It’s time for another Summer Reading post! This week’s topic is Books for Younger Readers! I love a good middle grade story, so I am excited to share some of my favorites!
Here are my recommendations:
The False Prince by Jennifer A. Nielsen
Thoughts: This is an absolutely wonderful book full of action and heart! I have loved this book for many, many years, and now I have passed it on to my sister, who loves it very much, too. The main character is just so much fun to follow, with a voice that is memorable, and there is fantasy action and adventure that is appropriate for younger readers that is thrilling!
Review: 5 stars
Summary:
In a discontent kingdom, civil war is brewing. To unify the divided people, Conner, a nobleman of the court, devises a cunning plan to find an impersonator of the king’s long-lost son and install him as a puppet prince. Four orphans are recruited to compete for the role, including a defiant boy named Sage. Sage knows that Conner’s motives are more than questionable, yet his life balances on a sword’s point—he must be chosen to play the prince or he will certainly be killed. But Sage’s rivals have their own agendas as well. As Sage moves from a rundown orphanage to Conner’s sumptuous palace, layer upon layer of treachery and deceit unfold, until finally, a truth is revealed that, in the end, may very well prove more dangerous than all of the lies taken together.
The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest by Aubrey Hartman
Thoughts: This book is for the more introspective reader, but it has action and adventure, just with a more nostalgic note. The premise is fascinating and the characters are wonderful. The classic children’s stories we read as kids in school with the forest animals is the vibes of this book! There were also meaningful and important storylines and themes present throughout the book, such as finding your worth.
Review: 4.5 stars
Summary:
Clare is the undead fox of Deadwood Forest. Here, leaves grow in a perpetual state of fall: not quite dead, but not quite alive—just like Clare. Long ago, he was struck by a car, and, hovering between life and death, he was given the choice to either cross into the Afterlife or become an Usher of wandering souls. Clare chose the latter: a solitary life of guiding souls to their final resting place. Clare’s quiet and predictable days are met with upheaval when a badger soul named Gingersnipes knocks on his door. Despite Clare’s efforts to usher her into the Afterlife, the badger is unable to leave Deadwood. This is unprecedented. Baffling. A disturbing mystery which threatens the delicate balance between the living and the dead. Desperate for help, Clare and Gingersnipes set out on a treacherous journey to find Hesterfowl—the visionary grouse who recently foretold of turmoil in Deadwood. But upon their arrival, Hesterfowl divulges a shocking revelation that leaves Clare devastated, outraged, and determined to do anything to change his fate.
Suddenly Super by Jen Calonita
Thoughts: While Suddenly Super may be a YA title, I think it is a wonderful book for middle schoolers. This book follows Violet from Disney Pixar’s The Incredibles and asks the question: What if Violet became an agent of Syndrome? I love all the Twisted Tales, and this one was wonderful! It explored this twist in a really unique way, and we got to understand Violet on a deeper level. I loved seeing the world and these characters this way, and it was a super quick, fun read!
Review: 4 stars
Summary:
What if Violet became an agent of Syndrome? Fourteen-year-old Violet Parr lives by two rules: hide her superpowers, and blend in. But when a mysterious woman named Mirage claims that her parents have been killed by the National Super Agency, Violet realises everything she thought she knew about her life might be a lie. The only person that can protect Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack is the powerful Syndrome, who says that he’s Mr Incredible’s biggest fan…
Glass Slippers by Leah Cypess
Thoughts: Glass Slippers is one of my all-time favorite Cinderella retellings! It makes this tale fresh and new, and it’s perfect for younger readers. It is such a unique viewpoint, coming from Cinderella’s younger sister. I think this story will especially resonate with younger sisters. This story kept me on the edge of my seat, rapidly turning pages!
Review: 4.5 stars
Summary:
Meet Cinderella’s third “wicked” stepsister, Tirza. For years, Tirza has lived with the shame of what her family did to Cinderella. Against everyone’s advice, Cinderella–now Queen Ella–took a chance on young Tirza. She gave Tirza a home in the castle instead of banishing her. The queen told everyone Tirza was good and kind, not cruel like her older sisters.
But now Queen Ella’s famous glass slippers are missing, and there’s only one suspect. . . .
Tirza may have tried them on . . . but she didn’t steal them. Now she must find the true thief before she loses her royal home. But as Tirza gets closer to the truth, she finds herself getting closer to something else: her sisters, who might not be quite as evil as Cinderella claims.
Magyk by Angie Sage
Thoughts: Magyk is the perfect book for Harry Potter lovers, or for people who aren’t quite ready for Harry Potter. One of my favorite aspects of this book is that it is family-oriented! I love this familial story with many rich characters, positive parental figures, as well as adventure, magic, and friends!
Review: 4 stars
Summary:
The 7th son of the 7th son, aptly named Septimus Heap, is stolen the night he is born by a midwife who pronounces him dead. That same night, the baby’s father, Silas Heap, comes across a bundle in the snow containing a newborn girl with violet eyes. The Heaps take this helpless newborn into their home, name her Jenna, and raise her as their own. But who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to their beloved son, Septimus? The first part of this enthralling new series leads readers on a fantastic journey filled with quirky characters, clever charms, potions and spells, and a yearning to uncover the mystery at the heart of this story…who is Septimus Heap? Angie Sage writes in the tradition of great British storytellers. Her inventive fantasy is filled with humor and heart: Magyk will have readers laughing and begging for more.
The One and Only Ivan by Katharine Applegate
Thoughts: This is a book I have loved for a very long time! This story has stuck with me all throughout middle school, high school, and college. This is such an impactful, moving story. This book is also prose-like, with short chapters (I’m talking around a page), and hand drawn images on some of the pages. This is a wonderful book for a reader who isn’t quite ready for a whole chapter book but wants a bigger story. This book is also based on a true story, and I feel that in how this story is written. This is a beautiful book about a loveable gorilla and his friends!
Review: 5 stars
Summary:
Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all. Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line. Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.
Reviews:
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