This week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and sci fi from around the blogs

Happy Downfall of Sauron day, which subsequently was designated Tolkein Reading Day. In my own house, my younger son will find out tonight that Frodo, post-Shelob, is actually still alive...

And welcome to another round-up of middle grade fantasy and science fiction from around the blogs! Please let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews ("C" continues to be the letter of choice--a fine letter, if I say so who shouldn't):

Artemis the Loyal (Goddess Girls 7) by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams, at Small Review

Bless This Mouse, by Lois Lowry, at Becky's Book Reviews

The Cabinet of Earths, by Anne Nesbit, at books4yourkids

Castle of Shadows, by Ellen Renner, at Bookworm1858 and Charlotte's Library

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again, by Frank Cottrell Boyce, at Waking Brain Cells

Chronal Engine, by Greg Leitch Smith, at Book Moot and I Read Banned Books (giveaway)

Cold Cereal, by Adam Rex, at Guys Lit Wire

Courtney Crumrin, Vol. 1: The Night Things, by Ted Naifeh, at Finding Wonderland

Darwen Arkwright and the Peregrine Pact, by A.J. Hartley, at Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Dragon Castle, by Joseph Bruchac, at Library Chicken

Drizzle, by Kathleen Van Cleve, at Pass the Chiclets

The Emerald Atlas, by John Stephens (audio book review) at Cool Kids Read

The Eyeball Collector, by F.E. Higgins, at Becky's Book Reviews

The False Prince, by Jennifer Nielsen, at Fuse #8 and Roots in Myth

Flidderbugs, by Jonathan Gould, at Books are Magic (plus interview)

Fly By Night, and Fly Trap, by Frances Hardinge, at Musings from a Modern Bluestocking

Giants Beware! by Rafael Rosado and Jorge Aguirre, at Charlotte's Library (graphic novel)

How To Slay a Dragon, by Bill Allen, at Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

The Humming Room, by Ellen Potter, at Book Ends

Icefall, by Matthew Kirby, at Fantasy Literature

Janitors, by Tylor Whitesides, at Charlotte's Library

Magical Mischief, by Anna Dale, at Ms. Yingling Reads

A Monster Calls, by Patrick Ness, at Sonderbooks

Oddfellows Orphanage, by Emily Winfield Martin, at books4yourkids

The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, at Waking Brain Cells

Peaceweaver, by Rebecca Barnhouse, at Random Musings of a Bibliophile and The Book Smugglers

Project Jackalope, by Emily Ecton, at Middle Grade Mafioso

The Rock of Ivanore, by Laurisa White Reyes, at So Simply Sara (also an interview)

Space Lizards Stole My Brain, by Mark Griffiths, at The Book Zone

Throne of Fire, by Rick Riordan, at One Librarian's Book Reviews

Time Snatchers, by Richard Ungar, at Charlotte's Library

Vikram and the Enchanted Seals, by Sanjiv Behera, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Wizard of Crescent Moon Mountain, by Oldman Brook, at Review Haven

Wonder Show, by Hannah Barnaby, at A Patchwork of Books and Bookyurt

At Time Travel Times Two are The Indian in the Cupboard, by Lynne Reid Banks, and Dinosaur Habitat, by Helen Griffith

Authors and Interviews

Jenny Lundquist (Seeing Cinderella) at Literary Rambles (giveaway)

Jennifer Nielsen (Elliot and the Goblin War, The False Prince) at Project Mayhem

Greg Leitich Smith (Chronal Engines) at Cynsations and DEBtastic Reads (giveaway)

Jenn Reese (Above World) at A Thousand Wrongs

Derek the Ghost (Scary School) at Geo Librarian

Maryrose Wood (The Unseen Guest--Incorrigible Children of Aston Place book 3) at Kid Lit Frenzy

Charles London (We Dine with Cannibals--An Accidental Adventure #2), at The O.W.L.

Laurisa White Reyes (The Rock of Ivanore), at So Simply Sara (also a review)

Jonathan Gould (Flidderbugs) at Books are Magic (also a review)

Other Interesting Stuff

At the Guardian, an article on the enduring appeal of Enid Blyton--her fantasy books did little for me at the time, but in retrospect have a certain charm

The Once Upon a Time VI Challenge is up and running at Stainless Steel Droppings--I've never participated because basically every book I read (72 so far this year, which is the first time I've ever managed to keep track) counts, so it's not exactly a challenge. But this year I plan to join the other children on the playground....in part because I love the magical fox mascot shown at right! (here's my list of favorite fantasy foxes).

Monica has the latest Fairy Tale News at Educating Alice, and I have a guest post up at the O.W.L. on Fantasy Classics.


And speaking of classics, here's a Narnia wardrobe in real life; if you click through, you can see the lovely Narnia playroom it leads too. (Found via 100 Scope Notes)