Tag: middle grade fantasy

REVIEW: Upside Down Magic: Hide and Seek

REVIEW: Upside Down Magic: Hide and Seek

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

When a fifth grade spot comes open at Sage Academy, Nory’s father, the headmaster, brings her in for another audition. Thanks to her work at Dunwiddle in the UDM class, Nory displays enough control over her magic to get the spot. After winter break, she’ll be a student at Sage with her brother and sister.

Nory’s friends from Dunwiddle get the chance to check out Sage, too, when a flooding issue sends all the Dunwiddle students to alternate schools for the last few days of term.

While the UDM kids expect some trouble from the mean kids from Dunwiddle who always hassle them, they aren’t sure what to expect from the Sage kids. They are in for some surprises – maybe Nory most of all when she sees the impact Sage has on her magic.

Review

I have enjoyed this series from the beginning. Each of the kids has interesting magic. But the core of the series is Nory. And this book brings Nory and her family dynamic back to the forefront.

It’s still tragically sad that Nory’s father doesn’t “get” her or really even listen to her when she expresses how she feels about Sage. At least her friends truly see and hear her.

I liked how the kids at Sage responded to the UDM kids. Sure, there were some who were sticklers for the rules. But otherwise, the Sage kids were more kind than even some of the “normal” magic kids at Dunwiddle.

A major cliffhanger at the end of this will leave fans FRANTIC for the next book in the series. (At the time of this writing, there is no release date posted for book 8, Night Owl!) Readers who love ensemble stories or middle grade fantasy as well as fans of this series should not miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: The Mouse Watch by J. J. Gilbert

REVIEW: The Mouse Watch by J. J. Gilbert

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Bernie lives in the secret mouse village of Thousand Acres with her family. It’s her dream to work with Gadget Hackwrench and the Mouse Watch to defend the mouse world AND the human world from evil. Evil, like Dr. Thornpaw. Bernie has seen first hand what that rat can do.

When Bernie gets her chance to join Mouse Watch, she’s not just looking for a way to help others and to fight evil. She wants a place to belong. And maybe some mice who really get her.

Bernie’s first obstacle at Mouse Watch is the partner she’s assigned. The second is the attack on New York that is launched right in the middle of her first training exercise. While all the agents go to investigate, Bernie and her partner are left behind. Without training, they have to figure things out as they go. But Bernie is not about to sit on the sidelines when the world is in danger!

Review

This was delightful! The world building is extensive and shows excellent attention to detail. I feel like this would be a fun book to read aloud thanks to those details and the action. And I was tickled to find that this is a spin off from the Rescue Rangers TV show with Chip and Dale. We watched that when my son was young, and I enjoyed the small connections to this story.

Bernie’s dilemmas were pretty typical – her conflict with the villain, her mistrust of her partner. The author does a great job of balancing Bernie’s internal processing of these issues with the action of the story. I never felt like the story dragged from too much introspection, yet Bernie’s thought process was thoroughly covered. There were times, though, where the details of the mouse world or Mouse Watch headquarters cut into the momentum of the story. But the details were so clever, I wasn’t too bothered by it.

This feels a bit like The Mouse and the Motorcycle and a bit like Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, which were additional selling points for me. I think kids are going to adore this book. The sequel, Mouse Watch Underwater, is currently scheduled for Spring 2021, and I will definitely be checking it out! Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥=Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: The Elephant's Girl by Celesta Rimington

REVIEW: The Elephant’s Girl by Celesta Rimington

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Random House Children’s in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

When Lexington was around 5 an EF5 tornado blew her into the Lexington, Nebraska zoo. An elephant named Nyah protected Lex from the storm. Her family never came to claim her leaving everyone to assume they had been killed in the devastating storm. Lex had no memory of her name or her life before the tornado. So one of the zoo employees took her in and became her guardian, raising her at the zoo. He named her Lexington after the town and the zoo.

