Reading Level: Elementary

Daniel at the Siege of Boston 1776

Twelve-year-old Daniel helps his family in the family tavern. When English tea is dumped into the Boston Harbor to protest taxes, Daniel cheers. Then the British arrive, and soon Redcoats are taking over Boston. Soon everyone must take a side—support the British or join the rebels. Daniel’s family serves the British soldiers in their tavern to try to gain information and pass it on to the rebels.

When Daniel’s father leaves to join the fighting rebels, Daniel must help his mother in the tavern and help keep his sister safe. When Daniel overhears a crucial secret, he knows he has to cross British lines to deliver it to his soldier father and General Washington. He knows that liberty is worth fighting for, but is he brave enough to risk his life?

Daniel at the Siege of Boston 1776 brings the American Revolution to life through the eyes of a twelve-year-old boy. Despite the young narrator, the story is at heart a war story that doesn’t shy away from death. Even though the dead and wounded soldiers are not described in bloody detail, Daniel is deeply disturbed by the battle between the Redcoats and the rebels. Daniel witnesses wounded soldiers dying, which may upset some readers. Although Daniel agrees with Dr. Warren, who said, “Our liberty must be preserved; it is far dearer than life,” watching people die leaves a lasting impact on Daniel.

Even though Daniel at the Siege of Boston 1776 shows the importance of the American Revolution, the book is best suited for history buffs. Even though the story focuses on Daniel’s family, the long list of names may become overwhelming to readers. In addition, many historical figures, like John Hancock and Samuel Adams, are mentioned, but they never appear in the book. Readers who already know some of the key figures in the Revolutionary War will enjoy learning about the Boston Revolution through the eyes of a young boy.

Several times, Daniel acts out of fear, then later feels ashamed of his actions. However, Daniel’s father lets him know that the soldiers all feel fear. Daniel’s father tells him, “only the foolhardy are unafraid, Daniel. That’s not what bravery is. True courage is moving forward when you’re most afraid.” The story shows how the courage and perseverance of colonial men paved the way for America’s freedom. Daniel and the reader both learn that “Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages. They’re far more powerful than even the mightiest of armies.”

Daniel at the Siege of Boston 1776 shows the brave deeds that led men to fight for liberty and allows readers to understand America’s history. The book ends with historical information about children’s roles in the American Revolution, the historical characters, a timeline, and a glossary. Readers who enjoy learning about America’s involvement in wars should add Calkhoven’s G.I. Dogs series to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Daniel mentions British soldiers trying to desert the military. “General Gave, the military governor of Massachusetts, had threatened to execute all deserters from the British army and any who helped them. More than one soldier was shot on the Common, caught in the act of trying to leave Boston.”
  • Soldiers bring a man into the tavern. The soldiers accuse the man of trying to help soldiers desert the “king’s army.” When the men come in, Daniel’s “father’s hands were underneath the bar, no doubt reaching for the musket that was hidden there.” When Daniel makes a quick move towards his sister, “my sudden movement put one of the soldiers on alert. He swung around and pointed his musket at me. His bayonet was fixed, candle light flickering against the shiny blade.”
  • The soldiers are ordered to tar and feather the man accused of helping soldiers desert. “The soldiers rushed to their task like boys to a game of ringer, only it was a life they played with, not marbles. Some men did not survive such torture.”
  • A man comes into Boston telling people, “‘They’ve done it,’ he said. ‘The Redcoats have fired on the people. . . I’ve seen the dead with my own eyes.’”
  • During a battle, the Patriots seize the hill. Then, HMS Lively began “firing cannonballs in our direction. . . Soon the HMS Somerset and other ships in the squadron joined the warship Lively. . . Cannonball after cannonball pounded into the side of Breed’s Hill and our fort. I’d never seen such a storm of round shot as was poured out us, but our fort stood undamaged.”
  • During the battle, “one soldier became too bold. A private stood tall and raised his arms in the air. The next I saw, his head was gone. I jumped to avoid the smoking six-pound ball that rolled past my feet.” The scene takes place over three pages.
  • The British try to take Breed Hill. “The Redcoats seemed to be upon the very walls of the fort. The solider next to me muttered a prayer. . . Suddenly the Patriots let loose with a burst of fire. Smoke boiled in all directions. The first wave of Redcoats fell. And then the next, and the next. . . When the smoke cleared, I saw just how many bodies they had left behind. Redcoats dotted the hill. Some crawled. Most were still.”
  • Again the Redcoats advanced. “The Redcoats seemed impossibly close to the walls of the fort before there was a burst of fire and smoke and noise. The first wave of Redcoats fell, and then the second. . . A third wave began to fall and once again the king’s men turned and ran. A good many of them were left behind, broken and dead.”
  • When the Redcoats again advance, the Patriots are out of gunpowder. “The first Redcoat mounted the parapet and leaped into the fort. Soon they stormed in from three sides. The Patriots used their muskets as clubs, but they were no match for British bayonets.” Daniel recognizes Dr. Warren as “he defended an exit, making it possible for many of the Patriots to escape. . . I saw a bullet strike his head. Dr. Warren fell.”
  • The Patriots begin to retreat and Daniel finds his father. “It was only then that I noticed my shirt was splattered with blood.” The blood wasn’t Daniel’s, but he watched as “two wounded men hobbled past us, one with a gaping wound in his neck, the other with a gash in his leg.”
  • As Daniel leaves the battle, he “found a man kneeling by the side of the road, moaning. . . Someone had bandaged his wounds, but he was still bleeding fiercely. He opened his eyes, but did not see me. . . He slumped over and fell into me. Dead.” Daniel vomits and runs from the scene.
  • As Daniel tries to get to his father, three men stop him. “I raised my hands to show them I was unarmed and prayed they would not shoot. . . They lowered their guns and after many questions gave me leave to go.”
  • While trying to leave Boston, Daniel runs from soldiers. “A musket fired, and then another, but I kept running. Something hit my shoulder. A bullet whistled past my ear.” Daniel runs and then hides behind a bush. “My shoulder burned. My fingers found a hole in my jacket but no blood. The bullet had only grazed me.” As he was hiding, “Too late, I saw a flash. The next thing I knew, my hat was blown off.” Daniel is frightened, but not injured.
  • The Redcoats hang one of the Patriots. Daniel sees “a man sat on top of a horse with his hands tied in front of him and a noose around his neck. The rope was attached to the strong branch of an oak tree. . . A crowd of soldiers and others jeered at the man. They urged the hangman to hurry, shouting for blood. . . The hangman slapped the horse’s rear and it lurched forward, out from under the barber. His legs dangled and the rope tightened around his throat. . . The barber’s legs danced, searching for purchase.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Daniel’s family owns a tavern, which the British soldiers have made their headquarters. Daniel’s family “filled their tankards and their bellies.” While serving the man, “Father quietly surveyed the room while he drew ale and poured rum. . . There was a low rumble of voices, and the occasional call for drinks, but all was peaceful.” The tavern and soldiers are mentioned drinking ale and rum many times throughout the book.
  • When soldiers point a musket at Daniel, his mother says, “There’s no call for any of this. . . Come, finish this nice meal I’ve made for you. A free glass of rum for all.”
  • After the battle, one of the Redcoats “walked into the tavern after camping on the hill for two nights, his breeches splattered with blood, and ordered a glass of rum.”
  • While Daniel was getting water, he sees a couple of Redcoats “laughing so hard they fell into the other. Drunk, I thought, and up all night.”

Language

  • After a battle, one of the Redcoats says, “Kill the sorry cowards! Kill them!”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • When the men prepare for battle, the Reverend Mr. Langdon says a “long and fervent prayer.”
  • When Daniel leaves the tavern, his mother tells him, “god be with you, Daniel.”
  • When Daniel’s sister becomes ill, “we watched and prayed, hoping for the best.” Later, Daniel “wondered if Father knew of her illness and prayed he did not.” His sister recovers.
  • In order to listen to the Redcoats, Daniel hides and “prayed their voices would reach my ears.”
  • When a man is taken prisoner, Daniel’s mother tells him, “We must remember him in our prayers.”

Ella Unleashed

Ella didn’t think having a stepparent would be cool, but when her mom married Krishnan, Ella soon loved doing things with her stepfather. When Ella enters a junior dog show, Krishnan teaches her how to handle his champion dog, Elvis. Ella’s first attempts end in embarrassing disasters; however, she isn’t giving up. She is determined to win the prestigious National Dog Show.

Ella wants everyone that she loves to see her perform in the next dog show, but her dad can’t stand to be around Krishnan. Ever since her mom and dad’s divorce, Ella’s dad has been lonely and depressed. When Ella’s friends suggest she find her dad a new girlfriend, it seems like the perfect idea. A new girlfriend will lift his spirits and hopefully make him want to come to her next dog show.

When Ella and her friends create a fake online dating profile for her dad, Ella’s convinced that nothing can go wrong. But soon, Ella realizes that her plan isn’t as perfect as she thought. Can Ella find the perfect girlfriend for her father? Will she manage to bring her divided life together in time for her moment in the spotlight?

Any tween with divorced parents will relate to Ella’s struggles. When it comes to winning a dog show, Ella thinks practice will give her the winning edge. When it comes to her father, she’s convinced that using scientific data will help her find her dad the perfect girlfriend. Soon, Ella learns that when it comes to dogs and people, it’s impossible to predict how they will react. In the end, all of Ella’s perfect plans led to hilarious disasters.

Any reader with a blended family should read Ella Unleashed. Although Ella does attend several dog shows, the majority of the story focuses on complicated human interactions. Through her experiences, Ella learns that she can’t control everything. The story also shows the importance of communication. At the end of the story, Ella and her father decide to go to counseling to help them work through some of their issues. Ella Unleashed is an easy-to-read story that uses compassion and humor to explore complex family relationships.

Sexual Content

  • While secretly signing her father up for a dating site, Ella and her friend are confused by the drop-down menu. They don’t know what demisexual and non-binary mean.
  • While having dinner at a restaurant, two women discuss breaking up.
  • A character mentions her “college roommate and her wife.”

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • While at a restaurant, a lady orders a glass of Malbec.
  • While on a date, a woman “is making big sweeping hand gestures as she talks. . . Beth flings her arm to the right, and her hand smacks directly into the server, who’s about to put down their drinks. . . two full glasses of red wine go flying.”
  • When going to a house for dinner, a woman brings wine.

Language

  • “God,” “OMG,” and “Oh my god” are used excessively as an exclamation. For example, a boy tells his siblings, “God, both of you shut up! I hate you!”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Ella is preparing for her bat mitzvah by “learning my Torah portion.”
  • While at a dog show, a judge inspects Ella’s dog, who is acting like he has to go to the bathroom. Ella prays that “she doesn’t put her hands anywhere near his bladder.”
  • Ella pretends to be surprised by something her dad said. Ella prays “my surprise looks genuine.”

King & Kayla and the Case of the Secret Code

Kayla and Mason both get mysterious letters written in code. Neither of them knows where the letter came from or what it means. King, a lovable dog, knows which one of their friends left the letter, but Kayla doesn’t understand him.

Kayla and Mason use clues to discover who left the letter. Kayla makes a list of “everything we know about the case” and a list of “everything we don’t know about the case.” The two friends find out who sent the letter, but it isn’t the clues that lead them to the culprit. Instead, King leads them to the answer. The person who sent the letter gives Kayla and Mason a clue so they can figure out what the letter says.

Readers will giggle as King tries to tell Kayla who left the letter. He sings, dances, and barks, but Kayla can’t figure out what King is trying to say. King is a loveable dog, who thinks that everything is his favorite thing. The bright illustrations do an excellent job showing King’s and Kayla’s emotions.

King and Kayla are likable characters who solve a relatable problem. Much of the humor comes from King’s desire to communicate with Kayla. The fun, easy story is perfect for readers transitioning out of picture books and into chapter books. Each page has a large picture that allows the text to be spaced out so younger readers will not get discouraged by the amount of text. The simple, fun plot and interesting characters will keep readers engaged until the very end.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Wish

Charlie has made a wish every day since fourth grade. Then, social services send Charlie to live in Colby with a family that Charlie has never met. Charlie doesn’t let that stop her from making the same wish, but now Charlie wonders if that wish will ever come true.

