Gary D. Schmidt is one of my favorite middle grade writers. In this contemporary novel, he is firmly in the arena where he Has cracked the code. Because, if he has a super power, it is compellin…
The Sowing Season is Katie Powner's debut novel. Clearly this is an author with lots of talent and insight to share with the world. The book is written in such a way as to inspire bot…
Skunked! is book one in a six book chapter book series. This series uses the characters from the 2010 Newbury Honor Book The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate. Skunked! was published much l…
A Haven for Her Heart by Susan Anne Mason is a fictional story about a fictional character based on some of the real-life experiences of Velma Demerson in the 1930s in Canada. The experienc…
Like Spilled Water by Jennie Liu is an interesting peek into the world of Chinese culture through the eyes of 19-year-old Na, a young girl studying at a modest trade school while her younger brot…
Otto and Sheed are called back into action. As Logan County's top crime fighters, it's no suprise when Missus Nedraw contacts them, although how she does it opens a whole new world to them. …
Everything I Thought I Knew is the debut novel of Shannon Takaoka. I, for one, am certainly looking forward to what she will bring next. This book was insightful, thought-provoking, a…
The Edge of Belonging is the debut novel of Amanda Cox, but one would never know it just from reading the story. The book draws the reader in with its almost poetic introduction to Harvey J…
Steampunk fans rejoice! Nancy Campbell Allen's latest novel, Brass Carriages and Glass Hearts, brings action, suspense, and romance to this retro-futuristic genre. As science fiction set during t…
If you loved Kate the Chemist: Dragons vs. Unicorns, you need to give Kate the Chemist: The Great Escape a read. Once again, the authors, Dr. Kate Biberdorf with Hillary Homzie, combine…
To me, part of the beauty of poetry is the translation of metaphors and sorting out what the author is trying to get across to readers. This short collection of poems is often about the earth and huma…
Ellen Hopkins is known for writing unflinchingly about tough subjects in many teen novels in verse. As a teen, I remember picking up her chunky books at the library and reading them out of sight of my…
