"I like colorful tales with black beginnings and stormy middles and cloudless blue-sky endings. But any story will do."The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate I used to read so much middle grade, and lately when I am wandering through the children's section at my local library with my son, I can't help but... Continue Reading →
The Pinhoe Egg by Diana Wynne Jones
Cat Chant and Marianne Pinhoe have discovered something exciting--something truly precious, very strange, and valuable. An egg.An egg that has been hidden away in an attic for who-knows-how-many years. An egg protected by some strong "Don't Notice" spells. An egg that Marianne gives to Cat, even though he lives at nearby Chrestomanci Castle. Chrestomanci himself,... Continue Reading →
Conrad’s Fate by Diana Wynne Jones
Someone at Stallery Mansion is changing the world. At first, only small details, but the changes get bigger and bigger. It's up to Conrad, a twelve-year-old with terrible karma who's just joined the mansion's staff, to find out who is behind it.But he's not the only one snooping around. His fellow servant-in-training, Christopher Chant, is... Continue Reading →