My first finished book of 2019 is You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P.! and it is one that I would highly recommend. Alex Gino created something really special with this book and it deserves to be in all middle school libraries. Why? Because it deals with privilege and racism, important yet challenging topics that need … Continue reading You Don’t Know Everything, Jillly P!
Grenade by Alan Gratz
War. This is not a topic that I tend to read about. The human condition that goes along with wars, okay, maybe (I've been known to read way too many books about the Holocaust), but not usually books about the actual fighting. But I know a lot of young readers who are completely fascinated by … Continue reading Grenade by Alan Gratz
Seeing Something New in The Third Mushroom
Life isn't a Hollywood movie. That's one of the many things that Ellie learns in The Third Mushroom, an incredibly satisfying sequel to The Fourteenth Goldfish. In this book, which I finished in under 24 hours, we watch as Ellie experiments with her first romantic relationship, works on a science fair project with her grandfather, … Continue reading Seeing Something New in The Third Mushroom
More Than A Princess
E.D. Baker, the author who brought us the beloved Frog Princess series as well as The Wide Awake Princess, is back with a new series featuring an intelligent, headstrong, and kind princess (Bloomsbury Press, November 6, 2018) More Than a Princess introduces readers to Aislin of Eliasind. Aislin is half-fairy and half-pedrasi, a new being … Continue reading More Than A Princess
The Track Series and Why Libraries are so Important
I just finished the third book in Jason Reynolds's amazing Track Series and now I am waiting with baited breath for the fourth, and final, book to come out in October. If you haven't already read these books, I highly recommend that you go out and try them. Understandably, I read a lot of middle … Continue reading The Track Series and Why Libraries are so Important
All the Stars for One for the Murphys
Lynda Mullaly Hunt has won me over as a MG author who just really gets it. I absolutely adored Fish in a Tree, and with this book she has created characters that are instantly real and a situation that is all too plausible. I absolutely fell in love with the characters and could have finished … Continue reading All the Stars for One for the Murphys
The Magic of Melwick Orchard
Books that realistically deal with childhood illnesses walk a fine line with dealing with the reality of illness and the havoc it wrecks on the entire family yet not being heavy handed with it. Rebecca Caprara tackles the subject deftly in her MG debut The Magic of Melwick Orchard. (Thank you to the #KitLitExchange Network … Continue reading The Magic of Melwick Orchard
Cheers to the Rebel Librarian!
Thank you to #kidlitexchange and @randomhousekids for a review copy of this book that is being published on September 18, 2018. All opinions are my own. Some books just beg to be read. Property of the Rebel Librarian is a book that will appeal to any book lover, librarian, or teacher. It left me cheering … Continue reading Cheers to the Rebel Librarian!
Spending a Year with Holling Hoodhood and The Wednesday Wars
The Wednesday Wars, by Gary D. Schmidt, is a quiet, subtle middle grade book written in 2007 but set in 1967. It captures your attention from the start, but progresses slowly to show just how the characters, especially Holling Hoodhood, grow during a school year. I never would have picked this book up had it … Continue reading Spending a Year with Holling Hoodhood and The Wednesday Wars
Ghost Boys – The Middle Grade Book with Important Messages
If you have a list of important middle grade reads, Ghost Boys, by Jewell Parker Rhodes, absolutely must be on that list. It isn't a fun read, but like The Hate U Give, I think it is one that should be read by everyone. This is a book which at its heart wants the world … Continue reading Ghost Boys – The Middle Grade Book with Important Messages