Category Archives: Fantasy

Review: The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Green

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The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Green

The Wild Robot Protects (The Wild Robot #3)
Peter Green
Little, Brown BFYR
Published September 26, 2023

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About The Wild Robot Protects

Life for Roz and the animals on their island is wild, natural, harmonious. Her son Brightbill has even found a mate! But then, one day an injured seal washes ashore and warns of dangerous, cloudy waters that are flowing toward the island—and soon the animals are forced inland to fight over dwindling resources.

Roz calms and organizes the animals, but the poison tide takes a terrible toll on the island. And when the robot discovers that her new body is waterproof, she marches into the waves and sets out across the ocean, determined to stop the poison tide.

During her undersea journey, Roz encounters amazing geological formations and incredible creatures, and she sees the devastation caused by the toxic waters. Creatures she meets along the way direct her to a mysterious character known as the Ancient Shark, who explains that the poison tide is caused by a huge station that floats on the waves; a station operated by humans and by robots. To stop them, the Ancient Shark is prepared to attack with an army of sea creatures. However, Roz hopes to find a peaceful solution, instead. Can the wild robot save the ocean and her island and everything she loves?

My Review

This is the first middle grade series that my littlest and I enjoyed together. We had so much fun reading about Roz and her friends and everything she does to protect them and learn about the world. This story focuses on a threat to the environment and the animals on Roz’s island home. She sets out to find the source of the threat and stop it somehow. Her journey takes her across vast oceans where she meets other creatures and eventually learns what endangers her friends.

Like the other books in the series, this one contains short chapters (there are 80 in the whole 288-page book) with illustrations sprinkled throughout the text. My daughter loved getting to see Brightbill and his mate form a new family and for Roz to become a grandmother.

The whole story is really sweet. It reminds me a little bit of Charlotte’s Web in that it doesn’t shy away from the natural order. Some characters die, but their deaths are minimally discussed. It felt very age-appropriate to me, and she seemed to have no issues understanding what was happening or worrying more than an appropriate amount over something that happened.

Readers triggered by death, especially death of an animal should tread carefully, but I think that overall, those are handled really well within the context of the story.

Green also briefly explores the relationship between humans and machines and humans and the environment. While that’s a big, heavy topic, the story stays hopeful and leaves readers with an overall positive view of humanity.

I love this series. The short chapters make it an easy read-aloud or a great book for readers transitioning from chapter books to longer middle grade novels.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Roz’s son Brightbill (a goose) finds a mate and eventually has goslings.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. References to death and harm to animals from the toxins in the water. For example, early in the book, a seal washes up on the shore of the island with swollen eyes and a bloody nose after exposure to the tide. The seal later goes back into the water and drifts away. The narrative doesn’t specifically say the seal perishes.

A fire breaks out on a human base, threatening the lives of the workers and destroying some of the robots there.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

MMGM Review: Free Piano (Not Haunted) by Whitney Gardner

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Free Piano (Not Haunted)
Whitney Gardner
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published July 1, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Free Piano (Not Haunted)

From beloved graphic novelist Whitney Gardner comes a big-hearted, touching, and spooky coming-of-age story about a young aspiring songwriter who forms a ghostly partnership with the pop star who haunts her secondhand piano.

The piano is free, but fame has a price.

On the sleepy streets of Cascade Cove, lonely Margot knows that when she stumbles across a discarded synthesizer with a “not haunted” sign, she’s discovered the key to realizing her dreams. Determined to become a real songwriter and earn her absent father’s admiration, Margot dives headfirst into trying to gain followers and fans online. But her musical journey takes an unexpected turn when she realizes the (not haunted) piano is very much…haunted.

Enter Vision, teen pop sensation of 1979 whose untimely demise left her spirit intertwined with the keys of her synthesizer. Though Margot and Vision couldn’t be more different, the girls form an unlikely bond fueled by their shared passion for music.

But as Margot’s obsession with fame and recognition grows, she may come dangerously close to losing what she loves about music…and herself.

My Review

I didn’t realize right away that the author of Free Piano also wrote the young adult novel, Chaotic Good, which I really enjoyed. Once I figured that out, I was eager to see how she handled a story for a younger age group and in a different medium, since this is a graphic novel.

I loved Margot’s friends, who have a social media channel called Sons of Smash. They are goofy kids with inside jokes who remind me SO MUCH of some of the guys I was friends with around that age. So their antics cracked me up quite a bit.