Lex loves her life at the zoo. Roger takes great care of her. Her best friend, Fisher, lives there, too, as his dad is the zookeeper. Lex even does school at the zoo with Fisher’s mom. And best of all, Nyah is at the zoo.

Lex’s connection with Nyah is special. She communicates with Lex through a deep rumble and in images directly in Lex’s mind when she gets close enough. They had this connection that night of the storm, and it’s still there now, seven years later.

And Nyah’s message for Lex this time is urgent. The images she sees send Lex into the woods outside the zoo where she meets a ghost on a quest to find lost treasure.

Review

This unusual book – a contemporary story which takes place at a zoo but also has a ghost and elephant telepathy – was an unexpected delight!

As I first dug into the story, I read it with an eyebrow raised. Magical elephants? A ghost? It’s an odd story at first and those magical pieces were not what I was expecting.

But Lex is an endearing character. I loved her. My heart broke for her in her loss and in the harassment from other kids that sends her running for the zoo more than once. I was intrigued by the quest the ghost sends Lex on. The pacing of the treasure hunt was great.

By the end, I couldn’t read fast enough to see how the mystery would wrap up and what would happen with Lex. And I think the ending is perfect. This is intriguing, entertaining, and heart-warming – and so satisfying!

Give this to fans of elephants/elephant stories. I think readers who adored The One and Only Ivan might enjoy this. This would also be good for readers who enjoy magical elements in their books. This would make for a great book club book or a family/classroom read aloud.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Rival Magic by Deva Fagan

REVIEW: Rival Magic by Deva Fagan

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Atheneum Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Antonia Durant wants nothing more than to be a wizard. She’s been apprenticed to Master Betrys for almost 6 months. She’s learning so much all the time. But her magic isn’t getting any better. She can’t even make a turnip dance.

Moppe Cler works in the kitchen at Master Betrys’ home. She has enough magic to make a whole kitchen full of turnips dance! But she’ll likely never have Antonia’s magical knowledge.

Antonia’s afraid her mother will make her leave Master Betrys if her magic doesn’t improve. But then she finds out her mother only let her go in the first place because she wanted Antonia to spy on Master Betrys. Betrys knows something about the lost crown of Medasia. Rival factions want the crown for their own purposes. And Master Betrys and the girls are caught in the middle.

After a disastrous magical display at a gala, Master Betrys is ready to expel both of her apprentices. But when she is later falsely accused of treason, Antonia and Moppe are her only hope for freedom.

Review

This was fantastic! It’s well-written middle grade fantasy with magic and mermaids, sea serpents and secrets. The world-building and the pacing was great.  I especially enjoyed how the author chose to deal with magic words/spells. Brilliant. And if you get a close look at the cover, you will see all sorts of great references from the book.

At its core, this is a friendship story. Antonia and Moppe see a lot to envy in one another. They are antagonistic to each other out of jealousy and competition. The envy/jealousy was realistic without being too angsty or overplayed. But in time they start to see they are better together. There’s great foreshadowing of the conflict that will arise. And all of it plays out so well!

I would absolutely read more books from this world if this becomes a series. Hand this to fans of the Twinchantment books or the Fairytale Reform School series or the Camelot Code series – or really any middle grade fantasy.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BONUS REVIEW: Untwisted by Elise Allen

BONUS REVIEW: Untwisted by Elise Allen

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Kaloon has changed. Magic is allowed now. And to help foster a positive relationship between Mages and the general population, the teens of Kaloon will attend Maldevon Academy together (along with any Magical Animals of appropriate developmental level).

The transition to accepting magic came with a high price. The Battle for Unification was a terrible war between the kingdom and Dark Mages. It was only after Kaloon won that the kingdom’s twin princesses, Flissa and Sara, could truly live as individuals instead of pretending to be one Princess Flissara (see Twinchantment for the whole story).

Sara is far more excited about starting school than Flissa. While Flissa’s great with all the academics, the social scene stresses her out completely. Flissa would be happy to stay at home.

