It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with a review of Mermedusa (The Legends of Eerie-on-Sea #5) by Thomas Taylor

Mermedusa (The Legends of Eerie-on-Sea#5) by Thomas Taylor
Publisher:  Walker Books US
Format:  E-ARC
Number of pages:   336 pages
Publishing:   June 14th, 2024
Source:  Edelweiss+

Opening Line: "Time.  It's just one thing after another, isn't it?"

Mermedusa begins with Herbie and Violet (Vi) in the Lost Founders office of the Grand Nautilus Hotel, when Herbie begins to have a dizzy, eerie, and queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.  Can it be because of the new lost and found object that showed up at his desk?  A wristwatch, that's "dead" or "frozen forever at the moment of some terrible crime..." professes Violet.  Yet, neither can come up with a reason as to how it ended up behind a radiator in the hotel restaurant and now in Herbie's possession.    

Herbie and Violet agree to put the watch aside for the moment, as it's midwinter and they've previously agreed to help Blaze with his Monster Tour.  They are supposed to show the three new guests that have just arrived in Eerie-on-Sea (EOS), Professor Herman Newtiss, the host of the Anomalous Phenomena podcast and his two assistants, Angela and Fluffy Mike around.  The podcast crew are in town searching for the terrifying and legendary Malamander, while also hoping to uncover the many hidden secrets of EOS.  

Professor Newtiss has been interested in Sebastian Eels for some time as Eels is an expert on EOS's folklore, having stolen most of the research, books and artifacts that are in existence on it.  The Professor consulted Vi and Herbie because they're the ones who know Eels best.  If they can find out what Eels is up to, he will provide them with his notes about Violet's dad's mysterious disappearance and Herbie's origins.  To get them started, the professor provided them with a clue from Eels diary, "when I was only twelve years old, I sold my soul for Kraken Gold." Soon Vi and Herbie are setting sail for the dangerous Dismal Beacon, the site where Sebastian Eel's sister mysteriously vanished years ago hoping to uncover the connection that ties him to their shared mysteries. 

Conclusions to a beloved series are always difficult.  Taylor does a remarkable job of answering all the various questions that have been lingering across the series.  I loved that all the characters are present in this book one way or the other, and I really enjoyed how things were wrapped up. The Berthday for Vi was a nice touch.  And as usual, the illustrations are wonderful.  

Each of Taylor's books in the series are filled with action, danger and delightfully creepy monsters.  We've had the Malmander, Gargantis, Shadowghast, Festergrimm and now the Mermedusa.  Each creature a bit more terrifying than the last.  There's so much to love about this series, the adventure, mystery and the friendship between Vi and Herbie.  Of course, there's also finally uncovering those lingering questions about Violet's father and Herbie's past.  It seems perfect to be ending the series with where it began, with the Malmander wreaking havoc once again.  I enjoyed learning more about Sebastian Eel as a kid.  I've always thought that he made the perfect sort of villain and hearing about the cause of his sister's disappearance really drove that point home.  Overall, a lovely series that I hope to revisit again.  

 I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE                 

It's MMGM with a review of The Swifts: A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln, illustrations by Claire Powell

The Swifts:  A Dictionary of Scoundrels by Beth Lincoln, illustrations by Claire Powell
Publisher:  Dutton Books
Format:  Paperback
Number of pages:   338 pages
Published:   February 7th, 2023
Source:  Purchased

Opening Line:  "Dull, adjective:  not exhilarating, not delightful, as, to make dictionaries is dull work."  

The authors introduction explains a little bit about languages and highlights the distinctions between British and American English. How dictionaries like Johnson's and Webster's were formed and the modifications that were made to some words used in the text, while others were left in their British form.

Chapter one opens with the family rehearsing for Arch Aunt Schadenfreude's impending funeral, a practice she insists they repeat over and over to ensure that everything is carried out perfectly.  Phenomena, Felicity and Shenanigan have grown weary of the entire affair.  They are much more excited about the upcoming family reunion, an event where the Swifts converge from all over the world on the family manor for a celebration and to search for their Grand-Uncle Vile's hidden treasure.  Which is rumored to be hidden somewhere within the manor and has remained undiscovered for centuries. 

