Category Archives: By Genre

Review: The Griffin’s Egg by Cole Poindexter

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , ,
The Griffin's Egg by Cole Poindexter cover shows a forest scene with a large egg in the foreground. The stone-colored egg has dark veins running over it.

The Griffin’s Egg
Cole Poindexter
The Wild Rose Press
Published January 15, 2024

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About The Griffin’s Egg

Lost in a wild West Virginia forest, Phoebe Gray’s world is upended when she finds an irritable goblin named Gnish-Gnash. She’s stumbled into Lerch Hollow, a place of magic and mystery where trolls lurk in shadows and mermaids sway with the tide.

The young adventurer soon finds herself caught up in a race against time; the Dark Mistress Lucinda is on the hunt for the last Griffin’s egg, for its power will make her unstoppable. It is up to Phoebe to protect the egg while discovering the secrets of her own magical connection to the mysterious wizard Thatcher.

With Gnish at her side and her grandfather’s old cloak on her back, Phoebe must protect this enchanted world from destruction.

My Review

I liked the gentle pace of this story. Lots happens– Phoebe faces a sorceress who seems determined to steal and eat the Griffin’s egg and become all-powerful. The way the story is broken up, though, prevents it from building up a lot of tension. Phoebe faces lots of challenges, but most are resolved in some way in the same scene. The resolution leads to the next problem for her to deal with. That pace makes this a good pick for a sensitive reader who might stress over longer-term conflicts.

The characters also don’t hold grudges or have really complex reactions to each other. For example, when a character who first worked against Phoebe decides to help her instead, Phoebe welcomes them to her team. She might have a brief moment where she considers that they tried to hurt her or lied to her when they were on opposing sides of the conflict, but she pretty quickly rationalizes that they should work together and get along now that they want the same thing.

THE GRIFFIN’S EGG is a portal fantasy in which Phoebe goes through a magic portal to a fantasy world, leaving the forest of West Virginia behind. She only spends a little time at the beginning and end of the book in the real world. I couldn’t tell if her real-world experience was supposed to take place in the world we live in or if there was a reimagined history. Her grandfather, who was born in the late 1950s, had served in a war that he didn’t want to talk about. The book never specifies what conflict it was.

All in all, I thought this was a fun, sweet story that would be great for younger middle grade readers interested in fantasy stories.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 10.

Representation
Most of the characters are mythical creatures.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Contains mythical creatures, such as goblins, trolls, and griffins. Some characters have the ability to perform magic.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Brief battle sequences– nothing gory.

Drug Content
None.

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

Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays

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

Review: Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation written by Anne Frank, adapted by Ari Folman, and illustrations by David Polonsky

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Anne Frank’s Diary
Anne Frank
Adapted by Ari Folman
Illustrations by David Polonsky
Pantheon Books
Published October 2, 2018

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About Anne Frank’s Diary

A timeless story rediscovered by each new generation, The Diary of a Young Girl stands without peer. For both young readers and adults it continues to capture the remarkable spirit of Anne Frank, who for a time survived the worst horror the modern world has seen—and who remained triumphantly and heartbreakingly human throughout her ordeal.

Adapted by Ari Folman, illustrated by David Polonsky, and authorized by the Anne Frank Foundation in Basel, this is the first graphic edition of The Diary and includes extensive quotation directly from the definitive edition. It remains faithful to the original, while the stunning illustrations interpret and add layers of visual meaning and immediacy to this classic work of Holocaust literature.

My Review

I read THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL for the first time this year. I’d read a play based on the diary and seen it performed while I was in school, but I hadn’t read the original text for myself until now.

One of the reasons I did is because of this graphic adaptation. (Note: the term graphic adaptation simply means it’s told in a series of images in panels, much like a comic strip, but the content is nonfiction, so it’s not a graphic novel.)

Anne Frank’s Diary Banned

ANNE FRANK’S DIARY was banned in at least one high school library in a county near me early in 2023. I read about the content that a parent objected to, but didn’t really have a grid for it since I’d never read the graphic adaptation being pulled or the original diary.

The content the parent objected to is on a two-page spread. There are three images showing Anne and her friend Jacque having a sleepover. Anne asks Jacque if they can show one another their breasts, and Jacque says no. Ann laments that she wanted very much to kiss her friend. The next page shows Anne walking through a garden of vaguely sketched nude statues with a caption that she feels ecstasy at the sight of a female body.

The content is brief and pretty vague, and Jacque even rebuffs Anne. These scenes come directly from Frank’s diary entries.

Anne Frank’s Diary: The Only Graphic Adaptation Authorized by the Anne Frank Foundation

Having read both these books so closely together, I think the graphic adaptation is faithful to the original text and the spirit of it. There were diary entries that I recognized in the graphic adaptation. Sometimes multiple scenes were combined to show one scene. Some of the illustrations show a scene at a dinner Anne describes. At other times, they present a more metaphorical interpretation of what happened. I found that I really enjoyed that combination and the way it illuminated some of the things Anne describes.

Still the Same Sparky, Brilliant Young Girl

The things that stood out to me so much in this book as with the diary itself were how young Anne is. At times, her temper and her emotions get the better of her, as they do with any of us. At other times, she writes with so much humor and depth that it’s hard to remember she was barely a teenager herself.

The man who adapted the book points out in a note at the back of the book that a famous historian once said, “more people are probably familiar with the Nazi era through the figure of Anne Frank than through any other figure of that period, except perhaps of Adolf Hitler himself.”

I had to let that sink in. And I had to think about the fact that we are now telling some high school students they can’t read this book. Or MAUS, the duology written by Art Spiegelman about his father’s life as a survivor of the Holocaust.

It’s very weird to me that there are places in which you can legally drive a car and get a job but not have access to these books at your school.

Conclusion

I’m so glad I read ANNE FRANK’S DIARY: THE GRAPHIC ADAPTATION and the original, DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL by Anne Frank. The story they tell is a pretty simple one. It’s about a girl who keeps a diary, pretending to write letters to a friend as her family faces prejudice, adversity, and ultimately, their own murders.

I really enjoyed the way the illustrations celebrated Anne’s humor and her wit. And I deeply appreciate that they show the vast range of feelings she describes in her diary. I loved the book, and I would like to check out the movie directed by the adapter of the book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 up.

Representation
Anne, her family, and the others hiding in the Secret Annex are Jewish.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Anne reports she once asked a female friend if she could see her breasts and wanted to kiss her. She says she feels “ecstasy” when seeing female bodies. She mentions speaking openly with Peter about the bodies of men and women. Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
Anne’s family celebrates Hanukkah and St. Nicholas Day together.

Violent Content
Anne hears rumors of citizens being executed. She hears rumors about people taken to concentration camps and killed there. Anne worries about friends from school and others her family knew. She sometimes has a dream of them asking her for help.

Drug Content
Anne takes Valerian drops to combat feelings of anxiety and panic during her time in hiding.

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

Anne Frank’s Diary: The Graphic Adaptation is a beautifully illustrated adaptation of the original diary telling about Anne’s years in hiding in Nazi-occupied Holland.

Review: The Cursed Rose by Leslie Vedder

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The Cursed Rose (The Bone Spindle #3)
Leslie Vedder
Razorbill
Published February 6, 2024

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About The Cursed Rose

The fate of a cursed kingdom rests on ancient secrets, broken promises, and fierce friendships in this gasp-worthy final book of the bestselling twisted fairytale Bone Spindle series.

Not all curses should be broken. Not all fairytales end happily ever after.

Fi is a prisoner. Briar, a monster.
Shane’s a warrior. And Red is a traitor.

What was once a formidable group of four fighting to reawaken the kingdom is now ruptured, torn apart by the wicked Spindle Witch.

