Fantasy Literature for Children ages 9-12.
The Rick Riordan Presents imprint’s mission statement is, in part, “to publish great middle grade authors from underrepresented cultures and backgrounds, to let them tell their own stories inspired by the mythology and folklore of their own heritage,” leading to the publication of novels like Roshani Chokshi’s Aru Shah and the End of Time and J.C. Cervantes’ The Storm Runner, and most recently joined by Yoon Ha Lee’s Dragon Pearl (2019),
February 21st, 2019. Jana Nyman´s rating: 4 | Yoon Ha Lee | Children, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 6 comments |
Watch Hollow by Gregory Funaro
Gregory Funaro’s just-published Watch Hollow (2019) is a charmingly spooky (or perhaps spookily charming) contemporary fantasy featuring an 11-year-old girl, Lucy Tinker, her 13-year-old brother Oliver, and their clockmaker father … and also a fearsome giant, a boy who mysteriously appears and disappears, and a full dozen magical talking animals sure to warm the hearts of middle grade readers.
After a brief prologue with a heart-stopping chase involving the giant, a traitorous crow, and a rat named Fennish Seven,
February 12th, 2019. Tadiana Jones´s rating: 4 | Gregory Funaro | Children | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The Girl with the Dragon Heart by Stephanie Burgis
Stephanie Burgis follows up last year’s award-nominated middle grade fantasy The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart with The Girl with the Dragon Heart (2018), the second book in her TALES FROM THE CHOCOLATE HEART series. The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart followed the escapades of Aventurine, a chocolate-loving young dragon enchanted into the shape of a young girl. The focus now shifts to Aventurine’s friend Silke,
December 10th, 2018. Tadiana Jones´s rating: 3.5 | Stephanie Burgis | Children, Young Adult | SFF Reviews | 6 comments |
La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman
I always find it a little nerve-wracking when an author returns to a successful series after a long time away. There’s always the fear, for me at least, that one of two things is going to happen: either the author will be nostalgic about the original work to the extent that s/he makes the new book into a fawning tribute without substance, or the author will have changed enough in the time between installments that the magic is just gone. I’m happy to say, though, that Philip Pullman‘s new novel dispels both of those fears.
November 7th, 2018. Tim Scheidler, Ray McKenzie, Katie Burton and Marion Deeds´s rating: 3, 4.5 | Philip Pullman | Children | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
Scream and Scream Again! edited by R.L. Stine
Scream and Scream Again!: Spooky Stories from Mystery Writers of America (2018) is a short-form horror anthology in which “every story begins or ends with a scream,” and its twenty contributors are all members of Mystery Writers of America, an organization “dedicated to promoting higher regard for crime writing and recognition and respect for those who write within the genre.” The anthology is edited by R.L. Stine, himself a contributing author, and the overall age range of its protagonists and general subject matter mark it firmly as suitable for the pre-teen and early-teen crowd.
September 28th, 2018. Jana Nyman´s rating: 3 | Beth Fantaskey, Heather Graham, R.L. Stine | Children, Horror, Short Fiction | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier
Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster (2018), by Jonathan Auxier, is a wonderfully, bittersweetly poignant MG/YA book that I highly recommend for its warmth and gentle eloquence.
Set in Victorian England, Auxier’s Dickensian story focuses on young chimneysweep Nan, who grew up mentored in the field by The Sweep. When he disappears one night though, all Nan has left from him are his hat, her skills, and on odd lump of charcoal.
September 18th, 2018. Bill Capossere´s rating: 5 | Jonathan Auxier | Children, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 2 comments |
The Storm Runner by J.C. Cervantes
The Storm Runner (2018) by J.C. Cervantes is the second book put out by Disney-Hyperion as part of their Rick Riordan Presents imprint. Aimed at Middle-Grade readers, the imprint’s goal is to “elevate the diversity of mythologies around the world” and publish “entertaining, mythology-based diverse fiction by debut, emerging, and under-represented authors.” The first, which focused on Indian mythology, was Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi. Here the underlying mythos is Mayan,
September 14th, 2018. Bill Capossere´s rating: 1.5 | J.C. Cervantes | Children | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
Voyage of the Dogs by Greg van Eekhout
Voyage of the Dogs (2018) by Greg van Eekhout is a middle-grade science fiction book. Young readers will certainly enjoy this action-packed book with dog main characters. Adult dog lovers can enjoy it too.
Lopside is part of a team of “Barkonauts,” specially trained uplifted dogs who are part of the first interstellar space voyage. The Laika is aimed at a planet nicknamed Stepping Stone. Along with the human crew, embryos of cattle and sheep,
September 14th, 2018. Marion Deeds´s rating: 4.5 | Greg Van-Eekhout | Children, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | 3 comments |
The Five Sisters by Margaret Mahy
You always know you’re in for a magical, whimsical treat when reading something by Margaret Mahy, one of New Zealand’s most best-loved children’s authors. The Five Sisters (1997) is no exception, recounting the marvellous adventures of five paper dolls with linked hands.
On a hot summer day Sally entreats her Nana for a story, but instead watches as she folds a piece of paper and draws a doll with a crooked smile and strong running shoes called Alpha.
September 5th, 2018. Rebecca Fisher´s rating: 4 | Margaret Mahy | Children, Stand-Alone | SFF Reviews | no comments |
Mighty Jack (2016) is YA/MG graphic story by Ben Hatke, author of the ZITA THE SPACEGIRL trilogy (highly recommended. btw). Here Hatke has a lot of fun with the Jack and the Beanstalk fairytale, though fair to say you’ve probably not seen a version like this.
Mighty Jack is set in modern times, with Jack the young son of a hard-working single mother. His little sister Maddy doesn’t talk (she’s presented as on the autistic spectrum),
August 18th, 2018. Bill Capossere´s rating: 4 | Children, Comics | SFF Reviews | 1 comment |
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