When Ted and Nancy arrive in Grimwood, instead of peace and quiet, they’re met with thieving eagles, dramatic ducks, riotous rabbits, and a whole host of unusual characters. Grimwood is . . . weird. But when Princess Buttons tracks them down, they must unite with the other animals of Grimwood in a mind-bending race against time!

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Silliness abounds as two fox siblings escape the clutches of Princess Buttons (a pet cat out for revenge). They end up in Grimwood, a forest community filled with animals of all kinds. They encounter rabbits, an eagle, flying squirrels, and Titus, a male deer who is the mayor of this strange town.

The fun plot is only dampened by the quick deaths of a few animals. Otherwise, the tale will appeal to the new MG reader who is use to shorter chapter books. The text is spaced nicely on each page and frequent illustrations also add to the appeal. Readers will also love the heartfelt ending.

GRIMWOOD is an import from the UK and is the first in three-book series. Book two, Let the Fur Fly, comes out September 12, 2023.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nadia Shireen has won awards for her picture books including the UKLA Book Award for Good Little Wolf and most recently for Barbara Throws a Wobbler, which has been described as a ‘little doorway of joy’ by Caitlin Moran. She’s also been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, and has been Writer-Illustrator in Residence for BookTrust. Grimwood is her first series for older readers.

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Join us next week for another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday! It’s here I share highlights from other individuals blogging about middle grade books. Many of the posts will have reviews, interviews, and tips on writing. Take a look at PAST MMGM POSTS.

It’s easy to join the lineup. All you have to do is 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 don’t forget to say what 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.

*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.