Category: Middle Grade
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Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways
Castle in the Air (Howl’s Moving Castle, #2)House of Many Ways (Howl’s Moving Castle, #3)By: Diana Wynne JonesMy Rating: Four out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up A magical gem of a story! Howl’s Moving Castle was published in 1986, and Castle in the Clouds was published in 1990. House of Many Ways was…
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Almost Super: Super in every way!
Almost SuperBy: Marion JensenMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: All Ages Super in every way! It’s this reading dad’s favorite time of the school year, when our school district picks a book and gifts a copy to each family with students in grades K-4. They provide a reading schedule, and our entire community…
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Howl’s Moving Castle: A Bit Odd, A Bit Fun
Howl’s Moving CastleBy: Diana Wynne JonesMy Rating: Four out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up A little bit odd, a lot bit fun I’ve been hearing about Howl’s Moving Castle for years, so I figured it was time to give it a try. I’m glad I did! Howls Moving Castle is an enchanting story…
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The Parasite: Michael Vey is Back! Wait…why is Michael Vey back?
The Parasite (Michael Vey, book 8)By: Richard Paul EvansMy Rating: Three out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up Michael Vey is Back! Wait…why is Michael Vey back? I have some great Michael Vey memories! The series ended in 2017 in a mostly happy place, and while book 7 fell a bit flat with a…
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Empty Smiles: Who loves creepy clowns? (ME!)
Small Spaces (Small Spaces, book 1)Dead Voiced (Small Spaces, book 2)Dark Waters (Small Spaces, book 3)Empty Smiles (Small Spaces, book 4)By: Katherine ArdenMy Rating: Four out of five starsBest for: 12 and up Those clowns are the creepiest of all! I know Katherine Arden best from The Winternight Trilogy, her fantastic historical fantasy series set…
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How to Train Your Dragon: Excessive Fun Warning!!!
How to Train Your DragonBy: Cressida CowellMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 10 and under Warning: You will have excessive fun and be forced to laugh out loud. Read at your own risk. I read (and ADORED) The Wizards of Once by Cressida Cowell, so I shouldn’t be surprised that How to Train…
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Jed and the Junkyard War: So much potential…
Jed and the Junkyard War (Jed and the Junkyard War, book 1)Jed and the Junkyard Rebellion (Jed and the Junkyard War, Book 2)By: Steven BohlsMy Rating: Three and a half out of five starsBest for: 10 and up So much potential… Jed and the Junkyard War and Jed and the Junk Yard Rebellion are super…
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#BookScavenger: Where was this when I was 11?
Book Scavenger (Book Scavenger, #1)The Unbreakable Code (Book Scavenger, #2)The Alcatraz Escape (Book Scavenger, #3)By: Jennifer Chambliss BertmanMy Rating: Four out of five starsBest for: 10 and up Where was Book Scavenger when I was 11? Books about books are IT! This charming and well-written trio of middle grade stories are a book nerd’s dream…
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#Holes: A story worthy of its accolades
HolesBy: Louis SacharMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 10 and up A story worthy of its accolades I feel like I’ve known Louis Sachar my whole life. Sideways Stories from Wayside School was one of the first stories I remember really enjoying for the fun of reading. Sideways stories and it’s sequels were…
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#DarkWaters: More creepy fun!
Dark Waters (Small Spaces, book 3)By: Katherine ArdenMy Rating: Four out of five starsBest for: 12 and up What!? An unexpected cliffhanger!!! I know Katherine Arden best from The Winternight Trilogy, her fantastic historical fantasy series set in long ago Russia. It’s a wonderful story, full of with amazing characters, connections to myths and traditions,…
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#DeadVoices: Go SCARE yourself!
Dead Voices (Small Spaces, book 2)By: Katherine ArdenMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: 12 and up If this is middle grade, why was I so freaked out?! I know Katherine Arden best from The Winternight Trilogy, her fantastic historical fantasy series set in long ago Russia. It’s a wonderful story, full of amazing…
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#Dragonwatch: Dragons are the bacon of books
Dragonwatch (Dragonwatch #1)Wrath of the Dragon King (Dragonwatch #2)Master of the Phantom Isle (Dragonwatch #3)Champion of the Titan Games (Dragonwatch #4)Return of the Dragon Slayer (Dragonwatch #5) (*Haven’t read this one yet! Releases in 3 more weeks!)My Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: All ages! Independent readers 10 and up And you though Fablehaven…
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#TheEnchantedForestChronicles: The Series That Was Written in Reverse!
