Category Archives: Middle Grade 8-12

Review: The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

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The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson

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

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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.

Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys Herdman are an awful bunch. They set fire to Fred Shoemaker’s toolshed, blackmailed Wanda Pierce to get her charm bracelet, and smacked Alice Wendelken across the head. And that’s just the start! When the Herdmans show up at church for the free snacks and suddenly take over the Christmas pageant, the other kids are shocked. It’s obvious that they’re up to no good. But Christmas magic is all around and the Herdmans, who have never heard the Christmas story before, start to reimagine it in their own way.

This year’s pageant is definitely like no other, but maybe that’s exactly what makes it so special.

My Review

I think I maybe read this book in school back in the day? I’m not totally sure, but I know I read it when I was in elementary school, and had wanted to read it again.

This year I’ve been addicted to Tim Curry’s audiobook performance of A Christmas Carol, but I wanted to read another Christmas story that left me feeling more centered on things that matter at Christmas. I’m super glad I remembered this one.

I love that the story is so simple. It’s literally 7 chapters, and I think I read the whole thing in maybe 30 minutes? It would easily be a great book to read aloud with a family over the holidays.

I also love that the story centers around kids that are outsiders, kids who are judged to be “undeserving” of starring roles by the good Christian church members. Yet, it’s their performance that so calls to mind the truth that Mary and Joseph and Jesus were outsiders and refugees themselves.

The whole story is about how this unexpected turn of events takes a tradition that everyone sort of goes through the motions repeating and brings it to life and makes us experience it in a fresh, new way.

It reminds us that the Christian Gospel is supposed to be accessible to everyone, not just the church people. That God has starring roles planned for people we wouldn’t expect him to choose.

At any rate, this is one of my favorite Christmas stories, and I’m glad that I was able to read it again this year.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Few racial details given.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Most of the story takes place in a Christian church, with kids putting on a Christmas pageant centered around the story of Christ’s birth.

Violent Content
Some reference to arson and bullying by the Herdman kids.

Drug Content
References to the Herdman kids smoking.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.

Review: Thomas Jefferson and the Return of the Magic Hat by Deborah Kalb

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Historical, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

Thomas Jefferson and the Return of the Magic Hat (The President and Me #3)
Deborah Kalb
Schiffer Kids
Published September 28, 2020

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About Thomas Jefferson and the Return of the Magic Hat

After almost six months in Maryland, fifth-grader Oliver still misses his friends back in New Jersey. But things start to change one day, when his neighbor–and possible new friend–Sam lends Oliver a magic hat that takes him back to the 18th- and 19th-century world of Thomas Jefferson. Oliver and his sisters–Cassie, the nice one, and Ruby, the annoying one–end up learning more about Jefferson than they’d expected. And Oliver finds that his new neighborhood might not be so terrible after all. 

Thomas Jefferson and the Return of the Magic Hat is the third in The President and Me series that began with George Washington and the Magic Hat and John Adams and the Magic Bobblehead. This new adventure brings back previous characters Sam, Ava, J.P. (blink and you might miss them, though!), and of course the cantankerous talking hat itself.

My Review

Oliver is a sweet character with a big family who’s still acclimating to his new school. He struggles with a couple classmates who bully him for blurting out little known facts about presidents. I found him pretty easy to identify with.

He time travels backward to Thomas Jefferson’s lifetime and witnesses some key moments in his life: seeing him working on the Declaration of Independence, meeting him as he’s looking at the land which will become his estate, Monticello, and eavesdropping on the meeting between Jefferson, Hamiton and Madison to discuss the US capital.

It was neat to get to see snippets of those moments. The historical scenes always seemed really short to me– whenever Oliver removes the hat from his head, he returns to the present, and he seems to do that a lot!– so sometimes that felt a bit choppy. But it also kept the balance of the story focused on Oliver and the things he learns about friendship and family through his time traveling experiences.

One of the things I was really interested in is that early on in the story, Oliver and his friends discuss the fact that though Thomas Jefferson wrote about equality, he owned slaves. In fact, some were his own children. It seemed like the story might have intended to explore that issue more deeply, perhaps even to discuss it with Jefferson himself.

Oliver does meet Jefferson’s son, Madison Hemmings, and there’s a brief drive-by of a sort of explanation that Jefferson moderated/removed overt anti-slavery words in the Declaration of Independence because the Revolution needed the support of colonies who depended on slavery.

The obvious contradiction in his belief to be against slavery and the fact the he owned slaves is acknowledged. But on the whole, the issue isn’t deeply explored, and I was a bit disappointed by that because of the setup.

I thought the book was interesting, and enjoyed the present-day conflicts that Oliver had to navigate with friends and sisters. I think readers who have just outgrown the Magic Treehouse books, but still enjoy that type of story will enjoy this series.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 10.

Representation
Main characters are white. Oliver has brief encounters with a young Black slave in Thomas Jefferson’s house.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
A talking hat guides Oliver and his friends on time travel adventures.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of THOMAS JEFFERSON AND THE RETURN OF THE MAGIC HAT in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.

Review: The Monster of Marnmouth Valley by CJ Greene

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The Monster of Marnmouth Valley
CJ Greene
Published October 15, 2020

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About The Monster of Marnmouth Valley

“Deep in the Kelna forest in the heart of Marnmouth Valley lies a fountain with extraordinary water. A creature discovered the fountain and began to drink the water. It has since found a way to ensure it is the only one that gets any of the water from the fountain. The less water that reaches the land, the more it dies. And if the valley dies, everyone in it will have to leave, or perish along with the land.”

Ellian Woodborough has dreamt of adventure all twelve years of her life and when the neighbouring Marnmouth Valley is threatened by a mysterious creature, she is given the chance to go on a real quest. The only issue? Ellian is given the role of the sidekick while the one fated to save the valley turns out to be 72-year-old Beth who would much rather stay at home and finish her knitting.

With Beth knowing nothing about adventures or fighting monsters and harbouring secrets even she is unaware of, Ellian soon finds her lifelong dream becoming a nightmare. Still, she must lead Beth along the treacherous path towards her destiny if they ever want to survive the forest and defeat the monster of Marnmouth Valley.

The Monster of Marnmouth Valley is the debut middle-grade fiction novel of author Charlie J Greene. It explores the idea of exceeding the expectations and limits people have for you—even the ones you have for yourself. Young readers will delight in the humour, danger, and what it really means to be a hero.

My Review

This is one of those books that I read telling myself, “Just one more chapter,” all the way until I reached the end. The characters, especially Ellian, had me invested and engaged, and I had to know how the quest would end.

I loved that the storytelling created this feeling of leaving breadcrumbs, where characters would discover something or learn something, and then later it would be important. It was often done through things that celebrated the story world but also then helped with the plot.

THE MONSTER OF MARNMOUTH VALLEY is a pretty quick read. I finished it in a single sitting, which is pretty amazing since I’ve been so tired lately that often when I sit down to read, I fall asleep after 30 pages or so.

I think readers who enjoy adventure stories and tales of mentors and unusual friendships will like this one a lot. I think fans of TUESDAYS AT THE CASTLE by Jessica Day George will enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
One character has learned spells from her mother.

Violent Content
Mentions of attacks by a monster or other dangerous creatures. Situations of peril. A couple battle scenes.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of THE MONSTER OF MARNMOUTH VALLEY in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.

Review: Resist! Peaceful Acts that Changed Our World by Diane Stanley

Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Nonfiction, , , , , , ,

RESIST! Peaceful Acts that Changed Our World
Diane Stanley
Neal Porter Books
Published September 1, 2020

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

About RESIST! Peaceful Acts that Changed Our World

From music to marches, from sit-ins to walk-outs, history’s activists have led by example until they could no longer be ignored.

Aspiring activists the world over will take inspiration from Resist!, a collection of 21 brief but comprehensive essays, accompanied by striking artwork and rich supplementary material by Diane Stanley, about men and women who have used peaceful resistance and non-violent protests to make their voices heard. Today, a new wave of activists is emerging, and their efforts are more urgent than ever.

Featured figures include: Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Woody Guthrie, Mohandas Gandhi, Irena Sendler, The Hollywood Ten, Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, The Greensboro Lunch Counter Sit-in protestors, Martin Luther King, Jr., Larry Itliong, Doloras Huerta, Cesar Chavez, Richard Oakes, The Tree-Sitters of Pureora, Father Luis Olivares, Tank Man, Nelson Mandela, Ryan White, Ai Weiwei, the “It Gets Better” Project, The March For Our Lives protestors, and Greta Thunberg.

Diane Stanley, award-winning author and illustrator of many distinctive informational books for young people writes with passion and conviction of the world’s greatest activists, past and present, in this book which is as hopeful as it is inspiring.

My Review

I think the idea for this book is a really great one. I have a slightly similar book, meant for younger readers, called She Persisted, which briefly tells the story of 13 amazing women, so I was excited to read this book and hopefully add it to my library.

The selection of people and groups the book focuses on are really great. It covers a wide, diverse group of people, and I love that. Some of the people highlighted are obvious choices (Nelson Mandela and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, for instance). But I enjoyed reading the stories of protesters I hadn’t heard of before (Father Luis Olivares and Ryan White for example), and finding that perhaps lesser known people I looked up to (like Irena Sendler and Greta Thunberg) also included.

On the other hand, I occasionally felt like the stories either soft-pedaled or sometimes ignored some important context or information about the people in focus. I realize this is for kids, and the biographies are short, so not everything can be mentioned, but it felt like there were a few times that certain things were left out or phrased a certain way that felt a bit misleading.

For instance, in the biography of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, one of the things that isn’t acknowledged is the tension between the women’s movement and abolitionists and activists working to secure rights for Black men and women. Late in Stanton’s life, she partnered with an unabashed racist, traveling with him and allowing him to finance her platform. She is a hero in her fight for women’s suffrage, but I feel like it’s important to acknowledge that some of her actions alienated and potentially brought harm to others. (The book VOTE!: Women’s Fight for Access to the Ballot Box by Coral Celeste Frazer has great information about the fight for women’s suffrage and includes some great biographical information about critical voices in the movement as well as how the movement has progressed since then.)

I thought it was great that the book included the story about Richard Oakes and the occupation of Alcatraz, but I wish that the conclusion had been more specific. It says that the protest caused the US Government to issue policies more sensitive to indigenous needs and values, and I would have liked to see some examples of those more sensitive policies.

In the biography of Rosa Parks, the text says that she refused to give up her seat because she was tired. This actually isn’t true. Parks had been a lifelong activist, and in fact, in her biography, explains that the only thing she was tired of was the oppression of her people. (If you want to learn more, I recommend Rosa Parks’ autobiography, and this TedTalk by David Ikard.)

On the whole, I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I love the idea and the list of people featured in the book. I think it’s best enjoyed alongside other books that bring a more complete historical context and understanding of some of the people celebrated.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
This book presents biographies on a diverse group of people, from Gandhi to Rosa Parks, to Richard Oakes, to Ai Weiwei.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some of the biographies mention the faith of the person and how it motivated them.

Violent Content
Reference to violent response to peaceful protestors, including pouring soda on them, spitting on them, or using fire hoses and dogs. Often protesters were arrested.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of RESIST! Peaceful Acts that Changed Our World in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support running this blog.


Review: Clifton Chase on Castle Rock by Jaimie Engle

Book Review and Content, Clean Fiction, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,

Clifton Chase on Castle Rock (Clifton Chase Adventures #2)
Jaimie Engle
JME Books
Published November 24, 2020

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About Clifton Chase on Castle Rock

History tends to repeat itself…sorta.

Clifton Chase just wanted life to go back to “normal” again. But things were starting to happen. Two kids showed up at school that looked just like the princes from 1485, Clifton thought he was being followed, and then a hob thrush showed up in his closet and stole the Arrows of Light. Clifton wanted no part in this adventure. Until he learned that someone he knew was alive. Dane the dwarf, a teenager in the eleventh century. Could Clifton make things right by warning Dane of what was to come?

The second in the critically-acclaimed Clifton Chase Adventure Series full of danger, magic, love, and friendship.

My Review

It’s been a little while since I first read about Clifton Chase and his adventures with magical arrows, but I still remember how much fun the concept was– that a boy is transported to a moment in history less commonly visited and has a chance to be a part of critical events. He makes life-changing friendships and learns a lot about courage.

So with all that in mind, I was pretty excited when I heard that Jaimie Engle was planning to release a sequel. She has talked about it as a possibility for years, so it was really exciting to see it become a reality.

I liked that though the story visits Robin Hood’s time and introduces some familiar characters from that story, the tale stays focused on Clifton. He faces lots of challenges and has to navigate difficult circumstances. One example is that he meets a younger version of Dane, his friend and mentor from CLIFTON CHASE AND THE ARROWS OF LIGHT, and desperately wants to warn him about something that happened to him at the end of the first book.

I think my favorite moment in the story is when Clifton decides to get Dane’s attention by trying to leap on him and pin him down, the way Dane did to him in the first book. It doesn’t quite work out the way Clifton planned, which felt so true to their relationship.

All in all, I thought this was a fun adventure story about courage and friendship.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Most characters are white or not described.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Some obvious attraction between two older characters.

Spiritual Content
Clifton meets a Siren and depends on wisdom from Simurgh, a bird who once nested in the Tree of Knowledge.

