Category Archives: Middle Grade

Nightingale by Deva Fagan and Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch by Julie Abe

Posted on January 17, 2022 by Katy K.

Nightingale by Deva Fagan and Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch by Julie Abe are two adventure-filled books from my 2021 Cybils reading that I discovered during my 2020 Cybils reading. Continue reading →

Posted in Audiobook, Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged superheroes, witches, youth adventure, youth fantasy | 7 Comments

Blog Tour: Riley’s Ghosts by John David Anderson

Posted on January 14, 2022 by Katy K.

Once again, I’m very pleased to share the latest book by John David Anderson with you, this one a horror-filled ghost story. Keep reading for more, including a giveaway! Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged blog tours, book giveaway, bullying, ghost stories, John David Anderson, middle school fiction, youth fantasy | 10 Comments

2021 Cybils Finalists and Ones that Got Away

Posted on January 4, 2022 by Katy K.

Here’s my annual post about the 2021 Cybils finalists and the ones I wish could have made the already excellent list. Continue reading →

Posted in Audiobook, Fantasy, Lists, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged Cybils, youth fantasy | 9 Comments

Dystopias: the Last Cuentista and the Monster Missions

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Katy K.

Here are two Cybils nominees, very different stories of life after disaster on earth – one literary and set in space, one action-oriented, and set on an Earth entirely covered by oceans. Continue reading →

Posted in Middle Grade, Print, Sci-Fi | Tagged environment, Latinx, space travel, youth dystopia, youth fantasy, youth science fiction | 2 Comments

The Monsters of Rookhaven by Pádraig Kenny

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Katy K.

A fantasy from Irish author Pádraig Kenny that strikes a balance between scary, adventuresome, and thoughtful. Continue reading →

Posted in Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print, Reviews | Tagged Ireland, monsters, understanding, world war ii, youth fantasy | 4 Comments

3 Fantasies by Award-Winning Authors: Willodeen, the Beatryce Prophecy, and the Robber Girl

Posted on December 11, 2021 by Katy K.

Here are three Cybils-nominated books, all of them by authors who have already won major awards – Kate DiCamillo, Katherine Applegate, and Franny Billingsly. All three are also about children finding meaning and a new life after major trauma. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print, Reviews | Tagged Cybils, Middle Grade, youth fantasy | 2 Comments

3 Scary Stories: Temple Alley Summer, Ghost Girl, and Beasts and Beauty: Dangerous Tales

Posted on December 1, 2021 by Katy K.

Here’s some more of my Cybils reading – ranked roughly in order from least to most frightening. Temple Alley Summer by Sachiko Kashiwaba. Translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa. Illustrated by Miho Satake Yonder, 2021 ISBN 978-1632063038 Read from library copy. Fifth-grade … Continue reading →

Posted in Audiobook, Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged demons, fairy tales, ghosts, Japan, New England, youth fantasy | 3 Comments

3 Fantasies about Change: Josephine Against the Sea, A Wilder Magic, and Elvis and the World as it Stands

Posted on November 27, 2021 by Katy K.

Here are three Cybils-nominated fantasies about kids forced to deal with change they don’t want to accept. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged Appalachia, Barbados, Caribbean, cats, Cybils, divorce, moving, youth fantasy | 1 Comment

3 Fantasies about Bullying: The Insiders, Friend Me, and the Nightmare Thief

Posted on November 21, 2021 by Katy K.

As an empathic adult who was bullied as a child, bullying is always very painful for me to read about. But it happens all too frequently, and it is dishonest for adults to deny kids the opportunity to read about … Continue reading →