Middle Grade Monday: One Wrong Step by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Image: Scholastic Inc.

One Wrong Step by Jennifer A. Nielsen. 336 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc. March, 2025. 9781338275865. Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher. 

Middle Grade Monday features One Wrong Step by Jennifer A. Nielsen. For the last three years, it has been just Atlas and his dad. His dad is a map-maker and mountaineer and the two have been climbing together for most of Atlas' life. In fact, they were away climbing when Atlas' mother died, something Atlas can't quite forgive his father for. 

In 1939, Atlas and his father join an expedition to Mount Everest. Atlas has brought along a scarf his mother knit for him, hoping to place it at the top of the world and also hoping to find some peace. His hopes are dashed when he's informed that he's not going to leave advance base camp. The organizer of the trip was not happy that he's tagging along and puts his foot down.

When Atlas sees an avalanche near where the climbing party would be and then loses radio contact with them, he decides to mount a rescue. How can he, a sherpa and the inexperienced daughter of a researcher scale the most dangerous part of Mount Everest? 

Major suspension of belief is required here, but the intended audience will buy in. Each chapter begins with a mountaineering definition and a map showing where Atlas is. The chapters are short and suspenseful. 

Fans of Ms. Nielsen's books will not be disappointed.

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: The Many Assassinations of Samir, Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri

Image: Levine Querido

The Many Assassinations of Samir, Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~4 hours. Read by the author. Listening Library/ Books on Tape, March, 2023. Review of e-audio borrowed from the public library. Own the finished hard cover.

Teen Tuesday features one of my favorite titles of the year, The Many Assassinations of Samir, Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri. I absolutely adored Mr. Nayeri's debut, Everything Sad is Untrue, which was published in 2020 and won the Printz Award.

His sophomore novel is narrated by Omar, a twelve-year-old monk in training, whom Samir and his caravan happen upon just as Omar is about to be stoned by his fellow monks. Samir talks the monk into releasing Omar to his custody in exchange for several bolts of silk. During their journey to Samarkand on the dangerous Silk Road, Omar, renamed by Samir as Monkey, comes to realize that Samir is basically a con man who has angered many people, some of whom vow to kill him.

This face-paced adventure is often laugh-out-loud funny, but also layered and gorgeously written. Mr. Nayeri is a top-notch narrator. I would listen to him read the phone book. That said, I did spend some time with the book. It is beautifully designed with terrific jacket art, and each chapter features an illustration. I've noticed that books published by LQ have heft, unlike the trend nowadays toward flimsy paper and bindings. 

Highly recommended! Happy reading! 

Middle Grade Monday: Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu by Erika Lewis

Image: Macmillan

Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu by Erika Lewis. 432 p. The Academy of the Unbreakable Arts series #2. Starscape/ A Tom Doherty Associates Book/ Macmillan, July 2023. 9781250208309. (Review of arc courtesy of MB Associates.)

Happy Monday! It's a one-session day for students at my school and we teachers have afternoon PD. It's also Indigenous Peoples' Day. My weekend flew by! It was rainy and miserable on Saturday, but I ferried into NYC to see Shucked with my sister for our birthdays. Sunday was spent working in the yard. 

Middle Grade Monday features Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu by Erika Lewis. In book two of The Academy of the Unbreakable Arts series, Kelcie meets Lexis during her summer break, which she spent with her beloved grandmother. Unbeknownst to Kelcie, Lexis is a spy, sent by the Queen of Winter to infiltrate the Academy. Kelcie's grandmother feels a great foreboding before sending her back to school. Once there, she finds her bff Niall strangely aloof. Lexis and she are roommates and Kelcie keeps dismissing Lexis' suspicious behavior until it's nearly too late. Lexis, in the meanwhile, discovers the Summer People are not as bad as her Queen makes them out to be and begins to question her mission, though failure is not an option.

As in the first installment, this adventure is steeped in Celtic mythology and filled with action and humor. Friendships are fierce and loyal.There is a glossary and other explanatory info in the back matter to help readers understand the myths. If you have students who love fantasy that takes place at a school for magic, they will love these books. This book can stand alone, but I recommend reading them in order. Happy reading!

