this week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and sci fi from around the blogs (7/23/2023)

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

The Reviews

Abeni’s Song, by P. Djèlí Clark, at  Pages Unbound 

Arkspire, by Jamie Littler, at  Magic Fiction Since Potter

Book Review: The Blameless (The Blameless #1), by E.S. Christison, at GoodeyReads

Bob, by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead, illustrated by Nicholas Gannon, at Magic Fiction Since Potter

The Chaos Monster (Secrets of the Sky #1), by Sayantani DasGupta, at Cracking the Cover

ChupaCarter and the Haunted Pinata, by George Lopez and Ryan Calejo, at Mark My Words

The Curious Mysteris of Eli Marks, by John Gaspard, at  Always in the Middle…

The Great Texas Dragon Race,by Kacy Ritter, Log Cabin Library

Etta Invincible, by Reese Eschmann, at  Kiss the Book 

Into the Shadow Mist, by Christina Soontornvat, at Cracking the Cover 

The Legend of Greyhallow, by Summer Rachel Short, at Ms. Yingling Reads: 

Misfit Mansion, by Kay Davault, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Mr Tiger, Betsy, and the Blue Moon, by Sally Gardner, at  Sifa Elizabeth Reads

No One Leaves the Castle, by Christopher Healy, at Mark My Words

Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa, Julian Randall, at A Kernel of Nonsense

Rieden Reece and the Broken Moon (Rieden Reece #1), by Matt Guzman, at Mark My Words

Scarewaves, by Trevor Henderson, at Mark My Words

The Snow Girl, by Sophie Anderson, at Scope for Imagination

 A Spoonful of Time, by Flora Ahn, at Charlotte's Library

The Stupendous Sonny, by Ellie Clements, at Scope for Imagination

The Very Unfortunate Wish of Melony Yoshimura, by Waka Brown, at Ms. Yingling Reads: 

The Wonder Brothers,’ by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, illustrated by Steven Lenton, at Library Girl and Book Boy

Villains Academy, by Ryan Hammond, at Twirling Book Princess

Authors and Interviews

The Importance of Unimportant Books, a guest post by Darcy Marks (The Afterlife of the Party) at Teen Librarian Toolbox

Other Good Stuff

Here's the long list for the  new Oxford/Pushkin Children's Fantasy Prize!

A Spoonful of Time, by Flora Ahn, for Timeslip Tuesday

A tasty one for the week's Timeslip Tuesday-- A Spoonful of Time, by Flora Ahn (April 11, 2023, Quirk Books), in which the time travel magic is inextricably linked to delicious Korean food!  

Maya's Korean grandmother has come to live with her and her busy mother, and though Halmunee is loosing her memory, she still has brightly lucid moments in the kitchen, making delicious food.  The food is more than just tasty, though--it transports Maya and her grandmother back in time, to watch as young Halmunee and her family, back in Korea, eat the very same thing!  Turns out, Maya's family has a gift for timeslipping through food, and though they can only watch as spectators, it's still wonderful.  And Maya is thrilled to learn more about her family; her mother has never wanted to talk about it, and Maya is pining to learn more about her absent father.

It was a pleasant start to the story, with simple time slipping tourism, but things get more intense when Maya meets a boy who's also a time slipper.  As the time travel becomes more than just episodes of watching her family, she realizes she's caught up in a series on interconnected mysteries, hinging on the secrets of her missing father and her mother's strained relationship with Halmunee.  

And by the end, it becomes powerful and truly magical in the best sort of twisting timeness as Maya learns the truths her mother kept from her.  (Twisty enough that even a relatively strong time travel reader like me had to stop and think hard about what was happening and when....not a complaint, becuase I like this sort of thing!)

Maya's somewhat strained relationship with her best friend, Jada give this nice middle grade realism, and I loved how this tension was resolved (with the help of cookies!); I appreciated, as many middle grade readers probably will, that it was casually mentioned that Jada has a crush on another girl.   And as an added bonus for young foodies, there are recipes included.

this week's round-up of middle grade sci fi and fantasy from around the blogs (7/16/2023)

 Morning all.  Please enjoy this collection of mg sci fi/fantasy reviews etc. and let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews

Arkspire, by Jamie Littler, at Scope for Imagination

Back to the Bright Before, by Katherine Nolte, at Faith Elizabeth Hough

The Eyes & the Impossible, by Dave Eggers, at Mark My Words: 

Gallowgate, by K.R. Alexander, at Geo Librarian.

The Housetrap by Emma Read, at Scope for Imagination and Book Craic

Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy, by Angie Thomas, at Puss Reboots

One True Wish, by Lauren Kate, at Pages Unbound 

The Phantom Firefighter, by J.W. Jarvis, at Mark My Words

The Sea of Terror, by Stuart Gibbs, at Geo Librarian.

Sometime in Summer, by Katrina Leno, at  Charlotte's Library

The Song that Sings Us, by Nicola Davies, at Book Craic

Stinetinglers 2: 10 MORE New Stories From the Master of Scary Tales, by R.L. Stine, at  Mark My Words

Suzie and the Moon Bugs, by Katie and Kevin Tsang, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads

Tapper Watson and the Quest for the Nemo Machine, by Claire Fayers, at  Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books 

 The Time Tider, by Sinéad O’Hart, at Magic Fiction Since Potter: 

The Umbrella Maker's Son by Katrina Leno, at  Mark My Words: 

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

Three at Black and White Words and Pictures --The Demon Sword Asperides, by Sarah Jean Horwitz, Sal & Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez, and  The Lock-Eater, by Zack Loran Clark

Authors and Interviews

Jenna Yoon (Lia Park and the Heavenly Heirlooms) at MG Book Village

Kaela Rivera (Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls and Cece Rios and the King of Fears) at From The Mixed Up Files

 Refe Tuma (Frances and the Monster) at Literary Rambles (with giveaway)

Other Good Stuff

at Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books  UK Children's Book Picks July 2023 

Sometime in Summer, by Katrina Leno, for Timeslip Tuesday

 A  younger YA/upper Mg (12-13 year olds) to read at the beach for this week's Timeslip Tuesday--Sometime in Summer, by Katrina Leno (June 2022, Little Brown).

14 year old Anna is sure she's unlucky.  She and her best friend haven't talked for months, her parents are getting a divorce, and her mother, Miriam, has decided the family bookstore has to be sold.  Even though Anna isn't herself a reader, she loves the bookstore dearly, she misses her friend but stubbornly refuses to reach out to her to try to set things right, and she can't understand how her parents, who still seem to love each other, won't stay married.

But two months away from California at a New England beach town in the little house her mom has just inherited turns out to be just what she needs.  A comet her mom remembers from 20 years ago has returned, lighting up the night sky with its swarm of meteors, and the moonstone ring her dad gave her lights up in magical (?) sympathy, and in her night time wanderings she finds a door to a small shore structure that should be locked, but isn't.  And when she steps through, she finds a boy and girl her own age, with whom she becomes friends.

Knowing in advance that this is a time travel book makes it obvious almost immediately (and there are lots of clues even if you don't know) that she's meeting her parents back in the summer when they first met.  And this experience, so strange and yet so friendly for her is just what she needs.  By the end of the book, she's been able to take a hard look at herself and the way she's reacting to life, and she makes remarkable progress in growing up.

Which isn't that exciting as a plot point, especially when Anna is somewhat annoying for most of this rather long (almost 400 page) book in which nothing much actually happens.  But still it was a pleasant seaside vacation for me as a reader, and I did enjoy the time travel lots, even though (or perhaps because) it came with almost no time travel tension.  

So yes, if you are looking for sun and sand and books being read and a little gentle time travel mystery with the heroine setting off on a hopeful path, you'll enjoy it, especially if you are a kid a little younger than Anna.

this week's round-up of middle grade sci fi and fantasy from around the blogs (7/9/2023)

Morning all!  Here's what I found this week; nothing from me because I was off on vacation, but happily lots of other folks shared great books and authors!

The Reviews

Alebrijes, by Donna Barba Higuera, at Mark My Words

Arkspire, by Jamie Littler, at Vicky's Never Ending TBR 

Bob, by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead, at Susan Uhlig

City of Stolen Magic, by Nazneen Ahmed Pathak, at Bellis Does Books and Valinora Troy

The Great Texas Dragon Race, by Kacy Ritter, at Mark My Words

Grimwood, by Nadia Shireen, at Bookworm for Kids 

Haru, Zombie Dog Hero, by Ellen Oh, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Horrible Bag of Terrible Things #1 (The Horrible Series), by Rob Renzetti, at Mark My Words:  

The House of the Lost on the Cape, by Sachiko Kashiwaba, at Bookworm for Kids

The Lovely Dark, by Matthew Fox, at Magic Fiction Since Potter

The Magic Hour, by David Wolstencroft, at Tom’s Book Corner 

Menacing Manor, by Kiersten White, at  Puss Reboots

Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston, by Esme Symes-Smith, at Miss Print 

Suzie Saves the Universe, by Katie and Kevin Tsang, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads

White House Clubhouse, by Sean O'Brien, at Mark My Words: 

You Can't Hide, by Dan Poblocki, at Puss Reboots

Authors and Interviews

Dianne Salerni (The Carrefore Curse) at From The Mixed Up Files

Kacy Ritter (The Great Texas Dragon Race) at Literary Rambles

‘You can’t write to make people love you’: Kate DiCamillo on the 20th Anniversary of Despereaux (Pt. 1) at  The Yarn Podcast 

Sarah Jean Horwitz  (The Demon Sword Asperides), at From The Mixed Up Files

This week's round up of middle grade sci fi and fantasy from around the blogs (7/2/23)

Happy July to us all!  Here's what I found this week; please let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews

Between Monsters and Marvels, by Alysa Wishingrad, at Log Cabin Library

Conjure Island, by Eden Royce, at A Library Mama, Ms. Yingling Reads, and Charlotte's Library

Emba and the Beckoning Bones, by Jenny Moore, at Much To Do About Writing

The Extraordinary Adventures of Alice Tonks, by Emily Kenny, at Semicolon 

Fear Ground, by Jennifer Killick, at Vicky's Never Ending TBR

Flock Horror, by Jennifer Killick, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads 

Greenwild: The World Behind the Door, by Pari Thomson, at The Story Sanctuary

The Lake House, by Sarah Beth Durst, at Kiss the Book 

Lore Isle, by Jiin Kim, at The Miramichi Reader

The One and Onlys and the Case of the Robot Crow, by Doug Cornett, at Kiss the Book 

The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams, by Victoria Williamson, at Green Reads Books 

The Polter-ghost Problem, by Betsy Uhrig, at Kiss the Book 

Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants of Gold, by Mark Leiknes, at Kiss the Book

Someone for Sasquatch, by Jeanne Moran, at Bookworm for Kids

Toby and the Silver Blood Witches, by Sally Doherty, at Book Craic and Good Night To Read

The Umbrella Maker’s Son, by Katrina Leno, at Jenjenreviews 

Utterly Dark and the Tides of Time, by Philip Reeve, at Magic Fiction Since Potter

Vivian Lantz's Second Chances, by Kathryn Ormsbee, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Wildsmith: Into the Dark Forest, by Liz Flanagan, at Read for Good

Wizkit: An Adventure Overdue, by Tanya J. Scott, at Mark My Words

Authors and Interviews

Katrina Leno (The Umbrella Maker's Son) at Writer's Digest

Conjure Island, by Eden Royce

I was very impressed by Eden Royce's middle grade fantasy, Root Magic, and so was naturally excited about her new book, Conjure Island (June 27, 2023, Walden Pond), and was not disappointed.  In fact it is my favorite new middle grade fantasy of the year so far, the one I read most intently lost in the story.  I am always there for magical school stories, though after reading so many it's always a lovely surprise when they feel fresh and new and transport me vividly right there with the main character.  

