Ghoulish Middle Grade

(Disclaimer: I have not actually read these.  Some have been read by my kids, some have not.)

(Received for review... for the most part)

Stick Dog Craves Candy
by Tom Watson
Stick Dog is quite popular at my house, so I'm sure this new trick-or-treat offering will be a welcome one.


The School for Good and Evil (series)
by Soman Chainani
I'm not actually super familiar with these, but they look really interesting.  I think, though, that Boo is a little past them and MeiMei's not there yet.... and they just aren't Mister's thing.  So not the right fit in our house at the moment.


The Supernormal Sluething Service: The Lost Legacy
by Gwenda Bond and Glenn Thomas
So, you know a book must look good when a kid who doesn't like fantasy AND doesn't like mystery.... scoops this up immediately, reads it, and tells you how good it was.  Seriously folks, it was weird.  If it had been Boo, that would have been completely normal, but MISTER went after this one.  I've not read it, but I'm already impressed.


Monsters Unleashed
by John Kloepfer
This one looks like a good fit for those who are on the diary-style kick.  So pretty much any latter-elementary aged kid, right?  What would you do if your monsters came to life?  Freddie has to figure it out.... fast.


Spirit Hunters
by Ellen Oh
This one looks CREEPY and is totally not my thing.  I didn't think my kids would care, but Mister took it from me to read, so there's that.  Then again, he still hasn't actually read it.... so there's also that.  If you've got an older one who's into creepy, take a look.

Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel by Megan Morrison

(Tyme #1)
5 stars
YF- emotionally complex, so maybe err on the side of older elementary

Wow.

That. Was. So. Weird.

(Seriously... I know I said Woman in the Wall was weird [it totally was] and Big Bad Fox.... but dang.)

But.  Weird does not equal bad.

And I couldn't actually find a reason not to give it 5 stars.

It is seriously emotionally complex... in a Stockholm Syndrome "dang people need therapy" kind of a way... but it's so well handled in the text.

(It's actually totally got a Star Wars arc going on-- naive hero, brooding bad guy, "maybe there is some good in you after all"....)

I'm shocked and impressed that this is a debut novel.

This is a retelling of Rapunzel, but it's not like any other retelling you've read.

(At least it's not like any I've read... if you find that it IS like one you've read, give me that title.)

Overall.  Read it.

Mary Anning's Curiosity by Monica Kulling

4 stars
JF
historical fiction

First let's talk about what this is not.

This is not an in-depth biography.

Really, it's not a biography at all.

It is not a deep work of nonfiction.

It would not be a good resource for a school project.

Okay, with that out of the way, here's what it IS--

A really cute, if brief, story...

about a fascinating figure....

a woman I'd never heard of.

Mary Anning helped her father find curiosities as a child.

And eventually found an ichthyosaur.

I got this for MeiMei (age 7) and I think she was just a titch on the young side of the perfect age.  It's a great introduction to a strong woman who was a paleontologist before the word existed.

And certainly before anyone would really give credit to a woman in such a field.

If you've got a youngish budding scientist, you really should give this a try.

(If you've got a kid looking for a subject for a biographical report, I would definitely suggest Mary Anning!)

The Woman in the Wall by Patrice Kindl

3 stars
YF

Holy Bizarro Batman.

This book was just.... so.... weird.

Some funny bits and interesting....

But yeah, mostly just crazy weird.

Dreams of Victory by Ellen Conford

4 stars
jf

You know, they don't write books like this anymore.

I'm not sure what exactly it was about this story of an ordinary girl doing rather incredibly ordinary things, but it was kind of a nostalgic read.

Because of that, I'm not entirely sure what kids today (who are used to today's books) would make of it.

But I enjoyed it.

And parts of it are just darn funny.

Princess Cora and the Crocodile by Laura Amy Schlitz

4 stars
JF (YOUNG JF)

It's a picture book.... wait it's a chapter book.

Hmm

It's a chapter book that's really more of a glorified picture book in that way that says "I'm perfect for kids who want chapter books but maybe aren't quite ready for them".

I've had mixed feelings about Schlitz's books in the past, but this one is fairly entertaining.

There's a pretty fabulous silly factor that's perfect for the target age.

And a decent message about how all work and no play is just not much of a childhood.