Charlie doesn’t get along with the “hillbilly” kids at school; however, her backpack buddy, Howard, just won’t go away. When Charlie sees a skinny stray dog, Howard promises to help her capture the dog. With Howard’s help, Charlie is able to befriend the dog who has captured her heart.

When Charlie’s sister, Jackie, comes to visit, Charlie begins to see things in a new light. Jackie points out all of the good things in Charlie’s new home. When Charlie’s social worker tells Charlie that she will soon go home to live with her mother, Charlie wonders why she isn’t excited by the news. After all, wasn’t Charlie hoping to leave Colby?

Charlie is an endearing character who desperately wants a normal family filled with love. Because of her unhappy family life, Charlie is filled with uncertainty and anger. Like many children, Charlie says things that she doesn’t mean, worries about fitting in, and dreams of a better life. Despite Charlie’s anger, Howard befriends Charlie, and she soon learns the true meaning of friendship.

Wish is a compelling story about Charlie’s struggle to understand her broken family life. Charlie’s strong voice allows the reader to understand both her anger and her confusion. Charlie is surrounded by an interesting cast of supporting characters that help her begin to heal. With the help of her foster parents, Gus and Bertha, Charlie begins to realize that possessions don’t make people blessed—love does.

Even though Wish deals with the difficulty of coming from a broken family, Charlie’s feelings are described in ways that young readers will understand. Even though the story focuses on Charlie’s internal struggle, the story contains enough action to propel the story forward. Wish is beautifully written, and each character jumps off the page.

When Charlie allows her anger to get the better of her, she is often surprised by Bertha’s kind reaction. Bertha tells Charlie, “You can’t judge people for the mistakes they make. You judge them for how they fix those mistakes.” In the end, Charlie realizes that she has a “real family,” even if it is different than a traditional two-parent household. Wish is written with compassion and insight that will help readers understand the importance of friendship and family.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When a girl makes fun of Charlie’s boots, Charlie “kicked her skinny shin. Hard. The next few minutes were a blur of crying and hollering and tattling and then I found myself sitting in front of Mr. Mason, the principal.”
  • Charlie tells her friend about a time when “I got sent home from kindergarten the very first day for poking some boy with a pencil.” She said she used the pointy side of the pencil.
  • Bertha tells Charlie a story about when her mother was in elementary school. When a boy was being mean, Charlie’s mother “stomped over to that boy and bit him on the hand so hard he hollered like she’d cut his hand off with a butcher knife. Then ran home crying while she hollered cuss words at him.”
  • When a girl accuses Charlie of lying, Charlie gets angry and “before I knew it, I was standing over her with my fists balled up and my heart beating like crazy. I felt red-hot anger settle over me like a blanket. I wanted to stomp her perfect sneakers. I wanted to yank those butterfly barrettes out of her hair.” Charlie’s friend comes over and calms her down.
  • When a boy makes fun of Charlie’s friend, Charlie got angry and ran “straight at T.J., full steam ahead. I kept my arms stiff in front of me and bam! I shoved him so hard his head snapped back and he crashed face-first into the dirt. I confess I was more than a little surprised when he got right up and shoved me back, knocking me to the ground.” The vacation Bible school teacher breaks up the fight.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Dang and Darn are used often. For example, after Charlie kicks a girl, her friend asked her, “Dang, Charlie, why you gotta get so mad about that?”
  • Heck is used once. While talking to Bertha, Charlie wonders, “What the heck kind of question was that?”
  • Charlie calls her friend a “squirrel-eating hillbilly.” She also refers to the kids that live in Colby as hillbillies.
  • Charlie’s friend calls her a “quitter and a baby.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Charlie goes to church with Bertha and Gus. Charlie “hadn’t been to church since I was little. Scrappy [her father] never wanted any part of it, calling those people do-gooders and Bible-thumpers, but Mama took me and Jackie for a while.”
  • When a snake gets into the house, Bertha stayed with a friend “for nearly a week until Gus swore on the Bible that it was gone.”
  • Charlie goes to a friend’s house for dinner. “So we sat at the table and before I knew what was happening, Howard grabbed my right hand and Dwight grabbed my left and they all bowed their heads while Burl said the blessing. He thanked the Lord for nearly everything under the sun, inkling the deviled eggs on the plate in front of him.”
  • When Charlie goes to dinner at a friend’s house, “everyone held hands and Dwight said the blessing and thanked the Lord for baked beans and new friends.”
  • Bertha and Gus invite friends over for dinner. Before eating, everyone “held hands while Mr. Odom said the blessing. Gus and Bertha weren’t the blessing type, but I guess they did it to be nice to their company. Mr. Odom sure had a lot of stuff to be thankful for, everything from this beautiful day to those turnip greens.”
  • Charlie attends vacation Bible school and learns songs.
  • Charlie thinks about “those good-hearted Odoms thanking the good Lord for me at their supper table.”

She’s the Liar!

When Abby enters sixth grade at her new boarding school, Brookside Academy, she is determined to reinvent herself. She sheds her shy personality and starts playing the part of the confident, bubbly, popular “Abbi.” She quickly learns about the Committee, an all-powerful student organization that controls nearly every aspect of extracurricular life. Whatever you do, you don’t want to be on the Committee’s bad side.

Abby’s older sister, Sydney, is in eighth grade at Brookside. At home, she was always a loner, so Abby is shocked to discover that Sydney has also crafted herself into a new person at school—she’s the president of the Committee and rules the entire student body through intimidation.

Each sister is a threat to the success of the other’s new personality, and things get heated as Abby and Sydney try to outmaneuver each other for power and influence. Both girls have hidden motives, and they soon find themselves hopelessly tangled in a web of lies, schemes, and blackmail.

She’s the Liar! uses the backdrop of a boarding school to highlight the fact that every story has two sides. The first half of the book is told from Abby’s point of view. In the past, Abby allowed one embarrassing moment to define her. Now that she’s at a new school, Abby decides to reinvent herself. Instead of avoiding people, Abby is going to be outgoing, join clubs, and make friends. Soon, Abby is able to overcome her fears and she realizes, “The old me would’ve been totally terrified that if anyone knew my secrets, nobody would like me. But then you told me that I had to own my failures and my success, because they’re all part of me.”

The second part of the book is told from Sydney’s point of view. At the beginning of the book, Sydney’s actions seem villainous and cruel. Adding Sydney’s point of view allows readers to understand her actions, which are largely based on insecurity. Even though it is clear that the reader is supposed to sympathize with Sydney, why she blackmails people instead of befriending them is never mentioned. The ending is a little too sweet and unrealistic; however, even Sydney learns the importance of taking ownership of her past deeds.

Middle school readers will relate to Abby’s fears and uncertainty, and they will cheer for her when she takes steps towards being a better person. Even though there are some holes in the plot, younger readers will still enjoy the story, which showcases student government and sister relationships. Even though the story focuses on Abby and Sydney, the other characters in the book have different interests: astronomy, theater, dance, and even playing Dungeons and Dragons. The other characters add interest and show that people’s differences should be celebrated. She’s the Liar! is an entertaining story that teaches that no one should feel embarrassed about their past.

 Sexual Content

  • One of the sixth graders is embarrassed because “I wrote this really stupid, gushy letter to a guy in my youth group.”

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • “God” and “Oh my god” are frequently used as exclamations. For example, during play auditions when a girl sings, someone says, “Oh my god, she’s so good.”
  • Freaking is used once. When Sydney approves purchasing a telescope, someone asks, “Jenna gets a freaking telescope, and I can’t have two hours at the mall?”
  • Pissed is used once. When a student tells her friends that Sydney tried to blackmail her, her friends were “pretty pissed.”
  • While out to dinner with their parents, some girls walk by the table. Abby asks her sister if the girls are her friends. Sydney replies, “I would never associate with those idiots. God, don’t be stupid.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • While on stage, Sydney takes “a deep breath like I taught Abby to do and pray everyone can’t read my emotions all over my face.”

Oh, Rats!

Phoenix has always been lucky: he’s the largest in his litter, he has the most lustrous fur, and he’s the most sought-after squirrel in his part of New Jersey. All of this makes him being kidnapped by a hawk seem all the more unlucky.

Luckily, the hawk doesn’t have the best grip; however, he drops Phoenix on a freshly tarred street in downtown Manhattan. Stripped of his gorgeous golden-brown coat, Phoenix now looks like . . . like . . . a common sewer rat! Enormously unlucky!

But his luck changes once again when it isn’t sewer rats that find him, but rather Lucy and Beckett, wharf rats living in an abandoned pier on the Hudson River. Just as Phoenix starts to adjust to city life, the rats discover that humans (an unobservant and furless species) plan to tear down the pier and build a tennis complex. Can Phoenix save his new friends’ home? Or has his luck finally run out?

At first, Phoenix is a vain rat who wants to win Giselle’s attention. As Phoenix is admiring his reflection in a pond, a red-tail hawk grabs him. The hawk eventually drops him over Manhattan. Two rats, Lucy and Beckett, drag Phoenix back to their crate and nurse him back to health. After Phoenix sees his battered reflection, he stops eating in the hopes that he will die. However, he soon is caught up in the plight of the rats, whose home is about to be demolished. The rats decide to sabotage an electrical substation to stop the gentrification of their pier.

The rats’ diverse community has many characters that are interesting and well-developed. Phoenix has to overcome his dislike of rats and learn to appreciate of his own looks. Beckett, a bookish rat, would rather hide in his crate reading than join the other rats swimming. The red-tail hawk adds humor. However, the rats’ world also has several villains that also add interest to the story.

Oh, Rats! has some exciting moments, but the plot drags in many places. The focus on Lucy and Beckett’s alcoholic father seems out of place because his appearance does nothing to advance the plot. Although readers may find the rats’ way of life interesting, readers may struggle with the vocabulary. The story uses difficult vocabulary such as ignominious, appalled, piqued, lugubrious, and curmudgeonly. However, black and white illustrations appear occasionally, which helps break up the text.

Phoenix is a relatable character, who has a mix of good luck and bad luck. In the end, Phoenix realizes that friendship is more important than one’s looks. Even though Phoenix’s story is interesting, many readers will have a difficult time wading through the slow plot and difficult vocabulary. With a vast selection of animal books out there, Oh Rats! may be best left on the library shelf.

 Sexual Content

  • Phoenix has a crush on a squirrel and they brush whiskers. Later, Phoenix thinks, “Giselle! Phoenix hadn’t thought of her in days. He wondered if she’d gone back to the pond from time to time to think about him. It didn’t seem likely. She’d switched from Tyrone to him so easily, she would probably have switched to another squirrel by now. Though she had seemed to like him.”