In this case, the main character is an eleven-year-old girl named Del, sent to stay with a great-grandmother she didn't know she had when a medical emergency sends her grandmother to the hospital while her dad is deployed.  Packed off to an island of the coast of South Carolina, Del embarks on a summer she'll never forget.  Turns out her grandmother runs a school for conjure magic, and she's expected to start learning it!

Del had no idea that magic was real, or that her family was part of a long line of conjure users. When she arrives on the island and is confronted with this truth, it is (naturally) a huge shock, one that comes with lots of feelings--why did her grandmother never say anything about this, and why did she leave the island when she was still a teenager, never to return?  

Del is determined to answer these questions, but she can't do it alone.  With her growing knowledge of conjure magic, and help not just from her new friend Eva, but from a magical library, a ghost, and even a truly intimidating magical alligator, that the sad story from long ago becomes clear, and she can help her great grandmother set things to rights.  And not just that, but she can begin to take up the work of her ancestors, protecting and preserving the magic and its people.

I very much appreciated that there was no great magical malevolent antagonist.  Instead, Del's challenges are very real world relatable--overcoming the closed-in protective shield she's developed to cope with constantly being the new girl in school, that makes it hard to trust her new friend, and learning to trust herself as well, and to ask for help when she needs it.  And I appreciated as well that though Del has a gift for conjure, she doesn't immediately become a magical wunderkind, but has to put in work.  

It is really everything I love in a magical school story, and if you love the Southern Gothic genre as well, you will love it even more!

Check out the Conjure Island_Educators Guide, which has great background on the story and the real world history that is at the heart of the book, as well as tons of helpful content for educators.  

Thank you, Walden Pond, for including me in the book tour!

CONJURE ISLAND Blog Tour

June 27 Nerdy Book Club  @nerdybookclub

June 27 Unleashing Readers.   @unleashreaders

June 27 Helping Kids Rise @helpingkidsrise

June 28 Charlotte's Library @charlotteslibrary

June 28  StoryMamas @storymamas

June 29  LitCoachLou @litcoachlou

June 29  A Library Mama @librarymama

June 29  Teachers Who Read @teachers_read

This week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and sci fi from around the blogs (6/25/2023)

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

The Reviews

The Carrefour Curse, by Dianne K. Salerni, at Fuse #8

The Chaos Monster (Secrets of the Sky #1), by Sayantani DasGupta, at Mark My Words

Cloudlanders, by Christopher Mackie, at Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books 

Elvia And The Gift Of Passion (Tales By Moons-Light #3), by Ruby Ballard, at Gina Rae Mitchell

Fablehouse, by E.L. Norry, at Book Craic

Ghostlight, by Kenneth Oppel, at Kiss the Book

Grimwood, by Nadia Shireen, at Charlotte's Library: 

Henry Halifax and the Tutori’s Cloak, by Atlas Swift,  at Mark My Words

Lei and the Fire Goddess, by Malia Maunakea, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Magic Hour, by David Wolstencroft, at Book Craic

Nayra and the Djinn, by Iasmin Omar Ata, at Mark My Words

Monster Camp, by Sarah Henning, at Mark My Words

Onyeka and the Rise of the Rebels, by Tọlá Okogwu, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads 

The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams, by Victoria Williamson, at The Strawberry Post and Rosh's Reviews

The Rhythm of Time, by Questlove and S.A. Crosby, at Charlotte's Library

Saving Neverland, by Abi Elphinstone, at Vicky's Never Ending TBR 

The Scroll of Chaos, by Elsie Chapman, at Pages Unbound

The Secrets of the Stormforest (The Strangeworlds Travel Agency #3), by LD Lapinski, at Vicky's Never Ending TBR 

Toby and the Silver Blood Witches, by Sally Doherty, at Scope for Imagination

Warren the 13th and the Whispering Woods, by Tania del Rio, illustrated by Will Staehle, at Twirling Book Princess

Authors and Interviews

Jude Atwood (Maybe There are Witches), at From The Mixed Up Files

Other Good Stuff

Children's Book Picks UK - June 2023  at  Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Grimwood, by Nadia Shireen

Grimwood, by Nadia Shireen (May 30, 2023 by Andrews McMeel Publishing) is great summer reading for kids who love funny illustrated books who are still getting their reading feet firmly planted!

It's the story of two young foxes, who must flee the city after little brother Ted accidentally bites off the tail of Princess Buttons, the vicious ruler of the town dumpsters.  Big sister Nancy is determined to keep Ted safe until their parents come back to find them, so they  make their way to Grimwood, a forest full of animals living in harmony.   It takes a while for Nancy, a true city fox, to get used to having no cell phone service, but Ted jumps right in, making new friends and happy to be part of the community.

And what a whacky community it is!  Any semblance of actual nature goes out the door, there are high jinx galore, and the looming threat of Princess Buttons is the only shadow over Ted's life.  

There's some violence (like Princess Buttons' tail being bitten off), but it's swirled into a mix of more wholesome friendship and community.

