Lost Island

Author: MarcyKate Connolly

Series: Hollow Dolls #2

Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers

Release Date: October 5, 2021

The follow up to Hollow Dolls picks up where the story left off and takes readers on a magical adventure full of surprises complete with all the magical adventures kids love in books.

After learning the truth about her mother, Simone is in a frenzy trying to keep her friends safe from Maeve and her powers. Now, Simone is in search for others with power to keep her Mother from taking their powers and using them for evil. An old legend leads her on a hunt for the Island she used to call home. Together with Sebastian and help from the librarians they set off to save others before it is too late. The closer they get to the island the more Simone sees that Maeve will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

MarcyKate Connolly has crafted a fun and magical adventure for young readers. With lots of suspense, action, drama, and adventure, readers will fly through the pages of this book. Most of the characters from the first book are back and we see a deeper depth with Simone and several of the characters. I really connected with Simone and the way she cares for her friends and wants to do all that she can to keep them safe. Her attitude and the way she was written really kept the story moving forward at a great pace for me. My only complaint would be the end and the last few chapters. Things were wrapped up a little too conveniently and felt rushed to me. I wish there would have been more development instead of it all ending so abruptly. Overall, it was still a good story that I enjoyed reading and would recommend to young readers that want a fantasy adventure.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the author. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Hollow Dolls

Author: MarcyKate Connolly

Series: Hollow Dolls #1

Publisher: Sourcebooks Young Readers

Release Date: January 7, 2020

An intriguing tale of magic, powers, and the lengths some will go to get the powers others have.

Simone is one of the few with powers, she is a mind-reader. With her power she knows many things, but the one thing she can’t remember is her own past. She is on a mission to find her family and the home she was taken from. Helping her search is Sebastian, another child taken with powers, the ability to take memories from people and was used against her while they were held captive. They come across a man that has been taken over by a body walker; Simone wants nothing more than to leave the life of magic behind her. But the more she looks into the history of where she came from and how to get back home, the more evil she sees around her. Before it is too late, Simone must dig deep into herself and find the courage to stop the evil around her before those she cares about get hurt.

Hollow Dolls is a fun, entertaining magical story that will keep young readers engaged with the characters and following along on their journey. Simone is a very real protagonist, even though she has magical powers, it is easy to connect with her and the passion she has to find her family and get back all that was taken from her. The dynamic between her and Sebastian moves the story forward during their scenes and all they have had to work through together. Several points throughout the story I started to feel as if I knew what was going on and what would happen next, some of my thoughts proved true and some not so much. The story wraps up with a solid cliff-hanger ending that will leave readers aching to find out the rest of the story in the follow up. While I didn’t enjoy this book as much as others I have read by Connolly, it was still an enjoyable read that I would recommend to other young readers looking for a magical adventure.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the author. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Raising Dragons

Author: Bryan Davis

Series: Dragons in our Midst #1

Publisher: Tyndale

Release Date: October 5, 2021 (Rerelease)

The first book in The Dragon in Our Midst Series is a fun fantasy novel I can’t wait to let my son read. Clean, entertaining, and magical; a great combination for young readers!

Billy is called Dragon Breathe by kids at school after a science experiment gone wrong. He’s been dealing with abnormally hot breath as he has gotten older and when his breath accidentally sets off the fire sprinklers, his parents finally tell him the secret they have kept all his life, he is half dragon. Once he knows the truth, a lot of things make more sense about his life. When a new girl at school arrives hiding her own secret, Billy becomes the only one she can trust. Bonnie and Billy discover they are part of a legend leading back to Arthur and Excalibur. Together they find more faith and courage they didn’t know they had to deal with an evil slayer determined to exterminate the dragons forever.

I took this book with me to the hospital while my mom had a procedure and ended up reading the entire thing in one day. It was a fun, exciting, entertaining, and clean read. I love finding a great book that I can recommend to my son to read without any worry that the material will not be appropriate. Books on dragons and mythology aren’t my normal go-to reads but I am so happy I gave this one a try. As the start of a series, this book brings all the right stuff, magical legends, drama, tension, evil and so much more. Bonnie and Billy make a great team to move the story along and keep readers entranced in the story. The writing is perfect for young readers and their parents. I wanted to read it and see if my son would like it and if it would be appropriate for him. Even though it is a story about dragons and legends of Arthur, it still has an element of faith. I recommend this to readers that enjoy mythical, magical, and fun stories.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Kingston and the Magician’s Lost & Found

Authors: Rucker Moses and Theo Gangi

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Release Date: February 16, 2021

A fun, magical adventure for young readers that I can highly recommend to my ten-year-old and enjoy watching him continue to discover the magic of reading.

Kingston Preston has moved back home after being away from Echo City, Brooklyn for the past four years. When he was eight and his magician father disappeared during one of his tricks, his mother took them both away. Being in a place so full of magic and reminders was too much for her to take. Now that they are back home, Kingston is ready to find out what happened to his father. When King disappeared, magic in Echo City went with him. Magic is frowned upon now in the city and Kingston finds a magic box left behind that gives him clues as to what happened to his father. He can’t tell his mother about his find and so he works with his cousin, Veronica, and old childhood friend, Too Tall Eddie, to find out the mystery of what happened to his father.

Kingston and the Magician’s Lost and Found was a breath of fresh air. I read this so I would know if it would be a good fit for my ten-year-old to read. I have to say that not only will I let my son read it, but I really enjoyed reading it! The story was good, fast-paced, and entertaining. The characters were engaging and kept me interested in the story and what they were going through. There is magic, code breaking, a family torn apart and a battle against good and evil. Kingston and his mom have had a good relationship but they both have missed his dad since he disappeared and being back where it happened is hard on them both. I love the secondary characters and how they brought a little extra humor to the tense situations. Too Tall Eddie was probably one of my favorite characters.

The story wrapped up nicely but has been left open solidly for more to come. I’m not sure if this is planned as a series and if so, how many, but there is definitely more story to be told here. One of the best things about this book was that it was fast paced, suspenseful but also clean. I don’t have to worry about harsh language or mature themes that would not be appropriate when my son reads it. I recommend this to middle grade readers and even parents for a fun family read with good family values, good vs. evil and to just enjoy the magic of reading.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Way to Rio Luna

Author: Zoraida Cordova

Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Release Date: June 2, 2020

A fantastic, fun adventure for middle grade readers that will let them travel across the world as they fly through the pages.

Danny Monteverde has always believed in magic and even as he ages, he still believes. The books and stories he read with his sister, Pili, helped show him how amazing pixie dust and rabbit holes can be. Pili disappeared two years ago, and Danny has searched for her. He now believes she is waiting for him in Rio Luna, the enchanted land from their favorite fairy tales. Danny has spent most of his life in foster homes and knows there must be someone that wants him, his sister. Years pass and Danny starts to doubt she will come for him and he’s been silly to believe in fairy tales all these years. When he finds his favorite book in a library, he also finds a map to Rio Luna and hopefully his sister. The map takes him all around the world and he will stop at nothing to find his sister.

The Way to Rio Luna is a fun magical adventure for middle grade readers. Danny is a great main character that you can’t help but want to root for and see succeed in his quest to find his sister. Each day he must stay with the foster family, and you see how harsh they treat him, which makes it even more important that he finds his sister, the one person that actually cares for him. Even when he is at his lowest, he knows that Pili is out there and he will find a way to get to her. The story moved quickly and was full of adventure, action, suspense and all written at the appropriate level for its intended readers. My only complaint would be a few mature themes, toward the end with one character I felt could have been left out. Most likely younger readers won’t realize what is being said but as a mother I felt it didn’t need to be included. Other than that, I highly recommend this to middle grade readers for a fun adventure they will breeze through and enjoy from beginning to end.

Ali Cross

ali cross Author: James Patterson

Publisher: Jimmy Patterson Publishing

Release Date: November 25, 2019

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A fun way for fans of the Alex Cross series to introduce their kids to the detective and his family, including his son Ali, who wants to be just like his dad and solve mysteries.

Ali cross has a lot to live up to as the son of famed detective and FBI agent Alex Cross. Ali has watched as his father worked to solve some of the most difficult crimes that left everyone else stumped. When Ali’s best friend, Gabe, goes missing, he decides to see if he has what it takes to be in the family business and find out what happened to his best friend. At the same time Gabe goes missing, a string of burglaries in the neighborhood start up including Ali’s house. Everyone warns Ali not to get involved but he can’t keep from following his instincts to find out how the events are connected and what it means for his friend. He is on his own investigating while his father is dealing with his own problems at work. Ali must decide if his detective work is worth it or if following his instincts will put his family in more danger.

If you have ever read have ever read any James Patterson book, you know the way his stories usually play out. Each contains scenes of action and adventure but yet the story is somewhat predictable. Taking his writing style and putting it towards a children’s mystery has worked out well in this case. For most of my experiences with James Patterson books, I have felt he writes down to readers, it doesn’t take a lot of thought to identify the villain is or what is happening. For that reason, I haven’t read much of his writing in a long time but thought this was worth giving a try. I bought this book for my son to read since I have read and enjoyed some of the earlier Alex Cross books. Like most books for young adult books he chooses, I read this one before him and enjoyed it.

Ali is the perfect spin off for Alex Cross to get kids interested in a fun, interesting new series. Readers will notice that Ali doesn’t act or talk like a normal kid, but then again, he doesn’t have normal parents which can be attributed to his being more mature in his actions and the way he speaks to others. He does still fly off the handle as a kid would sometimes do and his interest in video games keeps him grounded as a kid. To me this is written just the way it should be for its intended audience. Young readers will have no trouble flying through the story and have fun figuring out the mystery within. I recommend this book to young readers that are ready for something a little harder than the shorter chapter books but not something that will be too difficult and intimidating for them to finish and enjoy.

Shine

Shine Author: Dagny Griffin

Publisher: Tyndale House

Release Date: March 3, 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A interesting, unique little book that opens lots of conversations with kids!

One person has the power to change the world and no one shows that better than eight-year-old Mia. As she makes her way through a cold, grey city, she shines a little joy on people and places, giving them color along the way. As those affected by her joy begin to take on color, they continue the pattern by coloring more of the world around them.

This is an interesting concept as it is a picture book without any words. As Mia begins her day, she is happy, excited, and full of love. As she goes out each day, she spreads her love and brings color to an otherwise grey world. I really enjoyed the concept of this book and getting to explain it to my four-year-old as we flipped the pages along. There is one person in the book who refuses to accept any of Mia’s joy and stays grey. She also works against Mia by taking away other people’s joy. I’m not fully sure what she is supposed to represent. Maybe it is showing that even though you have found happiness, not everyone will accept it from you as it has to be a personal choice? Or maybe she represents someone specific? Even so, it is a book that my son loves to pick up and he even took it as his favorite book for preschool show and tell!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

I Am Awesome

I am awesome Author: Ryan K. Maule

Publisher: Westbow Press

Release Date: January 6, 2020

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

A cute book to help explain that each person in the world has been created to be awesome.

Goodland is a place where everybody is good. The inventor created Goodland and all the things in it. His favorite inventions are the followers and if you ever ask them how they are doing, they will always respond “Good”. Grace and Zeal are two of the followers that love to play together. One day that meet another follow named Hope. When they ask Hope how she is doing, she responds “I Am Awesome!” Grace and Zeal don’t understand how Hope can be awesome. After all, this is Goodland where everybody is good. In a quest for answers, they seek out the inventor to find out if someone really can be awesome.

This is a cute book that helps kids understand the purpose for which they were created. I read this book with my four-year-old and now it has become a nightly read for us. We have talked about how the Inventor represents God and the followers represent people throughout the Earth. Each person was specifically created to do awesome things. He understands what is being taught and likes to read about Grace and Zeal’s adventures. And maybe most importantly, he likes to say, “I Am Awesome!” at each point in the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

Louisiana’s Way Home

Louisiana Author: Kate DiCamillo

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Release Date: October 2, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Fans of DiCamillo’s Raymie Nightingale will love this continuation of Louisiana’s story!

Louisiana’s granny has always been eccentric, if not a little crazy. So, when she wakes her up in the middle of the night to leave home immediately, Louisiana is not all that worried. That is, until they cross the state line from Florida into Georgia and granny keeps driving. Realizing that granny actually intends never to return home, Louisiana starts to sulk as she realizes that she may never see her friends again. This apparently has something to do with the curse that granny always said was on their head, which also inflicts a massive toothache in granny that causes them to stop in a small Georgia town. As they stay in the town, Louisiana’s life becomes entangles with several of the townsfolk including a young boy, a pastor, organ player, and surly hotel owner. Louisiana begins to learn the truth about her life and it may shake her entire foundation.

DiCamillo’s writing never disappoints and this book is no exception. She has a way of making the reader relate to her characters and yearn to walk alongside them. Louisiana first appeared in the 2016 release of Raymie Nightingale and readers immediately fell in love with the three main characters. They will be happy to find some of them returning in this spin off that focuses on Louisiana Elefante. I love to find YA and children’s books that have a good clean story that always focuses on tough times for today’s kids. Louisiana is definitely a wayward soul that is looking for guidance from multiple people and finally realizes that she can’t do it all by herself. With wit, wisdom, laughter, and tears, this book is destined to become a classic that people will love for years to come.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

The Royal Order of the Fighting Dragons

Fighting Dragons Author: Dan Elish

Publisher: Vesuvian Books

Release Date: August 7, 2018

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

With a sprinkle of humor and a double dose of action, The Royal Order of Fighting Dragons is sure to be a hit with kids and even their parents.

When Ike Rupert Hollingsberry starts getting strange messages about how his father died on the set of The Fighting Dragons, he starts to question what really happened all those years ago. Things get even more interesting when a giant locust attacks outside of his school. That was exactly how his father was killed on the show. Ike works together with Elmira Hand, who is in his class and keeps a blog about the show. After Ike kills the locusts, he is taken to a secret location to become the next in line to lead the Royal Order of the Fighting Dragons. What everyone thought was just a TV show turns out to be real, the locusts, the dragons and those fighting to keep the world safe.

With a diverse group of characters and a magical story, this is sure to be a crowd pleaser. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, the storyline flowed and there were just enough twists and turns to keep things very interesting. Ike is unsure of himself just enough to make him the right lead character, he’s not cocky or whiny because of the blows life has dealt him. He is able to rise to the occasion and see the potential in his team and use that to carry on and not be set back. Having Elmira find the bylaws and use that as a way to bring his friends into the story when they weren’t part of the order was a great way to move the story along and keep it believable. The ending and how a few of the characters played out didn’t fit just right for me, thought they could have used a little more fleshing out before doing a one eighty on attitudes. I feel that this is just the first in a series and am looking forward to where the next will go. This was written very appropriately for the age group it is intended for with no language and the violence kept to a minimum. I really appreciate when an author stays true to whom they are writing to and keeps it age appropriate. It has become so common to see harsh language and themes suggested that are not appropriate for little eyes to read. I recommend this for kids who enjoy a good magical action story with a little bit of history and humor sprinkled in for good measure.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.