The Edge of Forever coming May 12th, 2026 from Feiwel & Friends; 198 pages
About the Author: “Meghan P. Browne is the Texas Blue Bonnet Award-nominated author of Indelible Ann (Random House Studio) along with two other acclaimed picture books, Dorothy the Brave (Viking), and The Bees of Notre-Dame (Random House Studio). THE EDGE OF FOREVER is her middle-grade fiction debut. She lives with her family in Austin, Texas” (Bio from Macmillan’s website).
Find Meghan P. Browne on the following platforms:
Twelve-year-old Maisie McMeans is in the midst of dealing with grief after the loss of her father when her mama drops her off at her Aunt Gertie’s house in the middle of nowhere in Heaven, Texas. Struggling with the realization that she doesn’t know if her mama will come back to get her at the end of the summer, Maisie finds solace in the local library and her new friend, Walter Wise. Together, they unearth a brewing scandal within the town and do everything they can to uncover the truth and save Heaven from the hands of those in power. Through all the lies, loss, adventures, and bike rides, Maisie learns more about herself and Heaven than she ever could have imagined.
This southern-touched story was quite the adventure! Maisie’s spitfire attitude and hunger for adventure made this story entertaining and easy to read. It was very cute. Walt and Maisie’s friendship was very pure and seemed like one that would last a lifetime. Their unexpected likeness is what I believe gave Maisie a new perspective on her grief, and, with Walt’s help and outgoing personality, stepping outside of her own box to make connections with others ultimately helped her grow. The southern twang each character spoke with did a very good job of immersing the reader into the culture and setting of the story. This book also had some humorous elements that young readers will enjoy. I definitely had a feeling about the plot twist halfway through, but I still think it was well done in terms of sprinkling in hints throughout the beginning. I would have liked to know more about Aunt Gertie; she still seems like an unfinished puzzle to me, even after the grand reveal. The mystery of what the Mayor was hiding was not fully explained in the end, either. This should have been more fully developed, as it was a major part of the story. In all, though, I think this was a great middle-grade read and would be wonderful for those interested in mystery, adventure, a little bit of rebellion, and new ways to cope and live with grief.
The Edge of Forever releases on May 12th, 2026.
Pine Reads Review would like to thank Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and Feiwel & Friends for sending us an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change before final publication.
Bryanna Thompson, Pine Reads Review Writer
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