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

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

The Reviews

Adia Kelbara and the Circle of Shamans, by Isi Hendrix, at  A Library Mama

The Drama with Doomsdays, by Scott Reintgin, at Kiss the Book

The Ever Storms (Wilderlore #3), by Amanda Foody, at Kiss the Book

Extra Normal, by Kate Alice Marshall, at Always in the Middle…  

Guardians of the Source: Gargoyles #1, by Tamsin Mori, at  Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books

Harley Hitch Takes Flight, by Vashti Hardy, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads  

The Kingdom Over the Sea, by Zohra Nabi, at Sonderbooks and WOW Recommends

The Little Match Girl Strikes Back, by Emma Carroll and Lauren Child, at Kiss the Book

 Lulu Sinagtala and the City of Noble Warriors, by Gail D. Villanueva, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Puppets of Spelhorst, by Kate DiCamillo, at Redeemed Reader

The Rise of the Legends, by Jake Zortman, at Mark My Words

Shinji Takahashi: Into the Heart of the Storm, by Julie Kagawa, at Kiss the Book

A Stranger Thing, by Ruth Tomalin, at  Charlotte's Library 

Theo Tan and the Fox Spirit, by Jesse Q. Sutanto, at The Story Sanctuary

Other Good Stuff

and finally, will a middle grade fantasy/sci fi book win the Newbery Medal this year?

The Puppets of Spelhorst, by Kate DiCamillo feels Newberyish to me, as does The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers.  Are there any you'd add?

"Greta Gerwig Is Approaching Her 'Narnia' Films With a Perfect Mix of Care and Terror" at themarysue.com

A Stranger Thing, by Ruth Tomalin, for Timeslip Tuesday

It is a lovely, and rather rare thing, to find a new-to-me author of vintage children's books that I can enjoy almost as much as young me would have. Since 2022, I have now read five of her books, and the most recent, A Stranger Thing (1975), a Christmas present this year, is my favorite. 

Kit, sent to boarding school for the first time when his mother must travel for work, is nervous at first, but gradually adjusts, making friends and enjoying the expeditions into the countryside.  But then a bully gets a hook into him, and plays him like a fish, making his life miserable.  Kit's old habit of sleepwalking resurfaces, and he wakes outside on snowy night, far from school.  Fortunately, he finds shelter in an old glasshouse on a nature preserve that had once belonged to a naturalist back (I think, though it's not clear) in the early 20th century.

It is a magical shelter, not just because it is built of glass.  Snowbound within it, he makes use of the generous stores (all things he loves to eat) that he assumes the preserve's warden had laid in, and is warm and cozy thanks to the stores of wood. He spends a lovely few days in this refuge, delighting in the company of birds and the resident mouse.  And it was a lovely bit of reading for me too, sharing this peace away from stress along with Kit.  

And Kit, given this peace, is able to see that he can extricate himself from the hold the bully had on him...and freed from that fear, he is free to leave the glasshouse.  He wakes in his own bed at school....and no one has missed him. The naturalist had shared his glasshouse as a refuge for others before Kit, and though it was destroyed years ago, it was there where and when Kit needed it...

I suppose you could argue that Kit's days in the glasshouse were a dream, but the author makes no suggestion of it.  The reality of the experience is unquestioned, which means it must have been a time slip, which fits more nicely with the history of the glasshouse as refuge.  My only complaint was that it was a short book; for instance, I'd have enjoyed more of Kit getting used to school (this happened at lightning speed) and more exploration of the countryside pre glasshouse to set the scene a bit more.

Welcome to the first MG sci fi/fantasy round up of 2024!  I hope we all have a lovely reading year (especially me because last year I read and reviewed less than I have since I started blogging....)

First--here are the finalists for the 2023 Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction Cybils Awards! Do consider joining in the fun next year if you haven't already.

The Reviews

The Bellwoods Game, by Celia Krampien, at Falling Letters

Crazy Creek, by Evelyn Sibley Lampman, at Charlotte's Library

The Creatures of Killburn Mine, by Dan Smith, at Scope for Imagination and Book Craic

The Curious Vanishing of Beatrice Willoughby, by G.Z. Schmidt, at Kiss the Book 

The Curse of Eelgrass Bog, by Mary Averling, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Eyes and the Impossible, by Dave Eggers, at Heavy Medal 

Field of Screams, by Wendy Parris, at Twirling Book Princess

Fright Bite, by Jennifer Killick, at Scope for Imagination

Gone Wolf, by Amber McBride, Heavy Medal

Graysen Foxx and the Curse of the Illuminerdy, by J. Scott Savage and Brandon Dorman, at Cracking the Cover

Harley Hitch Takes Flight, by Vashti Hardy, at Scope for Imagination

The Invisible Spy (The Forgotten Five 2) by Lisa McMann, at Mark My Words

The Last Rose (Sisters Ever After), by Leah Cypess, at Kiss the Book

The School for Invisible Boys, by Shaun David Hutchinson, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Stitch, by Pádraig Kenny, at Book Craic

We Will Comfort Them (Time School #4), by Nikki Young, at Scope for Imagination

Two at A Library Mama--The Demon Sword Asperides, by Sarah Jean Horwitz, and The Dark Lord’s Daughter, by Patricia Wrede

Authors and Interviews

Mary Averling (The Curse of Eelgrass Bog), at  Literary Rambles

Linda Crotta Brennan (The Selkie's Daughter) at Teen Librarian Toolbox

Other Good Stuff

Mr Ripley's Children's Book Picks Jan 2024 UK

Crazy Creek, by Evelyn Sibley Lampman, for Timeslip Tuesday

Crazy Creek, by Evelyn Sibley Lampman (1948), tells how an Oregon girl named Judy patched up an old wooden boat and was swept down the titular creek back into the 19th century.  There she spent a year living with her great grandparents and their children (including her own grandfather, who had told her many stories of his youth that she was now living alongside him).  There are lots of details of 19th century life, pleasantly told, many small happenings and pleasures, lots of hard work and mud, and no financial or agrarian worries to disturb the peace. As an added bonus, it has one of the best 19th-century Christmases I can recall. 

It was really good time travel--Judy's family in the past was fortunately able to overlook and try to explain away all of Judy's nonsense, and she in turn was able to find a place in there where she loves and is loved.  A poignant note brings the book to a close, as Judy, reunited with her grandfather, very old and unwell, tries to tell him she's been back to his childhood.  "That's where I figure to go now," said Grandpa, and his eyes closed gently.  "I go there all the time, Judy."

The problem with mid-20th century books about time travel back to the 19th century frontier is that the depiction of Native Americans is almost always horrible.  And sadly, Crazy Creek, though not as bad as many, still manages to dehumanize the three Native Americans Judy meets. Though there are inklings that the kids are starting to have a more nuanced perspective, with Judy, for instance, starting to realize it's not fair that their land got taken from them, and a touch of compassion taking the place of fear and prejudiced distaste, it is still pretty awful and makes it hard. even impossible, to stay peacefully complicit in the happy family life that is otherwise such very pleasant reading.

The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto, by Adrianna Cuevas

You might think that The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto, a middle grade fantasy by Adrianna Cuevas (April 2023, Farrar, Straus and Giroux), is about ghosts on a ranch....but since this is my Timeslip Tuesday book, you can guess that actually it's time travel, not hauntings, creating fantastical mayhem (sorry for the spoiler!).  It is set on a ranch though, and so, very reluctantly, is the young protagonist.

Cuban American middle schooler Rafa (Raphael) and his best friends decided to take their fantasy adventure game to the next level, real life, and got busted when the school slushie machine they were absconding with breaks loose and crashes into the principal's car.  Rafa's dad skips all the regular punishments, and packs him off to spend a month working at a friend's ranch in New Mexico. Rafa is distressed about leaving his Miami friends, but even more worried about leaving his mother, who has cancer.  

But Rafa is a really good, cooperative kid, and soon he's learning the parts of a horse and getting to experience manure for the first time.  And there's a really cool girl his own age, Jennie Kim, the Korean American daughter of the ranch librarian. She too has a sadness-the recent death of her father.  But their growing bond is formed not just from shared sadness, but from their partnership in figuring out what's up with all the weirdness going on at the ranch (and a shared love of snacks).

A mysterious man in a green sweater keeps showing up...which isn't that odd. But Rafa being blamed for unpleasant mischief he had no part in is, and that's just the start of reality on the ranch going seriously off-kilter.  And when Rafa learns who the strange man is, and what he wants, he's faced with a desperately serious situation (spoiler--it involves time travel, and Rafa's mom....)

It's a truly engrossing story, and though there's sadness here the twists and turns make for entertaining reading.  Although it's a little distracting to think too much about the dad's questionable decision to keep Rafa from spending potentially precious time with his mother, the story more than kept my enthusiasm high. A secondary character, a veteran suffering from PTSD who looks after the ranch's horses, was a great addition to the ensemble, providing a grounding adult perspective.   And the mystery that need solving was very satisfying in a thought-provoking time travel way.

short answer--I liked it lots!

