MMGM for 1/8/18

Posted on January 8, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

Still Ringing in the New Year for

MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY

Special Note: The winners of my year end giveaway of a $25 AMAZON gift card are Michelle Mason and Patricia Tilton. Congrats! Be sure to check out their blogs.

The LINKS for January 8, 2018

(Click on a New Year’s bell to take you to their sites)
Today I’m reviewing SUPERFAIL by Max Brunner. You can scroll down to read (Also linked via the New Year bell).
What Shall We Read Next? is featuring the classic A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle!
Suzanne Warr is spotlighting Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman.
Patricia Tilton at Children’s Books Heal is reviewing a new book, Oddity by a new author, Sarah Cannon.
Carl at Boys Read Boys Rule! has a timely and fun post—RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT! OUT OF THIS WORLD EDITION 2018 and a second feature on WHO WAS ROBERT RIPLEY?
Completely Full Bookshelf is also pulling one off the classic’s shelf with a review of  A Separate Peace by John Knowles.
Elizabeth Van Tassel joins us on the MMGM walkway with a review of Max Tilt: Fire the Depths by Peter Lerangis.
Melissa Roske has an interview with Brooks Benjamin, author of the contemporary MG, MY SEVENTH-GRADE LIFE IN TIGHTS.
Rosi Hollinbeck at The Write Stuff is reviewing and giving away When the Sky Breaks.
BOOKS 4 LEARNING is featuring WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON by Grace Lin
Dorine White is reviewing and has a GIVEAWAY of Children of Refuge by Margaret Peterson Haddix.
Karen Yingling always has great MMGM picks. Be sure to read her review today along with the many other choices she posted the past week.
If you would like to join in the MMGM fun and get your own spot on the walkway, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love on a Monday (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count–but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you’re featuring 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 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!
*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.
Posted in MMGM Links | Tagged | 5 Comments

SUPERFAIL for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on January 7, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

This new book features Marshall, a defective hero who has many super powers although none of them work quite like they should. He narrates the tale in the usual way first person MG books are presented, but his thoughts and many side jokes also come out in comic book style panels on every page.

The story is fast paced and has the feel of a Saturday morning cartoon. I laughed at many of the silly setups and gags. Boys are more likely to pick up the book, but there are also many female characters that will appeal to all young readers.

Don’t expect an intricate plot, but do expect to be entertained with what you read and see. A great start to what I hope will turn out to be a series. With so many sad tales in MG books these days, it’s nice to sit back and smile.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2017   PAGE COUNT: 225

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON) Laser vision isn’t so hot when you’re cross-eyed, and supersonic flight’s a real downer when motion sickness keeps you grounded.

Twelve-year-old Marshall Preston is a Defective–a person with superhuman abilities that are restricted by some very human setbacks. While other kids are recruited to superhero teams, Marshall’s stuck in seventh grade with a kid who can run at super speed but can’t turn a corner, another with a radioactive peanut allergy that turns him into a swollen Hulk, and a telepath who reads everyone’s thoughts out loud.

Defectives like Marshall aren’t exactly superhero material, but when he uncovers a plot to destroy one of the greatest superhero teams of all time, Marshall and his less-than-super friends set out to prove that just because you’re defective doesn’t mean you can’t save the day.

With full illustrations throughout and a funny, heartwarming story, Superfail is the perfect book for reluctant young readers and the superhero fan.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT:

 SUPERFAIL by Max Brunner

  1. A well thought out group of defective characters. My favorites were Marshall and Debbie, who has a wild group of pet friends.
  2. The illustrations are fun to look at and make the story appeal to visual learners. They’ll become instant fans of the artist and his other works (See below).
  3. We can all be heroes. That’s one lesson so many kids need to hear.
  4. This is a perfect counter to all the superhero movies we get each year where the heroes super powers are always super.
  5. Perfect for preteens, especially those who might not choose reading as their favorite past time.

FAVORITE LINES:

They say your whole life flashes before your eyes when it’s about to end, but all I could think was that I didn’t want to die dressed like a character from a fast-food restaurant!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR and ILLUSTRATOR(From Hachette Book Group):

Max Brunner began his professional career as lead writer for David World Press’s popular web comic, Barbiespawn. He’s a hardcore comic book nerd and a debut author. Max lives in Cypress, California.

Dustin Mackay is an animator and story artist for Disney and most recently worked on Planes: Fire & Rescue and Tinkerbell: Legend of the Neverbeast. Dustin lives in Cypress, California.

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

1,000 FACTS ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE

Posted on January 5, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

Did you know…

  • There are 132 Rooms and 6 Levels in the White House Residence.
  • First Daughter Susan Ford held her school’s senior prom in the East Room of the White House in 1975.
  • President Andrew Jackson once hosted an elaborate children’s Christmas party, which ended with an indoor “snowball fight ” using cotton balls.

Three down, 997 facts to go. You’ll find them all in this fascinating hard cover. Arranged in 40 categories, the facts come at you fast in colorful layouts loaded with pictures. My favorites were 15 COOL FACTS ABOUT EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE WHITE HOUSE and 25 DELECTABLE FACTS ABOUT FOOD IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

In addition to the facts there is a key word glossary, a sequential listing of dates important to White House history, and a complete list of each our 44 presidents along with pertinent background information.

Perfect for the classroom, at home, or in the break room at your office. You’ll enjoy learning about one of the most iconic buildings in the world.

Here’s the official overview from National Geographic:

Welcome to the White House. Go behind the scenes to get a 360-degree view of America’s most famous presidential residence, from how it was built in 1792 to the fire of 1812, to today’s state dinners, celebrations, celebrity pets, and more. Discover through 1,000 fun-to-read facts what it’s like to live and work at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the quirky rules of the house, and how the Secret Service keeps it safe.

Find out how the kids who have lived there play, watch movies, and entertain friends. With a treasure trove of material from the White House Historical Association, this book presents a fascinating story of the building and the many people who have shaped its 225-year history.

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Coming up next Monday is:

If you would like to join in the MMGM fun, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love on a Monday (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count–but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you’re featuring 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 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.

Thank you so much for being a part of this awesome tradition begun by Shannon Messenger and for spreading the middle grade love!

*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.

Posted in non fiction, Reviews | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

MMGM for 1/1/18 and CYBILS NEWS

Posted on January 1, 2018 by Greg Pattridge

 

Ringing in a New Year and a New Beginning for

MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY

The LINKS for January 1, 2018

(Click on a New Year’s bell to take you to their site)
Today I have a review of a book that recently arrived in the U.S. from Spain: TOLETIS by Rafa Ruiz. You can scroll down to read (Also linked via the New Year bell).
COMPLETELY FULL BOOKSHELF is re-reviewing Goodbye Stranger by Rebecca Stead. Check it out to find out why.
Karen Yingling always has some awesome MMGM Picks. Today she has ESCAPE FROM ALEPPO. Be sure to check out her reviews from the past week including Snow Lane, Gravedigger’s Club, and Slider’s Son.
If you would like to join in the MMGM fun and get your own spot on the walkway, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love on a Monday (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count–but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you’re featuring 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 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!
*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.

CYBILS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

I will be helping judge the winner from this impressive lineup for MG fiction:

Posted in MMGM Links | 3 Comments

TOLETIS FOR MMGM’s Brand New Year

Posted on December 31, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

Happy New Year to all.

After a year of reading books where young protagonists face so many heartbreaking challenges, it was a pleasure to sit back during the holiday season and enjoy this quiet tale. First written in Spanish and now translated into English, the book consists of twelve chapters following a year in the life of Toletis. He’s a boy who contemplates a lot about the seasons, the love for his Mother, friendships, and loneliness.

Each chapter focuses on an aspect of the environment. Toletis has a passion for plants and animals and does everything to ensure the best for them. Although the text is closer to what you might find in an MG book, the result is more like a chapter book—one to be shared by a teacher with their class or a parent with a child.

Toletis is a thinker and his reflections are often accompanied by full-page color illustrations. Our “always on” generation would do themselves a favor by looking out their own windows and seeing the beauty that Toletis has found.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2017   PAGE COUNT: 272

FULL PLOT (From Neem Tree Press)

The Trees are disappearing and the adults don’t care. Toletis, his dog Amenophis and friends Claudia and Tutan are on a mission to turn their little valley town, set deep in the mountains, lusciously green again. The odds are stacked against them. Can they succeed … with some very unusual help?

A deep appreciation for nature, art, language, music, friendship, family, the passing of time, old age, loneliness; and the importance of sitting still and reflecting on life, pervade these exquisite stories. A must read for 7 to 107 year olds!

