This week's round-up of middle grade sci fi and fantasy from around the blogs (6/14/20)

As always, please let me know about any posts I missed!

The Reviews

The Bootlace Magician, by Cassie Beasley, at Redeemed Reader

 Camp Murderface, by Josh Berk and Sundra Mitchell, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Catalyst, by Sarah Beth Durst, at Sci Fi Chick and  Charlotte's Library

Dragon Detective: School’s Out, by Gareth P. Jones, at Book Craic

Dragon Mountain, by Katie and Kevin Tsang, at A little but a lot

Dragon Pearl, by Yoon Ha Lee, at SFF Book Reviews

Dragonfell, by Sarah Prineas, at Woodpecker Books

Ghost Boys, by Jewell Parker Rhodes, at Paul Janus

The Lifters, by Dave Eggers, at Rosi Hollinbeck

Lightning Girl, books 3 and 4, by Alesha Dixon, at Charlotte's Libary

The Middler, by Kirsty Applebaum, at Books. Iced Lattes. Blessed.

Mulrox and the Malcognitos, by Kerelyn Smith, at Books. Iced Lattes. Blessed.

The Mystwick School of Musicraft, by Jessica Khoury, at Rajiv's Reviews

The Secret Explorers and the Comet Collision, by SJ King, at Mom Read It

The Slug Queen Chronicles, by S. O. Thomas, at Middle Grade Minded

Spark and the League of Ursus, by Robert Repino, at Kid Lit Reviews

Wonderscape, by Jennifer Bell, at Whimsy Pages

Two at Falling Letters--Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega, and The Jumbies, by Tracey Baptiste

Two at Ms. Yingling Reads--Glitch, by Laura Martin, and Deathstrike: Ultraball #2, by Jeff Chen

Three at alibrarymama--The Little Grey Girl, by Celine Kiernan, Dragon Warrior, by Katie Khao, and The Wolf of Cape Fen, by Juliana Brandt

Authors and Interviews

Leah Henderson (The Magic in Changing Your Stars) at Watch. Connect. Read.

Josh Roberts (The Witches of Willow Cove) at Literary Rambles

Kristiana Sfirlea (Legends of the Storm Sneezer) at Unicorn Quester

Other Good Stuff

MG books with young LGBTQ+ Characters, at Charlotte's Library

Lightning Girl, books 3 and 4, by Alesha Dixon

Aurora Beam is known around the world as Lightning Girl, the latest in a maternal line of superheros, and her adventures continue in Secret Supervillain, and Superpower Showdown (Kane Miller, 2020).  Here's my review of the first two books.

A magical stone work powers of light (and lightning) in Aurora, and now she's gone from being an ordinary kid to a world famous hero.  But being a young hero is tough when supervillains (older, more cunning, and more confident) are out to steal the stone, and three others of equal power, from their guardians.

Her adventures take her around the world as she struggles to foil the evil masterminds trying to claim the powers from themselves.  Small victories are followed by ever greater struggles and intrigues, and though Aurora can shoot lightning from her hands, she is really no match for her enemies; her sympathetic heart and lack of cunning make her rather easily manipulated by super-smart villains!  Fortunately, she has good allies--her secret agent magical grandma, her morally dubious aunt, who comes with an ostrich who has no morals at all (but who is a great help when riled up!) and friends, both ordinary and superpowered.  And also she has a growing confidence in not just her powers, but herself, that helps keep her going.

This a great series for kids who enjoy about reading wild adventures of ordinary kids thrown in to extraordinary adventures.  There's plenty of humor (although I myself find the antics of the ostrich appalling rather than funny...), plenty of relatable middle grade self-reflection, and warm family and friend relationships. The world of the books keeping getting bigger, with the Queen of England, for instance, getting involved in story. 

If you're looking for stories of  black girls (Aurora's bi-racial) saving the world, and you're not finding much, do check this series out (as a bonus, you also get her tech genius brother and  science genius little sister).  A satisfying stopping point is reached at the end of the fourth book, but the epilogue sets the stage for further challenges to Lightning Girl!

disclaimer: review copies received from the publisher.

Catalyst, by Sarah Beth Durst

Happy book birthday to Catalyst, by Sarah Beth Durst (Clarion, June 9, 2020), a must read for young fans of magical animals!

After the unfortunate skunk episode, just turned 12 year old Zoe's been forbidden to bring any more animals home.  But when she finds a little scrap of a kitten, cowering and alone, she can't resist. Pipsqueak is adorable, and Zoe promises to take care of her always and forever, and, with the a few well chosen arguments from her older brother, her parents relent, as long as she proves she's a responsible pet owner.

But then Pipsqueak begins to grow.  In just a few days, she's too big to share Zoe's bed.  In a few more, the shed outside is too small.  Zoe's afraid her now humungous kitten will set off a media firestorm if she's seen, and will be taken away to be "studied."  Not only is she huge, but she's talking (and reading!).  With the help of her friend Harrison, Zoe tries to keep Pipsqueak safe, but when it's clear that's no longer possible, the two kids and the giant kitten hatch a desperate plot.

Zoe's aunt is estranged from her family because of her fringe beliefs in the reality of magical creatures, but clearly these might not be so fringe after all!  Getting her help is hard, since she has no phone number and lives up in the White Mountains of New Hampshire....but Zoe and Harrison convince their parents they want to go to a camp up there (to which the teenage girl who keeps an eye on them will ostensibly drive them).  They won't actually be driving there; instead, they will travel on Pipsqueak's back, bounding from roof to roof till they're out of the city, and then running through the countryside (and up the cables of a ski lift!) and camping out at night.

They are joined on their journey by two other impossible animals--a rainbow hamster with butterfly wings, and a flying green dog with sharks teeth and multiple tails--both very friendly, and able to talk, like Pipsqueak.  It's an uncomfortable, and not always fun, journey, but they make it to Aunt Alecia's house....only to find that she's not home!