School doesn’t turn out like either of the girls expected. Sara keeps saying the wrong thing and offending her new classmates. And she freezes up in front of the magic teacher she wants to impress. Flissa is actually the one who makes a friend on the first day.

Soon the girls’ personal experiences are secondary as they watch the various groups on campus strike out at one another. Kids and teachers are still fighting the magic vs. non-magic war, just in more secretive ways. Is there any chance of Kaloon truly being unified?

Review

I liked this one even more than the first book! The integration storyline with magical and nonmagical factions was fascinating. Even better was the way the relationship between Sara and Flissa evolved! For the first time, the girls get to publicly be themselves. But they’re still discovering who they are after having a shared identity for so long. I loved this aspect of the story!!

There’s a great mystery here, too. Who is trustworthy? Who is working a secret agenda? The relationship between the princesses gets fractured over these questions. Sara is determined to uncover the truth. And her suspicions include some of Flissa’s new friends. For the first time there’s a wall between the sisters – literally and figuratively.

Fans of middle grade fantasy should be sure to check out this series! I think the books are better enjoyed if they are read in order. You can see my full review of Twinchantment here. I’m hopeful that there will be more stories starring Sara and Flissa and all their friends.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Zatanna and the House of Secrets by Matthew Cody

REVIEW: Zatanna and the House of Secrets by Matthew Cody

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and DC Entertainment in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

It’s almost Halloween, and Zatanna’s been having a rough couple of days. She got into an argument with some bullies at school because they were harassing her friend. And it was SO weird – at one point, they all turned RED! Not like a blush, but their skin changed color. So strange….

Then Zatanna’s best friend ditched her, acting like Zatanna is too immature or too weird. Then Zatanna blew off her only other friend AND found out her dad lied to her.

And then, some crazy woman calling herself “the Witch Queen” broke into her house, used MAGIC on Zatanna, fought her dad, and then they both vanished.

With Pocus, a talking rabbit/animal spirit as her companion, Zatanna has to figure out how her father’s backward-words magic works and find him in this wonky House of Secrets before the Witch Queen takes the house away from their family and uses it for her own evil purposes.

Review

This was cute! I’ve seen this House before in an episode of Young Justice. It was fun to see it again in a new context. The library scene and the sphinx were my favorite parts of the story.

Zatanna changes a lot in the story. She learns things about herself and her family that she couldn’t have imagined at the very start. Her biggest challenges came from losing the “adult” characters who had always advised or protected her. She had to make her own way – although she did get help from a source she wasn’t expecting.

My only “complaint” is that the talking bunny had to be called a “familiar” which will put off some readers/families because of occult connections. I am not 100% familiar with Zatanna’s full history, but I know one of the villains has a “familiar,” so maybe that is part of the character’s history and would never be changed. But I feel like the bunny could have just been a magical talking bunny and left at that.

I love the confidence Zatanna has by the end – in herself and in her magic. She understands where she fits and she stands up for herself with Witch Boy. She also seems more confident in her own skin by the end. She’s found her footing and her purpose!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Thief Knot by Kate Milford

REVIEW: The Thief Knot by Kate Milford

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Clarion Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

A girl has been kidnapped and the police have come to the Liberty of Gammerbund, and Marzana’s parents, for help. Marzanna’s parents have had “adventurous” lives, and they have contacts in the Liberty who might not respond to police questions, but would answer theirs. So her parents start working their contacts, investigating the crime.

Marzana and her best friend Nialla have been looking for an adventure of their own, so they decide to follow their own leads to try to find the missing girl. Teaming up with a ghost named Meddy, a girl from school named Emilia, and two boys, Ciro and JJ, they form the Thief Knot. And together they start looking for the kidnappers.

