• Reviews

    The Real Boy

    There’s been a lot of chatter about The Real Boy by Anne Ursu in the past few months and I was curious myself to find out what the story was all about.  A glittering city called Asteri was saved from the plague by the magic of the island and the…

  • Reviews

    The Wizard of Dark Street

    The Wizard of Dark Street written by Shawn Thomas Odyssey is a fun and entertaining read, mixing a touch of magic with a tale of mystery and the off-beat humor expected from authors like Lemony Snicket. Oona Crate is a Natural Magician and the Apprentice to the Dark Street Wizard,…

  • Reviews

    A Corner of White

    There were two things that made me want to read this book – the fist was the cover, I love all the bright colors and it looked like something right up my alley.  The second was the author’s last name, I’m a little bit of a Sherlock fan and with…

  • Reviews

    Beholding Bee

    Beholding Bee written by Kimberly Newton Fusco is about orphaned “Bee” who lives and works in a traveling carnival.  She was born with a birthmark on her face in the shape of a diamond and is often faced with the taunts and jeers of the children (and adults) who come…

  • Reviews

    The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop

    The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop written by British author, Kate Saunders was a surprisingly adventurous story for middle grade boys and girls alike.  Another book reviewer described it as a cross between James Bond and Roald Dahl, and I would have to agree.  Eleven-year old twins, Oz and Lily move…

  • Reviews

    Seeing Cinderella

          Seeing Cinderella by Jenny Lundquist is fun, entertaining read – perfect for middle school girls, especially those who enjoy their fiction mixed with just a little fairy tale magic.   When Callie Anderson, a sixth grader who already has frizzy hair, freckles, and finds that she has to…

  • Reviews

    Splendors and Glooms

    I’ve seen a number of reviews about this book and they piqued my curiousity because it seemed like from what I read people either really enjoyed the story or were not a fan.  I could find very few reviews of the story that were in-between the two extremes.  So I was…

  • Reviews

    The Crowfield Curse

    If the deepest secret has been spoken… can the deadliest curse be broken?  So begins, The Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh a medieval story about an orphan 14-year-old, William,  and the abbey he serves.  After finding a magical hobgoblin in the woods, in dire need of help, William learns that he…

  • Reviews

    Breadcrumbs

    Breadcrumbs written by Anne Ursu and illustrated by Erin Mcguire is a modern-day fairy tale based on Hans Christian Anderson’s The Snow Queen.  This retelling is about two best friends Hazel and Jack who do everything together even when it’s deemed uncool by the other kids at school.  They have wonderful imaginations,…