This week's roundup of mg sci fi/fantasy from around the blogs (12/17/23)

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

The Reviews

An Adventure Through the Togetherwood, by Sean Anderson, at Literary Potpourri 

The Eyes & the Impossible, by Dave Eggers, at Book Barmy

Gargoyles: Guardians of the Source, by Tamsin Mori, at Mrs Sydney's Famous World's Smallest Library

Goblin Monday (Goosebumps House of Shivers 2), by R.L. Stine, at Mark My Words

Graysen Foxx and the Curse of the Illuminerdy, by J. Scott Savage, at Log Cabin Library

Holly's Secret (Woodwalkers 3) by Katja Brandis, at Mark My Words

Juniper's Christmas, by Eoin Colfer, at Faith Elizabeth Hough

Last Exit to Feral, by Mark Fearing, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Lia Park and the Heavenly Heirlooms (Lia Park #2), by Jenna Yoon, at Kiss the Book

The Mossheart’s Promise, by Rebecca Mix, at Pages Unbound 

 The Quest of Danger (Once Upon a Tim 4) by Stuart Gibbs, at Mark My Words

The Secret Library, by Kekla Magoon, at YA Books Central

Three Tasks for a Dragon by Eoin Colfer, at A Library Mama

Two at Falling Letters--The Unfortunate Wish of Melony Yoshimura & The Last Hope in Hopetown

Three mini reviews at  Utopia State of Mind -- The Tale of the Gravemother by Rin Chupeco, The Destiny of Minou Moonshine by Gita Ralleigh, and Peril at Price Manor by Laura Parnum

Authors and Interviews

Gregory Slomba (The Deliverers Series), with series review, at The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow 

 Sam Thompson (Wolfstounge and The Fox's Tower), at KidLit TV

Igo Rab (Faery: the Tiend), at Fantasy-Hive

this week's roundup of mg sci fi/fantasy from around the blogs 12/10/23

Please let me know if I missed your post or a post about your book!

The Reviews

Champions of the Fox, by Kevin Sands, at Cracking the Cover

The Dark Lord's Daughter, by Patricia Wrede, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Hither & Nigh, by Ellen Potter, at Pages Unbound  

Hollowthorn, by Kalyn Josephson, at Ms. Yingling Reads 

The Ice Children, by M. G. Leonard, at Book Craic and Sifa Elizabeth Reads 

The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines, by Mo Netz, at Mark My Words

No Way Out (Shadowhouse #3), by Dan Poblocki, at Puss Reboots

THE PUPPETS OF SPELHORST — Kate DiCamillo, at Rosi Hollinbeck

Shiver Point: It Came From the Woods, by Gabriel Dylan, at Twirling Book Princess

The Sky Over Rebecca, by Matthew Fox, at Teen Librarian Toolbox

The Thirteenth Circle, by MarcyKate Connolly and Kathryn Holmes, at  Mark My Words

The Wild Robot Protects, by Peter Brown, at proseandkahn

Worst Broommate Ever! by Wanda Coven, at Bookworm for Kids 

Two at  A Library Mama --Abeni’s Song and Sir Callie and the Champions of Helston |

Authors and Interviews

James Haddell (Tales of Truth and Treasure Book 4: Dagger, Spear and Sword), also with a review, at Scope for Imagination

The Sky Over Rebecca, by Matthew Fox, for Timeslip Tuesday

The Sky Over Rebecca, by Matthew Fox (November 14, 2023, Union Square Kids in the US,  April 14, 2022, Hodder Childrens in the UK), is my favorite of all the new to me books I've read so far this year.  It was supposed to be last week's timeslip Tuesday, but when I was done reading it, instead of sitting down to review it, it was all too fresh and raw and sad in my mind (in a good way) for me to want to think cogently about it.

It's the story of ten-year-old Kara, a lonely girl living in Stockholm with her mother.  Although her beloved Grandfather lives close enough to visit often, which is a comfort, she has no friends, just bullies.  But one day looking out the bus window on her way to school, she sees a snow angel...with no footprints left by its maker.  And that is the start of a magic timeslip adventure, that leads her to Rebecca and her little brother Samuel, two kids living in hiding on an island in the middle of the frozen lake where she and grandfather go ice skating.  

Even Kara's great happiness about making a friend (and being the sort of person who can make friends, which she had worried about), doesn't mean she's not curious about the strangeness of Rebecca and her circumstances.  Gradually she realizes that Rebecca and Samuel slipped through time to hide from the Nazis, the only two from her family to escaped being murdered by them back during WW II.  Now Rebecca and Samuel, who can't walk, are stuck in their island hideaway, in the middle of the Swedish winter, in need of food and warmth, which Kara tries to provide (I liked that Kara's mother is able to help with this, concerned about situation but trusting Kara to do the right thing without trying to take over).  Even the boy who is the worst of the bullies is drawn into the mystery and becomes a good companion and helper (Kara grew tired of living in fear, and punched him, which tilted the balance of their relationship enough so that he, not redeemed but with a greater appreciation of Kara, can reshape their relationship).  

But she can't think of what she can do to help them move on....until Rebecca's prophetic vision of an airplane, from the Allies in the war, landing on the frozen lake comes true.  And oh my gosh do things take an utterly gut wrenching turn at this point, and I wept.  

It is utterly gorgeous time travel, of just the sort of magical slipping through the years that I love best. It's not just the two kids from the past here in the present, but enough of Kara slipping back to make the whole thing dreamlike and wonderful (and also gut wrenching).  It won awards over in England where it was first published, and I'm so glad I heard about it and got hold of a copy.  If you like Action and Adventure, it might not work for you, but if you want a story of a remarkable friendship between brave girls in a cold and snowy setting, with time travel that will remind you of old favorites (and some tense moments that I would count as action with a small a) do seek it out!

I would so dearly love to give it to my young self, who would have read it over and over, but am glad I haven't gotten so old as to not love children's books (even though I have so many on hand that I don't get to reread as much as I'd like...)

this week's round-up of middle grade sci fi and fantasy from around the blogs (12/3/23)

an unusually short round-up this week...please let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews

Amari and the Great Game (Supernatural Investigations #2), by B.B. Alston, at megsbookrack

The Beastly Baron of Beaux Bottom, by Jeremy Hullah, at Book Craic

Festergrimm (Legends of Eerie-On-Sea #4), by Thomas Taylor, at Log Cabin Library

Finney And the Secret Tunnel, by Jamie Lane Barber, at  Always in the Middle…  

The Little Match Girl Strikes Back, by Emma Carroll, at Ms. Yingling Reads 

Loki: A Bad God’s Guide to Ruling the World, by Louie Stowell, at Twirling Book Princess

Omega Morales and the Curse of El Cucuym, by Laekan Zea Kemp, at Charlotte's Library

The Secret of the Ravens, by Joanna Cacao, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Secrets of Splint Hall, by Katie Cotton, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads 

Omega Morales and the Curse of El Cucuym by Laekan Zea Kemp

It was a pleasure to revisit Omega Morales in her second adventure--Omega Morales and the Curse of El Cucuy (Omega Morales, 2) by Laekan Zea Kemp (October 2023, Little Brown).  A new monster, the legendary Mexican boogeyman El Cucuy, has come to town, and he is kidnapping children, and sending adults into an enchanted sleep.  Omega, her cousin Carlito, and Clau, her ghost friend, are determined to defeat him, but the game he is playing with them has twists and turns that seem to make this almost impossible.

Fortunately Omega has a new magical creature friend at her side, who is both cute and brave, as well has help from other kids in town.  And although most of the adults in her family are asleep, she can still find some help through dreams with them, and those who aren't asleep try to help (with little success, though).  In the end, as was the case with the first book, it is understanding and empathizing with the monster that lets Omega put an end to his reign of terror.

As I said in my review of the first book in the series, Omega Morales and the Legend of La Lechuza, "it never ceases to amaze me how the familiar middle grade themes of navigating family and friends and one's own changing self can be explored in so many different magical ways."  And as was the case with the first book, Omega isn't just dealing with a monstrous external threat but is also struggling to understand her own magic and how it is manifesting.  As was the case in the first book, her mother and grandmother are not helpful in this regard (even when awake), and I continue to be displeased with them.  On the plus side, though, this sequel doesn't have the disturbing bullying Omega experienced in the first book.

It is a book dense with magic, dangers, and Omega's relationships with a swirl of other characters (lots of minor characters)--it pays to read it slowly, because if you are a fast reader like me, you might from time to time become unsure of the particulars of what's happening and who is involved.  And be warned--it ends with a cliffhanger.  But those two caveats aside, it's an engrossing and entertaining story!

this week's round-up of middle grade sci fi and fantasy (11/26/23)

Morning all!  Here's what I found this week. As ever, let me know if I missed your post, and feel free to let me share if you have one for next week!

The Reviews

Amari and the Great Game, by B. B. Alston, at The Story Sanctuary

Beak to the Future (Two-Headed Chicken 2), by Tom Angleberger, at Mark My Words

Charmed Life, by Diana Wynne Jones, at Shiny New Books

City of Bones ( Bubba and Squirt), by Sherry Ellis, at The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow 

The Girl in White, by Linday Currie, at Twirling Book Princess

The Golden Key, by George MacDonald, at Faith Elizabeth Hough

The Ice Children, by M.G. Leonard, at Bellis Does Books 

The Impossible Girl, by Ashley White, at Log Cabin Library

The Incredibly Amazing and Magical Flying Chair, by Bob Schumaker and Nancy Machlis Rechtman, at Bookworm for Kids 

The Kingdom of Broken Magic, by Christine Aziz, at Book Craic

The Lost Library, by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Lucky Diamond, by Valinora Troy, at Carol Baldwin's Blog

 Nimbus, by Jan Eldredge, at Charlotte's Library

The November Witches, by Jennifer Claessen, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads 

The Queen of Thieves, by Johan Rundberg, at Mark My Words

The Secret Library, by Kekla Magoon, at Rosi Hollinbeck

Slumber of Silence (The Talisman #4.5), by Brett Salter, at Mark My Words

The Sky Over Rebecca, by Matthew Fox, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Stitch, by Pádraig Kenny, at Valinora Troy

World Weavers, by Sam Gayton, at Magic Fiction Since Potter

Two at A Library Mama--The Grace of Wild Things and Moongarden | 

Two at The Book Search--Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom, by Nina Varela, and The Spirit Glass by Roshani Chokshi.

Other Good Stuff

Best Middle Grade Books 2023 | SLJ Best Books | School Library Journal

Nimbus, by Jan Eldredge

If magical cats are a thing you like, Nimbus, by Jan Eldredge September 2023, Balzer + Bray) is an obvious and excellent choice!  

Nimbus was rescued by Fletcher's family when she was a wounded, abandoned kitten, unwanted because of being a black cat.  Nursed back to health and dearly loved by Fletcher, Nim thought her bad luck was a thing of the past.  But then Flecher opens an old jar which had imprisoned a nightmare demon.  Nim instantly fought the demon when it attached Fletcher, and thought she'd one, though she'd been badly injured.  But Fletcher's cat-hating Aunt Caroline, roused by the commotion, assumed Nim had been the one to attach the boy, and took her off to a dump and left her there.

Happily, a friendly rat helps Nim reach the safety of a witch's home.  Agatha has a soft spot of cats in need (she has four already), and tries to help Nim heal (though Nim is so desperate to get back to Fletcher to make sure he's safe that this is rather frustrating for Agatha).  While at Agatha's, Nim discovers she's taken the demon's ability to dream walk, and at night she finds herself in the dream world, where her travels through the dreams of her new cat companions, and her own dreaming, help her to figure out how to defeat the demon for once and for all.

It's about more than just cat vs demon, though....a large part of the story is set at Agatha's house, an interlude of little direct action and much about Nim learning from the other cats, and understanding their stories.  It's also about the brave rat friend who helped Nim, who has his own important role in defeating the demon.  I found this enjoyable reading, though kids who come for demon fighting action might find it a bit slow....

That being said, the final demon showdown is great, with Aunt Caroline making a humorously grotesque appearance! 

Nim is a very sweet brave kitten, and the supporting cast of rat, cats and witch are great too!  I enjoyed it, and it would be a great gift for a kid who read all the Warriors books last year and still doesn't want to part with them.

this week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and sci fi 11/19/2023

Hi all, here what I found this week!  please let me know if I missed your post/a post about your book. And please if you review a mg sci fi/fantasy book this week, feel free to let me know in advance!  What with Goodreads eliminating mg as an award category, MG authors can use all the love you can give them (and showing MG spec fic books love my main motivation for doing these round-ups instead of renovating, or even cleaning my house on Sunday mornings, or even evener, actually reading and reviewing myself), so review away and let me know!

The Reviews

The Dark Lord’s Daughter, by Patricia C. Wrede, at Pages Unbound

Darkness and Demon Song (Marius Grey 2) by M.R. Fournet, at Mark My Words

The Dreamatics, by Michelle Cuevas, at YA Books Central

The Invitation (Book 1 of Kepler62), by Timo Parvela and Bjorn Sortland, at Mark My Words

The Memory Thieves, by Dhonielle Clayton, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads  

The Midnight Switch, by Samuel J. Halpin, at BookMurmuration

The Nighthouse Keeper (Blight Harbor 2) by Lora Senf, at Mark My Words. Ms. Yingling Reads, and Kiss the Book 

The Puppets of Spelhorst, by Kate DiCamillo, at Sonderbooks, Miss Cleveland is reading, and Magic Fiction Since Potter

Time After Time, by Sarah Mlynowski and Christina Soontornvat, at Ms. Yingling Reads

 We the Future, by Cliff Lewis, at  Charlotte's Library 

 The Whispering Walls (Shadowhall Academy #1), by Phil Hickes, at Scope for Imagination

Two at A Library Mama -- The Lost Library, by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass, and The House of the Lost on the Cape by Sachiko Kashiwabe, translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa

Authors and Interviews

Danny Weston (Postcards from Valhalla) at Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books and Scope for Imagination

DaVaun Sanders (Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew) at Literary Rambles

Other Good Stuff

8 Baking Fantasy Books, at  A Library Mama

At Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books - Best Children's Book Picks November 2023 in the UK 

We the Future, by Cliff Lewis, for Timeslip Tuesday

We the Future, by Cliff Lewis (April 2023, North Star Editions), is a powerful story of a girl from the future working as a catalyst to start, one friend, one school yard conversation at a time, a flood of climate activism.  Don't be put off, as I almost was, by some climate change information dumping at the beginning, or by the pink spacesuit the girl, Sunny, from the future is wearing.  Stay of the growth of the movement and ride its wave toward hope.  

And on the way, watch Jonah, a kid with asthma so bad it could kill him, a lonely kid with no friends, find with Sunny's help how to use his voice and his gift for reading people to be a founder of a movement that will change Sunny's disastrous present a century in the future.  There's lots of good storytelling here, and it really builds and builds beautifully.  