She's left instructions about where they should go--further into the wilderness. To keep going means their plot to keep their parents in the dark will crumble, but Zoe and Pipsqueak are willing to risk it if it means they can find a way to be together.

Pipsqueak is absolutely adorable, and the bond between her and Zoe will warm any pet-lovers heart. They were both thinking that she would become a little kitten again, and life would be normal, but that proves impossible (though the ending is happy).   And this leads to the central message of the book, that being different is not a bad thing, and that being your true self is better than trying to squash yourself into the box of being normal, which is something many kids need to hear loud and clear.  If you are a giant cat who reads and talks, is reverting to being an ordinary kitten (even if you are loved and cherished) really the best outcome?  If you are a flying rainbow hamster, find your people and soar!

There's plenty of humor, mixed some tension (mostly anxiety about Pipsqueak being caught and taken away, some about the deception of the camp cover story).  Zoe's parents are present and supportive (even when Zoe comes clean to them in the end), and Harrison is a great companion (though his carefully planned camping supplies are perhaps not the most practical ever...).  It's a totally stand alone story, though once the reason for all the magical animals showing up is revealed, there's plenty of room for more magical menagerie fun... which I would not object to at all!

So, just to reiterate--animal loving, fantasy loving 9-11 year olds need this book!

disclaimer: review copy

For Pride month--middle grade sci fi/fantasy books with young LGBTQ+ characters

I would like to have a long list of middle grade books (mg being those marketed to 9-12 year olds) with young LGBTQ+ characters to offer. Instead, I have a short list.  Please let me know of any I missed! (I'm not including graphic novels, because I don't read them widely enough to know all the books).

Middle grade fantasy/sci fi isn't really a place where sexual relationships flourish, because these are kids, not yet teenagers for the most part, caught up in wild adventures. But still, there are plenty of moments of heterosexual attraction, and it would be great to see more LGBTQ+ characters too! (links go to my review, where applicable, or to Goodreads).

Vivian Lantz's Second Chances, by Kathryn Ormsbee   (2023) Time looping helps Vivian (who has two dads) realize that she wants to be Gemma's friend, or even more than friend.

The Insiders, by Mark Oshiro (2021) Héctor Muñoz  wonders if there's a place for a gay theater kid at his new school.  Magic makes it happen.....and spills over into real life.

Too Bright to See, by Kyle Lukoff  (2021) A beautiful ghost story with a young trans protagonist

Jane Doe and the Cradle of  All Worlds, by Jeremy Lachlan (2018)
Jane has a very natural (in the sense of a sudden sharp realization of physical attraction such as is natural for older kids), very much unacted on as yet, feeling for Violet, the other main girl character.  A quick skim through Goodreads reviews suggests that either the moment this is made explicit is subtle enough so that many readers don't register it, or else it hasn't had much of a US readership....(sigh).  I myself am looking forward to the sequel!

Cattywampus, by Ash Van Otterloo (2020), a truly fun real-world fantasy, has an intersex main character (which of course isn't the same as being queer, but still deserves mention here, I think.)

And also by Ash Van Otterloo,  A Touch of Ruckus (2021)  

Lintang and the Pirate Queen, by Tamara Moss (2019 in the US)

One of the crew of the pirate ship is a trans boy, whose gender identity is so unquestioned that he, like any other boy, is in danger from the lure of the siren.

Anya and the Nightingale, by Sofiya Pasternack (2019)

An important supporting character is a bisexual boy, who has a sweet crush/budding romance with another boy.

The Curse of Eelgrass Bog, by Mary Averling (2024)  

A girl struggles to keep her family's Museum of Unnatural History going, not realizing she's a victem of curse until a new girl comes to town on a mission to break it....and they fall in (middle school appropriate) love.

 

Wings of Fire series, by Tui T. Sutherland

There are lots and lots of dragon characters, and I didn't make notes about all the relationships.  Apparently there are 8 clearly identified LGBT dragons....Darkness of Dragons has, I think, the first-- two young girl dragons, Anemone and Tamarin.. They are minor characters in this book, and their relationship is an aside rather than a plot point, but it's there. Having just gone and looked at the Goodreads reviews, it displeased a lot of people that some dragons being gay is a taken for granted thing in this dragon world (another sigh).  

Sundew, the pov protagonist of the Poison Jungle (who is more older teen than a 9-12 year old), is in a relationship will another girl dragon, Willow--"And you're still the only dragon for me, too, Willow, light of my life, I promise I will never fall for a beautiful SilkWing and leave you."  (Poison Jungle, p 118).  I just read, with considerable interest, the Wings of Fire fandom conversation about this, and recommend it for a look at what the fans think about it; the biggest controversy is whether Sundew should be called lesbian (cause she could be bi or pan, and gay would also apply, and Sapphic was offered as a useful alternative), and it lead to the creation of an LGBTQ support group thread, which just goes to show that positive representation in books kids enjoy reading is a good thing for gay (or lesbian or pan or Sapphic kids).

And then there's Rick Riordan, who has a number of LGBTQ+ characters in his books....

And the Rick Riordan Presents imprint is also adding a bit to this list (thanks Jenna and Hallie for reminding me of these two!)--

Sal & Gabi Fix the Universe, by Carlos Hernandez.  Sal, the main character, is aro

Dragon Pearl, by Yoon Ha Lee, has an important secondary character who is a non-binary goblin (with a snack conjuring fork....)

And two I haven't reviewed yet -- Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom, by Nina Varela, 2023, and Alex Wise vs. the End of the World, by Terry J. Benton-Walker (2023)

This week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and science fiction from around the blogs (6/7/20)

Welcome to this week's round-up of mg sci fi and fantasy from around the blogs. As ever, please send me links to any posts I missed!