Violence

  • Tyrone, a squirrel, is electrocuted. Even though his death is not described, Phoenix carries Tyrone on his back so Tyrone can have a proper funeral.
  • A hawk grabs Phoenix. “He was in the clutches of a bird of prey. He tried to wretch himself free, but the bird tightened its grip, and the terrible pain in his shoulder redoubled—a talon was piercing it. The bird’s other claw had a vicelike hold on his hindquarters.”
  • The hawk drops Phoenix, who “finally dropped out of the tree and hit the street, the pavement wasn’t as unforgiving as pavement usually is. This particular crew had just laid down a new layer of hot tar, which was still soft and doughy.” The tar burned Phoenix. “His whole front side was instantly scalded. . . When he leaped to his feet, the tar scalded his footpads.” As Phoenix escaped the tar, dogs chased him. A bird finally helps Phoenix find water.
  • An alley cat chases Lucy and Beckett. Lucy runs into a pipe. “Her less agile brother dove and hit the pipe snout-on. For an instant he saw stars. The stars cleared up just as the alley cat pounced. A claw grazed Beckett’s back, but he darted to the other end of the pipe and squirmed in before the cat could grab him.” Lucy and Beckett hide in the hot pipe until it’s safe to leave.
  • When humans place dynamite by the rats’ home, Mrs. P moved some under the bulldozer. “After lighting both fuses, she dropped the match and waddled away as fast as she could. But the dynamite was only meant for weakening beams, and the blast wasn’t much louder than a car backfiring.”
  • Beckett reads an article about the rats causing the electricity to go out. “The headline was: SUICIDE BOMBER?” When a rat asks what that is, “Beckett squirmed. ‘I’m not sure,’ he said at last. But of course he knew, and by the aghast look on Lucy’s face he could tell that she did too.”
  • In an electrical substation, Phoenix lights dynamite. “The dynamite exploded just as he stepped onto the balcony. The detonation wasn’t all that powerful. The balcony didn’t tremble under his paws or anything. Nevertheless, he watched one neighborhood after another blink out, till the entire city was dark again.”
  • When a hawk lands by the rats, the rats flee. “In his rush to protect Lucy, Beckett had knocked her over, and they lay tangled on the ground, while their father was pressed flat behind his beer can.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • When a construction crew put poison out, four rats eat it and end up dying.
  • In order to gain an inheritance, a rat tries to poison Mrs. P. Mrs. P is given an antidote and doesn’t die.
  • Lucy and Beckett’s father, Mortimer, is an alcoholic. Lucy “loved their father Mortimer, but since the death of their mother he’d taken to drink, which brought out his temper.” When Mortimer comes home, he smells bad. Beckett asks him, “Sucking old beer cans again?”
  • Lucy worries about her father because “once, when he’d staggered home alone after one of his binges, a cab on the West Side Highway had hit his tail, which was why half of it was missing.”
  • Lucy and Becket go to look for her father. “She knew the neighborhood bars on the other side, as well as the alleys behind them where her father liked to drain the dregs from toss-out beer and wine bottles.” As she looked for her father, Lucy saw “a sour-smelling human was passed out in front of the first bar they checked. . .”
  • Beckett isn’t sad that his father isn’t at home because “Mortimer was particularly nasty when he drank.”
  • Lucy and Beckett find their father at a bar. “Mortimer grabbed a paper cup. . . the bartender was filling four mugs with draft beer. He held the mug handles in one hand and left the spigot open as he filled them, some trickles of beer spilled down onto the rubber mat. Or would have, if Mortimer hadn’t been there with his cup. When it was full, he carried it back to his hideaway with great care.”
  • Lucy and Beckett are able to leave the bar because humans are not observant creatures, “especially when guzzling beer and watching baseball.”
  • When the electricity goes out, Mortimer decides to come home. “Indeed, it was Mortimer, rolling an unopened can of New Amsterdam ale in their direction.”

Language

  • Someone asks Phoenix, “What the heck are you doing here?”
  • A construction worker says, “I’ll be darned if I’m going to set the charges.”
  • When humans yell at the construction workers, someone calls them “wackos.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Pugs and Kisses

Ana Ramos has always wanted a dog of her own, but her mother has a no pet rule. That’s one of the reasons Ana is happy to walk her neighbor’s adorable pug, Osito. When Ana takes Osito to the park, Osito befriends another pug, whose owner is a cute boy named Calvin. When Calvin assumes that Osito belongs to Ana, she doesn’t correct him. After all, Ana probably won’t see Calvin again.

Then Calvin enrolls in Ana’s school and they have several classes together. When Calvin suggests setting up playdates for the two pugs, Ana pretends that Osito is her dog. Soon, Ana discovers that she’s telling lies to cover up the fact that she lied about Osito. As time goes by, Ana’s lies increase, and she’s using both her best friend and her sister to help keep her secret. Ana wants to fess up about her lies, but she’s afraid of Calvin’s reaction. How is Ana ever going to get out of this mess?

Ana and Calvin meet at the dog park and bond over their love of pugs. Even though Pugs and Kisses uses the traditional romantic movie formula, younger readers will enjoy the sweet story of Ana’s first crush. Middle graders will understand Ana’s confusion when it comes to her feelings for Calvin. When Calvin invites her over to his house for dinner, Ana isn’t sure if going to his house is a “date” or just two friends hanging out. One positive aspect of Ana’s crush on Calvin is that both Ana and Calvin are smart and do not try to hide their love of academics.

The story hits on topics that are important to middle graders: friendship, families, and crushes. Ana is an imperfect character that readers will be able to relate to. Ana is often frustrated with her family, worries about school, and wonders about her emerging feelings for Calvin. However, the story doesn’t just focus on Ana’s family and Calvin. Another positive aspect of Pugs and Kisses is that Ana’s Puerto Rican heritage is naturally integrated into the story. Readers will learn facts about Ana’s sister’s quinceañera and her neighborhood.

Despite the predictable plot, the pugs and cute awkward moments will appeal to younger readers. Pugs and Kisses will entertain readers who aren’t ready to read longer books such as The Selection series by Kiera Cass. Readers who want a light romance with more action should read the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter.

Sexual Content

  • At her sister’s quinceañera, Ana is so excited that Calvin forgave her that “without stopping to think, I stood up on my tiptoes and give him a kiss. My first kiss. He looked a little surprised when I pulled away, but he was smiling.”
  • After kissing Calvin, Ana says, “I can’t believe I kissed you.” Calvin replies, “I’m glad you did.” Then he put a hand on Ana’s waist and “pulled me even closer to him, and then he kissed me again.”

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Dang is used twice. When Ana asks a boy to her sister’s quinceañera, Ana’s friend says, “Dang girl, I’m impressed.”
  • Darn is used three times. Ana says, “Darn right, I didn’t choose the pug life. The pug life chose me.”
  • Crappy is used once. When her friend’s dog runs off, Ana thinks, “How dare they keep going after their crappy fencing-in job had led to Pancake getting out?”
  • When Ana says something insensitive and upsets her sister, Ana thinks, “I felt like a jerk.”
  • Ana realizes that she’s been preoccupied and didn’t help her neighbor enough, so she says, “I’ve been an idiot.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Amelia Bedelia on the Job

Amelia Bedelia’s class is learning about jobs, but most of the students don’t know what their parents’ occupations are. Amelia’s father talks about making slides and pitching, so Amelia assumes her father coaches baseball. When Amelia’s class goes on a field trip to a corporate park, she discovers a lot about her father and his job.

In Amelia Bedelia on the Job, Amelia’s story jumps back and forth between Amelia’s home, her school, and a corporate park. During the story, different students share what they learned about jobs. For example, one student gave a report about plants and factories, while another student gives a report on mills. During the field trip, students learn about getting paid, withdrawals, and other work-related items.

Similar to other books, Amelia Bedelia on the Job uses silly illustrations to show what Amelia imagines a word to mean. However, the chapter book also teaches the difference between jargon and slang. While on the field trip, one of the adults also uses idioms in his speech. Even though the idioms are illustrated to mean the literal meaning of the idiom, the idioms’ meanings are never explained in the story’s text. Instead, at the end of the story, there are two pages of illustrated idioms that show their literal and figurative meanings.

Amelia Bedelia’s parents are portrayed in a positive light and they share a cute story about how they met. When he was younger, Amelia’s father was a “jerk.” While telling the story, both parents explain what a “soda jerk” is. Readers who enjoy action-packed stories will be disappointed with Amelia Bedelia on the Job, which feels like an extended vocabulary lesson.

Even though Amelia Bedelia on the Job has black-and-white illustrations that break up the text, the story has some advanced vocabulary which may be confusing for some readers. When Amelia is confused about a word’s meaning, her confusion is often illustrated, which adds some humor to the story. Amelia Bedelia on the Job is packed with information about words and careers. Unfortunately, the story’s focus on teaching gives the story a slow pace, which may cause many readers to put the book down and never pick it up again.

If you’re looking for a book that teaches vocabulary and is an interesting story, you may want to add Hilde Cracks the Case by Hilde Lysiak, Polly Diamond by Alice Kuipers, and Diana Toledano, or Mac B. Kid Spy by Mac Barnett to your reading list.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Project Middle School

Eleven-year-old Hope is excited to start JFK Middle School and be in advanced classes. However, Hope is nervous because for the first time, she won’t be in the same class as her best friend, Sam. When Hope heads to her first class, she discovers that middle school may be harder than she thought.

Hope makes her first embarrassing blunder in science. She makes her second embarrassing mistake in Spanish. When she goes to science club, Hope becomes frustrated because the boys don’t listen to any of the girls. That’s all just on the first day.

Hope may know a lot about science and her favorite superhero, Galaxy Girl, but that may not be enough to survive middle school. Can Hope navigate homework problems, changing friendships, and prove girls can do anything?

Hope has relatable problems that every middle school student can understand. She struggles to make friends, has embarrassing moments, and gets frustrated that others do not always listen to her and the other girls in the science club. In order to prove girls can do anything, Hope takes on more work than she can handle, which causes a colossal disaster. In the end, Hope and her peers are able to “acknowledge that failure is a key ingredient in success. Great scientists make mistakes all the time, and that’s how they learn and grow.”

Project Middle School is told from Hope’s point of view and focuses on both her home and school life. Even though the story has relatable conflicts, the story’s flow is choppy. Several of the events felt like they were incorporated to prove a point instead of being a natural extension of the story. For example, Hope asks a Latinx classmate if Spanish is her superpower. Hope then realizes that she shouldn’t make assumptions about other people.

Middle school readers will enjoy Project Middle School, which is told from Hope’s point of view. The story uses easy vocabulary and cartoon-like black and white illustrations. Large illustrations appear on almost every page. JFK Middle School’s students are diverse. The story teaches valuable lessons about not making assumptions and apologizing. The story illustrates that every voice counts. Despite this, Hope doesn’t have a clear voice and her story is bland. Even though Project Middle School isn’t a memorable story, middle school readers will understand Hope’s struggles as well as learn positive life lessons. Readers who enjoy Project Middle School should add You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • During class, Hope accidentally reads the wrong page from the science textbook. She reads to the class, “The mating habits of fruit flies will be the main subject of this selection.”

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Darn is used once.
  • OMG is used as an exclamation four times. For example, when Hope’s friend sees her in the school hallway, the friend says, “OMG, Hope! I was just thinking about you.”
  • Hope calls her dogs “little fluff butts” twice.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • When Hope goes up to the whiteboard, she was “praying no sweat marks are visible under my arms.”

The Bull Shark

When the ominous theme song to Jaws plays on his cell phone, fish-obsessed sixth-grader Barn Whimbril knows a shark attack has been reported. Barn tracks attacks all over the world. But this time, it’s right in his own backyard—a series of canals near coastal Florida. As more sightings of these aggressive bull sharks occur in the area, Barn sets out to investigate. Can Barn figure out what has brought these sharks to a once quiet part of his state before another attack occurs?

Full of nonstop action and adventure, Dragged from Under: Bull Shark starts off with a deadly shark attack. The story is told from Barn’s point of view, which allows the reader to learn interesting shark facts without the information sounding like a biology lecture. Barn is awkward around Margaret because she’s a girl, and he’s surprised that a girl could also be interested in sharks. Barn is an extremely likable character. He’s obsessed with sharks, smart, and a little odd. Even though Barn knows he’s different than other kids his age, he doesn’t try to change who he is.

Barn isn’t the only likable character. The large cast of supporting characters are unique and interesting as well. Barn is surrounded by positive adults, who encourage him to be careful, as he investigates the shark attack. Many of the adults, including Jessup who works for Fish and Game, acknowledge Barn’s knowledge and listen to his ideas. Instead of discounting the adults around him, Barn listens to their advice and shares his ideas with them.

Dragged from Under: Bull Shark will engage middle school readers as it teaches how human behavior can cause wildlife to act differently. Even though sharks are dangerous, they are not portrayed in a negative light. Several chapters have the shark’s perspective, which allows readers to understand that the sharks were just doing what sharks do—searching for food.