The time travel aspect of the plot provides not just Sunny the catalyst but also two goons who have followed her back into the past to retrieve the time travel device they feel she stole from them. There are also, thanks to this device, little jumps into the recent past that pleasingly allow events to work out.  

All in all, very satisfying, and I was sincerely moved.  I'd be curious to know what actual young readers make of it--will they react with cynicism or zeal?  Possibly I will feal more cynical about this story tomorrow than I do right now, having just finished, but I did finish fired up....And that's all I will type, as my nose is very cold (the wood stove is in another room, and the heats not on.  Though I knew even before reading this that individual "green" actions aren't what's needed, I still grimly live in a cold house....).  

This week's round-up of middle grade sci fi and fantasy from around the blogs (11/12/23)

Good morning from Rhode Island!  Here's what I found this week--please let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews

Camp Sylvania (Camp Sylvania #1), by Julie Murphy, at Jill's Book Blog

Emperor of the Universe Series, by David Lubar, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Field of Screams, by Wendy Parris, at Charlotte's Library

Glassborn, by Peter Bunzl, illustrated by Katarzyna Doszla, at Scope for Imagination

The Girl in the Window, by Lindsey Hobson, at Bookworm for Kids

The Haunted Mansion: Storm & Shade, by Claudia Gray, at Kiss the Book 

Impossible Creatures, by Katherine Rundell, at Book Craic

Into the Shadow Mist, by Christina Soontornvat, at Pages Unbound

November Witches, by Jennifer Claessen, at  Library Girl and Book Boy

Postcards from Valhalla, by Danny Weston, at Mr Ripley's Enchanted Books 

The Puppets of Spelhorst, by Kate DiCamillo, at A Kids Book A Day and The Book Nut (audiobook review)

RiverHome for the Holidays (The Adventures of Toby Baxter: Book 2), by Tim Wright, at Reading With Your Kids Podcast

Shades of Winter (Misfit’s Magic), by Fred Gracely, at  Mark My Words: 

The Song of the Swan, by Karah Sutton, illustrated by Pauliina Hannuniemi, at Log Cabin Library 

Tiffany Aching’s Guide to Being a Witch by Rhianna Pratchett and Gabrielle Kent, illustrated by Paul Kidby, at Magic Fiction Since Potter

Wand, by Landra Jennings, at Always in the Middle…  

The Wolf-Girl, the Greeks and the Gods, by Tom Holland, illustrated by Jason Cockroft, at Magic Fiction Since Potter

Authors and Interviews

Esme Symes-Smith (Sir Callie and the Dragon’s Roost) at The Nerd Daily

Christopher Mackie (Cloudlanders) at Parrot Street Book Club

Kerstin Stanford (Escape from Portaliege: A Sam Harte Adventure) at The Worldshapers podcast

Jennifer Claessen (The November Witches) at Scope for Imagination

Other Good Stuff

"Epic Quests & Enchanted Worlds" at From The Mixed Up Files

Field of Screams, by Wendy Parris

If you are looking for a middle grade ghost story that's spooky and scary but not so horrifying as to be disturbing, Field of Screams, by Wendy Parris (August 2023 by Delacorte Press), is a great pick!

Rebecca is a would-be ghost hunter who hasn't yet managed to actually see a ghost.  When her mother decides the two of them are going to spend the summer with her deceased dad's family on a farm in Iowa, the only comfort her best friend (who she was hoping to go to camp with) can offer is that an old house in the middle of nowhere sounds like a great place for ghosts.

And indeed, this proves to be the case.  The mundane world of family time, including reminiscences about her dad that make her feel closer to him (he too believed in ghosts, for instance), is disturbed by creepy happenings.  They are small at first, and possible to for Rebecca dismiss with intense logical thought, and certainly nothing anyone else takes seriously.  Not even Nick, the cute boy who is willing to at least consider the possibility that ghosts are real, is convinced at first.  But the creepiness turns into a genuine haunting that can't be dismissed.  

Rebecca, now certain there is a real ghost, struggles to keep investigating like a good paranormal researcher while becoming increasingly frightened.  The ghost is getting stronger and more terrifying every day.  It becomes a race to find the clues to who the ghost is and what they want, before a tragedy from long ago strikes again.

The mystery is a satisfying one, leading down an interesting path of Rebecca's family history to a really great abandoned (and haunted) house (I liked the abandoned house exploring bits lots!).  The haunting is also satisfying, and the ghost makes sense--there's a reason they are still around.  The writing is very vivid; it is easy to feel Rebecca's fright and admire her determination to keep going.  Real world tensions (is Rebecca's mom falling in love with Kelsie's dad?  And why is Kelsie so awful to Rebecca?) play on Rebecca's nerves alongside the strain of being haunted, adding to general discomfort that's looming like an approaching storm.

