Tag Archives: dragons

Bears! Water Bears and The Girl Who Speaks Bear

Posted on November 3, 2020 by

Here are two more Cybils nominees, both involving bears. Water Bears, with a Latinx author and main character, continues with the Latinx theme of the past week, while The Girl who Speaks Bear takes us to fantasy Russia. Whether you’re looking for a contemporary book with a hint of possible magic, or full-on folk tale-inspired historical fantasy, there’s a book here for you. Continue reading →

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Enjoying What Is: Paladin’s Grace and Iron Hearted Violet

Posted on May 12, 2020 by

It’s so easy to make things harder for ourselves by focusing on the way we think things should be, rather than the way things really are.  Here are two stories (Paladin’s Grace for adults, Iron Hearted Violet for kids) about … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult, Audiobook, Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print, Romance | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

Posted on November 11, 2019 by

This is one that was on my want-to-read list this year, a fantasy from Kwame Alexander’s new imprint, Versify.   Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack. Versify/HMH, 2019. 9780358006077 Anya’s is the only Jewish family in her little Russian village … Continue reading →

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Secrets and Journeys: Four Graphic Novels for Kids

Posted on October 30, 2019 by

Pilu of the Woods by Mai K. Nguyen. Oni Press, 2019. 9781620105511. Willow’s tears turn into actual monsters, and she seems to want to cry all the time.  She tries to keep them bottled up, but that just leads to … Continue reading →

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Freedom Fire and Spark

Posted on October 11, 2019 by

Today I’m featuring a couple of middle grade speculative fiction books that are eligible but not yet nominated for the Cybils – Dactyl Hill Squad 2 by Daniel José Older and Spark by Sarah Beth Durst. Both feature kids flying on the backs of fantastic beasts! Continue reading →

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Dragonfell by Sarah Prineas

Posted on August 14, 2019 by

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

The Girl with the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis

Posted on March 15, 2019 by

This is the sequel to The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart, which won the 2017 Cybils award for Middle Grade Speculative Fiction.  It came out in the middle of my 2018 Cybils reading, and was one of the first books … Continue reading →

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Ice Wolves. Elementals Book 1

Posted on December 13, 2018 by

One of the co-authors of the best-selling teen series The Illuminae Files kicks off an exciting new middle grade series. Ice Wolves. Elementals Book 1 by Amie Kaufman. Read by Jonathan McClain. HarperAudio, 2018. Twin street orphans Anders and Rayna … Continue reading →

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

2 for Teens: Dread Nation and Tess of the Road

Posted on October 12, 2018 by

Just a few more days of Cybils nominations!  I’ve updated my list of Cybils hopefuls to note which books have since been nominated – as of this writing, four of the twelve books I wrote about. Dread Nation: Rise Up … Continue reading →

Posted in Audiobook, Books, Fantasy, Historical, Print, Teen/Young Adult | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

3 Great Graphic Novels for Kids

Posted on June 16, 2018 by

This weekend is the A2CAF, the Ann Arbor Comic Arts Festival, which I used to love helping out with back when it was still Kids Read Comics.  Naturally, I’m at work at my regular library rather than there right now, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Realistic | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments