Meet Me at Wonderland

Gr 5 Up–Fourteen-year-old Coco is in for a roller-coaster summer in this upper middle grade rom-com. Coco is thrilled to finally be old enough to work at her family’s amusement park, Wonderland, for the summer. After a tough year at home with her mother’s cancer diagnosis, and a hard year at school with her friends, Coco is ready for a summer of fun. On her first shift as the park’s mascot Morty the Moose, Coco stumbles out of her sweaty costume and right into the cute new guy: Henry. Henry is not as thrilled to be spending his summer working at Wonderland because it means being away from his soccer team and his friends. After their first embarrassing encounter, or “moose cute,” Coco is tasked with training Henry, and the two bond over their shared quick wit and their ability to slide moose puns into any conversation. Before long, they both start to wonder if there may be potential to be more than friends. Coco even confides in Henry about the park’s financial trouble. But they both have fears and secrets, and when Henry’s secrets come to light, they just might ruin everything. With short chapters alternating between Coco and Henry’s points of view, this fast-paced middle grade novel is sure to entertain young readers. The joyful and flirty dynamic between the relatable teen characters make this a great choice for young romance fans.