Tag: friendship

Posted in Horror, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

The Asylum Series, Volume 3: Catacomb

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

catacombCatacomb, by Madeleine Roux (Sept. 2015, HarperCollins), $17.99, ISBN: 9780062364050

Recommended for ages 12+

Here we are, the third volume in Madeleine Roux’s Asylum series. For this one, we head to one of the most paranormal-friendly cities in America: New Orleans. Abby, Dan, and Jordan are taking one more road trip; this time, relocating Jordan to his Uncle Steve in Nawlins, where he’ll be living and attending Tulane University.

Everyone has their own agenda, though. Abby’s pretty sure she’s taking a year off from college to pursue her art and photography; she’s investigating a famous criminal who has a history in the South. Dan has leads on his parents – his birth parents, not Paul and Sandy, the adoptive parents who adore him. He wants to understand more about why he was abandoned to the foster care system and hopes to find answers; he’s got some clues he found in the paperwork from Sanctum.

The action starts quickly enough. While on the road, the teens discover they’re being watched, even photographed. And then, Dan starts receiving Facebook messages. From Micah. Who really isn’t anywhere near a reliable Wi-Fi reception, so this presents a huge problem. They find themselves stuck in another mystery, involving another secret society, but this time, Dan’s directly in their sights.

There’s a lot of revelation happening in this book, and the paranormal aspect is back. We’ve got a secret society that’s truly chilling, tied into voudou and grave robbing. The big bad is pretty obvious from the get-go, but he’s supposed to be; the big twist is waiting for you closer to the end. The biggest question I had going in was how the heck do Dan’s parents keep letting him go away on these trips? He comes back beaten, stabbed, and traumatized each time; I’d never let my kid out of the house again.

I enjoyed Catacomb and think it brings all the storylines to a satisfying close. The Brookline connection felt a little forced, so I’m glad it was a piece that Ms. Roux touched on, and let be. The photos are mostly from Abby’s point of view this time, which adds a nice connection with the character and her point of view.

If you’re in the mood for a good, creepy trilogy, the Asylum trilogy is for you. I’m looking forward to reading more from Madeleine Roux!

Posted in Fiction, Middle Grade, Middle School, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads

Alex Gino’s George is wonderful, required reading for all!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

georgeGeorge, by Alex Gino (Aug. 2015, Scholastic), $16.99, ISBN: 9780545812542

Recommended for ages 8-14

George looks like a boy. Her mom thinks she’s a boy; the kids and teachers at school see a boy, even if they bully her and call her a girl. Even her best friend, Kelly, thinks George is a boy. The thing is, middle schooler George is a girl, really. She knows it. It’s a painful secret that she has to keep.

When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she’s not a boy. She knows she’s a girl.

When her teacher announces that the class play will be Charlotte’s Web, George sees her chance to let a little of the real her peek through. She wants to be Charlotte. She wants to be Charlotte so badly. Will her teacher, her classmates, or her mom understand?

At last, a middle grade book with an LGBTQ character – and a positive, upbeat one, at that! George is a fantastic book. Every page is a delight. George is a sweet, introspective character who is self-aware at a young age and owns it. She keeps her real self a secret, but is always waiting for the chance to come out, and the class play provides that moment. She’s determined to be Charlotte, knowing that everyone will understand once they see her.

Kelly wins prizes for the best friend ever. She accepts and embraces George for who she is – you’ll tear up very happily as you follow their relationship’s progression to the end of the book.

Bullies aside – because bullies are inevitable – every character in this book offers a positive, realistic support system for George, a transgender tween at the beginning of her journey. Realistic, because we see that some have some difficulty, even discomfort, understanding George’s feelings and reality, but have enough love to work through it with her and come to a path they can all walk together.

I love this book. I want to buy copies for my home, my libraries, and to hand out to kids in every middle school. I’m thrilled that it exists. Not only do I think that this is this one of the most important books you’ll read this year, it’s one of the most captivating.

Author Alex Gino is a trans activist with a website that offers resources for youth that every parent and educator should bookmark. You’ll also find an author schedule and further information.