Dealing with Dragons (The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book 1)Searching for Dragons (The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book 2)Calling on Dragons (The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book 3)Talking to Dragons (The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, Book 4)By: Patricia C. WredeMy Rating: Four out of Five StarsBest for: All ages. Independent Readers 10 and up. The Enchanted Forest Chronicles was…
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#TheWizardsofOnce: Unexpected Magical Brilliance!
The Wizards of Once (The Wizards of Once, Book 1)Twice Magic (The Wizards of Once, Book 2)Knock Three Times (The Wizards of Once, Book 3)Never and Forever (The Wizards of Once, Book 4)By: Cressida CowellMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: Advanced independent readers 10 and up or reading aloud to the whole family!…
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#FloraAndUlysses: We loved it! (Mostly…)
Flora and Ulysses: The Illuminated AdventuresBy Kate DiCamilloMy Rating: Four out of Five StarsBest for: 10 and up The littles and I just finished the 2014 Newbery Medal winner: Flora & Ulysses! I love everything from Kate DiCamillo, so expectations were pretty high. We loved it! (Mostly…) Here are five reasons we loved Flora &…
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#TheWildRobot: Why Didn’t I Think of That?
The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot, Book 1)By: Peter BrownMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Update Feb 2021Third time for me, first time with a new set if kiddos. I have nothing but praise for this book. I love it, the kids love it. Thank you Peter Brown for your amazing story! One note…
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A Book Club Guest Review of The Serafina Series
Serafina and the Black Cloak (Serafina, Book 1)Serafina and the Twisted Staff (Serafina, Book 2)Serafina and the Splintered Heart (Serafina, Book 3)Serafina and the Seven Stars (Serafina, Book 4)By: Robert BeattyReviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS!Best for: 10 and up Looking for an exiting fantasy mystery? You HAVE to read Serafina!Guest review by Gisele,…
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#Serafina: Creepy Fun for the Pre-Teen Crowd
Serafina and the Black Cloak (Serafina, Book 1) Serafina and the Twisted Staff (Serafina, Book 2) Serafina and the Splintered Heart (Serafina, Book 3) Serafina and the Seven Stars (Serafina, Book 4) By: Robert Beatty My Rating: Four out of Five Stars Best for: 10 and up Feb 2021 Re-Read My 11-year-old has a new…
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#DragonandThief: Dragons in Space–Finally!!!
Dragon and Thief (The Dragonback Series, Book 1)Dragon and Soldier (The Dragonback Series, Book 2)Dragon and Slave (The Dragonback Series, Book 3)Dragon and Herdsman (The Dragonback Series, Book 4)Dragon and Judge (The Dragonback Series, Book 5)Dragon and Liberator (The Dragonback Series, Book 6)By: Timothy ZahnMy Rating: Three out of Five StarsBest for: 12 and up…
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A Book Club Guest Review of The Infinity Ring Series
A Mutiny in Time (The Infinity Ring, Book 1) by James DashnerDivide and Conquer (The Infinity Ring, Book 2) by Carrie RyanThe Trap Door (The Infinity Ring, Book 3) by Lisa McMannCurse of the Ancients (The Infinity Ring, Book 4) by Matt de la PenaCave of Wonders (The Infinity Ring, Book 5) by Matthew J.…
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#Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow–Knock, knock, knocking on Harry’s door…
Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, Book 3)By: Jessica TownsendMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS!!!Best For: 12 and up I don’t know if there will ever be another Harry, although everyone’s always looking for it. After three books though, things are looking pretty great for Morrigan Crow. I don’t know what the future…
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A Book Club Guest Review of Short Stories from Hogwarts : of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies
Short Stories from Hogwarts : of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies (Pottermore Presents Book 1)By: JK RowlingReviewer Rating: FIVE out of FIVE StarsBest for: 10 and up Behind the scenes at HogwartsReview by Julie Hilton This is a collection of short stories about Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Sybill Trelawney and Silvanus Kettleburn. Behind the scenes…
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A Book Club Guest Review of The Five Kingdoms Series
Five Kingdoms seriesBy: Brandon MullReviewer Rating: Four out of five StarsBest for: 10 and up The Five Kingdoms Series by Brandon MullReview by: Russell, age 12 It’s about a boy who goes after his friends who was kidnapped on Halloween. And he ends up in the world called the outskirts. It’s not like any world…
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A Book Club Guest Review of Huckleberry Finn
Huckleberry FinnBy: Mark TwainReviewer Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 10 and up The boy who became a hero by doing what he thought was wrong.Review by: Kirsten Johnston Huck is wise in some of the dangers of life, such as alcoholic parents. He is a smart, smooth lier. But in other ways he…
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#FasterThanFalling: Hope you’re not scared of heights…
Faster Than Falling (The Skylighter Adventures, Book 1)By: Nathan Van CoopsMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS!Best for: 12 and up Nathan Van Coops has created a wonderful new story set in a wonderful new world. Faster Than Falling is a scyfy-pirate-steampunk-adventure, and it was a BLAST to read! On this world, the sky is…
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#WizardforHire: Magical fun–But what makes something magical?
