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Kids are some of the toughest critics...
These books for children ages 8 to 12, look FUN and challenging.
The third novel in Peter Brown’s Wild Robot series, The Wild Robot Protects brings back friendly Roz and the animals she shares an island with that readers know and love. This time around, though, they find that their security and happiness on the island are at stake: a seal washes up and warns them all of a “poison tide,” which sweeps the island and pushes its inhabitants away from the coast, where they must learn how to survive and share what they have left. Ever the defender, Roz decides to uncover the source of the poison tide and expel it before it can wreak further havoc on her home. The wild robot now finds herself someplace she hasn’t yet been: underwater, and much awaits her there. Just like its counterparts, The Wild Robot Protects is a heartwarming and compelling rendition of the lengths one will go to take care of those who they love.Reviewed by Alex Gerstein
Dogtown is a shelter that takes in all kinds of creatures: Chance, an actual pup, Metal Head, a robot dog, and Mouse, who is, unsurprisingly, a mouse! Each has a dream of discovering a forever home, and so they decide to go off and find theirs together. Intertwining three stories of three pets each looking for someplace to be loved, Dogtown is sweet, silly, bright, and will compel readers to take these three in themselves as they page through the story.Reviewed by Alex Gerstein
Pet’s life is wonderful: she has a loving family with a hardworking mother and father and a spunky younger brother, all of whom love each other more than anything else. However, when Pet’s father gets in an accident that requires a costly surgery, Pet’s world gets turned upside down. In order to pay for her father’s procedure, Pet’s mother must devote herself to work entirely, and Pet and her brother are determined to find a way to cover the cost themselves. With a borrowed chicken and a stolen pony, Pet and her brother set off on a journey to find an ancient coin that will be enough to pay for the surgery and take the burden off of their mother… that is, until they discover that they aren’t the only ones in search of this coin! Pet and her brother are now a part of a search for an age-old treasure far more expansive than they ever could have imagined, and readers will love every second of it.Reviewed by Alex Gerstein
Mr. Whiskers might be a stray dog, but he’s found comfort in visiting Misty and Zelda Nanigan, two sisters that he affectionately refers to as the Shenanigan Sisters. When Misty and Zelda’s father is mysteriously taken by a man who claims that he’s part of the FBI, the girls take Mr. Whiskers under their wing to find their father. This unlikely trio finds themselves part of a mystery much greater than themselves as they discover secrets, riches, and places that they thought only existed in their wildest dreams. Mr. Whiskers and the Shenanigan Sisters is an upbeat and heartwarming detective drama that promises to pull readers right along with them into the underworld that the girls and their furry companion discover.Reviewed by Alex Gerstein
The author of the Heidi Heckleback series provides readers a glimpse into the titular character’s future: Heidi is now in middle school at Broomsfield Academy, an exclusive boarding school that offers secret classes for witches in training. Heidi is thrilled to embark on this exciting adventure, but there’s a part of her that feels as though she isn’t ready to leave everything she knows behind as she walks through the gates of the Academy. This version of Middle School and Other Disasters follows Heidi through the campus of Broomsfield as she navigates her new classes, her bewitching peers, and most importantly, her roommate, who is an unpleasant reminder of the world Heidi left behind. For former fans of the Heidi Hecklebeck series, Middle School and Other Disasters is a thrilling opportunity to pick up where you left off and acquaint yourself with an older—but no less exciting—version of the beloved character.Reviewed by Alex Gerstein
Described as the “world’s greatest dog detective,” in each of these stories, Sherlock Bones and his sidekick Dr. Jane Catson find themselves in search of the stolen crown jewels of Kennel Palace and a missing famous magician in Paris, respectively. Each story is brief but enticing, with illustrations scattered throughout that put readers right at the scene of the crime. In both tales, Sherlock and Dr. Catson are determined to solve the mystery, but the question arises: will they be able to pull it off in time, before the jewels and the magician are gone forever? Read to find out…Reviewed by Alex Gerstein
Young Hazel Rothbury is embarking on a journey all alone, away from her native England on the famed Titanic. Her father has passed away, and so her mother is sending her off to the faraway United States for a factory job that will keep their family afloat. However, Hazel doesn’t want to work in a factory. She dreams of becoming a journalist, and the Titanic represents a perfect opportunity for Hazel to write and publish a compelling story that will bring success to her family instead. When Hazel reaches the ship, she realizes that her mother has not given her enough money to purchase a ticket, and so she decides to board as a stowaway. Now, the story she hopes to write becomes all the more interesting: Hazel’s presence on the ship must remain a secret, even as she explores and interacts with its patrons, and tragedy will soon befall everyone aboard, secret or not. Weaving fiction with historical fact, Iceberg is a gripping story as interesting as the one Hazel intends to write.Reviewed by Alex Gerstein
By the author of The City of Ember, another powerful children’s tale, set in a post-climate change America. When thirteen-year-old Keith’s uncle and aunt lose their lives to a sudden ocean wave, Keith must embark on a journey to collect their daughter Lulu and take her under his wing. Along the way, he meets a mysterious man named Malcom, a member of a secretive mission known as Project F. Switching perspectives between Lulu and Keith, Project F takes readers on a fascinating journey through a not-so-distant future upheld by a hidden revolution and human perseverance. Recommended for fans of dystopian fiction.Reviewed by Alex Gerstein
Acclaimed children’s author Kate DiCamillo brings readers another fantastical tale, told by five puppets set inside a trunk. All five—a king, a wolf, a girl, a boy, and an owl—long for a future outside of the confines of the trunk, but each foresees something different in their dreams of the days to come. However, their fates are bound together when all five find themselves in the bedroom of two young girls, where they have earned their freedom from the trunk at last—but a future of playtime far different from what they had each envisioned for themselves. The Puppets of Spelhorst is unique, captivating, and written in a manner that evokes fairy tales as old as time, not unlike the distant dreams each puppet harbors for their futures.Reviewed by Alex Gerstein
Wrecker follows the misadventures of Valdez Jones VIII, also known as Wrecker, a nickname that he shares with his great-great-great-great-great-grandfather, who was known for salvaging shipwrecks. However, Wrecker himself doesn’t have much experience in the field, until he comes across a speedboat washed up ashore in Key West. His instincts tell him to help, but the men aboard the boat insist that Wrecker does not mention their presence to a single soul… and yet, he keeps running into them across the island. Now, these men want more than just Wrecker’s silence: they want his help, too. Wrecker is an exciting tangle of a story that draws readers in just like a ship and a tidal wave.Reviewed by Alex Gerstein