Tag: middle grade

cover of By the Light of Fireflies
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

By the Light of Fireflies

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

By the Light of Fireflies : a novel of war hero Sybil Ludington (Wyatt-McKenzie Publishing, 2021) by Jenni L. Walsh is a fun historical about a little known heroine. (And has such a gorgeous cover.)

Sybil is the oldest of eight children and dearly wants to be more than a farmer’s wife. When her papa and his men need help to fight the Loyalists (loyal to King George), Sybil and her sister help the spy ring and Sybil makes a night ride longer and farther than her hero Paul Revere.

This is a fascinating story that builds on the basics known about Sybil. The novel is a Publishers Weekly BookLife Editors Pick.

Jenni is a storyteller of women throughout history. She writes for adults and middle grade readers. Read about her here and check out her other books here.

cover of The Hike to Home
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

The Hike to Home

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The Hike to Home (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2022) by Jess Rinker was a fun read with interesting connections to Arthurian legends, Freemasonry, and 19th-century mountaineer Annie Smith Peck.

12-year-old Lin Moser is miserable. After a life of traveling with her parents as part of the popular YouTube home renovation show, Moseying with the Mosers, she’s stuck in New Jersey while Dad renovates without cameras. Lin will have to go to actual school, while her mother is away on a twelve-month film residency. But rumors of a castle, combined with new friends, and Lin is off filming her own adventure. And, of course, there’s trouble along the way.

I love how this character was inspired by two strong women.

Jess Rinker writes fiction and nonfiction. Read about her here and check out all her books here.

cover of A Whale of the Wild
Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

A Whale of the Wild

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

A Whale of the Wild (Greenwillow Books, 2020) by Rosanne Parry and illustrated by Lindsay Moore was such a moving story. And is a New York Times bestseller!

Told from alternating viewpoints of Vega and her little brother Deneb, it feels like we are right there in the ocean with these two young orca whales, experiencing the Pull and Push of the tide, the dark below water, the glow of the sunshine, and the hunger. Someday Vega will be a Wayfinder, who finds the salmon for the family. But not yet. Then an earth shake separates the two from the rest of the pod and Vega has to figure out how not only to find their way back to the pod, but feed her little brother, too.

The spot illustrations enhance the story. There’s also a bonus section in the back about orcas and other sea creatures.

Rosanne is the New York Times bestselling author of A Wolf Called Wander among other middle grade/young adult novels that you can read about here. Her next book is a picture book which you can check out here.

Lindsay is an author/illustrator. Check out some of her beautiful illustrations here and read about her here.

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

The Clackity

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

The Clackity (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2022) by Lora Senf is an eerily spooky book.

Twelve-year-old Evie Von Rathe is used to ghosts and strange things. After all, she lives with Aunt Desdemona, the paranormal expert in Blight Harbor, the seventh most haunted town in America. But when her aunt goes missing in the abandoned slaughterhouse, it’s up to Evie to save her. The strange creature The Clackity gives her a set of rules–she must go through seven houses in order and bring him/it the ghost of John Jeffrey Pope a serial killer. Will she be brave enough to get through all the houses without being caught by Pope or tricked by The Clackity and save Aunt Desdemona?

This is a compelling read–I just don’t want to see a movie if it’s made as it would be too scary for me.

Lora Senf says, “I write for kids who like their books a little dark and a little scary – and for the adults they grew up to be. But dark and scary is no fun without some light and hope as well, so you’ll find them both in my stories.” This book is the first in a planned series set in Blight Harbor. Read more about the author here.

Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

The Tragically True Adventures of Kit Donovan

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

Kit-Donovan_CVRI really enjoyed The Tragically True Adventures of Kit Donovan (Albert Whitman & Company, 2017) by Patricia Bailey.

It’s 1905 in a Nevada mining town and just turned thirteen-year-old Kit has lost her mother, who made her promise to be a proper lady. It’s tough being one when she’s worried about Papa and the dangers in the mine, when the kids and teacher at school don’t like her, and because she’s responsible for her mother’s death. Well, indirectly, she’ll admit.

Kit is a character to love.

Here are the opening lines of the book: “I killed my mother. Twice, if I am to be completely honest–though she only died the one time.” How could you not read on? And when you do, you’ll find adventure, danger, friendships, and more.

This is Patricia Bailey’s debut novel–I hope she writes many more. However, meanwhile you can read some of her short stories and articles on her website here.