Middle Grade Ninja: Book Review: STORYBOUND by Marissa Burt
First Paragraph: Una often told herself that she was invisible. Perhaps that was the reason people passed her in the halls, their eyes skimming over her slight form as if she were part of the scenery: a desk, a book, a classroom, a girl. It could also be the reason why Ms. McDonough, perched on her […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book of the Week: THE SMOKY CORRIDOR by Chris Grabenstein
The Smoky Corridor is actually the third book in The Haunted Places Series. Though references are made to events that obviously occurred in previous books, The Smoky Corridor is a standalone tale and I had no problem jumping in without having read the first two books. Nor do I feel that the first two books […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book Review: THE SHADOWS (BOOKS OF ELSEWHERE VOLUME ONE) by Jacqueline West
FIRST PARAGRAPH: MS. MCMARTIN WAS definitely dead. It had taken some time for the neighbors to grow suspicious, since no one ever went in or came out of the old stone house on Linden Street anyway. However, there were several notable clues that things in the McMartin house were not as they should have been. […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book Review: THE SECRET IN THE WOOD by S. L. Lipson
First Paragraph(s): Tears welled up in Sara’s big, green eyes as she gazed out her bedroom window at the tall pine tree grove. The trees—her trees—waved their branches to and fro, slowly, sadly. It looked as if they were waving goodbye. Home just wasn’t the same now that she was moving. She imagined the branches […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book of the Week: SCRAWL by Mark Shulman
Scrawl by Mark Shulman is a great book and well worth reading and/or purchasing. As you know, I try to get all of my books for free through this blog, but if I were going to pay money for a book, I would pay money for this one. Sometimes you pay $16.99 for a book […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book of the Week: SAVVY by Ingrid Law
Did you have a nice Thanksgiving, Esteemed Reader? Are you worn out from Black Friday shopping? Not me. I avoid stores at all costs on Black Friday, which means I miss out on amazing bargains, but am less likely to be trampled to death by folks trying to reach toasters at half off. The Ninja […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book of the Week: SARASWATI’S WAY by Monika Schroder
Oh my goodness, Esteemed Reader. Through sheer dumb luck I have managed to land interviews with two of my favorite middle grade authors from my childhood. I’m not going to tell you their names (where’s the fun in that), but you would know them if I did because they’ve each been on the scene long enough to […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book of the Week: THE ROTTEN ADVENTURES OF ZACHARY RUTHLESS by Allan Woodrow
Do you like winning free stuff, Esteemed Reader? You don’t? Oh. Awkward. Well… why don’t I offer you something for free anyway and you could just pretend you like free stuff. Sound like a plan? The free thing I’m offering is your very own copy of The Rotten Adventures of Zachary Ruthless. And it’s an […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book of the Week: REX ZERO: THE GREAT PRETENDER by Tim Wynne-Jones
Rex Zero is a series of humorous historical fiction novels. I haven’t read them all yet, but you can bet I will. The Great Pretender is actually the third book in the series and although it may spoil parts of them, it is not necessary to have read the first two books to enjoy this […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book of the Week: RESCUING SENECA CRANE by Susan Runholt
Do you like a good mystery, Esteemed Reader? A hint of danger and some heart-pounding adventure? Unless you have some sort of special heart condition or a neurological disorder, I’ll assume that you do. And therefore you are going to love Susan Runholt’s Kari + Lucas Mysteries. The ninja loves them and is looking forward […]