Teen Tuesday: A Thousand Steps into the Night by Traci Chee

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Happy Tuesday!  Teen Tuesday features A Thousand Steps into the Night by Traci Chee. Seventeen-year-old Otori Miuko is doomed. She was born, plain and clumsy, into the serving class, bound by restrictive gender and class roles. Still, her father took care of her, even after her mother deserted the family. Then, Miuko is cursed by a demon and she's driven from her village. She has two weeks to undo the curse before she's changed into her demon form forever. She rescues a magpie from some foxes and discovers that it is the shape-shifting trickster, Geiki, who is now in her debt for saving his life. The two set out across Awara and they encounter evil humans and gods as well as unexpected allies.

This fast-paced adventure is filled with gods from Japanese mythology, memorable characters and vivid world building. Atmospheric, suspenseful and filled with moments of humor, this dark fantasy will appeal to fans of Studio Ghibli. 

The narration was well-paced, with the narrator sounding suitably youthful. 

Middle Grade Monday: My Aunt is a Monster by Reimena Yee.

Image: Penguin Random House

Happy last-Monday-before-break! Middle Grade Monday features My Aunt is a Monster by Reimena Yee. Eleven-year-old Safia is blind, but that is not an obstacle to much. She's well cared for by loving parents who own a bookstore and read her wonderful tales. When they die tragically in a fire, Safia is sent to an orphanage. Then, a distant relative is found. An aunt named Whimsy lives in an allegedly haunted house that no one goes near with Nanny. Safia isn't lonely though. Aunt Whimsy was an adventurer who had to go into hiding when she was "disfigured" in an accident. Safia can't see that her aunt really is a monster. Her tales of adventuring and her ghostly friend in the garden are enough to keep Safia happy, though she longs for a real adventure.

This was a fun, fast-paced graphic novel for readers who like quirky adventure.

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat

Image: OrangeSky Audio

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat. ~7 hours, 21 minutes. Read by Sura Siu. OrangeSky Audio, 2022. (Review of e-audio borrowed from Hoopla.)

Happy Monday! I hope you had a fantastic weekend. The weather was just gorgeous here in northern NJ. I spent a lot of time outdoors taking care of my leaves and walking Boo. And, Happy Halloween!

Middle Grade Monday features The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat. Twelve-year-old Sodsai, "Sai" Mudawan has been able to hide her lowly birth and secured a job with Paiyoon the mapmaker. She lives in the Fens with her conman father. She knows that once she turns thirteen, her ruse will be discovered when she fails to receive a lineal, a bracelet with links that represent noble lineage. When the queen dispatches a ship to find and explore the Sunderlands, Paiyoon is to join the expedition as Royal Mapmaker. He invites Sai to come along as his apprentice because she has a talent for copying and Paiyoon's hands are no longer as steady as they once were. Once on board, Sai meets Rian, a dashing figure and rising star in the queen's navy. She also spies a deck hand who might recognize her from the Fens and blow her cover. It seems everyone has secrets on board and some of them might be dangerous.

This Thai-inspired fantasy is getting a fair amount of well-deserved Newbery buzz. It's quick pace and suspense will keep readers turning pages. The characters are complex and the world on board the ship is vividly drawn. The Last Mapmaker hits that sweet spot where lovely writing meets rousing adventure. 

Middle Grade Monday: Fenris and Mott by Greg Van Eekhout

Image: HarperCollins Publishers 

Fenris and Mott by Greg Van Eekhout. 202 p. Harper/ HarperCollins Publishers, August 2, 2022. 9780062970633. (Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)

Middle Grade Monday features Fenris and Mott by Greg Van Eekhout. All twelve-year-old Mott (short for Martha) wants to do is successfully film an episode of the "Mott and Amanda Root Beer Show . That's proving difficult thanks to her BFF Amanda being on vacation in Germany and, oh, she and her mom have relocated to Culver City, California. The only quiet place she can find is an alley, but it's just not the same without Amanda. 

When Mott hears scuttling and scratching in a nearby dumpster, she assumes it's a rat, but it's a fluffly, white ball of fur. She makes a promise to help the pup and brings him to a nearby animal shelter where she learns that he isn't a dog. He's a wolf-pup, so she couldn't keep him even if her landlord allowed dogs. No worries, the animal shelter will contact a wolf sanctuary and hold the pup until they arrive. However, he is not having that and bolts once he sees the leash he's about to be tethered to! He crashes through a plate glass window and disappears.

Mott finds him a few blocks later. Unfortunately, the pup is wriggling in the hands of a giant who claims he's Gorm the Viscious and Fenris, the pup, is prophesied to eat the moon, slay Odin and end the world. Say what?

A promise is a promise and Mott promised to keep Fenris safe. How can she do that and also save the world from ending? 

If you love a fast-paced adventure with lots of humor, this is the book for you. Though plot-driven and quite cinematic, the characters hum with life. Mott is achingly endearing and Thrudie, the Valkyrie is the perfect sidekick. Then, of course, there's Fenris, the puff ball of destruction doing what puppies do best. I swallowed this in one big giddy gulp. Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday: The Captive Kingdom by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Image: Scholastic Inc.

The Captive Kingdom by Jennifer A. Nielsen. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~10 hours. Read by Charlie McWade. Ascendance Series #4. Scholastic Audio/ Scholastic Inc., October, 2020. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Middle Grade Monday features The Captive Kingdom by Jennifer A. Nielsen. The Ascendance Trilogy turned into a series with this new addition to Sage/ Jaron's adventures. Ms. Nielsen thought Jaron's story was over in 2014 when the third and final book of the trilogy released, but some five years later, Ms. Nielsen says she heard Jaron saying, "I'm bored," and so Ms. Nielsen went to work. 

While this book can stand alone, if you enjoy a willful, snarky main character who is as infuriating as he is entertaining, you won't want to miss the first three books. With later books in a series, I try not to say too much in summary in order not to spoil. I will say that I wasn't as enamored by Jaron this time around, but his young fans will love this installment. I found a fair amount of repetition and a good deal of reliance on coincidence that stretched credulity a bit. 

The narrator continues to do a good job bringing Jaron to life. 

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan

Image: Disney

Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~11 hours. Read by Soneela Nankani. Disney Hyperion, October, 2021. 9781368078511. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from the public library.)

Happy Monday! I hope you enjoyed your weekend. Son #3 came to visit for the weekend, so I got to cook and bake and feed him up, and also had leftovers to send him back to the city with. Unfortunately, the shower faucet decided to break while he showered and the water wouldn't turn off! I grabbed a screwdriver and tried to turn the little screw that holds the handle on, but that didn't work. I left a message on my plumber's machine and looked up how to turn the water off to the house. Found the spot and turned the water off. The good n news is, the shower isn't running. The bad news is, nothing is. I can't tell you how many times I went to turn water on! Yikes. The luxury of running water! Hopefully, the plumber will call me back this morning. 

In other news, the Youth Media Awards are being announced later today. My reading took a hit this year, so I have no real handle on many of the books receiving buzz. I also continue to have mixed feelings about the awards in general. And yet, I will tune in with my class at nine.

Middle Grade Monday features Daughter of the Deep by Rick Riordan. What if Jules Vernes' sci/fi classics, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Mysterious Island weren't works of fiction, but based on real events? That's the premise for Uncle Rick's latest adventure. It feels like a series starter, but there's talk online that it's a stand-alone. Regardless, it was optioned for a movie before it was even published!

Ana Dakar attends an elite five-year high school called the Harding-Pembroke Academy, where students are trained extensively in all things maritime and graduate to become marine biologists and naval officers. She and her classmates are on their way out to sea to take a test that will determine their course of studies, when their seaside school is attacked by submarines and destroyed. Presumably, everyone on campus, including Ana's adored older brother are dead. The students' chaperone informs them that the culprit is most likely their rival school, the Land Academy. They change course and head to a secret island which was the place where Ana's parents were killed on a secret mission some years earlier.

As with any Rick Riordan book, the cast of characters is huge and diverse; the world-building is unique and the action is fast. He just might inspire a new generation of children to dust off Jules Verne as well!

I went into this book only knowing that it was a new RR book. I didn't know about the Jules Verne connection, so that was a reveal as I listened. I also didn't realize that it was narrated by one of my least favorite narrators. I just find her voice annoying and whiney and her performances a bit too over-the-top, so I probably should've read this one with my eyes. I'm guessing it must be me, because her audiobooks are consistently praised. Decide for yourself. 