Wizard for Hire (Wizard for Hire, Book 1) Apprentice Needed (Wizard for Hire, Book 2) Magic Required (Wizard for Hire, Book 3) By: Obert Skye My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars! Best for: Independent readers 12 and up, but great to read aloud with the whole family! The Wizard for Hire Trilogy wasn’t exactly…
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#ArtemisFowl: Hilarious, Magical Fun!
Artemis Fowl (Artemis Fowl, Book 1) The Arctic Incident (Artemis Fowl, Book 2) The Eternity Code (Artemis Fowl, Book 3) The Opal Deception (Artemis Fowl, Book 4) The Lost Colony (Artemis Fowl, Book 5) The Time Paradox (Artemis Fowl, Book 6) The Atlantis Complex (Artemis Fowl, Book 7) The Last Guardian (Artemis Fowl, Book 8)…
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#Fablehaven: If only it were real…
Fablehaven (Fablehaven, Book 1)By: Brandon MullMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS!Best for: All ages Yea for good books! The kids and I just finished Fablehaven last night. It was my second trip to Fablehaven, but the first for the my 10 and under crew. Did it deliver? Oh yes. They loved it! And how…
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#ArtemisFowl: The bad guys are the good guys and dwarves poop dirt.
Artemis Fowl By: Eoin Colfer My Rating: Four out of five stars Best for: 10 and up I guess I’m the boring one. I first read Artemis back in 2011. It was my young teen who recently read it and declared it “AWESOME” that prompted this re-read. That, and the upcoming, strait-to-Disney-Plus movie coming out…
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#Bob: Just one more chapter, PLEASE!
Bob By: Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead, Illustrated by Nicholas Gannon My (and the kids) Review: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best For: Everyone, and great to read aloud. The elementary kids and I just finished a big-hearted book with a little name–Bob, by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead. Bob is about an 11-year-old girl…
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#Wishtree: A book with a purpose
Wishtree By: Katherine Applegate My Rating: Four out of Five Stars Best for: 10 and up Wishtree… I didn’t like the beginning, but LOVED the ending. So Wishtree was net positive for me. Katherine Applegate has become known for middle-grade books with a purpose. She’s given us a kids-eye-view on immigration, treatment of animals, and…
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#Crenshaw: Try spending a few pages in someone else’s shoes…
Crenshaw By: Katherine Applegate My Rating: Four out of Five Stars Best for: Middle Grades (9 and up) Crenshaw is a sweet story that will help middle-graders get outside themselves while they walk in someone else’s shoes for a few pages. Its simple prose and short chapters make it accessible, and it’s smart story and…
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#KeeperoftheLostCities: Middle-Grade quality for Middle Grade readers
Keeper of the Lost Cities By: Shannon Messenger My Rating: Three out of Five Stars Best For: All readers who can handle 500 pages Here’s a fun middle grade series…especially if you’re an actual middle-grader. Just look at all those 5-star ratings on Goodreads! The grown-up me was put off by a few (mostly) forgivable…
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#TheGooseGirl: Introverts, UNITE!
The Goose Girl (The Books of Bayern, #1) By: Shannon Hale My Rating: Four out of Five Best for: 10 and up I’ve always liked Shannon Hale, but this essay made me like her even more: What are we teaching boys when we discourage them from reading books about girls?. Not only is she cool,…
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Why I want my sons to read books about girls
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. By: Judy Blume My Rating: Five out of Five Stars I’m a dad. I want my sons to read books about girls. When I was eleven, I read “Are you there God? It’s me Margaret”. I remember the cover: I remember my favorite quote: We must–we must–we must…
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#Dragonrider: Dragons are the bacon of books
Fledgling (Dragonrider Chronicles, Book 1) Avian (Dragonrider Chronicles, Book 2) Traitor (Dragonrider Chronicles, Book 3) Immortal (Dragonrider Chronicles, Book 4) Savage (Dragonrider Legacy, Book 1) Harbinger (Dragonrider Legacy, Book 2) Legend (Dragonrider Legacy, Book 3) By: Nicole Conway My Rating: Four out of Five Stars Best for: 10 and up Now here’s a series your…
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#SmallSpaces: Scarecrows are CREEPY!
