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Thundercluck! 2 Recipe For Revenge, Amanda Morgan
Thundercluck! 2 Recipe For Revenge, Amanda Morgan
Children's Book and Media Review
Like the first Thundercluck book, this is a wild ride of adventure and humor. Not quite as engaging as the first because the conflict feels a bit drawn out, it does, however, teach wonderful lessons about not giving up on friends. Suited for readers ages eight through twelve, it is a good book for children needing a chapter book with large text, small paragraphs, and illustrations scattered throughout. While the peril faced is relatively mild, the story remains thrilling and should capture the attention of a range of readers looking for adventure novels.
The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures Of Bronte Mettlestone, Amanda Morgan
The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures Of Bronte Mettlestone, Amanda Morgan
Children's Book and Media Review
Bronte Mettlestone never knew her parents, so it was hardly significant when she received a letter alerting her that they were killed by pirates. But then, she is given a will with oddly specific instructions that must be completed exactly as described, or awful things will happen. So, Bronte sets off on an adventure to deliver gifts to ten of her aunts, meeting a range of magical creatures, from elves to dragons, along the way. But as she discovers that there is more to this adventure than she thought, she also learns important lessons about who she is and what …
Madame Badobedah, Jazmin Gomez
Madame Badobedah, Jazmin Gomez
Children's Book and Media Review
Mabel lives by the ocean at the Mermaid Hotel, which is the perfect place for an adventurer like her. Life becomes much more interesting when a new hotel guest arrives. Mabel decides that the new guest, who is aloof and a bit rude and whom she has named Madame Badobedah, is a villain on the run from the police. Donning her spy outfit, Mabel is intent on catching her until one morning, when Madame Badobedah unexpectedly invites Mabel in for tea. Reluctantly, she accepts, and so begins a beautiful relationship. Together, spy and supervillain play cards, sail in a pirate …
A Brief History Of Unicorns The Magical Unicorn Society, Taylor Bitton
A Brief History Of Unicorns The Magical Unicorn Society, Taylor Bitton
Children's Book and Media Review
The Magical Unicorn Society has members across the globe dedicated to discovering more about how unicorns spread their magic. Each explorer has a unique story to tell, and they document the unicorns from the tops of the Himalayas to the waters of the Mediterranean. The Golden Unicorn was discovered frozen in ice by Hana and Jakob in Norway. A Water Moon unicorn helped Selena escape from a dangerous encounter with pirates. Amber Li was even helped by a Storm Chaser unicorn when she wanted to play soccer on a rainy day.
The Train To Impossible Places:The Great Brain Robbery, Aubrey Parry
The Train To Impossible Places:The Great Brain Robbery, Aubrey Parry
Children's Book and Media Review
When an earthquake stops the relaunch of The Impossible Postal Express, Suzy realizes her second stay in Trollville won’t be quite what she expected. While helping to find parts to fix up the rest home, Suzy overhears something terrible. The person who caused the earthquake is going to cause another one. She decides to do something herself after discovering that those in charge can't do anything. Traveling with her friends to a farm filled with treasure and a cave believed to be fiction, Suzy and the group gather enough clues to figure out who’s behind the earthquakes so they can …
The 117-Story Treehouse, Erica Sonzogni
The 117-Story Treehouse, Erica Sonzogni
Children's Book and Media Review
Andy and Terry are back at it again, adding 13 more levels to their previous 104-story treehouse. Along with adding a mini horse floor, a traffic school, and an all-you-can-eat level to their abode, the boys are tasked with creating another story for their publisher, Mr. Big Nose. Terry, who is usually the illustrator, wants to oversee writing this book but has a challenging time creating the ending. When the Story Police come to arrest the boys due to their story’s lack of closure, they work together to evade the police while finishing a worthwhile story to publish.
Homerooms And Hall Passes, Amanda Morgan
Homerooms And Hall Passes, Amanda Morgan
Children's Book and Media Review
Four hero friends—Thromdurr the barbarian, Devis the thief, Velva the paladin, Sorrowshade the assassin, and Albiorix the wizard—go on adventures every day. It’s easy for them to tire of the excitement, and they can hardly wait until they play Homerooms and Hall Passes each week. In this fun role-playing game, they can pretend they are in a mundane and ordinary middle school. After an encounter with a curse, things go awry, and the mighty adventurers end up in real life. There, the friends must learn how to be regular students and protect this newly discovered world from its own evils.
