Tag: genre: middle grade

• Mini Reviews IV

  Posted at 7:12 am by Laura, on October 15, 2015

  Mini Reviews

  Quick, bite-sized reviews of fast, enjoyable reads!
  A penny for thoughts, a snappy two-cent reflection! 

  

  A Little in Love by Susan Fletcher

  Publisher: Chicken House
  Published: August 2015
  Genre: young adult, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9780545829601
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Paris, 1832. A girl lies alone in the darkness, clutching a letter to her heart. Eponine remembers being a child: her swing and the peach tree, and the baby brother she loved. But mostly she remembers being miserable. Taught to lie and cheat, and to hate the one girl, Cosette, who might have been her friend. Now, at sixteen, the two girls meet again, and Eponine has one more chance. But what is the price of friendship—the love of a boy?

  Mini Review: Eponine’s story in Les Mis is probably my favorite, only because life is both wonderful and tragic for her. She manages to find love and passion in the midst of hatred, hunger, and revolution. A hopeless romantic to the core. Fletcher’s book shares Eponine’s childhood up to her death, her life with a cold, harsh family and how she is both jealous and admiring of Cosette. She’s a complex character, and through Fletcher’s simple writing Eponine manages to convey so much emotion. You want nothing but love for this poor creature.

  This qualifies as book #7 in my resolution to read 10 library books in 2015. 

  The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling by Maryrose Wood

  Publisher: Balzer + Bray 
  Published: March 2010
  Genre: middle grade, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9780061791109
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Found running wild in the forest of Ashton Place, the Incorrigibles are no ordinary children. Luckily, Miss Penelope Lumley is no ordinary governess. Though she is eager to instruct the children in Latin verbs and the proper use of globes, first she must eliminate their canine tendencies. But who are these three wild creatures? Will Penelope be able to teach the Incorrigibles table manners and socially useful phrases in time for Lady Constance’s holiday ball? 

  Mini Review: This felt like a child’s version of Jane Eyre meeting Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events. Wood occasionally talks to the reader, explaining grammar and offering nuggets of wisdom as little asides, before diving back into Penelope’s journey with the three wild children on this vast estate. What I loved most — and found a great deal of humor in — was Penelope’s teaching method for the children (Pavlovian method, anyone?), and how the children worked so hard to be tame while Lady Constance falls to pieces and turns wild. This is an excellent autumnal read, too, and it ends right at Christmas. A quick read, entertaining, and I’m curious to see what’s in store in the next book!

  This qualifies as book #1 in my autumn reading challenge.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: young adult, goodreads, mini review

• Book Review: “The Doldrums” by Nicholas Gannon (ARC)

  Posted at 7:00 am by Laura, on September 16, 2015

  The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon

  Publisher: Greenwillow Books
  Publishing Date: September 29
  Genre: middle grade, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9780062408273
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★★

  Archer B. Helmsley has grown up in a house full of oddities and treasures collected by his grandparents, the famous explorers. He knows every nook and cranny. He knows them all too well. After all, ever since his grandparents went missing on an iceberg, his mother barely lets him leave the house.

  Archer B. Helmsley longs for adventure. Grand adventures, with parachutes and exotic sunsets and interesting characters. But how can he have an adventure when he can’t leave his house?

  It helps that he has friends like Adélaïde L. Belmont, who must have had many adventures since she ended up with a wooden leg. (Perhaps a crocodile ate it. Perhaps not.) And Oliver Glub. Oliver will worry about all the details (so that Archer doesn’t have to).

  And so Archer, Adélaïde, and Oliver make a plan. A plan to get out of the house, out of their town entirely. It’s a good plan.

  Well, it’s not bad, anyway.

  But nothing goes quite as they expect.

  Archer B. Helmsley is the grandson of the great explorers Ralph and Rachel Helmsley. His home is filled with treasures from their adventures across the world — to the dismay of Mrs. Helmsley — and people across the country frequent the house to examine the collection. Archer longs for an adventure, too, but after his grandparents go missing, his mother cracks down and refuses to let Archer leave the house other than to attend school. Enter Oliver Glub and Adélaïde L. Belmont, neighbors who are willing to join Archer in his grand schemes. But great adventures come at great costs, and the three friends will stop at nothing to believe in the impossible.

