Middle Grade Ninja: Book of the Week: CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY by Roald Dahl
This book is a classic and I was thrilled to read it again this week. When I’m working on a middle grade project, I like to spice up my reading with both new books and books I loved from my childhood. Roald Dahl was/is my favorite author (him and Stephen King), and I figure when […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book Review: CAMINAR by Skila Brown
First Poem: Where I’m From Our mountain stood tall, like the finger that points. Our corn plants grew in fields, thick and wide as a thumb. Our village sat in the folded-between, in that spot where you pinch something sacred, to keep it still. Our Mountain stood guard at our backs. We slept at night […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book of the Week: BUNNICULA by Deborah and James Howe
Happy Halloween, Esteemed Reader! I know it’s not actually Halloween just yet, but it will be soon enough and it’s time to get in the spirit. Nothing’s better for that than a little classic middle grade. I’m all for these newbie authors we’ve been chatting with and the new books we’ve been reading, but I’m […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book of the Week: BORN TO FLY by Michael Ferrari
Born to Fly is a an extemely enjoyable adventure novel that stars a girl, but which will be loved by both boys and girls. Ferrari’s writing is wonderful throughout and I have a number of great excerpts to share with you. To start with, here is the novel’s first sentence: Just because I was a girl in […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book of the Week: BFF BREAK UP by Taylor Morris
Greetings, Esteemed Reader! Sorry to have missed you these last couple weeks, but an editing job is never done. I’m back again to discuss BFF Break up with you today, we’ll have author Taylor Morris here on Thursday to face the 7 Questions, and on Saturday we’ll have one of our famed literary agent interviews […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book of the Week: BEAUTIFUL by Amy Reed
Note: This week’s book is actually edgy YA and it is filled with adult language and adult content. It is absolutely not appropriate for younger readers and adults should view it as the equivalent of an ‘R’ rated movie. All right, so just to be clear: Beautiful by Amy Reed is not appropriate for all […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book Review: BATGIRL AT SUPER HERO HIGH by Lisa Yee
First Paragraph(s): Oh, sure, there were injuries. Lumps and bruises were an occupational hazard. Sometimes it was because a muscle-bound metahuman was momentarily careless when working out in Wildcat’s phys ed class. Or because a flyer took a turn a tad too sharply and slammed into a wall (or a fellow student or the cafeteria) at […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book Review: BANNEKER BONES AND THE GIANT ROBOT BEES by Rob Kent
First Paragraph(s): IN SOME WAYS, SCHOOL IS better than prison. Not many, but some. Like prison, school is all about routine. At 5:30 each morning, Ellicott Skullworth’s mother woke him. At 6:30 he rode the school bus. At 7:00 the first bell rang and class began, recess was at 9:30, lunch was at 12:30, […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book Review: THE ASSASSINATION OF BRANGWAIN SPURGE by M.T. Anderson
First Paragraph(s): From the Desk of Lord Ysoret Clivers The Royal Order of the Clean Hand Realm of Elfland My Dear Friend, You’ll never believe who I shot out of a crossbow today. Old Weedy Spurge from school–“the Weed.” We shot him into the dark heart of the kingdom of the goblins around noon. Funny thing. […]
Middle Grade Ninja: Book of the Week: ASHFALL by Mike Mullin
WARNING: This week’s book is actually edgy YA and it is filled with adult content. It is absolutely not appropriate for younger readers and adults should view it as the equivalent of an ‘R’ rated movie. Ashfall is a great story filled with great characters, and it’s that special brand of taught suspense tale to keep you […]