Category Archives: Middle Grade 8-12

Review: Mary Underwater by Shannon Doleski

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Mary Underwater by Shannon Doleski

Mary Underwater
Shannon Doleski
Amulet
Published April 7, 2020

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

About Mary Underwater

Mary Murphy feels like she’s drowning. Her violent father is home from prison, and the social worker is suspicious of her new bruises. An aunt she’s never met keeps calling. And if she can’t get a good grade on her science project, she’ll fail her favorite class.

But Mary doesn’t want to be a victim anymore. She has a plan: build a real submarine, like the model she’s been making with Kip Dwyer, the secretly sweet class clown.

Gaining courage from her heroine, Joan of Arc, Mary vows to pilot a sub across the Chesapeake Bay, risking her life in a modern crusade to save herself.

Mary Underwater is an empowering tale of persistence, heroism, and hope from a luminous new voice in middle-grade fiction.

My Review

Special thanks to Dahlia Adler from LGBTQReads for inviting authors to list their debut novels in a thread on her Twitter account, which I think is how I learned about this book.

The cover and description of MARY UNDERWATER totally had me hooked. I am super interested in stories that show young women and STEM, and a girl building a submarine seemed too cool to pass up.

This book has so many things I love. I love Mary’s character. The way her timidity blossoms into confidence. The celebration of St. Joan of Arc both in her narrative and in biographical snippets between chapters. I love the relationships between Mary and her teachers, Sister Eu and Mr. Fen, and her mentor, Ford. I love the way her aunt steps into her life, building a safe relationship, and encouraging Mary, but also talking straight.

I read MARY UNDERWATER in one sitting because I couldn’t stop. Without meaning to, I pretty much one-more-chaptered myself all the way to the end and I have zero regrets about that. It’s a heartwarming, inspiring story, with a strong, positive representation of both women and faith. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that combination done so well before, and I really, truly loved it.

I think readers who enjoyed THE QUEEN BEE AND ME by Gillian McDunn or CHIRP by Kate Messner absolutely need to read this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Mary’s aunt has a female partner.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
References to cursing.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Mary attends a Catholic school and makes lots of references to the nuns praying. She also takes courage from the story of St. Joan of Arc and imagines herself being brave as she was. Mary prays the Hail Mary prayer while distressed.

Violent Content – Possible trigger warning for domestic violence
Mary and her mother have bruises from her father abusing them. The abuse happens off-scene. Her father also breaks something important to Mary and attacks one of her friends. (Both these incidents happen off-scene.)

Drug Content
Mary’s dad drinks a lot of alcohol.

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

Review: Fallen Hero by Katie Zhao

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Fallen Hero (Dragon Warrior #2)
Katie Zhao
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published October 6, 2020

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

About Fallen Hero

Faryn Liu thought she was the Heaven Breaker, a warrior destined to wield the all-powerful spear Fenghuang, command dragons, and defeat demons. But a conniving goddess was manipulating her all along…and her beloved younger brother, Alex, has betrayed her and taken over as the Heaven Breaker instead. Alex never forgave the people who treated him and Faryn like outcasts, and now he wants to wipe out both the demons and most of humanity.

Determined to prevent a war and bring Alex back to her side, Faryn and her half-dragon friend Ren join the New Order, a group of warriors based out of Manhattan’s Chinatown. She learns that one weapon can stand against Fenghuang–the Ruyi Jingu Bang. Only problem? It belongs to an infamous trickster, the Monkey King.

Faryn sets off on a daring quest to convince the Monkey King to join forces with her, one that will take her to new places–including Diyu, otherwise known as the Underworld–where she’ll run into new dangers and more than one familiar face. Can she complete her mission and save the brother she loves, no matter the cost?

My Review

Faryn is every bit as funny and full of heart in FALLEN HERO as she was in THE DRAGON WARRIOR. I loved her relationships with the other characters, especially her relationship with Ren, which is so sweet.

I think I read this book faster than the first one, too. The quest to find the Ruyi Jingu Bang takes Faryn and her allies all over the place. Again the story leads her to lean on her connection to her family and her ancestors. I love that it celebrates the bond between generations.

I know almost nothing about Chinese mythology, so I enjoyed learning a bit and seeing the different gods and goddesses portrayed in the story. It reminded me a bit of the Percy Jackson books in that it has gods and goddesses in a contemporary world. These books might be best read by readers a little younger, but I think they’re every bit as entertaining and fun.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Most Characters are Chinese American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A boy and girl hold hands for a moment.

Spiritual Content
Gods and goddesses from Chinese mythology battle one another, care for Diyu (the Underworld) and rule from Heaven. Some have powerful weapons. A boy can transform into a dragon. Two children learn that their father is a Demon King in Diyu. The spirits of the dead offer aid and are more powerful than usual because of the Hungry Ghost Festival.

Violent Content
Some situations of peril and battle violence (no gory details).

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of FALLEN HERO in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support the costs of running this blog.

Review: Revver the Speedway Squirrel by Sherri Duskey Rinker

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

Revver the Speedway Squirrel
Sherri Duskey Rinker
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published October 6, 2020

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

About Revver the Speedway Squirrel

Meet Revver: a little squirrel with big dreams . . . to drive a race car! His siblings might not understand his need for speed, but Revver doesn’t care. And he certainly doesn’t care about looking for food, climbing trees, or any other “ordinary” squirrel activity. He spends his days staring at the racetrack just below his nest, where the cars zoom by day in and day out.

When Revver finally gets the chance to sneak out to the track, he finds that becoming part of the pit crew is more difficult than he expected. He never learned anything about engines in Squirrel School! Then Revver meets tire changer Bill, who luckily has a soft spot for animals. Can Revver prove to Bill that he deserves to be part of the team?

Perfect for fans of Ralph S. Mouse, Revver the Speedway Squirrel is a funny, action-packed, and heartwarming story about family, feeling different, and following your heart.

My Review

The beginning of this book was a little bit weird to me. There’s a lot of setup of mama squirrel and Revver and his siblings (including a somewhat shocking moment when mama squirrel cheerfully warns her babies that if they don’t learn the lessons she’s trying to teach them that she may have to eat them.). Revver doesn’t have time for or interest in ordinary squirrel things. What he really wants is to be involved in the racetrack he’s been watching all his life from the nest.

Once Revver reaches the track and begins to learn about being part of a team and the importance of thinking things through, the story gains a lot of momentum. Revver’s dream is within his grasp, but only if he can learn the squirrel lessons he once thought were so useless.

On the whole, this is a fun story that combines animal narrators and a racetrack setting that should appeal to readers with both those interests. It’s probably best for readers who are right between chapter and middle grade books.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 10.

Representation
Main characters are squirrels.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
No profanity. Some crude references to bodily functions. One of the squirrels is named “Farty” because he has lots of gas.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
The mother squirrel tries to teach all her babies about dangers and survival. She tells them if they don’t learn all the lessons, she may have to eat them. A man kicks a squirrel into the air. Coyotes surround a squirrel, hoping to eat her.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: The Silver Box by Margi Preus

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

The Silver Box
Margi Preus
University of Minnesota Press
Published October 6, 2020

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

About The Silver Box

In the final Enchantment Lake mystery, Francie’s search for the truth about her mother—and herself—plunges her into danger during a North Woods winter

When she wakes in her aunts’ cold cabin on the shore of Enchantment Lake, Francie remembers: everything about her life has changed. Or is about to. Or just might. Everything depends on the small, engraved silver box that she now possesses—if only she can follow its cryptic clues to the whereabouts of her missing mother and understand, finally, just maybe, the truth about who she really is. 

Francie, it turns out, has a lot to learn, and this time the lessons could be deadly. Her search for answers takes her and her best friends Raven and Jay as far afield as an abandoned ranch in Arizona and as close to home as a sketchy plant collector’s conservatory and a musty old museum where shadows lurk around every display case. At the heart of it all is a crime that touches her own adopted North Woods: thieves dig up fragile lady’s slippers, peel bark from birches, strip moss off trees, cut down entire forests of saplings to sell for home décor. But Francie is up against no ordinary plant theft. One ominous clue after another reveal that she possesses something so rare and so valuable that some people are willing to do anything to get it. When Francie’s investigation leads her into the treacherously cold and snowy North Woods, she finds out  that she too is being pursued.

My Review

I’m so glad I got to read all three of the books in this series so close together. All three books were super enjoyable– definitely brought back some great memories of reading Nancy Drew books when I was younger. I love Francie and Raven and the adventures that they face.

One of the other things I enjoyed is the fact that environmental issues are so well-integrated into the story. I felt like the facts and issues never sounded forced, but they added a lot of intrigue to the mystery and kept the stakes pretty high all the way through the book.

I recommend starting with ENCHANTMENT LAKE, since it gives you a chance to get to know some of the other characters first, but the mystery plot is fairly self-contained, so I think readers who wanted to start with this book could do so.

This book begins immediately after A CLUE IN THE TREES leaves off, so if you have the opportunity to read them back to back, I think that will also be more enjoyable, but not at all necessary. Each story contains a standalone mystery.

