Category Archives: Middle Grade 8-12

Review: City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrauCity of Ember
Jeanne DuPrau
Yearling Books
Published in 2003

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Lina has only known life in the City of Ember, a settlement built and stocked with all the supplies its citizens might need hundreds of years earlier. Now the shelves of the storehouses grow increasingly bare, and power outages plague everyone. When Lina and her best friend Doon discover a damaged document, Lina wonders if it could be from the Builders themselves. She and Doon work to decipher the message and save Ember before the city’s power supply fails for the last time.

I picked up this book because a friend recommended it, and I’m so glad I did. Actually, I wish I’d found it sooner, because it’s definitely the kind of story my daughter and I would have enjoyed reading together when she was a little younger. City of Ember would make an excellent family read. If there’s an audiobook version, I’d recommend it for a family road trip.

Reading the chapters, I felt like I could see the city underground. The characters are confused by references to things outside their experience that are commonplace for us. This definitely gave the story that closed-in feel while letting the readers have a bit of a laugh at the joke.

I loved Lina and her family, Doon, and especially Doon’s father, who always encouraged him to think more deeply and critically about the world around him, even when it was an unpopular thing to do.

If you liked The Giver or The Diary of Anne Frank you want to check this one out. Sorry, I know those are both classics… this story definitely has the same kind of feel to me, and has won many awards as well.

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Cultural Elements
There weren’t many cultural details given about the characters, but most appeared to be white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Long ago, Builders built the city and left Instructions for the people to follow. Citizens still keep the instructions as sacred, but not in a worshipped sense.

Violent Content
At one point, guards chase Lina and threaten her with confinement.

Drug Content
None.

 

Save

Review: Twinepathy by C. B. Cook

Twinepathy
C. B. Cook
Available July 14, 2016

Amazon  | Goodreads | Author’s Website

Twins Albany and Brooklyn keep their telepathic connection a secret from everyone. After all, who would believe them anyway? But when a strange girl shows up on their doorstep with no memory of how she got there and an inexplicable power of her own, the twins begin to realize there may be more people with powers, and not all of them use them for good. They learn about an organization of people with abilities and a terrible plot to destroy it. At first committed to sit on the sidelines, Albany soon realizes she and Brooklyn might be the group’s only hope for survival. She and her sister must decide whether they’ll join the fight, even if it means risking everything.

This is such a fun story. I liked all the silliness and joking between characters. Albany and Brooklyn were both great and easy to root for. The rest of the cast of characters does get a little overwhelming at times, since there are so many of them and their code names to remember on top of everything else.

Twinepathy is a pretty short read—I finished it in just a couple hours—but it’s the perfect length for a reluctant reader, and a great fit for fourth or fifth grade readers who are into Marvel or other superhero stories. This novel made me think a little bit of the Twintuition books by Tia and Tamera Mowry, which also feature gifted twins. It’s different in that Twinepathy focuses on the girls’ role in a larger group of gifted people.

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Cultural Elements
I don’t specifically remember descriptions showing a racially diverse cast.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
The girls’ older brother is dating a girl named Ezra. They do not witness any romance between them, though.

Spiritual Content
Brooklyn and Albany share a telepathic connection. Other characters possess special powers like telekinesis, teleportation, the ability to manipulate metal, etc.

Violent Content
Battles between the members of the superhero team and the villain and his clones.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

 

Save

Review: Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz

Isle of the Lost
Melissa de la Cruz
Disney-Hyperion
Available May 5, 2015

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Mal, the daughter of Maleficent, and her best friend Jay, the son of Jafar, live on the Isle of the Lost, where their villainous parents were banished from the fairytale kingdom of Auradon twenty years ago. Surviving on leftovers shipped in from Auradon and prevented access to magic, the villains scrape by. But all long for the day when the magic returns and they can take revenge on those who imprisoned them. For Mal, that day comes when Carlos, Cruela de Vil’s son, creates an invention that sparks changes in the Isle, and the possibility of escape seems just within reach. Oh, also the possibility of destroying her longtime rival, Evie, the Evil Queen’s daughter. So that’s a plus.

The team of four have to work together—a tall order considering they’re better versed in how to trick and betray one another than they are in how to actually be friends. Some parts of the story show the point-of-view of Prince Ben, son of Belle and the Beast (wait, isn’t he a prince now?) and the trials of his coming of age and beginning to take on some royal responsibility. Strange dreams connect him and Mal, but they don’t know each other yet.

My daughter and I enjoyed reading the Ever After High books by Shannon Hale, so I picked this book up at a book fair thinking it was similar and we’d also enjoy it. And I was right—I did enjoy the story. I think I had the same experience with Ever After High books, where because I’d read Shannon Hale’s Book of a Thousand Days, I wanted that kind of finesse in the EAH books, too, and it’s just not that kind of story. So that happened here, too. I’ve read The Ring and the Crown, and the writing and characters are a lot more complex, so it took some adjusting for me to get into this book. They’re totally different kinds of books, and that’s okay. I just had to adjust.

I thought the story set up the series well. The end leaves a lot of questions unanswered, and shows some real growth on the part of the team of four villains. Carlos is totally my favorite. He’s so sweet and super smart. I loved that de la Cruz worked in the engineering element with his character. So great!

