Category: Middle Grade

The Sherlock Society by James Ponti

Does anyone write about smart, funny, quirky middle school kids as well as James Ponti does? I genuinely do not think so, especially when it comes to placing them in exciting, crime-solving adventures. Mr Ponti’s latest series centers on siblings Alex and Zoe Sherlock, who are inspired by their last name to start a detective …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/08/30/the-sherlock-society-by-james-ponti/

Eight Days Of Luke by Diana Wynne Jones

The second book in the A Year Of Diana Wynne Jones challenge that I could join in on was this, Eight Days Of Luke. I’m honestly still torn over how I feel about the various covers: some seem a little spoiler-tastic, but if I’m being perfectly honest, I didn’t even look properly at the cover …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/08/08/eight-days-of-luke-by-diana-wynne-jones/

A Bite Above The Rest by Christine Virnig

Oh gosh, I really do hope this is the start of a series! It’s so cute, and the ending is the perfect setup for sequels galore! Eleven year-old Caleb isn’t super thrilled to have to leave California and all his memories of his late dad. But his mom enjoyed growing up in small town Wisconsin …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/08/05/a-bite-above-the-rest-by-christine-virnig/

Bea Wolf by Zach Weinersmith & Boulet

When I saw that a copy of this title hadn’t been included in the Hugo Voter’s Packet, I was ready to skip over it entirely. I’d heard good things about Bea Wolf elsewhere, and I’m always interested in what modern creators do with the classic Beowulf tale, but I wasn’t about to do anything to …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/06/24/bea-wolf-by-zach-weinersmith-boulet/

Camp Prodigy by Caroline Palmer

A graphic novel about viola players, whaaaaaaat! Haha, sorry, as an orchestra cellist, it’s always fun for me to read about underrepresented instruments and their players. Perhaps more importantly, this Middle Grade comic is about two nonbinary teenagers who meet at the title summer camp, which has the no-pressure name of Camp Prodigy, lol. There …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/06/18/camp-prodigy-by-caroline-palmer/

Plain Jane And The Mermaid by Vera Brosgol

I love pretty much everything First Second Books publishes. My relationship with them started with the excellent Sailor Twain by Mark Siegel, and while I haven’t had the time to cover as many of their books as I’d honestly like to, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to review their latest title that also features …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/05/20/plain-jane-and-the-mermaid-by-vera-brosgol/

Enemy Child by Andrea Warren

subtitled The Story Of Norman Mineta, A Boy Imprisoned In A Japanese American Internment Camp During World War II. Many Americans will know of Norman Mineta as a trailblazing Japanese American politician, a moderate Democrat who served in both Democratic and Republican cabinets. He always resisted having any books written about his life until he …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/05/09/enemy-child-by-andrea-warren/

Walkin’ The Dog by Chris Lynch

Louis is a good kid, but his life isn’t the typical kind you see portrayed in the media. His dad took early retirement from firefighting in the city to become a fisherman in a much more laidback environment. His mom is a perennial do-gooder who wound up getting significantly hurt while breaking up a fight …

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Permanent link to this article: https://www.thefrumiousconsortium.net/2024/04/03/walkin-the-dog-by-chris-lynch/