Violent Content
Some brief battle scenes, no graphic violence. Brief mentions of death by hanging.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of CLIFTON CHASE ON CASTLE ROCK in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Middle Grade 2020 Holiday Gift Guide

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Middle Grade 2020 Holiday Gift Guide

I don’t think I’ve ever done this before, but this year I wanted to post a giant list of recommended titles for the holiday season. Whether you’re looking for stories to fill the weeks at home between school days or filling your shopping bag with gifts for those you love, these titles are among my favorites and the ones I most highly recommend from books published this year. I’ve divided this holiday gift guide into sections so hopefully the list is less overwhelming. If I’ve posted a review of the book, you’ll see a link to next to the publication date.

Without further ado, here are the books I recommend for the 8-12 year old reader in your life this holiday season.

Note: This post contains affiliate links which do not cost anything for you to use, but which help support this blog.

Silly, Funny, and So Much Fun

These books all made me snort with laughter or grin until my face hurt. If your reader enjoys goofy heroes and ridiculous antics, these titles are totally worth exploring.

My Life as a Potato by Arianne Costner

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

What You Need to Know: An unwilling team mascot, a possible potato curse, and a chance at the prettiest girl in school. Super fun.

Published March 4, 2020 | My review

Finally, Something Mysterious by Doug Cornett

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

What You Need to Know: Three friends. Hundreds of rubber duckies. A town enthralled with its upcoming bratwurst competition. I laughed out loud!

Published April 14, 2020 | My review

Double the Danger and Zero Zucchini by Betsy Uhrig

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

What You Need to Know: A boy gets hired by his aunt to help her fix her children’s book about a grumpy frog and prize-winning zucchini. Sounds hilarious to me!

Published September 22, 2020

Unusual Adventures

Sometimes what makes a book so magical is that it takes us places we could never visit on our own. These books transport the reader to a setting or into circumstances far outside ordinary life to create a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

The Storm Keeper’s Island/The Lost Tide Warriors by Catherine Doyle

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Goodreads

What You Need to Know: This is my FAVORITE middle grade series right now. I love the magic and the adventure and the power of family and friendships. If you haven’t read it, you need to start with book one, THE STORM KEEPER’S ISLAND, but both are excellent.

Storm Keeper’s Island Review | Lost Tide Warriors Review

Foreverland by Nicole Kear

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

What You Need to Know: A runaway decides to live in a theme park, which becomes an adventure with an unexpected friend.

Published April 21, 2020 | My Review

Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega

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

What You Need to Know: Goodreads describes this one as “Coco meets Stranger Things with a hint of Ghostbusters.” Spooky and sweet. Also, I heard there’s a cat!

Published April 7, 2020

The Circus of Stolen Dreams by Lorelei Savaryn

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

What You Need to Know: A sister looking for her lost brother. A magical circus where the cost of entry is a memory. For fans of CIRCUS MIRANDUS and THE NIGHT GARDENER.

Published September 1, 2020

Dragon Warrior/Fallen Hero by Katie Zhao

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

What You Need to Know: A super fun series featuring Chinese mythology, adventure, and heroism.

Dragon Warrior Review | Fallen Hero Review

Clifton Chase on Castle Rock by Jaimie Engle

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

What you need to know: Clifton Chase Adventures #2. A new 11th century adventure. Magic arrows. A chance to warn a dear friend so he can avoid his death. More Clifton Chase?! Yes!

Published November 24, 2020

Memorable and Moving

It might be just me, but I’m a huge fan of stories with a powerful message about family and healing. These are some of the best, most moving stories I’ve read this year. I hope there’s a special reader in your life who will find these among their holiday gifts this year.

What Happens Next by Claire Swinarski

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

What You Need to Know: A solar eclipse, a search for a missing telescope, and a girl missing her older sister. Perfect for fans of THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH.

Published May 19, 2020 | My Review

The Dream Weavers by Reina Luz Alegre

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

What You Need to Know: An ownvoices story about a 12 year-old girl who connects with her Cuban heritage and about discovering where you belong for the first time.

Published June 23, 2020

Believe by Julie Mathison

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

What You Need to Know: An imaginative girl creates a plan to track down her missing mother.

Published August 4, 2020 | My Review

Mary Underwater by Shannon Doleski

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

What You Need to Know: A hopeful (and at times heartbreaking) story of a young girl who decides to build a submarine and sail it across the Chesapeake Bay.

Published April 7, 2020 | My Review

Nevertell by Katharine Orton

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

What You Need to Know: The haunting, lovely story of a girl who escapes a Soviet prison camp in search of her grandmother with Russian fairy tales woven throughout.

Published April 14, 2020 | My Review

What’s On Your Middle Grade 2020 Holiday Reading List?

Do you purchase books for young readers as gifts over the holidays? Are any of these titles on your shopping list? What books would you put on your own holiday gift guide?

If you have questions about anything on the list, please feel free to ask me in the comments!