Overall, I enjoyed it.

Bring Me the Head of Ivy Pocket by Caleb Krisp

(Book the third)

5 stars
jf/yf

And we come to the end.

Which is sad, but it was a delightful and highly satisfying ending, so I'll take it.

This may well be my favorite of the three.

I don't even know what to say beyond that since I don't want to spoil a single delicious moment.

Just go read them already.

In order, though.

Don't start with this one.

Because wow would that be weird.

Anyone But Ivy Pocket by Caleb Krisp

(Ivy Pocket #1)
4 stars
jf/yf
(received for review)

Holy bizarre, Batman.

(See, it only took a week for the review.... I think.  When did I talk about these?  Who knows.)

Wow... that was....

I don't really know.

Kind of Neil Gaiman-ish....  Kinda Roald Dahl-ish.

In all the best ways.

My only complaint (aside from the main character's complete inability to see what's going on right in front of her... it's part of her charm) is that it felt like it dragged.

Not a ton, you understand, but a bit.

At any rate, if you want a totally kooky read, you should really try this one.

A List of Middle Grade-ish Things

(These are books we've received for review and kept... and my kids probably have read, or will read.... but I don't necessarily intend to do so myself.... but I'm telling you they exist.... 'cause I'm helpful that way.)

A Dog Like Daisy by Kristin O'Donnell Tubb
This story of a dog training to be a service animal for soldiers with PTSD is told from the dog's perspective as far as I can tell.  Looks like a really sweet story.

Marty Pants #1: Do Not Open! by Mark Parisi
Another new option for kids who are into the Diary of a Wimpy Kid style.  Looks pretty funny.

Planet Jupiter by Jane Kurtz
This one I hope to get to, but I'm listing it A) just in case and B) so that y'all don't have to wait that long to hear about it.  This is a coming of age-ish, finding family sort of a tale.

The Supernormal Sleuthing Service #1: The Lost Legacy by Gwenda Bond and Christopher Rowe
Look at that title-- what's not to love there??  (Unless you're my weird son who balks at fantasy in book form but spends ridiculous amounts of time playing basically fantasy-based games.  Whatever.)

Pixie Piper and the Matter of the Batter by Annabelle Fisher
I don't want to say the title aloud to often or too quickly, but this one looks fun.  Plus I think it has recipes.

Olga the the Smelly Thing from Nowhere by Elise Gravel
Another Diary-ish book, this one looks weirder and possibly for a younger audience.  Naturally it went straight to MeiMei.

Chester and Gus by Cammie McGovern
Another dog trying to be a service dog, again from the dog's point of view.  Looks cute.  Mister liked it, I believe.

King of the Bench: No Fear! by Steve Moore
Yet another Diary-ish style book.  About a kid who is the bench-warmer in every sport.  Always.  Looks silly but great for elementary school kids, especially boys.

Gabby Garcia's Ultimate Playbook by Iva-Marie Palmer
Interestingly-- given that this is a book about SPORTS and a GIRL-- Mister took this right away and read it.  And seemed to like it.  Weird.  Diary-ish again, about a baseball-obsessed girl trying to keep her win-streak going.

Saving Lucas Biggs by Marisa de los Santos David Teague

4 stars
jf
bookclub book
received for review

This was an interesting time travel/historical tale with shifting viewpoints.

I really enjoyed it, though I will say that a little tightening may have been good and the ending felt a little too pat for me.

But overall it's a great story about cause and effect and how to change the world.

There is some major injustice going on, but redemption is available.

Overall, a good read.  Give it a try.

The Dragon of the Month Club by Iain Reading

4 stars
jf/yf
received for review

The beginning of my "Month in which I will read ALL THE ARCs".

I'm rating them based on how many of my children the ARC is older than...

This one might actually not be older than anyone.  Shockingly.

Anyway.

A really fun concept with a beast of a cliff-hanger ending!

And so far there does not seem to be a sequel out there. :P

Four stars might be a bit of a rounding up, because it did have some editing/consistency issues, but it was an enjoyable (if sometimes predictable) adventure.

I should point out that Boo made off with this one when we got it (she was probably 10 or so) and devoured it.

She stole it again as soon as I finished it.

She loves it.

