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Tag: middle grade fantasy

December 22, 2022 by Betsy Bird

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2022 Fantasy Books for Kids

These books, to my mind, represent the best that fantasy for kids in 2022 had to offer. Yes, there are magical creatures and world building, but some of the titles you'll find here are downright subtle. Take a gander. You'll see what I mean.

June 16, 2022 by Betsy Bird

Review of the Day: Zia Erases the World by Bree Barton

In Zia Erases the World author Bree Barton takes on that challenge. Her concept is small, even silly, when you hear it. But the implications? You may find yourself grasping for words to describe them.

May 20, 2022 by Betsy Bird

Review of the Day: The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat

The Last Mapmaker offers readers proof positive that you can write succinctly, sacrificing nothing, while showing your readers absolutely everything.

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Review of the Day: The Lock-Eater by Zack Loran Clark

March 21, 2022 by Betsy Bird

The Lock-Eater is a marvelous example of how you may render old ideas new, if only you’ve the ability to combine smart, timely writing with the current zeitgeist. Our kids are lucky they get to tap into books like this. Let’s hope for more of the same.

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2021 Fantasy for Kids

December 21, 2021 by Betsy Bird

If you have a kid that loves fantasy, some of these books might fit the bill!

Review of the Day: Much Ado About Baseball by Rajani LaRocca

October 1, 2021 by Betsy Bird

It is truly rare to find a book like Much Ado About Baseball where math not only propels the plot forward, but also contains perfectly normal, sportsy characters for whom loving math is just one aspect of their personality. Add in baseball, Shakespeare, magic AND snacks and you’ve got yourself a unicorn of a book.

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Review of the Day: Root Magic by Eden Royce

March 31, 2021 by Betsy Bird

A smartly plotted dip into the Gullah-Geechee culture of early 60s rural South Carolina, this book weaves family, history, and spooky stuff together like a braid.

31 Days, 31 Lists: Great Middle Grade Novels of 2020

December 30, 2020 by Betsy Bird

The penultimate list. Maybe, with lists like this one, we can all try to end 2020 on a slightly less terrible note.

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2020 Fantasy Books for Kids

December 22, 2020 by Betsy Bird

Here are the books I read in 2020 that I thought were just stand up and cheer great. Please bear in mind, though, that I missed a LOT of middle grade books this year. This is just a sampling of what was on offer . . .

Review of the Day: The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf

October 6, 2020 by Betsy Bird

A book that shows in the most eloquent way possible how family trauma lives on, from generation to generation, taking shape, forming us one way or another. The elements that make a great novel for children aren’t difficult to understand. Hanna Alkaf has laid them out for you.

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