Bringing an Inkblot to Life: Inkling by Kenneth Oppel [Review]

27 October 2018 / review / 2 Comments
Bringing an Inkblot to Life: Inkling by Kenneth Oppel [Review]

Format/source: ebook/EdelweissPublished: 6 November 2018 (US; out now in Canada)Publisher: KnopfLength: 272 pages Genre: Middle grade speculative fictionI received a copy from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest opinion.★★★★    Ethan’s dad is a comic artist whose greatest creation, the mutant superhero Kren, brought him fame and glory. But after his dad’s string of successful books, a tragedy strikes the family and now his dad is completely stuck. If only artistic talent were […]

Continue reading »

Building Relationships in the Face of Adversity: A Middle Grade Lit Exploration

20 October 2018 / review / 0 Comments
Building Relationships in the Face of Adversity: A Middle Grade Lit Exploration

Earlier this month in my children’s literature course, I was part of a group that presented on Erin Entrada Kelly’s novels. I spoke about the theme of building friendships in the face of adversity in her first two novels, Blackbird Fly and The Land of Forgotten Girls. Here’s what I shared (spoilers ahead): Blackbird Fly 12 year old Apple and her mother moved to America after Apple’s father died when […]

Continue reading »

The Longest Books I’ve Read [Top 10 Tuesday]

9 October 2018 / top 10 tuesday / 0 Comments
The Longest Books I’ve Read [Top 10 Tuesday]

I thought this would be an ironic TTT for me to participate in, as I am infamous for avoiding lengthy books. And yet, one of my favourite books of all time is probably also the longest book I’ve ever read.  692 pages: Stripped: Depeche Mode by Jonathan Miller 699 pages: Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke 709 pages: House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski 736 pages: Doctor Who: The Writer’s Tale by Russell T. Davies and Benjamin Cook […]

Continue reading »

Cybils 2018 + #MGBooktober

1 October 2018 / events / 0 Comments
Cybils 2018 + #MGBooktober

Cybils 2018 Today nominations open for the Cybils Awards. The Cybils are the Children’s and Young Adult Blogger’s Literary Awards. The award “aims to recognize the children’s and young adult authors and illustrators whose books combine the highest literary merit and popular appeal”. How to Participate Nominations will remain open from today until 15 October. Anyone can nominate a book (one nomination per category). There are 15 categories, ranging from board […]

Continue reading »

The Best of Middle Grade Fiction: Front Desk by Kelly Yang [Review]

30 September 2018 / review / 4 Comments
The Best of Middle Grade Fiction: Front Desk by Kelly Yang [Review]

Format/source: Hardcover/library Published: May 2018 Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Length: 286 pages Genre: Middle grade fiction ★★★★   Based on the author’s experiences growing up as a Chinese immigrant in the 1990’s, Kelly Yang’s debut novel explores the stark trials 10 year old Mia Tang and her parents face while managing a hotel for a prejudiced landlord in California. Front Desk takes place in California during the nineties. This time period had particular ramifications for Chinese immigrants […]

Continue reading »