I went on an emotional journey with this book. Not just with the characters, but with how much I liked it. I took a little bit to find my footing in listening.

This book in the beginning is quite fantastical. It felt to me like it was setting up another world, but in the end the world you find yourself in isn't that different than the real world. That is to say: I didn't love the first half of this book, but the second half picked up the pace and worked for me.

This is a dark humor middle grade book and will only work for more literary readers.

Book elements: Slaughterhouse, Bullying, Outcast, Orphans, What is *magic*, Identity, Self actualization, What a soul needs, Middle school kisses

Thanks to Macmillan Kids, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) for the book. All opinions are my own.

This is a unique story that includes some light elements of magic, though it is set in the real world and focuses on real-world problems. The setting is also unique, in this town that is defined by its only industry, a slaughterhouse. The novel does not shy away from the realities of that industry! Ravani and Virginia (and the other kids) are wonderful characters that I was rooting for. It's a story about friendship and found family, with a happy ending for all of the characters, including many of the people in town. I very much enjoyed this original story that reminded me of Kate DiCamillo's novels (as well as Gemeinhart's other books).

I am a fan of Dan Gemeinhart's books, and this did not disappoint. According to the newspaper, Slaughterville is not a place where exciting things happen. The town’s economy revolves around the local abattoir, and all its streets and places are named accordingly, for example Offal Road and Carcass Creek. Things seem to change when a group of children arrive in the dead of night, and quietly move into the house across the street from a shy, lonely boy. Gemeinhart's use of an omniscient narrator directs the reader through the plot, which includes our lonely boy, seven orphans, a bully, and good and bad adults. "Our choices make a difference" is the predominant theme, but other themes that stand out are home and family, connections between people, deciding who you want to be, and not letting others define you. THE MIDNIGHT CHILDREN would offer book clubs plenty of topics to discuss.
Thank you to Henry Holt and Company (BYR), an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing and NetGalley for the digital arc

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I have read every book by Dan Gemeinhart, and it is so fascinating how different they all are and how wonderful they all are. This one was steeped in magical realism but was all about finding your family, even if they aren’t by blood, and learning to find the confidence in yourself to stand up to bullies.

The Midnight Children has something for everyone, even reluctant readers. It's got realistic fiction with a hint of magical realism. There's mystery, suspense, thrilling action, and even philosophy. It's fantastic!

I didn’t like this one as much as I liked coyote. I loved the themes of found family as “every story is about choices,” but I don’t know. This one just didn’t connect with me in the same way. I wish we knew more about each of their stories. I don’t know. I just didn’t love it.

He's done it again! Another fabulous story, full of hope, friendship, fun and adventure. All our souls will be uplifted by this amazing journey of finding your someday.

Dan hits it out of the park again with another beautiful story about friendship and love.

This was a different type of book from his previous works. Still, I was immediately enthralled by the setting and the mystery of the children that move into an abandoned house across from our MC, Ravani. This gave me Neil Gaiman vibes (that whiff of magical realism that I love) and I could definitely see this adapted for film.

Since MG March is coming up, I definitely be recommending this one. Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc.

Thank you to netgalley for the pre reading opportunity to experience this book.

After loving Coyote Sunrise, I knew I’d enjoy another one of Gemeinhart’s stories. I know plenty of teacher friends that will love hating this with their students and can see many older elementary and middle school students getting lost in the midnight journey with these children!

This book is a bit of everything-sad, but hopeful, creepy, but not scary, mysterious and fantastical. I found myself reading it aloud, even to myself. The writing is beautifully descriptive. It has a unique setting and great voice. It’s perfect for my middle school students.

Once again, Dan Gemeinhart was written a heartfelt, intriguing book that seems built to pause at certain chapters and take the temperature of the classroom. This one may not sell as well as his most recent Coyote Sunrise, but I can see it becoming a book that teachers are using for years as a 'hidden gem'.

The first half was much stronger than the last. There were a few things that seemed a little didactic and heavy handed (the slaughterhouse). The hunter felt more like a caricature than a character.

I really kept going back and forth on this book. At times, I really didn't like it very much. At other times, it felt like the most perfect and magical book. I think it was trying to do so much (and was maybe a little long for my liking) to then be resolved so quickly, and with some unanswered questions. But, I am willing to admit that this is one of those moments where I might like this more if I were the intended audience (a child). I will definitely recommend this book to readers.

I love pretty much everything Dan Gemeinhart writes and this one is no exception. While it won’t make you cry like Coyote Sunrise, it will definitely keep you on your toes with unexpected events with those strange new kids next door. It’s also a great story about friendship and standing up for yourself.

I didn't fly through this book (it actually took me a while to finish), but it was also a busy time for me. The characters are rather engaging and the story is compelling. Ravani's story is just a bit heartbreaking, but the friendship he develops with the mysterious Midnight Children, especially Virginia, feels just a bit magical.

I loved Coyote Sunrise and this story did not disappoint. The Midnight Children was centered around a character named Ravani Foster that was relatable and I could truly feel his struggles. Gemeinhart has an amazing gift for characters to be someone that you root for, The story didn't go quite as I thought in the beginning, because of the fantasy type vibes with the van arriving in a place called Slaughterville in the middle of the night. It felt eerie and strange, but the story of the orphans developed and the author made us care about what happened to everyone.

Any reader who experienced Dan Gemeinhart’s The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise knows what a special story it is. I’m sure The Midnight Children, about a group of runaways and the boy who finds his voice and place among them, will be just as heartfelt as his previous novel.

The whole tone of this book suggests magical realism. It feels like a place stuck in time, outside of the real world. The plot is one of children managing on their own, taking care of themselves, but also barely getting by. It's a celebration of the ability of children but also emphasis on taking care of them.

This book had the feel of an old fashioned classic. There’s adventure and mystery, but most importantly there’s friendship. The characters in the book all need something and they find it within one another. It’s wholesome and wonderful,