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The Great Texas Dragon Race

/ Kathie MacIsaac / Leave a comment

Author: Kacy Ritter

Publisher: HarperCollins

Pages: 400

Release Date: 1/Aug/23

Reviewer: Kathie

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an eARC of this book coming out on August 1st.

This fast-paced dragon adventure will keep young readers speeding through its pages beside the riders in the annual perilous five-leg race across Texas. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Cassie sneaks away to join The Great Texas Dragon Race against her father’s wishes. She is determined to save her family’s dragon sanctuary and expose the powerful FireCorp as a corrupt, money-hungry corporation that cares little for its dragons. The unsponsored riders like Cassie face not only the dangerous challenges of the race course, such as deadly creatures, powerful storms, and brutal conditions but also have to deal with the FireCorp team of riders who will stop at nothing to come out on top. There are definite Hunger Games vibes in this upper middle-grade story where Cassie and her dragon, Ranga, figure out who they can trust and how to use their wits to stay alive.

I most enjoyed the non-stop action with a moral dilemma; Cassie needs to choose between what she wants and what’s in the best interest of her new allies. The description of the dragons and their characteristics was also excellent and really brought them to life, and they are illustrated in the front of the book.

I highly recommend this book to fans of the Battle Dragon series by Alex London and readers who enjoy an underdog story with high stakes. I look forward to reading more stories from this talented debut author.

Favorite quote: “You, Miss Drake, are not the brightest star in the sky.”
I raise my chin and glare back at him. “You’re right – I’m the ever-loving sun.”

Sofia Acosta Makes a Scene by Emma Otheguy

/ Kathie MacIsaac / 2 Comments

Author: Emma Otheguy

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books

Release Date: Jan 25/22

Reviewer: Kathie

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

I love reading a story that teaches me about current social issues and their historical roots without feeling like a school lesson. This ballet-infused story set in New York City does just that as it addresses family, community, belonging and immigration from a Cuban perspective.

Sofia’s parents were ballet dancers who moved to New York City from Cuba before she was born. Both of her siblings are talented dancers, but Sofia would rather spend time working on costumes for her dolls than practicing dance steps. Sofia thinks she has to be a ballet dancer to be part of her family, but what if it’s not her thing? She needs to find the courage to speak up at home and with her best friend, who doesn’t appreciate why her Cuban heritage is important. She also wants to find a voice to support other immigrants who deserve the opportunity to be part of their community. As she faces challenges with her role in The Nutcracker, a school project about a proposed neighbourhood housing development for immigrants, and a secret involving family friends from Cuba who’ve come to New York for a performance, she learns being an Acosta is more about love than ballet.

I liked the importance of a community that runs throughout this book. Sofia’s family is affectionately called the “Acosta Accordion” by a neighbour as it expands to include so many people around them. They have a genuinely welcoming home that brings together a mix of characters and cultures, and I wished that I would be invited for dinner and to hang out for an evening. I learned more about the complicated relationship between the United States and Cuba and the difficulties faced by separated families. It’s a timely novel with important themes that middle-grade readers will enjoy.

If you enjoy middle-grade stories with a focus on ballet, I would also recommend Turning Point by Paula Chase.

Ezra and the Mouse: The Search for Lafayette

/ Laurie / Leave a comment

Author: Victoria J. Coe

Publisher: Duxbury Rural & Historical Society

Release Date: September 14/21

Page Length: 205 pages

Reviewer: Laurie

Thank you to NetGallery and the publisher Duxbury Rural & Historical Society, and author Victoria J. Coe for a digital ARC of this title to read.

I am using a new review format. You can find few more details about 5-4-3-2-1 here.