 

Posted in Fiction, Humor, Middle Grade, Middle School, Tween Reads, Uncategorized

The Woe of Jade Doe: Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles Continues!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

jade doeDorothy’s Derby Chronicles: The Woe of Jade Doe, by Meghan Dougherty/Illus. by Alece Birnbach (Aug. 2015, Sourcebooks), $6.99, ISBN: 978-1-4926-01-47-0

Recommended for ages 9-14

The Slugs ‘n’ Hisses are back in their second adventure! Last year, we met Dorothy, her roller derby lovin’ grandma, Shotgun Sally, and the misfits that became BFFs and a butt-kickin’ roller derby team in the first Derby Chronicle, Rise of the Undead Redhead. Picking up immediately where Undead Redhead left off, The Woe of Jade Doe goes further into the story behind Eva Disaster’s untimely demise, the conflict between the Pom-Poms and the Slugs ‘n’ Hisses, and the fate of Galactic Skate.

This book is every bit as fun as the Rise of the Undead Redhead. Dorothy is fighting to keep her life together as the girls work through inner conflict and locking horns with their school rivals; the knowledge that her mother could come in and throw everything she’s worked for into chaos at any moment, a crush that keeps her guessing, and an uncertain future for her roller rink and derby team. On top of all that, she’s got a ghost with a grudge, and Grandma’s keeping secrets. It’s a fun page-turner with a touch of girl power and just enough mean girl strife to keep it interesting.

Add this to your collection, along with the first book in the series and Victoria Jamieson’s Roller Girl, and get your girls (and guys!) reading them. Heck, get a copy of Knockdown Knits and knit yourself a nice ice pack cover while you have a book discussion.

Posted in Horror, Humor, Teen, Tween Reads

After Dark: There’s something very creepy going on in this town…

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

after dark After Dark, by James Leck (Aug. 2015, Kids Can Press), $16.95, ISBN: 9781771381109

Recommended for ages 11-14

Charlie Harker is not having a great day. He’s in trouble on his last day of school; his mom met him to tell him there’s no more money left – their absentee dad spent them all into debt, and she’s putting Charlie, his sister, Lillith, and his brother, Johnny, to work over the summer to renovate his grandfather’s old inn in the boring town of Rolling Hills. The only excitement seems to come from local conspiracy nut, Miles Van Helsing.

Charlie realizes, pretty quickly, that there may be something to Miles’ ramblings. People are acting weird, and Charlie decides to help Miles investigate further. There’s definitely something going on in Rolling Hills, but will Charlie and Miles be the next victims?

This is a fun humor/horror story; think of Invasion of the Body Snatchers meets old-school Fright Night. There are some nice nods to horror history, including references to George Romero and The Lost Boys, not to mention the obvious Dracula references in the boys’ last names. The ending leaves the possibility for a sequel. It’s a good end-of-summer read, and readers who shy away from gore and horror may be drawn in by the sarcastic narration and overall humor.

Posted in Fiction, Humor, Puberty, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads

The Incredible Three and A Half Superheroes is a silly superhero story… kinda.

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

titaah_superheroes_side_crThe Incredible Three and a Half Superheroes, by Frank Schmeiβer/Illus. by Jörg Mühle, Translated from German by David H. Wilson, (April 2015, Little Gestalten), $19.95, ISBN: 978-3-89955-740-4

Recommended for ages 10+

Imagine if Doug, the Wimpy Kid, his buddy, Rowley, and Fregley, the weird kid, started their own superhero group. Now you’ve got an idea of what to expect with The Incredible Three and a Half Superheroes. Headed by Sebastian Appleby-Krumble, aka The Brain, the three middle school friends and classmates are a quirky group of kids from class 6A, taught by the lovely Mrs. Daffodil. Their nemeses, class 6B (for bums, among other things), are taught by the awful Mr. Devill. Things have gone missing from Mrs. Daffodil’s class, and the school administration thinks that she may not be able to control her class. To save her teaching position and reputation, the Incredible Three and a Half (the half being Martin “The Chameleon’s invisible friend, a shy chicken) must find out exactly who the real culprit(s) are.

If that wasn’t enough on its own, Sebastian also has his awful – but wealthy – Aunt Boudicea – staying with them for her birthday festivities. Sebastian’s mother is going crazy trying to feed the woman and her husband, and create an entertaining birthday song and dance routine for Sebastian to perform to entertain her at her birthday party!

The book is written in middle grade style, but the language tends toward a slightly higher level. There’s more profanity than I expected in a middle grade book, so this may be an issue for some families. Written in first-person from Sebastian/The Brain’s point of view, and illustrated with black and white line drawings throughout, this will appeal to fans of The Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, and other books in the diary/journal genre. There’s a lot of running back and forth between plot and subplot, and the writing becomes hectic, but kids will likely get a kick out of the craziness of planning a party for Sebastian’s crazy aunt and shrugging off the constant indignities she – and his classmates – toss his way.

