I have to admit that I am having trouble keeping up with my reading and the great books keep on coming in. Of course this week hasn't helped since I have been focused on starting my new career as a Thirty-One Consultant. I would love to have you shop my party this month and help me kick off my new career. There are wonderful choices for gifts and more! But back to my books. I have a large number of books to review and have not gotten through all of them, so I am going to share some with you today and I will admit that I have not finished them yet (but I don't have room on my review shelves for them either). These books are perfect for ages 7 to 12 so second through sixth grade. We will start with one that is perfect for Hispanic Heritage Month which ends on Monday. The book is Merci Suarez Changes Gear by Meg Medina.
Book Description:
Merci Suarez knew that sixth grade would be different, but she had no idea just how different. For starters, Merci has never been like the other kids at her private school in Florida, because she and her older brother, Roli, are scholarship students. They don’t have a big house or a fancy boat, and they have to do extra community service to make up for their free tuition. So when bossy Edna Santos sets her sights on the new boy who happens to be Merci’s school-assigned Sunshine Buddy, Merci becomes the target of Edna’s jealousy. Things aren't going well at home, either: Merci’s grandfather and most trusted ally, Lolo, has been acting strangely lately — forgetting important things, falling from his bike, and getting angry over nothing. No one in her family will tell Merci what's going on, so she’s left to her own worries, while also feeling all on her own at school. In a coming-of-age tale full of humor and wisdom, award-winning author Meg Medina gets to the heart of the confusion and constant change that defines middle school — and the steadfast connection that defines family.
Thoughtful, strong-willed sixth-grader Merci Suarez navigates difficult changes with friends, family, and everyone in between in a resonant new novel from Meg Medina.My Review:
This book has it all--the typical coming of age things like dealing with friends, dealing with classmates, and family. Add in issues with her grandfather's health and it grows to the years of trouble we call middle school. I love the story and the setting and think it is perfect for girls who are coming of age and starting to notices the differences in themselves and their friends.
Got chills? Babysitting can be a real nightmare in this spooky middle grade series!
For Rebecca Chin, babysitting has always been fun. But one night, a thunderstorm knocks the power out while she’s watching baby Kyle, and creepy things begin to happen in the house. A locked window opens by itself, mossy handprints streak the wall, and the baby begins acting strange. When she finds out that no one else in town was affected by the storm, Rebecca begins to wonder if something supernatural is going on.
Fellow sitters Tanya, Clio, and Maggie help Rebecca unravel the mystery, only to discover something unbelievable. A sinister, paranormal villain has taken the baby and replaced him with a changeling! The girls can save him—if they can survive a scary journey into the Nightmare Realm!
My Review:
Ok Babysitting Nightmares: The Shadow Hand by Kat Shepherd is not for the faint of heart. I have not shared it with Hazel yet and am not sure I will. I imagine it giving her nightmares. It is spooky and creepy among other things. However for the kids who love scary things it is perfect. It is an interesting read and has great multicultural characters. Something to definitely check out.
Book Description:
On the night that Aunty dies, the raggedy witches come for Mup’s family. Pale, cold, and relentless, the witches will do anything for the tyrannical queen who has outlawed most magic and enforces her laws with terror and cruelty — and who happens to be Mup’s grandmother. When witches carry off her dad, Mup and her mam leave the mundane world to rescue him. But everything is odd in the strange, glittering Witches Borough, even Mam. Even Mup herself. In a world of rhyming crows, talking cats, and golden forests, it’s all Mup can do to keep her wits about her. And even if she can save her dad, Mup’s not sure if anything will ever be the same again. First in a new trilogy by Irish author Celine Kiernan, this tale of family and forbidden magic charts a fresh path through the landscape of beloved fantasy tradition — and promises to bewitch any reader in search of stories to love.
When witches kidnap her dad, Mup is swept up in a wild tide of magic that carries her to another world. Can she reunite her family and find her way back?
My Review:
Begone the Raggedy Witches by Celine Kiernan has strangeness and creepiness but somehow makes it seem a bit normal. Mup struggles to figure things out and the story of family and love as well as adventure and magic are there. It makes you want to read more and learn more. I am looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.