She's still mad there's no sequel yet.

Overall, lots of fun.

One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street by Joanne Rocklin

5 stars
JF
Great Reads for Kids (library program)

I'm not sure how this book never came across my radar.  I'd never heard of it when it came up as our monthly Great Reads book.

Which makes me grateful it did come up on that list, because otherwise I may never have been aware of it.

Which would have been a tragedy.

This sweet little "slice of life" accomplishes some pretty impressive depth in not too many pages... and only about 36 hours of storyline.

Peppered with friendship struggles, health concerns, common and not-so-common worries, family issues....  I was impressed at what the author was able to accomplish in just a day and a morning.

Flashing back to both the Great Depression and the Vietnam War (earning bonus points for picking time periods less commonly covered in kids' books), the author even manages to layer extra stories in.

Overall, I absolutely recommend this one.

The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart

3 stars

**While this is shelved as JF (middle grade) at my local library, parents should be aware there is some language, as well as the more obvious mature topics.

So, I saw a comment on a review for this on GoodReads that basically said "dying 12-year-olds don't use good judgement".

Yeah.

That about sums this one up.

I really struggled with the beginning.  I wasn't buying that Mark was only 12.  He came across as 15ish, at least to me.

And while that got better, I could just never really suspend disbelief far enough.

In some ways it's a touching story, and I'm not bothered that Boo read it.  I'm sure she got different things out of it as a 6th-grader than I did as an adult and a parent.

But while things did get better and I was more or less invested by the end and there were elements of "this is such a touching story".... meh.

Overall it just didn't work so well for me.

Framed! by James Ponti

A T.O.A.S.T. Mystery

5 stars
JF/YF

Boo LOVED this one.

And really, so did I.

Sherlock meets.... White Collar..... meets..... the Disney channel?

lol

Florian is 12 when he helps solve a major art theft and becomes a consulting detective for the FBI.

What's not to love, right?

Seriously, this was so much fun.

Highly enjoyable; highly recommended.

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L Holm

5 stars
jf

This was DELIGHTFUL.

Seriously, just such an enjoyable little book.

It's a quick read, but every so worth it.

This one has come up on my radar before... Boo read it quite a while back... but I hadn't gotten round to it.

I'm so glad it's this month's Great Reads pick at the library!

(It used to be Great Reads for Girls, and then the one library started doing an equivalent program for boys, but then there was a hullabaloo about discrimination, so now it's just Great Reads and I take both Boo and Mister the same night rather than different nights.  I have mixed feelings about the change and what it has done to the dynamic of the discussion, but whatever.)

Anyway.

Go read this.  Right now.  Just do.

Christmas Gift Guide (Even More) Middle Grade Edition

You didn't think I'd actually covered everything last week, did you?

Once again, these are books I haven't read (so many books, so little time) but like the look of.  We have received some for review, some my kids are getting for Christmas, etc.

Pax by Sarah Pennypacker
Maybe I'm just a sucker for that fox on the cover, but I really want to read this one.  It sounds a little "The Fox and the Hound".  This is actually in my "to read aloud to MeiMei" pile.

Like Magic by Elaine Vickers
To be totally honest, this story of friendship might not end up being Boo's cup of tea, but I like the looks of it and I'm going to push her to read it.  The main characters are 10, so this is probably a good choice for girls around that age.

Foxheart by Claire Legrand
A fantasy adventure for fans of Neil Gaiman and Diana Wynne Jones? Um, yes please!  I mean, that's a no-brainer, right?

Wing and Claw #1: Forest of Wonders by Linda Sue Park
Boo enjoyed this one.  She thinks other kids would like it. :)

Laugh Out Loud [blank] Jokes for Kids by Rob Elliott
What elementary student doesn't love a good joke book?  The [blank] there is because there are SO MANY of these.  Animal jokes, Spooky jokes, Christmas jokes, Holiday jokes, etc etc etc.  Seriously, just search the author on Amazon or something.  These are a great choice for any kid, but definitely a good idea for reluctant readers.

Lock and Key: The Initiation by Ridley Pearson
Sherlock and Moriarty reimagined.  Who could resist such a thing??

Also: Stick Dog.  I know, they look goofy, but I tell you they are well-loved around here.

