C.J. Milbrandt's Blog, page 31

#amreading Tragedies

In The Secret of Nightingale Wood, Henry’s family moves to a big house in the country so that her mother can recover in peace and quiet from the shock of losing a child. A wistful story with a helpless sort of tension. Her family has lost so much, and yet there is so much more to lose. Well told, with a satisfying finish. In the same vein as Jungle of Bones, Touching Spirit Bear is a survival story. Cole is an angry, defiant boy, always in trouble with anyone in authority. His misdeeds escal...

Better Hurry

Elza and I love games almost as much as we love reading middle grade books. You’ll find more of these over on Middle Grade Carousel and posting throughout the day on our Twitter account. Follow us and play along! ~CJ

#amreading Epics

Wonderstruck has so many illustrations, it’s an easy read. After the death of Ben’s mother, he finds a clue to the possible identity of his father. So he runs away from his aunt’s house in northern Minnesota and takes a bus to New York City. Alongside Ben’s story, Selznick presents a parallel storyline through his illustrations, about a runaway girl who also finds her way to New York City. Overlapping and intersecting, their stories complete each other. The Search for Wondla is another illus...

Are those chopsticks?

Elza and I love games almost as much as we love reading middle grade books. You’ll find more of these over on Middle Grade Carousel and posting throughout the day on our Twitter account. Follow us and play along! ~CJ

#amreading Adventurously

The Wingsnatchers is the first in an exciting new series that mingles sleight of hand with the magic of the seelie courts. Carmer is a magician’s apprentice (the sleight of hand variety) and a dabbler in invention, so he has trouble believing his eyes when he meets a one-winged fairy named Grit. In The Voyage to Magical North, two orphans run away from their employer, only to be captured by pirates. Fanciful world-building and little comedic twists. An ensemble cast who are vividly themselve...

November BINGO

Autumn Busyness. I haven’t been posting much or reading much. (This happens whenever I’m deep in another project.) But I’ve skimmed past my looming deadlines and landed on my feet. Daily walks have increased my reading time. Let’s see if I can scrape together a BINGO this month!

Nab your own BINGO board over at Middle Grade Carousel >>

Where does this go?

Elza and I love games almost as much as we love reading middle grade books. You’ll find more of these over on Middle Grade Carousel and posting throughout the day on our Twitter account. Follow us and play along! ~CJ

Should I be worried?

Elza and I love games almost as much as we love reading middle grade books. You’ll find more of these over on Middle Grade Carousel and posting throughout the day on our Twitter account. Follow us and play along! ~CJ

Are those gravestones?

Elza and I love games almost as much as we love reading middle grade books. You’ll find more of these over on Middle Grade Carousel and posting throughout the day on our Twitter account. Follow us and play along! ~CJ

Is that a face?

Elza and I love games almost as much as we love reading middle grade books. You’ll find more of these over on Middle Grade Carousel and posting throughout the day on our Twitter account. Follow us and play along! ~CJ