Tag: adventure

Once Upon a Unicorn

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Curious is a unicorn. He doesn’t quite seem to fit in with the other unicorns, because his Scientific Mind makes him interested in things the rest of them don’t care about.

Midnight is a night mare. She can’t quite seem to keep her fire under control, and that makes it hard for her to be included with the rest of the nightmares.

Everyone knows that unicorns and night mares don’t like each other. It’s just not how things work. But when Curious and Midnight cross paths while on an Experiment and a Plan (respectively), they’ll have to work together to escape from pumpkin-headed fae, figure out what the fairy queen is up to, and maybe save their world.

What I loved most:

I picked up Once Upon a Unicorn on a day when life was feeling heavy and I wanted to escape the world for a while. Anders built such a fun, rich, beautiful world – and it was a delight to escape to. I love unicorns, so trust me – I have read a lot of unicorn books (see my post on Welcome to Unicorn School for another one of my fav unicorn stories). I’ve never encountered anything quite like the night mares found in this story (which are clearly NOT the opposite of unicorns – just ask Midnight). I appreciate the way that Curious’s and Midnight’s eccentricities were strengths, and essential to who they were. I am also a sucker for any chosen family stories, and I adore how Curious and Midnight overcame their prejudices to create a solid bond. I loved this story as an adult, and I know that any kids reading it will be just as swept up into this world as I was.

Read this book if you like:

Unicorns, fantasy worlds, enemies-to-friends scenarios, fae, laughing while on adventures

Book details:

  • Author: Lou Anders
  • Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
  • Date of Publication: August 25, 2020
  • Age Recommendation: 4th – 7th grade
  • Look up Once Upon a Unicorn on WorldCat to find it at library near you!

We Could Be Heroes

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Jamie and Zoe both have no memory prior to two years ago… when they both woke up in separate apartments, with mysterious notes indicating that they might have extraordinary powers. Now, Jamie is the Mind Robber, stealing money from banks to furnish his dream of retiring to a remote island to read memoirs and play with his cat. Zoe is a fast food delivery person, and also low-key does vigilante work as the Throwing Star. Their paths cross at a memory-loss support group, where they realize the similarities of their memory loss and abilities can’t be a coincidence. We Could Be Heroes comes out in January, and I’m going to call it in advance as one of 2021’s best reads. Make sure you grab a copy when it’s available!

What I loved most:

I heard Mike Chen speak at a virtual library conference, and I was intrigued the moment I heard the concept of his book. There are countless superhero/villain plots out there, but We Can Be Heroes stands out for its unique plot. I loved that the female character was the one with strength and speed powers, whereas the male character had mental powers. I loved the witty banter between Zoe and Jamie. I loved that the two main characters were a male and a female, and that there wasn’t a romantic relationship between them. Basically, I loved everything about this book.

Read this book if you like:

Marvel movies, superheroes, adventures, origin stories

Things to be aware of:

This book is intended for adults, but I think it would also have tons of crossover appeal for kids in high school. There is some swearing, but there isn’t sexual content that would make it inappropriate for a younger audience.

Book details:

The Unadoptables

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Plot:

Milou, Egg, Lotta, Sem, and Fenna live together in Little Tulip Orphanage. All five of them were left at the orphanage the same summer, twelve years ago. Some are waiting for their birth families to come back to get them; others are waiting for new parents to bring them to a new home. But when a shady sea captain comes and offers to adopt all of them, they can sense that something is wrong with him. They decide to run away before he can get them – and so begins an epic adventure involving a windmill, puppets, and the chance to start a new family of their own.

Favorite Passage:

“Milou?” The voice seemed both familiar and new, raspy and quiet.
“Milou?” The next voice was more recognizable, sweet and soft.
“Milou?” The last voice was like home.
— Thirty
[This passage was quoted from an ARC; as such, it may change before final publication.]

What I Loved Most:

Tooke uses such an engaging and rich writing style in crafting this story. You can’t help but love each of the five main characters featured in this book. They have such strong bonds that they’ve formed in their time together in the orphanage. Each has their own strengths – Lotta is a mathematician and engineer, Sem is creative and great at sewing, Egg has geography and cartography skills, Fenna is kind, and Milou is imaginative. There’s a great balance of adventure and genuine friendships, so there’s something that every reader will find appealing in this book.

Read this book if you like:

Found families, overcoming adversity, low-key mysteries, strong relationships

Book Details:

  • Author: Hana Tooke
  • Publisher: Viking/Penguin Random House (Thank you for the ARC!)
  • Date of Publication: July 23, 2020
  • Age Recommendation: Grades 4-7
  • Look up The Unadoptables on Worldcat to find it at a library near you!