  What an absolutely stunning debut! Gannon wrote a fantastical, whimsical middle grade novel that’s both refreshing and cozily familiar all at once. I’d lump it in historical fiction, partly for the technology mentioned and partly for the stunning artwork. Oh, right — Gannon is the illustrator as well, and I loved all the pieces! This ARC was in black-and-white and several pages contained ART TK messages, so I can’t wait to see what the finished copy looks like (and in color)!

  The language was so lush but the writing continued in that middle grade mindset: the lovely mix of stream-of-consciousness and jumping narrative. Each chapter is subdivided into scenes and moments, from Archer’s point of view to Oliver’s to Adélaïde’s to a secondary character’s. Not once did it feel jarring. Everything…worked.

  My favorite bits of the story were the library request cards, the newspaper clippings, and letters. Incorporating these outside elements to a story make it feel more fun and — of course — adventurous! It adds to that timeless feel. I’ve no doubt The Doldrums will become a classic children’s book. Truly. I can’t tell you much more because it will ruin the magic!

  Thank you, Greenwillow Books and HarperCollins, for providing this book at BEA for review!

  This book fulfills 3 of 7 #ARCAugust reads.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 7 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: action/adventure, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, review

• Book Review: “George” by Alex Gino

  Posted at 6:00 am by Laura, on September 14, 2015

  George by Alex Gino

  Publisher: Scholastic Press
  Published: August 2015
  Genre: middle grade, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780545812542
  Goodreads: 4.10
  Rating: ★★★.5

  When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she’s not a boy. She knows she’s a girl.

  George thinks she’ll have to keep this a secret forever. Then her teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte’s Web. George really, really, REALLY wants to play Charlotte. But the teacher says she can’t even try out for the part . . . because she’s a boy.

  With the help of her best friend, Kelly, George comes up with a plan. Not just so she can be Charlotte — but so everyone can know who she is, once and for all.

  George would love nothing more than to play Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web for the class play. Charlotte is smart and bold and caring, but George wants to play her because it would mean showing the world who she really is. George is a girl. But it’s hard for people to understand that when, to them, George is a boy.

  I’ve seen this book compared plenty of times to Gracefully Grayson, another wonderful transgender book for middle grade and young adult readers. Whatever your take may be, you can’t deny that it’s a beautiful day and age we live in to finally have books like these on the shelves for readers. The first books will, of course, be about how to express oneself to family and friends. They are the stepping stones to what lies ahead, and I’m beyond excited to see that!

  George is the perfect book for lower middle grade readers. Or anyone, really, to better understand the mind of a child coming to terms with who they are and how they want to express their individuality. I absolutely loved the way Gino used pronouns in here, how they expressed others’ reactions to George’s confession. Kelly, George’s best friend, is a bit confused (who wouldn’t be at that age?), but completely accepting. George’s older brother Scott is your typical icky teenage boy — I laughed at a lot of the things he’d say because he reminded me so much of my own brother at that age — and when he learned that George is a girl, it was as if his world clicked into place. Bless him. Mom was a tougher nut to crack, but at the same time she wasn’t hurtful. Now, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine. There are bullies. There are accepting as well as disappointed adults. George experiences it all, and expresses her frustration and anxiety in a way any fourth-grader would.

  If you haven’t already, you should follow Gino’s projects. They’re a true human rights advocate, and I hope to one day see love like this from everyone!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: contemporary, genre: LGBTQ, genre: middle grade, goodreads, review

• Whimsical Middle Grade for Autumn

  Posted at 6:30 am by Laura, on September 10, 2015

  

  I was rearranging my packed TBR bookcase (yes, bookcase) when I took a closer look at my MG shelf. The dark colors, the creepy art, the whimsical plot. There’s a trend in my preferences and reading habits for MG, and if it’s not a great boarding school detective story, it’s the “weird” stuff. Not quite historical, not quite fantasy, not quite nightmarish horror, but it could easily fit the bill for all those genres. Think Neil Gaiman’s children’s books, or Tim Burton’s stop motion movies. It’s that tiny bit of salt to add a kick of flavor in my otherwise routine reading habits!

