Flora the packrat doesn’t understand why she’s supposed to avoid the cliff. An adventure leads her to the truth. Along the way surprises abound while encountering other animals: A kangaroo rat, porcupine. cottontail rabbit, great horned owl, and an intimidating gopher snake.

The third person narration stays close to Flora throughout the 37 chapters. Each begins with an excellent illustration of what lies ahead.

The story utilizes accurate details both in the desert setting and the depiction of animal life. I’m not the biggest fan of rats, but Flora’s heartfelt personality won me over. She cares deeply about others, even her enemies.

An excellent bonus awaits readers in the final pages where background information on each animal looks at their unique characteristics. You’ll discover many of the “whys” behind animal behavior.

THE DREADED CLIFF is a perfect addition to any animal lover’s library.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Terry Nichols is a world traveler who has published over 100 blogs about her experiences abroad. Her thirty-year career as a National Park Service ranger transplanted her from her childhood home in Cincinnati, Ohio to parks in the high desert and canyon country of the Southwest. As a former park ranger, she has written hundreds of trail guides, interpretive brochures, articles, professional papers, teacher guides, and exhibit materials to assist visitors to connect with the diverse human history and plant and animal life of the region. Inspired by a stowaway packrat who hitched a ride in her ’79 Volkswagen van on a camping trip, she wrote her debut middle grade novel, The Dreaded Cliff. Mother of two grown sons, Terry lives in Aztec, New Mexico, where she continues to write and talk to packrats and lizards every chance she gets.

(For more visit Terry’s author website)

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Blogging about middle grade books or authors next week? Join the celebration.

All you have to do is blog about a middle grade book on a Monday (contests, author interviews, or anything middle grade related also count). Email me the title of the book or feature and a link to your blog at gpcolo[at]gmail[dot]com

Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so it gets sorted accurately–and please don’t forget to say what book or author you’re featuring) You MUST email me your link by Sunday evening (11 PM Eastern Time) in order to be included in the list of links for the coming Monday.

Thanks for spreading the middle grade love and for being a part of this awesome tradition begun by Shannon Messenger and carried on here at ALWAYS in the MIDDLE! (CLICK HERE FOR PAST MMGM POSTS)

*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.