5 – Sentence Summary

Told in alternating points of view, Ezra is a young boy who longs to be part of the family business but is pushed aside due to his rheumatoid arthritis and over-protected mother. Bertie and his sister Olive are mice trying to reunite with their family on a ship before it leaves, after being separated when Bertie convinces Olive to go on an adventurous detour. The detour results in Olive injuring her leg and Ezra saving the mice from a horse hoof and decides to keep them. Ezra discovers a mystery around the family’s latest ship leaving for France, while Bertie and Olive need to get to that ship but are trapped. Can the two pairs work together to solve the mystery and reunite the mice family back together?

For further details, please refer to this GoodReads Link. 

4 – Opinions

Admittedly I am not a big animal story reader, so I was surprised at how much I enjoyed getting to know not one but two sets of family members who supported and looked out for one another. Readers will relate and enjoy the camaraderie, not just between Ezra and his cousin Elizabeth, Bertie and his sister Olive but the entire family of mice living in Ezra’s house. 

The alternating point of view also moved the story along at a quick pace. Victoria J. Coe leaves each chapter with a cliff-hanger, so readers keep turning the pages to find out what happens with Ezra and then Bertie. It is a well-balanced back and forth developing the characters and the relationship between Ezra and Bertie while providing the action and the mystery to solve keeping us engaged.

In addition to having the theme of family and suspense of Bertie and his sister trying to get back to their family, Mx. Coe adds another layer by providing a mystery to solve. Who is the mysterious cigar-smoking man that appears at the ship christening? Again, another way to keep readers interested and allowing them to think and solve the mystery themselves.

Finally, I loved how Ezra had a chronic condition we do not often see in middle-grade books. Using the mirrors and windows analogy developed by Dr. Rudime Sims Bishop, some readers will finally see themselves in a story, while other readers get a glimpse of the impact of a chronic illness and learn a bit about rheumatoid arthritis.

Be sure to read the Author’s Note that provides some background on how Victoria J. Coe connected her love of various literary mice growing up to the history of Duxbury; it was fascinating. I would use Coe’s note as a springboard for creating curiousity and for students writing their own stories. Ezra and the Mouse: The Search for Lafayette, released September 14, is for fans of animal stories, adventure, mystery and historical fiction and a book you should add to your collection. 

3 – Similar Titles

Heartwood Hotel Series by Kallie George

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Stuart Little by E. B. White and illustrated by Garth Williams

2 – Picture Book Connections

Whose Mouse Are You? by Robert Kraus, illustrated by Jose Aruego. 

Mice: Nocturnal Explorers by Rebecca Rissman

1 -Creator Contact

Victoria J. Coe is very active on social media. You can find her on Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram, YouTube and has a website. 

First Line Blastoff

Ezra Weston IV had been banished from the action once again.

Hope Springs by Jaime Berry

/ Kathie MacIsaac / Leave a comment

Author: Jaime Berry

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Release Date: Aug 10/21

Reviewer: Kathie

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

HOPE SPRINGS is a heartwarming story about a girl looking for a place to call home and how she must open her heart to the possibility of settling down once she thinks she’s found it. Set in a small town with a big box story threatening the local businesses, Jubilee suggests a way to bring the townspeople together, resulting in a place for her and her grandma in their community.

Jubilee and Nan have moved a lot. Anytime things get complicated, they pick up and relocate. Jubilee wants to move to Hope Springs because it’s the hometown of her crafting idol Arletta Paisley. Shortly after she and Nan arrive, she befriends the mayor’s daughter as is immediately welcomed into the community. But Jubilee and Nan have Relocation Rules, and they don’t make attachments…until Nan has an accident, and they have to relax the rules and accept some help to get by. And when Jubilee’s idol turns out to be a big disappointment, she and her new friends work together to put together a rally to help support the local businesses before the new SmartMart box store comes to town. Jubilee starts to think Hope Springs might be the place she’s been looking for, but her estranged mom has other plans and wants Jubilee to live with her again. Will Jubilee be able to set down roots and allow herself to belong, or will her past catch up to her and force her to keep moving?

There are so many things I loved about this story. The relationship between Jubilee and Nan is filled with so much love, but fear also keeps them from finding a place to belong together. I love watching how they adjust to the reintroduction of Jubilee’s mom and uncle in their lives and how they come to a new place in their relationship. I also really love the small town of Hope Springs, and it comes to life for me in the way the author describes it. It’s the type of small-town I’d grown up in, and the impact of a big box store on its local businesses is a real issue. As someone who moved a lot growing up, I could relate to Jubilee’s desire to settle down but her difficulty communicating her wishes to her mom and grandma. I loved watching Jubilee open her heart to the people around her and connect in ways she’d never had the opportunity to do before.

I look forward to recommending this book to young readers when it comes out this summer.

Recommended: Gr. 4-7

Alice Fleck’s Recipes for Disaster by Rachelle Delaney

/ Kathie MacIsaac / Leave a comment

Author: Rachelle Delaney

Publisher: Puffin Canada

Release Date: May 11/21

Reviewer: Kathie

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

I have enjoyed several of the author’s previous books, but I think this is my favourite. Initially, the cover drew me in, representing the stress and mess Alice finds herself in when her dad’s girlfriend signs them up for a reality TV cooking show that takes an unexpected twist before it even begins.

Alice and her dad, James, have always enjoyed cooking together, but neither wanted to be in the spotlight while doing it. When James’s girlfriend, Hanna, sends in a video of them cooking together, they get accepted as guests on one of their favourite reality TV shows, Culinary Chronicles, filming at the Victorian festival where Hanna is presenting. The pair agrees to take part, but when they arrive at the festival, they discover the contest has been transformed into Culinary Combat, a highly competitive show with one of the toughest judges on TV. Alice blames Hanna for getting them into this mess in the first place, and an accident further exacerbates the tension between them and creates new stress on Alice’s relationship with her dad. On top of all this, something seems very strange about how the contest progresses, and Alice joins forces with the only other kids at the festival to help her. Can Alice stay in the competition long enough to help figure out who’s sabotaging it?

I enjoyed watching the contestants react to the change in the TV show format and the outrageous requests that the new host made of them. I loved watching Alice develop confidence in her cooking ability when put to the test and the mystery surrounding the contest. I thought it was important to show Alice pulling away from her dad when watching him with Hanna got to be too much for her, and I loved that the three kids were able to accept each other when they all faced judgment from the school peers. I found Victorian history quite interesting and think kids will enjoy it, too.

Recommended: Gr. 4-6

Peter Lee’s Notes From The Field

/ Kathie MacIsaac / Leave a comment

Author: Angela Ahn

Publisher: Tundra Books

Release Date: March 2, 2021

Reviewer: Kathie

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

I loved the author’s debut book, Krista Kim-Bap, and I was anxiously awaiting a new book by her. Wow, was the wait ever worth it! She has such a knack for writing intergenerational relationships that I find touching, and I was so glad this story revolved around Peter, his immediate family, and his grandparents.

Peter already knows that he has a future as a paleontologist. His passion for dinosaurs and uncovering the secrets of the past is clear, and he wants nothing more than to spend his life doing this sort of work. When an opportunity go on a real archaeological dig in Drumheller becomes a reality, he’s ecstatic…except he has to survive the car trip with his annoying sister and the rest of his family first. His grandmother, Hammy, is starting to forget things, and it becomes clear on this trip that all is not well with her. When they reach Drumheller, the dig is a disaster as the dust aggravates Peter’s asthma and creates an embarrassing scene that swears Peter off paleontology for life. Peter might not have any long term future plans anymore, but when they return home him immediate plans become saving Hammy from being sent to a care facility, and keeping her at home where she belongs.

I love seeing how passionate Peter is about paleontology, and yet how quickly he dismisses that dream when it doesn’t turn out the way he imagined. It felt very realistic to me that he immediately closed off that part of himself while that passion unconsciously morphed and readjusted itself. I loved setting of Drumheller as so many dinosaur-loving Canadian kids dream of going there, and the experience of the dig experience was well fleshed out. My favorite part of this story, though, was Peter and L.B.’s relationships with their grandparents, Hammy and Hanji. While their parents bring math homework along for the kids to do in the hotel room during their trip (this scene cracked me up), Hammy and Hanji are more indulgent and lenient. Peter’s determination to keep Hammy at home and a integral part of their daily life is evidence of his strong devotion to her, as is his secret project with Hanji.