  W H I M · S Y
  [ˈ(h)wimzē/] (n)
  playfully quaint or fanciful behavior or humor; a thing that is fanciful or odd

  GOTHIC  || dark and picturesque scenery, startling and melodramatic narrative devices, an overall atmosphere of exoticism, mystery, and dread (x)

  

  

  

  

  

  The Night Gardener || The Kneebone Boy
  The Mysterious Howling || Doll Bones || Monstrous

  STEAMPUNK || science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery rather than advanced technology (x)

  

  

  

  

  Flights & Chimes & Mysterious Times || The Accidental Afterlife of Thomas Marsden
  Horten’s Miraculous Mechanisms || Heap House

  HISTORICAL ADVENTURE || historically set, an exciting undertaking involving risk and physical danger (x)

  

  

  

  

  The Boundless || Liesl & Po || The Glass Sentence || Rooftoppers

  I don’t see these particular genres translating into my other reading habits. Yes, I enjoy fantasy and historical fiction and a blend of the two, and you know my love for the Gothic. But there’s something about the charm and spark added into the MG books that just can’t be replicated in YA or Adult.

  Seeing these books piling up inspired me to create a fall challenge. Like this summer’s plan to read through more of  the TBR pile and taking on fewer ARCs, I will read more whimsical MG from my TBR shelf. ARCs this fall are unavoidable (thank you, the blessing and curse that is BEA), but I know I can sink into these charming reads during the crisper months!

  Do you have any peculiar reading preferences? Is there a genre you’re drawn toward as your form of ultimate escapism?

  Posted in books | 4 Comments | Tagged books, genre: action/adventure, genre: fantasy, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade

• Book Review: “Serafina and the Black Cloak” by Robert Beatty

  Posted at 5:15 am by Laura, on August 24, 2015

  Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty

  Publisher: Disney Hyperion
  Published: July 2015
  Genre: middle grade, gothic, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9781484709016
  Goodreads: 4.08
  Rating: ★★★

  Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of Biltmore Estate. There’s plenty to explore in the shadowed corridors of her vast home, but she must take care to never be seen. None of the rich folk upstairs know that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate’s maintenance man, have secretly lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember.

  But when children at the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is: a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore’s corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of Biltmore’s owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak’s true identity before all of the children vanish one by one.

  Serafina’s hunt leads her into the very forest that she has been taught to fear. There she discovers a forgotten legacy of magic that is bound to her own identity. In order to save the children of Biltmore, Serafina must seek the answers that will unlock the puzzle of her past.

  Serafina is a child of the night. She and her mechanic father live in the basement of the grand Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, and it’s her job to catch the rats. On one particular night of rat catching, she witnesses a frightening man in a black cloak kidnapping a child — and vanishing into thin air. As the visitors to Biltmore Estate realize none of the children are safe, it’s up to Serafina and her uncanny senses to solve the terrifying mystery of this demon man, the forest surrounding the estate, and the stolen children before it’s too late.

  Gothic literature is meant to frighten, to raise your emotions and suspend belief. This was certainly frightening (I definitely wouldn’t recommend reading outside late at night (still not sure why I did that!)), especially in the first chapter. Whoa. However, there are elements of this, particularly with Appalachian lore and mountain lions and the like, that I found difficult to swallow. It’s one of those borderline fantasy or magical realism books, and magical realism isn’t my cup of tea. Apart from that, all the gothic trappings are there, and it worked!

  Not going to lie, Serafina is one clever girl. She figured out the mystery behind the cloaked man long before I did, even as she was explaining it to Braeden, the nephew of the owner of Biltmore. I had my thoughts set on two different characters entirely. Beatty peppered clues throughout — so pay close attention.

  This book’s strengths lie in the scary night scenes — the suspense was outrageously terrifying — and the easy camaraderie and friendship between Serafina and Braeden. Outcasts in their own way, they find and recognize a kinship in one another, and it’s so effortless and beautiful to watch. Neither of them knew the extent of their loneliness until they found one another. That’s probably what I enjoyed the most: neither character expressed sadness to the reader. It wasn’t moping or dejected. But the second Serafina and Braeden interact with one another, that spark of friendship lights up and it becomes obvious what they were missing out on their whole lives.

  A good middle grade mystery with heaps of the chill factor tossed in. Ignore what I said earlier about reading outside. This is perfect for a summer evening if you want a good scare — no better way to embrace the southern atmosphere!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 6 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: gothic, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “The Wolf Wilder” by Katherine Rundell (ARC)

  Posted at 7:00 am by Laura, on August 12, 2015

  The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell

  Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
  Publishing Date: August 25
  Genre: middle grade, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9781481419420
  Goodreads: —
  Rating: ★★★.5

  Feo’s life is extraordinary. Her mother trains domesticated wolves to be able to fend for themselves in the snowy wilderness of Russia, and Feo is following in her footsteps to become a wolf wilder. She loves taking care of the wolves, especially the three who stay at the house because they refuse to leave Feo, even though they’ve already been wilded. But not everyone is enamored with the wolves, or with the fact that Feo and her mother are turning them wild. And when her mother is taken captive, Feo must travel through the cold, harsh woods to save her—and learn from her wolves how to survive.

  Feo and her mother are frequently given domesticated wolves from elite Russian households, wolves that dissatisfy the rich and need to be sent back to the wild. But one particular officer in the Imperial Army has a better idea: shoot them all, and shoot the wilders while he’s at it. Feo’s mother is taken captive, and it takes Feo, her three wilded but loyal wolves, an ex-Imperial Army soldier, and village children to storm into St. Petersburg in the middle of a terrible Russian blizzard to free Feo’s mother.

  I was under the impression this would be a more solitary kind of novel — just Feo and her wolves, fending for themselves in snowy Russia. A rescue mission would be included, too, of course, but to be honest I wasn’t sure how that was going to happen. Rundell surprised me: Feo is not alone. Feo is never alone. She’s a fiercely independent character, wild in her own way, but she does need help of “civilized” people in order to storm into a prison in St. Petersburg. The people she meets understand her on a completely different level, and it truly does have something to do with her wolves. Rundell has a way of expressing the deep emotional connections humans have with animals — be they wild or domesticated — and it shows throughout the novel.

  One of the helpers is Ilya, an incredibly young boy in the Imperial Army who’s assigned to watch Feo and her mother before the capture. At first I couldn’t help but notice just how wrong it was that he was a soldier. First, he’s too young, and second, he seemed like a dreamer. As if he didn’t pay attention in training, or something. He didn’t even have the most basic survival skills — making a compass, for one thing — on hand, and relied on Feo and her wolves. But after he gushed about ballet, I knew. And it made my heart soar. So happy to see a young boy in a middle grade book desire to become a ballet dancer!

  Finally, the wolves are more than animals in the book. Black, White, and Gray had very distinct personalities. They’re characters too. And when you get to that scene — you’ll know which one — holla atcho gurl and we can commiserate together.

  There were moments when the novel started to read a bit more like a Russian Winter Wilderness Survival Guide, which knocked it down half a star. But apart from that, it was incredibly enjoyable. I’ve said before I wanted to read stories set in Russia, and this certainly fit the bill. Rundell once again delivers a fantastic read.

  Thank you, Edelweiss, for providing this book from SSBFYR for review!

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 2 Comments | Tagged advance reading copy, ARC, book review, books, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, goodreads, review, Russia, Russian history

• Book Review: “Murder is Bad Manners” by Robin Stevens

  Posted at 6:30 am by Laura, on June 12, 2015

  Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens
  also published under Murder Most Unladylike in the UK

  Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers / Corgi Children’s
  Published: April 2015 / June 2014
  Genre: middle grade, mystery, historical fiction
  ISBN: 9781481422123
  Goodreads: 4.05
  Rating: ★★★★

  Deepdean School for Girls, 1934. When Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong set up their very own deadly secret detective agency, they struggle to find any truly exciting mysteries to investigate. (Unless you count the case of Lavinia’s missing tie. Which they don’t, really.)

  But then Hazel discovers the Science Mistress, Miss Bell, lying dead in the Gym. She thinks it must all have been a terrible accident – but when she and Daisy return five minutes later, the body has disappeared. Now the girls know a murder must have taken place . . . and there’s more than one person at Deepdean with a motive.

  Now Hazel and Daisy not only have a murder to solve: they have to prove a murder happened in the first place. Determined to get to the bottom of the crime before the killer strikes again (and before the police can get there first, naturally), Hazel and Daisy must hunt for evidence, spy on their suspects and use all the cunning, scheming and intuition they can muster. But will they succeed? And can their friendship stand the test?

  Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong, best friends and co-starters of several societies at Deepdean School for Girls, are smack dab in the middle of a murder case before the rest of the school realizes what’s happened to two of their teachers. Hazel discovers Miss Bell, the science teacher, dead in the gym, and Daisy launches an investigation by starting up the Wells and Wong Detective Agency. By listing suspects, motives, and gathering evidence, the girls seek out ways to prove teachers’ innocence, and are on the right track to sniffing out the murderer when another teacher winds up dead. Soon, the murders seem too real to the girls, and their friendship is stretched thin.