Narrated by a cockroach bus driver, and very generously illustrated, it's easy to imagine this tickling the funny bones of young readers!  The perfect beach read for goofy 8-9 year olds.

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher.

The Rhythm of Time, by Questlove and S.A. Crosby for Timeslip Tuesday

Yay me, for getting my Timeslip Tuesday act back together!  With a good one, no less- The Rhythm of Time, by Questlove and S.A. Crosby (middle grade, April 18, 2023, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers).

Rahim's parents are pretty strict when it comes to screen time (as in, there isn't any), but fortunately his best friend Kasia lives nearby, and is happy to share not just her computer but the brilliant gadgets she invents.  Like the cell phone she's built just for him, which though it looks like a clunky brick will still let Rahim check out the 20th century rap music he loves.

But it is much more than it seems.  In fact, it is linked to a secret government satellite, and interfaces with technology the feds definitely don't want falling into the hands of a couple of kids, and it sends Rahim back in time to 1997.  Before Kasia can figure out how to get him back, her house is raided by government agents who confiscate all her devices...

She's able to get them back (being brilliant), and tells Rahim, via the phone, not to make any changes to the timeline while she figures out how to get him back too.  But when Rahim makes friends with the kid who will grow up to be his own dad, changes come thick and fast.  Temporal collapse begins, with extinct animals and historical characters taking over the streets of 1997 Philadelphia....

It's a fun juxtaposition of Rahim anxious about getting home while having adventures with his dad to be like sneaking out to a rap concert and taking down a bully, and Kasia outwitting the feds back home.  But the timeline gets drastically altered, and when Rahim does return, his life has changed for the worse...and Kasia must work frantically to fix it and prevent utter temporal collapse with government agents breathing down her neck.  

It's lots of fun!  Rap music, a black girl STEM genius, dodos etc., and family dynamics make for a great combination!  The time travel goes down nice and easy, with a lovely combination of stress and humor.  The immediate problems may be solved by the end of the book, but there's set up for a sequel, which I'd love to happen.

The Rhythm of Time is eligible for the middle grade speculative fiction category of the Cybils Awards, so keep it in mind when the public nomination period opens in October.

This week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and sci fi from around the blogs (6/18/23)

Not the largest round-up (and nothing for me because home renovations and work once more derailed my reading and reviewing), but full of good books!  Let me know if I missed your post.

The Reviews

Chupacarter, by George Lopez and Ryan Calejo, at  The Bookwyrm's Den  and Boys' Mom Reads

Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch, by Julie Abe, at Blogging with Dragons

The Hunt for the Hollower, by Callie C. Miller, at Always in the Middle…  and Mark My Words

The Gray, by Chris Baron, at The Story Sanctuary

Nightmare Island, by Shakirah Bourne, at  Ms. Yingling Reads: 

The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams, by Victoria Williamson, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads  and Bookbugworld

The Ruby Code, by Jessica Khoury, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Silver Road, by Sinead O'Hart, at Valinora Troy

Three Tasks for a Dragon, by Eoin Colfer, at Bookworm for Kids

Two at The Book Search--The Book of the Stolen Dreams, by David Farr, and  Abeni's Song,  by P. Djeli Clark

at A Library Mama--3 Magical Journeys: The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams, The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto, and Hamra and the Jungle of Memories

Authors and Interviews

Amy Makechnie (The McNifficents) at  MG Book Village

Zohra Nabi (The Kingdom Over the Sea) at From The Mixed Up Files

This week's round-up of middle grade sci fi and fantasy from around the blogs (6/11/23)

Morning all!  Here's what I have to offer this week.  Please let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews

Batu and the Search for the Golden Cup, by Zira Nauryzbai & Lilya Kalaus, at Mark My Words

Bea Wolf,  by Zach Weinersmith, at  Pages Unbound 

The Carrefour Curse, by Dianne K. Salerni, at Log Cabin Library

Elf Dog and Owl Head, by M.T. Anderson, at Bookends

Ellie Engle Saves Herself! by Leah Johnson, at Always in the Middle… 

The Enchanted Bridge (Dragons in a Bag #4), by Zetta Elliott, at Charlotte's Library

Exit 13: The Whispering Pines, by James Preller, at Twirling Book Princess

The Frightmare (Leo’s Map Of Monsters #3), by Kris Humphrey, at Twirling Book Princess

Haru, Zombie Dog Hero, by Ellen Oh, at Mark My Words

Into The Faerie Hill, by H.S. Norup, at Valinora Troy

Jodie, by Hilary McKay, at Magic Fiction Since Potter

Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom, by Nina Varela, at Hooray for Books 

Kingdom Over the Sea, by Zohra Nabi, at Cracking the Cover and The Story Sanctuary

Lia Park and the Heavenly Heirlooms, by Jenna Yoon, at Crafty Moms Share: 

The One and Only Ruby, by Katherine Appplegate, at Kiss the Book

The Pawnshop of Stolen Dreams, by Victoria Williamson, at Book Craic, Kerri McBookNerd, and Gina Rae Mitchell 

 Possess Me, by K.R. Alexander, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Sister Switch, by Sarah Mlynowski and Debbie Rigaud, at Puss Reboots

Speculation by Nisi Shawl | alibrarymama

Spellbinders: The Not-So-Chosen One, by Andrew Auseon, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Vivi Conway and the Sword of Legend, by Lizzie Huxley-Jones, at Scope for Imagination

Winnie Zeng Unleashes a Legend, and its sequel, Winnie Zeng Vanquishes a King, by Katie Zhao, at this belle reads too

Authers and Interviews

Lindsay Littleson (Guardians of the Wild Unicorns) gathers the best children’s books about mythical creatures at Shepherd 

Other Good Stuff

Many of the books in this round-up are eligible for this year's Cybils Awards!  Nominations open in October...and in the meantime, maybe you'd like to be one of the panelists who get to read and discuss all the nominated elementary/middle grade speculative fiction books to pick the shortlist of seven in the first round, or pick the one winner in the second round?  This year the Cybils is having an early call for panelists, so that the summer can provide a head start for the reading and discussing part.  The deadline for applying is June 14--read more here!

The Enchanted Bridge (Dragons in a Bag #4), by Zetta Elliott

The Enchanted Bridge (Dragons in a Bag #4), by Zetta Elliott (January 2023, Random House Books for Young Readers), sends Jaxon and his friends the magical other world of Palmara, where they must convince its magical guardian to reopen the link back to our world, so that the magical creatures rescued and sent to Palmara in the previous books can return if they wish too.  They must also convince the guardian to help end a magical sleeping sickness that is afflicting the real world people.  On top of that, Jaxon also needs to find and rescue his grandfather.  

This is a lot for a group of middle school kids.  But the stakes quickly get higher, when the kids realized the guardian's brother is unleashing an even more catastrophic danger that could consume both worlds. 

Jazon and his friends are all discovering their own magical powers, but can they learn to use them to their full potential in time?

It's an exciting portal fantasy, full of strange and creative adventures.  Those who have read the first three books, and appreciated the chance to read real world urban fantasy staring kids of color might be disappointed by the direction the series has taken, but I loved it!  The high stakes and challenges (both the in your face kind, and more philosophical conundrums) faced by the kids make for great reading! 

I subject this book to a rather unhappy morning getting my car fixed, and it passed with flying colors! If you like magical adventures in which friendship and mutual support is just as important as wild powers, you'll love it too, and join me in eager anticipation of the next installment.

nb:  The Enchanted Bridge is eligible for the upcoming cycle of the Cybils Awards!  Nominations open in October...and in the meantime, maybe you'd like to be one of the panelists who get to read and discuss all the nominated elementary/middle grade speculative fiction books to pick the shortlist of seven in the first round, or pick the one winner in the second round?  This year the Cybils is having an early call for panelists, so that the summer can provide a head start for the reading and discussing part.  The deadline for applying is June 14--read more here!

this week's middle grade sci fi/fantasy round-up (6/4/23)

Settling back in to life with two kids home from college, which is always a shock to the system....Here's what I found this week of interest to us fans for mg sci fi/fantasy!

And speaking of MG sci fi fans--maybe you have thought about being a panelist for the Cybils Awards (perhaps in MG Speculative Fiction even?) but have been daunted by the thought of over 100 nominated books and three months to read them in....Us Cybils organizers have come up with an answer!  We are having an early call for panelists, so that the summer months can be spent reading.  No books will be nominated until fall, but this will be a book club like chance to share recommendations, read ones we are interested in, and talk about what we are reading!  There is no commitment to becoming an official panelist come fall, so if you'd like to spend the summer talking MG spec fic with me, or reading in one of the many other categories, apply here before June 14!  

If you only want to read for the second round, you can join the chatting for the summer, and move to Round 2 in fall.  Folks from outside the US are welcome to apply, though only books published in the US between Oct 16, 2022-Oct 15 2023 are eligible.  If you have any questions, leave them in the comments or email me at charlotteslibrary@gmail.com

The Reviews

Aliyah Serin and the Box of Zenas, by Lucy Anne Holland, at Mark My Words

The Cobra's Song, by Supriyata Kelkar, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Middle-Grade Review: The Counterclockwise Heart by Brian Farrey – YA Books Central

The Grace of Wild Things, by Heather Fawcett, at Dead Houseplants

Greenwild: The World Behind the Door, by Pari Thomson, at Library Girl and Book Boy and Scope for Imagination

Grimwood, by Naida Shireen, at Always in the Middle… 

Lia Park and the Heavenly Heirlooms, by Jenna Yoon, at Bookworm for Kids and  Cracking the Cover

The Magic Hour, by David Wolstencroft, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads 

Matteo, by Michael Leali, at  Paw Prints in the Sink

Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecyn by Angie Thomas, at Pages Unbound, Rapunzel Reads, and Mark My Words

The Probability of Everything, by Sarah Everett, Fuse #8 (nb: I'm not actually certain this is spec fic having not read it yet....)

Ravencave, by Marcus Sedgwick, at Charlotte's Library

The Sister Switch, by Sarah Mlynoswki and Debbie Rigaud, at YABookNerd

Time Traveling Through Yellowstone National Park – The Adventures of Bubba Jones, by Jeff Alt, at Always in the Middle… 

The Witch of Woodland by Laurel Snyder, at A Library Mama

Authors and Interviews

H. S. Norup (Into Faerie Hill), at Valinora Troy

Pari Thomson (Greenwild: The World Behind the Door) at Scope for Imagination

Jenna Yoon (Lia Park and the Heavenly Heirlooms) at Writer's Digest 

Other Good Stuff

8 Middle Grade Magical Realism Novels to Read Right Now (bookriot.com)

Ravencave, by Marcus Sedgwick, for Timeslip Tuesday

I am determined to get back into the swing of blogging now that both kids are back from college and I have a long month ahead with no particular busyness planned.  That being said, Ravencave, by Marcus Sedgwick (March 2023, Barrington Stock), although a really good book, and perhaps the last children's/YA book of his to be published (he sadly died in the fall of 2022 at a much too young age) is a slightly questionable Timeslip Tuesday book.  It is actually a ghost story, but there is, toward the end, enough timeslipping that I am going ahead and using it today.

