middle grade

Book Review: Rebel Genius

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Rebel Genius
Rebel Genius by Michael Dante DiMartino

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am so impressed with this book! I loved every second of it! There are definite influences of the Italian Renaissance in the setting through the artwork, architecture, and names. The writing is full of action, mystery, and magic, and of course, the characters are absolutely delightful. They feel like real people, varied and interested, changing and growing all the time, each with their own secrets and agendas.

Giacomo is an orphan, living on the streets, when he mysteriously acquires a Genius, a little bird that is a companion to artists to inspire their imaginations and give them magical powers of creativity. But the evil ruler, Nerezza, sends her soldiers to kill all the Genius birds and their artists, and Giacomo and his new little friend are on the run. Giacomo teams up with some other artsy children, and they go on a quest to find an object of magical power to bring Nerezza’s evil rule to an end. Continue reading →

Book Review: Hawksmaid

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Hawksmaid: The Untold Story of Robin Hood and Maid Marian
Hawksmaid: The Untold Story of Robin Hood and Maid Marian by Kathryn Lasky

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Any story about Robin Hood is bound to be delightful, full of fun and adventure, but the addition of a Maid Marian who is obsessed with falconry, can talk to her hawks, and enlist their help in the fight against the evil Prince John… well, that is simply genius!

I adore Marian’s character, or Matty as she is known in her youth. She’s plucky and independent, brave and smart. She just wants to be one of the guys, hanging out with the Merry Men, doing the whole outlaw thing in Sherwood; and eventually, through her resourcefulness, she wins their respect and admiration. Continue reading →

Book Review: The Penderwicks at Point Mouette

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The Penderwicks at Point Mouette
The Penderwicks at Point Mouette by Jeanne Birdsall

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Every Penderwick is a phenomenal person! I have so much love for this beautiful Penderwick family, I can’t even contain my emotions long enough to write a decent review. Every book in this series is absolute gold, every character is delightfully unique, and every single word in every chapter is genius. I love how the author takes small everyday doings and makes them dramatic and interesting and fun! Just building a campfire on the beach and toasting marshmallows becomes an adventure fraught with peril and meaning. Continue reading →

Review: The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil

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The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil
The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil by Stephen Collins

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved loved loved this hilarious graphic novel, and then the end left me flat. I hate those poignant, leave-you-hanging, no closure endings that are supposed to be all philosophical and crap. Bleh. There is no resolution and I hate that!

The artwork is beautifully detailed, but still gives this impression of space on every page. It really draws your attention to these little changes and reflects the mood of the story perfectly!

I adore the writing style, the prose and almost poetry, that makes every word count. It’s just perfection!
The plot is hilarious and the weird and wild things going on just put the characters into stark relief before this background of a war between chaos and order.

I was laughing and weirded out and thoroughly enjoyed it…. except for the end.

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Minion Book Review

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Here’s my review of “Minion” by John David Anderson!
Aria at BookGeekMovieFreak: https://www.youtube.com/user/bookgeekmoviefreak

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Book Review: By the Grace of Todd

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By the Grace of Todd
By the Grace of Todd by Louise Galveston
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

What a cute book! I love the premise about tiny people being spawned on a gym sock! On the surface, this is your typical story of a middle-school kid trying to avoid bullies, wishing he could be one of the “cool kids”, and ultimately learning about friendship and how to stand up for himself.

But the addition of those tiny people makes it so unique and fun, especially once the little Toddlians start watching TV and reading the encyclopedia! Their out-of-place references to pop culture, John Wayne movies, Shakespeare, and Winston Churchill had me laughing in every chapter! It’s the details that make this story special! Continue reading →