This audiobook also contained sound effects and mood music which also drove me bonkers. I don't need music to cue me into feeling suspense, thank you very much. I found them distracting and irritating. 

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

Image: Penguin Random House Audio

Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~7 hours, 18 minutes. Read by Kinsale Hueston. Listening Library/ Penguin Random House Audio, January, 2020. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Happy Monday! I hope you had a fantastic weekend. I had a total of zero trick-or-treaters on Sunday. I'm also ready for our short week! NJ public schools are closed Thursday and Friday for Teachers' Convention Weekend. November celebrates Native American Indian/ Alaska Native Heritage month, so many of the books recommended this month will feature books by or about Indigenous North Americans (even though I try to keep the Daily Book Talks diverse all through the year).

Middle Grade Monday features Race to the Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse. This entry in the Rick Riordan Presents Imprint doesn't disappoint. Twelve-year-old Nizhoni Begay has dreams of doing something heroic - on the basketball court, at school or onine. She's just a bit distractable and seems to always mess things up because she can see monsters hidden in human disguises and one happens to be at her basketball game where she has the opportunity to win the game for her team. She ends up on the gym floor with a bloody nose instead, and she returns home to fine the man/ monster in her driveway! He's her dad's new boss and the reason the family will be moving from New Mexico to Oklahoma.

Turns out, NIzhoni is a monster-slayer and her brother, Mac, has powers as well. They are both descendants of the Hero Twins of Navajo myth and legend and now they have to rescue their father and save the world.

The story is fast-paced and peppered with moments of humor and Navajo words, for which there is a glossary. I am glad to have read this one with my ears to hear the words and names correctly pronounced. Memorable characters include a talking horned toad, a guardian of a mountain made of crystal and Spider Woman.

Readers who love fantasy adventure like the Percy Jackson books will love this one. Happy reading!

#tbt: Peak by Roland Smith

Image: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Peak by Roland Smith. 256 p. Peak #1. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2007. 9780152024178. (Own)

Happy Thursday! #tbt features Peak by Roland Smith. Fourteen-year-old Peak Marcello lives up to his name even though he has moved to New York City. There are skyscrapers to conquer and tag. His is a blue peak. After he is caught and arrested, he's facing a trial and time in juvie, but his father swoops back into his life with a deal. Peak can come to live with him in Katmandu. Peak's dad owns a mountain climbing business shepherding rich climbers to the top of the world - Mount Everest. Could Peak's dad have ulterior motives? Peak has already achieved fame/ notoriety as "Spider Boy" in the media. How about youngest climber to summit Everest?

This novel is a real page turner. Readers who strive for adventure need look no further - adrenaline rushes abound. Peak was published in 2007 and has been popular among TMS students. It was named a YALSA "Quick Pick for Reluctant Reader" as well as a "Best Book for Young Adults" and quite a few State Awards. I'm not entirely certain that this book was intended as a series, but a sequel, The Edge, was written and published in 2015. This was followed by another, Ascent, in 2018 and Descent, in 2020.

Middle Grade Monday: Shuri: a Black Panther Novel by Nic Stone

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Shuri: a Black Panther Novel by Nic Stone. 272 p. Scholastic Inc., May, 2020. 9781338585476. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

Happy Monday! Well, today is the day! It's the Monday of the ALA Midwinter Conference and traditionally the day that the Youth Media Awards are announced! Stay tuned to see if any of your favorite books of 2020 won anything.

Middle Grade Monday features Shuri: a Black Panther Novel by Nic Stone. This series beginner focuses on Princess Shuri, the scientific genius of Wakanda's royal family. The Heart Shaped Herb that is native and vital to Wakanda is dying. Curiously, neither T'Challa nor her mother seem terribly concerned, so Shuri takes it upon herself to discover why. Against orders, she travels outside of Wakanda's protected borders to do so.

I'm barely literate of the Black Panther canon, so I cannot comment on its faithfulness. I enjoyed the adventure and Shuri's intelligence and passion. The pace is fast. There's suspense and humor. 

If you are fan of The Black Panther, you will enjoy this series starter. Book two, The Vanished, is set to release on February 2.

