Category: Fiction

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Today’s book recommendation: LOVE, SOPHIA ON THE MOON by Anica Mrose Rissi

  • SEL (Social Emotional Learning) Picture Book

There’s no doubt about it: little people have BIG feelings, and they often don’t know quite how to handle them.

In LOVE, SOPHIA ON THE MOON, Sophia is no different. This beautiful picture book, illustrated by Mika Song, does such a good job of showing how to honor those feelings while helping the child through them with gentle love and humor.

Here’s the official BOOK PROMO:

*****
Life on Earth isn’t always fair, so Sophia runs off to the moon, where there are no bedtimes, no time-outs, and no Mom.

But as Sophia and her mom send letters to each other, Mom has a clever comeback for all of Sophia’s angry notes. Home starts to sound not-quite-so-bad, especially when Mom reports that someone from the moon has moved in to Sophia’s old room, they’re having spaghetti for dinner, and they’re reading Sophia’s favorite story at bedtime.

*****

This book has so much heart! I really love how the whole thing is written in letters back and forth between Sophia and her mom. Rissi does such a great job of allowing the subtext to shine through, despite what is actually said.

This is one you’re going to want to curl up in a soft blanket and read again and again.

Happy reading!

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Today’s book recommendation: GIRL FROM NOWHERE by Tiffany Rosenhan – Young Adult Thriller

If you like spy stories, this is the one for you! The pacing is right on the money, and who doesn’t love living the fantasy of having all the language, self-defense, and survival skills that the main character, Sophia, has by the time you’re a teenager? 😊

Honestly, I am kind of obsessed with espionage stories, so I was an easy sell, but if you or your teenagers are looking for a bit of pure entertainment, look no further!

Here’s the official BOOK PROMO:

*****
Ninety-four countries. Thirty-one schools. Two bullets. Now it’s over . . . or so she thinks.

Sophia Hepworth has spent her life all over the world–moving quickly, never staying in one place for too long. She knows to always look over her shoulder, to be able to fight to survive at a moment’s notice. She has trained to be ready for anything.

Except this. Suddenly it’s over. Now Sophia is expected to attend high school in a sleepy Montana town. She is told to forget the past, but she’s haunted by it. As hard as she tries to be like her new friends and live a normal life, she can’t shake the feeling that this new normal won’t last.

Then comes strong and silent Aksel, whose skills match Sophia’s, and who seems to know more about her than he’s letting on . . .

What if everything Sophia thought she knew about her past is a lie?

Cinematic and breathtaking, Tiffany Rosenhan’s debut stars a fierce heroine who will risk everything to save the life she has built for herself.
*****

I’ve had the privilege of meeting Tiffany, and she is as delightful as her book! And while she hasn’t traveled to all of the countries that Sophia has, she has traveled extensively, and it adds a wonderful note of authenticity to the novel.

Make sure you can afford to neglect all your responsibilities for a good day or two before you dive into this one because you won’t want to put it down. 😂

Happy reading!

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Today’s book recommendation: THE SPLENDOR by Breeana Shields – Young Adult Fantasy

This book is a must read! Two of my teenagers read it, as well as me, and we all are big fans!

My daughter said she woke up too early one morning and instead of being sad that she didn’t get enough sleep, she was happy she could read more of this book. 🙂

And I totally understood! Shields did a remarkable job creating the perfect atmosphere for the story. This book is so immersive–you open it up and you’re in a glamorous and magical world of illusions and fantasy.

“The Splendor” is the name of a hotel where the guests have their most closely-held fantasies become reality (through illusion) during the length of their stay.

Juliette manages to get her beloved sister, Clare, a stay there for her birthday, but when she returns home, she is a changed person-distant, cold, and uncaring.

So, Juliette sets off to experience it for herself and unravel the mystery of what has happened to her sister.

If you like THE NIGHT CIRCUS and CARAVAL, you will definitely love this book. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Happy reading!

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Today’s book recommendation: THE ELEPHANT’S GIRL by Celesta Rimington – Middle Grade Fiction

The magical realism genre is a middle grade favorite, and THE ELEPHANT’S GIRL doesn’t disappoint!

The story starts with Lex, a girl who doesn’t remember her past. All she knows is that when she was little, a tornado swept her away from her home and into the elephant enclosure at the Lexington Zoo. Roger, the zoo’s train engineer, finds her and takes on the role of foster father.

This beautiful story plays on the mystique of elephant communication, only taken one step further–a very special elephant in the zoo, named Nyah, begins to send images directly to Lex’s mind!

The images start Lex on an adventure that involves ghosts, treasure, and the unraveling of secrets.

It’s a charming story of friendship and found family, and Rimington brings out all the feels with her delicate handling of the main character’s emotional journey.

I love this book and highly recommend it!

And…once you’ve peaked your child’s curiosity about elephants, I also recommend THE ELEPHANT SCIENTIST by Caitlin O’Connell & Donna M. Jackson!

This middle grade nonfiction book takes you on a journey with elephant scientist, Dr. O’Connell, as she makes awesome discoveries about how elephants really do communicate. It’s won many, many awards, including a Sibert Honor, and it’s a fun way to learn more about these incredible animals!

And, yes! This was a two-for-one book recommendation. 😊 There are just so many incredible books out there to share!

Happy reading!

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Today’s book recommendation: CASTERS AND CROWNS by Elizabeth Lowham – Young Adult Fantasy

This delightful book came out just last month!

It’s a sweet romantasy, meaning it’s both a romance and a fantasy, and the romance is of the chaste, slow-burn variety. The Casters are those who are born with the ability to wield magic, but magic is highly feared and even outlawed by the Crown.

In an effort to prove herself to her father, the crown princess tries to negotiate for peace with the Casters, but ends up getting herself cursed. If she doesn’t find a way to break the curse, she will die, followed by every member of her royal family, one by one.

A certain handsome Baron, who is loyal to the Crown, but also happens to be a Caster, has to overcome his own fears in order to help her find a way to unite her kingdom.

There’s elements of fairytales like Sleeping Beauty and 12 Dancing Princesses, but this book really has a feel all its own. I loved the antics of the Baron’s younger siblings, the love letters being delivered by bird, and the ending surprised me in the best kind of way!

Happy reading!

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Today’s book recommendation: THE YEAR OF THE DOG by Grace Lin – Middle Grade Fiction

You might be familiar with author/illustrator Grace Lin from when her middle grade book, WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON, won the Newbery Honor in 2010 for its contribution to children’s literature. And it is a beautiful book! It reads like a Chinese fairytale adventure story with Lin’s own beautiful full-color illustrations along the way.

Lin is truly talented and has many not-to-be-missed reads, like her very first book, THE UGLY VEGETABLES, or her delightful chapter book, LING & TING: NOT EXACTLY THE SAME. But my very favorite of all is her middle grade debut, THE YEAR OF THE DOG.

This heartwarming book is truly a must read! The main character is a young Taiwanese-American girl who begins the books celebrating the Chinese New Year with her family. Since it is the Year of the Dog, her mother explains that this is the year she should try to find herself.

And that’s exactly what the book’s about. As the year progresses, Pacy navigates family and friendship dynamics, all while working to discover who she is, what she values, and what she’s good at. Because there are very few Asians where Pacy lives, it is often extra challenging as she faces unintentional (but hurtful) microaggressions along the way that are heartbreaking and eye-opening. (Click on the images below for examples.)

I loved the intergenerational aspect to the storytelling with her parents’ and grandparents’ stories within stories and the cute little doodle-like illustrations scattered throughout. Lin’s humor is spot on, too. There were many times where I laughed out loud!

This is an earlier middle grade novel, designed for 8-10 year olds, and while that’s the perfect age, it really is enjoyable for any age. I read it to my boys when they were that age and every day they begged for more.