Small Spaces By: Katherine Arden My Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars Best for: 10 and up Katherine Arden wrote The Winternight Trilogy, which I LOVED. So I thought I’d give Small Spaces a try. It’s her first jump into middle grade and quite different from her debut effort. The verdict? Thumbs up! The sixth-graders…
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#TheSasquatchEscape: Big Foot, dragons, and read-aloud fun!
The Sasquatch Escape (The Imaginary Veterinary: Book 1) By: Suzanne Selfors My Rating: Four out of Five Stars Best for: 10 and under Our local school district selects one book each year and gives copies to every elementary student for a district-wide family reading month. There have been a few duds over the years, but…
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#Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow: Dialed to 11
Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, Book 2) By: Jessican Townsend My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Best for: 12 and up Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow is book 2 in a new upper-middle grade series. Book 2 was as good as book 1, and now I’m looking forward to book 3!…
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#Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #1): It’s Wunderous!
Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #1) By: Jessica Townsend My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Best for: 12 and up This is the first book in a new upper-middle grade series, and guess what? It was great! You think you have it bad? There’s no way your life is worse than Morrigan…
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#TheRuleofThree: The de-Evolution of Society
The Rule of Three (The Rule of Three, Book 1) The Fight for Power (The Rule of Three, Book 2) Will to Survive (The Rule of Three, Book 3) By: Eric Walters My Rating: Four out of Five stars Best for: 12 and up Imagine: Everything with a circuit board breaks. Thanos-snap instant. No warning.…
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#TheIronTrial: When I grow up I want to be Harry Potter
The Iron Trial (Magisterium #1) By: Holly Black and Cassandra Clare My Rating: Three out of Five Stars Best for: 10 and up This is another one of those that the target audience will enjoy, but the cynical grown-up part of me just can’t accept. Let’s just point out obvious #1: This book clearly and…
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#CharlieandtheChocolateFactory: God Bless Roald Dahl
Charlie and the Chocolate FactoryBy: Roald DahlMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars and all my loveBest for: Everyone God bless Roald Dahl. Imagination. Smiles. Laughter. Snuggles. Can we read tonight? Just one more chapter? Silly names. Silly words. Silly Candy. Silly voices. Daddy, I want an Oompa-Loompa. Golden tickets. Eatable. Chocolate river. Gum behind…
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#TheAbility: It’s awesome to the people that matter.
The Ability By: M.M. Vaughan My Rating: Three out of Five Stars Best for: 10 and up You know what I loved most about this book? All the passionately-positive reviews its received from an army of middle grade and junior high school fans. If they feel so strongly about The Ability, that’s all that matters.…
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#ThePenderwicks: Ah, the good old days…
The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy By: Jeanne Birdsall My Rating: Four out of Five Stars Best for: 10 and under Sweetness overload. That’s really what this book was. It’s a modern-day throwback to the days of simple things. You know…kids that make their own fun…
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Neil Gaiman 2 for 1: #FortunatelytheMilk and #OddandtheFrostGiants
Fortunately, the Milk Odd and the Frost Giants By: Neil Gaiman My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 10 and up Here’s a two for one book review special… Neil Gaiman…Bless him. Is he today’s greatest storyteller? He might be. My proof: Two short stories. 1) Fortunately, the Milk and 2) Odd and…
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#DragonRider: Lost in translation?
Dragon Rider By: Cornelia Funke My Rating: THREE out of FIVE stars Best for: 10 and up I wish all books about dragons were awesome. They’re not. Maybe there was something lost in translation from the original German…or maybe this is what the author intended. No idea. But either way, Dragon Rider disappointed me. I…
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#TheWitches: God Bless Roald Dahl (also, the kids smell like dogs’ droppings)
The Witches By: Roald Dahl My Rating: Five out of Five Stars Best for: Everyone The last time I read The Witches I was 10 and in the 4th grade. That I still remember it 30 years later is as much a testament to the book as it is to my 4th grade teacher who…
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#Leviathan: So, what else have I been missing?
Leviathan (Leviathan, Book #1) Bohemoth (Leviathan, Book #2) Goliath (Leviathan, Book #3) By: Scott Westerfeld My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars Best for: 10 and up I liked the Leviathan trilogy so much it made me wonder why I didn’t know about it before…and what else am I missing out on?! WWI alternative history,…
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#Leviathan: Why am I just now learning about this?