Starting with Other Good Stuff this week

A list of books for fantasy lovers 8 - 14 written by Black authors and starring Black protagonists at Bookshop

A list of mg spec fic black authors at Falling Letters

The Reviews

Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes, by Roshani Chokshi, at Evelyn Reads

Catalyst, by Sarah Beth Durst, at Fantasy Literature and Woodpecker Books

Christoffer Johansen and the Return to Jötunheim (Zaria Fierce #7) by Keira Gillett, at Log Cabin Library

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley, at Rajiv's Reviews

Curse of the Night Witch, by Alex Aster, at Teresa Crider, Creative Writer

The House With Chicken Legs, by Sophie Anderson, at Not Acting My Age

The League of Beastly Dreadfuls, by Holly Grant, at Say What?

The Legends of Pinena – Invasion of the Aliens, by Amy Zhao, at Always in the Middle

Malamander, and its sequel, Gargantis, by Thomas Taylor, at alibrarymama

The Middler, by Kirsty Applebaum, at Books. Iced Lattes. Blessed.

The Order of Time, by Scott P. Southall, at YA Books Central

Rebel in the Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander, at Eli to the Nth

A Sprinkle of Spirits (Love Sugar Magic #2), at YABooksCentral

The Thief Knot, by Kate Milford, at alibrarymama

The Time of Green Magic, by Hilary McKay, at Blythe and Bold

The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez, by Adrianna Cuevas, at Charlotte's Library

The Unready Queen by William Ritter, at Rajiv's Reviews

The Way to Rio Luna, by Zoraida Córdova, at Books4YourKids and Charlotte's Library

The Way to Rio Luna, by Zoraida Córdova

The Way to Rio Luna, by Zoraida Córdova (Scholastic, June 2 2020), is a new middle grade fantasy (the first mg by this YA author) that will appeal to those who enjoy whimsical, fairytale-flavored adventures.

Danny Monteverde and his sister, Pili, lost their parents when he was a baby, and in the shuffle between foster homes and group homes that was his childhood, he had only two constants--Pili's love, and the fairytales she read to him from their treasured copy of The Way to Rio Luna.  Then when he was nine, Pili wasn't there anymore--run away, the authorities decided.  But Danny believes she is waiting for him in Rio Luna, if only he can find his way there...then his current foster father, who's horrible, destroys the book, and his hopes dwindle.

During a class field trip to the New York library, Danny wanders by himself into a rare book room, and finds one of the rarest books of all, out and open--an original copy of The Way to Rio Luna, from which magical arrows emanate.  He finds a friend, too, a girl named Glory who also believes in magic, encouraged by her eccentric Aunt North scoops both Danny and the book up, and takes them to her home, promising to help Danny follow the arrows to Rio Luna.

Each chapter in the book links our world to the world of Rio Luna, and each holds a key.  Danny, Glory, and Aunt North set out to track them down, travelling from New York, to Ecuador, to Brazil, and finally to Ireland.*   They meet the characters in the stories, Leigh the Bard, who foiled the plans of the Shadow Queen to take over Rio Luna, the legendary guinea big who travelled to the land of shooting stars, and the Kohlrabi King, who's set up a sanctuary for magical beings in Brazil.  They are joined by Llewellyn, a young Jackalope Prince who's squeezed his way into our world, who adds lightly comic notes, while being a stalwart ally.  And they meet the Shadow Queen, who has broken free of her prison, and who wants to use the keys the children have found to return with her army of shadows and resume her conquest.

But Danny, Glory, and Llewellyn persevere, and at last they reach Rio Luna, and Pili, in what is not so much a happy ending as the beginning of a new adventure...

The bonds of family and friendship are front and center, and the appeal of following a path into stories from a beloved a book is always great.  Younger middle grade readers will especially enjoy this diverse, vividly descriptive, story.  It wasn't quite to my own taste; there was too much whimsy for me (by way of context, I didn't really enjoy The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, or Summer In Orcus), and I felt there was not quite enough depth and building of tension to the story of the Shadow Queen, who sort of abruptly erupts into full confrontational villainy towards the end), but I'm sure many readers who aren't me will love it! 

*aside--this sort of travelling is why it's good to have a well-funded and well-connected aunt, who belives in magic, with you on your middle grade adventures in the real world.  Further aside--Danny does have a passport from when he was a baby, but the fact that it would have expired is not an issue, which raised my eyebrows because sometimes I'm a stickler for details like this. 

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez, by Adrianna Cuevas

The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez, by Adrianna Cuevas (Farrar Straus and  Giroux, May, 2020) is an excellent pick for the kid interested in folk-tale and myth inpsired, diverse real-world fantasy, who isn't quite old enough to really appreciate the more "tween" books like those of the Rick Riordan Presents imprint.   Which is to say, basically, a nine to ten year old (more or less) who likes good stories about likeable kids, that have magic and danger in them.

Nestor has been moving all his life (his Dad's in the military).  This new move to a small town in Texas is different--it's to his he and his mom will be living with his Cuban grandmother while his dad is deployed in Afghanistan.  His loves his Abuela (and her cooking), and it's cool to be in the house where his dad grew up.  But even so, Nestor has no desire to unpack and make friends at a new school, since he's sure he'll be uprooted again sooner rather than later.

So far, so ordinary...but Nestor isn't ordinary.  He can talk with animals.  And the animals in the new town are strangely agitated.  Something is very wrong in the scruffy woods at the edge of town, and there are missing animal posters everywhere....Two kids, Talib and Maria Carmen, become his friends at school, and they both have missing animals.   What is going on?

Nothing good.  A witch out of folktales, a tule vieja, has come hunting.  The three kids band together to track her down, and drive her away.  They have to confront her before the coming solar eclipse, because in that darkness her power will be greatest.  But what on earth are they supposed to do? Fortunately, with the help of an unexpected ally, Brandon (a bullying, animal-trapping kid) and help from the local animals, they succeed!  (more happens but that's the gist of it.  That being said, spider averse readers, you might want to stop reading about  6/7 of the way through....)