The stories are accompanied by gorgeous illustrations by the uniquely talented Elena Hormiga and have been used by 11-12 year olds in Spanish schools for teaching descriptive and figurative language, art and crafts (with students exploring different media inspired by scenes from the book), and environmental awareness classes.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: TOLETIS

  1. The fanciful and bold illustrations are a joy to the eyes. You can see some of Elena Hormiga’s work on her website.
  2. The chapters follow the seasons from spring to winter. A nice connection to Toletis’ fear that some day the beautiful scenery might never come back.
  3. There is magic in nature and touches of magical realism in several of the stories.
  4. The chapter where Toletis looks at old photos was my favorite. He imagines different people together and sees himself in ways he hadn’t seen before.
  5. The solution that Toletis and friends come up with to keep a road from being built through their town is a love card to nature.

FAVORITE LINES

But if the adults were speaking about how the meadows would feel after the rain and sleet, or if they spoke about a diseased cow, or about a marten of fox that had gotten into the chicken coop, Toletis would open up his ears. He wouldn’t even blink. He would push all of his concentration and perception to his ears, and then he would carefully order all the words into the little drawers in his brain, so that he could pull them out later in the afternoon and analyze the conversation in more detail, going back again and again to the dialogues.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR, Rafa Ruiz (from Amazon):  

Rafa Ruiz is a journalist and author who believes the light at the end of the tunnel can only be seen through progressive eyes. He has a staunch commitment to culture, art and the environment, and the majority of his career has been focused on these three areas. He spent 10 years at Spanish newspaper El Pais and 15 years at their weekly supplement, he has written numerous children’s books, and he codirects the Mad is Mad art gallery in Madrid which gives space to up-and-coming artists. He is also one of the partner-founders of the Press Association for Environmental Information (APIA).

Posted in Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

A NEW HOME FOR MMGM

Posted on December 27, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

I’ve enjoyed the past two months posting the MMGM links for all the fantastic bloggers out there. I’m also grateful to the talented Shannon Messenger. She entrusted me to take good care of her wonderful creation.

It’s worked out so well I’m not going away!

That’s right. Shannon will be getting a new author web site soon and won’t be able to blog. The transfer of MMGM to ALWAYS in the MIDDLE has been in the works for months, but Shannon wanted to makes sure I was comfortable with the new role. The trial period is over. I’m now fully trained and ready to carry the MMGM flag into next year and beyond.

So… thanks to Shannon for all she has done for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday.

I’ll do my best to keep our MG community of bloggers together.

Welcome to your new home! I’ll be ringing in the New Year next Monday with the first set of MMGM links for 2018.

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If you would like to join in the MMGM fun and get your own spot on the walkway, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love on a Monday (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count–but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you’re featuring 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 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!
*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.
Posted in Uncategorized | 7 Comments

MMGM for 12/25/17

Posted on December 25, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The LINKS for December 25, 2017

(Click on a package to take you to their site)
I have the annual Golden Cup Awards to honor the best in my MG reading the past year. You could win a $25 Amazon gift card!!(Scroll below or click on the package)
The CARLMAN at Boys Read Boys Rule has Holiday Blasts From The Past. Take a look at these picture books that are great for all ages.
Kitty Cat at the Library is back with a review of Magnus Chase—The Ship of the Dead.
Karen Yingling always has some awesome MMGM Picks. She reviewed quite a few holiday themed books the past week.
I’ve had a fun two months hosting Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. Thank you to all who participated—look below for a link to each of your great blogs. Take some time out from the holiday rush and visit these sites again to catch anything you may have missed.

HAVE THE MERRIEST OF HOLIDAYS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

AND KEEP SPREADING YOUR LOVE OF BOOKS IN 2018

ARCHIMEDES NOTEBOOK

BOYS RULE BOYS READ!

CARSTAIRS CONSIDERS

CHILDREN’S BOOKS HEAL

COMPLETELY FULL BOOKSHELF

JUSTINTALKSBOOKS

KITTY CAT AT THE LIBRARY

LITERARY RAMBLES

MELISSA ROSKE

MICHELLE I. MASON

MIDDLE GRADE MAFIOSO

MS. YINGLING READS

PROJECT MAYHEM

SYDNE MARIE GERNAAT-WRITERS CORNER

TALES FROM THE RAVEN

THAT’S ANOTHER STORY

THE READING NOOK REVIEWS

THE WRITE PATH

THE WRITE STUFF

TIME TRAVEL TIMES TWO

WHAT SHALL WE READ NEXT?

WHISKED AWAY BY WORDS
Posted in MMGM Links | Tagged | Leave a comment

MG FAVORITES for 2017

Posted on December 24, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

Merry Christmas!