Not a bad purchase for home and public libraries, but school libraries will likely be turned off by the language.

 

Posted in Fiction, Middle Grade, Middle School, Uncategorized

Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles is Back with The Woe of Jade Doe!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Last year, I raved a new middle grade series, Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles, about two sisters living with their very unconventional grandmother and forming a roller derby team. This book was too much fun, and I immediately began asking the authors, via Twitter, for more. Well, the time has come –  I present to you, a Sourcebooks Jabberwocky spotlight on Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles: The Woe of Jade Doe. Review to come!

Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles: Woe of Jade Doe

By Meghan Dougherty

Illustrated by Alece Birnbach

August 4, 2015; ISBN 9781492601470

jade doeBook Information:

Title: Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles: Woe of Jade Doe

Author: Meghan Dougherty

Release Date: August 4, 2015

Publisher Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

 

Summary:

When times get tough, just keep skating…

 Ever since Dorothy joined the Slugs & Hisses Derby team, her life has been one adventure after another. Dorothy’s onetime enemy Alex is now a friend, while her friend Jade keeps missing practices. Then the skating rink shuts down, and Dorothy’s life becomes as jumbled as a derby jam. And that’s not to mention the bizarre things happening to anyone who enters the rink (maybe it’s haunted?)… 

Can Dorothy restore order to the new life she’s finally settling into, or will her world become a crazy mess she can’t skate away from?

 Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25782850-dorothy-s-derby-chronicles-woe-of-jade-doe

Buy Links:

Amazon- http://ow.ly/OHPtn

Barnes & Noble- http://ow.ly/OHPz9

Books A Million- http://ow.ly/OHPPE

iBooks- http://ow.ly/OHQnp

!ndigo- http://ow.ly/OHQvD

Indiebound- http://ow.ly/OHQJN

 

About the Author and Illustrator:

Meghan Dougherty is a full-time PR consultant. In 2007 she joined the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls roller derby league. She lives in Colorado.

Alece Birnbach owned her own advertising agency before creating designs that appear on more than 100 products. She lives in Colorado.

Social Networking Links:

Website: http://www.dorothysderby.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/dorothysderby

Instagram: https://instagram.com/dorothysderby/

 

Excerpt from Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles: Woe of Jade Doe

“You okay, Dorth?” Max asked, squeezing Dorothy’s hand.

Dorothy stared into Max’s chocolate-­brown eyes. Words weren’t coming. From the tip-­top of her curly red hair down to her hand-­me-­down roller skates, Dorothy was buzzing with delight. She wasn’t even twelve yet, and she had just been kissed! She had thought the night couldn’t get any better after coaching her team, the Slugs ’n’ Hisses, to a win at the Halloween championship bout. But here she was, hand in hand with the boy of her dreams.

Floating on a cloud of bliss, Dorothy was barely aware of the roller rink under her feet or her nearby team chanting, “I’m a roller derby girl. Derby, derby, roller, yeah!”

And there was another sound too, like a squeal—­but not a happy squeal. More like a metallic screech, actually. And it was growing louder. Dorothy’s gaze shot upward and her bliss vanished, replaced instead with heart-­pounding terror.

Suddenly, everything and everyone in the dimly lit, outdated Galactic Skate was moving in slow motion. The dusty ceiling fans ticked as slowly as the second hand on a clock. The people in the stands lumbered toward the door like molasses on the faded, star-­patterned carpet.

“Get off the floor!” Dorothy screamed. “Now!”

Her team stopped chanting and turned to look at her with puzzled faces.

“Frappit,” Dorothy said, dropping Max’s hand. She rocketed toward her team, her arms waving frantically above her head. “Move it!” A second later, time was in hyperdrive.

“You heard your coach!” Grandma Sally yelled. Her tight, fishnet stockings made Grandma’s thighs look like a pair of misshapen waffles. Unaware that her sexy nun costume was riding up dangerously high, she hooked Jade by the arm and pulled her toward the bleachers.

“Ouch, Grandma! Easy,” Jade complained, hopping on one foot. “My ankle, remember?”

The next few seconds were a blur of confusion with the clack and swoosh of skate wheels, the cries of “Run!” from the few remaining fans standing in the bleachers, and above it all, a metallic banshee shriek growing louder each second.

In the chaos, Dorothy realized she had lost track of Sam. Cold fingers of panic wrapped around Dorothy’s throat and squeezed. Her nine-­year-­old sister had been there just a minute ago, chanting and celebrating with her team. Where was she now? In the frenzy, Dorothy slowed way down, carefully scanning the people running past the rundown refreshment area and blackened popcorn machine and the restrooms with the groovy guy-­and-­gal signage. No Sam.