Confined to a tower with the monstrous Briar Rose, Fi is caught in the Spindle Witch’s ever-tightening web. With the Spindle Witch on the verge of finding the Siphoning Spells and crushing Andar—with Fi’s help, no less—Fi’s only hope lies in decoding the ancient riddle of the Rose Witches before she loses Briar forever.

Shane is desperate to save Andar—and her partner. She’s on the hunt for a weapon left by the mysterious Lord of the Butterflies, which holds the key to the Spindle Witch’s demise. Her love for Red has only fortified. But Red’s betrayal puts her in danger from a new enemy—the Spindle Witch’s executioner, the Wraith, a witch as powerful as he is cruel.

The future of Andar lies in the secrets of its past. Fi and Shane must take on the greatest lost ruin of them all—the Tomb of Queen Aurora.

Filled with vicious bone monsters, new alliances, and surprises at every turn, prepare to be swept away by this taut, clever, and heart-filled series conclusion.

My Review

This is one of the books I’ve been most anticipating for this year. The first book in the series was my favorite in 2022, so I’ve been a fan since page one.

The story began as a gender-flipped Sleeping Beauty reimagining, but it’s so much more than that. Not only are there other fairy tales woven in (Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel), but the whole magic system and story world is deeply interesting and original.

The magic system– some characters are witches, born with an innate affinity for a certain kind of magic. A witch might be able to speak to animals or walk in dreams. They’re limited to the specific kind of magic they have, and the witches with the most powerful magic can become Great Witches, which gives them some leadership responsibilities and means they give up their names and are known only by their titles, such as the Dream Witch or the Paper Witch. I thought that whole setup was really cool.

Additionally… I love the characters. This book mostly follows the point of view of three female characters: Fi, Shane, and Red. Fi and Shane have been treasure-hunting partners since the first book, and Shane and Red have a complicated history. They began as enemies but are now on the same team. Before they can face their feelings for one another, Red needs to process her guilt over the things she did as an agent of the Spindle Witch.

Because Briar has become a monstrous version of himself, there aren’t a lot of scenes that show what he thinks and feels. He’s slowly turning into this terrifying bone creature, and Fi isn’t sure she can save him, but she won’t give up trying.

Conclusion

The Bone Spindle series is like a gender-flipped Indiana Jones and Sleeping Beauty mashup. If you like stories about treasure hunters, witches, and magic, definitely check out the series, starting with THE BONE SPINDLE.

I read almost the whole book in a single sitting one evening and then finished reading it first thing the following morning. I loved getting to visit this fantasy world and following Shane, Red, Briar, and Fi all the way to the final pages of their tale. Now I can’t wait to see what Leslie Vedder writes next!

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Red and Shane have romantic feelings for one another.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Mild profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two girls. Kissing between boy and girl. Two (minor characters) boys were once in a romantic relationship with each other.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. One witch has the ability to possess others who are sleeping. Another can walk in their dreams. A different witch can bring back the dead.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Some battle scenes. The Spindle Witch uses golden thread to torture prisoners in her custody. A girl reads a dark fairy tale about a child locked in a tower. The story resembles Rapunzel, and the reader can’t help thinking about the cruelty of isolating someone like that and the trauma that would cause.

Drug Content
None.

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

Review: The Summer Queen by Rochelle Hassan

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The Summer Queen (The Buried and the Bound #2)
Rochelle Hassan
Roaring Brook Press
Published January 23, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Summer Queen

This captivating sequel to THE BURIED AND THE BOUND draws readers into the twisted and irresistible world of the Fair Folk—perfect for fans of THE CRUEL PRINCE and THE HAZEL WOOD.

As a new coven, Aziza, Leo, and Tristan faced evil and triumphed. All that’s left is to put their lives back together, a process complicated by the fallout from painful secrets, the emotional and physical scars they now carry, and the mysteries that still haunt them.

But with the approach of the solstice comes the arrival of strange new visitors to Blackthorn: the Summer Court, a nomadic community of Fair Folk from deep in Elphame. They’ve journeyed to the border between the human world and fairyland, far from their usual caravan route, to take back something that belongs to them—something Leo’s not willing to lose.

Refusing to give up without a fight, he makes a risky deal with the Summer Court’s princess and regent. The challenge she proposes sends Coven Blackthorn into the farthest, wildest reaches of Elphame.

But when you play games with the Fair Folk, even winning has a cost.

My Review

I fell in love with Rochelle Hassan’s middle grade debut and devoured THE BURIED AND THE BOUND, so it was never a question as to whether I was going to read THE SUMMER QUEEN. I love the magic-alongside-our-world in this series. The characters are so great! It only took me a couple of days to read this book, and I thought about it so much between my reading sessions. I’ve already gone back and reread some of my favorite passages.

Like the first book in the series, THE SUMMER QUEEN follows the points of view of Aziza, Leo, and Tristan. They’re an interesting trio who joined forces in the first book to defeat a powerful hag who had killed Aziza’s parents. All three characters have super distinct personalities and voices, so I never doubted whose perspective I was reading.

The book is packed with adventure and high stakes. Leo joins the Wild Hunt without really understanding what he’s doing, only knowing if he wins the hunt, he can rescue his sister. Of course, joining means that he, as a human, is taking on a powerful, experienced foe from among the Fair Folk. Pretty intense.

There’s also some star-crossed love happening. Leo has been cursed to forget his true love, and he can’t stop trying to find this person… and can’t tell when he’s standing face to face with them. I couldn’t help hoping that a breakthrough was coming with every new chapter of the book.

All in all, this sequel more than lived up to my expectations. If you like THE LUMINARIES by Susan Dennard or Julie Kagawa’s Iron Fey series, definitely add this trilogy to your list. (And start with book one, THE BURIED AND THE BOUND.)

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Aziza is Pakistani American. Tristan is gay. Leo has been in a romantic relationship with a boy before.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between two boys. References to sex.

In one scene, Leo discovers that one of the Fairies assaults the servants. He doesn’t witness anything, but overhears a conversation and sees bruises on someone afterward.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have the ability to perform magic. The story contains fairies and magical creatures, such as pookas, nymphs, and others. Two characters are necromancers and have the ability to summon spirits of the dead and control shadow creatures.

Violent Content
Situations of peril.

Drug Content
The fairies try to convince Leo and his allies to drink Lily wine (which makes them very vulnerable to suggestion) or fairy food, which can also enchant them in some way. Aziza remembers a night spent celebrating with her friends with vodka and beer.

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

Review: Maybe It’s a Sign by E. L. Shen

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Maybe It’s a Sign
E. L. Shen
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Published January 23, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Maybe It’s a Sign

An uplifting middle-grade novel about loss, luck . . . and deep-dish chocolate chip cookies―perfect for fans of King and the Dragonflies and The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise.

Seventh-grader Freya June Sun has always believed in the Chinese superstitions spoon-fed to her since birth. Ever since her dad’s death a year ago, she’s become obsessed with them, and believes that her father is sending her messages from beyond. Like how, on her way to an orchestra concert where she’s dreading her viola solo, a pair of lucky red birds appear―a sure indication that Dad wants Freya to stick with the instrument and make him proud.

Then Freya is partnered with Gus Choi, a goofy and super annoying classmate, for a home economics project. To her surprise, as they experiment with recipes and get to know each other, Freya finds that she may love baking more than music. It could be time for a big change in her life, even though her dad hasn’t sent a single sign. But with the help of her family, Gus (who might not be so annoying after all), and two maybe-magical birds, Freya learns that to be her own person, she might just have to make her own luck.

In MAYBE IT’S A SIGN, E. L. Shen cooks up a deliciously voicey, comforting family story sweetened with a dollop of first romance, a dash of whimsy, and heaps of heart.

My Review

There’s something really special about a book that gently invites readers into the landscape of grief. Some of the moments in the book are so heartbreaking. Freya’s longing for her dad, her struggle to make sense of the world without him, and to find signs from him around her to keep him close felt so real.

