#middle grade lit

[kaykedrawsthings]

My new graphic novel Break is available for pre-order! And I’m doing special signed and personalized pre-orders through Oblong Books. 

Break is the 6th book in the Click series following the adventures of Olive and her friends.

Summary: 

Spring Break is full of possibilities…but not for Olive.

This year, Olive is leaving her friends and all of their exciting vacation plans behind to visit her dad at his new apartment in the city.

Goober is thrilled to spend a whole week with their father and has a long list of activities for their time together. Olive, on the other hand, still remembers the hurt of their dad moving halfway across the world. She would rather spend time with her friend Bree or scrolling through her new phone to keep up with everything she’s missing back home than catch up with him.

As the week winds on, the normally easygoing Olive finds feelings of loneliness and resentment throwing her out of whack. Is there any hope of salvaging the visit—or will Olive’s Spring Break be a Spring Bust?

Color by Jess Lome Lettering by Lor Prescott

[authorclaribelortega]

Witchlings Coven Houses: Moth House

Motto: Mysterious, Morbid, Dependable friends  

House colors – Black and Grey

House gem – Obsidian

​

In touch with their emotions and with special insight into the other side, Moth House members are sensitive and obsessed with all things ghostly. These chaotic good witches will bake you a delicious cake in the shape of a casket to celebrate a special occasion, hold your hand and cry with you in a cemetery you if you’re feeling sad, or help you hex your bully. Once they’ve let you in their life, they will do anything for you, so long as that doesn’t include their greatest fear: because while they might not be afraid of death, public speaking is their one true nightmare. They are great listeners but do not open up often, choosing to keep their own problems to themselves. Their closed off nature can sometimes lead to them losing their temper. It takes a long time for them to reach their limit but if they’re wronged one too many times, they do not forgive easily. Moth House members love to express themselves by writing, and excel at writing stories, poems or even songs. These witches are curious about the afterlife and often have ghost companions as they’re able to earn their trust a lot easier than other witches can. With one foot in this world and one foot in the other, Moth House members get easily distracted and daydream often. Their taste in clothing and media aligns with their house traits and Moth House members love to listen to moody music, wear all black, and scare themselves with horror films. Moth House members are a tight knit group that tends to keep to themselves but with time, can be welcoming of other coven members, especially if they’re being ostracized. 

Strengths: 

Patient 

Trust-worthy 

Sensitive​

Professions: Moth House members most often go on to become authors, musicians, undertakers, university professors or ghost liaisons. Cemetery maintenance is also a favored career path. 

Fun fact: Great at baking, you can almost always smell something delicious being made if you walk past this Coven House.

Are you in Moth House? Would you be happy being sorted there?

Moth House art by Lissy Marlin

[radedneko]

It was nothing like her own Wood. She had never entered Noc Forest; people got lost there all the time. There were tales about bandits, about children eaten by wolves. Mother said they weren't true, but it was easy to believe. The few paths were winding and twisted, and the trees pressed together, blocking what little light came from the setting sun. A moment after they'd stepped off the lane, they were in darkness.

~Goblin Market by Diane Zahler

[willmarstudios]

Bookworm Will Review 2025 (#21)

Title: 'Sir Callie and The Champions of Helston'

Author: Esme Symes-Smith

Rating: 5 / 5

Review: (MILD SPOILERS)

Why yes I did go out and buy a physical copy after I finished the audiobook. Thank you for asking lol

oh my god, so I put off reading this because I could tell how upset I'd be once it ended and I was right. BUT then I learned its a series so I was happy once more!

In all honesty I found myself struggling immensely when it came time to reflect because I didn't want to give it an automatic five stars, I wanted to be objective, but while finishing it on the train ride home from my office, I had to say fuck it.

I was OBSESSED with pretty much everything! The fact that we tackled such deep topics like gender, trauma (emotional AND physical), blood vs. bonds, political corruption and dragons!

Following Callie as they and her Papa escape an abusive household, to finding new family, to Callie getting a chance to follow their dreams only to then learn that the world isn't so black and white while opposing a self appointed monarchy AND THE THREAT OF A DRAGON WOMAN! (Whose tied to the kingdom!?)

I had way too much fun because I found the cast to be believable and humorous and likeable. The wit and banter. The bonds slowly forming as the story progressed. The reconnections and reunions. The backstabbing. This felt like I was reliving Game of Thrones.

If I *HAD* to find something to critique, I think that there were moments I wished we focused more on the idea of queer joy and acceptance. The book starts with an author's note regarding the content warnings (nothing physically graphic) but it was well written and a necessity. Those whoever have felt different, which I'm sure is a lot of us, may find something polarizing similarities between this fiction and our current reality. While executed in a simplified form, you should take time to give yourself space if you need to put the book down.

Our joy is a form of protest and I hope the rest of the series can continue to deliver that idea.

This book is a solid YES.

[wizard-legs]

Another sun sprite/solar flairy!! Cannot get enough of these little fellas.

[kelseykingillustration]

You walk through one portal on a school field trip and now you're responsible for the fate of a magical kingdom. I hate it when that happens.

[lets-get-lit]

"I cannot remember any of the things that were on my list of things to do. I will just have to sit here and do nothing," said Toad.