  Daisy liked rushing headlong into things and triumphing, and I liked waiting
  and thinking — but why should that make her right and me wrong?

  If you want a good middle grade mystery for a young Holmes or Marple in your life, look no further. This has that classic Doyle or Christie feel, and the characters — Hazel, in particular — are so well-rounded I felt like I was in school with these girls in 1930s England.

  Daisy and Hazel occasionally let their emotions guide them to their conclusions, but they conduct their investigation like a detective would: writing down possible suspects, sniffing around for evidence to cross suspects off the list — rather than pinpointing a person and blindly ignoring evidence that suggests otherwise — sneakily discover information by creating diversions or running off somewhere in the school late at night, and even confronting the criminal when they’ve finished their work. What’s extra wonderful is that the girls solve the basic part of the mystery halfway through, and quickly realize they’re not necessarily wrong, just that there was more to it than they expected, and they continue the investigation before bringing it to the police’s attention.

  That’s not to say the murder doesn’t bother them. Daisy tries very hard to see the crime as something in her detective novels, but there’s a scene in here where she buries herself under a pile of coats (kind of like a comfort tactic) and admits to Hazel they may be in over their heads. Hazel is bothered by the case from the get-go, having seen the victim firsthand. Several middle grade mysteries lack this haunting psychological element, so I was very happy to see Stevens write this into the story. It was also refreshing to see the friends work hard together, but still have some bumps along the road that tests their friendship. There are moments when Hazel’s “otherness” gets in the way as well, and I liked how she handled these situations.

  A satisfying ending that works as a standalone and a promise for more (and I know there’s more — the perks of watching UK books come to the US!). I’m thrilled I read this book! I can’t wait to read the other adventures Daisy and Hazel experience!

  This qualifies as book #6 in my resolution to read 10 library books in 2015. 

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, goodreads, review

• Mini Reviews II

  Posted at 7:05 am by Laura, on June 4, 2015

  Mini Reviews

  Quick, bite-sized reviews of fast, enjoyable reads!
  A penny for thoughts, a snappy two-cent reflection! 

  Emma by Alexander McCall Smith

  Publisher: Pantheon
  Published: April 7
  Genre: adult fiction, contemporary
  ISBN: 9780804197953
  Rating: ★★.5
  Summary: The summer after she graduates from university, Emma Woodhouse returns to Highbury, where she will live with her health-conscious father until she launches her interior-design business. In the meantime, she will offer guidance to those less wise than she is in the ways of the world. This summer brings new faces into the sphere of Emma’s not always perfectly felicitous council: Harriet Smith, a naïve assistant at the ESL school; Frank Churchill, the stepson of Emma’s former governess; and, of course, the perfect Jane Fairfax.

  Mini Review: While I own one of the Austen Project novels, I’d yet to read one. I also haven’t read Smith before, so my only comparison is to the original Austen (also, not my favorite Austen novel). When I read this contemporary retelling, I found it entertaining — certainly had that Austen voice — but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Contemporary is meant to not only be set in our time, but also have today’s mannerisms and culture and dialogue. I was expecting an English version of Clueless or Emma Approved. Smith did such a great job writing like Austen that I actually had a hard time believing this was set in the modern day (again, not sure if this is Smith’s normal writing style or if this is part of the Austen Project guidelines). This is also a very condensed version of the original, with only the major events stringing together nicely across a summer. The downside: less George. I wanted more George and Emma interaction! All that aside, I felt the characters’ backgrounds fitting for modern day — Emma as an interior designer, for one — and the satire amusing. If I loved the Austen novel more, I may have enjoyed this one more, as well.

  This qualifies as book #3 in my resolution to read 10 library books in 2015. 

  Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

  Publisher: Random House Audio
  Published: November 2011
  Genre: memoir
  ISBN: 9780307939814
  Rating: ★★★
  Summary: Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood, with several conveniently placed stopping points for you to run errands and make phone calls. Mindy Kaling really is just a Girl Next Door—not so much literally anywhere in the continental United States, but definitely if you live in India or Sri Lanka.

  Mini Review: I listened to this in the car on the way back from BEA, and I was genuinely surprised how much I enjoyed it. Mindy is nothing like her characters on television. She’s funny, insightful, and intelligent. Every story she told felt honest and true, and she managed to make me laugh without using vulgarity or racism. Her memoir managed to make me believe we were best friends.