Then it happened. With a bang like a gun going off, the chain that held the giant disco ball to the ceiling snapped. Dorothy turned and watched helplessly as the ball fell. Time slowed again. It was like a horror movie version of the Times Square countdown on New Year’s Eve—­a glittering ball of death was plummeting toward the floor, and there wasn’t a single thing Dorothy or anyone could do to stop it.

“Sam!” she cried desperately, but all she heard in return were the screams of her terrified teammates and shattering glass.

Enter here for a Rafflecopter giveaway!

 

Posted in Early Reader, Fiction, Graphic Novels

Flop to the Top – A WhatchaReading Review!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

TOON Books is knocking it out of the park with the graphic novels they’re putting out for younger readers. I love Toon Books. Their Fall lineup looks amazing – check this space often enough, and you’ll hear all about it. Flop to the Top is a great book about learning to be a good friend and a great commentary on the role of social media in pop culture today, all written and illustrated for young kids.

flop-to-the-top

Check out my review, plus a preview, over at WhatchaReading!

Posted in Fantasy, Horror, Humor, Middle School, Teen, Tween Reads

Trollhunters: YA from Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

trollhuntersTrollhunters, by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus/illus. by Sean Murray (Jul 2015, Disney/Hyperion), $18.99, ISBN: 978-1423125983

Recommended for ages 12+

In September 1969, a rash of kidnappings in San Bernardino left parents terrified. The reign of terror ended some 100+ missing kids later, with the final disappearance being young teen Jack Sturges, who was riding bikes with his younger brother, Jim, at the time.

Forty-five years later, Jim has grown up and become a father, but the scars from Jack’s disappearance remain. His son, Jim Jr., grows up behind steel shades and locked doors, curfews and phone calls to police if he’s the slightest bit late. He’s not exactly big man on campus at school, either – his best friend, “Tub”, is bully fodder who lives with his grandmother and her legion of cats.

The thing is, weird things are starting to happen in San Bernardino all over again, and Jim’s right in the line of fire – no matter what his father does to keep him safe. Trolls aren’t fantasy, they’re a horrific reality, and Jim finds himself sucked into the world of the Trollhunters, where he and his band of fighters will come together to save San Bernardino, and possibly, the world.

How do you not read a YA book written by Guillermo del Toro? Especially when said book starts out with this:

“You are food. Those muscles you flex to walk, lift, and talk? They’re patties of meat topped with chewy tendon. That skin you’ve paid so much attention to in mirrors? It’s delicious to the right tongues, a casserole of succulent tissue. And those bones that give you the strength to make your way in the world? They rattle between teeth as the marrow is sucked down slobbering throats. These facts are unpleasant but useful. There are things out there, you see, that don’t cower in holes to be captured by us and cooked over our fires. These things have their own ways of trapping their kills, their own fires, their own appetites.”

I’m not versed in Daniel Kraus’ work, but that will change shortly. The two together have created what I hope is the first of an ongoing middle school/YA series that blends gratuitous gore, ooze, humor, and a strong story about family and what makes a family into a book you won’t want to put down. Trollhunters gives us action, a touch of horror – it is del Toro, after all – and a loving story of loss, rediscovery, and family. Reluctant readers? Give them this book, and they’ll be demanding more (and that’s when you introduce them to Hellboy comics, novels, and movies).

This book is great to give to boys, but there’s some serious girl power in here too. Jim Jr.’s crush, Claire, can hold her own against a school bully as well as against anything else the authors throw at her. Sean Murray’s illustrations are wonderfully gross and gooey, with dark and murky colors to fill out your imagination.

All in all, Trollhunters is a great mid-summer read. Don’t miss it! The only question I’ve got now is, when will we see the movie?

Posted in Animal Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Intermediate, Middle Grade, Steampunk

Tailwands – Epic Animal Fantasy for your younger readers!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I don’t normally review standalone comic book issues here at MomReadIt – that’s the purview of my WhatchaReading writing, really – but I had to talk about Tailwands, which is putting out its second issue shortly. It’s great animal fiction, it’s an epic tale, and it’s perfect for young readers who are in the mood for fun, clean, epic fantasy storytelling.

tailwands_1       tailwands_2

I’ve written reviews for both issue 1 and issue 2 over at WhatchaReading. There is a subscriber exclusive, if your kids like the books, so you don’t have to chase them down. Hand these books to your younger readers, and tuck in with them – you’re in for a great adventure.