Tag Archives: friendship

The Deadlands: Trapped by Skye Melki-Wegner cover shows a profile of a carnivorous dinosaur made from a landscape showing a triceratops, two small flying dinosaurs and a small walking dinosaur at the top of a mountain.

Review: The Deadlands: Trapped by Skye Melki-Wegner

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , ,
The Deadlands: Trapped by Skye Melki-Wegner cover shows a profile of a carnotaurus made from a landscape showing a triceratops, two small flying dinosaurs and a small walking dinosaur at the top of a mountain.

The Deadlands: Trapped (The Deadlands #2)
Sky Melki-Wegner
Henry Holt & Co.
Published October 3, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Deadlands: Trapped

Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park in The Deadlands: Trapped, the second book of this action-adventure series by Skye Melki-Wegner about five outcasts ― and former enemies ― who are the only hope to save their warring kingdoms from impending doom.

As bloody battle rages on between the two surviving dinosaur kingdoms, Eleri and his fellow outcasts, newly exiled from their herds, are searching for evidence to prove a mass conspiracy―a conniving cabal of carnivores have manipulated the herbivore kingdoms into war, so they can feast on the slain. But after their temporary home is discovered by a vengeful pack of raptors, the exiles must flee and soon find themselves trapped inside the Fire Peak: the volcanic heart of the dreaded Carrion Kingdom.

Before they have a chance to escape, they discover a cavern of imprisoned herbivores, who are being picked apart―literally―one by one. Can the outcasts stage an elaborate heist to free the prisoners and gather proof of the Carrion Kingdom’s vicious plans in one fell swoop?

My Review

I feel like I’ve been seeing this series everywhere, and I’m not at all surprised. I had so much fun reading it. The story follows both Zyre (a small flying dinosaur) and Eleri (a small digging dinosaur) as they lead their herd toward a rumored sanctuary and an opportunity to sabotage the carnivorous dinosaurs’ plans.

Because Zyre was once hired to betray a member of the group, she feels she needs to earn the herd’s trust, and she goes to great lengths to do so. She’s tender and kind, but also very quick on her feet, and brave in the face of danger to her friends.

Eleri wrestles with unresolved issues between him and his brother. He doubts his ability to lead and to be brave and rushes into dangerous situations, trying to prove his worth to himself.

I’m not sure if you could read this one without having read the first book. There are places in the story that kind of bring readers up to speed, but there are also a lot of terms and references that aren’t fully explained in this book that would make sense if you’d read the first one.

I think readers who enjoy books about animals, such as the Warriors books, will love these dinosaur stories.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Major characters are herbivore dinosaurs.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
One dinosaur tries to convince others that to let carnivores eat them means they’ll “ascend” to a golden plane.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Mentions of warfare. In one scene, raptors tear another carnivore dinosaur apart.

Drug Content
Eleri collects thorns that can tranquilize dinosaurs.

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 DEADLANDS: TRAPPED in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Tethered to Other Stars by Elisa Stone Leahy

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , , , ,

Tethered to Other Stars
Elisa Stone Leahy
Quill Tree Press
Published October 3, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Tethered to Other Stars

Perfect for fans of EFREN DIVIDED and A GOOD KIND OF TROUBLE, this luminous middle grade debut follows a tween girl navigating the devastating impact of ICE’s looming presence on her family and community.

Seventh grader Wendy Toledo knows that black holes and immigration police have one thing in common: they can both make things disappear without a trace. When her family moves to a new all-American neighborhood, Wendy knows the plan: keep her head down, build a telescope that will win the science fair, and stay on her family’s safe orbit.

But that’s easier said than done when there’s a woman hiding out from ICE agents in the church across the alley–and making Wendy’s parents very nervous.

As bullying at school threatens Wendy’s friendships and her hopes for the science fair, and her family’s secrets start to unravel, Wendy finds herself caught in the middle of far too many gravitational pulls. When someone she loves is detained by ICE, Wendy must find the courage to set her own orbit–and maybe shift the paths of everyone around her.

My Review

This is such a beautiful story. I grew up with the movie OCTOBER SKY. This book felt like it had a little bit of the vibes from that story: A girl with big dreams and an eye on the sky. A town full of people who don’t see her or understand her. A group of friends who do see her (once she lets them in). And discovering the heroes in your midst.

I loved Wendy’s friend group. She keeps a lot to herself, so at first, there’s a lot of distance between her and her friends. As they slowly get to know one another and build their friendships, she sees that they each have fears and dark things they’ve hidden, too.

Wendy’s Mom is awesome. I love the way she quietly supports her children, sometimes without even using words. I also love that Wendy is the one who makes several pivotal choices and takes critical action that creates change in the story. It would have been easy to let that fall on an older character and have Wendy be a witness to what happens. Instead, she takes charge. Also, I loved the way her taking action gets connected to her love for stars and forces acting in the universe for change.

I loved this book, and I think anyone who loves astronomy or feels scared or alone will find lots to love about this book, too.

Content Notes for Tethered to Other Stars

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Wendy is Latine and American. Wendy’s friend Mal is Korean American. Her friend Yasmin is Muslim and wears a hijab. K.K. is Black. Etta is gay.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Wendy feels attracted to a boy briefly.

Spiritual Content
Wendy learns that her friend retreats to a safe space at school to pray.

Violent Content
Scenes show bullying and microaggressions. For example, kids deface K.K.’s campaign posters and posters about a Unity Club for inclusivity. Anti-immigrant graffiti appears on the walls. A boy also tries to take credit for Wendy’s work on a science project, insinuating that she is lazy and hasn’t helped him at all.

Characters in the story follow the case of a woman who takes refuge at a church to avoid deportation. Some characters refer to her as “illegal,” and others explain how that term is dehumanizing. A person can’t be illegal. She can do something which is illegal, but she can’t be illegal herself.

Drug Content
A teenager smokes a cigarette in a parking lot.

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 TETHERED TO OTHER STARS in exchange for my honest review.

centered around a girl who loves the stars

Review: White House Clubhouse by Sean O’Brien

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

White House Clubhouse
Sean O’Brien
Norton Young Readers
Published October 3, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About White House Clubhouse

From a former White House, a middle grade series following two First Daughters who team up with historical presidential children to save the nation.

Marissa and Clara’s mom is the newly elected president of the United States, and they haven’t experienced much freedom lately. While exploring the White House, they discover a hidden tunnel that leads to an underground clubhouse full of antique curiosities, doors heading in all directions―and a mysterious invitation to join the ranks of White House kids. So, they sign the pledge.

Suddenly, the lights go out, and Marissa and Clara find themselves at the White House in 1903. There they meet Quentin, Ethel, Archie, and Alice, the irrepressible children of President Theodore Roosevelt. To get back home, Marissa and Clara must team up with the Roosevelt kids “to help the president” and “to make a difference.” White House Clubhouse is a thrilling and hilarious adventure that takes readers on an action-packed, cross-country railroad trip back to the dawn of the twentieth century and the larger-than-life president at the country’s helm. Black-and-white illustrations throughout.

My Review

I’ve read a couple of books in the last few years that draw readers into the (fictionalized) lives of real historical figures, and I love that idea. While it isn’t the same as reading a biography of the people by any means, it does get readers engaged with historical figures and thinking of them as real people with feelings, desires, and flaws. It also creates a great opportunity to research and see which elements of a story are fact versus which are fiction.

In WHITE HOUSE CLUBHOUSE, two sisters, Marissa and Clara, travel back in time to help the Roosevelt children solve a problem: a giant tree is about to be destroyed in California, and the land developer who plans to destroy it will then destroy other natural spaces.

Along the way, they learn about Teddy Roosevelt’s life. They meet a Rough Rider who charged up San Juan Hill with him. Alice Roosevelt speaks about being left behind by her father after her mother passed away. They witness Roosevelt sketch and paint a falcon. The girls also learn to trust one another and work together to achieve something.

I think readers who enjoy books featuring real-life characters will enjoy this fun-filled romp through a moment in Teddy Roosevelt’s presidency.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Marissa and Clara are Latina, and their mother is serving as the President of the United States. Other major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Clara calls her sister names, including “spazo” to try to wake her after she is injured.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A stern man chases children. A bull chases a man and children in a field. A man tosses two girls from a horse onto a moving train. An explosion injures a girl. Another child makes a dangerous climb up a very tall tree.

