Tag: middle grade

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!

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!

 

King of the Mole People

~ rachelbenzine ~ Leave a comment

Review:

Doug is trying super hard to be a normal kid. He moved to a new school for seventh grade, and he’s trying to join clubs and make friends and eat normal things for lunch and wear non-muddy clothes and not have grubs or mushrooms all over him. But as hard as he tries to be normal, weirdness seems to be attracted to him… which is probably why he was crowned King of the Mole People a couple of weeks ago. So now in addition to trying to fit in with the other kids in his grade, he has to figure out how to rule the Mole Kingdom, and maybe save the world from being destroyed by Mega Worms.

Honestly, I saw the cover of this book and decided I needed to read it before I even found out what the plot was. Paul Gilligan both wrote and illustrated King of the Mole People, and his illustrations were so hilariously on point. It’s perfect for kids in late elementary school, and will hit shelves just in time for back-to-school. Look for it on August 27th!

Favorite Passage:

20190810_083119“‘The crown must be worn at all times while in the Mole world,’ said Ploogoo.
‘But look at it, it’s ridiculous! Why is it so tall when you all live in low-ceilinged tunnels? It keeps getting knocked off my head by stalactites!'”
– 3 : Underground
[This passage was quoted from an ARC; as such, it may change before final publication.]

What I Loved Most:

This book was funny enough to make me laugh out loud more than once, but it also addresses serious issues. Doug is trying to figure out his identity. He wants so badly to fit in, but can’t quite seem to achieve the level of normality that he wants. King of the Mole People is a great book exploring the social-emotional learning pillar of self-awareness, but does so in a way that doesn’t hit kids over the head with the message of accepting who you are. It’s funny enough to keep kids interested, while also low-key encouraging them to embrace their own brand of weirdness.

Read this book if you like:

Heavily-illustrated books, super weird storylines, being okay with who you truly are

Book Details: