Introduction Today, Kate Lundeen brings a review of one of my reviewer's debut novel! Lola Mae's middle grade fantasy, A Storm Inside Her, is the first book in a series. Review Wolf cubs Paloma and Tsunami each feel the pull of a legendary song. In part it reads "Daughters of the realms Find Haven Stop… Continue reading A STORM INSIDE HER REVIEW: Courageous Wolf Pups Unite the Realms
Introduction Ghost stories aren't normally the books I pull off a library shelf. However, reading Sandy Deutscher Green's novel-in-verse, The Haunting of Lake Lucy, has given me a new perspective in this genre. Published by Monarch Educational Press in 2024, it is a middle-grade spooky page-turner with a touch of fantasy. Publisher's Blurb Your new… Continue reading DIG INTO ‘THE HAUNTING OF LAKE LUCY’ A SPOOKY NOVEL IN VERSE
Introduction It's been almost two months since my update about OUT OF THE FLAME. I haven't made as much progress as I'd like since I'm also proposing and composing presentations. But, I am trying to fit in a few hours several days a week. Here's a quick summary of my story discovery process. What I… Continue reading OUT OF THE FLAME: DISCOVERING THE STORY
INTRODUCTION Kate Lundeen is back today, sharing her thoughts about Florence Migga's debut Upper MG/YA novel, The Summer Scrapbook. It’s wonderful to have a best friend! However, sometimes relationships with your besties can be a bit too close. Ava, Becca, and Cat are best buds. They usually spend every moment of their summer together. One… Continue reading Summer Adventures: Friendship and Growth in Young Adult Fiction
INTRODUCTION FROM REVIEWER, KATE LUNDEEN Today I am introducing The Barbary Chronicles: The Lost Prince by Bobbi Miller. This middle grade adventure takes place in San Francisco in the 1870’s. Here is the publisher’s description: Eleven-year-old Jack London holds her own among rascals, ruffians, and thieves in this rollicking adventure story set in 1870s San Francisco.Oliver Twist meets Deadwood in… Continue reading The Lost Prince: A Tale of Courage and Kindness
Introduction Sometimes history has a habit of blurring the lines between enemy and friend. This is true in Dana Vanderlugt’s WWII novel in verse, Enemies in the Orchard. Can a teenage Nazi and a farm girl learn to treat each other decently and allow a friendship to blossom? Review Claire De Boer is the hardworking daughter… Continue reading Exploring Kindness Amidst War: ‘Enemies in the Orchard’ Review
INTRODUCTION Island of Spies is a charming novel, perfect for middle grade readers looking for a coastal take on WWII. The author, Sheila Turnage, artfully captures the life of an average island family entwined in the realities of a brewing war. Her precise words paint vivid pictures in the minds of eager young readers. From the… Continue reading Unraveling Mysteries: The Dime Novel Kids in Island of Spies
INTRODUCTION Many years ago I read and enjoyed my fellow North Carolinian's book, The Ballad of Jesse Pearl. I was delighted to hear that the author, Shannon Hitchcock, had written a book that included Jesse as a character. Here is what Kate Lundeen had to say about Shannon's latest middle grade novel. REVIEW Head to… Continue reading Exploring Healing in Wild Mountain Ivy
INTRODUCTION There is an old saying, “Home is where the heart is”. The novel in poetic verse by VT Bidania, A Year Without Home, deals with the emotional toll of homesickness but also the positive power of learning to make the best of things no matter your home’s location. REVIEW Preteen Laos native, Gao Sheng, has special affection… Continue reading Finding Home: A Review of _A Year Without Home_
Introduction Havelah McLat pens a story of defeating the odds, courage, and the American immigrant dream in The Silent Journey. In 1932, Anika, a Ukrainian deaf youth, lives in a silent world. She can read lips and communicate via speech, but her deafness makes her speech awkward, and she feels lonely and misunderstood. Her Papa,… Continue reading The Silent Journey: A Deaf Immigrant’s Tale