Shark lovers will want to add Dragged from Under: Bull Shark to their must-read list. The Shark Whisperer series by Ellen Prager and Extreme Adventures: Shark Bait by Justin D’Ath will also take shark-loving readers on a bunch of adventures under the ocean.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • While Robby and Jason are swimming in Florida, a bull shark attacks Robby. Robby “began splashing water every which way. . . then Jason saw something red bloom around Robby’s body. . . Robby’s eyes had gone wild and terrified. Jason saw a large dark body, a fish’s body, slash across Robby’s chest and bite him on the shoulder. . . The shark went underwater when it came to Robby. Robby jerked hard when the shark struck him again.” Robby dies from his wounds.
  • While Barn was on a deck behind a restaurant, a man sics a dog on him. Barn “ducks behind the garbage can, using it to fend off the dog. . . It was a small dog, compact and rust-colored, maybe an Australian cattle dog. It lunged at Barn as soon as it discovered him behind the garbage can, its lips curled back, its teeth flashing forward for a bite.” Barn accidentally falls into the water.
  • When Barn falls into the water, a shark attacks him. “Something hit his leg. . . hard. His knee. The force of the blow swung his leg back in his hip joint and he wondered if he had been bitten.” Trying to get away from the shark, Barn crawls into a floating garbage can. “. . .Something else slammed against the garbage can. The plastic quivered with the force of the impact. It was like being hit by a bat as well as being bitten.” Barn is not seriously injured. The shark scene takes place over four pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Freaking, heck, and Dang are each used once.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Legends of the Sky

Milla has heard the dragon legends. She has seen the dragon murals. But everyone says the dragons who used to rule the skies are gone forever.

Servant girl Milla witnesses a murder and finds herself caring for the last four dragon eggs. She tries to keep the eggs’ existence a secret, but soon, the eggs are in Duke Olvar’s possession. When the dragons hatch, Milla and her friends vow to stay with the dragons and protect them from harm. Milla and her friends try to learn how to care for their dragons, but it soon becomes clear that the dragons must belong to the city, not to the Duke.

Tensions in the city are growing due to Duke Olvar’s dislike of anyone who isn’t a Norlander, like him. The Duke wants to control the city and continues to put restrictions on those of Sartolans descent. In order to protect the Norlanders, the Duke decides that “anyone of Norlander descent got to wear a black dragon badge on their clothes—the Duke’s own symbol. Everyone else had to wear a badge in the shape of a ship, to show they were newly arrived.”

Soon Milla and her friends find themselves in the middle of a battle between the Duke’s soldiers and the Sartolans. How can Milla and her friends keep the dragons safe? Should they join the battle or stay safely tucked away in the Duke’s mansion?

Flanagan builds a complicated island city that is under the Duke’s tight control. As Milla learns more about dragons, she also discovers that the Duke will do anything to bond with one. The Duke wants control of the dragons, so he keeps Milla, her three friends, and the dragons in the dragonhall. While under the Duke’s watchful eyes, Milla’s friendships begin to fracture.

Told from Milla’s point of view, readers will fall in love with Milla and her dragons. Milla is a complex character who struggles to do what is right. Milla struggles with her inability to help her Sartolans friends. Readers will understand Milla’s problems with her friends, her hope for the future, and her desire to keep her dragons safe.

Politics, deadly intrigue, and dragons combine to make a fast-paced story where danger hides in the shadows. The story’s complex plot and the violent conclusion make Legends of the Sky the perfect book for confident readers. With shifting loyalties, new friendships, and the struggle for power, The Legends of the Sky explores the topics of power, discrimination, and friendship. Through Milla’s point of view, the reader will come to understand that discrimination hurts everyone. Legends of the Sky is a beautifully written, action-packed story that will leave readers wanting a dragon of their own.

 Sexual Content

  • Tayra is upset when she finds out that her father has arranged her marriage to Vigo. After she gets to know him, the two are playing when Taya “reached up and kissed Vigo.”

Violence

  • Milla is hiding in a tree when she sees a man killed. “A gloved hand pressed a knife against the cloaked man’s throat. . . His knife dug into the flesh of the man’s neck. A thin trickle of blood ran down the blade. . . Afterward, she [Milla] still saw the sudden spray of scarlet against a terracotta pot. She heard the heavy slump as the body hit the ground.”
  • When the dragon eggs begin to hatch, the duke “lifted the egg, and broke it against the surface of polished wood . . . the egg shattered with a damp crunch. The duke pulled it apart, flicking away pieces of shell with his fingers. He lifted up a limp body streaked with blood. . . The dragon didn’t move.”
  • A woman tells a story about the past when “Rufus murdered his cousin Silvano. . .” The murder is not described.
  • An “idiot” soldier accidently started a fire in the prison. The guards flee without trying to help the prisoners escape. Milla and others try to help the prisoners escape. The prison “was ablaze, sending plumes of smoke and fire shooting high into the night sky. . . There were bodies scattered across the dockside. Some were moving. A few were not. . .Six people had died that night.”
  • When a dragon named Heral flies over the city, a soldier shoots an arrow at it. “One arrow buried itself in Heral’s side. He screamed. A plume of fire shot from his open mouth.” The dragon blows fire towards the soldiers. “Now the archers screamed, arms raised in feeble defense. Milla saw bows burning, arrows torched in midair. A man leapt into the sea, ablaze.” Tayra is able to help her dragon. “Tayra pulled the arrow cleanly from the flank: a shallow wound, but a bloody one.”
  • During an argument, the duke “struck his wife across the face.”
  • A riot breaks out. During the fighting, Milla “almost stepped on a dead soldier. A man in the duke’s livery, on his back, staring sightlessly at the gray sky.” Milla takes a shield from a dead soldier. As Milla tries to reach her friends, “A sword crashed down on her shield with such force that she fell, winded, then rolled to avoid the next blow. . . She struck back, catching the soldier low, in his thigh. She slammed her shield in his face and he fell, lost under feet that danced and stamped and leapt to stay alive.” During the fight, the duchess is killed and Milla is injured. The riot is described over three pages.
  • Milla and her friends try to flee the island. Soldiers try to stop them. When Milla got onto the boat, she heard “the clashing of steel, followed by a scream of pain. She twisted to look. One man lay on the floor. Nestan was upright, clutching his sword arm, dark red blood seeping through his fingers.” Another one of Milla’s friends, Simon, “had his wooden staff that he used to parry and block. With a grunt, he twisted it around and landed a hard blow in the man’s gut with one end. . . Simon slammed the broadside into his chin. He slumped to the ground, unconscious.”
  • The book ends with an epic battle. Tayra “let her arrows fly faster than ever. . .” Tayra, her dragon, and Vigo fight side by side. “They cut through the duke’s forces, leaving a trail of ash and black-clad bodies so that Carlo’s army found their way clear.”
  • During the battle, someone grabs Milla, and “her injured ribs burned in agony. . . Black dots danced before her eyes, and she struggled not to pass out.” Milla is able to get away, and she “grabbed a chair and flung it at Richal Finn, aiming for his sword arm. He stumbled but didn’t fall.” Milla’s dragon used his bulk to pin Richal Finn down. Richal Finn fights back and “he kicked out viciously, catching Iggie square on his leg wound. The wound gaped open, right down to the bone: it gleamed palely through, making Milla feel sick.”
  • The duke grabs his sword and threatens to smash the dragon eggs. Isak “threw his whole body weight at Olvar [the duke] and pushed him aside. Duke Olvar pushed Isak away, sending him staggering backward.” In order to protect her eggs, the dragon “blasted Duke Olivar with a massive stream of fire. Olvar caught the worst of it, but Finn’s clothes also burst into flame. He fell to the floor with a hideous shriek.” The battle is described over 13 pages. The duke dies.
  • The story alludes to the fact that the duke used to hit his wife, Serina. After Serina is injured, Milla “watched his [Serina’s son] work, remembering what Serina had said about all the times her son had tended to her injuries. She didn’t ask how Serina had gotten those inures. She didn’t need to.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • An angry boy yells at his father, “You’re not even a soldier, not anymore. We only have your word that you ever were. You probably hurt your leg falling down drunk outside a tavern.”
  • Milla sees a man on his way to teach fighting skills to a girl. She tells him, “I’ll have a skin of ale cooling in the well for you afterward, shall I?”
  • A girl plans to go to a party. She was “planning to borrow a bottle of sweet Sartolan wine from her parents’ stall for the street party.” Later, the girl tells Milla that the wine helped her make some friends.
  • A woman tells Milla a story from the past, when the dragonriders had a disagreement. A dragonrider named Rufus “laced their evening meal with poison: just enough to send Karys and her cousin Silvano into a deep sleep. They awoke in the dragonhall to find themselves in chains.”
  • When Milla goes to visit a friend, the woman poured them “a small measure of sweet Arcosi wine.”
  • Someone gives Milla gifts, which include wine.
  • When Milla is put in jail, her friends poison the guards. “We baked treats for the guards—a special reward for their hard work. . . they’ll sleep all day, sore head tomorrow. Josi knows her poisons. . .”
  • The duke poisoned a dragon, but “the poison wore off after half a day.” However, when the dragon awoke, she was “in chains.”

Language

  • A soldier calls a group of prisoners “Sartolan scum.”
  • A woman calls recent arrivals “filthy dock rats.” Later someone says, “Dock rats! Throw them into the sea.”
  • When the duke orders soldiers to clear the docks of people, Milla yelled, “Where the hell are you going to clear them to?”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • The duke talks about the past, when his people fled their home country. He says it had been “Fifty years since our prayers were answered and we found Arcosi waiting for us.”
  • Occasionally, Milla sends out a prayer, but she never mentions a specific god. For example, when she sneaks out of the house, she “sent a prayer out into the pale morning. . .” Later Milla “prayed that Nestan would listen to his daughter now.” Milla prays twelve times throughout the story.

Hero #1

Hero, a retired search-and-rescue dog, is not prepared for a stray puppy to come into his life. But when he and a twelve-year-old boy, Ben, discover Scout is injured and afraid, Hero is determined to give the tiny pup a home. Ben promises his parents that he will be able to care for both of the dogs and still be able to keep up on his school work.

When Scout hears a loud noise, he becomes frightened and runs off, disappearing. Hero and Ben go in search of Scout, but soon Ben and Hero find themselves going down dangerous and unexpected paths. Ben soon learns that he has gained the attention of Mitch, the leader of a dogfighting ring. Mitch is determined to capture both Scout and Hero in order to make the dogs fight. Can Ben find his dogs and bring them home before it’s too late?

Ben is excited when he learns that the police department has agreed to let him take care of Hero. However, Ben soon finds that taking care of a dog isn’t as easy as he thought. Soon, Ben is falling behind in school and forgetting important obligations. Ben’s father has always taught him to act with purpose, but Ben seems to be messing up more and more.

When Scout and Hero are missing, Ben intentionally lies to his family about the dogs’ whereabouts because he doesn’t want to get in trouble. He also sneaks out of the house and puts himself and his friend Noah in dangerous situations. When Ben finally talks to his parents, he justifies his actions by thinking that he “hadn’t lied, exactly. He’d told his parents the truth—just not all of it.” Ben doesn’t reveal the whole truth until there is no other option.