Christmas Gift Guide Middle Grade Edition

(Also known as JF because that's what my local library calls it, lol)

Disclaimer-- I have not actually read any of these yet but I like the looks of them, have received some of them for review, and my kids are getting some of them for Christmas (shh, don't tell).

Kid President's Guide to Being Awesome by Robby Novak
My kids LOVE Kid President.  They love this book.  Good bet for elementary kids, especially the older ones.

Fancy Nancy: Nancy Clancy Seeks a Fortune by Jane O'Connor
This is the 7th in the series, so really you might want to start at the beginning (Nancy Clancy Super Sleuth) but these are a great choice for younger readers transitioning to chapter books.  They aren't terribly long, they're illustrated, and they're a familiar character.  Good for 1st-3rd grade-ish, especially kids who love the Fancy Nancy picture books.

My Weird School Fast Facts: Geography and Sports by Dan Gutman
(That would be 2 different books)  I don't know about you, but I've found that boys especially LOVE books of facts and trivia.  These books are a great choice for fans of the My Weird School series or kids who want to know things like why major league umpires are required to wear black underwear.  (I have no idea on that one.  Maybe I need to read it.)

Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson
This looks SO GOOD.  Recommended for later elementary probably.  This one looks a bit more serious, but I think Boo's going to enjoy it.  And you can bet I'll be stealing it from her pile to read it myself.

The School for Good and Evil: The Ever Never Handbook by Soman Chainani
I don't know a ton about this one, but I do know that things like this are crazy popular with the 4th-6th grade girl crowd right now.

Moo by Sharon Creech
Forget the kids, I want this one for me!  Two kids move to Maine and their parents "volunteer" them to work for an eccentric neighbor.  I am very much looking forward to this one.  (I'll definitely give y'all a full review once I've read it.)

Hamstersaurus Rex by Tom O'Donnell
This looks hilarious and right up Mister's alley.  Really, it's a hamster gone Godzilla-- what's not to love?

Also-- the Big Nate series.  I know I've talked about them before, but I'm talking about them again.  New this year: Big Nate Flips Out, Big Nate Doodlepalooza, and Big Nate Puzzlemania.  Mister would read little else if I let him.  An excellent choice especially for reluctant readers.

Beehives Part 3

Now we come to the chapter books-- the Children's Fiction category.

Appleblossom the Possum by Holly Sloan (We read this aloud together on a family vacation this summer and while it was a little weird, I liked it.  Boo and MeiMei liked it too... Mister was a little indifferent.)

Beast Keeper by Lucy Coats (We haven't read this one, but Mister wants to)

The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands (Boo really liked this one.)

Castle Hangnail by Ursula Vernon (Boo LOVED this one.)

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt (Oh my gosh, this book.  Loved it.  Mister describes it as awesome.  Boo does too.  Heartbreaking and heartwarming and ultimately beautifully hopeful.)

The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart (This one is noted as being for more mature readers.  Boo says it was good and it's told from two alternating viewpoints.  She also says it was sad.)

My Brother is a Superhero by David Solomons (Mister says "That. Was. Awesome. and absolutely recommends it.)

Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (Graphic novel.  Boo says it was really good and I've heard good things from others too.)

The War that Saved my Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (Noted as being for more mature readers.  Boo says it was good.)

Zane and the Hurricane by Rodman Philbrick (Noted as being for more mature readers. Boo says that while this wasn't really her thing she still enjoyed it.)

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

5 stars
JF

Weird and wonderful and quirky and heart-wrenching and heart-warming and....

Oh just go read it, would you?

This one did actually take me a little bit of time to get into, but ultimately I loved it.

Raven Queen by Pauline Francis

2.5 stars
YF

I so wanted this to be good.  It's totally my thing and I was excited to read it.

Meh.

It just.... wasn't.

I can't quite put my finger on why.... the writing is fine.  The story is interesting.

But it just didn't work.

I think my issue (at least in part) was the level of liberties taken with historical characters/events.  There just doesn't seem to be evidence to support this take on Jane and the half the book is from the perspective of an admittedly entirely fictitious character.

I don't know... it just didn't work for me.  I think the story would have been better either A) sticking closer to what we actually know about Jane or B) as complete fiction that maybe is very loosely based on an actual event.

Meh.