Fact Friday: Into the Clouds: the race to climb the world's most dangerous mountain by Tod Olson

Image: Scholastic

Into the Clouds: the race to climb the world's most dangerous mountain by Tod Olson. 270 p. Scholastic Focus/ Scholastic Inc., April 21, 2020. 9781338207361. (Review of arc courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)

Fact Friday wishes a happy book birthday next Tuesday to Into the Clouds: the race to climb the world's most dangerous mountain by Tod Olson. Olson recounts three U.S. attempts to climb Karakoram, or K2 during the 1930s and later in the 1950s. K2 is the second highest peak after Mount Everest. They are part of the Himalaya mountain chain that includes the highest and most inhospitable peaks in the world. While Everest is the highest, K2 is deemed the most dangerous by mountaineers.

It took me a little while to get the players straight and I would've been helped by a map, which is going to be in the finished book, but wasn't available in the arc. Once I got there, I was transfixed. Olson's writing is lucid and utterly gripping. I was surprised by how invested I had become and totally astonished by the tears that threatened a few times! 

Equally engrossing are the black and white photos that document the climbs. Most of them are clear and almost Ansel Adams-esque, giving the reader a glimpse into the treacherous and starkly beautiful terrain as well as the often precarious positions the climbers found themselves in - such as finding sufficient land flat enough to pitch a tent and be assured they would not fly off the mountain! 

The impeccable research is evident in the twenty-plus pages of back matter that includes a plethora of books, magazine and newspaper articles, blogs, videos, archival sources and interviews. There are also source notes for each chapter. 

As a person who couldn't summit Mt. Democrat, the most easily scaled fourteener in Colorado (it's a day hike!*), I am in a mixture of total awe and bemusement at those who climb extremely high or dangerous peaks. It has been awhile since I've read any books like this and Into the Clouds has reignited my curiosity about mountain climbing and other activity done at extremely cold temperatures. I read Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer long before I joined Goodreads and that sparked a binge of Mount Everest- and then Arctic exploration-reading that confirmed my complete incapacity to climb mountains or explore the Poles. 

I might've read Into the Clouds in one intense sitting were it not for work. As it was, I almost stayed up late to finish the last thirty pages but put it off till I was awake and refreshed the following morning to truly appreciate the bittersweet conclusion. I broke my self-imposed rule to stop giving stars on GR to give it five. I really loved it. And I think kids will too. Our sixth graders read Peak by Roland Smith and they love it so much that they fight over its sequels. Into the Clouds would make a terrific fiction/ nonfiction pairing! 

Tod Olson is the author of the narrative nonfiction series, LOST, and the historical fiction series How to Get Rich. He has written for national magazines on the Columbine school shooting, homeless teens, the murder of Matthew Shepard, and many other stories of interest to children and young adults. Tod holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts and lives in Vermont with his family, his mountain bike, and his electric reclining chair. To learn more, and to download free teaching resources, visit his website: todolson.com.


*As my mountain-boy son, who was my guide that day on Mt. Democrat, assured me, I was not yet acclimated to the altitude and would've made it if I had a few more days to do so. He was a counselor at the mountain-climbing camp he had attended from the age of ten; so he was completely at home, hiking easily without any trouble breathing or even breaking a sweat. He scouted paths up the scree at the top and was so encouraging to his old mama as I panted and rested and panted and rested. 

Middle Grade Monday: Cog by Greg van Eekhout

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Cog by Greg van Eekhout. 206 p. Harper/ HarperCollins Publishers, October, 2019. 9780062687077. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Middle Grade Monday features Cog by Greg van Eekhout. Cog may appear to be a twelve-year-old boy. In actuality, he's a six-month-old android. Cog, short for Cognitive Development is the brainchild of Gina, a scientist for UniMind. The two live together in a house where, Gina teaches Cog. Cog is hilariously literal. "I live in a room with a bed where I lie down. It is called a bedroom." Or, "The dishwashing machine just washes dishes. It is not good at conversation." 

