Category Archives: Middle Grade

Riverland by Fran Wilde

Posted on August 28, 2019 by Katy K.

Though Fran Wilde apparently didn’t make my list of Top 10 Fantasy Authors I’ve Never Read, she has been on my radar but unread for quite a while. Good thing she came out with a middle grade book, rather than … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Game of Stars by Sayantani DasGupta

Posted on August 21, 2019 by Katy K.

Game of Stars. Kiranmala and the Kingdom Beyond 2 by Sayantani DasGupta. Scholastic, 2019. New Jersey middle schooler Kiran – aka Princess Kiranmala of the Kingdom Beyond – returns in the second volume of the series that began with The … Continue reading →

Posted in Audiobook, Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu

Posted on August 19, 2019 by Katy K.

I am breaking a trend – I just realized my last three books reviewed all had “dragon in the title.  Here’s another book that I was really looking forward to this year.  I first listened to it on my own … Continue reading →

Posted in Audiobook, Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee

Posted on August 18, 2019 by Katy K.

Science fiction mixes with Korean mythology in this book by acclaimed adult SF writer Yoon Ha Lee.  Of course I had to read it! Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee. Read by Kim Mai Guest. Rick Riordan Presents/Listening Library, 2019. … Continue reading →

Posted in Audiobook, Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Sci-Fi | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Dragonfell by Sarah Prineas

Posted on August 14, 2019 by Katy K.

Sarah Prineas’s Magic Thief series is one I’ve loved enough to listen to multiple times, so I was very excited to read her new book, the pages going quickly and happily by after a period where it felt like I … Continue reading →

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

City Kids: Thank you, Omu! and Dragons in a Bag

Posted on August 2, 2019 by Katy K.

Here are some short takes on books with city settings for kids on the younger end of the spectrum.  Side note: both of these authors were at KidLitCon this year, and I had a lovely conversation with Zetta Elliott.   Thank … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Middle Grade, picture books | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Starring Kids with Hearing Loss: You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! and The Collectors

Posted on July 17, 2019 by Katy K.

My daughter wears hearing aids, which has shone a light for me on how difficult it is to find mainstream books whose main characters are Deaf or hard of hearing.  There’s El Deafo, which is great, but not a lot … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print, Realistic, Reviews | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

2019 Newberys: Merci Suárez Changes Gears and The Night Diary

Posted on July 15, 2019 by Katy K.

Here are reviews of this year’s Newbery and Newbery honor books.  I had read just one of these when it first came out, The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock.  And shout-out to my blogging friend Sondy at Sonderbooks, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Historical, Middle Grade, Print, Realistic | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Week of Reading

Posted on June 29, 2019 by Katy K.

Today I looked at the pages of review notes I have and decided to just give you shorter reviews of the books I read this week.  It’s a big mix of styles – two realistic fiction (one teen and one … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult, Audiobook, Books, Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, nonfiction, Print, Realistic, Reviews, Sci-Fi, Teen/Young Adult | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Everything I Know about You and Halfway Normal by Barbara Dee

Posted on June 26, 2019 by Katy K.

Here are some more books I read for my KidLitCon panel on taboo topics in middle grade this year.  I’d previously read and very much enjoyed her Star Crossed, but she has written a lot of books, all with very … Continue reading →

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