Review

I know that’s a pretty short summary, and it doesn’t say a whole lot, but this is a hard book to explain. It’s really best read for itself. This was terrific! I didn’t realize it was part of a larger story until I started digging into the book. It’s not a series, necessarily, but maybe more of a spinoff of the Greenglass books. And I loved it. Some of the history of the characters and the magic of the world was missing for me because I haven’t read any of the other stories. But I was able to follow this without those details with no issue (other than wondering about the stories I have missed).

I love ensemble stories like this. The Thief Knot crew is terrific – with interesting connections and skills they bring to the adventure. The mystery was top notch. Lots of great twists – one big one I only half predicted and another big one I didn’t see coming at all. It was so fun to read! I don’t know that I’ll go back to read the other books in this world – I can only read so many things – but I will absolutely read more books with these characters if this becomes a series of its own. I loved these kids!

This would be a fascinating read aloud for a classroom or a family. Terrific for mystery fans. There’s a slight “heist novel” feel to this that I loved, too. This might also appeal to fans of books like The Great Greene Heist (♥♥♥♥), and other heist stories. This book is targeted to older middle grade readers (ages 10-12+).

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Poison Jungle by Tui T. Sutherland

REVIEW: The Poison Jungle by Tui T. Sutherland

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Sundew the LeafWing is headed home with unexpected companions – Blue and Swordtail, the SilkWings, and Cricket the HiveWing with the dragonet Bumblebee. She’s taking them to her home in the Poison Jungle, the place where the LeafWings have been hiding for 50 years. But now the LeafWings are ready to stop hiding and fight back against the HiveWings. Sundew’s mother, Belladonna, has been leading raiding parties out, and her tribe is ready to unleash decades of anger on those who destroyed their home and the rest of their tribe.

But Sundew and her friends have discovered some secrets about Queen Wasp and her mind control. Sundew has a sample of the vine and flower she grows to control the other dragons. If they can find a LeafWing who knows what it is, they might be able to stop Wasp. But the Poison Jungle holds more secrets than the LeafWings know. Sundew is even keeping some secrets of her own. And secrets have a way of coming into the light whether you want them to or not.

Review

This was great! There’s significant suspense in this one. The jungle itself is a major source of suspense. And the characters are fantastic. I loved digging into Sundew’s story more. I adored her relationship with Bumblebee. The romantic subplot also gives new insights into the character. I loved it.

It’s hard to review this well because there are spoilers in almost everything I want to say. This ends with a major event and NO hints for what is going to happen next. And the next book – Dragonslayer (February 2020) – goes back to the history of Pyrrhia. Readers will be chomping at the bit to get back to this story by the time book 14 is released!

There were two places where I felt the story had things to say about contemporary issues. One is in the wrestling Sundew does with her feelings about the HiveWings. Her anger burns hot at the whole tribe, but when she considers them rationally, she knows none of the HiveWings – except Wasp – have acted on their own free will. So what responsibility do the HiveWing’s hold for their actions? They may not have taken action of their own free will, but they have enjoyed the privileges garnered by being the top race on their continent. Aware readers may see the racial comparisons to our own world. The second piece is a spoiler, but I will say it introduces the idea of immigration and raises some of the questions we wrestle with today. I’m eager to see how that part of the larger story plays out.

Fans of the series should dive right into this one if they haven’t already. You don’t want to miss it! (LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Camelot Code: Geeks and the Holy Grail by Mari Mancusi

REVIEW: The Camelot Code: Geeks and the Holy Grail by Mari Mancusi

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

A young druid named Nimue, charged with protecting the Holy Grail, is on the run from Morgana’s soldiers. She and her sisters were taking the grail to Camelot where King Arthur is sick and in need of its miraculous powers. But Morgana struck, and now Nimue is all alone and in fear for her life. Then she spies a familiar cave – the home of Merlin. Maybe he could save her life once again!

Sadly, Merlin is on something called “Spring Break.” There’s a boy in his cave – Emrys the Excellent – who says he is Merlin’s apprentice. Desperate, Nimue asks Emrys to use some magic to hide the grail from the men hunting for her. The good news is that Emrys succeeds in hiding the grail just in time and sends off the men with nothing. The bad news is that by the time Emrys is done with it, the grail is a young, gaseous dragon, and Emrys has no clue how to change it back.