One noteworthy difference is that Ever After High pulls its storyworld from a broader spectrum of fairytales, whereas Isle of the Lost draws its characters from those in Disney movies. I can see that as being a positive or a negative, depending on how you look at things. Overall, I think readers who enjoyed Ever After High would enjoy Isle of the Lost.

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Cultural Elements
Often fairytale retellings are pretty white, but I love that de la Cruz went a bit diverse with her story here. Carlos is the Latin son of Cruella de Vil. Jay is the Middle-Eastern son of Jafar.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
The islanders live off of leftovers and garbage shipped in from Auradon, so some of that stuff is kind of icky. For instance, they eat old wilted food and stuff like that. Nothing crude per se, but kinda ick.

Romance/Sexual Content
Jay has a reputation as being a player. He flirts with a lot of girls, but nothing beyond that comes into the story.

Spiritual Content
The Isle of the Lost exists under a dome that prevents the villains from using magic, but magic begins to make its presence known.

Violent Content
Because the characters are the children of villains, their homes are generally unhappy. Their parents treat them cruelly—mostly in the way they speak and withhold affection. (Sad but not really violent, I know, but I thought it worth mentioning.)

Drug Content
At a party, one character encourages the others to do shots of toad’s blood. It’s unclear whether this causes any intoxication or is just a silly/gross challenge.

Save

Monthly Wrap-Up: October 2016

Fall is flying by! In Central FL, it’s finally cool enough to walk to your car without breaking a sweat. I’m gearing up to go to YALLFEST in Charleston next month, so I’m super excited about that. I’m sure I’ll be tweeting and will write up a post about my experience there afterward. If you’re going to be there, leave me a comment! I’d love to meet up.

This month, I received a few more books in the mail. Actually, I’m kind of cheating here, because I received Every Exquisite Thing and The Secret of Goldenrod a couple of months ago and somehow they never made it into my calendar of books for review. So I’m including them here. The other two I got through BookLook Bloggers, which is a partnership between Zondervan and Thomas Nelson through which I get many of my Christian titles for review.

I also received my second ever OwlCrate box this month, and I absolutely loved it! I have a feeling I’ll be wearing the Lost Boys beanie on my Charleston trip. (Don’t judge! Upper 60s is COLD to this Florida girl!) I’ve already been wearing the Sleeping Beauty themed bracelet all over the place. So fun.

Also, if you missed my post yesterday about my Steampunk Book Fairy Costume, go back and check that out! My mom made it for me for my birthday this year, and I can’t wait to wear it to a costume party next weekend.

And, like always, here’s the list of books I reviewed this month. Check out the ones you may have missed, and let me know if you’ve read any or plan to!

October Reviews

Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

This was one of the most fun reads ever. We listened to the story on a road trip months ago. Entertained the whole car and we are still talking about it!

The Rise of the Chosen by Anna Kopp

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

This would be a good go-to for a creepy read this season, though there’s more emphasis on the tactical military side than the scary zombie-like enemies the characters face.

The Row by J. R. Johansson

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Suspenseful story about a girl whose dad is on death row. She decides to find out for herself whether or not he’s guilty. I liked it.

Counterpart by Hayley Stone

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

I loved the first book in this man vs machines series, so I was super excited that I didn’t have to wait long for the second book. My only complaint is that it ends on a cliffhanger and now I have to wait for the third!

Cease & Desist by Stephen David Hurley

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

Really fascinating premise– Cease stars in a reality-drama, a TV show in which she plays Joan of Arc competing against other historical figures to be voted top couple with one of the boys.

Crooked Kingdom Leigh Bardugo

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

This was the book I waited all year for, and it did not disappoint. I laughed, cried, devoured page after page from beginning to end. So. Good.

Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

I loved this retelling of Aladdin in which the genie is a girl. The writing has this sort of ethereal feel to it that hooked me from page one.

The Goblin Crown by Robert Hewitt Wolfe

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

This was another fun story in which kids jump to another world in which one of them has been foretold to save the goblins. Loved the voice and characters.

The Friendship Experiment by Erin Teagan

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

This was such a fun read! I loved the way Teagan used science throughout the story and the lessons about friendship and forgiveness were perfect and heartfelt.

Ghost Maven by Tony Lee Moral

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

This is the right time of year for this spooky read. A girl falls in love for the first time only to realize her true love is a ghost.

The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon

Review | Amazon | Goodreads

This haunting story based on true events prompted me to spend an hour looking up more information about the situation that inspired the tale. I loved the writing and the characters immediately grabbed me by the heart.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Review: The Friendship Experiment by Erin Teagan

The Friendship Experiment
Erin Teagan
HMH Books for Young Readers
Available November 1, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Middle school isn’t at all what Maddie hoped it would be. Not when her best friend has changed schools. Not without the calm, sure presence of her grandfather. If only friendships were as simple, as reliable as science. Though she finds herself surrounded by new potential friends, Maddie can’t help but think about all the reasons those students are wrong or annoying. To cope with her losses, she writes Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) in her journal. When Maddie’s new would-be friends read some of the SOPs that features how to escape them, they feel hurt and betrayed. Maddie realizes that pushing people away hurts her, too. In a dark moment, Maddie’s grandmother gives her some powerful advice about saying sorry. Maddie decides to do just that, even though it’s hard, and hope it’s enough to fix the mess she’s made with her friends and family.

