp and looking forward to seeing their BFF, May, who couldn't come with them this year after breaking her wrist. But the minute Joni steps off the bus and spotted May in the crowd, she knew something was terribly wrong. And it didn't take long for her to figure out that the "something" wrong was also wrong with the whole town! She knew immediately that she needed to get to the bottom of it!
I couldn't stop reading this book, or thinking about it between reading it.. I instantly loved Joni and her strong friendship with Tyler and May. Joni fought hard to get her friend back and didn't back down even when faced with nearly impossible obstacles.
This story gave the vibes of George Orwell's Animal Farm and 1984. So if you read those books and enjoyed them, you'll most likely enjoy this modern day version of it too! I will definitely keep my eye out for future books by this author.
August 6, 2026
New fear unlocked: Will my love of gingham print make me susceptible to mind control by an evil conformist cult?
This is a charming middle reader novel cautioning against the dangers of conformity and blindly following a dangerous, cult-like leader (sound familiar?)
The book delivers on the premise well (if a bit too literally), and it’s a fun ride watching the kids figure out how to stop a tyrant.
I wasn’t wild about the fake tech (thankful that mind-control jewelry isn’t actually a thing yet) and would have preferred this one either stayed firmly in the real world or deployed overt magic rather than pretend tech to drive its villain’s actions.
Otherwise, it’s a fun read with a good message that is well paced and thoughtful.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
This is a charming middle reader novel cautioning against the dangers of conformity and blindly following a dangerous, cult-like leader (sound familiar?)
The book delivers on the premise well (if a bit too literally), and it’s a fun ride watching the kids figure out how to stop a tyrant.
I wasn’t wild about the fake tech (thankful that mind-control jewelry isn’t actually a thing yet) and would have preferred this one either stayed firmly in the real world or deployed overt magic rather than pretend tech to drive its villain’s actions.
Otherwise, it’s a fun read with a good message that is well paced and thoughtful.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
September 20, 2026
This book was the best,and don't read this SPOILERS! So starting Joni goes to camp as her best friend May is acting weird.And not just her everyone!The new family the Ginghams are weird.They are so fancy and want everyone to be dressed and proper lady and men behavior. So when Tyler and Joni come back things are strange.All people are smiling creepy and wearing watches and pearl earrings ! And when May ditches the drums and her lovely things for lady like behavior things go shallow. And the family isn't just a good family.The father is controlling everyone.The watches and pearl earrings are a trick! Joni and Tyler receive the real family and may and all of Joni's friends are back to normal!But the father is gone and is never to be seen again! This book is a thriller and mystery right up my alley!Maybe 100000000000000000000000000000 rating! I loved it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 29, 2026
I heard an interview with the author of the Ginghams on the podcast Reading in the Middle and the premise of the book intrigued me. When Tyler and Joni return from summer camp they’re shocked to hear how much their town and their best friend, May, have changed. This book reminds me of the Stepford Wives movie from the 70s. The Ginghams was creepy and hard to put down 5 well deserved stars!
August 5, 2026
it's The Giver meets Coraline meets The Barbie Movie for tweens
LOVE LOVE LOVE
LOVE LOVE LOVE
August 26, 2026
Very Stepford Wives, but for kids. My middle grade kids loved this book! It gave us so many good talking points, especially about the beauty and importance of individuality. 10/10
August 18, 2026
Entertaining read! Love the theme of celebrating diversity and uniqueness!
August 13, 2026
4.5 ⭐ - Checks everything that works for a middle grades audience in the genre. Legitimately spooky, fast-paced and full of action, dark without being overwhelming, with themes that feel important without being preachy.
The fact a debut author hit middle grades sci-fi/horror with this perfect of a balance means I'll try anything they write. Stellar debut.
The fact a debut author hit middle grades sci-fi/horror with this perfect of a balance means I'll try anything they write. Stellar debut.
August 14, 2026
Amazing read
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