Hero is a fast-paced story that takes readers into the dogfighting arena. Readers will connect with both Ben and Hero as they try to save each other. The story doesn’t just focus on dogfighting. Instead, Ben also has conflict with a new boy at school and his friend Noah. The well-rounded story is full of danger and friendship. Even though Ben’s actions do not always make sense, readers will fall in love with Hero.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When Ben is distracted, Jack throws a baseball at him. Ben tries to duck, but he isn’t fast enough. “The ball nailed him on his right collarbone, hard. The pain shot through his body. Ben doubled over and took short, sharp breaths, hoping he didn’t pass out right there on the field.”
  • Ben and Noah sneak into a barn that men use for dogfighting. Ben can hear “snarling. Growling. Pained yelping and crying. He smelled the sharp tang of blood in the air.” As Ben looks around the barn, he sees caged dogs. The dog’s faces “were scared and bloody. Their bodies bore the marks of man injuries. Even worse than their wounds, though, were their eyes. They gazed at Ben with a combination of desperation and fear.”
  • As Ben looks for Scout, he can hear “dogs tearing at each other. . . Ben heard one of the dogs wailing and whimpering. It sounded like the animal was hurt—badly.”
  • The leader of the dogfighting ring sees Ben in the barn and pulls a knife on him. Hero sees Ben and he “soared at top speed, front paws extended, teeth bared. . . He [Mitch] let out a confused grunt as Hero landed on him. Ben watched Mitch’s eyes grow big as his body fell forward, Hero on his back with his teeth clamped down on the back of Mitch’s neck. . . Mitch fell facedown onto the concrete floor, his head hitting the ground with a sickening thump. . . Mitch was out cold.”
  • After Ben gets away from Mitch, two “bloodthirsty demons” chase him. Hero comes to the rescue. “One of the dogs was on the ground bleeding. The other was crouched down low, circling his opponent: Hero.” Ben runs away.
  • When Mitch again corners Ben, Hero’s “eyes burned with hatred, and when he opened his mouth to snarl at the men, Ben saw blood on his teeth from the other dogs. . . Hero launched himself into the air, straight at Mitch. . . Mitch wailed in pain as his head smacked the concrete again.” Ben runs away.
  • Again, Mitch comes after Ben. “Hero snarled and snapped his head sideways, latching on to Mitch’s calf with his powerful jaw. Mitch cried out in pain, but he couldn’t get away.” Hero bites Mitch on the leg. A man tackles Hero. Ben grabs a rusty shovel and “hefted it with both hands and ran toward Hero and the man who still lay on top of him. . . Ben swung the shovel high in the air and brought it down fast onto his head. With a groan, the man passed out cold and fell to the side, off Hero.” Hero is injured and has to be taken to the vet. The barn scene is described over eight pages.
  • Hero leads Ben and his father to Mitch, the leader of the dogfighting ring. Hero runs into Mitch’s house and is attacked by two dogs. Ben watches as “Hero and the two dogs spun in circles, snapping their jaws and pouncing on each other. It was a cloud of fur and spit.”
  • When Ben’s father sees Mitch, he pulls a gun on him. As the two men talk, Scout “launched himself at Mitch. The puppy jumped onto Mitch’s wounded leg, closing his small but sharp teeth on his calf.” The police arrest Mitch. The scene is described over six pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Heck is used three times. For example, Ben tells his dog, “You scared the heck out of me.”
  • When Ben asks Noah for help, Noah replies, “Of course I’ll help you, stupid.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere

Olga loves animals and science, but she’s not too great with people. When Olga finds a weird creature, she decides to take it home even though it smells terrible. She names the creature Meh after the sound he makes. Olga uses the scientific method to record her discoveries. She writes all of her research in her observation notebook. Olga heads to the library to research, but she soon learns that Meh isn’t in any of the books.

Olga calls Meh’s species olgamus ridiculus. She wants to learn everything about the new species. What does the olgamus eat? Why does its burp sound weird? Does it speak another language? Do they come from space? Olga’s research comes to a stop when Meh disappears. As Olga searches for Meh, she realizes that humans aren’t as bad as she thought.

Olga’s an odd character with a negative attitude. She likes animals more than people because “animals don’t pollute the planet and make wars and lie to you and steal your erasers and call you names. . . Even animals that people usually dislike are cuter than humans, in my humble opinion.” Much of Olga’s humor has to do with sniffing butts, farts, and poop. Olga even uses a page to draw different types of animal poop. Even though Olga makes several derogatory remarks about “evil humans” and their pollution, she doesn’t think twice about sending a huge helium balloon into the sky.

Olga’s illustrations make humans look ugly and weird. There are several humans—the store owner, the librarian, and a kid with squiggles for hair—that are kind to Olga. However, the story focuses so much time on poop, pee, and other gross potty humor, that it’s hard to take away anything good from the story. Even Olga’s observation notebook becomes a joke. Instead of listing anything factual and interesting, she makes observations such as this: “Mister’s Chasing Technique: 1. Run 2. Pee 3. Run 4. Pee.”

Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere is a blend between a graphic novel and a picture book, which will appeal to reluctant readers. The cartoon-like illustrations are drawn in black with red and pink accents. The story uses a blend of regular story text and quote bubbles. Olga’s story will appeal to fans of Captain Underpants. Unfortunately, Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere uses a combination of strange scientific observations, potty humor, and weird-looking humans. Olga’s story is one that is best left off of readers’ bookshelves.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • When Olga talks about animals being better than people, she draws animals (including a baby earthworm and a baby fly). The animals appear next to a boy that looks like a potato and even has a shirt that says, “I ♥ Potatoes.” Olga writes, “Not too hard to pick a loser here, is it?”
  • “OMG” and “Oh my god” are both used once.
  • Olga’s neighbors refer to Meh as a “fart balloon.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Granted

Everyone who wishes upon a star, a candle, or a penny thrown into a fountain knows that you’re not allowed to tell anyone what you’ve wished for. But even so, rest assured there is someone out there who hears it.

Ophelia Delphinium Fidgets is no ordinary fairy—she is a Granter: one of the select few whose job it is to venture beyond the boundaries of the Haven and grant the wishes of unsuspecting humans every day. Ophelia has never traveled into the humans’ world to grant a wish. The fairies are low on magic, so they only grant a few wishes a day.

When Ophelia is given a wish to grant, she’s excited about the adventure. She has planned for everything. With her gear packed, Ophelia ventures out in search of the coin that was wished upon. Before she makes it to her destination, an airplane smacks her, injuring her wing. Unable to fly, Ophelia befriends a dog who promises to help Ophelia chase down the coin. Will Ophelia be able to grant the wish or will she fail at her mission?

The story starts out slowly with the author giving too much detail about the fairy world. Although some of the world-building is interesting, much of the description is on minute details that did not advance the story. Unfortunately, the story doesn’t get interesting until Ophelia meets a dog halfway through the book. The curious dog offers comic relief. One of the first things the dog says is, “so since I don’t know what you are I am hoping to sniff your butt. . . I will let you sniff mine, too.”

When Ophelia first sets out for her mission, she is overconfident and has problem after problem. After several negative encounters, Ophelia realizes that following rules and being perfect are not attributes to admire. After watching a human boy, Ophelia realizes that some wishes are more important to grant than others. When it comes time for Ophelia to grant one wish, she breaks a rule in order to bring a father back to his son.

Strong readers interested in fairy lore will have to wade through heavy descriptions in Granted. However, readers will be glad they continued reading. Ophelia and the dog’s interactions are heartwarming and hilarious. The conclusion is sweet and satisfying. The advanced vocabulary, detailed descriptions, and slow-moving plot will make Granted difficult for some readers. Readers who want a peek into the fairy world may want to read 13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison or The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi instead.

Sexual Content

  • When Ophelia is sent to grant her first wish, she is glad the wisher asked for a bike instead of “a new car or something smarmy like for a sweaty boy with skater bangs and pouty lips to kiss her.”

Violence

  • Ophelia is hit by an airplane and her wing is broken.
  • When a man comes into the fairy haven, the fairies “had to dispatch a containment team to knock the poor fellow unconscious and drag him twenty miles to the nearest hint of civilization, depositing him outside a bar.”
  • Thinking that Ophelia was a bug, a man swats her. “Ophelia’s world somersaulted around her and she fought to catch her breath, her body stinging from the sudden blow. Something had knocked her, sent her soaring off the fountain and tumbling down to the cement walkway, where she landed in a heap.”
  • Ophelia goes into a café and a woman tries to swat her with a broom. “Swoosh. The head of the broom passed overhead. . .” Ophelia tries to hide in a woman’s hair when a man tries to hit her with a newspaper. Someone gets a fire extinguisher, then “a blast of white foam shot from its one giant nostril, dousing her in something like soap but thicker. . .” Ophelia “saw the giant paw of straw sweeping toward her just in time to duck out of the way.” Finally, the humans shoo Ophelia outside. The scene is described over two pages.
  • The coin Ophelia needs is taken by a man. She tries to get him to stop his car, “but he didn’t slam on the brakes as she’d hoped, and Ophelia smacked into the windshield, her face mashed, cheek to glass, one eye looking right at the man. . .” The man squirted windshield wiper fluid on Ophelia. “Instantly a stream of burring blue liquid struck Ophelia, soaking her suit and stinging her nostrils.” The windshield wipers knock Ophelia off the car’s window.
  • Ophelia is hit by a truck. “The impact sent her soaring, landing amid a pile of trash bags that had been set along the curb. . . Her wing was broken. Part of it was crushed and crumbled, a long tear working its way halfway down from the tip. . .”
  • A red-tailed hawk grabs Ophelia in his mouth and plans to turn her into a meal. Ophelia was eighteen hundred feet above the ground, “turned face up so that she could see the patch of grey on the hawk’s broad chest. . . Ophelia’s chest burned with each breath her arms struggling to get free, her legs kicked out, but it was no use—the raptor held her tight.” The bird drops her into a pond, and Ophelia almost drowns.
  • The story hints that the dog was abused. “Ophelia opened both of her arms and took a step towards him. Sam flinched. Something he’d undoubtedly learned from his master.” Later, Ophelia asks the dog to scare a man. The dog asks, “But what if he scares me back?”
  • Ophelia has to wrestle the coin out of a fairy’s hand. When she does, “the move sent her tumbling backward, out of control. She heard her already ragged wing snap once more, a final blow that rendered it completely useless. . .”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • One of Ophelia’s friends asks her, “When’s the last time you spent the day in your pajamas sitting on your porch, drinking wine, burping out loud, and watching the clouds slink by?”
  • Ophelia is given a container that is “fully weaponized fairy dust extract, chemically restructured in aerosol form. . .” When sprayed on a human or animal, they will fall asleep.
  • Ophelia names the dog Sam after she sees an empty crate of Samuel Adams Boston Lager.
  • Ophelia thinks about having a chance to open a bottle of dandelion wine.

Language

  • A girl wishes for a new bike “because some jerkface stole my last one.”
  • When Ophelia is injured and angry, she yells, “If this isn’t the biggest, boot-up-the-back-end piece of fist-sucking, pig-nosed, turkey-flapped, snotwad, vomit-crusted, wart-eating, other-punching, kitten-kicking pile of rotten, wrinkled monkey dung in the whole wide WORLD!”
  • The dog tells Ophelia that she can call him “Useless. Or Mangy Mutt. Or Worthless-Son-of-a-“
  • Ophelia is upset that a dog is following her. She says, “Of all the wood-headed, dim-witted creatures I could have possibly run into. . .”
  • A cat asks Ophelia, “Who the heck are you?”
  • A boy complains that he was outside “for three freaking hours!”

Supernatural

  • The story has fairy magic, but no spells are given.
  • In order to grant a spell, a fairy must find the object that was wished upon. When Ophelia gets close to the item, “she’d be able to hear the wish whispering in the girl’s own singsong voice.”
  • Ophelia tries to explain how a wish is embedded into an object. She says, “it’s attached to something. An object. This particular wish was made on a coin. I need the coin if I’m going to make the wish come true.”
  • Fairies can create a magical song. “For many fairies, singing had an enchanting effect, capable of making the listener dreamy eyed and woozy and warm, as if they’d polished off the last of the wine. For others it was the opposite.”

Spiritual Content

  • When a fairy dies, “her spirit takes to the sky, where it is sponged up by the clouds, mixed with rain that falls back to the earth, feeding the plants that would someday produce fairies of their own.”

Catching the Moon: The Story of a Young Girl’s Baseball Dream

If there is anything in the world better than playing baseball, Marcenia Lyle doesn’t know what it is. As a young girl in the 1930s, she chases down fly balls, steals bases, and dreams of one day playing professional ball.

With spirit, spunk, and a great passion for the sport, Marcenia struggles to overcome the objections of family, friends, and coaches who feel a girl has no place on the field. When she finally wins a position in a baseball summer camp sponsored by the St. Louis Cardinals, Marcenia is on her way to catching her dream.

Based on Marcenia Lyle’s life, Catching the Moon shows how one girl made her dream come true, despite being discouraged from chasing her dream. Marcenia’s parents and her classmates think that Marcenia’s dream is impossible. Instead of giving up, Marcenia works harder and eventually proves that baseball isn’t just a “man’s game.”

