Happy National Hug a Plumber Day! Here’s a shout-out everyone’s favorite plumber.
What’s your favorite Mario game?
National Animal Cracker Day
April 18 is #NationalAnimalCrackerDay
When I was little, I loved the little red circus-themed boxes of animal crackers sold by Nabisco. So naturally, I hunted down circus-themed titles on my bookshelf. Continue reading “National Animal Cracker Day”
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
Mr. Lemoncello’s Library, #1
Chris Grabenstein
“Should anything go wrong, we have paramedics, firefighters, and a team of Navy SEALS—each with the heart of a samurai—standing by.”
ESCAPE FROM MR. LEMONCELLO’S LIBRARY
For the Grand Opening of an eccentric billionaire’s elaborate new downtown library, twelve lucky children will Continue reading “Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library”
Game for a Game?
April 13 is #NationalScrabbleDay
National Name Yourself Day
The calendar is filled with notable days, some more quirky than others. April 9 is #NationalNameYourselfDay, and I actually have an appropriate middlegrade book quote. In Rebecca Stead’s Liar & Spy, we meet a boy named Georges.
My name is Georges, which is pronounced just like “George” because the S is silent, but of course some kids call me “Jor-Jess,” or “Gorgeous.” I don’t much care. There are worse things to be called than Gorgeous, even for a boy.
Of course, Georges didn’t name himself. But his new neighbors definitely fit in the quirky department. They’re not exactly conventional, and all three kids really did name themselves. Continue reading “National Name Yourself Day”
Enola Holmes
April 3 is National Tweed Day, and what better way to celebrate than with allusions to Sherlock Holmes! The fictional detective is famous for his tweedy attire. Both his trademark deerstalker cap and his sleeveless Inverness cape were made of the rough, woolen cloth so suitable to London’s damp and highland’s moors. One of my favorite middlegrade series casts Sherlock in a new light. He and Mycroft are the much older brothers of a clever girl named Enola.
Solving Crime Runs in the Family
The Mark of the Dragonfly
The Mark of the Dragonfly
World of Solace, #1
Jaleigh Johnson
Piper knew she should be proud of her talent, and she was, but it made her nervous the way people whispered about her.
—THE MARK OF THE DRAGONFLY
Piper is an orphan from a shanty town, barely surviving on what she can earn from Continue reading “The Mark of the Dragonfly”
The Iron Trial
The Iron Trial
Magesterium, #1
Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
“Magic runs in families,” Call’s father said. “Not everyone in a family will necessarily have it, but it looks like you might. Unfortunately. I am so sorry, Call.”
—Alastair Hunt, THE IRON TRIAL
A magic school adventure with masters and apprentices, trials and elementals, chaos-ridden creatures and Continue reading “The Iron Trial”
100 Cupboards
100 Cupboards
100 Cupboards, #1
N. D. Wilson
“Smell that leather. Specially treated with dirt, sweat, and ten thousand catches. An old glove’s the best glove. You can’t buy history new.”
—Uncle Frank, 100 CUPBOARDS
Oh, this is a promising start! I love stories that Continue reading “100 Cupboards”