― Arnold Lobel, Frog and Toad Together

[deitybird]

jason would get so annoyed when someone (probably dick or tim) is watching a show like bridgerton and comments on their language by saying it's old English but he keeps it in because he's trying to be a better brother...

only to snap when they KEEP doing it and he's like, "NO. NO, IDIOT. IT'S NOT OLD ENGLISH! IT'S A MORE FORMAL ENGLISH! CLOSE TO EARLY MODERN ENGLISH, PROBABLY! JUST LIKE FUCKING SHAKESPEARE!" and said sibling (again, probably dick or tim) is just like, "wow, jay. you care a lot about english." and jason stares at them unblinkingly before storming out.

[libraryspectre]

After my post regarding middle-grade horror that hits as an adult, I dug through my goodreads to find some recommendations. I won't promise that all of these will scare you, but imo they're an interesting read at any age. See the original post for my argument on that!

The Nest by Kenneth Oppel - I already covered this in the last post, so I'm not gonna repeat myself. It's definitely the book on this list that got the most genuine scare out of me.

The Small Spaces Quartet by Katherine Arden - each book covers a different seasonal-centric horror, starting with Fall and ending with Summer, and if you've read The Bear and the Nightengale trilogy you know how well Arden writes for a season. I think the first and last books are the best, but they're all worth reading - fun, inventive, with a few moments that genuinely creeped me out.

Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell - I read this in college so my memory is a little hazy, but good grief there are some moments in this that have stuck with me, especially pertaining to one character's phobia of bones. I just saw there's a sequel, that's going on my list.

Took by Mary Downing Hahn - you could probably read anything by her and it would hit. She was my absolute favorite as a kid, but I'm recommending Took because it came out when I was in college. Hahn was probably my introduction to horror that is really about real-life issues - the kids in her books are usually going through something that they will face along with the scary stuff.

The Stars Did Wander Darkling by Colin Meloy - children's horror does tend to shy away from less-than-happy endings, but not this book, and that distinguishes it in my mind, although that's probably addressed in the sequel. Very spooky and atmospheric, and, fun fact, written by a member of the Decemberists.

Nightbooks by J.A. White - if you were a spooky kid and made to feel bad about it, or ever felt weird for enjoying horror in general, this book is for you.

Hide and Seeker by Daka Harmon - this really deals with some rough subjects from a child's perspective. I wanted to give all these kids a hug. Also very inventive. I hear there's a sequel and it's on my list!

[jjngipilled]

the boy is HOMEEEE ignore old plushies my bookshelf is a mess rn. why does he look so sad

[mando-abs]

Guys, I’ve read the Wild Robot

And let me tell you, if I hadn’t recently taken a Children’s Literature class in college, I would’ve said this was the best middle-grade book I’ve read since elementary/middle school. I almost read this book in one night (I was sleepy 😴) like I couldn’t put it down.

The heart behind this book is astounding and it never shies away from showing complex and difficult concepts. You will fall in love with Roz and her gosling son along with all of the other animal on the island.

If you’ve got younger ones, I highly recommend reading this to them or having a little book club moment with them. However, be prepared for whatever hard questions may come your way (i.e. circle of life and climate issues). You know your child and how much they can handle/understand. If you’re like me and much older, it’s a quick read and a great way to finish off a long day. It’s a part of a trilogy and you bet I’m patiently waiting for my hold on a copy at the library.

If the movie is anything like the book (which, given a rewatch of the trailer, it’s looking like so), we are in for a special treat.

[radedneko]

She knew Aunt Teri loved her. She said so in all the birthday cards she sent, always with a crisp five-dollar bill tucked inside. But was it possible her aunt didn't like her? And was this how it was for Frankie at home?

~Frankie & Bug by Gayle Forman

[willmarstudios]

Bookworm Will Review 2025 (#19)

Title: 'Gloom Town'

Author: Ronald L. Smith

Rating: 1.5 / 5

Review: (MILD SPOILERS)

Am I just being honest? Yes.

Am I the target demographic? No.

Does rating this low still hurt? Yes.

With all that in mind, I was really interested in this one and we had a good thing going for the first half! Rory and his mother are near eviction and work is hard to come by in Gloom until Rory gets a job at foxglove manor. The creepy rich mansion that seems to have been around for a while and yet no one knows much about.

Creepy Mystery Vibes? Check!

Things are already off to a not so great start, the butler and lord are two VERY suspicious characters and Rory can't help his curiosity at times and learns some pretty twisted truths about the manor and its inhabitants. And about the red door.

And in my honest opinion, we were doing so well.....until the last 25% of the story. The mystery of the shadow sorceress' group of loyal followers. It didn't feel like the most compelling climax with the stakes they had set up as everything just sort of came together TOO well. We got brief glimpses of characterization when it came down to Rory and his bff, Isabella, actually having to choose to destroy lord Foxglove they just didn't really expand beyond it. Now I'm not saying that all stories shouldn't have a nice happy ending, not all stakes are life and death, it just was rushed in order to include the build up to a potential sequel.

The connecting dots were there, I just personally didn't like how the pacing suddenly changed because it caused the tone to do a complete 180*. At that point, I kind of checked out... And even though we got a 'resolution' for the main antagonist, I felt like it could've been done better. Adding more to the story instead of removing a rather necessary part of the climax and falling action.

Overall, still fun, liked the concept, but hey, I'm definitely not the targeted demographic.

[mega-banette]

Thinking about the order of the roll call. Specifically how Swan is last and is said to have everyone else’s backs…

[kelseykingillustration]

Sleepover dramaaaaaa

[wizard-legs]

As a wee bairn I learned that meerkats use their tail as a “third leg” for extra support when standing on their hind legs, and that fun fact has never left my mind