Alcatraz Vs. The Evil Librarians, Karen Abbott
Alcatraz Vs. The Evil Librarians, Karen Abbott
Children's Book and Media Review
Alcatraz has been breaking things all of his life while he is passed from foster home to foster home. So, it is astonishing when his grandfather, Leavenworth Smedry, reveals that this is a much-revered talent in the Free Kingdoms. Grandpa Smedry sweeps Alcatraz into a world where librarians are evil and control information, a world where sand is smelted into glasses that allow occulators to see things that others cannot, and a world populated by the family that Alcatraz has always wondered about. As his eyes begin to see things in a new light, choices that he never expected fall …
Wild Lands, Amanda Morgan
Wild Lands, Amanda Morgan
Children's Book and Media Review
Years ago, Travis’ family chose to stay in Alaska after the U.S. government withdrew support of the state. Now, with several raging fires and barren rivers, there is nothing left to live on. The family must brave a treacherous journey toward Anchorage, where they hope there are resources left. Everyone the family encounters is a potential threat, since the remaining residents are desperate and can rarely be trusted. Travis must choose wisely who he and his little sister can depend on as they face ravenous animals and desolate lands. With each challenge they grow closer together and more determined find …
Where The Mountain Meets The Moon, Cynthia Frazier
Where The Mountain Meets The Moon, Cynthia Frazier
Children's Book and Media Review
Minli lives with her mother and father, Ma and Ba, in the shadow of the Fruitless Mountain, a desolate place where they eke out a living by working in muddy rice paddies from dawn until dark. The only bright spot of Minli’s day is hearing one of Ba’s stories before she goes to bed each night. The stories fill her heart with wonder and hope, so she decides to find the Old Man of the Moon, a character in one of Ba’s stories who lives far away in the Never Ending Mountain, to ask for help for a better life …
Tomorrow, Jennifer Padgett
Tomorrow, Jennifer Padgett
Children's Book and Media Review
Torn apart by the manifestations of war, a child can no longer live as children often do. Yazan finds himself surrounded by loneliness and boredom, spending days making paper planes, doodling on paper, and making formations out of pillows. One day, when he cannot stand the monotony and isolation of being inside, he dares to venture outside into the dangerous streets on his little red bicycle. As loud sounds explode all around him, he contemplates if he should continue on to the nearby park. His father finds him, and silently, they walk home together hand in hand. His mother is …
The Sticky Rice Caper, Carmen Sandiego Graphic Novel, Erica Sonzogni
The Sticky Rice Caper, Carmen Sandiego Graphic Novel, Erica Sonzogni
Children's Book and Media Review
Carmen Sandiego travels to Jakarta, Indonesia to stop the Villains’ International League of Evil (VILE) from releasing a biochemical weapon onto the country’s rice paddies. If VILE succeeds, they will destroy the entire country’s main crop and force the citizens to buy VILE’s products. But with the help of her team and some camouflaged weapons, Carmen is sure to defeat the VILE operatives and save Jakarta from a horrible fate.
Navigating Early, Cynthia Frazier
Navigating Early, Cynthia Frazier
Children's Book and Media Review
Jack’s mother dies near the end of world War II. His father, who is in the Navy, must go back to his ship, so Jack is sent far from his home in Kansas to a boarding school in Maine. Grieving, he struggles to fit in until he makes a friend named Early. Early is a little strange. He loves numbers and explains the number Pi as if it was a person. In fact, he plans to find Pi by traveling on the Appalachian trail, so Jack joins him on his quest. As they walk, Early tells stories about Pi, pirates, …
Charlie Thorne And The Last Equation, Tessa Mcmillan
Charlie Thorne And The Last Equation, Tessa Mcmillan
Children's Book and Media Review
For seventy years, the CIA has been searching for Albert Einstein’s final equation: a shortcut for harnessing atomic energy called Pandora. Einstein left a clue to Pandora on his deathbed, but no one has solved it. Now a German terrorist group, the Furies, is on the trail. To get ahead, the CIA wants to bring someone as smart as Einstein into their confidence: twelve-year-old prodigy, Charlie Thorne. When CIA agents Dante Garcia and Milana Moon find her, she resists. But once they explain their predicament, she agrees to help, especially since Dante is her half-brother. Working together they solve Einstein’s …
King Of Scars, Cynthia Frazier
King Of Scars, Cynthia Frazier
Children's Book and Media Review
King of Scars continues the story of the Grishaverse that began with the Shadow and Bone trilogy and continued with the Six of Crows duology. Nikolai Lantsov, former soldier and privateer has become King of Ravka. Civil war has depleted Ravka’s treasury and Nikolai is trying to form alliances with neighboring countries, rebuild the once powerful Grisha army, and reconstruct his country’s economy. His trusted advisors think that a politically advantageous marriage would solve most of Ravka’s problems. Nikolai tends to agree with this strategy, but his only problem is that for the last six months he has been turning …
Guardians Of The Galaxy Volume 1: Road To Knowledge, Haley Singleton
Guardians Of The Galaxy Volume 1: Road To Knowledge, Haley Singleton
Children's Book and Media Review
Based on the Disney XD animated series, this graphic novel begins a multiple-volume arc story about the roguish heroes, the Guardians of the Galaxy. The portion of the story we receive in this volume is about the Guardians breaking Yondu, Quill’s former mentor, out of a high-security prison. They learn that he was put in there by the nefarious Korath, who serves the evil Thanos, because Yondu had a cube that Thanos wanted. After they free Yondu the Guardians use their skills to track down Korath, break into his ship, and are able to steal back the cube. Along the …
Cherub Mission Three: Maximum Security, Audrey Lowther
Cherub Mission Three: Maximum Security, Audrey Lowther
Children's Book and Media Review
James a 13-year-old Cherub agent, is sent undercover to a maximum-security prison. His mission is to draw out arms dealer Jane Oxford by befriending her son, Curtis, and helping him escape. Despite several kinks in James’ escape plan, he and Curtis successfully break out and meet up with James’ sister, Lauren. The three children steal across state lines and hide out with one of Oxford’s henchmen before finally arriving at a hotel, where Oxford claims to have new lives waiting for them. Ultimately betrayed by Oxford, the young agent must work to contact their mission controller and keep a close …
The Thief Knot: A Greenglass House Story, Tessa Mcmillan
The Thief Knot: A Greenglass House Story, Tessa Mcmillan
Children's Book and Media Review
Ever since her adventures at Greenglass House, Marzana yearns to solve another mystery. Surprisingly, one falls into her lap, or actually her parents’ laps, when a politician’s daughter, Peony Hyde, is kidnapped. Because the kidnapping was near the sanctuary city of Liberty of Gammerbund, law enforcement are not allowed to go searching. As Marzana’s parents start their investigation, Marzana and her best friend, Nialla, put together a group of eager young detectives. Calling themselves the Thief Knot, the tween investigators decipher clues and traverse forgotten paths. However, after finding Peony, Marzana does not believe the case is solved. Peony looks …
The Flying Flamingo Sisters, Amanda Morgan
The Flying Flamingo Sisters, Amanda Morgan
Children's Book and Media Review
Flo, Faye and Franny, also known as the Flying Flamingo Sisters, are from a family of pilots. They travel the world and break all kinds of records. On one particular adventure, the sisters’ parents go missing. Determined to find them, they dodge the clutches of their evil uncle and perform aerial acrobatics in a circus until a secret map leads them to their parents and a secret family treasure. With courage, strength, and abundant knowledge, the girls navigate sticky situations and bring their family back together again.
Starbounders, Rebecca Lambert
Starbounders, Rebecca Lambert
Children's Book and Media Review
Zachary Night comes from a long line of Starbounders, the protectors and peacekeepers of the galaxy. His parents take him to a secret base called Indigo 8, where Starbounders are trained to fight rebel aliens, move in zero gravity, and pilot spaceships. However, after only a few weeks Zachary's training is put to the test. His ship gets hijacked by intergalactic criminals who were mistakenly transported onto their ship instead of the asteroid prison. Zachary and his friends escape and call for help. But when one of their rescuers tries to kill them, they are forced to travel from planet …
Rainbow Fairies: Danni The Drum Fairy, Erica Sonzogni
Rainbow Fairies: Danni The Drum Fairy, Erica Sonzogni
Children's Book and Media Review
Kirsty and Rachel want to help the music fairies find their magical instruments since Jack Frost and the goblins took them. While they were looking for Danni’s magical drum set, Kirsty and Rachel got invited to be in a music video. As they were dancing along, they spied a goblin and knew that Danni’s miniature drum set was close by. After some searching, they spied Danni’s drum set, but the life-size goblins were trying to play them. In order to get her drums back, Danni shrunk the goblin down to the same size as the tiny set. The girls grabbed …
Raj And The Best Day Ever!, Krista Alletto
Raj And The Best Day Ever!, Krista Alletto
Children's Book and Media Review
Raj and his dad have the perfect day planned. They are going to go check out a book from the library, visit the farm, eat at the café, and many other fun things. It is going to be a great father-son activity day! There is only one problem—Raj’s dad has misplaced his wallet. Without his library card and a way to pay for the different activities, their plans seem to be ruined. Raj feels sad and disappointed, but fortunately, Raj’s dad saves the day when he comes up with other fun plans for the two to do together that don't …
Wild Baby, Audrey Lowther
Wild Baby, Audrey Lowther
