MMGM is a weekly meme hosted by middle grade author, Shannon Messenger. (Finally! A meme that fits perfectly with my content!) If you have never read The Princess and the Goblin, I’d recommend starting with my review of that book. This is the sequel, and nearly as good as the first. George MacDonald wrote in the Victorian […]
I've reviewed lots of books and written 20 of my own.
From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, by E. L. Konigsburg, 1967
Can you believe I’ve never read this book before? This Newbery winner is a heavy hitter, well-known and well-loved by the generation that grew up with it. Except me. But now I see why it has such a reputation. Claudia Kincade is a sixth grader who is so unhappy with the routine of her life […]
Noah Zarc: Cataclysm (Noah Zarc, #2), by D. Robert Pease, Book Review
D. Robert Pease has done it again. His first MG novel, Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble, was given the very first Bookworm Blather Squeaky Award. His sequel, Cataclysm, is just as good. (Check out my review of Mammoth Trouble and my 5-Q interview with the author.) In book one, Noah’s family had embarked on a scientific mission of […]
Open Minds (Mindjack Trilogy, book one), Susan Kaye Quinn, 2011, Book Review
I am so excited to share this book! I have read over two hundred MG/YA books since reading The Hunger Games, a series that totally floored me. Out of those hundreds, Open Minds is the only one that glued my butt to my couch as The Hunger Games did. In fact, this review will be a […]
The Amber Spyglass (His Dark Materials, book three), by Philip Pullman, 2000
I did it. I read through the final book of this trilogy. If you haven’t read my first two reviews, you should probably start there. I was not that impressed with book two. The story moved on to several new characters and new settings while the old ones I came to love were set aside, […]
The Subtle Knife (His Dark Materials, book two), by Philip Pullman, 1997, Book Review
The Subtle Knife continues the story of Lyra, who is destined to change the universe as we know it. She has crossed over to another world and the main focus actually shifts from Lyra to a young boy named Will, who is from Earth. The story begins with Will, who is desperate to hide his […]
The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, book one), by Philip Pullman, 1995
I’ve heard a great deal of controversy over this book in recent years, particularly when the movie came out five years ago. It was time to tackle it and make my own judgments. What I found was a complex, evocative, skillfully crafted tale with breathtaking scenes, highly developed characters, and a plot that is out […]
Time Enough for Drums, by Ann Rinaldi, 1986, Book Review
Ann Rinaldi has become a household name in YA historical fiction, and this is one of her most acclaimed books. It’s been on my reading list for some time. The year is 1775, and fifteen-year-old Jemima Emerson is a headstrong young lady. She’s not a bad child; she simply doesn’t think before she acts, and […]
The One and Only Ivan, by Katherine Applegate, 2012
Ivan has lived at the Exit 8 Big Top Circus Mall since he was a juvenile gorilla, just off I-95 and under the billboard lauding “The One and Only Ivan.” His best friends include Stella, the aging elephant, Bob the stray dog, and Julia, the daughter of the janitor. But the Big Top isn’t faring […]
Tears of a Tiger, by Sharon Draper, 1994, Book Review
“In Memorium Robbie Washington, captain of our basketball team, was killed after the November 7 game in a terrible automobile accident…” …and Andy was the one driving the car. Drunk. He didn’t mean for it to happen. He didn’t want anyone to get hurt, especially not his best friend. They were just having a bit […]