Tag Archives: conservation

Review: Roar by Varsha Bajaj

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Roar by Varsha Bajaj

Roar
Varsha Bajaj
Nancy Paulsen Books
Published May 12, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Roar

The New York Times bestselling author of Thirst brings listeners the gripping story of a boy whose eye-opening trip to a tiger sanctuary ignites his desire to join those who are roaring to protect the animals

Rohan loves animals—especially tigers—so he’s beyond thrilled when he gets to fly to India and stay near the tiger sanctuary where his grandfather works. At last, a chance to observe tigers in real life—especially Arya and her twin cubs—and when Ro finally sees them, the experience is even more breathtaking than he’d imagined.

When signs of poachers are discovered, he’s distraught, and unfortunately that’s not the only threat the tigers face—protesters have assembled to support a mining company that would encroach upon the tigers’ space. Rohan knows there are always two sides to an argument, and the mines might provide jobs, but it’s clear to him that he must be on the tigers’ side.

Then a horrible crime occurs, filling him with determination to do all he can to make sure people know how important it is to protect the tigers.

My Review

This book does a lot of things really well. I love that it introduces readers to an animal sanctuary. It offers a lot of information about tigers, including some things about baby tigers and how they grow.

For the most part, the book’s tone is very lighthearted. The main characters, and especially the younger characters, are positive and supportive of one another. This doesn’t mean the book avoids difficult topics. Rohan learns hard truths about the presence of poachers and the harm that poaching does to wildlife, including tigers.

The story alternates between Rohan and Arya’s perspectives, though most of the story is told from Rohan’s perspective. There’s one scene from another character’s point of view, too. Most of the story takes place in India, though the beginning and ending take place in Texas, where Rohan’s family lives.

The chapters are very short, and the overall story is under 200 pages, which makes this a great book for reluctant readers. It’s nicely paced and makes for a quick read.

Fans of Rosanne Parry’s books will enjoy the focus on nature here. The story will also resonate with readers who enjoyed Hafsa’s Way by Aisha Saeed.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
References to prayers from leaders of several different faiths as part of a public funeral ceremony.

Violent Content
References to poaching and traps that hurt animals. An animal dies on scene. Another animal injures a human.

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: Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp by Rachel M. Marsh

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Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp
Rachel M. Marsh
Greenwillow Books
Published March 24, 2026

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp

Ferris meets Ghosts of Tupelo Landing in this cozy ghost story about family, environmental activism, food, and friendship.

Basil Theriot has spent her entire life in New Orleans—in her family’s famed Cajun restaurant in the French Quarter, really—but she’s never been out to the bayou where her grandfather grew up. She’s also never seen a ghost, even though dozens of ghost tours pass by the restaurant every day and her best friend Tommy is determined to be a ghost hunter.

But then Grandpere’s ghost appears. And he has a mission for her.

Basil wouldn’t mind being haunted if Grandpere could be helpful and share his secret recipe that might save the restaurant. But instead, he’s intent on connecting Basil with her Cajun heritage. He sends her out to the bayou to meet his an airboat captain, a shrimper, and a scientist rebuilding Louisiana’s fast-disappearing coastline.

For fans of Gracie Under the Waves and A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall, Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp has a little bit of a pinch of spookiness, a dash of environmental activism, and a heaping of family.

My Review

This is definitely one of those books where the disparate threads all come together nicely in the end. In a way, it reminded me of Once For Yes by Allie Millington. I adored the Louisiana setting. Some of the characters made me think of my partner’s family members, who are from Louisiana. His family is also Cajun, so that was a fun connection to the story as well.

It was interesting to read a book in which the main character is surrounded by people who love food and cooking, yet she has strong negative feelings about them. Basil’s perspective about the family restaurant makes a lot of sense, and it makes sense that she would have such strong conflicted feelings about her future, since she feels the family needs her to be as invested in the restaurant as they are.

I like how her relationship with her grandfather’s ghost propels the story in unexpected ways. While Grandpere clearly has something important to resolve, his presence helps Basil in ways she wouldn’t have predicted. I like that she learns a lot about him and about herself through the experience.

Grandpere’s Ghost Swamp celebrates strong family connections across generations and a love for the natural world. Give this book to fans of Elsie Mae Has Something to Say by Nancy Cavanaugh and Nowhere Better Than Here by Sarah Guillory.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Basil sees the ghost of her grandfather, who recently passed away. She eventually sees other ghosts as well.

Violent Content
A kid gets in trouble for throwing salt all over a classroom when what he thinks is a ghost appears. An argument escalates into a food fight.

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: Graciela in the Abyss by Meg Medina

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Graciela in the Abyss
Meg Medina
Candlewick Press
Published July 1, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Graciela in the Abyss

“A thrilling, action-packed journey filled with heart, bravery, and ghostly exploits.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

A sea ghost, a mortal boy, and a dangerous enchanted harpoon . . . A Newbery Medalist takes us far beneath the waves in this extraordinary foray into fantasy.

In the deepest recesses of the ocean, Graciela—once an ordinary girl—now makes sea glass and assists her friend, Amina, as she welcomes newly awakened sea ghosts from their death sleep. Though Graciela’s spirit is young, she has lived at the bottom of the ocean for more than a hundred years. Meanwhile, in the mortal world on land, twelve-year-old Jorge Leon works in his family’s forge. He’s heard of the supernatural spirits living beneath the ocean’s waves—tales that do nothing to quell his fear of the water. But when Jorge discovers a hand-wrought harpoon with the power to spear a sea ghost, he knows he must destroy it any way he can.

When the harpoon is accidentally reunited with its vengeful creator, unlikely allies Graciela and Jorge have no choice but to work together to keep evil spirits from wreaking havoc on both the living and the dead. If only the answer to saving what they care about didn’t lie within the depths of the abyss . . . Newbery Medal winner Meg Medina and illustrators Anna and Elena Balbusso have crafted a thoughtful tale infused with magic and high-stakes adventure that will leave readers wondering what power lies in the depths of the ocean—and inside each of us.

My Review

That this book received a starred review from Kirkus is no surprise to me. The story world is so imaginative and immersing. The characters feel so real.

I will say the opening is a little bit jarring, only because it’s unusual to open a story with the main character’s death, and especially a death by such a tragic accident. (Graciela falls off a cliff into the sea.) But it does offer a lot of insight into who Graciela is, so that as she awakens as a spirit, we’re unsurprised by some of her choices.

She really grows as a character, and it feels very organic. I love the contrast of her character in the opening scene versus in the final scene. What a transformation.

I have to talk about Jorge, too. He has such a joyless life, and yet, he still finds ways to create joy for himself. He’s kind to others, too. I love the way the story works out for him, though there were moments that I could not see how there would be any happiness at the end for him. That final scene really got me. So perfect.

This story has such a unique setup. Usually, the living human is the main character and the ghost is more of a side character. While both Jorge and Graciela tell the story in their points of view, it feels a little more weighted toward Graciela’s perspective to me. So much of the story is set in the spirit world with Graciela and her community. I love the fantasy landscape that Medina created beneath the ocean’s surface.

The back of the book has a glossary of terms related to the spirit world and the book has a map as well.

If you’re looking for something dark and unusual for your middle grade reader, check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
When someone dies in the ocean or at sea, they sleep for 100 years and then wake as a spirit, where they’re tasked with certain roles to protect the ocean or other spirits. The Almas are guardians who watch over the ocean and all the spirits.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Description of a girl’s accidental death falling from a cliff into the sea. Descriptions of a ship’s crew lost at sea. Some characters use a harpoon to hunt spirits, intending to kill them and steal their pearl teeth. Jorge’s parents are cruel, threatening him with violence (burning out his tongue, for instance) if he doesn’t do what they expect.

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.

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Review: The Griffin’s Egg by Cole Poindexter

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

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

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

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: Race for the Ruby Turtle by Stephen Bramucci

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Race for the Ruby Turtle
Stephen Bramucci
Bloomsbury Children’s
Published October 3, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Race for the Ruby Turtle

Jake Rizzi is about to spend the summer at his great-aunt’s cabin in the mossy, sodden Oregon backwoods. His parents seem to need a break from him and his ADHD. He tries not to take it personally, but isn’t sure about his aunt’s off-the-grid lifestyle and strange stories about a turtle with a ruby-colored shell.