The story takes place in a single day, though it is a day is suffused with memories.  Jamie and his family (two parents, older brother) are on a rather miserable family holiday in Yorkshire.  The main point of the trip is to scatter his grandmother's ashes in the region where she was born, and the father is also keen to visit places where his ancestors lived and worked.  But the weather has been awful, the father has lost his job, and the mother, a published author, is suffering from writer's block.  No one is paying any attention to Jamie, not even his brother, though they used to get along really well.

And then Jamie sees a ghost, a girl who wants his help.  She's not just any ghost, but a family member from a hundred odd years ago, and she leads him away from his family, underground where a terrible tragedy occurred.  In the shock of what Jamie learns, his spirit briefly slips through time, visiting his long ago family in the places important to their lives.  It's no more than a few pages, but it serves to connect Jamie to the land and its history, and learn how he fits into it, in a way that's very meaningful, and rather comforting.

Sedgwick did a top notch job of building the suspense of the story.  It's not just a story of the supernatural, but a story of a hurting family and their relationships to each other.  And its the story too of the injustices experienced by the ancestral family--there's a thread of socialism that will appeal to progressive young readers (it's an 11-14 year old book, I think) without being too heavy handed to disrupt the flow of the story.

Knowing that the author was facing death while writing this incredibly poignant story makes it even more powerful.  One of the most memorable of the 100 books I've read so far this year.  It's only out in the UK at the moment, but if it sounds at all appealing, it's worth heading over to Blackwells and ordering a copy (with free shipping to the US and a favorable exchange rate), which was what I did, very soon after reading this review at Magic Fiction Since Potter.

no round up this week

 I'm writing this from the beatuiful Hudson River Valley, where my oldest has just graduated from Bard College (yay!  though the whole college experience was mucked with by the pandemic, they made it through!).  Now that May, with desperate home and garden work, is over, and both kids will be safely home, I'll have more time (d.v.) for blogging!  

This week's round up of middle grade sci fi and fantasy (5/21/23)

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

The Reviews

Aboard the Time Line, by Bastian Gregory, at  Bookworm for Kids 

Bloom, by Kenneth Oppel, ar Proseandkahn

The Book of Stolen Dreams, by David Farr, at Pages Unbound

Charlie Hernandez & The Golden Dooms, by Ryan Calejo, at Kiss the Book

The Firebird Song, by Arnée Flores, at NW Book Lovers

Future Hero #1, by Remi Blackwood, at Mark My Words: 

Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu (The Academy for the Unbreakable Arts #2), by Erika Lewis, at Mark My Words

The Lake House, by Sarah Beth Durst, at YABookNerd

Mace and Hammer (Del Toro Tales #3), by Darby Karchut, at Log Cabin Library: 

Midwinter Burning, by Tanya Landman, at Scope for Imagination

Mission to Shadow Sea (Future Hero #2), by Remi Blackwood, at Mark My Words and YA Books Central

Revenge of Queen Rose, by Valinora Troy, at Hayley Reese Chow

Small Bites Back, by Hannah Moffatt,  illustrated by Rory Walker, at Book Craic

The Thief of Farrowfell, by Ravena Guron, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads 

The Witch of Woodland, by Laurel Snyder, at Unleashing Readers

Authors and Interviews

Laurel Snyder (The Witch of Woodland) at The Yarn (100scopenotes.com)

Matt McMann (Escape From Grimstone Manor) at From The Mixed Up Files

Other Good Stuff

Children's Book Picks UK - May 2023 at Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

this week's round up of middle grade sci fi and fantasy (5/14/2023)

 I write this from a motel room in Ithaca NY where I am doing my motherly duty of fetching a child from college....I do appreciate at least the first few hours of the drive home, though, as it is the best conversational opportunity a parent gets at this point.  And happily I will be visiting the giant Ithaca library used bookstore later today.

As ever, please let me know if I missed your post! (which I might have, because I'm using my very old laptop which isn't conducive for pleasant browsing)

The  Reviews

 Epic Ellisons: Cosmos Camp, by Lamar Giles, at Ms. Yingling Reads:

 Escape From Grimstone Manor (Monsterious #1), by Matt McMann, at Mark My Words and YABookNerd

 The Extraordinary Curiosities of Ixworth and Maddox, by J.D. Maddox, at Kiss the Book and  Twirling Book Princess

The Girl Who Speaks Bear, by Sophie Anderson, at Kiss the Book 

The Golden Frog Games (Witchlings #2), by Claribel A. Ortega, at Charlotte's Library

Haarville, by Justin Davies, at Mark My Words

Hollowthorn (A Ravenfall Novel #2), by Kayln Josephson, at Mark My Words

Hummingbird, by Natalie Lloyd, at  Smack  Dab in the Middle

The Kingdom Over the Sea, by Zohra Nabi, at Book Craic

Kingston and the Echoes of Magic, by Rucker Moses and Theo Gangi, at Charlotte's Library

The One and Only Ruby, by Katherine Applegate, at Ms. Yingling Reads: 

The Prisoner of Shiverstone, by Linette Moore, at  Pages Unbound

Ravencave by Marcus Sedgwick, at Scope for Imagination

The Storm Child, by Gabriela Houston, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads

Stories of the Islands, by Clar Angkasa, at Fuse #8

The Wildstorm Curse, by Eve Wersocki Morris, at Valinora Troy

World's Worst Time Machine, by Dustin Brady, at Always in the Middle…  and Mark My Words

Authors and Interviews

 Hannah Moffatt (Small Bites Back) at Scope for Imagination

Matt McMann ( Escape From Grimstone Manor) YABookNerd

Kingston and the Echoes of Magic, by Rucker Moses and Theo Gangi, for Timeslip Tuesday

Yay for me!  I have a Timeslip Tuesday offering, and happily it was a book that was such a fast fun read that I was able to get it read between coming home from work and now---Kingston and the Echoes of Magic, by Rucker Moses and Theo Gangi (October 2021, G.P. Putnam's Sons).  

