C.J. Milbrandt's Blog, page 44
August 17, 2018
The Luck Uglies
The Luck Uglies
Paul Durham
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Rye O’Chanter and her friends run a bit wild in Village Drowning, bending rules and breaking laws. But harmless fun changes to real danger when Rye encounters a Bog Noblin, horrible creatures who eat people and wear their feet for necklaces. In times past, the villagers trusted the Luck Uglies to keep them safe, but no one’s allowed to speak of them these days. They’re considered exiles and outlaws … and worse.
Cloaked strangers and strange beasts. Muddled histori...
August 14, 2018
#amreading Edibly
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Kimchi & Calamari is about a Korean boy raised by Italian parents in New Jersey. A school assignment pushes him into learning more about his heritage. Fortunately, the Milk is pure whimsy with fun illustrations. Lower middle grade that would be perfect for read-aloud. And Twerp is further proof that I’ll read any book in which Shakespeare is a theme.
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August 13, 2018
BYWAYS: Meet Zane Johns
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Zane Johns has a short temper, a love for excitement, and a surprisingly noble ancestry (on his mother’s side). He intimidates people almost as much as he avoids them. Oddly enough, Zane’s the only brother with a lifelong friend.
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August 10, 2018
Flight of the Phoenix
Flight of the Phoenix
Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist, #1
R. L. LaFevers
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When Nathaniel’s parents are lost at sea, he’s sent to live with his father’s cousin, who decides it’s high time 10-yr-old Nate take up the Fludd family tradition of adventuring. Governesses and tidy sums. Aunts and airplanes. Mapmakers and mites. Spitting camels and hungry gremlins.
This! This is my favorite kind of lower middle grade story—simple enough for young readers, but smart and funny, with an appealing amount of...
August 7, 2018
#amreading Daringly
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The Unknowns is a mystery with thriller tendencies and a misfit cast. I’ve never met a more mathematical read. I’ll confess to reading Viking It and Liking It because I needed a “V” book for my alphabet challenge. But the Time Warp Trio stories are a hoot. I’ve begun collecting this lower middle grade series. Masters of Disaster is full of zany plans that’ll make any mother cringe. Set in a bygone era. I love the charismatic ringleader’s tendency to speak in capitals.
August 3, 2018
The Ravenmaster’s Secret
The Ravenmaster’s Secret: Escape from the Tower of London
Elvira Woodruff
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Forrest Harper is the son of a guard at the Tower of London who holds the additional role of Ravenmaster. The boy’s best friends are Tuck, a raven he’s raised from a fledgling, and Rat, a boy who works for the Tower’s rat-catcher. Excitement surrounds news that they’re to have a new prisoner, a dangerous villain of a Scot taken in battle. Only the prisoner put into his father’s keeping turns out to be a girl no older t...
August 1, 2018
#MGCarousel – Summer Reading Bingo
Summer Reading! Time for a fresh sticky post for my August BINGO board, part of the Summer Reading Challenge for #MGCarousel at Elymnifoquent.com, where Elza and I blog about middle grade books.
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Play along! Grab your August bingo board here >>
Can’t read those tiny book covers? I’ve listed the titles/authors.
SQUARES COVERED [In order, row by row, top to bottom]:
BINGO!
Got one! I didn’t read as much as usual during July because of #CampNaNoWriMo, but I did manage one BINGO for #MGCarousel’s Summer Reading Bingo.
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Don’t miss out on the fun. Elza posted the August Bingo Board, and the new categories have loads of potential!
Camp NaNoWriMo – WIN!
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My writing group is tackling a short story project this year, and I used #CampNaNoWriMo to get my thoughts down. Naturally, my story concept took on a life of its own and got entirely out of hand. Now, it’s been structured as a 6-book mystery series in a historical setting. I’ll need to do a bit more research before I go any further with my notes, but I’m cautiously pleased. Maybe sometime down the line, I’ll be announcing its debut!
July 31, 2018
#amreading Variously
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Olive’s Ocean has a wistful, nostalgic ambiance. On the day before her family leaves for summer vacation, Martha is visited by the mother of a girl in her class who recently died. With Olive on her mind, Martha sees things a little differently. The Dagger Quick is a fast-past adventure of the swashbuckling variety. Vivid and thrilling. And Bliss is a family-centered story of the magical bakery variety. Recipes awry and heartwarming moments.
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