Tag Archives: youth fantasy

Nominate Me for the Cybils 2023!

Posted on October 6, 2023 by Katy K.

Dear readers – it’s Cybils time! Being a panelist always brings with it the joy of stacks of books to read – and the fear that those stacks will be missing important titles. Here are some of the books that … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Lists, Middle Grade | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Adventures with Djinn: Nayra and the Djinn and Kingdom over the Sea

Posted on September 29, 2023 by Katy K.

Dear readers, it’s the end of September, which mean the beginning of Cybils time! I’m excited once again to be serving on the Round 1 Elementary/Middle Grade Speculative Fiction panel. And as usual, I’m trying to write up reviews of … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Back to Magic School: a Middle Grade Book List

Posted on September 17, 2023 by Katy K.

Here are nine stories of kids going to magic schools – some delightful and some horrifying. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Lists, Middle Grade | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Ghosts, Toast, and Other Hazards by Susan Tan and Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind by Misa Siguira

Posted on August 19, 2023 by Katy K.

Two girls with similar issues find adventure along the way – one with a ghost elephant, one battling demons – in Ghosts, Toast, and Other Hazards and Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind. Continue reading →

Posted in Middle Grade | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Time Travel Trio: A Spoonful of Time, the Carrefour Curse, and the the Rhythm of Time

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Katy K.

Three recent middle grade time travel books, each to please a different reading personality. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

BLOG TOUR: Conjure Island by Eden Royce

Posted on June 29, 2023 by Katy K.

Join me on the blog tour for CONJURE ISLAND by Eden Royce, set in a magical school I’d love to visit. Continue reading →

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

3 Magical Journeys: The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams, The Ghosts of Rancho Espanto, and Hamra and the Jungle of Memories

Posted on June 17, 2023 by Katy K.

There are magical journeys galore in these new middle grade fantasies, including along the historical Silk Road, a possibly haunted present-day ranch, and the Indonesian jungle during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Continue reading →

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

Speculation by Nisi Shawl

Posted on June 9, 2023 by Katy K.

Magic spectacles and a bookish girl discovering family secrets combine to make Speculation by Nisi Shawl one of my very favorite books of the year so far.  Continue reading →

Posted in Fantasy, Middle Grade, Print | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

BLOG TOUR: The Witch of Woodland by Laurel Snyder

Posted on May 26, 2023 by Katy K.

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for the Witch of Woodland by Laurel Snyder, a fantastic story of a girl who’s more certain of her identity as a witch than as a Jew – and the magic that changes everything. Continue reading →

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

3 More 2022 Cybils MG Graphic Novel Finalists

Posted on May 19, 2023 by Katy K.

Here are my short takes on three 2022 Cybils MG Graphic Novel finalists – Wingbearer by Marjorie Liu and Teny Issakhanian, Little Monarchs by Jonathan Case, and Woman in the Woods, edited by Kate Ashwin Continue reading →

Posted in Fantasy, Graphic Novel, Middle Grade, Reviews, Sci-Fi | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments