CHASE TINKER and the HOUSE OF MAGIC for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Greg Pattridge

I’ve arrived a tad late to the party, but with books that doesn’t matter as the stories are always 21860063there for you to pick up and enjoy. This book is the first in a three book series. CHASE TINKER and the HOUSE OF SECRETS followed this one, and last year gave us CHASE TINKER and the HOUSE OF DESTINY. Still to come is the final tale, CHASE TINKER and the HOUSE OF MIST.

Chase is a twelve-year-old boy who turns thirteen not too far into his opening adventure. He and his younger brother are whisked away from New York by a grandfather they have never met. He teleports them back to his home in Seattle and a house full of magical rooms. What fun there is exploring as each of the room has a different magical power. Chase and his brother also learn that each of the Tinkers have a personal power that surfaces when they turn 10 1/2, which explains the odd powers they’ve recently been using.

More questions surface about certain rooms that are locked, two cousins with different intentions, an aunt who returns after trying to save the boy’s father from an evil force, and the grandfather who hasn’t quite told them the whole story behind the magic. It is an intriguing story line and one that will have you flipping the pages for more. The ending has a great twist that propels the story into the next episode.

If you decide to make the leap to read this series you’ll find loads of fun (and evil) magic, thrilling turns when least expected, and an endearing main character in Chase Tinker.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2012   PAGE COUNT: 248

FULL PLOT : Thirteen-year-old Chase Tinker can’t understand why he has the power to move things with his mind. Besides that, his dad has been missing for over a year, causing his mom to be too upset to pay much attention to her sons, so now he’s been busted for shoplifting. As if this isn’t enough to worry about, his younger brother Andy suddenly has a weird magical ability too. Can things get any crazier? Chase thinks.

Then, a grandfather they thought to be long dead arrives at their door. He wants Chase and Andy to come visit him so they can learn about their supernatural heritage, and why they have magical powers in the first place.

The boys soon find out that Grandfather, along with their cousin Janie, lives on a remote island in the middle of Puget Sound in an out-of-this-world house where fantastic magic can be found in practically every room, stairway and corridor. Chase can’t believe their dad has been keeping so much from them.

It’s an even bigger shock when Chase learns that all their magic is controlled by a powerful and mysterious Relic in the attic, and if anything happens to this Relic, every bit of Tinker magic will be lost forever. He’s even more disturbed when he learns his family has a dark and powerful enemy that is determined to steal all their magic, their house and their Relic.

Now Chase must find a way to stop these evil beings, while at the same time figuring out what has happened to his dad, unraveling even more Tinker lies and secrets and not letting on that he has a huge crush on the housekeeper’s daughter.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: CHASE TINKER and THE HOUSE OF MAGIC by Malia Ann Haberman

  1. The magic in each room is fun and creatively staged. It will bring out the kid like wonder no matter what age you are.
  2. I never expected time travel in this book but what an imaginative and dangerous  journey it becomes for several scenes in the story.
  3. The relationship Chase and his brother, Andy, have is very typical. They look out for each other in dangerous times but also squabble over disagreements. It made me smile more than once.
  4. The villains are evil but not too dark or nightmare inducing.
  5. This unique story is never dull and always moving forward. Great cast of characters, setting, and a magical adventure kids will surely enjoy.

FAVORITE LINES: (This one hints at what is in store for these two brothers)

With a flick of his finger, a tall glass of iced tea with a slice of lemon and a tiny blue umbrella popped onto the table.

The boys gawked as if they’d just seen a green, polka-dotted extra-terrestrial fly through the window. Andy almost fell of his chair. “How’d you do that?” he gasped.

It was grandfather’s turn to look wide-eyed. “You mean you have never seen real magic? Not even your own?”

AUTHOR QUOTE: I keep Christmas lights up in my house year round. I know it’s weird, but they’re so colorful and festive. Besides, I’m sort of afraid of the dark and they make lovely night lights. 🙂

For more see Malia’s author web site.

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Make a comment if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them.  You’ll find the comment link right under the title of this review.

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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A Happy Holiday Celebration

Posted on December 24, 2015 by Greg Pattridge

After finishing my latest rounds of edits I just had to celebrate. Perfectly normal, but after a month of writing from the perspective of an exuberant 11-year-old, I couldn’t escape that age…

Whew! I survived and have officially returned to the ranks of an adult.

Have a great holiday!

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A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Greg Pattridge

This engaging first book in a new series has a cast of great characters. As the story unfolds it’s a awholenewballgamenew fifth grade year for Rip and Red. Everything is going as planned until they arrive and find out they have a first year teacher – Mr. Acevedo. He doesn’t play the part like other teachers do. Ponytail, tattoos, and piercings are just the beginning. There’s no test prep or anything else that seems normal.

The students are diverse. The main ones include, Rip, AKA the African-American kid with locks who loves basketball; his friend Red, a boy on the autism spectrum; and Avery, the girl in a wheelchair. The story follows the class as they attempt to improve their skills doing it Mr. Acevedo’s way. He also happens to be the fifth grade basketball coach so Rip and Red get a double dose of his unorthodox ways.

You won’t get a full understanding of each character’s motivations, but there’s more to come in future books that will allow them to develop further. I enjoyed the short chapters, engaging illustrations throughout, and poignant friendships. A real winning start to this series in more ways than one. Boo Yah!

PUBLICATION DATE: 2015   PAGE COUNT: 243

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON) Rip and Red are best friends whose fifth-grade year is nothing like what they expected. They have a crazy new tattooed teacher named Mr. Acevedo, who doesn’t believe in tests or homework and who likes off-the-wall projects, the more “off” the better. They also find themselves with a new basketball coach: Mr. Acevedo! Easy-going Rip is knocked completely out of his comfort zone. And for Red, who has autism and really needs things to be exactly a certain way, the changes are even more of a struggle. But together these two make a great duo who know how to help each other―and find ways to make a difference―in the classroom and on the court.
With its energetic and authentic story and artwork, this is a fresh, fun book about school, sports, and friendship.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME by Phil Bidner

  1. Such an honest portrayal of a classroom. We label kids as fifth graders (or whatever grade), but what we get is a wide range of readiness, interest, and experiences that make them all unique. It takes a gifted team of teachers to make it work for every child in the classroom.
  2. A very subtle nudge added to the conversation about testing students. The book doesn’t preach but gives you food for thought.
  3. A nice balance of settings from the classroom to the basketball court to life at Rip’s home. His mother is a principal at another school making for some pointed dialog with Rip.
  4. A superb lesson about not treating others based on their outside appearance. That goes for the students and Mr. Acevedo.
  5. You learn a small dose of what autism is all about. What I liked even better was showing how much a dependable friend can help in a sometimes awkward situation.

FAVORITE LINES:

I’m the black kid with the hair who lives and breathes basketball. That’s who I am. So they tell me. She’s the kid in the wheelchair. He’s the kid who’s crazy about the Beatles. She’s the kid who loves Hello Kitty. He’s the military kid. She’s the theater kid. He’s the kid who wears hats with earflaps. She’s the kid who runs track. He’s the kid who calls everyone by there first name and there last name. He’s the man with the piercings and tattoos who looks like he in a rock band.

That’s how people see us, that’s how we see one an other, that’s who we are.

That’s not who we are.

I am so much more.

AUTHOR QUOTE (From Phil Bidner’s Website):  A new teacher like Mr. Acevedo has probably only had limited interactions with a child on the spectrum, and he’s certainly never been responsible for one in his own classroom. So he’s learning on the fly. That’s something we often lose sight of. Teachers are learners, too. They don’t always get everything right. Just like that’s okay for kids, it’s okay for teachers, too. It’s how we grow. It’s how we get better. That’s who Mr. Acevedo is.

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Make a comment here if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them.

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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LOST CHRISTMAS for Marvelous Middle Grade EXTRA

Posted on December 17, 2015 by Greg Pattridge

I’m squeezing in a few more review choices this month before my role as a CYBILS round 2 judge points me in a different direction.

There have been quite a few middle grade books that end up as movies, but this title went the imagesother way. It was first a screenplay for a BBC television movie released in 2011. One of the two screenwriters, David Logan, took what he had co-created and turned it into a novel. This book was first released in England, but this year made it to the U.S. with a new cover.

If you like Rebecca Stead’s WHEN YOU REACH ME,  you’ll get right into this one full of characters you aren’t sure how they all connect. As in Stead’s book, the puzzle pieces fit together nicely by The End. Be prepared for a shocking start as ten-year-old Goose loses both parents in a car accident. From there Goose connects with various people who also have experienced loss and eventually bring meaning to the terrible accident. While sad events happen throughout, the ending is magical, heartwarming, and happily surprising.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2011 (UK) 2015 (US release)  PAGE COUNT: 296

FULL PLOT : When Goose’s parents are killed in a car crash on Christmas Eve, his life changes utterly. Living with his increasingly senile Nan, his dog Mutt is the only thing keeping him sane. His only other friend is Frank, a former friend of his father. Frank’s own life is falling apart and he has recruited Goose to help him carry out petty theft around the city. A year to the day since the accident that changed his life, Goose meets Anthony, a strange man who has forgotten who he is, but seems to know more about others than they know about themselves. When Mutt goes missing, Goose has no choice but to rely on Anthony to help find him. In an adventure that draws in Frank, who’s lost his family, an old lady who’s lost a precious bangle, an elderly doctor who’s lost his wife and mother who’s lost her daughter, Goose follows Anthony across Manchester. But at the centre of the mystery is Anthony himself: who is he, how does he know so much and can he help Goose and the others find what they’re searching for?

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: Lost Christmas by David Logan

  1. Clever story telling. I didn’t have a clue what the connection between the characters would reveal, but of course it all made sense at the end.
  2. The characters are deep and multi-faceted dealing with real world problems like Alzheimers and alcoholism.
  3. Manchester, UK is where most of the action takes place so it was enjoyable to learn about a place I’d never visited.
  4. No info dumping here in the initial chapters. The plot breadcrumbs are scattered throughout the story, allowing readers to make their own guesses as to the outcome.
  5. Parallels to our own beloved Christmas movie, It’s a Wonderful Life. They take different routes but by the end you are smiling at the result.

FAVORITE LINES: And, with that, Mom, Dad, and Nan stepped aside, revealing a small brown and white mongrel deeply engrossed in a satisfying scratch behind his ear. With an open mouth Goose looked down at the dog. The dog stopped what he was doing and looked up at Goose. their eyes met. And it was love at first sight.

AUTHOR QUOTE: “It might seem obvious but I’ve come across too many aspiring writers who don’t read for pleasure. Frankly I don’t get it. Isn’t that like being an aspiring footballer who’s never watched a match or an aspiring chef who doesn’t like food? If you want to write, read. Use libraries. They’re an amazing and endangered resource. If you want to write children’s fiction then educate yourself about what’s out there.”

For more insights see David Logan’s web site.

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Make a comment here if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them.

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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BRIDGET WILDER: Spy-in-Training for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on December 14, 2015 by Greg Pattridge

This smart new series charms with humor and a determined attitude from literature’s newest heroine, Bridget Wilder. WceGgDUNlCA8RPHOz66AbHHs4RI12Vqg+OoBRGBrKx2plCphEkAr3aizNSRpuGHkIoDZcS4gLRs3LNNbucM2tzHjr1b6gOv!JK2gG4iMspVQ5iDKyCBWtzAWMsmQ+7PKShe’s the only adopted child, a middle, and worries her family doesn’t connect with her like they do with an older brother and younger sister. Busy parents even forget that it’s her birthday.

When a bag arrives on the doorstep (How come I never get a bag like this on my doorstep?), her life begins to change. It is full of cool gadgets like a weapon infused lip balm and a container of tiny cameras planted in Tic-Tacs. Things get worse at home, but at school she’s able to branch out beyond the one friend she never really liked. She soon discovers her biological father is a spy and wants Bridget to join him on future missions.

There’s a great batch of middle school characters from a group of very exclusive girls to, Dale, a boy she kind of likes. Dale especially takes a surprising turn as his character develops. Family and school life are realistically portrayed. Never dull and always surprising, Bridget Wilder gets a fantastic and thrilling introduction to the spy world. She’ll be back soon in BRIDGET WILDER: SPY TO THE RESCUE.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2015   PAGE COUNT: 304

FULL PLOT (From the author’s web site) :Middle school meets Mission Impossible in this hilarious spy series for fans of Chris Rylander, Stuart Gibbs, and Ally Carter about a girl whose life is turned upside down when she discovers her father is a superspy.

Up until Bridget’s birthday the most exciting moment in her life was when Dale Tookey maybe, sort of, smiled at her one time. But that was before—before she found a mysterious present at her doorstep, before she was transported to a covert CIA agency called Section 23, and before she became Bridget Wilder: Spy-in-Training. Now Bridget’s busting boys out of detention, being chauffeured by a talking car, and infiltrating the popular girls’ clique to steal secret codes, all while undercover as a semi-awkward middle school girl. But will she be able to keep up with her new action-packed life?