Marcenia’s story has baseball action as well as dialogue, which keeps the story moving at a fast pace. Catching the Moon shows the prejudices that Marcenia faced during the 1930s. However, instead of being angry or giving up, Marcenia works hard to prove herself. In the end, Marcenia’s can-do attitude pays off and she eventually plays professional baseball. Marcenia’s story highlights the importance of hard work and persistence.

Catching the Moon is a picture book that uses pen-and-ink and acrylic illustrations to bring Marcenia’s story to life. The illustrations mostly use shades of brown and blue which recreates the feeling of a blue sky above a baseball field.  Catching the Moon is a picture book and has 7-11 sentences on each page. Because of the story’s vocabulary and sentence structure, parents should read the story aloud instead of having the child read it independently.

Catching the Moon will encourage readers to work hard in order to make their dreams a reality. The fast-paced story will entertain readers as it teaches the value of persistence. Catching the Moon will appeal to sports fans as well as anyone who has big dreams. Readers may also want to add Mae Among The Stars by Roda Ahmed to their reading list. Both stories encourage readers to work hard and dream big.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Judy, Prisoner of War

Judy, an English pointer, is dedicated to helping humans on her ship. She has an uncanny ability to tell when danger is near. Her ability to warn the men of trouble makes her the perfect dog to be a part of His Majesty’s Royal Navy. She serves along with her human companions during World War II.

When the enemy sinks Judy’s ship, she and her fellow soldiers become prisoners of war. The conditions are harsh. The men lack food, so Judy hunts rats and lizards to share with the humans. Often the men’s morale is low, so Judy does what she can to lift their spirits. As the Japanese begin to lose the war, the POWs are given less food and more beatings. Can Judy figure out a way to keep her human companions and herself alive?

Told from Judy’s point of view, Prisoner of War gives a unique perspective of World War II. The story is based on a true story and covers the time period between 1936 through 1946. Because the story takes place over a long period, readers may have a difficult time keeping track of all of the events and the different humans that Judy meets. Although Judy’s point of view is interesting, the story often reads like a history book.

Judy eventually finds a human best friend, Frank, and is completely dedicated to him. However, readers will not get a clear picture of Frank’s personality. Although it is clear that Frank goes out of his way to make sure that Judy is able to stay with him, the story doesn’t portray the deep feelings that the two have for each other.

Prisoner of War takes the events of World War II and makes them more kid-friendly; however, the events of World War II may upset younger readers. Even though the war’s brutality isn’t described in detail, people are mistreated and people die. Through Judy’s eyes, readers will see that the war was full of destruction, but there was kindness as well.

Anyone who enjoys history should read Prisoner of War because the story is based on a true story. Historical information and pictures of Judy appear at the end of the book. Even though the story is not fast-paced, Judy’s story is interesting and will ignite readers’ interest in learning more about the events that happened during World War II. If you prefer action-packed stories, Survival Tails: World War II by Katrina Charman would be a good choice; similar to Prisoner of War, Survival Tails: World War II is a World War II story that is told from an animal’s point of view.

 Sexual Content

  • Judy met a dog named Paul. “Paul took one look at me and fell in love. . . But I played hard to get. He spent a lot of time showing off to get my attention whenever I was on deck or on the riverboat. . .” The humans have a wedding ceremony for the two dogs. “Paul and I had a three-day honeymoon on the Gnat . . .” Judy finds out that she’s going to have puppies.
  • While Judy was a prisoner, she went into the jungle to hunt. “On one of my nighttime treks into the jungle, I met a nice dog and we spent some time together. And boy was Frank surprised when he discovered I was going to have more puppies!”

Violence

  • Judy tried to stay away from the Japanese soldiers because they would kick her. Judy watched as Japanese soldiers attack Mr. Soo, a storekeeper. “And tonight there was a whole group of them yelling and throwing things around Mr. Soo’s shop. Mr. Soo tried to get them to stop. When he did, they started to hit him. He was already on the floor, bleeding, when I ran through the back door to the shop. . . One gave me a kick and another threw something at my head. Then a third one grabbed me by the neck and carried me outside.” Eventually, the soldiers leave and neighbors help Mr. Soo.
  • Pirates try to attack a ship called the Gnat. The pirates try to catch the ship with a rope. “The minute that rope hit our prow, the Gnat’s machine guns opened fire. Even so, the shadowy figures rose and tried to board our ship, only to be met with more gunfire.” The Gnat is able to get away.
  • The Japanese bomb Chinese cities. “One million Japanese soldiers, backed by Japan’s navy and air force, were on the outskirts of the city. Planes dropped bombs on the Chinese, and they were forced to abandon Shanghai.”
  • The Panay was sent to help civilian Americans leave China. “Suddenly, bombs started falling all around them. Three oil-carrying ships were hit and set fire. And the Panay . . . sank to the bottom of the river. Most of the people on board made it to safety on the lifeboats, but the Panay would never sail again.” During the attack, the Ladybird “had been hit repeatedly. Some of my friends were killed. Many more were injured.”
  • A Japanese sentry sees Judy, and “he screamed and raised his foot to give me a kick, but I danced out of his way. Then I rose up on my hind legs and growled at him. . . He grabbed his rifle and leveled it at my head.” One of Judy’s human friends helps by throwing the Japanese sentry into the river.
  • Japanese planes search for battleships. Two battleships are spotted by a Japanese submarine. “Bombs soon rained down on them from the skies while torpedoes hit them from under the sea. In just two hours, England lost any ability to stop the Japanese in the Pacific.”
  • When some British soldiers need to be rescued, a unit goes into the jungle to look for them. One man was “shot in the leg.” The man is taken to the hospital.
  • A Japanese seaplane “dropped a bomb over the Grasshopper, but luckily, it missed. The children hid their heads and screamed, and I watched as the seaplane turned to head for the Dragonfly. It dropped a bomb close enough to cause damage.” Later more planes arrive and, “Boom! The bomb hit the part of the ship where most of the women and children were staying. I had been with them just seconds before.” The survivors abandon the ship and swim to shore.
  • Later someone tells how “the Dragonfly had taken a direct bomb hit, and then two more. Explosions ripped the boat apart while sailors desperately tried to launch a lifeboat and rubber life rafts. . . the water was filled with men, clinging to rafts or bits of wreckage. The planes returned to shoot at them with machine guns. Bullets ripped across the surface of the water while men dove below to try to stay alive.”
  • A crocodile snaps at Judy. “Ouch! I danced back just in time to escape its giant jaws, but it managed to slash my shoulder with its claws before it escaped into the river.”
  • Some of the prisoners steal rice. When the Japanese search the barracks, the prisoners are worried that the Japanese will discover the rice. Judy comes to the rescue. She goes to a graveyard and digs up a skull, “and then I race back to the barracks. You should have seen the kickers’ [soldiers’] faces when I ran in with a human skull between my teeth! They screamed and yelled while I made three loops around the room.”
  • While a prisoner, Judy had to “hunt at night, and I brought Frank everything I caught and killed so we could share.”
  • The POWs were crammed into a ship. While they were sailing, torpedoes hit. “First one explosion and then another. Smoke and steam filled the cargo hold. Saltwater poured through the ship’s hull. . . POWs who tried to climb on lifeboats were kicked away with boots or rifle butts.” The men were later rescued.
  • While working as a POW, the men were beaten. “The guards shouted orders no one could understand and then beat the men for not understanding. Sometimes they beat the men just because they were bored and wanted something to do.”
  • A guard tries to shoot Judy. She “saw a flash and dodged out of the way just in time before dashing back into the jungle.” Judy stayed hidden until it was safe to come out.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Duke Kahanamoku

Duke Kahanamoku loved living in Hawaii’s ocean. When he was four, Duke’s father taught him to swim. When Duke was a boy, he swam are race hosted by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). When Duke broke the world record for the hundred-yard freestyle, the AAU didn’t believe that Duke could swim that fast. Duke’s friends decided to take up a collection and send him to the mainland so he could try out for the Olympics.

Duke qualified for the 1912 Olympics. After he won a gold medal and a silver medal, he became one of the most famous swimmers in the world. Soon people wanted to see the “Human Fish.” Duke traveled around the country and surfed. Many people had never seen surfing, When Duke traveled to Australia, he showed others how to make a surfboard.

Even though Duke became famous because of his swimming ability, he also helped raise money for the Red Cross during World War I. He also taught others about water safety. Duke also was in more than two dozen Hollywood movies. “Because of the color of his skin, Duke was only hired for small parts like pirates, servants, and Native American chiefs.”

Duke was relaxing on the beach when a fishing boat capsized. Duke didn’t hesitate to jump in the water. With the help of his surfboard, he was able to save eight fishermen. Today, because of Duke’s heroic actions lifeguards have rescue boards. Duke is called the “father of modern surfing” because he introduced the world to surfing.

Duke’s true story describes his life from early childhood to his adulthood. Duke’s love of the ocean is apparent. Duke’s story is told both through words and pictures. Each page has realistic illustrations that show Duke’s life events. Even though Duke Kahanamoku is illustrated, the biography is intended for proficient readers. The story has challenging vocabulary words and complex sentence structure.

Duke Kahanamoku story shows how one man’s passion inspired others. However, Duke didn’t just use his talent to win Olympic medals. He also taught others about Hawaii. Despite being discriminated against, Duke kept quiet. “But he always knew in his heart these people were wrong to judge him by the color of his skin.”

Duke Kahanamoku will inspire confident readers to use their talent to make the world a better place. The back of the book also has facts about Hawaiian history, culture, and phrases. The last page of the book has 10 multiple choice questions that check for reading comprehension. Duke Kahanamoku would be a good choice in both a home or classroom situation. Duke Kahanamoku will leave readers wanting try surfing. The story may also ignite readers’ desire to learning more about Hawaii.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Beneath the Weeping Clouds

Echofrost, Shysong, and all of the Storm Herd are finally free, but their freedom came with a price. Sandwen Rider Rahkki Stormrunner has been captured by the Gorlan giants, who are quickly losing their patience with the Fifth Clan. With Rahkki in grave danger, the Storm Herd must join forces with the humans they have long feared to save him.

As sweeping monsoon rains threaten to ravage the region, enemies, friends, tame steeds, and wild steeds will have to engage in one final battle to decide the fate of all three groups—the Sandwens, the giants, and the pegasi.

The third installment of the Riders of the Realm Series focuses more on Rahkki’s experiences in the giant’s world. Even though Rahkki isn’t free to leave, the giants treat him as a welcomed guest. The giants hope to make a peace agreement with the landwalkers. Soon Rahkki realizes that many of his ideas about the giants are incorrect. In the end, Rahkki’s misconceptions prevail and end up destroying a chance at peace.

I’Lenna and Rahkki’s brother, Brauk, also plays a dominant role in the story. Unfortunately, a large part of the story focuses on Rahkki, Brauk, and I’Lenna attempting to find each other. Even though the publisher recommends the series for readers as young as eight, younger readers may be frightened by some of the story’s events. At one point, Rahkki is almost killed by giant ants and a giant spider. Another frightening event is when I’Lenna’s mother has her tied up as a sacrifice to a giant lizard.

Alvarez expertly weaves the important events from the past books into Beneath the Weeping Clouds, which will help readers keep track of the large cast of characters. Readers who have read the previous books will emotionally connect to the characters, especially Rahkki. Readers will root for Rahkki as he tries to bring peace to his world. The events of the conclusion are exciting and show the importance of not making assumptions about others. However, the conclusion also leaves many unanswered questions.

Beneath the Weeping Clouds is full of danger, adventure, and even ends with an epic battle between Rahkki’s family and the Queen’s supporters. The story reinforces the importance of communication and forgiveness. The Riders of the Realm Series will entertain readers. However, the long descriptions, the large cast of characters, and the complex storyline make the story suitable for strong readers. Beneath the Weeping Clouds explores the themes of friendship, freedom, and forgiveness and will leave readers wishing that they could bring Rahkki into their world.

Sexual Content

  • I’Lenna thinks about Rahkki who “kissed her.”