And then when then the storm breaks, all the pieces come together very nicely indeed in a tense and moving climax.

Don't expect, though, all the jump scares and bloody horror the title might conjure up; there's actually no running-while-screaming through a corn field, and the field is only a minor part of the haunting.

But you can expect to be gripped and entertained by the supernatural mystery, that touches on themes of loss and change that are very relatable to the target audience!

this week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and science fiction from around the blogs (11/5/23)

Here's what I found this week; nothing from me becuase of me still desperatly trying to finish outside work before winter, sigh.

The Reviews

Adventures of Takuan From Koto, by Ryu Zhong, at Bookworm for Kids

The Clockwork Conspiracy, by Sam Sedgman, at Scope for Imagination

Dogtown, by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko, illustrated by Wallace West, at A Kids Book A Day

Dragon Daughter, by Liz Flanagan, at Magic Fiction Since Potter

The Fall of the House of Tatterly, by Shanna Miles, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Finch House, by Ciera Burch, at A Kids Book A Day

Glassborn, by Peter Bunzl, at a Library Lady 

The Great Weather Diviner, by Andrew Dolberg and Rob Long, at Always in the Middle…

The Hunt for the Hollower, by Callie C. Miller, by Pages Unbound

Keynan Masters and the Peerless Magic Crew, by DaVaun Sanders, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Mermedusa, by Thomas Taylor, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads  

Odder, by Katherine Applegate, at proseandkahn

Once We Were Witches, by Sarah Driver, at Kiss the Book

The Puppets of Spelhorst, by Kate DiCamillo, at Faith Elizabeth Hough

A Ranger’s Guide to Glipwood Forest, by Andrew Peterson, at Mark My Words

Scariest.Book.Ever. by R.L. Stine, at Kiss the Book

Shadowhall Academy: The Whispering Walls, by Phil Hickes, at Book Craic

Spooky Stories of the World, by Wendy Shearer, illustrated by Teo Georgiev, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Tales to Keep You Up At Night, by Dan Poblocki, at Twirling Book Princess

The Taming of the Cat, by Helen Cooper, at Scope for Imagination

The Wild Robot Protects, by Peter Brown, at Miss Cleveland is reading… 

Two at The Book Search -- The Lost Library, by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass, and The Carrefour Curse by Dianne K. Salerni

Three at the New York Times--Jeanne DuPrau’s “Project F,” Patricia Forde’s “The Girl Who Fell to Earth” and Donna Barba Higuera’s “Alebrijes”

Authors and Interviews

 R. L. Stine (Scariest Book Ever) at People

Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh, by Rachael Lippincott for Timeslip Tuesday

A YA sapphic love story for this week's Timeslip Tuesday--Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh, by Rachael Lippincott (August 29, 2023, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers).

Audrey is in a depressed holding pattern--dumped by her boyfriend and waitlisted by her dream school, the RI School of Design, she puts in the motions of working at the family corner store in Pittsburgh.  If she can send RISD the additional art they asked of her, maybe she'll get in, but she's not feeling any creative spark at all.  But then a regular customer, a curmudgeonly old man, sends her back to England in 1812.  Which turns out to be just the unsticking adventure she needs!

Back in 1812, wealthy and lovely Lucy is also stuck--her father is planning to marry her off to a much older man who is an awful piece of work.  Then Audrey pops into her life.  Lucy takes Audrey in hand, molding her as much as possible into a proper regency young lady, albeit one who's American upbringing can be used to try to explain all the bits of Audrey that refuse to be molded, and there are lots of these.  

Audrey figures out that she has 24 days in the past, and figures that she needs to find her spark again to get home.  So she casts around at the local eligible young men for love....  And Lucy, talking all this over with her new friend, yearns for a spark of her own.  

And then they realize it is each other that is making sparks fly....

It's a charming enough romance, and there's considerable humor in fish out of water Audrey back in 1812, and considerable sympathy evoked for poor trapped Lucy.  But the story didn't go beyond "charming enough" for me into any sort of moving, gripping reading experience.  It's pretty clear what's going to happen romance-wise, so it was more a waiting for the inevitable to happen than a what will happen next story.  Also the only Pride and Prejudice tie in was the time period, which disappointed me.  If you want a bit of escapism with two girls falling sweetly in love, and if you like your Time Travel to be a diverting bit of plot device, it will do nicely, but if you want more, not so much.

This week's round-up of middle grade fantasy and sci fi from around the blogs (10/29/23)

Good morning all!  Here's what I gathered this week; please let me know if I missed your post!

The Reviews

Bite Risk, by S.J. Wills, at Valinora Troy

Coyote Queen, by Jessica Vitalis, at ReadWonder and Watch. Connect. Read.

