middle grade fantasy
Book Review: Zeus the Mighty
Zeus the Mighty: The Quest for the Golden Fleas
by Crispin Boyer
by Crispin Boyer
4 out of 5 stars
Zeus is a hamster who rules the kingdom of the pet store along with the other Olympian gods, Athena the cat, Demeter the cricket, Ares the dog, and Poseidon the puffer fish. These animals have mystic powers and find artifacts that help them in their adventures. When Poseidon questions Zeus’ ability to rule, Zeus goes on a quest to find the Golden Fleas (Fleece) to prove that he is worthy to be king of the gods.
I loved this funny book! The animals all have vivid personalities, and I loved their hilarious dialogue. It’s so clever how Greek mythology is woven into the pet store setting. Continue reading
Book Review: Ben Archer and the Cosmic Fall
Ben Archer and the Cosmic Fall (Alien Skill, #1)
by Rae Knightly (Goodreads Author)
by Rae Knightly (Goodreads Author)
3 out of 5 stars
Ben has no memory of when a “meteor” fell near his Grampa’s home while Ben was visiting there. There are government agents snooping around the crash site, and Ben’s Grampa is trying to keep Ben’s name out of it by hiding him away with his mother in the city. An alien named Mesmo is on the run from dangerous government agents, and tries to protect the innocent human witnesses from the “meteor” crash site. A mysterious shape-shifter tracks down Ben as a witness to the crash, and Ben and his mother are both in terrible danger.
I enjoyed the writing style in this book. It’s concise and clear, with a lot of emotional scenes between characters. The writer shows us the inner feelings of each character, and there is some powerful dialogue. The characters are deep and complex with authentic relationships. Continue reading
Comic Review: Green Lantern Legacy
Green Lantern: Legacy
by Minh Lê, Andie Tong
by Minh Lê, Andie Tong
5 out of 5 stars
Tai discovers the power of the Green Lantern when his grandmother passes on her jade ring to him. With very little training from the other Green Lanterns, Tai tries to stop vandalism in his neighborhood. But there is an even bigger threat hiding right under his nose, and Tai will need his friends support while he learns to harness his new powers.
I loved this comic from start to finish!
Tai is such a deep and complex character. His close relationship with his family is at the heart of everything he does, and there is a huge emotional aspect to his story that really drew me in. Tai is Vietnamese-American, and his family heritage is important to him. I loved seeing the rich Vietnamese culture, and the traditions of kindness and generosity in his family. Continue reading
Comic Review: Zatanna and the House of Secrets
Zatanna & the House of Secrets
by Matthew Cody, Yoshi Yoshitani
by Matthew Cody, Yoshi Yoshitani
5 out of 5 stars
Zatanna is just trying to survive middle school. She and her stage-magician Dad live in a mysterious house with an adorable pet rabbit, Pocus. Zatanna believes that her father’s magic tricks are just illusions, until one fateful day when she encounters real magic. She realizes that the house holds more secrets than she ever knew, and she must navigate trick stairs, cold dungeons, and enigmatic doors to escape the clutches of a wicked sorceress and save her father.
I loved this comic from start to finish! Zatanna is a wonderful character, and she has some good personal development and teen angst that packs an emotional punch. The plot is enchanting and mystic with lots of wonderful surprises and twists. I loved the magical elements in the House of Secrets, and especially the magical characters and creatures that Zatanna meets as she discovers a new world of wizardy and spells. Continue reading
Graphic Novel Review: The World According to Francois
The World According to François: The Writer’s Secret
by Vincent Zabus, Renaud Collin
by Vincent Zabus, Renaud Collin
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Francois is a little boy with a big imagination. He is always writing down stories and telling them to his classmates and teachers, but the bullies in school make fun of his stories and his teachers are exasperated with him. He meets a mysterious woman who tells him that he has a magical power over letters of the alphabet and can command any book to do his bidding. An evil man has seized control of the letters, and only Francois can restore balance to the secret world of authors.
I loved Francois’ character! He has a good heart and enjoys using his intelligence to fantasize about other worlds and magical creations.
Book Review: Doctor Dolittle’s Return
Doctor Dolittle’s Return
by Hugh Lofting
by Hugh Lofting
5 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Doctor Dolittle finally returns to Puddleby after having spent a year on the Moon. Tommy Stubbins has been struggling to keep the Doctor’s household running in his absence, caring for the animals and the Doctor’s beautiful garden. The Doctor returns with pages and notebooks full of scientific notes and information which he wants to use to write his great book about his experiences on the Moon.
Every book in this series just gets better and better! I am always fascinated by the Doctor’s character. He is so energetic and intelligent and kind. Tommy is just adorable, and a very capable assistant for the Doctor. The story is hilarious, and I loved all the funny situations the animals get into. Each plot line is so imaginative and interesting!
Book Review: Doctor Dolittle and the Green Canary
Doctor Dolittle and the Green Canary (Doctor Dolittle, #11)
by Hugh Lofting
by Hugh Lofting
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Doctor Dolittle hears the full story of a green canary’s life, from the time she was born in a cage to her tragic separation from her owner, the window washer. After their success in the Canary Opera, Pippinella and Doctor Dolittle set out to find the missing window washer, and restore Pippinella to her favorite owner.
I enjoyed this book so much! The characters are hilarious, and I loved Pippinella’s varied life experiences and all the weird circumstances that made her change owners so frequently. She lives with a coal miner, a marchioness, a troop of soldiers, an innkeeper, and a tramp. She also lives in the wild for a short time before being captured, stolen from her rightful owner, and sold in a pet shop to John Dolittle. Continue reading
Book Review: Juniper Berry
Juniper Berry
by M.P. Kozlowsky (Author), Erwin Madrid
by M.P. Kozlowsky (Author), Erwin Madrid
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Juniper Berry is the daughter of famous movie stars. As their fame grows, they become more and more distant from their daughter until she begins to suspect that something else is going on. Juniper befriends a scrawny neighbor boy whose parents are also acting strange. They follow their parents deep into the woods where they meet with a mystic creature who promises to make dreams a reality.
I loved this book! The plot is creepy without being too scary for me. I didn’t have nightmares after reading it, but I was deliciously chilled and freaked out while reading it. It has just the right amount of scary as Juniper uncovers the dark secret of her parents’ success. I especially enjoyed the mystic magic that the villain uses and the imaginative world-building. Continue reading
Book Review: A Handful of Magic
A Handful of Magic
by Stephen Elboz
by Stephen Elboz
4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads
Kit is full of mischief and unruly vandalism, until his misconduct results in his best friend, Prince Henry being bitten by a werewolf. As Kit works to save Henry from the werewolf’s poison, he uncovers a deadly plot to cripple all of England while children are used as slaves to work in underground mines. To save his friends, Kit must learn to use his magical abilities for good, instead of for foolish pranks.
Full of steampunk magic and mythical creatures, this book creates a world where magic is at war with new scientific discoveries like the electric light and telegraph. Kit’s father, a prominent wizard-adviser to Queen Victoria, worries that magic is becoming obsolete in the face of new scientific inventions, and Kit is determined to prove that magic is just as relevant and necessary as it ever was.
I didn’t quite like Kit and his friends at first, because of their foolishness and vandalism, but they began to grow and learn, and their good hearts and generous spirits began to show through, so in the end, I liked them all and was cheering for them through their adventures. Continue reading
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