The Brandon sub-plot was the only thing that didn't work for me.  I think more could have been done with the transition of the nasty, bullying kid from enemy to friend, which was rather rushed, and not as well-explained or subtle as I'd have liked.  This is also a trope that I feel comes up all too often. 

That being said, this is one I'm happy to recommend!  It's a nice mix of real-world concerns  (a distant dad in danger, military family life and moving, bullying, making friends) and fantastical ones (talking to animals, defeating an evil witch), with a great, diverse cast of characters.  There are quite a few book series for 8-10 year olds about kids and mythical creatures  (the Pipp Bartlet series, Magical Animal Rescue series, and the Unicorn Rescue Society and  Nestor's adventures seem like just the thing to offer next--there's the animals in danger, who in this case help out their human friend after he helps them, with the fantasy element of the evil witch to push the plot toward higher, more middle grade, stakes.  Nestor's raven buddy will be especially popular with this group!

It's a stand alone story, but the possibility of more stories about Nestor and his friends is there, which would be great.

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

This week's round up of middle grade fantasy and science fiction from around the blogs (5/31/20)

Here's what I found this week; enjoy!  (and let me know if I missed your post)

The Reviews

Aru Shah and the Tree of Wishes by Roshani Chokshi, at The Nerd Daily

The Barren Grounds, by David A. Robertson, at Butler's Pantry

The Bone Garden, by Heather Kassner, at Book Swoon

 The Boogeyman: a Monstrous Fairytale, by Shane Berryhill, at Kid Lit Reviews

The Book of Mysteries, by J.R. Wallis, at bookloverjo

Changling, by William Ritter, at Rajiv's Reviews

Dragonsinger, by Anne McCaffery, at Book Nut

The Library of Ever, by Zeno Alexander, at Not Acting My Age

Malamander, by Thomas Taylor, at Pages Unbound

The Middler, by Kirsty Applebaum, at Book Craic

Sal & Gabi Break the Universe, by Carlos Hernandez, at Latinx in Kid Lit

Sisters Grimm: The Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley, at Say What?

Seasons of War (Skulduggery Pleasant) at Always in the Middle

Snared: Voyage on the Eversteel Sea by Adam Jay Epstein, at Log Cabin Library

The Stolen Lake, by Joan Aiken, at Semicolon

Tuesdays at the Castle, by Jessica Day George, at A Garden of Books

A Wish in the Dark, by Christina Soontornvat, at Randomly Reading



Authors and Interviews

Wendy Leighton Porter (Max's Royal Adventure) at Carpinello's Writing Pages

Liesl Shurtliff (The Forbidden Lock) at Middle Grade Book Village

Dorothy A. Winsor (The Windreader) at No Wasted Ink

Katharine Orton (Nevertell) at Middle Grade Book Village

Other Good Stuff

The Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book goes to a middle grade fantasy-- Riverland, by Fran Wilde (Amulet)  (Here's the full list of winners)

The School for Good and Evil will be a Netflix Movie

Limited Wish (Impossible Times #2) by Mark Lawrence

Limited Wish (Impossible Times #2) by Mark Lawrence (May 2019, 47 North), is the sequel to One Word Kill, which I reviewed here.  It begins with a brief recap of book 1, which was thoughtful, because though I remembered things more or less, this a complicated sort of time travel, with lots of alternate pathways and various twisty shenanigans of continuum manipulation.

When we meet Nick again, its still the 1980s, he's still 16, still in remission from Leukemia, and still playing D. and D. with his group of friends.  But now he's a student at Cambridge.  Knowing he was going to have to come up with the mathematics for time travel kicked him into high gear, and he mathematically muscled his way into studying with the one conveniently located person who might be able to work with him to do this.  But though the math goes well, the rest of his life is pretty crumby. Mia has broken off their relationship that had just begun in the first book, largely in reaction to fate throwing them together (more literally than is usually the case).  In D. and D., his saving throws are 1s, and in real life, statistically improbable events (like an exploding chip shop) are becoming everyday occurrences.  A build-up of paradoxes has caused time to become a shaken bottle of soda, and unless it's calmed down, it will pop, taking Nick with it.

Nick's future self, and someone else from his future, are showing up in his present and trying to figure out how to unravel the paradoxes.  Thought there's a violent element involved (slightly contrived), this unravelling is  basically a matter of social dynamics, calculated risks, and lots of good math (impossible without the contributions of a girl who's even more brilliant than Nick).  In the end, when Nick has to choose between two alternate futures to calm things down, it comes down to him deciding to act as if he were a free agent, like anyone else, choosing to be loyal to himself, right there in the present.

I don't really like complications for the sake of complications, and lots of alternate future paths spinning off in all directions don't do much for me.  But Lawrence does a rather remarkable job having both complications and alternate paths kept firmly within a coherent narrative with a single main story, that of Nick's experience as a 16 year old genius teen living with the fear of death from  cancer, and more ordinary social anxiety.  He is like the still center around which the busy story spins, although he is making his own interior journey.  He knows his choices will effect future time lines, but he has the wisdom in the end to realize that's true for everyone.

Adding to my enjoyment was Nick's love for math-- I like craft books, in which characters are immersed in the making of things they love, and for Nick, equations are his craft, and it was lovely (disclaimer--I don't do math myself, so this is considerable praise).  I also enjoyed the details of the D. and D. game--an alternate adventure of choices and consequences nicely nested in the main story.

I don't think the sleek sci-fi cover captures the feel of the book; something more 1980s campy fantasy would have been closer--beautiful Cambridge students falling out of a punt while an explosion happens in the distance sort of thing.

I would have been happy with the series ending here; though there is lots still unresolved, that's the way life is.  But I just realized there's a third book,  Dispell Illusion (another D. and D. spell...), and I look forward to seeing what illusions will be dispelled!

