Category Archives: Middle Grade 8-12

Review: Beetle and the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne

By | | , , ,
2 Comments

Beetle and the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne

Beetle and the Hollowbones
Aliza Layne
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published August 4, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Beetle and the Hollowbones

In the eerie town of ‘Allows, some people get to be magical sorceresses, while other people have their spirits trapped in the mall for all ghastly eternity.

Then there’s twelve-year-old goblin-witch Beetle, who’s caught in between. She’d rather skip being homeschooled completely and spend time with her best friend, Blob Glost. But the mall is getting boring, and B.G. is cursed to haunt it, tethered there by some unseen … Continue reading →

Review: Limerick Comics by Robert Hoyman and Steve Feldman

By | | , , ,
Comments Off on Review: Limerick Comics by Robert Hoyman and Steve Feldman

Limerick Comics by Robert Hoyman

Limerick Comics
Robert Hoyman
Illustrated by Steve Feldman
Published March 2, 2019

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Limerick Comics

Limerick Comics offers original limericks on a wide range of history and science topics, each with an informational panel of surprising facts, presented in entertaining comics.

Young readers age 8 and up are invited to linger on each page to enjoy the humor, ponder inferences, and view the evocative details of each illustrated panel.

Topics include bats, an Egyptian king, a famous trapeze artist, and more.

“For young readers and parents alike, … Continue reading →

Review: Summer of L.U.C.K. by Laura Stegman

By | | , , , ,
2 Comments

Summer of L.U.C.K. by Laura Stegman

Summer of L.U.C.K.
Laura Stegman
INtense Publications
Published September 15, 2020

Amazon | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Summer of L.U.C.K.

Stuttering Darby is never perfect enough for her mother. Justin’s been silent since his dad died. Naz is struggling to learn English. But after they meet at summer camp, mysterious calliope music from an abandoned warehouse grants them power to communicate without words. When they sneak inside, the dark, empty space bursts into a magical carnival. They’re greeted by the ghost of Leroy Usher, who asks for their help convincing his family to restore the carnival to its former glory. … Continue reading →

Review: Frank by Ece Gurler

By | | , ,
Comments Off on Review: Frank by Ece Gurler

Frank by Ece Gurler

Frank
Ece Gurler
BookBaby
Published December 1, 2020

Amazon | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Frank

Have you ever dreamt of an alternate world? A world full of second chances and lost dreams, found again. Just like the one Frank has stumbled upon.

Frank, an eleven-year-old science nerd, fashions a hiding place in his closet with his favorite things. He calls it the “Aurora Shell”, where he retreats whenever he feels upset or scared. The day he learns that he was adopted, he discovers an empty space behind his Big Bang Theory poster, in the Aurora Shell.

He decides to crawl in … Continue reading →

Review: Otto P. Nudd by Emily Butler

By | | , , ,
Comments Off on Review: Otto P. Nudd by Emily Butler

Otto P Nudd by Emily Butler

Otto P. Nudd
Emily Butler
Random House Children’s Books
Published December 29, 2020

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About Otto P. Nudd

Otto P. Nudd: The BEST bird in Ida Valley (at least according to him). While his buddies waste their days at the dump cracking jokes, Otto invents things with his human neighbor Old Man Bartleby in their workshop.

Marla: The Competition. This protective mama-squirrel will swipe Otto’s snacks from under his beak if it means another meal for her babies!

Pippa: The girl who loves the birds in Ida Valley, and Otto most of … Continue reading →

Review: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

By | | , , , ,
2 Comments

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Barbara Robinson
HarperCollins
Published April 12, 2005 (Originally published 1972)

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indiebound | Goodreads

About The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Laughs abound in this bestselling Christmas classic by Barbara Robinson! The Best Christmas Pageant Ever follows the outrageous shenanigans of the Herdman siblings, or “the worst kids in the history of the world.” The siblings take over the annual Christmas pageant in a hilarious yet heartwarming tale involving the Three Wise Men, a ham, scared shepherds, and six rowdy kids.

… Continue reading →