Drug Content
Two men smoke cigars under a tree. A fire starts when one doesn’t put out his cigar properly.

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 WHITE HOUSE CLUBHOUSE in exchange for my honest review.

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: This Dark Descent by Kalyn Josephson

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

This Dark Descent
Kalyn Josephson
Roaring Brook Press
Published September 26, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About This Dark Descent

THE SHADOWS BETWEEN US meets SIX OF CROWS in this spellbinding new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, and pulse-pounding action, where the eldest daughter of a renowned family on the verge of ruin joins forces with a mysterious, rogue enchanter and a handsome, ambitious heir to win a deadly race.

Mikira Rusel’s family has long been famous for breeding enchanted horses, but their prestige is no match for their rising debts. To save her ranch, Mikira has only one option: she must win the Illinir, a treacherous horserace whose riders either finish maimed or murdered. Yet each year, competitors return, tempted by its alluring prize money and unparalleled prestige.

Mikira’s mission soon unites her with Arielle Kadar, an impressive yet illicit enchanter just beginning to come into her true power, and Damien Adair, a dashing young lord in the midst of a fierce succession battle. Both have hidden reasons of their own to help Mikira — as well as their own blood feuds to avenge…

Steeped in Jewish folklore, THIS DARK DESCENT is a pulse-pounding new fantasy full of forbidden magic, sizzling romance, and epic stakes. In a world as dangerous as this, will the need for vengeance butcher Mikira’s chances of winning the Illinir … or will another rider’s dagger?

My Review

I definitely see the comparison from this book to SIX OF CROWS. Damian, the mysterious young nobleman, has that same calculating, cards close to the vest thing going that Kaz has in Bardugo’s duology. Unlike SIX OF CROWS, THIS DARK DESCENT follows only two points of view: Ariella and Mikira. I loved both of them pretty much right away. Ari is a self-taught enchanter, grasping for more of her own lost history and the magic of her people that’s since been forbidden. She teeters on the edge of an unnamed darkness as she pursues her magic, and I feel like I was on the edge of my seat, needing to know she would be okay.

Mikira is sparks and frenzy. She’s impulsive, fierce, and fiercely loyal. I wish we’d gotten a little more of her relationships with her sisters Nelda and Aileen. The scenes when she races are so intense. I couldn’t look away. Those moments and some of the behind-the-scenes politics reminded me a little bit of THE SCORPIO RACES.

This is a completely different story than that one, but it definitely has some similarities: strong, desperate heroine; powers that be trying to control the outcome of the race; unlikely alliances; and, of course, a high-stakes, highly dangerous race.

On the whole, I really enjoyed this book. It anchored me in its story world pretty quickly, giving me just the right amount of detail so that I felt oriented to what was going on but not bogged down in unnecessary trivia. The pacing kept me turning pages from one chapter to the next all the way until the end. There’s also a bit of romance. It doesn’t dominate the story, but I really enjoyed that, too. I also loved the references to Jewish folklore and the way faith and heritage or culture and the complex relationships they can be were celebrated in the story.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
Some characters are described as having tawny or brown skin. Inspired by Jewish folklore. Also– yay for Widget the cat-who-is-not-a-cat.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Mentions of attraction between same-sex couples. References to sex (happened off-scene).

Spiritual Content
Four Harbingers delivered magic to humans and are still revered and celebrated. Ari is Kinnish, but her family wasn’t devout. Now she longs to know more about the history, faith, and magic of her people, though it’s forbidden by the current rulers. Ari and another woman visit a temple. In intense moments, a couple of characters make reference to praying to gods or goddesses.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Two men attack Ari, intent on mugging her. A man puts on brass knuckles and prepares to beat two men who are restrained. Racers attack Mikira with weapons and magic. She and her horse fight back. A man tortures a young woman, trying to get information from her. A young woman tortures a man and kills him. A couple of scenes show knife or gun fights.

Drug Content
Characters drink wine and whiskey as part of social events. A character tells a story about getting accidentally drunk on whiskey once.

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 THIS DARK DESCENT in exchange for my honest review.