Book Description:
Cancel your dinner plans and dig into Thundercluck! by Paul Tillery IV and Meg Wittwer. This is the first book in a hilarious new series stuffed with Norse mythology, black-and-white illustrations by the dozen, and a superhero chicken ready to ruffle some feathers.
When danger calls . . . BAGAW! calls back!
An evil chef faces off against the god Thor, and a hen's egg is caught in the crossfire. It hatches into a powerful chick called Thundercluck, beloved by the gods but a target for evildoers everywhere. When the Under-Cook threatens to make everyone into rotisserie, there's only one chicken who can scramble his scheme.
Thundercluck! Half mortal. Half god. All-natural chicken.
My Review:
Thundercluck! by Paul Tillery IV and Meg Wittwer is as hilarious as it sounds. It is fun and has Norse mythology mixed in. It will have the middle grade readers laughing hysterically and still learning about mythology, so it can't be that bad. I however am not sure that Hazel would really like this book. It is a bit out of her favorite range due to the whole chicken being half god and half mortal. But it is a fun book to check out. For more books with mythology check out these reviews.
Book Description:
It’s been five years since Livy and her family have visited Livy’s grandmother in Australia. Now that she’s back, Livy has the feeling she’s forgotten something really, really important about Gran’s house.
It turns out she’s right.
Bob, a short, greenish creature dressed in a chicken suit, didn’t forget Livy, or her promise. He’s been waiting five years for her to come back, hiding in a closet like she told him to. He can’t remember who—or what—he is, where he came from, or if he even has a family. But five years ago Livy promised she would help him find his way back home. Now it’s time to keep that promise.
Clue by clue, Livy and Bob will unravel the mystery of where Bob comes from, and discover the kind of magic that lasts forever.
Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead, two masterminds of classic, middle-grade fiction come together to craft this magical story about the enduring power of friendship.My Review:
This book is Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead with illustrations by Nicholas Gannon. This book has some interesting twists in it. I unfortunately have not gotten very far in it, but the characters are well developed and there certainly is a mystery to solve. I feel it would capture the imagination of many readers.
Book Description:
Avani has found the one place in the universe where she fits in: Star Scouts. The League of Lasers is the second volume of this action-packed graphic novel series by Mike Lawrence.
During a troop meeting, a robot messenger delivers Avani some exciting news: she has been invited to join a secret society of elite scouts known as the League of Lasers. She is eager to join their ranks, but first she has to survive her initiation challenge.
Stranded on an uncharted planet, Avani must contend with the methane atmosphere, hostile frog-like inhabitants, and her dwindling supplies of food and water. But even worse: her arch nemesis, Pam, is stranded there, too.
My Review:
This graphic novel is recommended for ages 8 to 12. I will admit I haven't really read this one. Graphic novels are not really my thing, however I know the kids love them. This one has space, aliens and adventure. It looks like a fun one to check out! For more graphic novels check out our reviews.
Something is frightening the people of Crong—something with long, sharp teeth, seven eyes, and an appetite for goats. The monster's name is the Voolith, and it won't stop until it has gobbled up everything in its path! When news reaches Edwinland, King Edwin decides he must cross the wilderness and defeat the Voolith in single combat. Even if he doesn't quite know what "single combat" means.
This next King Flashypants adventure has it all—jousting, evil plots, mini golf, fire-breathing toads, and hilarity at every turn.
My Review:
As with the first King Flashypants book, I had trouble getting into King Flashypants and the Creature from Crong by Andy Riley. It is just not my genre nor is it Hazel's. However the story has adventure and humor and I know there are kids who will love it. It is well written and illustrated and just is fun and humorous book with that stupid kind of humor that I just don't go for.
Book Description:
Get expert insights from National Geographic explorer and volcanologist Arianna Soldati in this lava-hot book, exploding with the most up-to-date geological intel straight from the field.
Plunge deep beneath Earth's crust to find out how volcanoes form. Get up close to clouds of ash and molten lava. Learn about the biggest, most extreme volcanic eruptions to date. On the hunt for incredible volcanoes, you'll travel around the globe, dive into the depths of the oceans, journey into space...and so much more!