Leviathan By: Scott Westerfeld My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE Stars Best for: 10 and up This was one of those books you read and wonder why you didn’t know about it before. WWI alternative history, written for upper middle grade. A girl who pretends to be a boy to join the British air force.…
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#TheWildRobotEscapes (The Wild Robot #2): Get ready to tear and cheer!
The Wild Robot Escapes (The Wild Robot, Book #2) By: Peter Brown My Rating: FIVE out of Five Stars Best for: 10 and under April 2018 Peter Brown is very, very good. We loved…LOVED…The Wild Robot (Book #1). Here’s my original review. I say we: I read it myself, was blown away, then immediately started…
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#TheFiveKingoms: Good thing these books are fun…
The Five Kingdoms series By: Brandon Mull My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars Best for: 10 and up One thing’s for sure: Brandon Mull knows how to write for kids. Fablehaven. Beyonders. The Candyshop Wars. All winners. Five Kingdoms? Yep. It’s a winner–at least, it is if you can get past the annoying to…
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#SkyRaiders (Five Kingdoms, Book 1): Holding out hope…
Oh boy… I have a lot of love for Brandon Mull’s other series (Fablehaven, Beyonders, and The Candyshop Wars) so I’m going to be giving a lot of leeway here, but if this were the first time I’d read Brandon Mull I don’t know that I would be interested in reading anything else from him.…
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#Kenny&theDragon: The Dragon Wins!
Kenny & the Dragon BY: Tony DiTerlizzi My Rating: FOUR out of FIVE stars Best for: 10 and under Each school year, our school district picks one book and gifts a copy to each district family for a community read-along. It’s my favorite program! Sometimes the books are duds, but they generally do a pretty…
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#Bartimaeus Trilogy: Fun story, lame characters…
Series Review: The Bartimaeus Trilogy By: Jonathan Stroud Book 1: The Amulet of Samarkand Book 2: The Golem’s Eye Book 3: Ptolemy’s Gate My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars I recently was wildly impressed by Jonathan Stroud’s Lockwood & Co series. If you haven’t read that, you are missing out on some Harry…
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#TheAmuletofSamarkand, (Bartimaeus, #1): Looking for a hero…
The Amulet of Samarkand, Bartimaeus #1 By: Jonathan Stroud My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars I recently was wildly impressed by Jonathan Stroud’s Lockwood & Co series. If you haven’t read that, you are missing out on some Harry Potter sized fun. Go now. Fueled by the feeling I’d discovered something brilliant and new,…
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#Lockwood&Co: Freaky. Awesome. Freaky Awesome.
Lockwood & Co. Book 1: The Screaming Staircase Book 2: The Whispering Skull Book 3: The Hollow Boy Book 4: The Creeping Shadow Book 5: The Empty Grave By: Jonathan Stroud My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars I feel like Simon Cowell standing up to give my rare and reluctant standing ovation, but here…
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#TheScreamingStaircase (Lockwood & Co, #1): A new favorite series!
The Screaming Staircase (Lockwood & Co, #1) By: Jonathan Stroud My Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars Now here’s a new favorite series I can’t wait to share! It’s modern-day England, except for one thing: “the Problem.” Beginning around 50 years ago, ghosts inexplicably began to run rampant, disrupting lives of the living. These aren’t…
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#TheMiraculousJourneyofEdwardTulane: I can’t wait to read this to my kids!
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane By: Kate DiCamillo My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Now, that’s a story. I can’t wait to read it to my kids. Edward is a toy rabbit. He’s made of china and fur and is always dressed in the nicest clothes. His life is charmed. He’s beautiful and…
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#Lirael (The Abhorsen Trilogy, #2): Obviously, I missed something.
Lirael (The Abhorsen Trilogy, #2) By: Garth Nix My Rating: 3 stars out of 5 Huh. There are a lot of people who really love this book. Obviously I missed something. I found the plot tedious…which is understandable because NOTHING HAPPENS. I kept holding out for some big resolution at the end that would explain…
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#Sabriel (Abhorsen, #1): Unique Fantasy, Cool Magic, and Saving the World
Sabriel (Abhorsen #1) By: Garth Nix My Rating: Four out of Five Stars A young friend told me recently this was an all time favorite, so I wanted to check it out. The verdict: It’s good! Once I got past the author’s tendency to use overly dramatic descriptions for…everything, I found a unique story with…
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#MichaelVey: Shocking. Literally.
The Prisoner of Cell 25 Rise of the Elgen Battle of the Ampere Hunt for the Jade Dragon Storm of Lightning Fall of Hades The Final Spark By: Richard Paul Evans My Rating: Four out of Five Stars, except book 7–that one only gets three. What did I read during the summer of 2017? All…
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#TheChangelings: Down the Rabbit Hole
The Changelings By Christina Soontornvat My Rating: Three out of Five Stars The Changelings is a fun and simple stand-alone fantasy for young readers. There’s magic and mystery, danger and daring, love between sisters and love between friends, lot’s of fairies, and a happy (if a little odd) ending. I was glad I found it…
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#EarthmanJack is Back!
Earthman Jack vs. The Intergalactic Manhunt: Book 1 of the Conclave Trilogy Earthman Jack vs. The Ring of Fire: Book 2 of the Conclave Trilogy Earthman Jack vs. The Conclave of Corruption: Book 3 of the Conclave Trilogy By: Matthew Kadish Rating: Five out of Five Stars for all three You guys really need to…
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#Wonder: How to Change the World
Wonder By: R.J. Palacio My Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars My word, this is a wonderful book! Auggie wasn’t born perfect. He wasn’t even supposed to survive. His head didn’t come together right. His face makes children cry and adults flinch. He doesn’t have ears, his eyes are in the wrong place, and his…
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#TheLuckUglies 1-3: Boo-Ya! I lost my voice…
The Luck Uglies #1The Luck Uglies #2, Fork-Tongued CharmersThe Luck Uglies #3, Rise of the Ragged Clover By Paul Durham My rating: 5 of 5 stars Boo-ya. I just read all three books in The Luck Uglies series. I wish I had a bell to ring. Or a standing ovation to give. Maybe just start…
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#TheGirlWhoDranktheMoon: Magic. Whimsy. Love.
The Girl Who Drank the Moon By: Kelly Barnhill My Rating: Five out of Five stars Fantastical. Magical. Mysterious. Whimsical. Full of Light. Tragic. Sorrowful. Scary. Dark Happy. Exciting. Fun. Friends. Family. Love. The Girl Who Drank the Moon was a wonderful! The characters drew me in. The story kept me close. The message sealed…
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The Westing Game
5/5 stars The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin I’m always keeping my eyes open for smart books for young people. I was thrilled to read this little bit in the intro of The Westing Game, written by the book’s editor and friend to it’s late author: “She said that she wrote for the child in…
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The Wrath of Mulgarath (The Spiderwick Chronicles)
4/5 stars The Wrath of Mulgarath (The Spiderwick Chronicles) by Holly Black Two thumbs up for the Spiderwick Chronicles! Fun. Short. Beautifully illustrated. Fairies, unicorns, elves, trolls, dwarves, goblins–all your standard fantasy creatures get some spotlight. Hits the bulls eye for being content-accessible for their target audience without talking down to them. In my experience,…
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The Ironwood Tree (The Spiderwick Chronicles)
4/5 stars The Ironwood Tree (The Spiderwick Chronicles) by Holly Black Two thumbs up for the Spiderwick Chronicles! Fun. Short. Beautifully illustrated. Fairies, unicorns, elves, trolls, dwarves, goblins–all your standard fantasy creatures get some spotlight. Hits the bulls eye for being content-accessible for their target audience without talking down to them. In my experience, that’s…
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The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles Book 1)
4/5 stars The Field Guide (The Spiderwick Chronicles Book 1) by Holly Black Two thumbs up for the Spiderwick Chronicles! Fun. Short. Beautifully illustrated. Fairies, unicorns, elves, trolls, dwarves, goblins–all your standard fantasy creatures get some spotlight. Hits the bulls eye for being content-accessible for their target audience without talking down to them. In my…
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Lucinda’s Secret (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #3)
4/5 stars Lucinda’s Secret (The Spiderwick Chronicles, #3) by Holly Black Two thumbs up for the Spiderwick Chronicles! Fun. Short. Beautifully illustrated. Fairies, unicorns, elves, trolls, dwarves, goblins–all your standard fantasy creatures get some spotlight. Hits the bulls eye for being content-accessible for their target audience without talking down to them. In my experience, that’s…
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The Seeing Stone (The Spiderwick Chronicles)
4/5 stars The Seeing Stone (The Spiderwick Chronicles) by Holly Black Two thumbs up for the Spiderwick Chronicles! Fun. Short. Beautifully illustrated. Fairies, unicorns, elves, trolls, dwarves, goblins–all your standard fantasy creatures get some spotlight. Hits the bulls eye for being content-accessible for their target audience without talking down to them. In my experience, that’s…
