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Cindy M
An accountant and CPA by profession, I found myself a book reviewer for Squeaky Clean Reads by happenstance. When the opportunity came to transform that website into Compass Book Ratings, I was excited to seize it and meld my business background with my love of books. As the mother of three teenage sons, I have read a large number of children and young adult books and I believe that there is great value in a content review service. As much as we would love to read everything our children read, there just isn’t enough time. I also appreciate being able to select books for myself that are really worth my precious and limited reading time. I believe there is a book out there for everyone–they just have to find it!
This gripping, middle grade, historical fiction novel is a 2026 Newbery Honor Book. Chapters are brief and alternate between Han Yu in China, 731 and Luli in New York City, 1931. This format, along …
For those who advocate that middle grade literature is the best, The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest validates that claim. Author Aubrey Hartman's voice and literary style exemplify first rate craftman…
A simplistic definition of a corrido is it is a Mexican narrative folk ballad told through the eyes of the protagonist and often about social topics and oppression. There is quite a bit more to the a…
The 2026 Newbery Medal Winner, All the Blues in the Sky, is bittersweet. It takes the reader on the journey through grief with thirteen-year-old Sage, whose best friend was killed by a drunk driver. …
As usual, Katherine Arden's writing does not disappoint. She crafts a compelling narrative with one foot in history and the other firmly planted in fantasy. In Ms. Arden's hands, Anne of Brittany beco…
Author Daniel Nayeri is definitely on a roll. On the heels of his 2024 Newbery Honor Book, The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams, his middle grade historical fiction novel, The Teac…
Author Brandon Mull makes his maiden foray into middle grade high fantasy. No stranger to middle grade fantasy with his Fablehaven and Dragonwatch series, what distinguishes Forbidden Mountain is tha…
Adassa's memoir Love Keeps Showing Up clocks in at under 200 pages. Although she reflects on her entire life span, this is a sketch rather than a detailed dive into a biography chronicled with dates, …
Author Scott Reintgen is currently riding high with his New York Times Bestseller middle grade series Dragonships (The Last Dragon on Mars and The Rise of Neptune). In Devious Prey, Mr. Reintgen has a…
The title and cover art of this book promise a fun adventure with a side of whimsy, and it delivers just that. Young readers who enjoy martial arts, spy stories, and humor will devour this book. Aimed…
If a winter setting, a magical baking oven, and cats galore don't say cozy fantasy, then I am not sure what does. So, grab a hot coca and perhaps a chocolate brioche as you settle in to meet Agnes, ca…
James Riley is a well-known middle grade fantasy author with an excellent track record in this demographic and genre. He can be depended upon to provide a great story with plenty of adventure. Revenan…