This week's round-up of middle grade sci fi and fantasy from around the blogs (5/24/20)

Here's what I found this week; please let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews

The Accidental Time Traveller, by Janis Mackay, at Charlotte's Library

The Adventures of Rockford T. Honeypot, byJosh Gottsegen, at Woodpecker Books

Aru Shah and the Song of Death (Pandava Quartet #2) by Roshani Chokshi, at Log Cabin Library

Blackbringer, by Laini Taylor, at Fantasy Literature

Charlie Hernández and the League of Shadows, by Ryan Calejo, at Book Briefs

The Day I Was Erased, by Lisa Thomson, at Always in the Middle

Dragonsong, by Anne McCaffrey, at Book Nut

Echo, by Pam Muñoz Ryan, at Leaf's Reviews

Forever Neverland, by Susan Adrian, at Bookish Bug

Gargantis, by Thomas Taylor, at Charlotte's Library

The Gryphon's Lair (Royal Guide to Monster Slaying) by Kelley Armstrong, at Sharon the Librarian

Legends of the Sky, by Liz Flanagan, at Fantasy Literature

On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness (The Wingfeather Saga #1), by Andrew Peterson, at BiteIntoBooks

Scritch Scratch, by Lindsay Currie, at Rajiv's Reviews

The Total Eclipse of Nestor Lopez, by Adrianna Cuevas, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Unready Queen, by William Ritter, at Alison in Book Land

The Way Past Winter, by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, at Rajiv's Reviews

A Wish in the Dark, by Christina Soontornvat, at Children's Books Heal

Two at alibrarymama--Mulan: Before the Sword by Grace Lin and A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat

Two more at alibrarymama-Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse and Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron

Two at Ms. Yingling Reads-The Egyptian Mirror, by Michael Bedard, and Minecraft: the Voyage, by Jason Fry

Authors and Interviews

Katharine Orton (Nevertell) at Charlotte's Library (with giveaway)

J. Anderson Coats (The Green Children of Woolpit) at Teen Librarian Toolbox

Zoraida Córdova (The Way to Rio Luna), at Publishers Weekly

Thomas Taylor (Gargantis) at School Library Journal

J.M. Bergen (Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows) at Book Princess Reviews

Other Good Stuff

Jenna at Falling Letters shares 35 mg fantasy favorites

25 Books starring dragon-loving mighty girls, at A Mighty Girl

Here's a list of 2020 debut sci fi/fantasy novels in English that includes a few mg books (not comprehensive, but open to adding more....I just suggested The Wolf of Cape Fen, by Juliana Brandt, which is very good)

Gargantis (Eerie-on-Sea #2), by Thomas Taylor

Malamander, by Thomas Taylor, introduced young readers to the surreal town of Eerie-on-Sea, and to Herbie, the keeper of the Lost-and-Founder office of the Hotel Nautilus, and his friend Violet, who came to the town looking for clues to her lost parents. In that first book, the two kids foiled a villainous plot of Sebastian Eels, and thought they were done with him forever. They were not.

Gargantis (Walker Books US, May 12, 2020) picks up soon after Malamander leaves off.  A storm is shaking Eerie-on-Sea to its very foundations, and its fierceness keeps growing. The fisher folk blame the awaking of the legendary Gargantis, and are desperate to send the creature back to sleep again. A mysterious hooded figure, new to town, convinces them he know how to do it (it's easy to guess this is Sebastian Eels, back from the brink of death).  When a treasure (a bottle with most unusual contents) turns up in Herbie's Lost and Found office, Herbie and Violet figure out that letting Eels and the fisher folk use it against Gargantis will just make things worse, and so they put their lives on the line to return it.

That's a very bare bones description of the plot, that doesn't come close to conveying all the rich details of the story. Eerie-on-Sea is an unforgettable place full of strange stories and strange goings-on, and the vivid storytelling plunges the reader right into the thick of things! Violet and Herbie make a great team, Violet's headstrong impulsiveness complimenting Herbie's caution well, and the dangers they face from the storms destroying the town, from death by drowning, and from Eels and the fisherfolk made dangerous by desperation, are grippingly real.

If quirky mysteries putting kids in fantastical danger in a wildly whimsical setting (a touch of steampunk, a touch of horror, many puns, a dubious saint, two plucky kids who are quicker on the uptake than any of the grownups, and monsters both out at sea and on land) sounds appealing, you'll love this series! I actually enjoyed this second book even more than the first, because all the introduction part had already been taken care of, and so there was time to reveal more of the story of the history of this strange place, and more details of that strangeness.  Though this could stand alone, it would be somewhat disorienting, so do read Malamander first!

short answer: a great cure for cabin fever!

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

An interview with Katharine Orton (Nevertell) and a giveaway!

Back in the middle of April, I read Nevertell, by Katharine Orton (Walker Books US, April 14, 2020, with much enjoyment! It's a magical, chilly middle grade adventure about a brave girl finding her magic and confronting evil (here's my review).  So it's a pleasure to welcome Katharine here, and to offer a giveaway of this book courtesy of its publisher! Just leave a comment to be entered; closes in one week, at midnight on the 27th!

What was the inspiration for Nevertell? Did the whole story come to you clear in your mind, or did it arrive in bits?

Nevertell has been floating around inside my head in bits for years. Whether in the form of family stories – like the one about when my grandfather was part of a mutiny – or when I first started to learn about Siberian gulags in my school history lessons. I love fairy tales from all over the world and have always been interested in Russian history. And one day I was reading a book called Inside the Rainbow where I learned that at one point in the Soviet Union children weren’t supposed to be told fairy tales. I started to think about how fantasy and the real world intertwine… That’s when all those little bits finally came together, and the idea for Nevertell was born. 

What was the most challenging part of the story, either plot-wise or writing-wise? 

Well, from the very beginning the children are determined to reach Moscow to find Lina’s grandmother. But… that’s thousands upon thousands of miles from where they are in Siberia. So I found myself scratching my head along with the children quite a lot, trying to figure out just how I was going to help them along their journey! But from that challenge sprang much of the story, so I’m grateful for it.

 What are your own favorite Russian fairy tales? 

Oh, there are lots! There’s a brilliant one called The Stone Flower – part of a series I believe involving the Mistress of the Copper Mountain. And I love the character of Baba Yaga who turns up in a lot of folk and fairy tales such as Vasilisa the Beautiful. One of my all-time favourites is called The Soldier and Death, but it’s quite sad. 

This is a rather chilly book, being set in the Siberian winter; what's the coldest you yourself have ever been? 

I’ve been to some pretty cold places, like Scotland in winter and the French Alps – brr! But the answer is probably a lot sillier. I got stuck in Central London once with a friend. It was night, it was cold and I was shivering because I had no coat, and for one reason and another we had no obvious way to get home. My friend suggested we sleep on a bench and head off in the morning. Er – that wasn’t going to happen! Worried about my fingers – and the rest of me – turning to ice, I insisted, and we did manage to make our way back eventually. But our journey was quite the chaotic ‘adventure’ in itself. 

What will your next book be about? 

This time we’re visiting Dartmoor in England, a place steeped in its own mystery and folklore, just after World War Two. It follows an otherwise ordinary girl with a strange connection to the spirit world, who finds herself caught up in a dangerous, magical prophecy. I probably shouldn’t say too much more, but you can expect a sprawling, epic landscape, spirits (some good and some with wicked intent), more fairy and folk tale magic, and, most importantly of all, characters you can root for. But what is it really about? My best answer to that is: healing.

Thanks Katharine!  Your next book sounds right up my alley!

The Accidental Time Traveller, by Janis Mackay, for Timeslip Tuesday

It's such a nice thing, to be a fan of middle grade time travel stories and to find a new to me series!  The Accidental Time Traveller,  by Janis Mackay, the first of three books, was the Scottish Children's Book Awards winner in 2013, and it was a fun, and toward the end rather moving, story.

Saul is an ordinary kid in 2012, living in the small Scottish town of Peebles.  His family works hard to make ends meet, and the baby twins keep his mother busy.  He has his two best mates, and they've made a den for themselves in a derelict hut on an old estate whose grand house is long gone. It's almost Christmas, and snow is falling.  All very ordinary...

And then he's in the right place at the right time to see a girl in a long dress with frilly bits almost get hit by a car. She clings to him fiercely, and blows his mind by her story.  Agatha Black has just arrived from 1812, and doesn't know how to get back again.  Saul isn't sure he believes her, but she's clearly in need of help, and so he takes her to the hut.  There Agatha tells Saul how her father, desperate for fame and fortune, experimented with time travel, using her as his guinea pig.The next week is full of Agatha having her mind blown by modernity and Saul trying clumsily to pretend this strange kid is normal, with only marginal success.

The all male dynamic of Saul and his two friends is of course disrupted by a girl in their hut (Saul's early attempts to claim Agatha is a boy don't hold water for long).  And then Agatha of her own volition makes friends with a girl from Saul's class, Agnes, poor and ignored by just about everyone. After initial doubtfulness, the three boys become real friends with the two girls.  But Agatha needs to get home.

And so Saul tries to recreate the alchemical components and mystic state of mind her father had used to send her into the present.  The sticking point is the need for gold, not something broke kids can easily get their hands on.  But in a nice twist, the bits and pieces of information Agatha has let fall give Saul just what he needs to get the gold....and Agatha returns to her own time.

And the end is very moving, not just because of Agatha getting home, and then the discovery of her gravestone, but because of Agnes now having a place as a valued member of the friend group.  Saul's realist voice and experiences ground the book firmly in the present, and those looking for wild time travel romps will be disappointed.  But the time travel is very real, and very magical, and it is fun (though slightly uncomfortable on her behalf) seeing fish out of water Agatha cope with the 21st century.  She's an exceedingly brave, self-reliant girl, and I liked her lots.  She was very good for Saul--the experience of knowing her stirred up his mind considerably!  Both he and readers pick up a nice bit of social history, very painlessly and naturally.

I look forward to the next two books!

This week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and science fiction (5/17/20)

Here's what I found in my blog reading this week; please let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews

The Candy Mafia, by Lavie Tidhar, at Rajiv's Reviews

The Chaos Curse (Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond Book 3),  by Sayantani Dasgupta, at alibrarymama

Cog, by Greg Van Eekhout, at Fantasy Literature

The Clockwork Crow, by Catherine Fisher, at Rajiv's Reviews

The Disappearing Bikeshop, by Elivira Woodruff, at Charlotte's Library

A Game of Fox and Squirrels, by Jenn Reese, at Puss Reboots

Gargantis, by Thomas Taylor, at A Garden of Books

The Girl Who Could Not Dream, by Sarah Beth Durst, at Michelle I. Mason

The Green Ember, by S.D. Smith, at greenish bookshelf

Iron Hearted Violet, by Kelly Barnhill, at alibrarymama

Maleficent- Mistress of Evil: Heart of Moors by Holly Black, at Brooklyn.the.bookworm 

The Mulberry Tree, by Allison Rushby, at Rajiv's Reviews

The Night Fairy, by Laura Amy Schultz, at Jen Lowry Writes

Peasprout Chen: Future Legend of Skate and Sword, at The Green Tea Librarian

A Pinch of Magic, by Michelle Harrison, at Log Cabin Library

Quintessense, by Jess Redman, at Charlotte's Library

Sal and Gabi Fix the Universe, by Carlos Hernandez, at Fantasy Literature

Shuri: A Black Panther Novel, by Nic Stone, at A Kids Book a Day

A Storm of Wishes (The Collectors #2) by Jacqueline West, at Log Cabin Library

The Unready Queen (Oddmire #2) by William Ritter, at The Reading Chemist

Three at Ms. Yingling Reads--Shuri: A Black Panther Novel, by Nic Stone, Maya and the Rising Dark, by Rena Barron, and The Chaos Loop (Throwback #2), by Peter Lerangis


Authors and Interviews

Sarah Jean Horwitz (The Dark Lord Clementine) at Black and White Words and Pictures

Hayley Chewins (The Sisters of Straygarden Place) at Into the Forest Dark

Laura Ruby (The Map of Star, York #3), at Nerdy Book Club

Other Good Stuff

“Eustace Was a Dragon All Along”: Aslan and Spiritual Growth in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" at Tor

A look at Sal and Gabi that includes the time before they were mg characters) at Den of Geek

Percy Jackson tv series coming to Disney (more at Book Riot)

Have you heard about the Middle Ground Book Fest (August 1)?  Still accepting applications for presenters, including bloggers and reviewers!

Have you read Mañanaland, by Pam Muñoz Ryan?  Do you think it is speculative fiction? I ask this question in my review, and am still not quite sure....

Mañanaland, by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Mañanaland, by Pam Muñoz Ryan, was my last book purchased in person, when I went to my local indie just as things were heating up, so I could cross "support independent bookstore" off my list of disaster preparedness. That was, of course, a while ago, but self-isolation hasn't actually been good for my reading--working at home seems to take more time than working at work does, and being surrounded by all the tasks of home and garden is not useful for reading purposes either.  But I read it in a single sitting this morning, and enjoyed it very much, and am glad I bought it!

It's the story of Max, a boy growing up in a slightly alternate Central American town (the names aren't those of real places, but the feel of the place is very real).   He's a pretty happy kid--with friends, a father and grandfather who love him and look after him well (more protectively than he'd like, though), and a pretty secure life in his little town watched over by a crumbling old fortification where no kids are allowed to go.  His mother left home when he was a baby, for no reason anyone's every explained to Max, and this is a hole in his life, but not that great a sadness.

But now he's old enough to join the youth soccer league...and in order to do that, he needs a birth certificate.  Which poses a problem for his father...and opens up lots of questions from Max.  The questions lead him to the ruined fortification.  The stories he's grown up with tell of  the "hidden ones," refugees from a war-torn neighboring country, sheltering there, and of the guardians who help them on their way to a place sometimes called Mañanaland.  This summer, he learns that there is truth to the stories.  His mother herself was one of those who traveled on to Mañanaland, and his family are part of the network of gaurdians.  When there is no experienced guardian available to help a young girl escaping horrors for the chance of a better life, Max volunteers himself.  His grandfather's stories, truer than he knew, guide him and Isadora to the next leg of her journey.

Max has his own reasons for taking this assignment--not just caring on the family tradition, but the hope of finding his mother.  But as the danger that Isadora is in becomes clear to him, he realizes there's more at stake than his own dream. And when he learns that there is no such actual place as "Mañanaland", he makes peace with the realization that he will probably never find his mother.

From reading reviews before hand, I had the impression that this had fantasy elements in it.  But it really doesn't.  Though the places are fiction, the reality on which they are based isn't fantastical at all.  And although stories guide Max's journey, leading to a meeting with a rather mystical wise-woman, it's not actually anything that couldn't be real-world.  But despite having no actually magic, this is a lovely coming of age, quest sort of story that makes the mundane world ring with meaning.  

I've seen some people note that it's rather slow to get going, and maybe it is, but Max's town, and family, and the stories he hears are all built so beautifully in that beginning that I had no complaints.  I was moved, and enchanted, and recommend this one lots and lots as a book to open kids' minds to refugees fleeing horror all over our real world.

Personal bonus--I find that I am the sort of reader who enjoys descriptions of bridges, and their building, which is what Max's father does.  Personal note of distaste--as an archaeologist and preservation, using the old fortification as a source of bridge building materials made me wince.

Quintessence, by Jess Redman (early review)

If you are looking for a rather soothing (tense things happen, but the arc the story moves toward peace), magical middle grade read, try Quintessence, by Jess Redman (July 28th 2020 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux; originally slated for May, the date's been pushed back for the obvious reasons....).

Twelve-year-old Alma was horrified when her parents uprooted her and moved to the town of Four Points.  It's been three months, and she can't imagine ever feeling at home there.  Her parents pressure her, in a well-meaning way, to make more effort, but she can't. She started having panic attacks almost immediately, and they haven't let up, so she feels desperately convinced she'll never have friends, and she's hiding them from her parents so as not to disappoint them.

But then she meets the strange proprietor of the town's junk shop, The Fifth Point.  The shopkeeper gives her a most unusual telescope, and sets her on a quest--

Find the Elements.
Grow the Light.
Save the Starling.

That night Alma uses the telescope, and finds that when she looks through it she can see "quintessence," the mystical force of life in all things, that makes them most truly what they are.  And through the telescope she sees a star falling from the sky, into her backyard.  The falling star looks childlike, and runs into the woods, trailing quintessence behind it.  Alma knows this is the Starling she must save, but what on earth is she to do?

A nudge along the way comes when she sees a flyer for an Astronomy club at school.  There she meets the first two of the unlikely friends she'll need to find the elements, studious, geeky Hugo and brightly popular Shirin.  With Hugo's keen mind, and the help of the quintessence, the threesome set out to find the four elements (earth, air, water, and fire) in their true form.  Their nights are spent on this strange and magical scavenger hunt, and with their growing friendship Alma gradually feels her own true self, full of light and hope, returning...but a fourth member of the team is needed, and he is the most likely of all--the boy at school who triggered her first panic attack.

But Alma doesn't give up, and all the pieces fall beautifully into place, and the Starling (and Alma) are saved.