History's most famous volcanic eruptions are all included: Mount Vesuvus, Mauna Loa, Stromboli, Mount Etna, Olympus Mons, and more. With special features, sidebars, wacky trivia, and more, it's the ultimate book to help YOU become an absolute expert on one of your favorite subjects.My Review:
Another book in the National Geographic Kids Series Absolute Expert. This one is Absolute Expert Volcanoes by Lela Nargi with Arianna Soldati. This book has amazing pictures and so much information. It is perfect for a science unit on volcanoes or just because a child is interested in them. There are activities throughout including building a rock collection and matching quiz on lava flow. I love how these books provide so much information and learning in such a fun way.
Book Description:
Zombie alert! Meet the real-life monsters of the animal kingdom and explore the gory, gross, and creepy behaviors these creatures have honed in order to survive.
Do monsters really exist? Find out for yourself in this fun-filled book, featuring some real-life wonders of nature: zombifying parasites, bloodsucking vampires, aliens, sea beasts, ghosts, and more. Discover more than 50 creatures with unusual talents, find out what makes each animal tick, and whether they are truly "monsters" after all. Features include eye-popping photography, spine-tingling scientific info, the most up-to-date research, and fun facts for extra knowledge. You'll also meet the "Mad Scientist" experts who study these creatures, explore the creepy origins of their mythical counterparts, and learn how these spooky adaptations help them survive.
My Review:
Well Geographic Kids has the perfect book coming out for Halloween. This book is being released next week. It is Animal Zombies! by Chana Stiefel. This book may just give you that creepy crawly feeling. Its chapters are titled: The Living Dead, Bloodsuckers, Creeps from the Deep, Animal Aliens and Animal Monster Mash. Doesn't it sound perfect for Halloween? It shares information and photographs of all sorts of mostly unknown animals--bugs, parasites and more that will have your blood curdling. A must check out if your child is brave enough.
Book Description:
Curious kids itching for real-life Indiana Jones-like intrigue will get swept away with the next book in this spine-tingling series about solving puzzles of the past--from whole civilizations that have vanished to mystifying monuments and urban legends.
Fans of Night at the Museum and the Indiana Jones saga will be fascinated by these real-life mysteries: Is there any truth to the legend of Bigfoot? Why have planes and ships suddenly disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle? Is there really a lost city of gold in the jungle of Central America? The next book in this exciting new series will cover even more of history's most fascinating head-scratching conundrums, including the curse of the Hope Diamond, King Tut's tomb, black holes, the puzzling disappearance of ancient civilizations, cryptic creatures of myth and legend, long-lost treasure, and so much more. Kids can dig into these mysteries, uncover clues, and ponder leading scientific theories to help decipher what really happened. Chock-full of cool photos, fun facts, and spooky fun, this book is sure to keep curious kids engaged as they try to piece together these puzzles of the past!My Review:
This one is right up Hazel's alley. She loves mysteries and history!! The book is History's Mysteries: Freaky Phenomena by Kitson Jazynka. This book has it all: Creepy Creatures, Vanishing Acts, Unexplained Occurrences, Strange Sites, Unusual Objects, Curious Curses, and Unnatural Nature. Can you child solve these real-life mysteries? They can at least learn about them and see if they have some guesses. What a fun book with amazing photographs and interesting stories.
Book Description:
In Be Prepared, all Vera wants to do is fit in—but that’s not easy for a Russian girl in the suburbs. Her friends live in fancy houses and their parents can afford to send them to the best summer camps. Vera’s single mother can’t afford that sort of luxury, but there's one summer camp in her price range—Russian summer camp.
Vera is sure she's found the one place she can fit in, but camp is far from what she imagined. And nothing could prepare her for all the "cool girl" drama, endless Russian history lessons, and outhouses straight out of nightmares!
My Review:
This graphic novel, Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol, is suggested for ages 10 to 14. It is a book for girls at that age where fitting in is hard and it is all anyone wnats to do. Where does one find her own place. I will admit I didn't read much of this one. Again I don't really like reading graphic novels, but the kids sure do. I know this is one that girls will love. It is about coming of age and learning who you are in graphic novel form.
So there is today's round-up of middle grade books. I hope you will check them out!!