I also loved that the ghost-inside-the-keyboard wasn’t what I expected. I pegged the book as a sort of musical inspiration story where the ghost helps her compose a breakout hit, but one that’s true to herself. The idea of whether Margot should write a song suited to what she thinks other people want versus finding her own style and voice does come up in the story. We do get the positive messages about how chasing likes or views on social media only leaves us feeling worse, but doing what we love lifts our mood.

Margot also wrestles with her relationships with her parents in some believable ways. Her mom, whom she lives with, isn’t as available as Margot wants, and she takes out her frustration over her absent dad on her mom sometimes. Her relationship with her dad is much like her relationship with social media. She feels like in order to get her dad’s attention, she has to be something different than she is, so she tries really hard. I loved watching her figure out what she wanted and how to change her own behavior to better achieve the goals that matter to her.

All in all, what a fun summer read. I love the light-hearted approach to talking about social media and divorced parents that still offers wisdom and celebrates music.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Margot encounters a ghost in her piano. Her friend’s aunt offers advice on using stones, herbs, and salt to “cleanse” the item, possibly getting rid of the ghost.

Violent Content
Margot’s two friends have a social media channel where they post videos of them smashing things. They only smash things they have permission to destroy.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library. All opinions are my own.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs with posts about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle.

Review: Soulmatch by Rebecca Danzenbaker

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Soulmatch
Rebecca Danzenbaker
Publisher
Published July 29, 2025

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About Soulmatch

Two-hundred years after World War III, the world is at peace, all thanks to the soul-identification system. Every 18-year-old must report to the government to learn about their past lives, a terrifying process known as kirling. Good souls leave the institute with their inheritance, a career path, and if they’re lucky, a soulmate. Bad souls leave in handcuffs.

It’s a nerve-wracking ordeal for Sivon, who, given her uncanny ability to win every chess match, already suspects her soul isn’t normal. Turns out, she was right to worry. Sivon’s results stun not only her, but the entire world, making her the object of public scrutiny and anonymous threats.

Saddled with an infuriating and off-limits bodyguard, Sivon is thrust into a high-stakes game where souls are pawns and rules don’t exist. As deaths mount, Sivon must decipher friend from foe while protecting her heart against impossible odds. One wrong move could destroy the future lives of everyone Sivon loves, and she can’t let that happen, even if they’ll never love her back.

My Review

It’s been a while since I read a fast-paced dystopian young adult book, so this one really scratched that itch for me. It reminded me a little bit of The Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld or Matched by Ally Condie in that the society cares a lot about appearances and plays a large part in determining the role people are meant to play.

I liked Sivon’s character from the beginning, though I wish we had gotten to see more of her chess prowess in action. The fact that she’s really great at chess comes up now and then, but it obviously isn’t something that she thinks of as defining her.

Later on in the book, though, she uses her ability to think about logical outcomes to unravel some of the lies she’s been told. I love that idea, but I wanted to see more of that process on paper. Instead, she puts her head down and we wait while she thinks before we enjoy her “aha” moment. Being shut out of her mentally connecting those dots wasn’t as satisfying as seeing that thought process play out, especially if it had been connected to her understanding of chess more directly.

One thing that I thought was very nicely crafted is the romance element of the story. It develops over time, and the obstacles and miscommunications feel pretty realistic. A bit of the descriptions of the two finally together got a little cheesy, but I think considering the whole soulmate aspect of the book, it worked.

When I started reading this book, I was really nervous about how long it would take me to finish it. I tend to struggle with longer books, and this one is almost 500 pages. It’s a pretty big testament to how compulsively readable the book is that I finished it in just over 36 hours.

Conclusion

Even though this is dystopian rather than fantasy, I could see Stephanie Garber fans really liking this one. I think fans of Chloe Gong will also like the political intrigue aspects of the book. The cover is also gorgeous, so I suspect that will draw a lot of attention, too!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used intermittently.

Romance/Sexual Content
The kirling process also identifies soulmates, which may or may not be romantic pairings. For example, Sivon’s identical twin best friends are soulmates. Some scenes show kissing between characters. One scene begins with kissing and the scene ends, hinting the characters will go further.