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#AlcatrazvstheEvilLibrarians: WARNING–FOR FANS OF SERIOUS FUN ONLY
Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians (Alcatraz, Book #1)The Scrivener’s Bones (Alcatraz, Book #2)The Knights of Crystallia (Alcatraz, Book #3)The Shattered Lens (Alcatraz, Book #4)The Dark Talent (Alcatraz, Book #5)By: Brandon SandersonMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE stars I am not a good person.My purpose is to show you the truth about me, and to prove…
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James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
5 stars out of 5 I’m a fan of Roald Dahl for my kids and yours. James and the Giant Peach always did make me feel a little bit sticky, though…
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The Mysterious Benedict Society
4/5 stars The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart It’s so hard to find really good middle grade books. In an effort to write a story that is “on their level,” most of them are poorly written, have overly simplistic plots, and canned, characterless characters. At last, I’ve found one that dares to assume…
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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3)
5/5 stars Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Harry Potter, #3) by J.K. Rowling August 2016 re-read: EXPECTO PATRONUM! My favorite scene. Goosebumps every time Originally read in 2001. What’s not to say about Harry? As a body, the 7 Harry books have to be in the discussion of all time best. ALL TIME…
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2)
5/5 stars Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Harry Potter, #2) by J.K. Rowling August 2016 re-read: My least favorite Harry Potter book. But, really, that’s like saying I like the left Twix better than the right Twix. Still brilliant. And this time around I found a lot more foreshadowing that I remembered during…
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s StoneBy: J.K. RowlingMy Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARSBest for: 10 and under, and independent readers 10 and up August 2016 re-read: I actually sighed with contentment when I finished… Originally read in 2001, and many times since. What’s not to say about Harry? As a body, the 7 Harry…
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The Swap
5/5 stars The Swap by Megan Shull I try to be a well rounded reader. I’m open to everything but zombies (gross) and romance novels (a different gross). So while this book is targeted for tween girls, I thought it sounded fun and I’m always on the look out for something to recommend to my…
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The Shadow Throne (The Ascendance Trilogy, #3)
3/5 stars The Shadow Throne (The Ascendance Trilogy, #3) by Jennifer A. Nielsen Fun story, boring everything else The Ascendance Trilogy wasn’t everything I hoped it would be. I was hoping for an exciting Middle Grade story with well-written characters and a strong plot. What I got was a moderately fun Middle Grade story with…
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The Runaway King (The Ascendance Trilogy, #2)
3/5 stars The Runaway King (The Ascendance Trilogy, #2) by Jennifer A. Nielsen Fun story, boring everything else The Ascendance Trilogy wasn’t everything I hoped it would be. I was hoping for an exciting Middle Grade story with well-written characters and a strong plot. What I got was a moderately fun Middle Grade story with…
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The False Prince (The Ascendance Trilogy, #1)
3/5 stars The False Prince (The Ascendance Trilogy, #1) by Jennifer A. Nielsen Fun story, boring everything else The Ascendance Trilogy wasn’t everything I hoped it would be. I was hoping for an exciting Middle Grade story with well-written characters and a strong plot. What I got was a moderately fun Middle Grade story with…
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Loot
4/5 stars Loot by Jude Watson When the bad guys are really the good guys… Welcome to the wonderful world of books, where kids can steal jewelry, be good at it, get away with it, avoid any consequences for breaking the law, and still be considered the good guys! That’s what happens in Loot–and I…
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Janitors (Janitors, #1)
3/5 stars Janitors (Janitors, #1) by Tyler Whitesides Still looking for a middle grade author who doesn’t underestimate their target audience… The story is simple, the idea is original and fun. G rated through out. I’m sure many 8-to-12-year-olds will enjoy it. I’m still on the lookout for awesome middle grade writing, though. Brandon Mull…
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The BFG by Roald Dahl
5 out of 5 stars. I’ve read The BFG many times, and I’ve loved it each time. Most recently I read it to my kids before we saw the recent movie. They loved it too–in fact, they still talk about it and quote it!
