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
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
The book RAT by Jan Cheripko is an upper middle-grade/young adult novel offering a unique, first-person perspective of Jeremy, a disabled boy in high school. I would recommend this book for readers 11+ who can comprehend the use of mature language, suggestive dialogue, violence, abuse, and swear words. We start in a courtroom, with Jeremy a witness in a… Continue reading RAT: A Book Review by Tween Guest Blogger, Brooke White
REVIEWMy cousin, Mara, and I read A Sky Full of Song, by Susan Lynn Meyer, and we both found numerous flaws with both the story and the main character, Shoshanna, a young Jewish pioneer. We didn’t find her to be relatable or likable. The book drowned its own message with too many woke topics like… Continue reading A SKY FULL OF SONG: A Guest Review by Mara and Sophia Scudder PLUS a Giveaway
Long-time readers of my blog may remember that I am one of Nikki Grimes' many fans. In the past, I reviewed Ordinary Hazards, Between the Lines, and Words with Wings. Nikki's poetry sings and she captures the conflicts and emotions of adolescents beautifully.Garvey's Choice (WordSong, 2016) is no different. Except...it is different. Each of the 100+ poems which… Continue reading GARVEY'S CHOICE: A Middle-Grade Verse Novel and a Giveaway
REVIEWStella (Shadow Mountain, September 2022) is the story of a security service dog with trauma issues. Due to an error while sniffing out bombs at an airport, Stella’s handler was tragically killed in an explosion. Stella survived but is now afraid of everything. A kindly trainer takes her home and entrusts her to the care of her… Continue reading STELLA: A Middle Grade Book Review by Guest Blogger, Josie Murdock + A Giveaway
When I read Greg Pattridge's review of Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone, I recognized a book that Elliott, my teen guest blogger, would probably enjoy. As you'll see in his review, I was correct. Combining aliens, middle school, and bullying, Jennifer Chan Is Not Alone by Tae Keller is an insightful book with an important… Continue reading JENNIFER CHAN IS NOT ALONE– A Book Review by Guest Blogger, Elliot Kurta
Although I've never met Sundee Frazier in person, I feel as if I know her. When I first started researching Half-Truths, I read her autobiographical book, Check All That Apply: Finding Wholeness as a Multiracial Person (InterVarsity, 2002. The daughter of a white mother and a Black father, Sundee wrote candidly about her struggles to fit in, to feel accepted… Continue reading MIGHTY INSIDE: A Middle Grade Historical Novel Review and Giveaway
Congratulations to Susan Rice who won Memoirs of a Tortoise from last week's blog. ******Ever since August, I've been sharing Cat Michaels and Rosie Russell's co-publishing journey.… Continue reading JUST BETWEEN SAM AND ME: A Review and Giveaway
Congratulations to Jana Leah for winning Lights Out on last week's blog. Thanks for all the entries! **** Today I have a special treat for you. Cat Michaels, a fellow SCBWI-Carolina member, asked if I would help her and her co-author, Rosie Russell with the launch of their new middle-grade book, Just Between Sam and Me.… Continue reading Getting Started With Co-Authoring: A Conversation with Cat Michaels and Rosie Russell