Like the other two books in the Enchanted Lakes series, THE SILVER BOX is a quick read. I think mystery lovers will definitely enjoy the pacing of this book as well as its unforgettable characters and charming Northwoods setting. It’s an excellent series to get lost in if you’re looking for an engrossing story or something to distract from reality.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
Francie’s best friend Raven is a Native American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Francie is dating a boy who is away at college.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Francie discovers the body of a woman who’s been hit over the head. She and another character face kidnapping and other situations of peril.

Drug Content
None.

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

13 Most-Anticipated Middle Grade Books Out Fall 2020

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Great Middle Grade Books Coming This Fall

It’s finally fall! A new season and new fantastic middle grade books coming out soon to usher in the spooky season and the cooler weather. (Well, thoughts of cooler weather, anyway. Here in Florida, we have a while yet before we get a real break from the heat.)

I’m not usually a big Halloween girl– I was raised not celebrating, so I guess I’ve never really gotten into the holiday as an adult. This year, though, there are some spooky books on my wish list that I think will be perfect for readers looking for a deliciously creepy crawly read.

There are also some great stories about relationships and celebrating the arts, like writing, ballet, and figure skating. I’m super excited about reading those.

One book on the list is particularly special as it’s the story of an unlikely friendship between a Palestinian man and an Isreaeli woman. An inspiring story about friendship crossing boundaries like that is something we all need.

For the books on this list that I’ve already read, you’ll notice a link to my review. I’ll try to come back and update the list as I post new reviews, so it should be pretty current. You can also browse the titles on Goodreads and see what other readers are saying.

Note: This post contains affiliate links.

13 Middle Grade Books Out Fall 2020 (Plus 3 August Titles You May Have Missed)

The Summer We Found the Baby by Amy Hest

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

What you need to know: During World War II, two sisters vacationing at a beach house find a baby on the steps of the library.

Available August 4, 2020 | My review

Believe by Julie Mathison

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

What you need to know: A sweet, imaginative story about a girl dealing with grief and loneliness and a class putting together the play, PETER PAN. Funny and heartfelt.

Available August 4, 2020 | My review

Kiki MacAdoo and the Graveyard Ballerinas by Colette Sewall

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

What you need to know: A forest where “Ballets come alive.” A missing sister and the ballet, Giselle, featuring ghostly sylphs who will try to force Kiki to dance until she dies.

Available August 4, 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

Three Keys (Front Desk #2) by Kelly Yang

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

What You Need to Know: Great friends. An aspiring writer and motel owner facing a roller coaster of challenges. Immigration laws that could jeopardize everything she cares about.

Published September 15, 2020

The Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar

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

What You Need to Know: A novel in verse. A Latinx girl in a family detention center for migrants and regufees. Aztec mythology.

Published September 15, 2020

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

Maya and the Rising Dark by Rena Barron

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

What You Need to Know: Perfect for fans of ARU SHAH AND THE END OF TIME. A girl’s quest to find her father and save our world from evil beyond.

Published September 22, 2020

The Silver Box by Margi Preus

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

What you need to know: Francie Frye, a reluctant northwoods Nancy Drew tackles her third mystery and hopes to uncover the truth about her mother.

Available October 6, 2020 | My Review

The Fallen Hero (Dragon Warrior #2) by Katie Zhao

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

What you need to know: Sequel to The Dragon Warrior. A brother set on revenge. A sister who must save him. High adventure and Chinese mythology in a modern-day setting.

Available October 6, 2020

Cinders and Sparrows by Stefan Bachmann

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

What you need to know: A suspenseful tale of witches, family, and magic. Perfect for fans of Diana Wynn Jones, Victoria Schwab, and Kate Milford.

Available October 13, 2020

The Monster of Marnmouth Valley by CJ Greene

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

What you need to know: A land in peril since a monster has started drinking all the water. A 12-year-old fated to aid an elderly woman to save the village, if only she can pry her away from her knitting.

Available October 15, 2020

Ana on the Edge by A. J. Sass

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

What you need to know: A figure skating champion. Gender identity issues and friendship.

Available October 20, 2020

Aster’s Good, Right Things by Kate Gordon

Book Depository | Goodreads

What you need to know: A girl compelled to do secret good deeds. A boy in princess pajamas who helps her.

Available November 1, 2020

The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot

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

What you need to know: A brand new, middle grade edition of the beloved book that inspired the movie starring Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews.

Available November 3, 2020

The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan (Young Readers’ Edition)

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

What you need to know: A Palestinian and an Israeli sit on the steps of the home where each grew up and begin a surprising friendship. Based on Tolan’s extensive research and reporting.

Available November 3, 2020

What’s on your fall reading list?