Review: The Adventures of Mo by Carol Patton

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

The Adventures of Mo
Carol Patton
November 20, 2022

Amazon | Goodreads | Author’s Website (free download)

About The Adventures of Mo

The Adventures of Mo is about an American Eskimo dog named Mo and a bird named Finchy that travel to each US state searching for the owner of a lost key who lives in Florida. But where is Florida? Each chapter reflects an adventure in a different state, touches upon state geography/history, and introduces cardinal directions. Readers guess which state the main characters are visiting based on clues in each chapter.

This is a do-good project. While anyone can download the chapters for FREE on our website, small donations ($1-$2) are requested. The version available on Amazon includes a supplement that is not available on our website. Half of all net proceeds are donated to animal charities and children’s literacy programs nationwide, while the remaining half sustains the series.

My Review

I like the concept of this book. Introducing kids to US geography in a silly, fun adventure between a bird and a dog is a cool idea.

While I like that the goal is for readers to guess which state Mo and Finchy are in using clues from the text, I found myself wishing each chapter had a recap at the end. A recap could highlight the geographical references and show a simple map of the state with Mo and Fincy’s route. An alternative might be to include back matter with a summary of geographical information for each chapter and a large map showing Mo and Finchy’s route from start to finish.

Most characters in the book are animals, but a few humans are included in the story. One is Jason, a man who is blind and uses a service dog. There’s also the truck driver, Alex. In a couple of scenes, the story explores the history of indigenous people in the different states where Mo and Finchy are. I don’t have the expertise to evaluate the representation, but a couple of things left me a little uncomfortable. In one scene, Mo and Finchy meet the god of wind, Gaol, who tells them to call him Jay, since his name is “too hard to pronounce.” Other character names were accompanied by phonetic pronunciation guides, so I thought it was a little odd that this one wasn’t.

The historical references in the book are pretty sanitized, probably for the book’s younger audiences. There were a couple of things I felt would have been better with a little added context or perhaps left out. One other historical note: slavery and the Civil War are not mentioned at all in the book.

Conclusion

On the whole, I think the concept here is very cute. The narrative is often playful and silly and includes nearly fantastical elements, such as Mo dressing up as a human so he can get into places where animals aren’t allowed. I think young readers would get a big kick out of the main characters, even if they aren’t familiar with the geographical hints placed throughout. The episodic chapters make it easy to read the book in chunks– a must since the whole thing is almost 500 pages.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 6 to 10.

Representation
Mo and Finchy meet an armadillo who speaks Spanish. Some images show Indigenous people in what are supposed to be ceremonial clothes. They also meet a service dog who helps a blind man.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Mo develops a crush on another dog named Maggie.

Spiritual Content
Mo and Finchy briefly meet the Iroquois god of wind, Gaol. They also encounter beings called the Voices, which come from the moon and travel the galaxy, a family of Sasquatch, and a Lochness monster.

Violent Content
Mo and some other animals intervene when two girls bully another girl.

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 ADVENTURES OF MO in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Mermaids Never Drown edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , ,

Mermaids Never Drown: Tales to Dive For
Edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker
Feiwel & Friends
Published September 26, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Mermaids Never Drown

14 Young Adult short stories from bestselling and award-winning authors make a splash in Mermaids Never Drown – the second collectionin theUntold Legends series edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker – exploring mermaids like we’ve never seen them before!

A Vietnamese mermaid caught between two worlds. A siren who falls for Poseidon’s son. A boy secretly pining for the merboy who saved him years ago. A storm that brings humans and mermaids together. Generations of family secrets and pain.

Find all these stories and more in this gripping new collection that will reel you in from the very first page! Welcome to an ocean of hurt, fear, confusion, rage, hope, humor, discovery, and love in its many forms.

Edited by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker, Mermaids Never Drown features beloved authors like Darcie Little Badger, Kalynn Bayron, Preeti Chhibber, Rebecca Coffindaffer, Julie C. Dao, Maggie Tokuda-Hall, Adriana Herrera, June Hur, Katherine Locke, Kerri Maniscalco, Julie Murphy, Gretchen Schreiber, and Julian Winters.