Cog is encouraged to learn from his mistakes. After he learns that good judgment comes from learning from mistakes, he decides to go out without Gina to make a lot of mistakes and learn from them. This results in disaster, for when he regains consciousness, he finds he is trapped inside the UniMind complex and Gina has disappeared. The scientists there are not as nice as Gina. They keep performing experiments on him, looking for something called the X-Module. He does not like these experiments and finds a way to escape the complex with the help of ADA, the sister he never knew he had, a trash-robot, a dog-robot and a robotic car. 

This fast-paced adventure is often hilarious and very suspenseful. It is also surprisingly deep, prompting the reader to ponder philosophical questions like, what it means to be human and whether free will actually exists. 

Hand Cog to a reader who wants action or a reader who wants to laugh or a reader who is into AI or...really, any reader. There's something to please all kinds. Oh! How I loved this book!

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

Image: Disney/ Hyperion

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia. Tristan Strong series #1. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~11 hours. Read by Amir Abdullah. Listening Library, October, 2019. 9780593149584. (Review of downloadable e-audiobook borrowed from public library. Own hardcover copy.)

Middle Grade Monday features Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia. This terrific debut is a mythology-based fantasy that centers around thirteen-year-old Tristan Strong, an up and coming boxer in Chicago. He has just lost his very first bout much to the disappointment of his father and grandfather who expect him to continue their legacy. He's also grieving the death of his best friend, Eddie and treasures the notebook where Eddie wrote down the stories his grandmother told. 

While visiting his grandparents in Alabama, that journal is stolen by a ten-inch, sap-covered, sassy doll named Gum Baby. When Tristan tries to catch her, he punches a tree in fury. Turns out it's a magical tree on the farm and he and Gum Baby end up in another world. Unfortunately, evil from our world follows them in as well. Some of the residents of Alke may be familiar to readers, John Henry, Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox. But the others are gods and goddesses of West African mythology, such as Anansi. 

New-to-me narrator Amir Abdullah paced his performance well and he mastered quite a few distinct voices. Looking forward to seeking out more audiobooks narrated by him as well as the next book in the Tristan Strong series.

If you enjoyed Rick Riordan's myth-based adventures, you will love Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky! It's the first book of a planned series, so get on board!

Middle Grade Monday and Audio Review: The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris

Image: LBYR

The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris. The Magic Misfits series #1. Unabridged e-audiobook. ~ 4 hours. Read by the author. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers/ Hachette Audio, November, 2017. 9781478990796. (review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library. Own hc.) 

Middle Grade Monday features The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris. The Magic Misfits is book one of The Magic Misfits series. If you're a fan of The Mysterious Benedict Society mysteries or love magic or humorous stories or fast-paced adventure, you need to check out The Magic Misfits.

Carter runs away from his only family - an uncle who took him in when his parents disappeared. His reason for running? His uncle uses Carter and his talent for magic to scam unsuspecting people and Carter has had enough; so he hops a freight train to start a new life. After a brief brush with a nefarious carnival owner, he falls in with five illusionists who have chosen their own family.

Neil Patrick Harris narrates with his usual understated aplomb. The story moves swiftly. The characters are a varied lot. Readers who like a fast-paced, humorous adventure will find much to like here. 

I finally, finally got to this! The upside? I don't need to wait for the sequels! I bought all three when Harris appeared at a local Indie. 

He's Ba-ack! Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy. 384 p. HarperCollins Publishers, May, 2018. 9780008248789. (Review of finished ppb courtesy of Harper360.)

Twelve-year-old Stephanie Edgley is standing at her uncle's graveside when she notices a figure wearing a trench coat, hat and scarf standing under a tree away from the crowd. This was curious on such a hot day. It got even curiouser when, later, she escapes to the study at her uncle's huge home to avoid all the disingenuous "mourners" to find herself face-to-face with the gentleman. It seems Stephanie's uncle spoke of her often to him. And, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, he disappears abruptly. 

Days later, she has to accompany her parents to the reading of her uncle's will where she learns that she has inherited the bulk of her uncle's fortune as well as his home. The strange man was also named in the will and Stephenie learns his name—Skulduggery Pleasant. Soon after, Skulduggery rescues Stephanie from an intruder. It is then she discovers that the trench coat, hat and scarf were disguising the fact that he is a skeleton!

It seems that the horror stories Stephanie's uncle wrote were inspired by true events. He and Skulduggery often worked together to solve mysteries and now, Skulduggery was going to find her uncle's killer. Stephanie does not intend to be left on the sidelines. She is in for one heck of a ride!