Shenanigan was looking forward to meeting her extended family at the reunion, while also scheming to outsmart them and claim the treasure first.  However, the quest for treasure is abruptly interrupted when someone pushes their dear Aunt Schadenfreude down the stairs and the priority shifts to unmasking the culprit.  Shenanigan and her sisters begin to investigate the murder, gathering a list of suspects and looking for clues.  Meanwhile the culprit tries to evade capture and hide their tracks by destroying evidence and killing anyone who gets in their way.  Can the sisters unmask the culprit in time to save the family from further injury?  

Someone with a passion for languages, wordplay, and dictionaries would likely find The Swifts very fascinating.  It combines some of the character traits of Wednesday from the Addams Family, with the old mansion setting of Jessica Lawson's Nooks and Crannies, and the whimsical amusement found in Lemony Snicket's books.  I always seem to be drawn to books set in old mansions or manors, especially ones with hidden rooms, treasure and eccentric families.  Swift mansion is a treasure trove for any adventurous explorer, brimming with secret passages, false walls and even the occasional trap door.  However, the mansion is also fraught with danger, filled with booby traps, so it's important to be cautious and be familiar with the premises.   Shenanigan has explored every inch of the manor and has even crafted her own detailed map.  For the past few weeks, she's been examining every painting on the walls to find any hidden safes.  Her zeal and thoroughness in unraveling the mansion's mysteries are truly admirable.

The Swifts are a quirky family, that you won't soon forget.  Upon the birth of each Swift child, they are brought before the families sacred dictionary, where they receive both a name and its corresponding definition.  It is believed that each Swift's name reflects their personality and character.  This idea of names having a predetermination of who you are was very interesting.   Aunt Schadenfreude says that they're blessed to know themselves and their role from birth, while everyone else is trying to figure themselves out, but Shenanigan doesn't want her name to define her and what she's to become.  The story's exploration of the significance of names, and how sometimes the characters didn't embody their given meaning or match their definition was fascinating.  I liked that some characters wanted to change their name because they didn't like the process or felt that it didn't match with how they wanted to identify themselves.  Namely cousin Erf, who identified themself as nonbinary.  Or Cook, who wasn't born a Swift, but who still became a part of the family.  

Then there's the classic whodunit, unraveling the mystery behind the chaos and the perpetrators motives.  It kept me guessing till the very end.  The chapter titles and illustrations were exceptional, and I especially loved that the Barnes and Noble edition included a maze along the book's edge.  As a lover of words, I enjoyed the author's detailed descriptions, and my favorite quote was "they wound between the graves like black floss through crooked teeth."     Overall, the book was very entertaining, a delightful read, featuring a quirky family, a murder mystery, and intrigue.  I'm so glad that I read it before A Gallery of Rogues, which releases in August and is set in Paris.  I can't wait!  

    

I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE     

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with a review of Fortune Tellers by Lisa Greenwald

Fortune Tellers by Lisa Greenwald
Publisher:  Katherine Tegen Books
Format:  E-ARC 
Number of pages:   240 pages
Publishing:   May 7th, 2024
Source:  Sparkpoint Studio via NetGalley 

"I want to be a fortune teller, like for my job one day, Nora said curled up tight in the corner of Bea's top bunk bed."

Nora, Bea and Millie were inseparable after they met on the first day of kindergarten at Shire School in Manhattan's Upper East Side.  In third grade, they began making Fortune Tellers with their Write Your Destiny markers, special markers that seemed to make their messages come magically true.  The trio shared sleepovers, skate parties, and celebrated every birthday together, until the day their friendship came to an end just before sixth grade.  

A rift formed when Bea and Nora, attended a classmates birthday party and Millie was excluded.  Following the birthday incident, the Pandemic began, and their cherished school closed, which led to them being separated.   Millie's father quit his job as the super at an apartment complex and found a new job managing cottages in the country.  Nora's parents divorced, leading to her and her sister Penelope living with their mom, seeing their dad only occasionally.  And Bea's family moved to a bigger house to support her Aunt Claire, who suffers from uncontrollable seizures and requires constant monitoring.  Both Bea and her twin, Danny assist their mom with keeping an eye on their aunt.

While cleaning out her desk and getting ready for the first day of a new school year, Bea discovers a fortune teller.  She thought she had discarded them all after their fight.  They made hundreds of them before, yet she's pretty sure she ripped all of hers to pieces.  Soon Nora and Millie also find fortune tellers, with messages of encouragement, or just the right words that they seem to need to hear.  Their fortunes used to be silly, but now the messages are serious, appearing in the least expected places.  Why is it that they suddenly reappeared so mysteriously after all these years?

Bea and Nora receive an unexpected surprise from their former teacher, Ms. Steinhaur, a box filled with fortune tellers.  With the gift is a letter informing them that the Shire School has had difficulties, with the lower grades having closed since the Pandemic and they're now trying to determine the future direction of the school.  Nora contacts Bea via email, leading to the girls having their first group chat in almost two years.  Bea discovers the school's urgent need for ambassadors and fundraising.  Motivated to help save their school, the trio reunite and develop a plan to hold a huge gathering of all the former students and alumni.   

I recall making Fortune Tellers in school, although I think we referred to them as Cootie Catchers.  If you constructed it properly, hidden inside you could write questions, answers or responses like yes, no, maybe and try again.  Our own version of a magic eight ball.  It was fun to reminisce about them while reading the book.  

Fortune Tellers delves into the themes of food insecurity and the effects of a family member's epilepsy on the whole family.  The story alternates among Nora, Bea and Millie, with an occasional flashback to the third and fourth grade.  Each girl is nervous about starting seventh grade and how everything seems to be changing.  They experience worries over popularity, boys, the status of their current friendships and unhappiness since drifting apart over a year ago.  The fortune tellers serve as a bit of magic reminding them of their unresolved argument and wish to reconcile.  There's valuable messaging about expressing feelings resolving conflicts, or simply forgiving each other.  Which is never too late to start.       

**A huge thank you to Spark Point Studio for the E-ARC via NetGalley**

I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE       

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with a review of Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol (Graphic Novel)

Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol
Publisher:  First Second Books
Format:  Paperback ARC
Number of pages:   368 pages
Publishing:   May 7th, 2024
Source:  Banholzer PR

After the sudden death of Jane's parents in a fish cart accident, her cousin Colin becomes the heir to the family estate. As Colin focuses on redecorating and selecting his new bedroom, he gives Jane a week to vacate before he forces her out on the streets.  Jane's only ray of hope lies in marriage, which promises a substantial dowry.  So, Jane intends to propose to her crush, Peter, in hopes that he'll see this arrangement as being mutually beneficial.  She'll secure her dowry and he will be free from his domineering father.  However, their plan goes awry when Peter is kidnapped by a mermaid.  Undeterred, Jane ventures into the underwater realm of the mermaids to rescue Peter.

I really enjoyed Vera Brosgol's graphic style, her illustrations give you the feel of looking at an animated movie.  The colors are dark and dreary in the right places then contrast well with the blue and teal colors under water.  How she portrays Jane's home as desolate, empty of any warmth.  Contrasted with her adventures underwater where Jane crosses paths with a water demon, and well those pesky mermaids.  I also really enjoyed the panels where Jane is rescuing a seal.  At times you really want to give Jane a great big hug.  Throughout her life, Jane has heard that she's plain, she wears black baggy dresses, her hair is disheveled, and her clothes are ripping at the seams.  She hoped that marrying Peter would give her an autonomy over her life.  There are strong messages conveyed about the importance of inner beauty and that we shouldn't be judged solely by our outward appearance.  I really enjoyed everything about this beautiful graphic novel, the artwork, the underwater setting and especially Jane who learns that beauty is not how we should value our worth.  Lovely authors note at the very end.  

**A huge thank you to Banholzer PR and the publisher for the paperback ARC**    

I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE       

Hopscotch Girls Presents: Mia Madison, CEO by Kathryn Holmes and Illustrated by Luna Valentine

Hopscotch Girls Presents: Mia Madison, CEO by Kathryn Holmes and Illustrated by Luna Valentine
Publisher:  Andrews McMeel Publishing
Format:  E-ARC
Number of pages:   210 pages
Publishing:   April 30th, 2024
Source:  Publisher

Opening Line: "I'm the only eleven-year-old I know who keeps a handwritten day planner."  

