My teens and I read this series together. They love the characters and it gets them reading! While I think the book would make sense and be a fun read for all readers, the insight we have from reading the entire series really helps us enjoy the story from the first page. Whitesides takes normal items like a broom, mop and cleaning supplies and turns them into weapons to defeat the monsters our heroes have to fight to save the world. While written for middle readers, it is a story the whole family can enjoy together!

Landon can hardly believe what his soon to be step sister Jade has gotten him into. She has taken him to the school of garbage and during his first days the garbage has come to life, not the good garbage things but the really bad garbage monsters that shouldn’t be around any more and they really need Landon’s help to fight them
This was a really good book as are all of Mr. Whitesides. I love the new characters and cannot wait to see what Landon and the crew get up to next.

This summer, Landon Murphy, his weird stepsister-to be, Jade Shu, and his ex Sabra Malik are spending the summer at an endless landfill. As part of the School of Garbage, they are learning how to mop up monsters using pushbrooms, plungers, and janitorial tools. When a sudden rush of mass garbage attacks, the reluctant trio must team up together to figure out what villains they are dealing with this time. Can they figure out who is behind the latest attacks? Can they learn to work together to save the world?

The plot is unique, engaging, and well-written. Characters from previous novels make some fun appearances throughout the book. Characters are well-developed and likable. Readers who enjoy fantasy, magic, adventure, and mystery will enjoy reading this book. Although it isn’t necessary to have read the other books in the series, it is recommended. A great addition to most library collections.

The Janitors series has been on my list for a while, so when I saw this spin-off series pop up on @netgalley I jumped at the opportunity to read it. If you don’t like general spoilers, I recommend you read the OG series FIRST. If you don’t mind, this story is fabulous on its own!

We follow a young boy feeling displaced by his parents divorce-his dad works all the time and his mom is remarrying a man with a weirdo daughter, Jade. Little does he know just how much Jade will change his life!

The school setting is unique and fun, using dumpsters as portals and learning the “read” the garbage. Magical creatures and items add a whole other level to the story.

Read if you like:
•Middle Grade books
•Creative urban world
•Unique takes on talent/abilities
•Encouraging Teamwork
•Building up of children and their contributions
•Call backs to the OG series

I have bumped up Janitors on my list because of how much I loved this book! Enjoyable for the whole family.

Title: Janitors School of Garbage
Author: Tyler Whitesides
Series: Janitors School of Garbage, #1
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
CW: divorce, intense action scenes, mild death of creatures
Kindle Unlimited: No
Deseret Bookshelf: Yes

*Release Date Sept 5, 2023*

Dumpster diving has a new meaning. Did you know garbology is a real thing? Some people really do study trash, though probably not the way Dr. Bernard Weizmann does in this book. Landon Murphy has no idea what to expect when his soon to be stepsister Jade Shu invites him to attend the School of Garbage during their summer break. They travel there through a portal reached by jumping into a magical dumpster at their elementary school.

Landon learns that overlooked and unappreciated school janitors do more than keep the school clean. They also protect kids from unseen Toxites – monsters that inhale brain waves of students and exhale sleepiness, distraction, and boredom. Their positive counterparts are Servites – they exhale focus and determination, energy, or passion and creativity.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed reading about trash and the various creatures and monsters the author created, especially the Thingamajunk named Bookworm. The message is of seeing value in yourself and feeling worthy. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks of you. The first lesson the kids are taught by Daisy Gates is, “Just because you can’t see the worth in a piece of garbage doesn’t make it worthless.” I thought it was interesting that the author worked as a middle school janitor while attending college and graduated with a degree in music. Thanks to Shadow Mountain Publishing for an ARC to use for my review.

A fun new adventure taking place in the janitors world. With new characters and new forms of magic mixing with the familiar the book entertains newcomers to the series as well as seasoned veterans.

My students are huge fans of the Janitors series, so this is perfect. It was highly engaging and fun, and I really enjoyed it. It was especially fun to see the old characters pop up!

4.5 ⭐️ If you like a good middle grade fantasy book- look no further! The Janitors Series was a HIT with elementary kids, and this one will definitely follow suit.
There are mysterious garbage attacks happening all over, and a group of kids attending a "summer school of Garbology" are tasked to take out the garbage! They have to stop it before the world is trashed! Literally.
They have brooms that can fly, toilet plungers that can reverse gravity, and mops that can wrap around and catch anything. The book is full of humor, friendship, and learning to trust others- not to mention the most creative co-stars ever!
I'm glad I got a chance to read and review this before publication. Thank you Net Galley.

Janitors was my favorite boom series growing up and I still love it. I was super excited to get back into this world and thought this was very intriguing. I loved having some old characters in it and hope we get to see more. I did miss the pictures in the books. Maybe those will be added but I liked seeing those every so often. Would highly recommend. Makes me want to go back and reread the first series.

This was a fun fast forward to the past janitor books. I had forgotten about a lot of the characters. Set it up for more??

Delightful! A wonderfully imaginative read that explores the idea of understanding our own value and self worth. Landon splits his time between his dad's house and his mom'e home with her new fiance and his soon to be step-stister Jade. Jade introduces the reluctant Landon to summer school at the School of Garbage. But it's unlike any other school because here the garbage is animated and the students learn about the magic that animates it along with other intricacies about garbage. But when Landon is attacked in the normal world by animated garbage it opens up a mystery, for animated garbang cannot leave the Landfill. Landon, Jade, and others from the school race against time to discove how the animated garbage (Thingamajunks) are able to leave the Landfill and try to stop the attacks before the normal world is filled with dangerous trash. The characters are wonderfully developed and the plot is well contrived with a writing style that is engaging and keeps the pages turning. (Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review)