Dogtown, by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko, illustrated by Wallace West, at Charlotte's Library

Ghost Rescue, by Jenny McLachlan, at Sifa Elizabeth Reads 

Grumbones, by Jenn Bennett, at Pages Unbound 

Hellaween, by Moss Lawton, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Hollowthorn, by Kalyn Josephson, at The Story Sanctuary and  It's All About the Book 

Just a Pinch of Magic, by Alechia Dow, at Ms. Yingling Reads

Kingdom of Dust by Lisa Stringfellow, at Watch. Connect. Read.

Mia and the Traitor of Nubis, by Janelle McCurdy, at Books Up North

The Midnight Switch, by Samuel J. Halpin, at Book Craic

Project F, by Jeanne DuPrau, at Ms. Yingling Reads

The Puppets of Spelhorst, by Kate DiCamillo, at Redeemed Reader

Shakti, by S. J. Sindu & Nabi H. Ali, at  Pages Unbound

Show Us Who You Are, by Elle McNicoll, at  Kiss the Book

Sixteen Souls, by Rosie Talbot, at Ms. Yingling Reads 

The Snow Girl, by Sophie Anderson, at Book Craic and My Book Corner

The Song of the Swan by Karah Sutton, at The Story Sanctuary and Charlotte's Library

The Spirit Snatcher, by Cat Gray, at Book Craic

The Witch-Stone Ghosts, by Emily Randall-Jones, at Magic Fiction Since Potter

Two dog stories at A Library Mama--Elf Dog and Owl Head, by M.T. Anderson, and The Eyes and the Impossible, by Dave Eggers

Two more at A Library Mama- Between Monsters and Marvels, by Alyssa Wishingrad, and Don’t Want to Be Your Monster, by Deke Moulton

Two at The Book Search--Creatures of the In Between, by Cindy Lin, and The Bellwoods Game, by Celia Krampien

Two at Ms. Yingling Reads -- Alex Wise vs. The End of the World Terry J. Benton-Walker, and Futureland: The Nightmare Hour (Futureland #2), by H.D. Hunter

Other Good Stuff

10 Enchanting Dungeons and Dragons Books for Kids (imaginationsoup.net)

Spooky Books for Halloween! - (mybookcorner.co.uk) and another great Halloween list at kellybyrd.com

Urusla Le Guin's absolutely charming Cat Wings series is being reissued!  via Cracking the Cover

The winners of the 2023 Ignyte Awards have been announced! Congratulations to Claribel Ortega!

Best in Middle Grade

for works intended for the middle grade audience

• Ruby Finley vs. the Interstellar Invasion – K. Tempest Bradford (Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers)
• The Last Mapmaker – Christina Soontornvat (Candlewick Press)
• The Marvellers – Dhonielle Clayton (Henry Holt & Company)
• WINNER: Witchlings – Claribel Ortega (Scholastic Press)
• You Only Live Once, David Bravo! – Mark Oshiro (HarperCollins)

The Song of the Swan, by Karah Sutton

The Song of the Swan, by Karah Sutton, illustrated by Pauliina Hannuniemi (middle grade, Oct 24, 2013, Knopf Books for Young Readers), is a magical, fairytale inspired mystery. The fairytales in this case are Swan Lake and Giselle, but there are undertones of other tales as well. 

It's the story of a young girl, Olga, who was taken in by a swindling crook after her mother's death.  She uses her strands of magic to craft illusions that make items of shoddy workmanship appear (to a small number of people) worth buying.  A strong and steadfast young man, Pavel, travels with them, and is Olga's only friend, although she is so hardened by her unpleasant upbringing that she takes him for granted.

When Olga hears of a mysterious castle, avoided by anyone with sense, that is home to an immensely valuable gem, she becomes determined to go looking for it.  And she and Pavel find it, and much to their surprise instead of being the ruin they were expecting it is full of light, with guests enjoying the ballroom dancing every night and all creature comforts readily available.  The lord of the castle is a gracious host.  

Olga is suspicious, but not quite suspicious enough at first; there's a magic at work, urging complacency, and Pavel falls almost completely under its spell. But still Olga, driven by the desperate need to find the gem, and achieve a comfortable independent life, persists in her hunt, following the strands of her magic through a twisted maze of evil.  Not only does she risk her friendship with Pavel, but she almost loses herself to the horribly dark magic of her host and the curse that has trapped all the other guests.  

Fortunately, she has help from the magical spider queen, who was the original grantor of threads of magic to mortals.  And fortunately, as well, she discovers she still has the ability to care for others.  (nb--although there are indeed spiders in the story, arachnophobes should be able to cope--they aren't monstrous). And although I predicted many of the twists, this did not make me less interested in see how things played out.

I really enjoyed seeing the plot unfold, and glad to see Olga become less ruthless and start to develop a moral compass, seeing beyond her own immediate desires.  If you like cursed castles (with lots of rooms full of stuff, which I personally like lots) and plucky youngsters unravelling curses, you will, like me, enjoy this one lots!

disclaimer: review copy received from the publisher.