Are any of these middle grade books on your fall 2020 reading list? What books are you most looking forward to reading this fall?

Cover Reveal and #1001DiverseBooksCampaign: Rea and the Blood of the Nectar by Payal Doshi

Middle Grade 8-12, News and Fun, , , , , , , , ,

Cover Reveal and #1001DiverseBooksCampaign

Exciting news! Mango and Marigold Press is launching its eighteenth book and first middle grade novel ever. REA AND THE BLOOD OF THE NECTAR is written by debut #ownvoices author Payal Doshi. It tells the story of Rea Chettri, a 12-year-old girl living a simple, if boring, life on the tea plantations of Darjeeling, India. When her twin brother goes missing, Rea’s life gets turned on its head. Determined to save him, Rea embarks on a secret, thrilling adventure into the enchanted world of Astranthia. There, Rea will make new friends, grapple with dark truths, learn the meaning of family and friendship, and discover her true self.

REA AND THE BLOOD OF THE NECTAR is the first book in the series The Chronicles of Astranthia. It’s expected to release in May 2021.

#1001DiverseBooksCampaign – You Can Help!

I rarely participate in cover reveal posts, but because this one also supports a campaign to help not only bridge the diversity gap, but also the accessibility gap in children’s literature. With each new book launch, Mango and Marigold Press is committed to also raise funds to donate 1001 books to literacy and advocacy nonprofits across the country working to help those in need.

When you pre-order your copy of REA AND THE BLOOD OF THE NECTAR, you can also sponsor a copy for a nonprofit partner for only $10!

For all pre-orders placed between September 15th through September 22nd, 2020 you will receive:

  • an exclusive chapter to read as a sneak peek into Rea’s adventure.
  • Limited edition character buttons.
  • Bookmark.
  • Sticker.
  • Signed bookplate from the author.

Visit Mango & Marigold Press to pre-order a copy of the book. Then click the 1001DiverseBookCampaign link to add a $10 sponsored copy. This copy will be given to a nonprofit literacy and advocacy group.

Ready to see the gorgeous cover?

About Rea and the Blood of the Nectar by Payal Doshi

Pre-Order Link | Goodreads

It all begins on the night Rea turns twelve. After a big fight with her twin brother Rohan on their birthday, Rea’s life in the small village of Darjeeling, India, gets turned on its head. It’s four in the morning and Rohan is nowhere to be found.

It hasn’t even been a day and Amma acts like Rohan’s gone forever. Her grandmother, too, is behaving strangely. Unwilling to give up on her brother, Rea and her friend Leela meet Mishti Daadi, a wrinkly old fortune-teller whose powers of divination set them off on a thrilling and secret quest. In the shade of night, they portal into an otherworldly realm and travel to Astranthia, a land full of magic and whimsy. There with the help of Xeranther, an Astranthian barrow boy, and Flula, a pari, Rea battles serpent-lilies and blood-sucking banshees, encounters a butterfly-faced woman and blue lizard-men, and learns that Rohan has been captured. Rea also discovers that she is a princess with magic. Only she has no idea how to use it.

Struggling with the truth her Amma has kept hidden from her, Rea must solve clues that lead to Rohan, find a way to rescue him and save Astranthia from a potentially deadly fate. But the clock is ticking. Can she rescue Rohan, save Astranthia, and live to see it all?

Expected publication: May 2021

About Author Payal Doshi

Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram

Payal Doshi has a Masters in Creative Writing (Fiction) from The New School, New York. Having lived in the UK and US, she noticed a lack of Indian protagonists in global children’s fiction and one day wrote the opening paragraph to what would become her first children’s novel. She was born and raised in Mumbai, India, and currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her husband and two-year-old daughter. When she isn’t writing or spending time with her family, you can find her nose deep in a book with a cup of coffee or daydreaming of fantasy realms to send her characters off into. She loves the smell of old, yellowed books. REA AND THE BLOOD OF THE NECTAR, the first book in The Chronicles of Astranthia series, is her debut middle grade novel.

About Mango & Marigold Press

Mango & Marigold Press is an award-winning independent publishing house that shares the sweet and savory stories of the South Asian experience. Sharing every day and extraordinary stories of the South Asian experience, the company has produced fifteen books across four different product categories with features on The Today Show, The New York Times, The Washington Post, US Weekly, People Magazine and so much more.

They just launched their first young adult book, UNTOLD: DEFINING MOMENTS OF THE UPROOTED, in partnership with Brown Girl Magazine. REA AND THE BLOOD OF THE NECTAR is the company’s eighteenth book and first upper middle grade novel. Available for pre-order today!