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: BRIDGET WILDER: Spy-in-Training by Jonathan Bernstein

  1. Bridget has more problems than her spy training. There’s school where she is the butt of many jokes and home where she’s not sure how she fits into the family. Both settings should invoke familiarity with tween readers.
  2. The aforementioned gadgets, along with a super powered track suit come from the mind of a promising new MG author.
  3. Nice to find a story where change comes to not only the main character but also most of the secondary cast. Older brother, Ryan; Perfect younger sister, Natalie; Joanna, the not so best friend; and of course Dale Tookey, geekish and heroic. Great ensemble!
  4. You’ll be reminded how difficult 13 can be in this modern day world. Bridget navigates with humor while she attempts to form an identity.
  5. Perfect balance of action, funny bits, and crisis control at every turn. What we have here is a smart female lead that might also encourage quite a few boys into reading.

FAVORITE LINES:

“Happy birthday,” she says.

I’m touched. I’m taken aback. I’m surprised. I look at the book. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank. A dog-eared, second – maybe-even-third – hand copy. The name Sarah B is scrawled at the top left-hand corner. I’m disappointed, But not hideously. I’ve got a good idea of the sort of stuff Joanna keeps in that bag. I could have been stuck with the black banana or her half-empty, crusted-over bottle of hair dye.

OFFICIAL BOOK TRAILER:

For more into Bridget’s world (Including her spy song list) visit Jonathan’s website

Here’s the AMAZON link where you can order your own copy.

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Make a comment here if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them.

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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A Review of Reviews

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Greg Pattridge

Recently I had a reader contact me wondering if I could lead her to the name of a book I reviewed about a girl who lived with her family at a mortuary or cemetery. I have the same problem, often recalling the plot or author name while completely forgetting the title. I found what she was looking for (GRAVE IMAGES) and set out to complete a project I started earlier this year.

The search box on the lower right of this page can get you to a past review if you know the title or author. If not, it can be painful digging through years of reviews to find the one you need. Now I’ve added a new page you can access above – Books I’ve Reviewed. There you will find an alphabetical linked list of the 130 reviews I have completed on this blog.

I hope this helps find the book you need!

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DIEGO’S DRAGON: BATTLE AT TENOCHTITLAN for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Greg Pattridge

Diego is now 13 and enters the most gripping adventure of his life. Previously I reviewed DIEGO’S DRAGON Book One (SPIRITS OF THE SUN) and Book Two (DRAGONS OF THE DARK RIFT).

This third in the series is again best for upper MG. Its an exciting tale of different worlds of ancient 51-xW2o4KiL._AC_UL320_SR214,320_Mexico, the far reaches of the universe, and present day southern California. The storytelling is fast paced and expertly told. You’ll be on the edge of your seat as the battle between the dragons and ancients take place.

Publishers and the blogging world are always screaming for diversity and here we have it with our Latino hero, Diego, along with his friends and family. One of those friends is an Irish boy who plays a pivotal role in the story. It doesn’t matter what ethnicity you bring, everyone can enjoy the story and culture presented in this series.

The question I always get with a series is… “Can I jump in now without reading the first two books?” I’d say yes, only because of the references to what happened in the previous adventures and revealing again how Diego began his journey by winning a dragon statue. Of course by doing so you’ll miss out on the full telling of this tale, but regardless, join in for the excitement.

With about 20 pages to the end of Book Three, a sense of dread surrounded me. All these plot points were not going to get solved. Sure enough, we are left hanging at the end and will have to wait for the eventual release of Book Four: MAZES MONSTERS AND MYTHICAL HEROES. Dejected, I went to the Diego’s Dragon website and was rewarded with a several chapter teaser of this next book. Now at least I’ll be able to sleep at night.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2013   Pages: 289

FULL PLOT (From Amazon):  An Evil Spirit, Haunted Weapons, and a Race to Save Diego’s Ancestors. Spanish conquistadors struggle against Poseidon’s oceans on their way to the Americas. The captain of the armada seeks gold for his queen, conversion for his church, and a release from an unholy alliance with a dark lord. The spirit travels within the confines of the Asesino de mar, the great galleon given to the captain with his commission. During the long months at sea it stokes a seething hatred for Diego and Magnifico, while patiently preparing its revenge. When the attack against the Mexica people begins in the year 1519, a shocking spell reaches through the centuries, affecting every one of their descendants. Diego, Racquel, and the Sol Dragones race back through time, hoping to stop the conquistadors before they begin their conquest. The battle at Tenochtitlan throws Magnifico’s forces against the conquerors of the New World. The weapons of the Spanish fleet, skillfully altered by the Dark Lord, threaten the mighty dragons of the sun in a ferocious struggle to save Diego’s people.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT DIEGO’S DRAGON (BOOK THREE): BATTLE AT TENOCHTITLAN  by Kevin Gerard

  1. There is a lot going on here in different settings and worlds. Most of the time instead of devoting a full chapter to one setting, the author gives us brief scenes from each within a single chapter. This ramps the tension meter to the highest as the action and story telling bounce back and forth. It was especially effective as the dragons battled the ancient forces.
  2. Time travel is used to the extreme here. What would happen if a dark force went to a time 500 years ago and wiped out your ancestors, basically destroying a present day culture? Friends and family would disappear and an effective plot is the result.
  3. Full page illustrations by Benito Gallego occur four or five times inside the book and they are spectacular. Excellent depictions of Diego, his dragon Magnifico, and the ancient explorers.
  4. Friendship is used well both in present day and as the action drifts backward in time. Not only human friends, but the building relationship between Diego and Magnifico has grown immensely since the first book.
  5. Leave them screaming for more is exactly what you want to achieve with a series. It worked here for sure. I can’t wait to see what happens with Satadon, the so called Dark Lord. He’s one nasty dude!

FAVORITE LINES:

Casillas never broke eye contact with Diego. “You said he, son. Tell me who you’re talking about. Who might come back?

“Magnifico.”

“Should we be afraid of Magnifico?” asked Casillas.

Diego never blinked. “You should be afraid of a lot more than that.”

“Are you in trouble, son?”

Diego broke eye contact and looked at the sky. “We’re all in trouble.”

AUTHOR NEWS:

See Kevin’s visit to an elementary school after getting a letter from a fifth grade teacher.

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Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

 

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IMAGINARY BOY for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on November 30, 2015 by Greg Pattridge

The cover for this debut novel only hints at a story about to unfold. Imaginary Boy CoverThe first few chapters reveal most of what we see here. Benji, an eleven year old boy, waits for his mother to return as he looks out across 1839 London. A crutch is nearby to help the boy walk. His face “crooked and ugly” is a face that most people can’t look at for long. There is also a night sky and a small image of a dragon. They too will be a part of the story.

I followed Benji for three chapters when along comes chapter four and a different story about a famous fifteen-year-old, Lord Thomas. I sensed the two stories would eventually be one and I was right. What I wasn’t prepared for was the physical and emotional abuse Benji goes through after being abandoned. I had to step away and do a little research of my own. What was it like for children in nineteenth century London? How much fact had been woven into Benji’s story? It would seem an awful lot. Source after source told of the abuse many children endured. An example (from one scholarly study – THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CHILD ABUSE by Clark, Clark, and Adamec):

In 19th century England and North America children were treated in much the same way as farm animals. They could be placed in servitude, beaten and, if they consistently disobeyed, even killed by their parents.

So I returned to IMAGINARY BOY and I’m glad for the experience. I would reserve this tale for upper middle grade with the truly frightening scenes. No sexual abuse but plenty of beatings and attempts to rip away Benji’s self worth. He is just a boy with an angel like singing voice searching for the hero in his father’s unfinished story. By the last page you’ll discover the true hero and maybe smile like I did.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2015   PAGE COUNT: 186

FULL PLOT : Eleven-year-old Benji Saintaubin dreams of becoming a hero like the ones in the books he reads while banished in the dark attic of his family home. But those heroes are all strong and handsome, not like Benji who uses a crutch and hides his disfigured face. When his father dies, leaving behind an unfinished story about an imaginary boy who must defeat a cruel and mighty dragon, Benji’s safe and secluded world is turned upside down.

After venturing out of the attic and onto the perilous streets of 19th century London, Benji finds himself separated from his mother in a frightening and unfamiliar world. Nearly trampled to death and sold into slavery, Benji comes to believe his father’s story may be more fact than fiction after his captor reveals a dragon-tail tattoo around his arm and plans that could destroy Benji. If he ever hopes to escape, be reunited with his mother and finish his father’s cryptic story, Benji must trust that a crippled boy can discover the unseen power needed to defeat a brutal and powerful dragon.Join Benji on his treacherous journey in this compelling, edgy and inspiring middle-grade novel by debut author Mark Eldrich.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: IMAGINARY BOY by Mark Eldrich

  1. A compelling story is one where the urge for a reader is to skip to the last page to find out how things turned out. I didn’t do that but I was turning the pages fast to find out if Benji would survive his ordeal.
  2. Short chapters move the story forward at a perfect pace. This is one author to keep an eye out for as future works become available.
  3. I’ve read many books this past year that fail to tidy things up by the last page. I’m referring to plot points that leave a reader hanging. This one is handed to you wrapped and completed.
  4. The cast of characters, both good and bad, are compelling and fully formed. I especially enjoyed Brother Lucas, Mr. Krum, Eve, and Thomas.
  5. The setting was a superb choice for Benji’s story. Enticing and scary at every turn.

FAVORITE LINES:

He scanned the crowd, looking for a blue dress, his brow furrowed in worry. Panic began to build inside him. Maybe Mother had forgotten where he was. He couldn’t breathe. Seconds turned into minutes and still he waited. Maybe … wait … there! Through the crowd he spotted a blue dress and white hat.

“Mother!” he cried. “Mother, I’m here!”

AUTHOR BIO: Mark Eldrich began writing at the age of thirteen with his entry in a local poetry contest called the The Write Stuff, where he was named a finalist. The former youth pastor and current left-handed guitar player resides in the Midwest with his wife and two sons. He works full time at the Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Service. When he isn’t at the library or playing with his boys, you will find him at home writing stories. His next middle-grade novel, The Shaming Tree, is due out in 2017. To learn more, click here for Mark’s website.

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Make a comment if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them. Just click on the Comments word above. You’ll find it right under the title of this post.

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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BREAKING THE ICE for Marvelous Middle Grade Thanksgiving

Posted on November 26, 2015 by Greg Pattridge

HAPPY THANKSGIVING with this bonus review!

I know very little about figure skating… Isn’t a double axle on a semi-tractor trailer and a triple salchow an20662374 exotic Hawaiian drink?

Obviously not after reading this story about the world of competitive figure skating. I actually had a student once who was in this same situation. She was absent frequently and now I know why. If your dream is to skate competitively, it takes long hours of dedicated practice for both the technical and performing piece.

Twelve-year-old Kaitlin narrates her story as she adjusts to a new rink and coach after getting dumped by her previous one for an untimely outburst. She has the technical aspects of skating (jumps, spins etc) down for the most part , but Breaking the Ice also refers to her learning how to become a great performer. It’s about following your dream despite the roadblocks put in your way. Yes, you can reach your goals.

In the background you’ll find Dance Mom types watching and pushing their daughters making you wonder whose dream it is they are pursuing. There’s also caddie competitors and a cute boy that brings peer pressure into the story. The cover won’t attract many preteen boys who aren’t into this sport, but that’s okay, there are plenty of others who will love this charming coming of age story.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2015   WORD COUNT: 59,514   READING LEVEL: 4.1

FULL PLOT (From AMAZON) Figure skating is Kaitlin’s passion, but she lands on thin ice after a meltdown in this funny, touching story. Because when you fall down, you have to pick yourself up—even if it’s in front of judges and a crowd.

Kaitlin has always dreamed of being a champion figure skater, and she’s given up a lot to pursue her passion. But after she has a totally uncharacteristic tantrum at a major competition, she’s dropped by her coach and her prestigious skating club.

When no other club will have her, she’s forced to join the ridiculed and run-down Fallton Club, jokingly referred to as the “Fall Down Club.” At first Kaitlin thinks this is a complete disaster, but after meeting some of the other skaters—including a boy who happens to have the most perfect hair she’s ever seen—she realizes it might not actually be so bad.

Yet learning a whole new program right before regionals is a huge challenge, and when she realizes that all the other area skaters target Fallton for pranks, she begins to wonder if joining the Fall Down Club has any upsides.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: BREAKING THE ICE by Gail Nall

  1. We have a book about a female sport! The shelves are filled with baseball, football, and soccer books with a male protagonist so this book is a pleasant addition.
  2. Its not just about figure skating. Peer pressure, learning from mistakes, fragile friendships, and goal setting make for a super undercurrent.
  3. Kaitlin has two supportive parents who are with her the entire ride. There’s no death, divorce, or dimwitedness (Probably not a word, but I needed one more “D”).
  4. Kaitlin makes a perfect main character. She’s sparkly in more ways than one and her problems will be familiar to many girls her age, even if they don’t skate.
  5. The coaches name is Greg. A perfect name for a coach. Actually the adults in the story from the coaches to the parents are not all one-dimensional. You often see more than one side to their personalities.