Spiritual Content
Souls are reincarnated into new bodies. The kirling system identifies a soul and connects the current life to the soul’s past lives. If one committed a crime in a past life and didn’t serve out a sentence for it or pay a fine, they will have to do so in their next life.

Violent Content
Repeated mentions of suicide. Every time one soul is reincarnated, they die by suicide. This is not shown on scene, but referenced a number of times. References to child abuse (not shown on scene). Situations of peril and assassination attempts. Reference to murder and death.

Drug Content
Social drinking.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

MMGM Review: The Space Cat by Nnedi Okorafor and Tana Ford

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The Space Cat
Nnedi Okorafor and Tana Ford
First Second
Published August 12, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Space Cat

Invaders from outer space have descended on Nigeria. They have no idea whose home they’re messing with.

Ah, yes, the luxurious life of a well-loved cat. It’s the best. And Periwinkle has it the cushiest. But there’s more to this pampered pet than meets the eye. He’s not just a house cat. He’s a space cat. By day, he’s showered with scritches, cuddles, and delicious chicken fillets. By night, he races through the cosmos in his custom-built spaceship.

Between epic battles with squeaky toys and working on ways to improve his ship, Periwinkle is never bored. And when his humans decide to leave the United States and move to the small but bustling town of Kaleria, Nigeria, he’s excited to explore his new home—even after he learns that many Nigerians hate cats. After all, a born adventurer like Periwinkle doesn’t shy away from new experiences. But not everything in Kaleria is as it seems. Soon enough, Periwinkle finds himself on his most out-of-this-world adventure yet, right here on Earth.

My Review

This funny graphic novel reads like a love letter to a cherished pet. The human characters, Nnedi and her daughter, don’t know their clever Periwinkle came from space and sneaks out in her spaceship to race another space cat at night. But they love her anyway.

The whole story is narrated by Periwinkle. She’s a smart, curious cat who takes readers on a fun adventure from her comfy apartment, to outer space, to Nigeria. I love her secret lair in the closet where she builds her spaceship.

The plot is evenly paced, with never a dull moment. And the engaging illustrations add to the humor of the story.

Certainly cat-fans will want to check this one out, but I think Space Cat will have broad appeal. It’s a fun, international (and intergalactic) adventure!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Mentions of prejudice against cats and owls in Nigeria. The cat sees a group of people threatening to kill an owl.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs with posts about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle.

Review: An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic by Sarah J. Mendonca

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An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic
Sarah J. Mendonca
Quill Tree Books
Published July 8, 2025

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About An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic

Encanto meets Oceans 8 in this middle-grade fantasy-adventure, set in a Portuguese-inspired world, following a tween girl who joins a notorious band of thieves to steal a priceless jewel and discovers corruption that must be stopped.

Rosa Coelho has spent her whole life hunting monstros, wandering the city streets with her best friend Tiago, and dreaming of a better life for herself and her grandmother. And in a society that favors the rich and educated, every piece of knowledge comes with a hefty price, even the most basic books Rosa’s family needs to trap monstros.

So when the powerful Ministério dos Monstros threatens her family’s struggling Encantadora shop, Rosa only has two weeks to scrape together the money for their debts. It seems like an impossible task… until Rosa tricks her way onto an infamous thief crew as their magical safecracker.

Thrust into the world of high class luxury and betrayal, Rosa is pulled into a scheme with the highest possible stakes: stealing from the Ministry itself. She must learn to trust her magical abilities and her crew—for if the heist goes wrong, everything she loves is forfeit.

My Review

This was such an easy book to read. I loved the cast of characters. The whole story is told from Rosa’s point of view, but she gets close to several others while on her mission with the thief crew. I liked that the crew members all had different personalities and secrets that made them assets and liabilities. As Rosa struggled to get to know the team and form friendships, oh, I just wanted to hug her! Her clumsy attempts made me cringe or laugh out loud. Her strong heart kept me believing she’d figure it out in the end, though.

Plot-wise, the story keeps a steady pace. The chapters are a nice length. They’re long enough that we get to dive into a scene or problem and short enough that they don’t overwhelm. I found myself leaping from one chapter to another, reading past my bedtime, because I was sure I could fit one more chapter in before it got too late.

Rosa has an interesting approach to her relationships with others. I’m not sure if there’s some neurodivergence at play, or if she’s meant to read as sheltered and inexperienced. The narrative doesn’t specify. At any rate, anyone who has struggled to form new friendships, especially in the middle-grade years, will likely empathize with Rosa.

