Shorter Musings: MG Fantasy

Sometimes I read a book, and I even enjoy it, but I don't have much to say about it. I jot down a few thoughts and then I move on. Some of those are starting to pile up so I thought I would put them all together in one post.

Here are some MG Fantasy books I have read recently with my thoughts.

In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz

I enjoyed this one more than I did A Tale Dark & Grimm. Jack and Jill are likable heroes and I enjoyed following them on their journey. I positively loved Frog, best fairy tale sidekick talking animal ever. I just think Gidwitz isn't a good fit for me as a reader. I hate narrators who talk to me and interject commentary, and for some reason this narrator annoys me even more than usual. I also feel like there it isn't so much of dark element of the fairy tales being shown as the gross element. Fairy tales are meant to be dark, but the darkness serves a purpose greater than raising the ick factor in the reading experience. I feel like Gidwitz misses this for the sake of trying to add as much blood, guts, and vomit as possible, whether necessary or not. Kids, I'm sure, won't have such qualms with it though.

Rump: the True Story of Rumplestiltskin by Liesel Shurtliff

This is a fun retelling of the story of Rumpelstilitskin. It's quite a lighthearted romp to come from what is really such a dark tale. I like that about it. There is a lot of humor and many of the questions the story brings to mind find answers through this story. I loved the nod to all the other fairy tales in it as well. I can see why so many kids are enjoying it. I didn't really feel connected to any of the characters and therefore had a hard time caring what happened to them. This is going to be such an easy book to sell to my students though.

Tilly's Moonlight Garden by Julia Green

Tilly's Moonlight Garden is a quick lovely read about a little girl trying to cope through some scary changes in her life. Eight year old me would have loved this book so much. It made adult me feel all nostalgic. I enjoy stories where there are gardens and old houses to explore. There isn't a lot of action. The story is just an exploration of Tilly's world and how she responds to it. I don't know how well this will go over with most kids but I enjoyed it.

The Vengekeep Prophecies by Brian Farrey

The Vengekeep Prophecies is a wonderful hero/quest story full of magic starring a not so stellar thief. It is a whole lot of fun, quick paced, mysterious, and full of action and adventure. It is a bit predictable in places, at least for me, but that small flaw can be forgiven for how much pleasure and amusement comes from reading it. This is one that is sure to be a kid pleaser.

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Serafina and the Black Cloak

Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty is a thrilling tale of mystery and adventure set at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC in 1899. Having lived in Asheville and visited the house several times, there was no way I was going to pass up a chance to read this. (Also it's MG fantasy, always a bonus for me.) Serafina lives in secret in the basement of the Vanderbilt's spacious vacation home. She has lived there most of her life. Her father worked on the house as it was being built and is the mechanic who runs the massive generator and keeps the electricity going. Serafina is the chief rat catcher, slipping through the halls of her massive home secretly and quietly. She is light on her feet, sees well in the dark, and is quick enough to catch the vermin and keep them out. Serafina knows she if different and strange. Her father insists she stay hidden. But all that changes when one night Serafina witnesses a horrible crime. A little girl, a guest in the house, is fleein

Shorter Musings MG Fantasy

Here are some shorter musings on recent MG fantasy reads. Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack This book is fun. It is a book full of adventure, an obvious bad guy, some more complicated morally gray area characters, and a strong, brave heroine. It is also a book about friendships, community, and fighting for what is right. All things that usually work for me really well. While I enjoyed this, I did feel it was a little overlong and there were certain plot points at the end I didn't love. However, there were things I thought were done really well, such as Anya's Jewish faith and the idea that power needs to be challenged. In the end it was a middle of the road read for me, but it is one I will certainly be recommending to dragon and fantasy adventure lovers I know! R is for Rebel by J. Anderson Coats This is tough because I usually really like Coats's books. I had such a hard time with this one though on so many levels. It's difficult to get into because t

Favorite Kissing Scenes

When thinking of a favorite things post I could do for February I decided it would have to be kissing. I've already done couples and I was feeling in the mood to do something fluffy and Valentine's related. So kisses it is. I read more MG than YA, and the YA I read tends to not focus on romance so this was actually harder than I expected it to be though a few jumped into my head right away. (And one of my choices does actually come from a MG book. One is adult. Gasp!) The actual scene from the book is quoted followed by my thoughts. The king lifted a hand to her cheek and kissed her. It was not a kiss between strangers, not even a kiss between a bride and a groom. It was a kiss between a man and his wife, and when it was over, the king closed his eyes and rested his forehead against the hollow of the queen's shoulder, like a man seeking respite, like a man reaching home at the end of the day . - The King of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner Turner doesn't write the

Shadowshaper

Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older is everywhere. Best of lists. Award buzz. Blogs everywhere. It's one of those books everyone is reading and talking about. I had it on my TBR but decided I definitely needed to read it before the year was out just so I could weigh in on one of the most talked about books of 2015 if asked. It is deserving of every good thing said about it. Every. One. Sierra was looking forward to a relaxing summer break. Her plans involved hanging out with her friends and painting. They did not involve being chased by zombie like creatures and threatened by a magical power connected to her family's heritage she has never heard of. When murals begin fading all over her Brooklyn neighborhood, Sierra is perplexed. When her grandfather, who had a stroke, begins to apologize and starts repeating strange phases and insisting Sierra get the help of a boy she barely knows to help her finish her mural, Sierra is concerned but mostly about her grandfather. Then at a

The Field Guide to the North American Teeanager

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe is a book I picked up on a whim at the bookstore when it first came out. I liked the cover. I thought it had an engaging premise. I went into it with a healthy does of trepidation because the execution could have gone so terribly wrong. Fortunately, Philippe is an excellent character writer, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent reading about Norris's adventures in Texas and high school. High school junior Norris Kaplan's life is ruined by his mother when she takes a job that requires them to leave the only home he has ever known in Montreal, Quebec. Moving is always hard, but Norris knows for him it will be harder than it's ever been for anyone else. Norris is moving to Texas. He will be a Canadian living in Texas. Not just a Canadian. A French Canadian who speaks fluent French. And not just your average run-of-the-mill French Canadian. A black son of Haitian immigrant parents French Canadian. If Norris has

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