If you are new to Grace Lin’s beautiful books, I encourage you to give her a try!

Happy reading!

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Today’s book recommendation: ODDER by Katherine Applegate – Middle Grade Verse Novel

I read this beautiful little book all in one sitting last night. It was delightful! The story is primarily told from “Odder’s” perspective, so, of course, it is fictional, but it is based on real sea otters who have been rescued and rehabilitated by the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California.

Sea otters are an endangered species, and they are also a keystone species, which means they are vitally important to the balance of their ecosystem. I learned so much about sea otters from this book, and now my kids are eager to get their hands on it!

The illustrations of Charles Santoso make you want to reach out and cuddle the little cuties–baby sea otters, what could be better?

This book is ideal for a first experience in verse novels, as well. The prose is clear and straightforward, there is a short glossary in the back, and most of all, the free verse format can inspire kids to play with words on the page in their own writing.

Now that I’ve read it, I really want to take a trip out to Monterey Bay and see this remarkable program in action! 

I hope you pick this up and give it a try.
Happy reading!

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Today’s book recommendation: POTION MASTERS by Frank Cole – Middle Grade Fantasy

This photo always makes me giggle. 🙂 Apparently, it’s okay if your head gets squished while you nap, as long as it’s a Frank Cole book!

Frank’s Potion Masters series is terrific for roadtrips, or anytime, in fact, because these books are just a whole lot of fun! Kids who learn to brew magic potions and use them to save the world–what could be better? There’s secret societies, renegade potion masters, black market potions, and plenty of magical mishaps!

I got to know Frank at a writing conference a couple years back and he’s just as fun in person as he is in his books. There’s no doubt that he knows his middle grade audience. In his books, I love that you can always count on finding lots of adventure, plenty of laugh-out-loud humor, and at the center of it all, a meaningful message.

In this series, Gordy and his friends learn about trust and loyalty, navigating middle school friendships, believing in themselves and their own special gifts. If you have any 10-13-year-olds in your life, chances are they’ll love them!

Happy reading!

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Today’s book recommendation: DRAWN TOGETHER by Minh Le – Fiction Picture Book

This picture book is one of my absolute favorites. The illustrations by Dan Santat are stunning, and the story has so much heart. I love the wordplay of the title, as well. In the book, a grandson struggles to connect with his grandson because they don’t speak the same language. After several tries, the grandfather realizes they both love to draw, and so they go on a magical adventure together with their drawings. Basically, their drawings literally draw them together.

The words are sparse because the characters’ expressions really do a lot of the talking in a simple, graphic novel style with multiple images on a page. It makes for a fun, interactive experience when reading it with young children as you ask them about the pictures and discuss what each character is feeling.

I think this book is so effective because it depicts a language barrier that both the author and illustrator related to personally–Vietnamese American for Le and Thai American for Santat.

My grandparents spoke English like me, but even then, we can all relate to trying to find a way to relate to another person, which can be especially tricky across generational gaps.

Depending on if you borrow this book from the library or buy your own copy, you might not be able to take off the dust jacket. If you can get a peek, the casewrap is a fun surprise as it is designed to look like the grandfather’s sketch book from the story!

Grab a copy of your own today and enjoy!

Happy reading!

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Today’s double whammy book recommendations: SHIELDED and UNTETHERED by KayLynn Flanders – Young Adult Fantasy

One of my favorite people and one of my favorite book series, all wrapped in one! KayLynn is the loveliest of lovely and her stories have the coolest vibe!! I had to wrestle these books away from my teenagers (both boys and girls!), so I could read them, too–in their final form, that is. I had the distinct privilege of being one of KayLynn’s critique partners for a time, so I got to read a number of different versions!

These books are full of swordplay, villains, clean, fun romance, and daring, magical adventures. Watch out for ulterior motives and a wilderness with its own agenda. I highly recommend!

Happy Reading!