An Encantadora’s Guide to Monstros and Magic is the first book that I’ve read with some Portuguese words in it since I started learning a little bit of the language. It was cool to recognize some words as I read, though the author offers context or translation within the narrative, so even if you were unfamiliar, you wouldn’t be lost.

Conclusion

The story offers a satisfying ending to the heist, but raises plenty of new questions for a follow-up book. It looks like a sequel is expected next year, which I’m excited about.

If you liked Monsters and Marvels by Alysa Wishingrad, you’ll want to read this monster-chasing adventure.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. Other characters use charms and chains that have special powers. Magical creatures like fire slugs (they burn whatever they touch) exist in the story.

Violent Content
Situations of peril.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: If I Have to Be Haunted by Miranda Sun

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If I Have to Be Haunted
Miranda Sun
HarperCollins
Published September 26, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About If I Have to Be Haunted

Cemetery Boys meets Legendborn in this thrillingly romantic, irresistibly fun YA contemporary fantasy debut following a teenage Chinese American ghost speaker who (reluctantly) makes a deal to raise her nemesis from the dead.

Cara Tang doesn’t want to be haunted.

Look, the dead have issues, and Cara has enough of her own. Her overbearing mother insists she be the “perfect” Chinese American daughter—which means suppressing her ghost-speaking powers—and she keeps getting into fights with Zacharias Coleson, the local golden boy whose smirk makes her want to set things on fire.

Then she stumbles across Zach’s dead body in the woods. He’s even more infuriating as a ghost, but Cara’s the only one who can see him—and save him.

Agreeing to resurrect him puts her at odds with her mother, draws her into a dangerous liminal world of monsters and magic—and worse, leaves her stuck with Zach. Yet as she and Zach grow closer, forced to depend on each other to survive, Cara finds the most terrifying thing is that she might not hate him so much after all.

Maybe this is why her mother warned her about ghosts.

Delightful and compulsively readable, this contemporary fantasy has something for every reader: a snarky voice, a magnetic enemies-to-lovers romance, and a spirited adventure through a magical, unpredictable world hidden within our own.

My Review

I can see why this book is compared to Cemetery Boys. Both have ghosts who need the main character’s help. In both stories, the main character’s family doesn’t support them engaging in their supernatural gifts, though for different reasons. Both feature an enemies-to-lovers romance as a secondary plot.

I liked a lot of things about the story. At one point, Zach and Cara meet Brittany, who helps them navigate the liminal space. I loved her. She gave Cara another person to bounce thoughts and questions off of and someone to call it out when she was not being honest with herself.

In some scenes, I wished there were more setting details. The liminal space was so strange that I had difficulty picturing what was happening at a few points. Despite that, I liked the strangeness of that landscape and how it challenged Cara and Zach’s perceptions of each other.

At the beginning of the story, I really didn’t like Zach as a character. He’s rude, entitled, and kind of a bully. Through the journey he and Cara take together, the story shows how alone Zach is and how his family doesn’t seem to care about him. But I didn’t feel like it addressed the bullying and entitlement. I liked the person that Zach became, though.

A lot of things about the story made me feel like it was meant more for a younger YA audience, such as the descriptions of Cara’s friendships with the girls in her class and her rivalry with Zach. A few things made it seem more appropriate for upper YA, like some of the scarier situations they faced and the kids drinking alcohol at a party near the end.

The writing style reminds me a little bit of Katie Zhao’s books. So readers who enjoyed Dragon Warriors, her middle grade series, and are ready for YA books will probably like this one. Unlike Zhao’s books, the lore in If I Have to Be Haunted isn’t particularly based on Chinese folklore or mythology, but the tenor of the writing reminded me of her books.

Content Notes for If I Have to Be Haunted

Recommended for Ages 13 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Some profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two characters. Someone asks if they’ve had sex.

Spiritual Content
Like her grandmother and a few others, Cara can see and speak to ghosts. She journeys with allies to a liminal space, a place between worlds, where she encounters other monsters and spiritual beings.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. References to cannibalism. A snake bites someone. Characters battle ghosts and monsters.

Drug Content
Zach tells a story about how he and a friend tried to sneak into his parent’s liquor cabinet when they were younger. High school students gather at a party where some teens drink alcohol.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.