Nimue summons the Companions by reciting the Camelot Code. Which means Sophie and Stu are summoned from our time to help. Only, Sophie and Stu aren’t together. He’s at home getting some surprising news while Sophie is trying on the world’s ugliest bridesmaid’s dress with her obnoxious soon-to-be step-sister, Ashley. When Sophie responds to the distress call, Ashley unexpectedly gets dragged along to Camelot.

Review

This is a fun second adventure for Sophie and Stu. The addition of Ashley, Emrys and Nimue was a nice touch. I enjoyed the larger cast and all the things the story was able to do with more characters working on a solution.

While this is solidly a fantasy story, it also deals with family issues and friendship concerns, both for Sophie and Ashley and also for Stu. Even Emrys and Nimue to a smaller extent are dealing with family – or lack there off – issues. There’s a fun back and forth again between our world/time and Camelot. Some funny situations develop as well as lots of suspenseful ones. There are a few unanswered questions at the end to pull readers forward into a third book in the series.

You can read my review of the first book, The Once and Future Geek, here. This is a great series for kids who love King Arthur’s legends, or for kids who enjoy fantasy and magic in their reading (think Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Wings of Fire, etc.). Fans of book one should not miss this sequel!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander

REVIEW: The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Imprint in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Lenora is stuck. Her parents are off traveling the world, and she is left behind with a nanny. A horrible nanny, too, who is working her own angles and agendas while dragging Lenora along. But when the nanny has to head to the library, Lenora sees her chance to escape.

Ditching the nanny by dodging through the stacks, Lenora opens a gateway to an unusual library thanks to an act of protective kindness. And this new library offers exactly what Lenora wants – a chance to both learn things and make a difference to others.

While Lenora is learning what it means to be the “Fourth Assistant Apprentice Librarian,” dark forces are gathering. They know knowledge is dangerous, and they are determined to destroy it.

Review

This is a fun fantasy story on the young side of middle grade. I loved Lenora! She is bright and resourceful. She keeps a notebook to record what she learns and her questions – I love that! And I learned some cool things right along with her. She has an earnest desire to learn. And she works to overcome the fear and angst that would naturally arise in such an unusual setting with few if any instructions for how to proceed.

I was frustrated by the villains when they appeared in the story. I felt like the villains, and their cause, lived on a different level in the storytelling than the fantasy worlds Lenora visited. It was like her travels and tasks were painted in rich, vibrant colors, and I was immersed right along with her. But the direct confrontations with the villains to me felt like black and white interactions in comparison. They pulled me out of the delightful fantasy.

This could be a function of (a) being an adult reader of a book for kids, and (b) reading a lot of adult and young adult fantasy where things are far more drawn out and motives are more often teased rather than stated plainly. So, I wanted this to be longer, with more drawn out trials for Lenora on each task. With a longer story, the villains could have been developed more slowly, too. And their motives would have felt less obvious.

But as I considered it, I don’t think that is the goal of this book. There are books for that – for the longer trials and nuanced villains – Percy Jackson and the like. This feels like more of an introduction to fantasy for maybe a slightly younger audience. A good introduction for readers who aren’t yet ready for those longer books just yet (The first Percy Jackson book is twice as long as this one.). For those almost-ready readers, this will be great! I feel like Lenora and the library will give a taste of the magic and mythology and world building of fantasy, but in a politely-sized format with a relatively quick return on the reading investment – action, results, resolution, and hints at a future adventure.

I think this would make for a great family or classroom read aloud. The quickly resolved adventures (1 – 2 chapters) work for classroom or bedtime reading. And depending on the age and insight of the readers, discussions about the villains and their goals could be very interesting, too.

I think readers will love Lenora, so be sure to watch for her future adventures! The library in this book is a delightful place to spend some time.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