I loved the way she discovered her unexpected love for food and cooking and how that helped her reframe some of the memories about her family and even forge new connections with family and friends. I also liked that between the lines of the book, it was easy to see Freya’s mom and sister wrestling with their own grief in their own ways. The author really nailed those kinds of moments in the book, where Freya doesn’t pick up on someone else’s feelings, but there are enough clues for the reader to figure it out.

On the whole, I really liked this book. I loved the role of music, food, and family in the book, and the relationships between the characters. I think fans of Gillian McDunn and Kate Messner will love this book.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Freya and her family are Chinese American. Her friend Gus is Korean American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A boy kisses a girl on the cheek. Some references to crushes and dating.

Spiritual Content
Freya’s dad taught her about different Chinese superstitions and luck, like not wearing white in your hair and red or pairs being lucky.

Violent Content
Freya remembers the story of her father’s death. He collapsed at work and died of a heart attack eight months before the story begins. Freya has a panic attack when something triggers her memory of her dad’s death.

Drug Content
None.

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

Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays

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

Review: Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston

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Shark Teeth
Sherri Winston
Bloomsbury USA Children’s
Published January 16, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Shark Teeth

From National Book Award longlisted author Sherri Winston comes an important middle grade novel about a girl’s tumultuous journey to keep her family together, even when she’s falling apart.

Sharkita “Kita” Hayes is always waiting.
Waiting for her mama to mess up.
Waiting for social services to be called again.
Waiting for her and her siblings to be separated.
Waiting for her worst fear to come true.

But Mama promises things are different now. She’s got a good job, she’s stopped drinking, stopped going out every night-it’s almost enough to make Kita believe her this time. But even as Kita’s life is going good, she can’t shake the feeling that everything could go up in flames at any moment. When her assistant principal and trusted dance coach starts asking questions about her home life, Kita is more determined than ever to keep up appearances and make sure her family stays together-even if it means falling apart herself.

As the threat of her family being separated again circles like a shark in the water, the pressure starts to get to Kita. But could it be that Kita’s worst fear is actually the best thing that could happen to her family . . . and to her?

My Review

Writing about kids in foster care is such an important thing and such a complex thing to do. Here, I felt like the author tackled these topics with care and gentleness without romanticizing or glossing over the messiness and trauma these experiences bring with them.

As I read each scene relating Kita’s life at home, it was so easy to feel the pressure her mom placed on her and the weight of her siblings’ needs. She seemed caught in the middle in so many ways.

I love that the book shows how her involvement in a baton twirling group provided a safe place for her to be a kid and to forge her own supportive community around her. I remember having friends with painful or complicated lives at home who had similar experiences with school programs. I loved seeing that celebrated in this book.

There were a couple of moments in which the story dealt with Kita’s anxiety that I wished had progressed more slowly. For the most part, I think the author described Kita’s experiences with anxiety, panic attacks, and sleep paralysis really well. I pieced some things together from the symptoms she described, but there were a couple of points when it felt like the story rushed through Kita processing new information about what she experienced.

So much of the story pulled me straight into Kita’s mind and heart, though. I felt her protectiveness toward her younger siblings. Kita’s desperation for her mom’s love and approval, combined with her frustration and anger toward her, made so much sense. I rooted for Kita from the first page to the last.

All in all, SHARK TEETH is a book I’d easily recommend. It’s an incredibly moving story with unforgettable characters.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Kita and her family are Black, as are some of the other minor characters.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
A boy kisses Kita on the cheek. She wonders about what it’d be like to have a boyfriend.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Kita’s mom says cutting things to her sometimes. Kita gets injured while trying to take care of her younger siblings. Her brother pushes her and accidentally hits her in the nose with his head. A child starts a fire.

Drug Content
Kita and her siblings worry that her mother, who is an alcoholic, will start drinking alcohol again. In one scene, Kita sees her mom drinking alcoholic drinks with her friends. In another, her mom is hung over and trying to hide it.

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