  This qualifies as book #4 in my resolution to read 10 library books in 2015. 

   The Girl with the Glass Bird by Esme Kerr

  Publisher: Chicken House
  Published: March 2015
  Genre: middle grade, mystery
  ISBN: 9780545699846
  Rating: ★★
  Summary: Orphan Edie’s been sent to Knight’s Haddon, a private boarding school, by her uncle to investigate the disappearance of a precious crystal bird that belongs to his client’s daughter. Anastasia, a Russian royal, has a fragile disposition and a melodramatic bent — or so the headmistress and all the other girls say. Edie’s assignment is to find the missing glass bird, befriend the troubled blueblood, and keep a watchful eye on her. When the two girls uncover a dangerous plot, how can they stop it and who can they trust?

  Mini Review: I was expecting something a bit more adventurous and mysterious. While I really enjoyed Edie’s character — she certainly doesn’t do well as a spy, but it was fun to watch her attempt to sneak around — I found myself drawn to the adults in the story. With every turn of phrase, with every tiny scene alone in their minds, I was drawn to that aspect of the mystery more than what the girls were up to. This book also contains a lot of fears over mental illness as well, paranoia and the like, and I wasn’t sure if it worked. I’d recommend this book to light mystery readers in need of a boarding school setting.

  This qualifies as book #5 in my resolution to read 10 library books in 2015. 

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 2 Comments | Tagged books, genre: adult fiction, genre: classics, genre: contemporary, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, genre: nonfiction, mini review, review

• Book Review: “The Case of the Missing Moonstone” by Jordan Stratford

  Posted at 7:30 am by Laura, on February 21, 2015

  The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency: The Case of the Missing Moonstone by Jordan Stratford

  Publisher: Knopf BFYR
  Published: January 2015
  Genre: middle grade, historical fiction, mystery
  ISBN: 9780385754415
  Goodreads: 3.96
  Rating: ★★★★

  Lady Ada Byron, age eleven, is a genius. Isolated, awkward and a bit rude—but a genius. Mary Godwin, age fourteen, is a romantic. Adventurous, astute, and kind, Mary is to become Ada’s first true friend. And together, the girls conspire to form the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency—a secret constabulary for the apprehension of clever criminals. Their first case involves a stolen heirloom, a false confession, and an array of fishy suspects. But it’s no match for the deductive powers and bold hearts of Ada and Mary.

  Ada finds numbers in everything. It’s how she understands her world. Mary is observant and a romantic, longing for adventure. When the two girls are thrust together, they become a dynamic duo and form a detective agency to help London find and prosecute the real criminals not put in the newspaper Ada reads everyday. Mary and Ada take on a case regarding a missing heirloom, and are able to solve it by discovering loopholes in propriety, the power of logic, and learning from one another.

  When I found this adorable middle grade read pertaining to Ada Lovelace (Lord Byron’s genius computer programming daughter) and Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein), I knew I had to read it. Toss in Percy Shelley, Charles Dickens, and references to The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins, and I knew I’d be in love! This is Victorian Gothic / early detective fiction for young readers!

  The author’s note regarding the ages and dates of all the characters was definitely a welcomed one. Mary was actually old enough to be Ada’s mother in real history, and obviously Percy was not much older than Mary. In the book, the author took liberties to make Mary, Ada, and Charles roughly the same age (with Charles the only character the accurate age in 1826), Percy their tutor, and Byron long dead. Even with these liberties, Stratford managed to capture these characters in such a way that it truly reflects who they eventually became (or at least how we know them to be). For example, Ada really was a bit of a rude genius, and Percy passionate but somewhat wishy washy. Mary, from what I’ve read, longed for adventure outside her home, but outwardly showed herself to be docile and polite (hence the shock of her book!).

  Anyway, enough with my amazement with the timeline and nods and general Victorian-ness!

  I found myself laughing at least once each chapter. There would be a turn of phrase, a line, an observation, a remark, that would cause me to laugh at the pun or the reference or the characterization. I especially enjoyed reading Ada’s line of logic — like how a guard should let two young girls into Newgate because no one ever begs to be let in, only let out — and Mary’s observational skills coming into play later on. The things Percy would fall for — like following the butler into the distillery and getting locked inside — would make me smack my forehead in exasperation, laugh, and read on.

