Review: The City of Ember

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ember is a city that is dying, and the secret to saving the city has been lost. Lina and Doon are two plucky young citizens of Ember who have stumbled onto important information. The survival of the city is dependent on Lina and Doon being brave and clever.

This is an exciting dystopian novel for middle grade readers. It's the first in a series. The world of Ember is just enough like ours that the reader can easily imagine living in it. Lina and Doon are like kids you might meet today.

View all my reviews

Review: George

George by Alex Gino
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

George is biologically a boy, but knows herself to be a girl emotionally. It's a tricky line he walks at school and and home. When her 4th grade class play is Charlotte's Web, George wants more than anything to play the role of Charlotte -- a part that's only available to the girls in her class.

This book is important because of it's subject matter. I am not aware of any other middle grade book that deals with the subject of transgender children. I think the story went on too long, and I think too many of the characters were unrealistic. George's brother was a stereotype of a boy, and her friend Kelly was way too good to be true. This book is most important for opening up difficult conversations.

View all my reviews

Review: The Island of Dr. Libris

The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Billy and his mother rent a cabin from Dr. Libris for the summer. There is no TV or Internet, but there are plenty of classic books. Billy starts reading them and learns he can "read" characters into his world. This gets a bit complicated when the characters don't act they way Billy would like and one problem often begets another. The author has fun bringing classic characters to live and putting them in contemporary situations. This book has the most meaning to readers who've read the original works referenced in the story. The author helpfully adds a list of the original works in the back of the book.

View all my reviews

Review: Circus Mirandus

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Micah's grandfather is dying and Micah is so sad. He and his grandfather have lived a wonderful life together. Now his grandfather is asking Micah to find a magical circus to call in a favor owed to him before it's too late. Micah's journey is often thwarted by his great aunt who is practical and logical and had no time for this magic talk. This book is not magical the way a wizard is magical, but rather deals with the wonders of magic. It's a refreshing story for middle grade readers.

View all my reviews

Review: The Scandal

The Scandal by John Grisham
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a solid entry into the Theo Boone, Kid Lawyer series. In this book Theo and friends are 8th graders taking standardized testing that will determine whether they qualify for the honors program next year in high school. Theo misses the cut off by 1 percentage point...but something might be awry!

View all my reviews

Review: The Adventures of Sir Balin the Ill-Fated

The Adventures of Sir Balin the Ill-Fated by Gerald Morris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sir Blain has known his destiny for a long time and it's not a good one. Most of his quests just never seem to go as he hopes - but what's one to expect from an ill-fated knight?

View all my reviews

Review: The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True

The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True by Gerald Morris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The adventures of Arthur's knights continue with the story of Sir Gawain. His struggle with the Green Knight is one of the more famous legends. It's fun to try and imagine how Sir Gawain would be able to escape his fate and retain his integrity.

View all my reviews

Review: The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short

The Adventures of Sir Givret the Short by Gerald Morris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sir Givret is one of Arthur's knights. He's woefully short and as such gets little respect from other knights and villains alike. What he lacks in stature he makes up for in cleverness and wit. His stories are great fun to read.

View all my reviews

Review: The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery

The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery by Steve Sheinkin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the story of Benedict Arnold, the most famous American traitors. I learned so much from this non fiction book. Major Arnold started the war a successful and accomplished military man who was admired and trusted by General Washington. We don't remember any of that, we remember how he ended up - an infamous traitor. This book was both very interesting and fun to read.

View all my reviews

Review: Mister Monday

Mister Monday by Garth Nix
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is the first book in Garth Nix's Keys of the Kingdom series. Each book revolves around a particular day of the week. Our main character is Arthur an asthmatic and otherwise unnoteworthy boy. He finds that he's been given a key to an alternate world. This is a fantasy world with some similarities to our world. Throughout the book the author plays with time which passes differently in both worlds. There are references to Arthurian legends, but in many ways this story reminds me very much of the quest Frodo and Sam undertake in the Lord of the Rings books.

View all my reviews

Review: Bull Run

Bull Run by Paul Fleischman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the Battle of Bull Run - the first battle of the civil war told through many voices. We hear from soldiers on both sides, drummers, commanders, slaves, photographers, doctors, family members at home, and spectators. It gives the battle a depth and richness rarely seen in children's literature about war.

View all my reviews

Review: The Higher Power of Lucky

The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lucky lives with her French guardian in a spit of a town in the California desert. Her mother has died, her father has abandoned her, and she's afraid her guardian is planning on leaving too. The town she lives in and the characters inhabited by the town are interesting and quirky. Lucky is very plucky and resourceful. The whole time I was reading this book I felt as though I was just skimming the surface of this story. I wish I could have known the characters better.

View all my reviews