Soon, Jake learns that the turtle is more than a myth. And thanks to a viral article online, strangers from all over the world have arrived to search for it–including a sinister animal poacher and towering twin zoologists from Sweden. Jake is sure that finding the turtle will change how people see him and his “attention issues”–but he’ll need help. Setting off with his new friend Mia, Jake must decide what matters more–personal glory? Or protecting the wonders of nature?

My Review

I liked this book a lot. First, I loved how much it showed Jake’s thought processes and what his ADHD felt like. Those descriptions of his energy ramping up and his zoning in and out of conversations or getting distracted were really effective.

Additionally, I loved all the facts about animals and nature conservation scattered throughout the book. I thought those things were very well embedded in the story, and they would make great discussion points or conversation starters.

I also loved the relationship between Jake and his Great-aunt Hettle. She saw things about him that he didn’t necessarily see in himself, but she also had high expectations of him and of herself. I liked that she was willing to depend on him for help and let him make decisions for himself.

On the whole, I think this is a great book for readers interested in nature, Oregon, or understanding what it’s like to have ADHD. Though it’s just over 300 pages, I found it to be a pretty quick read.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Mia and her dad are Black. Jake has ADHD.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A woman talks about being arrested for damaging mining equipment. A man with a knife chases two kids.

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 RACE FOR THE RUBY TURTLE in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults by Robin Wall Kimmerer

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Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults
Robin Wall Kimmerer
Illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt
Adapted by Monique Gray Smith
Zest Books
Published November 1, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Braiding Sweetgrass

Drawing from her experiences as an Indigenous scientist, botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer demonstrated how all living things–from strawberries and witch hazel to water lilies and lichen–provide us with gifts and lessons every day in her best-selling book BRAIDING SWEETGRASS. Adapted for young adults by Monique Gray Smith, this new edition reinforces how wider ecological understanding stems from listening to the earth’s oldest teachers: the plants around us.

With informative sidebars, reflection questions, and art from illustrator Nicole Neidhardt, BRAIDING SWEETGRASS FOR YOUNG ADULTS brings Indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge, and the lessons of plant life to a new generation.

My Review

I first heard of BRAIDING SWEETGRASS when a book club that I technically joined but am terrible at participating in read the book for one of its selections. I followed some of the discussion about the book, and I had it on my reading list, but hadn’t managed to read it by the club deadline. So when I saw that there was a YA version coming out, I figured that would actually be perfect to read and review here.

One of my favorite things about the book is how thoughtful it is. The author shares stories and traditions, inviting readers into a greater understanding of the way that North American Indigenous people see the world around us. Instead of thinking of ourselves as the most important or only important creatures, she invites us to think of all of nature as fellow creatures, or kin. I like the inherent respect and the way that changes the connection with the natural world when I think of it like that.

She also shares the idea that we approach nature with gratitude, appreciating her gifts. Asking before we take. Taking only what we need. Using everything we take.

I Like the Book’s Structure

The book is broken into short sections that explore tradition and the science underlying those methods. Do they work? Why? How? I loved the connection between those two things. I think it really resonates with me that spiritual truth and science are hand in hand, not oppositional forces. So I loved that exploration.

She also continually invites readers to think about how we interact with the natural world. In what ways are we connected to nature? How can we connect? Or show gratitude? How can the traditions she shares (and cautions against appropriating) influence how we see and act in nature.

So I feel like she gave me a lot to think about, and a lot to look forward to experimenting with.

I think BRAIDING SWEETGRASS is a great book for anyone interested in conservation or plants or nature. It’s also a welcoming read to any who want to learn more about Indigenous people, their history, and their beliefs.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
The author shares her own and other Indigenous tribes’ traditions and stories (with permission). She is herself a member of the Potawatomi tribe.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Includes creation stories, ceremonies, and traditions of Indigenous people.

Violent Content
References to the Trail of Death (forced relocation of tribes which resulted in the deaths of many). References to residential schools and the harm they have done.

Drug Content
Tobacco is sprinkled on the ground as a ceremonial gift.

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 BRAIDING SWEETGRASS FOR YOUNG ADULTS in exchange for my honest review.