It's the second of a duology, and if you haven't read book 1 (Kingston and the Magician's Lost and Found) you will want to before opening this one, because otherwise you will probably flounder not knowing who everyone is, and all that happened before this one starts--in a nutshell, Kingston, his cousin Veronica, and their best buddy Too Tall saved Brooklyn from a magical catastrophe involving a portal to an alternate dimension, but couldn't rescue Kingston's dad, who remains trapped there.

Life is going on after those adventures....or maybe not.  Kingston and Veronica realize they are stuck in a time loop, repeating the same day over and over again.  And when they start hunting for an explanation, they find that the looping is tied to a plot to rewrite the timeline of the world, destroying all the reality they love.  Hints and strange helpers lead them on a path through time, as they slip into different pasts trying to find a way to stop the magician mastermind who is behind it all.  They spend time with their teenaged dads, for instance, and a fascinating visit to ancient Egypt is key to saving their world.  

Though it's said several times in the book that it isn't time travel, per se, it certainly was time slip, and very entertaining slipping it was.  And the authors did a great job making it all complicated, but easy to accept without fuss.  The kids are great characters, though I wish Too Tall, the only one without magic, had had a Moment of Helping that wasn't just him being tall enough to get out of the lap of a giant Pharoh statue and such.  He deserved more than just being the tall sidekick.

These are great books for kids who like arcane secrets, riddles, and magic tricks, kids who want books about city kids with magic, especially black urban kids who will get to see themselves here, and for grownups like me who enjoy good magical time slipping.

The Golden Frog Games (Witchlings #2), by Claribel A. Ortega

The Golden Frog Games (Witchlings #2), by Claribel A. Ortega (May 2, 2023, Scholastic), begins soon after the tumultuous events of the first book. Seven and her two best friends, Valley and Thorn, are still well aware that they are "spares"--young witches not chosen for one of the covens,  looked down on by most, and held in utmost contempt by too many- but they are not letting that stop them from living their own magical lives. 

There's lots of stress for all three. Seven, who has found herself an Uncle (in charge of her town's magical relationship with and care of magical creatures), is terribly worried about her magic--it isn't considered right for an Uncle to communicate with monstrous creatures as well as ordinary ones, but that's what Seven is doing.  Valley's coping with the fallout from the collapse of father's reputation, and is embarking on a very sweet relationship with another girl witch.  Thorn has put her shy self out front and center, competing in the Golden Frog Games, where witches from all the twelve towns compete for glory.  It's almost unheard of for a Spare to be a strong contender, but Thorn's skill with magical clothing is hard to beat.

And then the tension gets worse when someone starts using forbidden, archaic magic to attack Thorn.  It's only chance that the magic attacks harm others nearby...and since they aren't stopping, and no one in authority is able to figure out who is behind them, Thorn is in grave danger.

Seven is determined to solve the mystery.  In order to do so, she'll have to embrace the part of her magic that scares her most, and she'll need her friends.  But their tight bond is in danger of breaking.  And the dreadful Nightbeast of the first book calls to her from its magical prison....

This is a book that starts with a focus on magical extravaganza--the Golden Frog Games are lavish and lushly described, and will hook young readers who love to read of marvels.   The friendship tension, and Seven's anxiety that her magic is wrong, make it relatable.  But as the danger grows (and it gets very real and close to home), the tension of the mystery takes center stage.  There's still plenty of neat magical detail, and Seven's ability to communicate with animals adds lots of delightful moments, but the plot really starts boiling. 

I (a non-target audience reader, in case you didn't know that), liked the last third of the book best (I prefer reading about people figuring things out than about people being anxious)...and enjoyed it even more than I did the first one.  I continue to be a bit uncertain about the world building-- what lies beyond the twelve towns? How does their economy function?  but again--not the target audience.  And I continue to cheer for the struggle of the three Witchlings against prejudice, and am happy to cheer for the LGBTQ inclusion.

The book ends at a reasonable point, I guess, but also no it is not reasonable because there's a very big tense thing unresolved and there's clearly lots and lots more of the story to come.  It looks like there will be plenty of more dangerous and twisty plot to look forward to and of course big tense thing had better not stay that way!

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher

Cover reveal for The Great Forest, by Valinora Troy

 Happy cover reveal to my friend Valinora's latest book, the third and final installment of the Lucky Diamond trilogy!  I had the good fortune to work with Valinora in the Elementary/Middle Grade Cybils Awards year before last, and I'm so happy for happy for her! 

The Great Forest blurb:

“Everything here hates you. The trees long to consume you, the ground to swallow you, the plants to poison you, and as for the creatures who live here… Your only chance of survival is to do exactly as I say. Clear?”

Twins Cathy and Alan are thrilled to be asked by the king of the Diamonds to enter the Great Forest on their eleventh birthday to complete the cleansing of the land. After all, Queen Rose is dead and all darkness gone from the trees. But when their home is attacked by a horde of vicious boars, and Alan and Cathy unwillingly taken to the Great Forest, the twins realise that evil remains there. Now they are faced with a terrible choice: escape from their captors and take their chances at survival, or find out who is waiting for them in the centre of the forest, and why?

 

Cathy and Alan are about to face the deadliest battle of their lives, against the forest, the monsters, … and each other.

