This week's round-up of middle grade sci fi and fantasy from around the blogs (loosely defined to include instagram, podcasts, etc) 10/2/22

Good morning from Rhode Island. Here's what I found in my hunt for mg sci fi/fantasy reviews this week; please let me know if I missed your post.

but first--nominations for the Cybils Awards are open, and ANYONE from around the world can nominate books! (but authors and publishers--if you want your own book nominated, don't do it yourself just yet; you'll get a chance after the public nominations close October 15).  Eligible books are those published in the US or Canada October 16 2021-October 15 2022.

It would be possible to make a brilliant shortlist of seven books from what got nominated yesterday, the first day.  But there are so many wonderful elementary/middle grade speculative fiction books that NEED to be nominated!  I've put asterisks next to books in today's round-up that are eligible and still waiting for love. (feel free to let me know if I made a mistake!)

The Reviews

*Alliana, Girl of Dragons, by Julie Abe, at alibrarymama 

Amari and the Great Game by B.B. Alston, at Log Cabin Library and Kiss the Book

*Beneath the Sand (Unicorn Island #2), by Donna Galanti, at Children's Books Heal

*Charlie Hernández & the Golden Dooms, by Ryan Calejo, at Feed Your Fiction Addiction

*Eden's Everdark, by Karen Strong, at Charlotte's Library 

*The Fire Star, and The Wolf's Howl (Maven and Reeve, books 1 and 2), by A. L. Tait, at Charlotte's Library

The Girl, the Ghost and the Lost Name, by Reece Carter, at Book Craic and Library Girl and Book Boy

The Ghost of Midnight Lake, by Lucy Strange, at The Children's Book Review 

*Ghostcloud, by Michael Mann, at The Bookwyrm's Den 

*Haven: Small Cat’s Big Adventure, by Megan Wagner Lloyd, at Semicolon 

*It's The End Of The World And I'm In My Bathing Suit, by Justin A. Reynolds, at Original Content

Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key, by S.D. Smith and J.C. Smith, at Redeemed Reader

Leila and the Blue Fox, by Kiran Millwood Hargrave with Tom de Freston, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads 

*LightCasters, by Janelle McCurdy, at eviebookish

The Little Match Girl Strikes Back, by Emma Carroll, Illustrated by Lauren Child, at  Magic Fiction Since Potter

Minor Mage, by T. Kingfisher, at Hidden in Pages

The Ogress and the Orphans, by Kelly Barnhill, at fatin.rosnan

*Omega Morales and the Legend of La Lechuza, by Laekan Zea Kemp, at The Bookwyrm's Den and Unconventional Quirky Bibliophile

*The Patron Thief of Bread, by Lindsay Eagar, at Kiss the Book

Sky Song, by Abi Elphinstone, at Kiss the Book

The Spectaculars, by Jodie Garnish, at Book Craic and Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

*The Supernatural Society, by Rex Ogle, at Kiss the Book

*The Vanquishers, by Kalynn Bayon, at Ms. Yingling Reads and The Story Sanctuary

*The Whispering Fog, by Landra Jennings, at Say What?

The Wintrish Girl, by Melanie La’Brooy, at  wendy_orr_author

A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, by T. Kingfisher, at Hidden in Pages

Authors and Interviews

Lois Lowry at The New Yorker

George Jreije (*Shad Hadid and the Alchemists of Alexandria) at MG Book Village

Katherine Applegate (*Odder) at The Yarn podcast

Lindsay Currie (*The Girl in White) at Teen Librarian Toolbox. and Novel on my mind