6th grader Mia Madison is known at her school for being a very successful kid-trepreneur, having launched a pet sitting business and a lemonade stand.  Mia hopes that someday she can be like her mom, a CEO of her own company.  During a visit to the park, Mia runs into Liam, a new boy at school who has a side job dog walking.  Liam shares his difficulty managing one of his dogs named Princess, who often escapes while walking the other dogs.  Mia offers to try and devise a solution for Liam's problem, which also inspires her to help her other classmates with their ventures.  Thus, Mia's KidBiz is born, a consulting firm dedicated to troubleshooting, enhancing profits and guiding her classmates in promoting their own business.

Initially, everything is progressing well.  Along with Liam, Mia starts assisting Daphine to determine a price point for her bracelets, and even her best friend, Lillian decides to sell her once anonymous and free comic books at school.  However, juggling three new clients, schoolwork, friendship and her part time cat sitting job quickly becomes an overwhelming challenge.  Will Mia be able to manage all the responsibilities she has taken on before everything starts to unravel?  

Hopscotch Girls is a social enterprise created by a mom who was frustrated by the marketing of pink, princess, and beauty items as gifts for girls.  The goal of the enterprise is to "offer products that will build confidence and self-esteem in girls and combat these harmful stereotypes."  Some of their previous titles include, "I Am Confident Brave and Beautiful, and I Am an Adventurer, Artist and Athlete," which are Sticker and Colorings Books.  Mia Madison, CEO is the first book in their new middle grade series.  

I quite liked Mia's enthusiasm and passion for her businesses.  She dives into her ventures with great energy.  Mia's mom is an immense support, offering advice, sales strategies and even her old textbooks to assist Mia with her clientele.  Mia's determination to make her consulting business a success is very evident, though it sometimes leads her to overcommit and rush her tasks.  Yet, she remained undeterred by her responsibilities or setbacks, instead she sought help when she needed it.  The book introduces financial concepts such as venture, entrepreneur, inventory, reframing and commission, integrating their explanations seamlessly into the narrative for younger reader's ease of comprehension.  Luna Valentine's playful black and white illustrations contribute significantly to the book's charm.  A recurring theme that I picked up from the book is that failure happens, that there will be setbacks, and mistakes, sometimes even more than once.  The key is how you recover from them and move forward.  Mia Madison, CEO will resonate with children interested in entrepreneurship, and I'm eager to see what the series holds in the future. 

**A huge thank you to Andrews McMeel Publishing for the opportunity to read an E-ARC**                           

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with a review of The Climate Diaries: Book One: The Academy by Aaron Arsenault

The Climate Diaries Book One:  The Academy by Aaron Arsenault
Publisher:  Friesen Press
Format:  E-ARC
Number of pages:   300 pages
Publishing:   April 22nd, 2024
Source:  Books Forward

Opening Line:  "Jax...Jax...Jax!  Mr. Clifford shouted from across the classroom."

Eleven-year-old Jax has been sent to detention twenty-eight times at school.  He just can't seem to avoid it.   "The Curmudgeon" and Jax have been at odds since the first day of school.  Frustrated by Jax's constant doodling in his notebook and always pulling stunts, his teacher destroys Jax's notebook.  What his teacher doesn't realize is that Jax's notebooks are precious to him; they're the place that Jax records all of his ideas on climate change and how to fix it.  Jax is obsessed with finding the answers to why the sea levels are rising and why there are so many forest fires?  His notebooks are filled with his brilliant ideas and plans for making a better world, including his models for predicting hurricanes and how to grow his own organic crops.  Following the "notebook shredding incident," Jax vows to defeat his enemy once and for all in an epic act of retribution.  

Unfortunately, Jax's latest stunt sends his teacher's car off of a cliff and his rebellious nature almost lands him in Juvenile detention.  Instead, Jax learns that he has been selected as a new recruit for the CAT (Climate Action Taskforce), a secret organization focused on combating climate change.  However, life at the Academy isn't going to be a walk in the park for Jax either. It's a two-month bootcamp without electronics or parental contact and the Academy has a grueling schedule of classes, to include learning about progressive climatology, environmental science, sustainable energy practices and all things climate change related.

