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Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter by Beth Fantaskey

51wysrnge2blI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter is a middle grade novel written by Beth Fantaskey. Its narrator and protagonist is Isabel Feeney, a ten year old girl who works as a newspaper girl working in 1920s Chicago. One evening, she witnesses one of her regular customers greet a man and walk into an alley. Seconds later, Isabel hears a gunshot, and when she rushes to the alley, Miss Giddings is standing in the alley, and the man is lying on the ground- dead.

Of course, it seems like Miss Giddings shot the man, who turns out to be a part-time gangster. Detective Culhane thinks that she did it, and so does newspaper reporter Maude Collier. But Isabel knows that her friend Miss Giddings is innocent, and she is determined to prove it. Isabel might have to work to help her single mother earn money instead of going to school, but she knows that she has what it takes to be a newspaper reporter- just like her idol Maude Collier. And so, Isabel Feeney sticks her nose where it doesn’t belong, all in the name of justice for her friend Miss Giddings. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Unicorn vs. Goblins: Another Phoebe and Her Unicorn Adventure by Dana Simpson

51mumeuihqlI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I might not have been familiar with the Phoebe and Her Unicorn series before receiving the opportunity to read this book, but my oldest daughter has read both of the other books in the series.   In fact, she was the one who sat down to read Unicorn vs. Goblins before I got the chance.

Phoebe and Her Unicorn is a graphic novel series by Dana Simpson featuring a young girl named Phoebe and her best friend, a magical unicorn named Marigold. Unicorn vs. Goblins contains several connected storylines, including a trip to music camp, the start of a new school year, and a showdown with those titular goblins. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Last Boy at St. Edith’s by Lee Gjertsen Malone

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I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I first heard about The Last Boy at St. Edith’s last summer when I began to follow author Lee Gjertsen Malone on Twitter. I knew that this was a book that I wanted to read, and I was very excited when I received an opportunity to read an advanced copy via Netgalley.

Jeremy Miner is a seventh grade student at St. Edith’s Academy. The school was coeducational for a few years, but all the other boys have moved away or transferred to other schools. Jeremy hates being the only boy at an all-girls school, but his mother will not allow him to transfer. So, Jeremy does what any reasonable person would do in this situation: he formulates a plan to get himself kicked out of school. He and his friend Claudia come up with a series of pranks, and while Jeremy tries to set guidelines about no one being humiliated or no property being damaged, things don’t always go according to plan. As Jeremy gets closer to achieving his goal, he realizes that his actions are affecting those around him- is this really what he wants? Read more

Posted on by Maureen

The Adventures of Lettie Peppercorn by Sam Gayton

51-cr4ri2tlI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I have a daughter who is eight years old. She is a voracious reader, so when I receive the opportunity to read a middle grade book, I often read it with her. We have discovered some lovely stories together, and it’s nice to be able to spend time with her one-on-one.

As soon as I saw The Adventures of Lettie Peppercorn, I had a feeling that my daughter would like it. This book was originally published in England under the title The Snow Merchant, and it was written by Sam Gayton.

Lettie Peppercorn is only twelve years old, but she is a formidable landlady in the town of Albion. Her Da is often at the local tavern, and her mother left over ten years ago. When a mysterious alchemist arrives with an incredible invention called “snow”, Lettie’s life changes forever. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

A Frozen Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick

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I found A Frozen Heart in the new arrivals section in the children’s room at my town library. I picked it up for my oldest daughter because I thought that she would like it. This is a middle grade novel written by Elizabeth Rudnick.

There are already several novelizations of the Frozen movie, so I was a little surprised to see this book. What sets A Frozen Heart apart from the others is that half the chapters are narrated by Anna and the other half are narrated by Hans. Read more

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American Girl Beforever Melody: No Ordinary Sound by Denise Lewis Patrick

71p00i80oflI found American Girl Beforever: No Ordinary Sound by Denise Lewis Patrick at the library. I was very surprised to find it because I didn’t even know that the book was available already. This is the first story featuring the new American Girl doll Melody Ellison.

Melody Ellison is a nine-year-old girl living in Detroit in 1963. She is the youngest of four children: her oldest sister Yvonne attends Tuskegee University, Dwayne loves to sing, and Lila is in middle school. Melody also has a dog named Bojangles. Read more

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Auggie & Me by R.J. Palacio

51ypc4llh4lI read Wonder a couple of years ago, and absolutely loved it. This middle grade book shows up on the summer reading list every year, and has become a modern children’s classic. Wonder tells the story of Auggie, a young boy with a craniofacial abnormality. He has been homeschooled for his entire life because of his numerous surgeries and procedures, but he wants to attend a regular school. He starts fifth grade at a small private school in Manhattan, and Wonder is the story of what happens during that fifth grade year. It’s told from multiple perspectives: Auggie, his older sister, his classmate Summer, etc.

Author R.J. Palacio has assembled a collection of three “Wonder Stories”. They were originally released on the Kindle as “Kindle Singles” which could be purchased separately, but last fall, they were released together in one hardcover book as Auggie & Me. Read more

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When Mischief Came to Town by Katrina Nannestad

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I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

My oldest daughter is eight years old, and her little sisters are six. They love reading books, and when I received the opportunity to read When Mischief Came to Town, I knew that they would like it as well. We read a chapter or two every night for a couple of weeks, and they were absolutely enthralled.

When Mischief Came to Town was written by Katrina Nannestad. This is the story of a little girl named Inge Maria, who leaves her life in Copenhagen behind to travel to the island of Bornholm to live with her grandmother following the death of her mother. Inge Maria is a spirited girl, who looks for whimsical moments in her everyday life. This is a stark contrast to the quiet and predictable routine that her grandmother is used to, and at first, it doesn’t seem like Inge and her grandmother are a good match for each other. But as Inge adjusts to life on Bornholm, her joie de vivre proves to be contagious and affects everyone she encounters. Read more

Posted on by Maureen

Alistair Grim’s Odd Aquaticum

51oscmk57clI received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading Gregory Funaro’s Alistair Grim’s Odditorium, so I was very excited about the opportunity to read the sequel- Alistair Grim’s Odd Aquaticum. Before I begin, I’d like to mention that you should really read the first book in the series before reading Aquaticum. Funaro does an excellent job with exposition at the beginning of the book, so the savvy reader can glean the basics of what happened in Odditorium. But the plot twists and big revelations in Aquaticum are so much more meaningful if you have read Odditorium. Read more

Posted on by Maureen · 3 Comments

The City of Light (Secret of the Tirthas) by Steve Griffin

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I received a review request from author Steve Griffin regarding his novel The City of Light. I was intrigued by the premise, and so I happily agreed to the request in exchange for an honest review.

The City of Light is the first book in The Secret of the Tirthas series. As the story begins, Lizzie Jones is settling into her new home; her great uncle has died, and left her mother his property. Lizzie, whose father died in the previous year, is ambivalent about country life, but she is drawn to the elaborate gardens. She discovers that one particular statue in the garden serves as a portal between her English village, and the Indian city of Kashi. It’s scientifically impossible, but Lizzie cannot deny that she is actually traveling to India each time she journeys through the portal. But she barely has time to process this fantastic secret before she realizes that there is a terrible killer afoot; not only does she need to stop the creature, but she might be its next victim! Read more