C.J. Milbrandt's Blog, page 37
April 13, 2020
#amreading Excellence
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The Legend of Holly Claus introduces us to Santa and Mrs. Clauss only daughter, who is doing everything she can to save Christmas. This may be the best holiday lore adventure Ive ever read. Excellent. Rereading the classics on my shelf led to revisiting Mr. Poppers Penguins, which was a classroom read-aloud story back when I was in grade school. The Terror of the Southlands is the second book in The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates trilogy, in which an admirals daughter (and her...
April 9, 2020
Is that a falcon?
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Elza and I love games almost as much as we love reading middle grade books. Youll find more of these over on Middle Grade Carousel and posting throughout the day on our Twitter account. Follow us and play along! ~CJ
April 6, 2020
#amreading Across Genres
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My Seventh Grade Life in Tights is an upbeat contemporary story about a boy who loves to dance more than anything. Which forces him to make some hard choices. The Heros Guide to Being an Outlaw is the dramatic conclusion to the League of Princes trilogy. (Love these guys. So much.) And Twelve Minutes to Midnight is a historical that introduces a girl who writes penny dreadfuls under a penname and hires an actor to pretend to be her in public. Her quick wits (and his reluctant attendance)...
April 2, 2020
Should I be concerned?
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Elza and I love games almost as much as we love reading middle grade books. Youll find more of these over on Middle Grade Carousel and posting throughout the day on our Twitter account. Follow us and play along! ~CJ
March 30, 2020
#amreading Adventurously
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I really enjoyed Loot, which reminded me why a good heist is one of my favorite sub-genres of action/adventure. I need to read the next book, which is called Sting. The Lotterys Plus One warmed my heart in a lot of ways: big family, homeschool, and multi-generational household. The quirk to raise is that the parents of the Lottery household are two couples (M/M, F/F) who have adopted most of their children. N. D. Wilsons The Chestnut King brings a big finish to his 100 Cupboards trilogy,...
March 26, 2020
Is the book good?
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Elza and I love games almost as much as we love reading middle grade books. Youll find more of these over on Middle Grade Carousel and posting throughout the day on our Twitter account. Follow us and play along! ~CJ
March 23, 2020
#amreading Variously
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While I finally reached the conclusion that the Flavia de Luce mysteries are not technically middle grade, the heroine of the stories is twelve. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is the first in a series of historical mysteries starring a girl with a keen interest in chemistry/poisons. When the Circus Came to Town is about a girl with a face scarred by smallpox and a Chinese man who looks for ways to lure her out of her depression. The Heros Guide to Storming the Castle is the second...
March 19, 2020
Horsefeathers
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Elza and I love games almost as much as we love reading middle grade books. Youll find more of these over on Middle Grade Carousel and posting throughout the day on our Twitter account. Follow us and play along! ~CJ
March 16, 2020
#amreading Good Books
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You know, when I read Serafina and the Splintered Heart, I thought it was the final book in a trilogy. Lo and behold, a fourth book came out last year! Very good news, since this is one of the best MG suspense serieses Ive read. Catwings is a very short story about a litter of kittens who are born with wings. And The Grimjinx Rebellion is the final book in Farreys Vengekeep Prophecies, which ranks high among my all-time favorite middle grade trilogies.
March 12, 2020
Reach into the Light
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Elza and I love games almost as much as we love reading middle grade books. Youll find more of these over on Middle Grade Carousel and posting throughout the day on our Twitter account. Follow us and play along! ~CJ