Soon Jax is placed onto Team 19 with Grace, August and Kylie and he and Grace begin to butt heads. Grace is made Team captain and Jax becomes furious.  Once again, Jax is up to his old tricks, causing trouble and he even manages to get the whole team expelled from the Academy.  Just as they're leaving, a category 7 hurricane hits their vessel, and they crash land on an island.  The team now has to hope that the lessons that they had at the Academy will be enough to help them survive their latest obstacle.

Jax is such a rule breaker, troublemaker and rebel.  There isn't one moment that he isn't getting into trouble.  First in school and then in landing himself in the Academy.  He constantly pulls pranks on people.  At first smaller things like putting a spider in someone's locker and then his plans becoming increasingly more and more dangerous things.  His negativity and bickering with Grace add a lot of conflict to the team and takes up much of the last half of the book.  Grace is probably the only other character that stands out in the group as she seems to have a few of her own secrets.  Although her attitude can be a little off putting, but I still would like to know more about her past.   Hopefully, we'll learn more about the other members of the team in the sequel as well.  

Overall, I thought the story has a unique premise and liked how it addresses the real problems of climate change.  There were lots of interesting tasks for the team to complete, including building an ecofriendly tiny home and trying to determine a way to cut down on methane gas emissions.  Included in the author's note there were several tips for what the reader can do to minimize climate change, to include shopping smarter.  As well as a free activity guide for kids, and a link to the teacher's guide.  Although Team 19's time at CAT was short lived, and the story ended on a cliffhanger, everything is left pretty open in terms of what can potentially happen next.  It kind of felt like a mixture of Survivor and an Army bootcamp with cool gadgets like the personal locator beacon and windowless drones used for transportation.  I'm looking forward to seeing what is in store for the team next.     

** A huge thank you to Books Forward for the E-ARC and paperback**    

I hope you'll check out all the other Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday posts at Greg Pattridge's blog HERE        

Orris and Timble: The Beginning by Kate DiCamillo , Illustrations by Carmen Mok

Orris and Timble: The Beginning by Kate DiCamillo, illustrations by Carmen Mok
Publisher:  Candlewick Press
Format:  E-ARC
Number of pages:   80 pages
Publishing:   April 30th, 2024
Source:  Edelweiss +

Opening Line:  "Orris the rat had made a nest for himself in a hole in the wall and papered it with pages from a discarded book." 

Orris lives a fairly secluded life in an abandoned old barn with only his treasured red velvet slipper, a yellow marble and a sardine can with a sardine king on the cover for company.  Then his once quiet and peaceful barn is disrupted by a loud screech and cries for help.  Slowly, Orris creeps toward the hole leading further into the barn and peeks out to find that a small owl has caught one of their claws in a mousetrap nailed to the floor.  The owl continued to call out that they were stuck and needed help, but too frightened, Orris turned and returned to his nest saying that the Owl was done for.

You see, Orris has his reservations because owls and rats are natural enemies, to help would be foolish and only lead to being captured, or worse eaten.  Why should he get involved?  But then Orris catches a glimpse of his prized sardine can with the king's message of making the "good and noble choice, " and is encouraged to venture from the safety of his nest and approach the owl.  Timble, the owl tells Orris that he wouldn't eat Orris and so despite his misgivings, Orris helps to release the owl.  What follows is an unlikely friendship.  

Orris and Timble is the first book in this new trilogy written by Kate DiCamillo.  It's a quiet story about a timid rat who overcomes their initial fear and chooses to do a good and noble deed by helping the very predator that has been known to hunt them.  The story is filled with colorful watercolor illustrations showing Orris as this small, brown timid rat and Timble as a white owl with fluffy wings, and yellow eyes.  I liked how the illustrations of Timble's facial expressions didn't make him look like a large menacing owl.  It gives the reader the impression that these two could potentially become friends as Timble looks scared and a little bewildered.  I also really liked the importance that storytelling played in Orris and Timble developing a friendship.  How Timble wanted to hear more stories and how Orris began to anticipate and look forward to Orris coming to the barn.  This is a very sweet story that younger kids would enjoy.  A wonderful addition to fans of Kate DiCamillo's other books.