Me encantaba esta novela. He estudiado español por solo un año, así que este libro fue un buen desafío para mí. Leé el libro en español y en inglés. LMe encantaba esta novela. He estudiado español por solo un año, así que este libro fue un buen desafío para mí. Leé el libro en español y en inglés. La autora es dominicana pero escribe en inglés porque se mudó a los Estados Unidos cuando tenía ocho años. Lo recomiendo para los niños hispanoparlantes de ocho a doce años también. Tía Lola era muy divertida y amable....more
4 1/3 stars First in a new upper MG series that will appeal to fans of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. Set in and below London, now and during the 17t4 1/3 stars First in a new upper MG series that will appeal to fans of Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. Set in and below London, now and during the 17th century, the story had a great sense of place and history. The fun premise was based on the unlucky number 13: Jack is a 13-year-old boy MC who is 13th of his name. American Jack befriends a British girl sidekick, both are likable. The mom, younger sister, and the blind librarian were fun characters too. The alternate fantasy world building was excellent. The writing was fast-paced and easy to read.
I had only a few reservations. The biggest one was the lack of ethnic diversity, especially given the London setting. Although the villain had a believable motive, he was cartoonishly bad and lacked nuance. Also, even young teens wouldn't think of themselves as "children." Still, an impressively strong MG debut from an author who previously wrote suspense thrillers for adults.
The gorgeous steam punk cover was my absolute favorite from 2016, making the book an excellent gift. My 12-year-old nephew couldn't put it down. I sampled a few chapters and was hooked enough to buy another copy for myself. I enjoyed this fun escape from the dystopian real world. The book has already been optioned for a movie, which I can't wait to see.
Disclosure: the author and I share an agent....more
This easy-to-read mystery is set at a realistic middle school, but the clues are paranormal. It delivers a strong lesson about the dangers of bullyingThis easy-to-read mystery is set at a realistic middle school, but the clues are paranormal. It delivers a strong lesson about the dangers of bullying. The well paced plot was stacked with clues that will keep kids turning the pages to the scary climax.
The Disappearance of Emily H. has an entertaining cast of kids. The mean girl was a bit too generic, but the other characters were well developed and multifaceted. I especially liked the inclusion of a formerly homeschooled girl and children from less advantaged backgrounds. For a paranormal book, it was surprisingly realistic but not too predictable. There were some unexpected plot twists.
Witty observations added humor to the dark mystery:
"Shirlee chats about Yielding. She's one of those people who can handle both sides of a conversation. Works for me."
"Like sunflowers turning toward the sun, everyone at the table suddenly tunes in to our conversation."
Raine is a strong, likable protagonist, who makes a fine role model. The narrative includes a sweet romance, but brave Raine doesn't need help from boys to solve her mystery. Magic reveals clues without resolving the underlying problems. Raine turns instead to social media to teach the bullies an important lesson. The content is still innocent enough for elementary school children. I predict this magical mystery will be a big hit among young readers.
Best summer read for kids! Set on a lake with endangered loons and a photography scavenger hunt. My full review: Best summer read for kids! Set on a lake with endangered loons and a photography scavenger hunt. My full review: ...more
Dr. Radway's Sarsaparilla Resolvent (impossible title to remember!) is a companion novel to Dangerous Neighbors. The protagonist is William, the boy wDr. Radway's Sarsaparilla Resolvent (impossible title to remember!) is a companion novel to Dangerous Neighbors. The protagonist is William, the boy with the "green-brown glass" eyes, who rescues lost animals in shantytown. My favorite character was a young goat (I love animals.) DRSR is a Dickensian story with a touch of Steinbeck's Cannary Row and gorgeous illustrations by William Sulit, Beth's talented husband. It's a younger and more masculine story, which I'd recommend to middle school boys and to fans of Dangerous Neighbors who miss the characters. The twins and their feminist/suffragette mother make a few appearances.
Loading...
