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Tag: middle grade historical fantasy

January 21, 2024 by Betsy Bird

Review of the Day: Max in the House of Spies by Adam Gidwitz

Here we have WWII spy antics, hungry kangaroos, and a hero determined against all odds to help his parents, even if that means fooling Nazis.

December 22, 2020 by Betsy Bird

31 Days, 31 Lists: 2020 Fantasy Books for Kids

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 . . .

November 14, 2016 by Betsy Bird

Review of the Day: Five Children on the Western Front by Kate Saunders

Five Children on the Western Front By Kate Saunders Delacorte Press (an imprint of Random House) $16.99 ISBN: 978-0-553-49793-9 Ages 9-12 On shelves now Anytime someone writes a new prequel or sequel to an old children’s literary classic, the first question you have to ask is, “Was this necessary?” And nine times out of ten, […]

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Review of the Day: Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge

January 13, 2015 by Betsy Bird

Cuckoo Song By Frances Hardinge Amulet Books (an imprint of Abrams) $17.95 ISBN: 978-1419714801 Ages 10 and up On shelves May 12, 2015 I was watching the third Hobbit movie the other day (bear with me – I’m going somewhere with this) with no particular pleasure. There are few things in life more painful to […]

Review of the Day: The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

March 12, 2014 by Betsy Bird

The Night Gardener By Jonathan Auxier Illustrated by Patrick Arrasmith Amulet Books (an imprint of Abrams) $16.95 ISBN: 978-1-4197-1144-2 Ages 10 and up On shelves May 20th For whatever reason, 2014 is a dark year in children’s middle grade fiction. I speak from experience. Fantasy in particular has been steeped in a kind of thoughtful […]

Review of the Day: Rose by Holly Webb

November 12, 2013 by Betsy Bird

Rose By Holly Webb Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc.) $6.99 ISBN: 978-1-4022-8581-3 Ages 9-12 On shelves now. Like a bullet whizzing past your ear, I shudder when I consider how close I came to never hearing about Holly Webb’s mesmerizing, charming, purely delightful Rose. It’s an innocuous little book. Doesn’t draw a lot […]

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