Rise of the Dragons by Angie Sage (2019), a middle-grade novel and series opener, involves two worlds.
The Edge of Extinction: The Ark Plan by Laura Martin, a review
July 17, 2019 by
The Edge of Extinction by Laura Martin, a series of two books published in 2016 and 2017, provides a dystopian Jurassic Park tale for middle-graders. Plucky Sky Mundy, in an underground colony in what once was northern Indiana, is just one of a few hundred humans alive, survivors of a plague.
Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo, a review
March 6, 2019 by
Louisiana’s Way Home, a middle-grade historical novel by Kate DiCamillo, took ahold of my heart somehow.
The Faithful Spy by John Hendrix, a review
January 1, 2019 by
The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler, by John Hendrix, is a hybrid graphic novel for teens and adults, telling an unforgettable story in an unforgettable way. It was published in 2018 by Amulet. The book alternates chapters about Hitler’s rise and about Bonhoeffer’s life as a young pastor. (There are […]
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate, a review
November 14, 2018 by
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate, a review Published 2015 by MacMillan, 245 pages Genre: Middle grade, realistic with a touch of fantasy Crenshaw, a huge cat, used to be Jackson’s invisible friend — when Jackson was three years younger. So now that Jackson’s starting fifth grade, why is Crenshaw showing up again, unasked for? Jackson’s family […]
The Hate U Give movie, a review
November 7, 2018 by
In the movie “The Hate U Give,” 16-year-old Starr is an African-American living in what she calls “the ‘hood,” a place called Garden Heights, while attending a nearly all-white high school. She lives in both worlds, trying to fit in both places. When her childhood friend Kahlil volunteers to drive her home from a party […]
The Language of Spells by Garret Weyr, a review
August 2, 2018 by
The Language of Spells by Garret Weyr, illustrated by Katie Hartnett Published by Chronicle Books, 2018, 299 pages Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy Grisha the dragon had a very unfortunate encounter with a sorcerer named Leopold, and as a result spent a century or so as an enchanted teapot. After he’s freed, soon he’s confined to […]
The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters by Kara LaReau, a review
June 6, 2018 by
The Jolly Regina and The Uncanny Express by Kara LaReau, Books 1 and 2 of the Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters, a review. Published 2017 and 2018 by Amulet Books, New York, each about 160 pages, illustrated by Jen Hill Genre: Middle grade, aimed at kids about twelve years old These books both break a […]
Little Bigfoot, Big City by Jennifer Weiner, a review
May 3, 2018 by
Little Bigfoot, Big City by Jennifer Weiner, Book 2 of the Littlest Bigfoot series, a review Published 2017 by Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing, 317 pages Genre: Middle grade fantasy, aimed at readers approximately 12 years old I was trying to get a recently published book to read and ended up with this one, which […]
The Hostage Prince by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple, a review
March 7, 2018 by
The Hostage Prince by Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple, Book 1 of The Seelie Wars, a review Published 2013 by Viking/Penguin Young Readers Group, 232 pages Genre: Middle grade fantasy, aimed at readers approx. 12 years old Snail is her name, and she’s an odd person in the Unseelie Court. She’s a midwife’s apprentice, clumsy, […]