Children's Book and Media Review
Deep in the jungle, Wild Baby wakes up ready to play. He jumps from and slides across tree branches, swings from vines, and terrorizes the other jungle animals with his wild antics as his mama hurries after him, struggling to keep up. Much to Mama’s dismay, her baby unwittingly attracts the attention of a dangerous predator—a jungle cat. Just when it seems the jungle cat is going to catch up to Wild Baby, the branch the cat is climbing snaps, sending it tumbling to the ground. Mama is relieved that her baby is safe, but scolds him for running away …
Bear Came Along, Karen Abbott
Bear Came Along, Karen Abbott
Children's Book and Media Review
Bear is exploring a river that flows through the forest when a log breaks, and he begins floating toward a new adventure. He is joined on the log by a lonely frog, They are joined by a beaver, some raccoons, and a duck. Everyone seems to be having a wonderful time until a waterfall appears ahead. Some consternation appears on each animal's face at the possible danger looming ahead. They plunge over the falls together, holding on to one another as best they can. They dive with smiles into the still water, splashing and diving and having fun. The river …
Switchback, Amanda Morgan
Switchback, Amanda Morgan
Children's Book and Media Review
Ash and Vale have to go on an overnight hike with their PE classmates in order to pass the class. Ash hates the outdoors and he’s never been hiking. Vale hates the bullying she receives from her classmates. Naturally, neither of them are excited about the hike to begin with, but it turns out to be worse than they expected. On the first day, Ash and Vale get separated from the rest of the group. Their absence isn’t noticed until nightfall, and the town begins a frantic search for them. By that time the two friends are further from the …
Mike & Riel #2: Truth And Lies, Amanda Morgan
Mike & Riel #2: Truth And Lies, Amanda Morgan
Children's Book and Media Review
Robbie Ducharme has been murdered. It’s sad, but none of his classmates, including Mike, knew him very well. So, the incident starts to blow over and become forgotten, until suddenly, Mike is the lead suspect in the investigation. He was already struggling to get over a difficult breakup and reconnect with his best friend. Now he can add proving his innocence to the cops to his list of stressful things to do. None of his alibis are airtight, and new information continues to arise, placing the blame on him. Mike’s own foster dad doesn't even seem certain of his innocence …
Mike & Riel #1: Hit And Run, Amanda Morgan
Mike & Riel #1: Hit And Run, Amanda Morgan
Children's Book and Media Review
Fifteen-year-old Mike still isn’t over the death of his mother four years ago. He tries to do the things that would make her proud, but his friends aren’t great influences, and neither is his young uncle who happens to be his guardian. As he falls behind in his classes, his teacher and ex-cop Mr. Riel begins to reach out. He seems know more than anyone how Mike struggles and, as it turns out, may know more than anyone about his mother’s death too. Together Mike and Riel begin digging deep into the story behind Mike’s mother’s death. They uncover shocking …
Epic Fails #4: The Age Of Exploration: Totally Getting Lost, Amanda Morgan
Epic Fails #4: The Age Of Exploration: Totally Getting Lost, Amanda Morgan
Children's Book and Media Review
Christopher Columbus was not the first person to discover the Americas, and once he did, the age of exploration was far from over. The first recorded discovery of North America was made by the Viking Leif Erikson. From then on, many explorations would follow. These explorations were far from perfect. There were mutinies and wrong turns, dangerous people and bad weather. It would be many centuries of mess-ups before we developed the map we have today.
The Path Of Names, Jessica Mellor
The Path Of Names, Jessica Mellor
Children's Book and Media Review
Dahlia loves magic tricks of any kind, but she can't go to a magic camp this summer. Instead, she has to go to a Jewish camp her parents picked out. Even though she is unhappy about having to hang out with other girls who don't share her hobby, her attitude changes when she sees two girls mysteriously pass through a solid wall. Soon, the camp is full of odd occurrences. There is an abnormally grumpy caretaker who guards a maze, and two girls have died. On top of this mystery, when Dahlia learns that past campers have disappeared, she learns …
The Paper Magician, Karen Abbott
The Paper Magician, Karen Abbott
Children's Book and Media Review
Bonding her magic to paper was far from Ceony's first choice. In fact, almost any other branch of magic would have pleased her more. Nevertheless, she has an inner drive to be the best at anything she undertakes and begins to make rapid progress with her paper studies. There is something mysterious about her master Magician, Emery Thane, who suddenly disappears for a week without explanation. When he returns, an evil magician wielding forbidden blood magic is hot on his trail. The evil mage literally steals Emery's heart and Ceony is barely able to patch together a paper pump to …