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The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
4 out of 5 stars. This one held the attention of my younger kids more than my older kids, but it’s too long for an early reader to tackle alone. So it’s a great read aloud. Watch out for the descriptions of Ivan’s memories of his parents being killed. I read those parts to my…
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The Unwanteds
2/5 stars The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann They must think kids are stupid… A cross between Harry Potter and The Hunger Games? Pa-leez. If I hadn’t been buddy reading this book with my son, I wouldn’t have finished it. And I NEVER don’t finish. Very poor writing, dimensionless characters, ridiculous plot. Won’t be reading…
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Earthman Jack vs. The Secret Army (The Earthman Jack Space Saga, #2)
5/5 stars Earthman Jack vs. The Secret Army (The Earthman Jack Space Saga, #2) by Matthew Kadish To Be Published on 9/15/15… Earthman Jack is Really, Really Cool… A while back, Hugh Howey—indie author extraordinaire and vocal advocate for self-published authors—shared a letter on his blog from some guy named Matt Kadish who had…
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The World According to Humphrey (According to Humphrey, #1)
5/5 stars The World According to Humphrey (According to Humphrey, #1) by Betty G. Birney This was the one district, one book selection my kids brought home from school to read together this year. I love this program, but usually the books they choose are either totally lame, completely boring, or both. (I’m looking at…
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The High King (The Chronicles of Prydain #5)
4/5 stars The High King (The Chronicles of Prydain #5) by Lloyd Alexander Series Review The Chronicles of Prydain is a classic fantasy series that has been sitting on my virtual “books-I’m-embarrassed-to-say-I’ve-never-read” shelf for too long. No longer. Done and done. There was a point right after reading the 2nd book, The Black Cauldron, where…
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Taran Wanderer (The Chronicles of Prydain #4)
4/5 stars Taran Wanderer (The Chronicles of Prydain #4) by Lloyd Alexander I’m so happy to have stuck with the early books in this series I was struggling with. There has been a wonderful improvement in the writing quality as the series moves on. It’s finally feeling like the choppy–even lazy–writing has stopped getting in…
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The Castle of Llyr (The Chronicles of Prydain #3)
3/5 stars The Castle of Llyr (The Chronicles of Prydain #3) by Lloyd Alexander I’ve decided that as long as I read from the point of view of a 10 year old I can endure–possibly even find entertainment–reading the Chronicles of Prydain. The third book, The Castle of Llyr, held my attention much better than…
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The Black Cauldron (The Chronicles of Prydain, #2)
3/5 stars The Black Cauldron (The Chronicles of Prydain, #2) by Lloyd Alexander This book has no clothes! Oh, wait…I’m getting my allegories mixed up. The emperor wasn’t wearing any clothes, but only a little girl had the sense to point it out. Or maybe she lacked the sense to keep it to herself. So…
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The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain #1)
3/5 stars The Book of Three (The Chronicles of Prydain #1) by Lloyd Alexander The Chronicles of Prydain keep coming up as another classic series I should have read but never did. The first, The Book of Three, is very simplistic in plot and device. I don’t know what kids expected in 1964, but I…
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The Graveyard Book
The Graveyard Book By: Neil GaimanMy Rating: FIVE out of FIVE STARS!Best for: 10 and up Delightfully Charming, Gaiman-ly Creepy… Me to my 13-year-old daughter: “I just finished a book you HAVE to read!” Daughter: “What’s it called?” Me: “The Graveyard Book.” Daughter: [Raises one eyebrow, initiates eye roll] Me: “It’s about a baby boy…
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#Coraline: Perfectly fun and kid-friendly creepy!
Coraline By: Neil Gaiman My Rating: FIVE OUT OF FIVE STARS! Best for: 10 and up Outstanding. A treasure. A pleasure. And creepy. Neil Gaiman is a treasure. Not only is he a brilliant author, but he’s also an advocate for literacy and is the source of some of my favorite quotes on the value…
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The Battle for Skandia (Ranger’s Apprentice, #4)
5/5 stars The Battle for Skandia (Ranger’s Apprentice, #4) by John Flanagan Best of the series so far… Book 4 finally lived up to the reputation for awesomeness the Rangers Apprentice series seems to have. The first three books were carried by a fun, easy going story, but held back by annoying quirks in writing…
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The Icebound Land (Ranger’s Apprentice, #3)
3/5 stars The Icebound Land (Ranger’s Apprentice, #3) by John Flanagan The Story Continues… More fun story, more lame writing. It’s driving my crazy how much these characters can read into a small nod of the head or a gleam in someone’s eye. But I’m a sucker for a good story, so on to book…
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The Burning Bridge (Ranger’s Apprentice, #2)
3/5 stars The Burning Bridge (Ranger’s Apprentice, #2) by John Flanagan A fun story with annoying writing… It’s a good thing I’m a sucker for a fun story, because this would be a very unhappy review if the story were as juvenile as the writing in this book. A lot of people love these books,…
One Man Book Club 