  Everything fit together nicely, like a neat little puzzle. I’ll admit I was paying more attention to all the Victorian literary parallels more so than the mystery — so solving the mystery of the missing moonstone came as a surprise, and quite clever too. The mystery is easy and intriguing enough that I think young readers will really enjoy it.

  This book is perfect for mystery readers, educators, librarians, and logophiles (who will especially enjoy the puns and dialogue). I can’t wait for the next one, featuring Jane (aka Claire Clairmont) and Allegra! The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency will be an automatic buy for me.

  This qualifies as book #2 in my resolution to read 10 library books in 2015.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 0 Comments | Tagged book review, books, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: mystery, goodreads, review

• Book Review: “Alistair Grim’s Odditorium” by Gregory Funaro

  Posted at 7:35 am by Laura, on January 24, 2015

  Alistair Grim’s Odditorium by Gregory Funaro

  Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
  Published: January 6, 2015
  Genre: middle grade, fantasy, steampunk
  ISBN: 9781484700068
  Goodreads: 3.97
  Rating: ★★★★

  Grubb, age twelve (or thereabouts), has never known anything beyond his miserable existence as a chimney sweep, paid only in insults and abuse by his cruel master.

  All of that changes the day he stows away in the coach belonging to a mysterious guest at the inn that he is tasked with cleaning. Grubb emerges from Alistair Grim’s trunk and into the wondrous world of the Odditorium. Fueled by a glowing blue energy that Grubb can only begin to understand, the Odditorium is home to countless enchanted objects and an eccentric crew that embraces Grubb as one of their own.

  There’s no time for Grubb to settle into his new role as apprentice to the strange, secretive Mr. Grim. When the Odditorium comes under attack, Grubb is whisked off on a perilous adventure. Only he can prevent the Odditorium’s magic from falling into evil hands-and his new family from suffering a terrible fate.

  Grubb knows he’s no hero. He’s just a chimney sweep. But armed with only his courage and wits, Grubb will confront the life-or-death battle he alone is destined to fight.

  Grubb (spelled like the worm but with a second b) is an orphaned chimney sweep working for a very large, very grumpy Mr. Smears. An accident at the local inn drives Grubb to hide in a trunk stowed in a carriage — and the next thing he knows, he’s a stowaway granted permission to live in the dark, mysterious, glowing Odditorium. He stumbles across several enchanted and mechanical objects, all running off this strange blue or red energy. But Mr. Grim instructs Grubb to not ask questions, to not cause trouble, and to not touch anything. A small mishap with a tinkered pocket-watch sends Grubb on a wild journey across time and space with a sorcerer, a banshee, a witch, a business investor, a fairy, and countless Odditoria to save Victorian London and prevent the Odditorium’s magic from falling into Prince Nightshade’s hands.

  What a witty and fun adventure! I thought Odditorium was going to be a quirky Victorian Gothic book, but it’s not. It felt like a child Dickens mixed with Potter mixed with Snicket — and yet wholly unique. A mixture of Roman mythology and Celtic lore, with a dash of Victorian culture, and a dollop of magic, Odditorium is definitely a whirlwind of a read. I especially loved the illustrations by Vivienne To — it really added to the story!

  From the character names to their personal catch phrases, their hidden talents to their mysterious stories, it was enjoyable to watch Grubb’s world change in a matter of days from a skinny, starving, dirtied chummy to that of a sorcerer’s assistant risking life and limb to save a remarkable collection. The little academic inside me cheered.

  The story ended on a good note with a hint for a sequel. I do hope one comes out. This was a great mini Dickens-meets-fantasy read.

  This qualifies as book #1 in my resolution to read 10 library books in 2015.

  Posted in books, Reviews 2015 | 1 Comment | Tagged book review, books, genre: fantasy, genre: historical fiction, genre: middle grade, genre: sci-fi, goodreads, review

• 

• Hello, I’m Laura!

  I'm a bookish bookworm and book hoarder. By day I'm a literary agent, and by night I'm forever rearranging my bookshelves. I could talk your ear off about Gothic literature, and in my past life people thought I'd become a professional musician. I have a fluffy black cat named Rossetti, I love to travel, tea is my drink of choice, British TV is the best, and I'm always down for chips-and-queso nights. Welcome to Scribbles & Wanderlust! Grab your favorite hot beverage and let's chat books!

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