 

The exciting conclusion to The Lucky Diamond trilogy

 

Cover art by Phan Duy

 

The Great Forest will be published on 21^st June 2023. The ebook is currently available here for pre-order at a special price of .99 cent/.99 pence

 

About the Author:

Valinora Troy has been writing since she was a child. Her first story popped into her head when she was 5 or 6, about a little girl who found a magic diamond. Recently she completed a M.A. in Creative Writing, specialising in Children & Young Adult fiction. Her short stories for adults have appeared in numerous venues. She has also served as a panellist for the CYBILS award, visits schools and libraries, and occasionally run writing classes for talented young authors. She hails from Blackrock, Co Louth, Ireland, and after living in Dublin for a number of years, recently returned to Louth to live in a magical writing cottage. Find out more at Valinora Troy – Children's Fantasy Writer

this week's round up of middle grade sci fi and fantasy (5/7/23)

 Nothing from me again this week, sigh, becuase of work, house, and garden, but next week I have great hopes for solid reading and reviewing! Here's what I found from others; as always, let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews

 Clara Poole and the Long Way Round, by Taylor Tyng, at Mark My Words

Emba Oak and the Beckoning Bones, by Jenny Moore, at Book Craic

The Guardian Test, by Christina Soontornvat, at  Redeemed Reader

A Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, by Christopher Healy, at Proseandkahn

Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom, by Nina Varela, at A Library Mama

The Lake House, by Sarah Beth Durst, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Might As Well Be Dead, by Mark Goldblatt, at Log Cabin Library

Nic Blake and the Remarkables, by Angie Thomas, at PBC's Book Reviews

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

Skandar and the Phantom Rider (Skandar #2), by A.F. Steadman, at Mark My Words

The Snowcat Prince, by Dina Norlund, at Pages Unbound 

The Thames and Tide Club: The Secret City, by Katya Balen, ill. by Rachael Dean, at Scope for Imagination

Authors and Interviews

Angie Thomas |(Nic Blake and the Remarkables) at American Libraries Magazine

Matt McMann (Escape From Grimstone Manor), at Literary Rambles

Mark Goldblatt (Might as Well be Dead), at Smack Dab in the Middle

Polly Holyoke (Skyriders), at MG Book Village

Brian Young (Heros of the Water Monster), at Cynsations

Other Good Stuff

10 of the Best Magic Systems in Fantasy Books (includes some middle grade), at Book Riot

this week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and sci fi from around the blogs (4/30/23)

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

The Reviews

Between Monsters and Marvels, by Alysa Wishingrad, at Mark My Words

The Guardian Test (Legends of Lotus Island, book 1), by Christina Soontornvat, illustrated by Kevin Hong, at A Kids Book A Day

Ghosts, Toasts, and Other Hazards, by Susan Tan, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Grimwood, by Nadia Shireen, at Log Cabin Library

Ivy Newt and the Storm Witch, by Derek Keilty & Magda Brol, at Scope for Imagination

Jodie, by Hilary McKay, at Book Craic

The Kingdom Over the Sea, by Zohra Nabi, at Islamic School Librarian

The Lake House, by Sarah Beth Durst, at  Charlotte's Library (technically published as YA, but great upper mg appeal!)

The McNeills at Rathcapple, by Meta Mayne Reid, at Charlotte's Library

Nightmare Island, by Shakirah Bourne, at Kiss the Book

Once There Was, by Kiyash Monsef, at  Always in the Middle…

The Paper Museum, by Kate S. Simpson, at Kiss the Book

Serpent of the Sands, by Vashti Hardy, at  Sifa Elizabeth Reads

Seven Wherewithal Way – Across the Ice and into the Jungle, by Samatha-Ellen Bound, at  The Book Muse 

Spellstone, by Ross Montgomery, at Scope for Imagination

The Thief of Farrowfell, by Raven Guron, at Valinora Troy

The Wingfeather Saga, by Andrew Peterson, at Faith Elizabeth Hough

Authors and Interviews

Angie Thomas (Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy) at CBC

 Eden Royce (Root Magic, Conjure Island) at Words, Images, & Worlds podcast

Anthony Pckham (Children of the Black Glass) at Geo Librarian (with a review as well)

 Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman (The N.O.A.H. Files: I am the Walrus) at Smack Dab in the Middle

Other Good Stuff

35 Incredible Middle Grade Magical Realism Books, at  Imagination Soup

The Lake House, by Sarah Beth Durst

Happy slightly belated book birthday to The Lake House, by Sarah Beth Durst (April 25th, 2023, HarperTeen)!  I am a huge fan of her books in general and was not disappointed.

Three young teenaged girls arrive at a house camp on an island in the middle of the Maine woods; none of them wanted to go, but their parents, who had been there themselves long ago, promised them a wonderful, transformative experience.  

They have doubts, and these doubts are more than realized.  Dropped off by boat and left to make their own way through the woods to house, they are stunned to find the Lake House is a burned shell.  The discovery of a fairly fresh corpse who has been shot is not a comfort.  They have no way to communicate with the outside world, and no food or clean water, and presumably there's a killer on the loose, possibly still on the island. And then things get worse, when they must survive a horrible evil that makes the island its home....

I loved the growing friendship between the girls, and especially how Claire's anxiety and tendency to catastrophize proves incredibly valuable.  The other two girls also emerge as fully three-dimensional characters with much to offer the survival of the group, and the trio works through a lot together, growing in understanding and acceptance of themselves and each other.  Though the horror was not exactly to my own personal taste (I had to take it with lots of grains of salt), it offered nicely high stakes and plenty of twists.  The friendship and survival elements were totally my jam (I am always up for catching fish with a tennis net, starting a fire with a hair dryer battery, etc.) and so I ended up being both gripped and entertained.

 A great one for 12-14 year olds who like friendship stories mixed with supernatural horror.  This really falls into the sweet spot of upper middle grade/younger YA!

disclaimer: review copy received from the author