reading, reviewing, and recommending middlegrade stories
The sky above the wall was always a different color than the sky over the rest of the city. Today it was blister red, clouds swirling in a towering vortex, almost as if the wind was blowing in different directions on the other side of the wall. It probably was. The Wasteland obeyed no laws of nature.
Door to the Lost
Jaleigh Johnson
Nate stood transfixed as the brilliant red and gold bird approached. The phoenix swooped into the oasis area, its tail feathers streaming behind like an orange comet. Sweet, soaring music filled the air as the phoenix circled overhead once before landing on a palm tree.
Flight of the Phoenix
R. L. LaFevers
A horse and cart rattled down the road. It was a fish cart with a broken back wheel and no fish. Riding atop the bench were two children, a girl and a boy, both with striking red hair. The girl was named Molly, and the boy, her brother, was Kip. And they were riding to their deaths.
The Night Gardener
Jonathan Auxier
“Do please help Albert, books,” said Sir Lamorak. “It’s only for a few days.”
“He mustn’t leaf through us!” said a fat red book.
“Or dog-ear the pages!” grumbled another. “No bookmarks, and always a civil tone of voice, if you please.”
Igraine the Brave
Cornelia Funke
Over the next week, Ben read all the books about stars his mom had found for him, and then convinced her to let him paint his room black. At the general store in town, he bought an armful of glow-in-the-dark stars and covered the walls and ceiling of his room with them. He put the Big Dipper, the Little Dipper, and the North Star directly over his bed.
Wonderstruck
Brian Selznick
It was a book. But it wasn’t like any book I had ever seen before. It was such a dark, dark blue that it looked almost black, like the sky at night. It had gold stars and moons along the back edge, and twisting silver designs on the front and back that looked like writing from a long time ago.
Knights of the Kitchen Table
John Scieszka
*** I like to use asterisks because they remind me of stars. ***
The Incredible Magic of Being
Kathryn Erskine