With the upcoming award season on the horizon, it’s time to  take a look at my favorites in a few categories that don’t normally get represented. There’s a special giveaway too detailed at the end of this post.

Without further delay, here are my GOLDEN CUP AWARDS for 2017:

FAVORITE VOICE (FEMALE PROTAGONIST) Tie: Emily (THINGS THAT SURPRISE YOU) and Wren (BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD)

FAVORITE VOICE (MALE PROTAGONIST): Charlie and Armstrong from ARMSTRONG AND CHARLIE

FAVORITE SETTING: Palm Knot, Georgia (THE ETHAN I WAS BEFORE)

FAVORITE BOOKS  WITH DIVERSE CHARACTERS: (tie) REFUGEE and ONE GOOD THING ABOUT AMERICA

FAVORITE CHARACTER NAME: Lester Musselbaum (SUPERSTAR)

FAVORITE OPENING LINE: It was the moment Penelope Naughton saw the troll at International House of Pancakes that changed everything. GUARDIANS OF THE GRYPHON’S CLAW)

FAVORITE COVER and TITLE: I LOVE YOU, MICHAEL COLLINS

FAVORITE ENDING: MAGNUS CHASE AND THE GODS OF ASGARD—THE SHIP OF THE DEAD

FUNNIEST READ: WELCOME TO WONDERLAND—BEACH PARTY SURF MONKEY

SADDEST READ: REFUGEE

FAVORITE READ-ALOUD: THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM

FAVORITE ANIMAL CHARACTER: Nosewise from THE WIZARD’S DOG

FAVORITE CHARACTERS FROM HISTORICAL FICTION (TIE): Billy and Foster (CROSSING THE LINE) and Bobby Lee Claremont (BOBBY LEE CLAREMONT AND THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT)

FAVORITE FRIENDSHIP: Caleb and Kit

CREEPIEST CHARACTERS: The Bend Sinister (THE BLAZING BRIDGE)

Comment on one of your own favorites for a chance to win one of two $25 AMAZON Gift Cards. I’ll draw out the two winners on January 4, 2018.

Have a safe and happy 2018 full of reading and writing.

Posted in Uncategorized | 11 Comments

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2018

Posted on December 22, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

Coming up next Monday is  a Merry Christmas Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. I’ll have the Golden Cup Awards revealing my favorite moments from MG books. There’s also a giveaway of two $25 Amazon gift cards (Get the gift you really wanted!).

I realize many of you will be celebrating and not blogging, but either way if you provided a link at any time the past two months at ALWAYS in the MIDDLE, I’ll provide a link to your blog as a reminder to readers of all the superb Middle Grade bloggers.

If you do have a post scheduled for Christmas just let me know. Email me the title of the book you’re featuring 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 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.

Thank you so much for being a part of this awesome tradition begun by Shannon Messenger and for spreading the middle grade love!

*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.

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New releases coming up in 2018 have me anticipating another great year for Middle Grade books. Here are five on the top of my list:

THE LAST GRAND ADVENTURE by Rebecca Behrens (March 20, 2018)

It’s 1967 and twelve-year-old Bea is in need of some adventure. Her mother is off in San Francisco, while her father has just gotten remarried in Los Angeles. Bea has gained a younger stepsister, and she’s not thrilled about her blended family. So when her ailing grandmother, Pidge, moves to an Orange County senior-living community and asks if Bea would spend the summer helping her get settled, Bea is happy for any excuse to get away.

But it turns out, her grandmother isn’t interested in settling in. What she really wants is to hop a train back to Atchison, Kansas—where she thinks she’ll be reunited with her long-missing sister: Amelia Earhart. And she wants Bea to be her sidekick on this secret trip.

At first, Bea thinks her grandmother’s plan is a little crazy. But Pidge has thirty years of letters written in “Meelie’s” unmistakable voice, all promising to reunite. This might be the adventure Bea needs…

With letters in hand, Bea and Pidge set off on their quest to find Amelia. But getting halfway across the country proves to be more of an adventure than either of them bargained for. And their search for Amelia leads to some surprising truths about their family—and each other.

FRONT DESK by Kelly Yang (May 29, 2018)

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets.

Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.

Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they’ve been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.

Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language?

It will take all of Mia’s courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?

PLAYING ATARI with SADAM HUSSEIN by Jennifer Roy (Feb. 6, 2018)

At the start of 1991, eleven-year-old Ali Fadhil was consumed by his love for soccer, video games, and American television shows. Then, on January 17, Iraq’s dictator Saddam Hussein went to war with thirty-four nations lead by the United States.