Violence

  • When an unfamiliar Kihlara rushed Echofrost, “She reared up just as Graystone thrust his large body between her and the charging steed. The chestnut smacked into Graystone’s chest and rocked backward, smashing into Hazelwind, who bit the chestnut’s neck and tossed him onto his side.” Echofrost stops the fight.
  • I’Lenna is tied to a sunstone as an offering to Granak. On the third night, I’Lenna hears “a tree crack and topple over.” She tries to escape. “Bracing herself, I’Lenna yanked against the iron manacles at the ends of the ropes, rubbing her flesh raw on the hard metal.” I’Lenna dislocates her thumb in order to get her hand free.” In order to free I’Lenna, some of her friends distract the dragon. Koka “snatched at Mut’s dagger and stabbed the dragon in the leg. The reptile twisted around, teeth flashing.”
  • I’Lenna’s friends set a herd of goats free. “As hoped, the easy prey drew the dragon’s bright eyes. . . In two mighty steps, she reached the goats and bit one, then two more. She lowered herself, waiting for her toxic venom to take effect.” The group hides and most people assume the dragon ate I’Lenna. The dragon scene takes place over five years.
  • Rahkki throws a fish in the giant’s soup. Then, “three giants grabbed him and began to pull his limbs in opposite directions. Rahkki howled as pain shot through his body.” Rahkki is then thrown in a cell.
  • Rahkki’s brother says that an ancient race was probably “exterminated.”
  • Rahkki is trapped by giant monsoon ants. Rahkki’s dragon tried to help him. “The golden burner soared through the raindrops and dived towards the insects, shooting blue flames, his hottest. Ants caught fire and exploded. Their disembodied legs and shells spiraled into the sky.”
  • Rahkki tries to run from the ants, but the ants “swarmed his legs. He drew Miah’s dagger and attacked, knocking the ants off his skin and skewering them. . . They scurried up Rahkki’s legs, clamped their mandibles around his flesh, and then jammed him with their stingers.”
  • Rahkki tries to climb up a tree, but vultures “attacked and pecked his arms. Rahkki fell backward and slammed onto the ground again. The savage ants flowed over him. He flailed.” Unexpected help arrives and saves Rahkki. The scene takes place over five pages.
  • Rahkki’s brother, Brauk, breaks into a guard’s room. When the guard appears, “Brauk shot up and struck the guard with the back of his elbow, knocking him unconscious before he could draw his weapon. The man toppled.”
  • A black magna spider traps Rahkki, who “tries to kick the silk away from him, but it stuck to his legs.” Brauk tries to help by throwing a dagger. “The dagger slammed into the spider’s belly. Blue blood squirted from the wound and splattered Rahkki and the tree.” Rahkki is saved. The scene is described over two pages.
  • After ripping out the spider’s venom sack, someone “gave the spider’s head a hard, fast jerk, killing it instantly.”
  • Divided over who should be queen, the villagers begin fighting each other. A blacksmith “raced toward the soldiers, hammer lifted over his head. The adult villagers charged with him. They swarmed the soldiers, who seemed frozen with shock.” The soldiers attacked and “lit firebrands and tossed them at the huts, setting thatched roofs on fire.”
  • During the battle, Brauk “twirled and thrust his sword. Kol reared, clubbing soldiers with his hooves.”
  • Both the wild herd and the tame herd fight the soldiers. “The flying armies collided. Riders swung their swords, hooves struck hides, and teeth tore into skin. Grunts and snorts, squeals and shrieks filled the sky… The Riders hollered to one another and slicked at the wild pegasi with their glinting swords.” Several of the pegasi are injured.
  • Brauk fights Harak. “As his sword clanged to the ground, Harak kicked, striking Brauk again in the spine. Brauk crumpled into a lifeless pile. . . Then a fist rose from the crumpled pile that was Brauk. He drove it straight into Harak’s nose. Blood burst out and streaked the blond man’s face.” During the fight, Harak’s stallion, “dived down and kicked Brauk in the back, flattening him to the ground.” One of the wild herd “glided past Harak Nightseer, [and] she kicked him soundly in the head. Harak crumpled, knocked out cold.”
  • The Queen is accidently stabbed with a dagger. “She dropped to the floor. . . Her eyelids fluttered, her lips pursed.” The Queen is gravely injured, but it is not clear if she lives or dies. The battle scene is described over 51 pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • In a previous battle, Rahkki “soaked his darts in poisonous dragon drool after first boiling out all the toxins, leaving only the anesthetic properties intact.”
  • The Queen’s Elixir heals people. The Elixir is made from “black magna spider venom.” “Unlike most poisonous creatures, this spider’s venom didn’t injure or kill—it healed its prey, rapidly curing disease, knitting broken bones, and restoring damaged tissue and organs.”

Language

  • “Bloody rain” is used as an exclamation frequently.
  • Bloody is used as an adjective several times. For example, someone said the soup was “bloody disgusting.”
  • Rahkki thinks he is an “idiot.”

Supernatural

  • The clan believes in omens. They think an early monsoon is “another bad omen.”

Spiritual Content

  • Rahkki’s brother implored his clan’s protection from “Granak and the Seven Sisters” when he prays, “watch over me.”
  • I’Lenna prays, “Granak, Father of Dragons. Please protect your people.”
  • When the giants attack, I’Lenna prays, “Granak protect us.”
  • Rahkki yells, “Granak! As a bloodborn prince of the Fifth Clan, I command you to protect us. . . Rahkii believed in Granak. Why did his people feed the huge lizard if not for his protection? Please, Rahkki thought, hear my call!”
  • “Lands to skies,” “sun and stars,” and “by Granak” are all occasionally used as an exclamation.
  • “By the Ancestors” is used as an exclamation once.
  • Someone says, “Praise the wind!”

The Wishing Pearl

Princess Clarabel loves being a Rescue Princess. She and her friends are committed to saving animals in trouble wherever they may be!

When Clarabel finds an injured dolphin during Ampali Island’s Royal Regatta, she knows just who to call for help—her fellow Rescue Princesses! Her friends are brave, talented, and super smart. They’re so amazing in fact, she’s worried that she’ll fall behind, but Clarabel is about to discover that she has an incredible gift.

In the first book of the series, the princesses worked together to solve a mystery. However, in The Wishing Pearl, the princesses spend some of their time lurking around, trying to spy on a prince who is up to no good. At one point, they sneak into his room to look for clues. The princesses also try to avoid Queen Trudy because she wants the princesses to help prepare for an event. Instead, the princesses stay true to their desire to help injured animals by helping an injured dolphin.

Even though the vocabulary isn’t difficult, the story uses some complex sentence structures that are appropriate for strong readers. Cute black-and-white pictures appear every 2-7 pages. Many of the pictures are full-page and show the princesses in action. On the inside cover, the princesses are shown in full color and include characters of different ethnicities. However, in the black-and-white illustrations, the princesses look very similar to each other.

Readers will enjoy the interaction between the princesses and relate to Clarabel, who worries that she isn’t as good as the other princesses. Throughout the story, the princesses help each other and encourage each other. Even though the princesses find a lost treasure, they never consider keeping the treasure for themselves. Instead, they give it to the queen to use for her kingdom. The Wishing Pearl has positive princesses, action, and teaches about the importance of taking care of animals.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Each of the four princesses has a ring. “Even though they looked like ordinary rings, these magical jewels enable the princesses to call one another for help. Jaminta had invented them. . . By shaping jewels carefully, she could give them special powers.”
  • Jaminta has made several magical jewels including “emeralds that light up, diamonds that detect metal, and the rings that we use to call each other.”
  • Clarabel uses a pearl to heal a dolphin. “With her whole heart she said, ‘I wish he could be healthy again, I wish he could be healthy again. . .’ The pearl’s rainbow shine grew brighter. A fine white mist floated from the pearl to the dolphin. Under the haze, the dolphin seemed to fill with light.” The dolphin’s injury is completely healed.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Cascadia Saves the Day

Princess Cascadia has been working hard preparing for the Sand Sculpture Festival. When a huge whirlpool blows through Astoria, everything is ruined. The rest of the Royal Mermaid Rescue Crew helps clean up the city, but Cascadia is convinced that she can fix the festival herself.

Cascadia tries to fix the sand sculptures. In the dark of night, someone mysterious leaves gifts—a pile of shells and a pile of sand. Some of Cascadia’s friends think a sea fairy is leaving the gifts. Cascadia is curious, but she’s focused on saving the festival. She discovers that the whirlpool caused more damage than the merfolk thought.

Cascadia discovers that her favorite tradition isn’t the most important thing. She decides that it is more important to help a newfound friend. Several times, Cascadia “had a feeling that something wasn’t right.” The first time she feels this way, Cascadia ignored the feeling. But soon, she realizes that she must trust her instincts. However, Cascadia doesn’t only follow her instincts, she also takes time to solve problems by breathing and focusing.

The sweet story has cute black-and-white illustrations that help break up the text. Illustrations appear every 3-5 pages. Although the vocabulary isn’t difficult, the text-heavy pages and long sentences may be overwhelming for beginning readers. Cascadia Saves the Day will entertain those who have already transitioned to chapter books.

Young readers who dream of becoming a mermaid will enjoy the Mermaids to The Rescue series. Each book takes readers on an underwater adventure. During Cascadia’s adventure, readers will not only learn about working as a team, but they will also learn about bioluminescence and how animals adapt. Readers who are ready to jump into another underwater adventure should add Purrmaids by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A storm goes through the merfolks’ village. “All around the castle, coral and sea plants were blown about. Some shells had been stripped off the sides of the castle.” One mermaid’s pet snail was missing.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • A seapony “conjured a few small whirlpools and swept up some of the trash.”
  • Cascadia finds the magical trident. When the magical gems are placed on the trident, “the trident shook in her [Cascadia’s] hand and started to glow. Beams of light shot out from it.” Now that the trident has been put back together, it will repel evil forces.

Spiritual Content

  • None

A Summer Spell

Lisa didn’t want to spend the summer in the country with her aunt. With no friends and no TV, Lisa thinks she will be lonely and bored. When Lisa finds an orange kitten in her aunt’s barn, she’s surprised when the kitten talks to her! The kitten, named Flame, is really a lion prince in disguise. Prince Flame is hiding from his uncle, who wants to kill him. Lisa promises to help Prince Flame stay safe.

But Prince Flame isn’t Lisa’s only friend. While riding her bike, Lisa meets John, a boy about her age. Someone has accused John’s father of poaching. Late one night, Lisa and John sneak out in the middle of the night to try to find the real poachers and get evidence that proves John’s father is innocent. With Prince Flame’s magical help, Lisa is able to help John.

A Summer Spell has several fun scenes that will make readers wish they had their own magical cat. Prince Flame not only helps Lisa with the dishes, but he also makes her invisible. Even though the story revolves around Prince Flame’s magic, the story has some darker events. Not only are bad men poaching, but the men frame John’s father, who is put in jail. The story hints that John’s father is targeted because he is a gypsy. Not only that, but Lisa sneaks out of the house in the middle of the night to go find the poachers, even though she knows that they have guns. Without Prince Flame’s help, Lisa and John would most likely be dead.

Lisa is a relatable character who wants to help her friends. However, at first she is disrespectful to her aunt. And even after she promises not to go anywhere without permission, she sneaks away several times. Despite this, readers will enjoy the plot’s action and Flame’s magic. Black and white drawings appear every three to seven pages. Even though A Summer Spell has some negative aspects, the story will engage readers and have them reaching for the next book in the series, Classroom Chaos. Cat lovers should also put the Purrmaids Series by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen on their must-read list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • While riding a bike, Lisa runs into a pony. “Lisa’s bike screeched along the road into the pony. The brakes locked up and she was launched into the air.” With a little magic, “she landed softly onto what felt like a very soft pillow.”
  • When Lisa’s friends is in danger, Prince Flame turns her into a lion so she can rescue them. As a lion, Lisa “rushed up behind the first man and slammed into the back of his legs. In a swift movement, Lisa changed directions and launched herself at another man. . . She tripped up the third man, who fell over in a jumble of arms and legs.”
  • While looking for evidence, Flame turns Lisa into a lion. Lisa, “caught the smell of death. Two deer lay in the back of the van.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Prince Flame’s uncle wants to kill him and take the throne for himself, so Prince Flame needs to hide. “A flash of bright white light crossed the sky. A shower of silver sparkles fell upon a young white lion. Before the lion had a chance to blink, it was magically changed into a tiny, fluffy, orange kitten.”
  • Prince Flame helps Lisa with the dishes. “Flame leaped up into the air like a silver fireball and landed on the draining board. Sparks crackled from the tips of his ears. He waved his front paws, and plates, spoons, forks, knives, and pans all dunked themselves in the suds.” With a little magic, the dishes wash, dry and put themselves away.
  • When Lisa forgets to buy groceries, Flame “meowed and twitched his whiskers. Lisa saw that huge silver sparks were popping in the air around him. The familiar warmth pricked down her spine.” When Lisa goes outside, “the bike’s basket was crammed with food.” Later Flame says he magically got the food from the grocery store. In order to pay for the purchases, Lisa puts money in an envelope with a note explaining what happened.
  • Several times, Prince Flame uses magic to make Lisa invisible.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Archimancy

Cordelia Liu wasn’t happy to leave California. As soon as she stepped into Shadow School, she knew things were going to be different. Still, she didn’t expect the school grounds to be filled with ghosts.

Cordelia soon realizes she’s not the only one who can see the ghosts; her new friend Benji can too. Together with super-smart Agnes, the trio are determined to find out why the ghosts are there and whether there’s a way to set them free.

But the school was created with more sinister intentions, and someone is willing to go to extreme lengths to ensure that the ghosts remain trapped forever. Cordelia and her friends don’t know who they can trust. Do they need to fear the living, the dead, or both?

Shadow School isn’t just another ghost story. White creates a unique setting that is spooky without being overly frightening. Cordelia and her friends are somewhat stereotypical, but readers will still enjoy the brainy Angus, the sullen cute Benji, and the curious Cordelia. As Cordelia and her friends help the ghosts leave Shadow School, readers may be slightly disappointed that the ghosts’ stories lack detail. Instead of delving into the ghosts’ personal stories, the ghosts are quickly dispatched.

Even though Cordelia solves each problem quickly, readers will still enjoy the mystery behind Shadow School as well as the character’s interactions. Since Cordelia is a new student at Shadow School, she struggles to make friends. Throughout the story, Cordelia learns the importance of forgiveness as well as the importance of being friends with people who are different than her.

Cordelia is far from a perfect character, but her flaws make her relatable. She has awkward moments with her parents, she isn’t sure who she can trust, and she doesn’t always know what to do. Cordelia thinks about ignoring the ghosts, but decides to continue helping them because “easy choices were seldom the right ones.”

Shadow School has just the right amount of mystery, friendship, and frightening scenes to keep middle school readers engaged. Readers will have to use context clues to decipher difficult vocabulary, such as pealegume, tessellating, assuage, and spile. Told from Cordelia’s point of view, Shadow School gives readers an exciting peek into a paranormal world. Readers who enjoy Shadow School will also enjoy Nightbooks, another spooky story written by J.A. White.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • While eating lunch, a food fight starts. “A plate of lasagna smacked” a boy in the face and “a piece of stringy cheese dangled from his nose as he searched for the culprit. . . Trays flew through the air, raining down lasagna, pizza, bagels, fries, sticky beverages, and the occasional healthy salad. There were no hurricane-forced gales, no apparent cause for the objects to be moving on their own. . . The table next to Cordelia was rumbling like a volcano about to erupt. She pulled Grant to safety as it slid across the room, right where they had been standing a moment before.” As the kids run out of the cafeteria, Cordelia sees a ghost. The chaos is described over three pages.
  • Cordelia hears a ghost whistle a lullaby and “Cordelia felt her limbs grow sluggish and saw the boy. . . could barely stay awake. His eyes fluttered, and he tottered uneasily from side to side before falling through the wall.” As Cordelia watches the ghost grab a tool with “a long pincer on one end, black and jagged like the claw of a prehistoric crustacean . . . the green-eyed ghost dug the pincer into the back of the hipster and pressed a trigger at the opposite end. The edges of the pincer closed. The green-eyed ghost pulled backward, and the hipster seemed to leap out of himself, though the version gripped by the pincer quickly deflated and hung like a suit of clothes.” Cordelia figures out that the ghosts fade away because someone snatched parts of them.
  • When Cordelia and her friend try to take blueprints out of a hidden office, a ghost sees them. The ghost named Elijah “raised his arm and point[ed] to the left, where the bronze compass that had been sitting on the table now hovered in the air, its rusty but still serviceable point extended in their direction. As Cordelia watched, the compass was joined by a utility knife and two pairs of scissors, while a row of sharpened pencils took position to their right.” A boy ghost “came out of nowhere, plowing shoulder-first into the back of Elijah’s legs and knocking him over.” Because of the boy ghost, Cordelia and her friend are able to escape. The scene is described over three pages.
  • Cordelia and her friends plan to trap the evil ghost in a ghost box. When one of the evil ghosts (Lenny) tries to grab Cordelia, “the hiker reached out and wrapped her arms around him. Lenny tried to shake her off, but the hiker dragged him backward with a fierce look of determination. Within a few moments, his entire body was inside the ghost box with her.”
  • As Cordelia goes down a hall, “the lockers to either side of her began to rumble and shake. . . Locks burst open and shot across the hall at dangerous speed. Cordelia heard one whiz past her ear while another clipped her wrist, sending a lightning bolt of pain all the way to her elbow. She broke into a run.” School supplies begin hitting Cordelia, then “the world went black.”
  • An evil ghost named Geist tries to get rid of Cordelia. When he catches her, “Cordelia suddenly rose two feet into the air and drifted toward the cart. She tried to fight it, but Geist was too powerful.” Cordelia’s friends save her and they capture Geist. “Cordelia grabbed a tool of her own and got to work, fastening the claw to Geist’s hip. The ghost snatcher spun in her direction, his green eyes glowing with malevolence, but there was nothing he could do. . .One, Geist was gone. Two, each one of their snatching tools now held a sad, deflated sac of skin.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Cordelia googled “Good Spirits” and instead of getting information on ghosts, the search “took her to a list of stores that sold alcohol.”
  • Agnes makes brownies and shares them with adults. Then she tells them, “I added crème de menthe. That’s alcohol!”

Language

  • Heck is used twice.
  • Cordelia says a boy is “a jerk.”
  • While telling a story Agnes says, “some idiot dumped a few northern snakeheads into a pond in Maryland. . .”

Supernatural

  • Some of the characters can see ghosts. The number of ghosts is “always changing. New ones arrive. Old ones fade away.” One of the characters explains, “Ghosts stay in one small area. A bench, like Newspaper Man. Or the gym, like the boy. There’s a doctor wearing green scrubs who mostly sticks to the supply closet, but sometimes she rushes down the hallway with her hands up in the air. It always happens real quick, like she’s just been called into surgery.”
  • Cordelia puts glasses near the Newspaper Man. When he puts them on, he “flipped to the next page and propped his feet up on the table. All the frustration left his body. . . A black triangle the size of a welcome mat appeared in the air above him, hovering a few inches below the ceiling. . . The triangle grew until it was half the size of the room. . . It slid open from the bottom, like a garage door, revealing a gentle, flickering light that brought to mind a cozy fireplace on a cold winter’s night.” The man enters the triangle and disappears.
  • Cordelia puts blush by a woman who continues to look in the mirror. When the woman picks it up, “the black triangle appeared a few moments later.” When the door slid open this time, Cordelia saw a room with “bright, pulsating light of a party.”
  • The ghosts that disappear “don’t seem so happy about it. Almost like they’re sick. . .”
  • Cordelia and her friends discuss what a poltergeist is. Someone explains, “It’s a special kind of ghost that can move objects around.”
  • The kids find the blueprints to make a box that traps ghosts. The owner of the school “believed that if he studied these [haunted] houses and tracked the similarities between them, he could use this knowledge to build a haunted house on purpose. He called this process archimancy.”
  • Ghosts have special goggles that let them see the living.
  • When an evil ghost whistles a tune, “the music wrapped itself around [Cordelia], squeezing the tension from her muscles and soothing all her worries. Cordelia know she should run, especially when she saw Whistler climb the first few rungs of the ladder, but moving required a huge amount of energy that she no longer possessed.” The Whistler grabs Agnes’ cheeks and “she instantly began to shiver. . . Agnes’s lips began to turn blue.” Someone blows a whistle and the “shrill sound was deafening in the small, round, overpowering Whistler’s song.” The kids are able to escape.
  • When an evil ghost, the Whistler, touches an object, a red triangle appears. “Instead of hovering in the air like its black siblings, the triangle lay flat on the floor, gleaming like a poisonous candy apple. It slid open. Puffs of smoky darkness polluted the room. . . Cordelia heard factory sounds: the pump of pistons, rumble of heavy machinery, roar of a furnace. And screams. There were lots of screams.” The Whistler falls into the triangle and the triangle vanishes.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Mac Cracks the Code

The Queen of England calls on Mac B. once again! This time, Mac must crack a secret code that has been recovered from a double agent. A series of clues leads Mac to France, to Japan where he comes face-to-face with his arch-nemesis the KGB Man, and to the world headquarters of Nintendo! Is the KGB Man secretly behind all of this? Are Mac’s video game skills good enough to face down his enemy at the Video Game World Championships?

Even though the events in Mac Cracks the Code are at times ridiculous, the story incorporates historical and language lessons into the events. The story teaches spy terminology such as cytologist, as well as portmanteau words. There are also world maps that show Mac’s travel routes, which helps readers understand where countries are in relation to each other. Readers will also be eager to try to figure out the clues to the mystery.

Mac Cracks the Case will entertain even the most reluctant readers with its fast pace and hilarious events. Short sentences, humorous illustrations, and simple vocabulary will help readers build confidence. Video games play a part in the story’s plot, which adds interest for those who like video games. Because several of the characters appear in the previous books, readers will get maximum enjoyment if they read the series in order.

In Mac Cracks the Code, Mac tells his own story with humor and puts a spotlight on the absurd. The conclusion will have readers cheering for Max and groaning when the Queen of England gives Max a gift. The Max B. Kid Spy Series continuously gives readers engaging stories that will have readers laughing out loud. Any reader who enjoys intrigue will want to add the Max B. Kid Spy Series to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • The KGB man tells Mac, “You look like a doofus!” Mac uses the same words to describe the KGB man.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

All Paws on Deck

In the first book of the series, Haggis and Tank set sail. Haggis and Tank go on a pirate adventure. They talk like pirates, swab the deck, and even search for buried treasure! But then, a giant sea serpent starts chasing their pirate ship. Will Haggis and Tank ever make it home?

Any child who has ever pretended to go on an adventure will relate to Haggis and Tank who use their imagination to sail away on a pirate ship. During their adventure, the two friends must come up with creative solutions to problems. Throughout the adventure, Haggis and Tank use pirate talk and cleverly weave homophones into their speech which adds humor. For example, when Haggis is trying to teach Tank how to tie knots, Tank wants to learn “forget-me-nots.”

Haggis and Tank’s adventure is illustrated in brightly colored panels. Much like a graphic novel, some of the pages only have quote bubbles. In order to move the story along, 1-2 sentence narration is included on some of the pages. The illustrated story is funny, imaginative, and full of surprising details. In addition, the heart-warming conclusion shows that “the real treasure is right here at home.”

Younger readers will laugh as Haggis and Tank take to the sea and overcome some unexpected difficulties. All Paws on Deck is part of Scholastic’s early chapter book line called Branches which is aimed at newly independent readers. With 1-3 sentences on each page, independent readers can read the story to themselves. The story ends with five questions and gives page numbers to help readers take a closer look at the text. All Paws on Deck will amuse both children and parents. Both the pirate talk and wordplay make All Paws on Deck perfect for reading aloud. Younger readers will want to join Haggis and Tank’s next adventure, Howl at the Moon. Readers who enjoy adventure-loving dogs will also want to read the Safari Pug Series by Laura James.

.Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Tank calls Haggis a “landlubber.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None
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