I am so excited to share the third edition of the last five middle grade books that I read and loved. They include a nonfiction beauty and four fictional stories that are sure to delight and transport you into their world. Below are my thoughts on each book as well as a synopsis that I pulled off of Amazon.com. I hope that you find a new favorite or two and I wish you “happy reading”!
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“The Hotel Between” by Sean Easley- This book is fabulous! The beginning was a bit slow for me, but the idea of a hotel that connected different magical passageways for locations all over the world drew me in. Then the plot picked up and I couldn’t put it down. It is a magical adventure full of creativity and the growth in the main character as he gains confidence and a greater “sense of self” is wonderfully done. The ending led me to believe that there may be a sequel, and I’m hoping that there is!
Synopsis from Amazon:
“Twins Cam and Cass have never known their parents. They’ve been told their mother died, and Cass is certain their father abandoned them. Cam isn’t so sure. He wants to prove her wrong; he must.
Cam’s wish is soon granted in the form of a glistening, golden sign with elaborate flourishes that reads: The Hotel Between. With doors that open to countries all over the world, magical trollies, charmed corridors that can be altered on a whim, stone elephants that turn to life, sweets made from rocks; everything is possible in The Hotel. Cam has a hunch his father is somehow connected to this magical place, and may even be lost within its hidden halls.
Every journey has its risks, and The Hotel Between is full of dangerous secrets. If Cam’s not careful, his stay may be over before his vacation has even started.”
“House of Dreams: The Life of L.M. Montgomery” by Liz Rosenberg and Julie Morstad- I adore Montgomery’s characters Anne and Emily so I was really excited to read this biography of her life. There are a few scattered illustrations throughout by one of my favorite illustrators and the writing is lovely. Montgomery had a lot of sad points in her life, but there was also a lot of joy. While it is geared for middle grade children, do be aware that there are some more young adult/adult themes of mental illness and such in her life and the book addresses (although sensitively) Lucy’s death which is believed to be suicide. I really enjoyed reading this book and gained a better appreciation for her books through learning more about her beautiful soul.
Synopsis from Amazon:
“Once upon a time, there was a girl named Maud who adored stories. When she was fourteen years old, Maud wrote in her journal, “I love books. I hope when I grow up to be able to have lots of them.” Not only did Maud grow up to own lots of books, she wrote twenty-four of them herself as L. M. Montgomery, the world-renowned author of Anne of Green Gables. For many years, not a great deal was known about Maud’s personal life. Her childhood was spent with strict, undemonstrative grandparents, and her reflections on writing, her lifelong struggles with anxiety and depression, her “year of mad passion,” and her difficult married life remained locked away, buried deep within her unpublished personal journals. Through this revealing and deeply moving biography, kindred spirits of all ages who, like Maud, never gave up “the substance of things hoped for” will be captivated anew by the words of this remarkable woman.”
The Language of Spells
Synopsis from Amazon:
“Grisha is a dragon in a world that’s forgotten how to see him. Maggie is a unusual child who thinks she’s perfectly ordinary. They’re an unlikely duo—but magic, like friendship, is funny. Sometimes it chooses those who might not look so likely. And magic has chosen Grisha and Maggie to solve the darkest mystery in Vienna. Decades ago, when World War II broke out, someone decided that there were too many dragons for all of them to be free. As they investigate, Grisha and Maggie ask the question everyone’s forgotten: Where have the missing dragons gone? And is there a way to save them? At once richly magical and tragically historical, The Language of Spells is a novel full of adventure about remembering old stories, forging new ones, and the transformative power of friendship.”
The Storm Runner (A Storm Runner Novel, Book 1) by J.C. Cervantes- This book had high standards to reach, in my opinion, because it is endorsed by Rick Rjordan. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it lived up to my expectations and I had a similar experience reading it as I did Percy Jackson. (Which I really love.) It is fast paced, full of action and plot twists and so much fun. Definitely for all your action-packed fans out there!
Synopsis from Amazon:
“A contemporary adventure based on Maya mythology from Rick Riordan Presents!
Zane Obispo spends every day exploring the sleeping volcano in his backyard. “The Beast,” as he calls it, is the one place where he can escape other kids, who make fun of him because he has a limp and walks with a cane.
After a twin-engine plane crashes into The Beast, a mysterious girl named Brooks shows up at Zane’s doorstep, insisting that they meet at the volcano, where she will reveal a terrible secret. Zane agrees, mostly because beautiful girls like her don’t usually talk to him. Brooks tells him that the volcano is actually a centuries-old prison for the Maya god of death, whose destiny is directly tied to Zane’s. No way, Zane thinks. He’s just a thirteen-year old nobody, and destiny or no destiny, he wants nothing to do with any of it, especially some god of death.
But Brooks opens his eyes to the truth: magic, monsters, and gods are real, and Zane is at the center of an ancient prophecy that could mean the destruction of the world.Suddenly finding himself entangled in a web of dangerous secrets, Zane embarks on a quest that will take him far from home and test him to the very core.
Feisty heroes, tricky gods, murderous demons, and spirited giants are just some of the pleasures that await in this fresh and funny take on Maya mythology, as rich and delicious as a mug of authentic hot chocolate.”
Bob
Synopsis from Amazon:
“It’s been five years since Livy and her family have visited Livy’s grandmother in Australia. Now that she’s back, Livy has the feeling she’s forgotten something really, really important about Gran’s house.
It turns out she’s right.
Bob, a short, greenish creature dressed in a chicken suit, didn’t forget Livy, or her promise. He’s been waiting five years for her to come back, hiding in a closet like she told him to. He can’t remember who―or what―he is, where he came from, or if he even has a family. But five years ago Livy promised she would help him find his way back home. Now it’s time to keep that promise.
Clue by clue, Livy and Bob will unravel the mystery of where Bob comes from, and discover the kind of magic that lasts forever.
Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead, two masterminds of classic, middle-grade fiction come together to craft this magical story about the enduring power of friendship.”
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