Over the next forty-three days, Ali and his family survived bombings, food shortages, and constant fear. Ali and his brothers played soccer on the abandoned streets of their Basra neighborhood, wondering when or if their medic father would return from the war front. Cinematic, accessible, and timely, this is the story of one ordinary kid’s view of life during war.

THE DOLLAR KIDS by Jennifer Richard Jacobson (August 7, 2018)

Twelve-year-old Lowen Grover, a budding comic-book artist, is still reeling from the shooting death of his friend Abe when he stumbles across an article about a former mill town giving away homes for just one dollar. It not only seems like the perfect escape from Flintlock and all of the awful memories associated with the city, but an opportunity for his mum to run her very own business. Fortunately, his family is willing to give it a try. But is the Dollar Program too good to be true? The homes are in horrible shape, and the locals are less than welcoming. Will Millville and the dollar house be the answer to the Grovers’ troubles? Or will they find they’ve traded one set of problems for another? From the author of Small as an Elephant and Paper Things comes a heart-tugging novel about guilt and grief, family and friendship, and, above all, community.

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE by Lisa Jenn Bigelow (June 26, 2018)

Every heart has its own rhythm.

Melissa Goodwin only joined the school band because her best friend Olivia begged her to. But to her surprise, quiet Melly loves playing the drums. It’s the only time she doesn’t feel like a mouse.

Now, she and Olivia are excited to spend two weeks at Camp Rockaway, jamming under the stars in the Michigan woods. But the day before they leave, Melly’s parents share major news: they’re getting divorced.

Hundreds of miles from home, Melly’s life is thrown further out of sync when she meets her new bandmate, Adeline. Adeline, with her sandpaper voice and beat-up guitar, helps Melly feel confident when Melly feels anything but. And at night, when the girls in her tent compare crushes, Melly finds she isn’t thinking about boys. She’s thinking about Adeline.

To top it all off, Melly and Olivia seem to be growing apart, and Melly has to find her voice as a drummer in time for the end-of-camp show.

Will she be able to make music from all the noise in her heart?

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HAVE A VERY MERRY HOLIDAY WEEKEND!!

 

Posted in Book Lists, New Release | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

MMGM FOR 12/18/2017

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Greg Pattridge

 

It’s That Holiday Season!

The LINKS for December 18, 2017

(Click on an ornament to take you to their site)

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT—MMGM is open for business next Monday on Christmas Day. I’ll have my favorite MG moments to share. If you do have a post for that day please send them my way. Even if you don’t, I’ll provide a link to all the great sites that have been a part of MMGM with me the past two months. MG fans will have an opportunity to catch up on what they may have missed after gifts are unwrapped!
Today I have a review of a book that has been receiving a lot of buzz in the MG world: REFUGEE  by Alan Gratz. You can scroll down to read my thoughts  (Also linked via the blue ornament).
Ashlyn Avery from WHAT SHALL WE READ NEXT? has a review of Keeper of the Lost Cities: Nightfall by Shannon Messenger!! Be sure to check out the other reviews this young blogger has posted, including WONDER.
Sue Heavenrich over at Archimedes Notebook returns with a couple of MG novels that incorporate STEM into the story: Forest World by Margarita Engle and Who Gives a Hoot (Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet) by Jacqueline Kelly.
Patricia Tilton at Children’s Books Heal is reviewing a humorous story—The Unlikely Story of a Pig in the City by Jodi Kendall. A great Christmas present!
Rosi Hollinbeck at The Write Stuff has last minute shopping suggestions including Middle Grade books!
The Middle Grade Mafioso is featuring featuring THIS IS OUR CONSTITUTION by Khizr Khan.
Melissa Roske has an interview with Barbara Dee, author of the MG contemporary, HALFWAY NORMAL.
COMPLETELY FULL BOOKSHELF is recommending Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm.
Dorine White has a review of Return of the Vinetropes by Sherry L. Ross.
Karen Yingling always has some awesome MMGM Picks. Be sure to check out her book choice today along with her other reviews from the past week.
If you would like to join in the MMGM fun and get your own spot on the walkway, all you have to do is blog about a middle grade book you love on a Monday (contests, author interviews and whatnot also count–but are most definitely not required) and email me the title of the book you’re featuring 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 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!
*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.
Posted in MMGM Links | Tagged , | 5 Comments