INTRODUCTION I am most pleased to be back with a review of this wonderful middle-grade book I was sent recently — — Felicity Fire and the Forever Key by Leon Mitchell!! And oh my goodness, I loved this book so much!! It is fun and whimsical, and Act One is absolutely hilarious!!! (The description of the bullies and the… Continue reading Discovering Felicity Fire: An Enchanted Tale for Middle Grade Readers
It's been awhile since today's guest student reviewer Brooke White has shared a review on my blog. That's because she has moved on to reviewing books for The Center for Children's Literature at the Bank Street College of Education. Yay Brooke! From time to time, I will republish her reviews here. INTRODUCTION The biographical fiction… Continue reading Emotional Growth and Self-Image in Louder Than Hunger Review
REVIEW Tallulah the Mermaid and the Great Lakes Pledge (Sleeping Bear Press, 2025) is a sweet story about Tallulah, a mermaid who takes a pledge to serve the Great Lakes. Throughout the story, Tallulah faces challenges but faces them with bravery and even joy at the responsibility of preserving the lakes. One of the best parts is… Continue reading Tallulah the Mermaid: A Great Lakes Adventure
Introduction Donna Galanti takes her middle school audience on a coming-of-age adventure in her new book Loon Cove Summer (Wild Trail Press, 2025). This book also has the neat distinction of taking place on a loon lake and chapter headings contain cool facts about this special bird. Review Thirteen-year-old Sarah Richardson runs a lakeside campground with… Continue reading Loon Cove: A Touching Middle Grade Book Reviewed by Kate Lundeen
INTRODUCTION Hiking the Appalachian Trail is a bucket list item for many hikers. The Trail, by Meika Hashimoto, details one boy’s mission to conquer the Trail and accept the coming of age pains that he encounters as he matures. REVIEW Tony and his friend Lucas make a summer bucket list. The last item on the list… Continue reading Kate Lundeen Gives a Thumbs-Up to A Middle Grade Adventure: The Trail
INTRODUCTION It's been a few months since we've heard from blogger and young writer, Journey Bloomfield. Here she is with her thoughts on Havelah Mclat's YA fantasy, Dust and Crown. REVIEW I used to read a lot of fairy stories when I was a child, and this was such a nostalgic read for me. The… Continue reading Dust and Crown: Journey Bloomfield Gives this YA/Upper MG Novel a Thumbs-Up!
Version 1.0.0 INTRODUCTION Monarch Press proudly presents a new out-of-this world science fiction adventure called So, My Mom’s from Outer Space. As a mom of all boys, author Tennille Marie’s novel has middle school boy written all over it! The star of the story is a relatable young man on the cusp of the teen years… Continue reading So, My Mom’s from Outer Space–A Sparkling Review from Guest Blogger, Katie Lundeen
SUMMARY The Peach Thief, by Linda Joan Smith, is historical fiction about a young orphan girl named Scilla who lived in the woods. She would steal food to survive. One day Scilla climbed the Earl’s kitchen garden wall to steal a peach, and was caught by Mr. Layton, the head gardener. She was mistaken for… Continue reading The Peach Thief: A Middle Grade Book Gets a Thumbs Up from A New Guest Reviewer
In the last few weeks I've been delighted to share reviews by two precocious writers, Journey Bloomfield and Isabelle Knight. I first introduced them to you when Journey reviewed Isabelle's first book, Guardian's Heir, in her Enchantria series. Today, Journey and I celebrate Isabelle's completion of this series with the publication of The Last Hope.… Continue reading Author to Author: A Conversation Between Journey Bloomfield and Isabelle Knight
INTRODUCTION The King of Montréal by Daniela I. Norris, is a young adult historical adventure featuring Louis-Charles, the lost prince of France in the year 1800. REVIEW I have to admit, I had decidedly mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, there was a lot to like. However, it also had some problems,… Continue reading Exploring ‘The King of Montréal’: A Mixed Review