Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce

Max is traveling as a troubadour but she really wants to be a knight.  Not only does she not have a chance since she's not at the castle and can't learn to be one, she's also female and they can't be knights.  But Max isn't giving up.

Crown Books for Young Readers and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published January 8th.

She's excited to meet knights on their journey but when they take her uncle away, she has to get him back.  He's family.  And the King has decided he will be his fool and make him laugh.  She walks to the castle and she and other children almost get caught by the knights as vagrants.  They hide successfully and they decide to help her set her uncle free.

There's a mean witch, a mumbling wizard, the previous King is dead, and the Kingdom is falling apart.  They begin by getting lost in the woods running away from the guards.  What they discover there is enlightening and they use that knowledge and their own cunning to go back to the castle.  One of them has a defective wand she's learning to use, the others have knowledge to share and Max has enough determination for all of them.

There's lots of action, touches of magic and fun characters for your young one to read about.  I'm sure this will be a hit with middle graders.