It’s Friday and we are over at Kirkus! Today I review Sal and Gabi Break the Universe by Carlos Hernandez It’s such a great book! Go over there to read the review.…
Browsing Tag
Middle Grade
Hello everybody! We are delighted to welcome Fran Wilde back to the blog today to talk about the inspirations and influences behind her new – and first Middle Grade – novel Riverland. The last time I did an inspirations…
8 Rated Books Book Reviews Kirkus
Over at Kirkus: Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson and The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu
It's Friday and I am over at Kirkus today with a post on the awesome girls of Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson and The Lost Girl by Anne Ursu …
Title: The Parker Inheritance Author: Varian Johnson Genre: Middle Grade Publisher: ARTHUR A LEVINE / SCHOLASTIC, Publication date: March 2018Hardcover: 331 pages The letter waits in a book, in a box, in an attic, in an old house in…
8 Rated Books Book Reviews
Mini-reviews: Transcription by Kate Atkinson & Death in the Spotlight by Robin Stevens
I have been catching up with books from 2018 that I never got around to reading then and will be writing mini-reviews for those I highly recommend. The two I have for today happen to be historical novels set…
We are over at Kirkus today for our regular column! It’s Thea’s turn, this time with a review of Yoon Ha Lee’s much-anticipated middle grade science fiction novel, Dragon Pearl. Thea has been a huge fan of Yoon Ha Lee’s…
7 Rated Books Book Reviews Old School Wednesdays
Old School Wednesdays: The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbitt
Old School Wednesdays is a regular Book Smuggler feature. We came up with the idea towards the end of 2012, when both Ana and Thea were feeling exhausted from the never-ending inundation of New and Shiny (and often over-hyped)…
7 Rated Books 8 Rated Books Book Reviews
Book Review Roundup: TEMPESTS AND SLAUGHTER by Tamora Pierce + THE POPPY WAR by R.F. Kuang
I’ve been reading a lot of fantasy lately, and two novels have recently struck me with their thematic similarities (though both are intended for wildly different audiences): Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce and The Poppy War by R.F.…
It’s Friday and we are over at Kirkus! Today, Ana takes a look at what she is looking forward to reading in the next couple of months. She also talks about the new Squirrel Girl novel which is SUPER…
5 Rated Books 6 Rated Books Book Reviews Book to Movie
Old School Wednesdays Presents: A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeline L’Engle
Old School Wednesdays is a regular Book Smuggler feature. We came up with the idea towards the end of 2012, when both Ana and Thea were feeling exhausted from the never-ending inundation of New and Shiny (and often over-hyped)…
Welcome all! Today we are delighted to welcome Roshani Chokshi back to The Book Smugglers to talk about her experience writing her new Middle Grade novel Aru Shah and the End of Time . Aru Shah and the End…
Title: A Spoonful of Murder Written by Robin Stevens Genre: Middle Grade, Murder Mysteries Publisher: Puffin Publication Date: February 2018 Paperback: 352 pages When Hazel Wong’s beloved grandfather passes away, Daisy Wells is all too happy to accompany her…
Title:Sisters of Glass Author: Naomi Cyprus Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade Publisher: HarperCollins Publication date: November 2017 Hardcover: 384 Two girls. Two worlds. Only magic can bring them together, in this fantastical middle grade adventure for fans of the Descendants…
Title: The Ambrose Deception Author: Emily Ecton Genre: Middle Grade Mystery Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Publication date: February 13 2018 Paperback: 368 pages Melissa is a nobody. Wilf is a slacker. Bondi is a show-off. At least that’s what their middle…
Delighted to be hosting the cover reveal for Greg van Eekhout’s new Middle Grade novel Voyage of the Dogs, coming from Harper Children’s this year. Without further ado, behold! The smugglerific cover! The Cover: About the book: “Who’s a…
To celebrate the newest book in the Disney Villains series, we are thrilled to offer a giveaway, in partnership with Disney-Hyperion. About the Book Why does Maleficent curse the innocent princess? What led to her becoming so filled with…
It’s Friday Monday, which means we are over at Kirkus! Like so many other fans this past weekend, Thea went to watch Wonder Woman–and fell in love with the phenomenal portrayal of Diana of Themyscira. To celebrate the awesomeness,…
Chat With an Author
In Conversation: A Middle Grade Round Table with Stephanie Burgis, Sheela Chari, Uma Krishnaswami and Mark Siegel
Today, we are proud to be hosting a round table with four middle grade writers, discussing their writing process, development of ideas, research, and more. The round table is composed by Stephanie Burgis (The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart),…
Title: The Shadow Cipher Author: Laura Ruby Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade Publisher: Walden Pond Press Publication Date: May 16 2017 Hardcover: 448 Pages It was 1798 when the Morningstarr twins arrived in New York with a vision for a…
Fantasy author Zetta Elliott (A Wish After Midnight, Ship of Souls, The Door at the Crossroads) takes on the issue of minstrelsy in kidlit. “Minstrelsy is the New Black” originally appeared in the third volume of our Quarterly Almanac–a…
It’s Friday and we are over at Kirkus! Today, Ana takes a look at two very different books: Black Panther – A Nation Under our Feet, volume 1 and The Gauntlet are both excellent. Check it out here.…
Title: The Bone Snatcher Author: Charlotte Salter Genre: Middle Grade, Horror, Dark Fantasy, Apocalypse Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers Publication Date: February 2017 Hardcover: 352 Pages Murder, madness, and sea monsters combine in this thrilling and atmospheric middle…
10 Rated Books Book Reviews
Book Review: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
Title: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World Author: Shannon Hale and Dean Hale Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade Publisher: Marvel Press Publication Date: February 7 2017 Hardcover: 320 Pages WHO RUNS THE WORLD? SQUIRRELS! Fourteen-year-old Doreen Green moved from…
Title: The Dragon With a Chocolate Heart Author: Stephanie Burgis Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade Publisher: Bloomsbury US/UK Publication Date: February 9 2017 / May 30 2017 Hardcover: 249 Pages Aventurine is the fiercest, bravest dragon there is. And she’s…
Today, we are working in partnership with Marvel Press (who kindly sent us a copy of the novel, and provided the prize pack) to offer an exclusive giveaway of The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon and…