Tag: Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

colored circles that say poor, average, good, and excellent
Posted in Market Prep, The Nitty Gritty of Children's Writing, Tools

Kidlit Bloggers and Podcasts Who Do Reviews

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

A question about where to find a master list of these who do book tours was asked recently in a Facebook group (Kidlit411). I wondered the same myself and went looking. I found about four review resources, which I shared. Then someone jokingly said I should make a list.

So, I did more research and made a list of lists!

(Do I personally recommend all these? No. I’ve just gathered the info in one place. If I noticed a date on when it was created, I added the year—some titles had the year in the title. Please do your own research.)

General Review

The Best KidLit Blogs to Follow (2024)
– a handful divided into categories (PG, MG).

BookSirens Children Book Reviewers
– about 10 are visible with lots of details—must sign up for free to see all 59 reviewers.

Press Play: 8 of the Best Kids’ Lit Podcasts (and a Few for Grown-Ups Too)
– nice summary for each.

Reedy’s Best Children’s Book Review Blogs in 2025
– 65 created by a search. Can’t determine reason for order.

Review Blogs for Children’s Books
– a clickable summary and domain authority and number of visitors.

Top 17 Children’s Book Influencers (2023)
– summary with video image and link

Top Verified Children Book Influencers on TikTok
– 70 if I counted correctly.

The Ultimate List of Children’s Book Review Blogs in 2024
– has a short vetted list with details, then a longer names and urls only of 60+

Middle Grade Specific

22 Best Kid Lit Blogs to Follow (2020)
– looks like a good list, but a lot of ads to skip over

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday bloggers who post regularly. New reviewers pop in too.

– Greg at Always in the Middle…

– Carol Baldwin

– Natalie at Literary Rambles

– Brenda at Log Cabin Library

– Rosi Hollinbeck

– Me at So Many Good Books – though I do occasional picture books and young adult as well

– Kasey at The Story Sanctuary

– Valinora Troy

Not Necessarily Review Related

Kidlit411.com Blogs to Follow (2021)
– this list could use updating. One link I followed hadn’t posted anything since 2016, and another since 2022.

The Little Press Podcasts and Blogs
– unfortunately a pdf so the links won’t work directly

Questionable, in my opinion

100 Best Children’s Book Podcasts (2025)
– request for spreadsheet or cvs file, so I assume asks for money.

Top 100 Children’s Book Influencers in 2025
– access to 250 using same email above.

Any Others?

If you know of others, please comment below and I’ll add it.

cover of The Shape of Lost Things
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

The Shape of Lost Things

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The Shape of Lost Things (HarperCollins, 2024) by Sarah Everett is an amazing and powerful book!

Skye Nickson’s father and older brother disappeared four years ago and the twelve-year-old still has questions. Where did the go? Why did the leave? Why didn’t Dad take her too? Each year she has to deal with a birthday party for her missing-in-action brother. But this year after his birthday is different. Finn has been found. Can this fourteen-year-old stranger really be the brother she remembers and loved?

Sarah writes young adult books too–I’m going to have to read them: Everyone We’ve Been and How to Live without You! Read more about the author on her website.

book cover of The Legendary Mo Seto
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

The Legendary Mo Seto

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The Legendary Mo Seto (Aladdin, 2024) by A.Y. Chan is a fun read, especially if you have ever felt too small, or you like martial arts, or you’ve ever had a crush on a movie star, or you like mysteries.

Twelve-year-old Mo (short for Modesty) just lost to the larger Dax (again) by only getting second place in the Mid-year Taekwondo Championship tournament. When her father leaves without an explanation, she wonders if it’s because he’s disappointed she didn’t win. When Mo finds out she can apply to star in a movie with her hero Cody Kwok, she knows winning will please Dad.

But, of course, nothing is going to be simple in her pursuit of this new goal.

I really liked Mo’s relationship with her best friend Nacho (Ignacio). Other bonuses include the Chinese Mo is learning, a secret discovered, and a fake grandfather.

This is the first book in the series. Martial Arts Star will be released in May.

Read about A.Y. Chan here.

cover of The Hotel Balzaar
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

The Hotel Balzaar

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The Hotel Balzaar (Candlewick Press, 2024) by Kate DiCamillo is a sweet story of stories within a story. It’s beautifully illustrated by Júlia Sardà.

Marta and her mother live in a hotel where Marta must be as quiet and invisible as a small mouse while her mother works. Marta obeys until a countess with a parrot arrives and invites her to visit. The stories the countess tells don’t seem connected and Marta is not sure they are even true, but they give her hope.

Part of The Norendy Tales, this book is aimed at ages 7-10, but I think older readers will enjoy as well. The first book in the collection is The Puppets of Spelhorst and coming in September is a third, Lost Evangeline. The books stand alone but share a world.

Kate is a two-time Newbery winner who writes picture books, early chapter books, and middle grade novels. Read more about this award winning author here.

Júlia is an author as well as an illustrator–read about her here and see samples of her work here.

Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

The Witching Wind

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The Witching Wind (Scholastic Press, 2024) by Natalie Lloyd is a novel full of magic and hope.

Grayson, going to yet another foster home, doesn’t mind because soon her older sister Beanie will come and take her away.

Roxie, was excited about starting sixth grade, until she made everyone laugh at her at the pool. But she’ll go on a singing tour with her gran and can forget about the whole embarrassing event.

Unfortunately, both Beanie and Granny are missing, and the two new friends think the Witching Wind stole them. Together they must find the truth.

The personalities of these girls shine in this dual point-of-view novel. I also love the way Grayson’s disability is dealt with.

Read about this New York Times Bestselling Author here and check out all her books here.

I previously recommended Natalie’s Over the Moon and A Snicker of Magic. I need to catch up on more of her books.