Max & the Midknights #1 by Lincoln Peirce Adventure Fantasy Funny Illustrated fiction Juvenile Fiction Tween * * * * Stars (Great!) Max has no desire to be a troubadour like Uncle Budrick, but kids always end up following in the footsteps/trades of their families, so it seems inevitable. That all changes when they visit Byjovia – the kingdom where Budrick grew up and discover that the good and benevolent king has been supplanted by … Read more
The Princess and the Pony by Kate Beaton Picture book * * * * Stars (Great!) Princess Pinecone is a warrior princess, but her folks keep giving her cozy sweaters instead of Useful Warrior Equipment (like armor and weapons and such). Prior to her birthday, she makes it abundantly clear that what she REALLY wants is a BIG, STRONG horse. They sort of get the message. Instead of another sweater, Princess Pinecone receives a small, … Read more
Rowley Jefferson’s Awesome Friendly Adventure by Jeff Kinney Adventure Fantasy Funny Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Rowley Jefferson writes his first wholesome fantasy adventure! And then makes the mistake (?) of sharing the first few chapters with his best friend Greg Heffley, who becomes his greatest fan and his greatest critic. Incorporating some of Greg’s suggestions and his own creativity, Rowley crafts a hilarious story that’s a mishmash of popular genres, well-worn … Read more
I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee Funny LGBTQIA Romance * * * * Stars (Great!) Skye Shin is auditioning to be on a reality show where she’ll compete as a singer/dancer along with other contestants to showcase her skills and love for K-pop. The winners of the competition will get to continue their training/careers in South Korea. Skye has no doubts about her talent, but her mom is always making digs about her weight … Read more
Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid: Rowley Jefferson’s Journal spin-off of Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney Funny Illustrated Fiction Realistic Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) Rowley Jefferson decides to start his own diary after the success of Greg Heffley’s journaling experiment. He shares a few facts about himself, but it quickly becomes all about his friendship with Greg, so he decides to make it official – he’s writing a … Read more
Camp Spirit Axelle Lenoir Funny Graphic Novel LGBTQ Mystery Realistic Fiction Romance Supernatural It’s 1994 and Elodie is being shipped off to summer camp (in Canada) to be a counselor, so she can make some money for college. After her mom abandons her, Elodie has to figure out how to adapt to camp life – looking after her wild redheaded charges, dealing with shared staff bathrooms, making peace with nature (she’s more of an urban … Read more
Space Case Moon Base Alpha #1 by Stuart Gibbs Funny Mystery Thriller Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) When 12-year-old Dashiell Gibson and his family get an opportunity of a lifetime, to live on the moon in a station, who could disagree? But, they discover very soon that life there is boring and lonely up until a scientist is found dead. Now it is up to Dashiell and his friends to uncover … Read more
I Even Funnier by James Patterson Funny Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) I liked this book because it had pictures in it so I could understand more of what was happening. I can sort of connect to this book because I am also in middle school. Jamie is in middle school and he is a comedian. He wins the Planet’s Funniest Kid Comic Competition. He also meets a girl … Read more
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life Middle School #1 by James Patterson Funny Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) This book really got me into it. I couldn’t stop reading it. I recommend this book for all ages. Rafe is going into middle school with an imaginary friend which is his dead brother. Rafe wants to make a difference in middle school so he makes a rule book to … Read more
Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles into Comics by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost Adventure Fantasy Funny Graphic Novel Nonfiction * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) This is my new favorite DIY guide to writing comics. A snarky Magic Cartooning Elf encourages a not-so-artistic princess to follow her dreams and make a comic book of her own, along the way offering helpful suggestions and tips about design and storytelling. The … Read more