REVIEW Monarch Publishing welcomes a new middle grade novel to the reading repertoire called Angels in the Sand by Lori Keating. This novel is a touching story about a contemporary family choosing joy amid hard circumstances. Jess and her mother Darlene make the annual East Coast trek to Grandma’s house during the Christmas holidays. Jess and Grandma… Continue reading Angels in The Sand: A Great MG Review by Kate Lundeen
Share Faire Famous by Stephanie Henson is the perfect balance between a lighthearted, entertaining story and addressing deeper themes such as bullying. With the start of sixth grade quickly approaching, Marshall Hope has a lot to be anxious about. He’s been internet famous since his mother posted baby pictures of him on an app called Share… Continue reading Share Faire Famous: A Fine Book Review by Kathryn Dover
Audience: 6th – 9th graders In Three Words: poetic, empathetic, clear-eyed One Sentence Synopsis: Cayenne’s family begins to fracture after they abandon their nomadic lifestyle and settle in a small town. Final Verdict: 4.5/5 stars REVIEW Unsinkable Cayenne is a new take on a classic coming-of-age story perfect for middle schoolers who are ready to take on a… Continue reading UNSINKABLE CAYENNE: An Outstanding MG Book Review by Elliott Kurta
New from Monarch Publishing! A middle grade fantasy novel entitled Children of The Ancient Heroes: Dreams and Nightmares by Russell Fellows. I grew up wishing that literary worlds like Narnia or Middle Earth were real places to explore. Fellows addresses this type of wanderlust. What if fantasy characters were social outcasts and had important roles to fulfill… Continue reading CHILDREN OF THE ANCIENT HEROES: A Remarkable Review by Kate Lundeen
By the time you read this, I hope to be well on the road to recovery from pneumonia. Getting sick got my attention. I had to rest! I put aside my pile of revisions for Half-Truths courtesy of my mentor, Joyce Moyer Hostetter, but I didn't put aside the "thinking about" process that all writers experience. I'm re-reading Blue Willow by Doris… Continue reading Blue Willow -PART III: Comments on a Surprisingly Influential Book
REVIEW A is for Asian American: An Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Alphabet written by Virginia Loh-Hagan and illustrated by Tracy Nishimura Bishop, (Sleeping Bear Press) is a delightful book packed with facts about Asian culture. Each page features a letter from the alphabet, accompanied by engaging rhyming text and historical, cultural information in the sidebar. In the opening… Continue reading A is For Asian American: Read this Awesome Book Review by Lori Keating
I'm happy to introduce a new young book reviewer to you. Lucie B. read Riley Cross's new chapter book, THE SWAMP OF DOOM: The Cursed Champions Club Book One. (Monarch: 2024) and here's what she thought. REVIEW This story presents a girl named Blip (short for Bad Luck Princess) who lives in a small, mythical… Continue reading The Swamp of Doom: A Review by Lucie B., a New Guest Blogger
A review of Nancy Stewart's new MG novel, ME AND THE MISSOURI MOON.
A rising junior and a rising fourth grader review Sandy Whiting's young middle-grade book, MEATBALL MAN HEAD DETECTIVE
Mara Scudder reviews a running, friendship book, KEEPING PACE.