My Review

There’s a pretty large range of stories in this collection, some exploring romance and others the power of family. Some also explore the way they merfolk could be treated as other and denied basic rights. I enjoyed the range of topics and interpretations probably as much as any single story. I’ve written brief reactions to each story, but I’ll group them under topic, so they’re not in the order they appear in the book.

Nature

Storm Song by Rebecca Coffinder – I think this one is my favorite. It’s in second person point of view (speaking directly to the reader), which is unusual. It really worked in this piece, though. I loved the intensity and the high-action feel of the story.

Return to the Sea by Kalynn Bayron – This one is the most anchored in the present world where, instead of discussing allyship in the context of race or gender/sexual identity, it’s discussed in terms of environmental impact. The story also draws attention to the way that what we want for animals sometimes diverges from what’s good for them.

The Merrow by Zoraida Córdova and Natalie C. Parker – A tenuous friendship between a girl and the mermaid kept in captivity at the aquarium where her mother works. I loved the otherworldliness and humanity of the merrow and the sweetness of her relationship with Josie.

Romance

We’ll Always Have June by Julian Winters – A sweet summer romance. The innocence and sweetness of this one perfectly offset the ferocity of some of the other stories. I’ve loved everything by Julian Winters that I’ve read, so this was bound to be a hit for me.

The Dark Calls by Preeti Chhibber – This one takes place completely underwater, and I loved the way the characters challenged divisions beneath the sea. This fully captured the curiosity and precociousness that I think of as central to the Little Mermaid stories I grew up with.

The Nightingale’s Lament by Kerri Maniscalco – Definitely more of a classic sexy-siren vibe in this one. I liked that the story wasn’t headed where I expected.

The First and Last Kiss by Julie Murphy – Twins as rivals. Merpeople who spend a year walking the land for two nights a month. Romance. This one has so much to love.

Shark Week by Maggie Tokuda-Hall – I thought this was so clever. And again, a story that went places I didn’t expect. There’s one reference to something in the story that made me pretty queasy, but the story moves past that moment pretty quickly.

Family

The Story of a Knife by Gretchen Schreiber – Oh, man. I loved the way this one took the original story of the Little Mermaid, changed it up a little bit, and added a distant epilogue. Really enjoyed it.

The Deepwater Vandal by Darcie Little Badger – This one might be my second favorite in the collection. I loved that it focuses on family relationships. This full and compelling story left no room for romance, and I didn’t miss it.

Sea Wolf in Prince’s Clothing by Adriana Herrera – This is another one that explores some social/political themes about consent and autonomy and racism in the context of humans and mermaids. I liked the tension and the characters in this one.

Nor’Easter by Katherine Locke – I feel like I should not have been surprised that this author chose a historical setting for their short story, but somehow I still was. But I was also delighted. I loved the way the story is anchored in a real moment in history but creates room for merpeople and a celebration of family.

Jinju’s Pearls by Jun Hur – This one blew me away. It perfectly captures the longing for a different life that I think of as classic to the Little Mermaid and what the terrible cost of such a life would be.

Six Thousand Miles by Julie C. Dao – This reminded me a little bit of the author’s note from THE MAGIC FISH, in which Trung Le Nguyen talks about how the story of the Little Mermaid has always resonated with him as an immigrant story. This captured that idea perfectly. I loved that the main character didn’t accept easy answers and had to figure out how to forge her own path forward.

Conclusion

This makes a well-rounded collection of stories exploring love, independence, family bonds, and human rights. I really enjoyed reading this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Representation
14 stories with diverse casts of characters, including LGBTQIA+, Indigenous, Black, Asian, and Latine characters. One character’s parent is an abortion doctor.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Extreme profanity used somewhat frequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
Kissing between boy and girl. Kissing between two boys. Brief nudity, sometimes used sexually and sometimes just referenced as part of changing from human to mermaid/merman. One story includes graphic sexual references to sex and the desire for sex.

Spiritual Content
Vague references to prayer. In one story, sirens use their songs to cause human death in order to appease the gods. One Indigenous character briefly prays to the Creator. In another story, the son of a sea god battles a siren.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. References to mermaids or similar characters killing humans. One character craves a particular kind of blood during her monthly cycle. The story doesn’t show her interacting with it and refers to it as a “creepy” desire.

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 MERMAIDS NEVER DROWN in exchange for my honest review.