Midnight Mayhem

Gr 4-6–Uss delivers a delightfully quirky adventure celebrating friendship and the magic of nighttime. Kaz Jakobsen, 11, has just moved to Philadelphia when a dare at Beigel’s Bagels changes everything: he eats fluorescent green Hairy Chest Mustard and washes it down with a root beer float, inadvertently becoming one of the “Sleepless Ones.” As Kaz grapples with endless nights alone in his new home, a sleep study introduces him to Floyd, a boy with a rare genetic condition who only needs two hours of sleep per night. The two bond over late-night adventures exploring Philadelphia’s all-night food trucks, museums, and hidden corners. When Floyd’s well-meaning chaos leads to trouble—including liberated lab animals and a museum incident—Kaz must decide whether to take an antidote or continue supporting his friend. Uss crafts an endearing protagonist in Kaz, whose loneliness and desire for connection feel authentic. Floyd is equally well-developed—energetic, creative, and touchingly vulnerable. The novel’s pacing occasionally lags, and some mishaps strain believability, but Uss’s playful sensibility invites readers to embrace the story’s heightened reality. The ending strikes an authentic note as Kaz discovers Floyd’s brain waves can induce sleep, and the boys launch a late-night radio show to keep other insomniacs company. Kaz is cued white.