C.J. Milbrandt's Blog, page 34

#amreading Wholeheartedly

In Takedown, Mikayla wrestles just like her two older brothers. It’s a Delgado family tradition. But the last thing Lev expected this season was being partnered with a girl. Tough choices & emotional depth. Loved it! Queen of the Bee is a straightforward lower middle grade chapter book, featuring Sophie’s family life & the challenges she faces at school. Mighty Jack and the Goblin King follows *immediately* on  the heels of Mighty Jack. The friends try to take back what they lost. Sewers and po...

Good Sport

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 Mightily

Charlie Bone and the Red Knight is the final installment in the 7-book series. Loved watching the final pieces slide into place. Excellent series with a satisfying resolution. A Likely Place is a very short story about a boy who doesn’t fit in with his parents’ or teachers’ expectations of him. And then there’s Mighty Jack, the first in a new series of graphic novels by Ben Hatke. Jack trades the family car for some magic beans, and…. Okay, not really. But there is a shifty salesman, a police r...

I know this game.

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 Diligently

My attachment to Zenta and Matsuso, the two ronin detectives in Lensey Namioka’s series brought me to Village of the Vampire Cat, the fourth in the series. Tea ceremony, New Year traditions, and missing girls. Serafina’s Promise is a novel in verse set in Haiti, where life is hard. Her family scrabbles for the barest necessities, and tragedy strikes. Resilience and love are certainly themes, but a sobering read. And my read-through of Jenny Nimmo’s series (which is technically called The Childr...

BINGO!

Five in a Row. I am getting so close to calling a second BINGO, I want to sneak in some more reading time. My usual routine’s been curtailed for the last handful of days because it’s too HOT to safely walk. (I listen to titles on my e-reader whilst I perambulate.) I’ll be glad when the heat wave passes.

I found a couple of Ali authors. Are there squares you’re having trouble covering? Elza & I are happy to recommend titles! More over on Middle Grade Carousel >>

 

Is that a key?

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

Currently Reading

Part Two. I seem to be reading a lot of duologies lately. Stories in two parts. My current read fits the July BINGO board because it has a character with a disability. (Kitto Quick was born with a club foot.) I’m midway through The Dagger X, the second half of Kitto’s pirate-laced, ocean-faring adventure by Brian Eames.

Highly Recommended!

A Good Week for Books

BINGO Progress. Checking in with progress on my BINGO board. It’s been a good week for reading because I’ve had so much furniture moving/cleaning to do. And that means listening to books on my e-reader. Housework is much less of a chore when it is also my reading time. : )

#amreading Hodgepodge

Hundred Percent is the nickname of a girl named Tink (well, that’s also a nickname, but she’s been going by Tinkerbell since she was little) who is navigating the special drama that comes with being twelve. Mostly friendship drama. In Charlie Bone and the Beast (Book 6 of 7), a new boy brings trouble to Bloor’s Academy, and an old enemy is in need of rescue. More backstory, more connections. Plenty of tension to keep the pages turning. And The Return of Zita the Spacegirl is the culmination of ...