I highly recommend this book, especially since cultural diversity in Canadian middle grade fiction is sadly lacking. I hope to read many more books by the author in the future.

RECOMMENDED: Gr. 4-6

Kingdom of Secrets

/ Kathie MacIsaac / Leave a comment

Author: Christyne Morrell

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Release Date: August 3/21

Reviewer: Kathie

Thank you to the author and Delacorte Press for an eARC of this book.

This magical adventure by debut author Christyne Morrell takes place in the kingdom of Oren. Prismena (Prissy) helps her father with his hot air balloon business, which deliver supplies and packages over the Wall that protects their part of the country. When Prissy meets a girl named Abi who blackmails her to sneak a parcel onto one of her dad’s flights, he gets arrested for smuggling. As Prissy tries to figure out a way to free her father, she becomes further embroiled in Abi’s secret plans to get a message over the Wall, and ends up part of a bigger cause that will change Oren forever. But there’s also a mystery involved, and we flashback to the past to understand a time before the Wall existed, and what other secrets are being kept in Oren.

There are so many creative elements to this story that I really enjoyed. Prissy uses her skills in balloon making in unique ways to help send signals, and her willingness to experiment and try new ideas saves their mission on more than one occasion. I loved how Abi’s power over Prissy kept Prissy challenging herself and what she was capable of, and we saw her confidence and desire to fight for what’s right grow with each accomplishment. I loved the way the kingdom’s past was woven in with the present, and I couldn’t wait to read the next flashback section that slowly unraveled that secret. This story felt as colorful as the balloons that travelled through the skies, and unexpected events blew it off course in directions the reader didn’t expect.

I think fantasy readers will really enjoy this story that has themes of family, friendship, and the fight for justice.

Recommended: Gr. 5-7

Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls

/ Kathie MacIsaac / Leave a comment

Author: Kaela Rivera

Publisher: HarperCollins

Release Date: April 13/21

Reviewer: Kathie

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.

Cece and her family live in the small desert community of Tierra de Sol. She hasn’t fit in since her encounter with the criatura, Tzitzimitl, who many believe cursed her when she was seven. Now that her older sister, Juana, has been invited to do the Amenazante dance on Noche de Muerte to scare away the powerful spirits who threaten her community during the criatura months, Cece doesn’t think she’ll ever be able to prove herself and live up to the example of her sister. But when Juana is kidnapped by El Sombreron, Cece is determined to find a way to get her back. To gain entry into Devil’s Alley, she will have prove that she is a bruja, a witch, and find a criatura to control who will make it to the final round of the Bruja Fights. Cece doesn’t want to become a bruja, but she doesn’t know another way to save her sister. She manages to enlist the help of Coyote, and although he wins the first round, there is a major setback. Cece must discover how she can stay true to herself while developing trust with others to help her, especially once there is suspicion about her true motives and the stakes are raised.

I really enjoyed this book based on the stories of Mexican folklore that the author’s abuelo told her when she was young. I love learning about cultures different from my own, and the stories that are told as part of it. I loved that Cece was committed to rescuing her sister on her own terms, and used her kindness to succeed rather than succumbing to darker emotions. I also liked watching her discover what she was capable of, and connecting to her soul. We watched her grow into her power with the support of her criaturas, and demonstrate her bravery by being scared by persevering against the odds. The setting of the desert was unique, and I love how the preparations for Noche de Muerte helped us understand Cece’s culture and some of their beliefs.

I would definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy fantasy stories based on mythology, with courageous female protagonists determined to prove good can triumph over evil.

Recommended: Gr. 5-7