(Nb--this isn't magical healing of Alma's panic attacks; the story ends with her finding help from a therapist.  But the quest does restore to her the sense of "Alma-ness" that she had been loosing, makes her parents more aware of her struggles, and gives her good friends and a personal connection to the geography of her new home town, something important to her!)

When I read the blurb of this one for the first time, my mind defaulted to starling, the bird.  And I thought it seemed odd.  What I'd read about the book before trying it myself also downplayed the fantasy elements.  My expectations, with Starling being the young star and there being lots of magic, were exceeded.  The lovely balance maintained between Alma's internal challenges and the quest set before her (I tend to like magic involving the elements), made this a lovely read for me!  I think young readers who devour fantasy quests will find another magic to keep them happy, and will find the problems Alma faces in the real world, and the friendship story that's central to the plot, will be both relatable, and add interest and depth.  It's a number of balls in the air, but Redman does a fine job keeping them there!

Final thought--I feel that these days there aren't a lot of magical quests (by which I mean stories with wildly fantastical goals external to the protagonist)  set firmly in the real world with ordinary kid protagonists, and so this felt like a nice change!

(disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher)

The Disappearing Bike Shop, by Elvira Woodruff, for Timeslip Tuesday

This week's timeslip book, The Disappearing Bike Shop, by Elvira Woodruff is one from 1992 (Holiday House), which feels vintage, even though I was a grown-up by then....

Two fifth-graders, best friends Freckles (this nickname is perhaps the most vintage thing about it) and Tyler, are amazed to discover a bike shop that's popped up in a dilapidated part of their town, just when Tyler needs his bike mended.  It is a strange place, with decidedly unmodern bicycles, and the proprietor is a strange old man indeed.   Tyler leaves his bike there to be fixed, but with misgivings...and though the two friends are apprehensive about revisiting the place, they must go back to get it...

As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the proprietor is none other than Leonardo de Vinci, who's invented a mechanism for time travel.  Tyler is coincidently doing a report on de Vinci for school, paired with the class bully, and he makes the connection between the proprietor and de Vinci as his research, and the boys visits to the shop, unfold.

As a result of the project, the bully becomes a friend, which is nice for all three boys.  Much is learned about de Vinci, and the kids (with Freckle's hamster) even travel back in time briefly to renaissance Florence (where the hamster is in grave danger!).

It's a pleasant enough story, with realistic kids, and the gradually connection of the dots is not without interest.  The tense relationship with the bully, and Tyler's family backstory, add a smidge of emotional heft, but basically the central premise is the whole of it.  It's a nice introduction to de Vinci, and may leave some kids eager to learn more about him, and I enjoyed reading it, though not so much that I feel it's a must read for time travel fans, possibly because I can't think of anything else to say about it, possibly because someone traveling to our present isn't as inherently interesting as immersive travel back to the past.   But young readers might well enjoy it more, because of expecting less.

The year before this was published, Woodruff's, George Washington's Socks (my review) came out, which was that type of book, and I think it has more appeal for young readers.  Its sequel, George Washington's Spy, came out much more recently, in 2010, and I am reminded that I liked the first well enough to want to get ahold of it.

This week's round-up of middle grade sci fi and fantsy from around the blogs (5/10/20)

Here's this week's round-up of the mg sci fi/fantsy posts I found this week!  (This being Mother's Day in the US, it would have been nice to have one on the list with a great mother, but there isn't, as far as I know, though I haven't read them all).  Please let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews

The Ballad of Sir Dinadan, by Gerald Morris, at Leaf's Reviews

Coo, by Kaela Noel, at Book Nut

Elsetime, by Eve McDonnell, at Book Craic

Forever Glimmer Creek, by Stacy Hackney, at BooksYALove

A Game of Fox & Squirrels, by Jenn Reese, at Waking Brain Cells

Gargantis, by Thomas Taylor, at Book Craic

The Green Door, by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman, at Charlotte's Library

Guest: A Changeling Tale, by Mary Downing Hahn, at Say What?

The Library of Ever (The Library of Ever #1), by Zeno Alexander, at Rajiv's Reviews

Lintang and the Pirate Queen, by Tamara Moss, at Charlotte's Library

Mañanaland, by Pam Muñoz Ryan, at Redeemed Reader

The Marvelous Magic of Miss Mabel, by Natasha Lowe, at Leaf's Reviews

Minor Mage, by T. Kingfisher, at Fantasy Literature

A Posse of Princesses, by Sherwood Smith, at Rachel Neumeier

Rebel in the Library of Ever (The Library of Ever #2), by Zeno Alexander, at Rajiv's Reviews

The Revenge of the Invisible Giant (Dundoodle Mysteries #3), by David O'Connell, at Twirling Book Princess

Rise of the Shadow Dragons, by Liz Flanagan, at ReadItDaddy

The Stitchers (Fright Watch #1), by Lorien Lawrence, at Rajiv's Reviews

The Storm Runner, by J.C. Cervantes, at Puss Reboots

Thieves of Weirdwood  (A William Shivering Tale), by Christian McKay Heidicker, at Mr Ripleys Enchanted Books

What We Found in the Corn Maze and How It Saved a Dragon, by Henry Clark, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Authors and Interviews

Christina Soontornvat (A Wish in the Dark), at Middle Grade Book Village

Liz Flannagan (Rise of the Shadow Dragons) at Library Girl and Book Boy

Erin Bowman  (The Girl and the Witch's Garden) at Literary Rambles

Sunayna Prasad (Alyssa McCarthy’s Magical Missions, Book 2), at Rosco's Reading Room

Spooky Middle Grade Authors Talk About Writing During the Pandemic, at Spooky MG

Other Good Stuff

New in the UK, at Mr Ripleys Enchanted Books

It you love fairy tales, you must visit Seven Miles of Steel Thistles!  This week's story--Fundevogel

"Howl-ever It Moves You: Diana Wynne Jones and Hayao Miyazaki Do the Same Work With Different Stories" at Tor