The voice captivates from page one. Stephanie is just a terrific main character— smart, brave, not easily rattled and quite, quite stubborn as Skulduggery quickly learns. She's also dryly hilarious. The banter between her and Skulduggery had me laughing out loud often. The action is fast, furious and quite violent as the bad guys here are called The Faceless and their leader, Serpine are after a scepter with which he will rule the world. So stakes are high.

It was so much fun to revisit Skulduggery Pleasant! I cannot recall when or how I came upon it. The book was originally published in 2007. I probably read a review. I was neither blogging or on Goodreads then; but the book stuck with me. I am pretty sure I read it with my ears, but might not have, though I did read books 2 - 5 with my ears. I had to send to the U.K. for books 3 - 5 as I couldn't find them here. The audiobooks, narrated by Rupert Degas, are spectacular. Degas' deadpan delivery and distinct character voices compliment this intense tale. 

Skulduggery Pleasant was Landy's debut and he followed it up with eight additional sequels followed by a second series. I have a bit of catching up to do! Readers who love horror and fantasy will gobble this up and be back for more, so make sure you have the rest of the series on standby.

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani Chokshi

Image: Disney

Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani Chokshi. Pandava Quartet #2. Unabridged downloadable e-audiobook, ~ 12 hours. Read by Soneela Nankani. Books on Tape/ Listening Library, April, 2019. 9780525587620. (Review of finished downloadable audiobook borrowed from public library. Own hardcover.)

Middle Grade Monday features book two of the Pandava Quartet, Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani Chokshi.  Aru Shah is back! Shortly after her adventures from book one, Aru Shah and the End of Time, Aru finds herself accused of stealing Cupid's bow and arrow and shooting humans with them causing a zombie apocalypse. Aru and Mini have 28 days to find the real culprit or Aru will be forever banned from the Otherworld. She teams up with Brynne and Aiden, both of whom have secrets of their own. Together they face a series of perils, such as a giant swan attack, fiery cows and nightmare hounds. Aru also contemplates good and evil as she quests.  

Fast-paced and humorous, this series will definitely appeal to fans of Rick Riordan. (The series is published under his imprint at Disney.) The stories have a terrific blend of pop culture and Indian mythology. Soneela Nankani's narration was well paced and engaging - a very nice match. Book two ends nicely, but this is a quartet and I am primed and waiting for book three, Aru Shah and the Wish Tree, which is due in the spring of 2020. 

#tbt: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Image: LBYR

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. 288 p. Little, Brown Young Readers, July, 2009. 9780316114271. (Own.)

#tbt features Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. This intricate and beautiful story-within-a-story was published in July of 2009 and won a Newbery Honor in January of 2010. Lin also illustrated the novel. It is a fantasy/ adventure about Minli, an energetic ten-year-old pining for adventure, which she gets when her beloved father tells her stories. Her family and village are dirt poor and her bitter mother sees no value in these stories. She becomes upset when Minli purchases a goldfish. The goldfish talks and Minli sets out to find good fortune for her village. Lin wrote a companion novel, Starry River to the Sky in 2014, and a sequel, When the Sea Turns to Silver in 2016.

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: The First by Katherine Applegate

The First by Katherine Applegate. Endling series #2. Unabridged e-audiobook. ~8 hours. Read by Lisa Flanagan. HarperAudio, May, 2019. 9780062911889. (Review of e-audio borrowed from public library.)

Middle Grade Monday features The First by Katherine Applegate. Fans of Applegate's The Endling series may do a double-take as the first book in the series was called The Last and its sequel is called The First. They surely will not be disappointed as the worldbuilding continues to be inventive and intriguing. Byx and her friends face many dangers in their quest to find out whether she is the last of her kind. The journey to Dreyland is arduous and not only are they being hunted, but other dangers lurk in the mountains. 

Applegate proves that a fast-paced, suspenseful story need not be merely plot-driven. The writing is lovely. The characters are complex, flawed, and unsure. Ms. Flanagan continues to deliver a well-paced, engaging narration. 

I wonder what book three will be called and when it is slated for publication because I cannot wait and neither can my students!