Tag: Hero

cover of How to Tell a True Story
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

How to Tell a True Story

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

How to Tell a True Story (Margaret Ferguson Books, Holiday House, 2025) by Tricia Springstubb is a fascinating story of dealing with trauma–a family home burning down.

Seventh grader Amber Price divides her world into Before and After. Before, hardly anyone noticed her. After, she’s the fire girl. And not only do students know her name, but they want to do a fundraiser for her family. However, she knows Dad would say, “the Prices don’t take charity.” Somehow the fundraiser goes ahead, and she’ll have to confess to Dad. Worse, though, her brother, the hero who saved Amber from the fire, is keeping secrets.

This book is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection.

Previously, I recommended her book Moonpenny Island. I need to find more of Tricia’s books. You can check them out here and read about the author here.

Posted in So Many Good Books, YA Novels

Enchanted

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Enchanted-NewEnchanted (Harcourt, 2012) by Alethea Kontis is the ultimate fractured fairytale, although not just one fairytale, but a whole magic sackful stirred together to make a delectable stew.
Sunday Woodcutter is the seventh daughter of the seventh daughter and what she writes has a tendency to come true. Her family doesn’t want to listen to her stories, but Sunday meets a frog named Grumble who does. He’s obviously a man under an enchantment. The two fall in love and he becomes a man again. Unfortunately, he is the last man that her family would accept–he’s the prince whose family is responsible for the death of Sunday’s oldest brother Jack.
I loved this book and am so excited that there’s a sequel already out. It’s called Hero. Hero-Cover
And in February, the 3rd book in the Woodcutter series will be out–it’s titled Dearest.Dearest-cover
Bestselling Author Alethea Kontis is very active in social media and has other books out as well. Check her out on her website and on her literary agency’s site where her bio is so much fun.