FAVORITE LINES: Saying a bunch of stupid words can’t completely tank my figure-skating career, right? But I know there are some things you just don’t say out loud in skating – at least not until you get home. It’s not like normal sports, where everyone screams insults at everyone else, and no one really cares.

AUTHOR QUOTE: (From Gail’s Author Website) I always wanted to write a skating book. I was watching the US Nationals at home, when I saw a skater receive really awful scores for her program. She and her coach put on pretend smiles, but you could see how devastated they both were. I’m sure that skater cried or yelled or something as soon as she was away from people. Then I wondered what would happen if a skater didn’t wait to let out how she really felt. What if she got upset right there in front of everyone? And that’s the premise of Breaking the Ice.

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Make a comment if you have time. I enjoy reading all of them. Just click on the Comments word above. You’ll find it right under the title of this post.

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

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THE DIAMOND LOOKING GLASS for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on November 23, 2015 by Greg Pattridge

This intriguing title comes from Dorine White, a fellow MMGM poster and author of numerous diamondcoverbooks. THE DIAMOND LOOKING GLASS is the third in the Cleopatra’s Legacy series, stories that follow magic gemstones once belonging to Cleopatra, the Last Pharaoh of Egypt.

I worried that jumping into this one without reading the first two might be a problem, but it wasn’t as this story stands on its own. There’s an enticing Paris, France setting along with some fun time travel back to Cleopatra’s darkest days. Our heroine is Claire, a spunky twelve-year-old who seeks meaning to her family’s business and a mysterious mirror she has been bestowed as the owner.

The chapters breeze by with plenty of action and the end sets up many more episodes. Seems that Cleopatra wants back all five gemstones, and Claire will have her hands full trying to find them. A great concept and yes, do judge a book by its cover… it makes you want to start reading at once.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2015   PAGE COUNT: 141

FULL PLOT : (from AMAZON) Beauty and the Beast. The world knows it as a cartoon with dancing teacups and broomsticks. To twelve year old Claire La Fleur, it is family history, and the power behind Belle’s mirror is real. Every ten years her family gathers to see if the mirror will awaken, and for the last two hundred years it has slept.

This time, Claire’s touch awakens the magic within the diamond looking glass, a direct portal to the past and a way to communicate with Cleopatra, the last pharaoh of Egypt. The lure of power brings with it many perils, and a betrayal close to home thrusts Claire into a treacherous underworld. To protect the mirror, she travels into the Louvre museum in the dark of night, searches abandoned subway tunnels, and walks the catacombs of the dead.

Welcome to Paris, France – where danger follows in every step.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE DIAMOND LOOKING GLASS by Dorine White

  1. I’ve never been to Paris so the setting vividly came to life with its many attractions and customs. I’d love to visit and enjoy some of their two hour lunch breaks!
  2. I suspected one of the characters had a not so good agenda, but I wasn’t sure. It took until the end to reveal if I was right. The sign of a good story teller – keeping you guessing.
  3. The visits surrounding Cleopatra’s life as a pharaoh were a welcome addition. Such a great contrast to the every day life in France.
  4. Claire takes a few too many dangerous chances, but you come to adore this kids who does things on her own to save those she loves.
  5. The secondary characters like Claire’s parents, older brother, best friend, and nemesis all have a purpose in the story and are not just filler. The relationship Claire has with her brother is quite touching.

FAVORITE LINE: Everywhere she turned, she ran into someone. It felt like a carnival. The cacophony of noises and the heady smell of perfumes stuffed up her head like a cotton ball explosion. She’d tried. She really had. But now she had to get outside, even if for just a little while.

AUTHOR QUOTE: My name is Dorine White. I graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in Humanities. I am a member of the SCBWI and the PNWA. I write middle grade and YA fantasy. My first book, The Emerald Ring, was published in May 2013 by Cedar Fort Books. The second book, The Ruby Pendant, came out April 2014. My most recent release is a YA fantasy, The Awakening. This thrilling adventure came out in Dec. 2014 from Skyrocket Press. A newer hat of mine is working as an associate editor for Middle Shelf Magazine.

For more insights see Dorine’s web site.

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Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

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