I found Maddie likeable immediately. She loves science and conducting experiments so much that her fashion-focused sister despairs of her. But Maddie finds friends who share her interests, and even convinces her dad to let her volunteer in a real lab. I loved that dedication. The von Willebrand disease also made for an unusual story element. I don’t know enough about the disease to really say how accurate the portrayal was, but it certainly felt as though it was a part of the story without distracting from it or being the central focus of either Brooke or Maddie’s characters.

Though adults in Maddie’s life play a role in her drive toward resolution, Maddie herself has to take the action and make the choices that lead her to the end of the story. I loved how present her thoughts about her grandfather remain. It felt like a very realistic response to grief.

If you liked The Fourteenth Goldfish or Counting by 7s give this spunky, science-loving story a try.

Recommended Age 8 up.

Cultural Elements
Maddie and her sister both suffer from von Willebrand disease, which causes extended or excessive bleeding. I don’t remember race descriptions in particular, but I think all the characters are white middle class.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Maddie’s mom brings home a painting that shows a nearly naked lady (she’s draped in a scarf.) Maddie and her sister feel pretty grossed out, and they ask more than once for their mom to remove the painting from its place above the fireplace. Later, the family learns the identity of the subject of the painting and decide to quietly move it somewhere more private.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
This isn’t violence, but because of the von Willebrand, both Maddie and Brooke suffer from serious nosebleeds. At one point a boy hits his head in soccer practice and his nose also starts bleeding.

Drug Content
None.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Goblin Crown by Robert Hewitt Wolfe

The Goblin Crown
Robert Hewitt Wolfe
Turner Publishing
Available November 15, 2016

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

A strange force drags Billy, Lexi and Kurt to the land of goblins, where prophecy claims a goblin king will come in the hour of goblins’ greatest need. Hop, a timid soldier in the goblin army, knows there can be no greater hour of need than right now. The ruthless General Sawtooth plans to lead what remains of the goblin army into battle against a foe that cannot be defeated. He will only bring them death. So when the goblin crown pulses with the glow that announces the king’s arrival, Hop is determined to find him and see him crowned, even if he has to fight all of goblin-kind to do it.

I feel like I have a love-hate relationship with the “through the doorway into a magical world” kinds of stories. I’m always worried that they’ll come off cheesy or too predictable. And of course, it is a bit predictable in the same way that a romance novel is. I didn’t mind that, actually. Another thing I liked is that this story features a more diverse cast than I’ve seen in a book like this before. I loved having Hop’s point-of-view, too. He cracked me up. I loved that he constantly faces challenges that force him to overcome his natural tendency—running and hiding—in order to do the right thing, usually the last thing he feels like doing. The fact that he so often puts aside his fear and responds bravely made me really love that guy.

I liked Billy and Lexi, too. Even Kurt the football star shows surprising depth throughout the course of the story. I liked that Kurt doesn’t get pushed to the side totally and that he has some valuable input in helping his allies pursue victory.

Of course, there were some really funny moments where cultures clashed—modern day humans vs. goblins. I loved that. The only real complaint I had was the graphic nature of some of the battle scenes. I feel like the author wanted the goblins to read like these really brutal warriors with very different traditions, especially with regard to battle, than we have. And that definitely comes across clearly. But some of the descriptions (though brief) were more intense than I expected for a novel which otherwise reads like a middle grade story. See more detailed content information below.

Recommended Age 12 up. (Other than the violence, this reads to me like a middle grade story. Younger readers less sensitive to or less concerned about violent content may be interested in this book.

Cultural Elements
Billy is half African American and half Irish. He talks about how hard it has been to feel like an outsider everywhere, never really belonging to one group or another. Later he discovers a whole kingdom of humans who look like him. Lexi is Filipino. Kurt is white. Other major characters are goblins.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used very infrequently. (Just twice, I think.)

Romance/Sexual Content
It’s clear Billy has some feelings for Lexi, and that she possibly has feelings for him. This story doesn’t explore them.

Spiritual Content
A prophetess calling herself the Dark Lady emerges from the reclusive elves. She uses prophecy to stir up the goblins for war and leads them into battle. The goblins mostly worship the Night Goddess. Her Templars serve her and deal justice to the people. Hop doesn’t believe in any gods, only in himself. He briefly laments this because it means he remains without the comfort prayer could bring. Wizards use magic to attack and to heal, but at a personal cost to themselves. Wizards who perform too much magic go insane.

Violent Content
Battle violence. In an early scene, the winning army puts the Dark Lady’s head on a pike at the end of a brutal battle.  Later, one goblin is literally torn apart by others. His head is put on a pike, too. There are several scenes showing battles, one in which soldiers use light to incinerate their enemies. Wizards use magic to attack.

Drug Content
Hop drowns his sorrows in mushroom wine after a plan goes awry.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Save