Middle Grade Classic, YA Dystopian, Kid Lit Historical, YA Fantasy
Some favorites in here!
In this article:
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis
Luminary by Krista McGee
Hannah by Gloria Whelan
Wishtress by Nadine Brandes
DNF: Her Pretend Amish Boyfriend by Rachel J. Good
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia) by C. S. Lewis
5 STARS, Middle Grade Classic, My format: read-aloud to 8-, 6-, and 4-year-old girls
Goodreads Synopsis | Buy New on Bookshop
Four siblings find a fantasy world through the doors of a wardrobe. This is their story of becoming kings and queens in the land of Narnia.
Personal Review:
I have been reading chapter books aloud to my kids every day, several times a day, for about 4 years. It seems like each child has a different story that just clicks with them and makes them fall in love with literature. That was this book for my 4-year-old.
The magic of Narnia is truly spectacular. The characters of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are so well done, especially the oldest brother vibes that Peter gives off. I noticed this time around that he does such a good job of taking care of his younger siblings.
I think if you or your children have never read fantasy or a classic together, that this is the perfect place to start. And even though it is a Christian allegory (which is beautiful) you do not have to be a Christian to appreciate the messages of sacrificial love and justice presented throughout. C. S. Lewis is an absolutely brilliant storyteller.
Content Warnings:
magic of the White Witch, a child kills a wolf, some suspenseful moments (that are not nearly as scary as the movie; we probably won’t be ready for the movie for about 5 more years)
Luminary (Anomaly #2) by Krista McGee
4 STARS, Young Adult Christian Dystopian, My format: paperback
Goodreads Synopsis | Buy New on Bookshop
Thalli, Berk, Rhen, and John are on an adventure to discover what is above ground after living underground with the State for so long.
Personal Review:
This installment of the Anomaly Trilogy is quite the intense ride. The second half of the book was especially crazy as we see the destruction caused by an evil king. His tactics are not limited to violence and the things that he does to people are hard to read.
There is also a love triangle in this story, almost 2 in a way, and I can see why people do not like love triangles in their stories. I am very nervous about what is going to happen and kind of upset with Thalli for not communicating very well. I have heard that it is handled well so I’m hoping that is the case in the final book (we are left on a cliffhanger about it in this one).
The biggest reason this book gets 4 stars is because of the character John. His faith is unwavering and his wisdom is needed to give balance to the story that might otherwise get uncomfortable. His part of the story is so beautiful and it will be interesting to see how it moves forward in this regard.
Content Warnings:
manipulation, death of loved ones/grief, murder, torture
Hannah by Gloria Whelan
4.5 STARS, Juvenile Historical Fiction, My format: hard cover, family book club
Blind Hannah learns from her new teacher how to be more independent.
Personal Review:
I was surprised by how sweet this turned out to be! It started out a little rough because Hannah’s parents didn’t have much faith in her capabilities. When the new teacher, Miss Robbin, comes to live with Hannah’s family, everyone is challenged in the best way.
Miss Robbin has to try a few things to find out what is going to work best for Hannah, but she doesn’t stop trying and lands on some really great ideas. And the ending of this little story is really the best. I wish I could talk about it but that would be a major spoiler, so you’ll just have to read it to see why it’s so sweet!
Content Warnings:
bullying (that is handled well), child gets lost
Wishtress by Nadine Brandes
4.5 STARS, Young Adult Fantasy, Christian Author, My format: hard cover
Goodreads Synopsis | Buy New on Bookshop
Myrthe struggles to understand the purpose of her Talent as Wishtress, only to be cursed in such a way that the next wish she produces brings about her own death.
Personal Review:
I gave this story a high rating even though I am conflicted about it in many ways. But I think that just shows how impactful the book was overall. The main characters are definitely flawed, but they pull through for you in the end and make you proud.
Myrthe is our main girl who acts kind of like a victim for most of the book. She has her moments of calm strength, though, that help to redeem her character. Bastiaan is our main guy who is supposed to be only a couple of years older than Myrthe. But because of his Talent, his soul is actually much older. I have to admit that this makes the relationship between him and Myrthe feel a little awkward. He seems much older and she seems rather childish in comparison. I feel that could have been done a little better.
There are some absolutely wonderful side characters. Runt is Bastiaan’s sidekick and he is super fun and adds a lot to the story. Anouck is Myrthe’s cousin and also her trusted best friend. Her story was probably my favorite. We also get to meet Myrthe’s and Bastiaan’s mothers in different capacities and I really enjoyed those aspects of the book.
I think part of the reason I was able to rate the book so high was because of the last fourth of the story. It was redemptive, frustrating, terrifying, and beautiful all at the same time. I was unsatisfied with the ending but I believe that was intentional, and I’m okay with the unsettled feeling it left with me.
I would feel fine with my middle grade readers trying out this book, although they’ll likely enjoy it more as teens or young adults.
Content Warnings:
lots of blood, battle scenes and wounds, death and near-death experiences, injury and disfigurement, curses (from evil magic), history of sexual abuse (not detailed), manipulation, child abuse
Did Not Finish
I tried an ARC of Her Pretend Amish Boyfriend thinking it would be a cute, light read of an Amish romance. I stopped at about 30%. There were a couple of scenes that involved potentially dangerous situations (the main girl being cornered by someone who had threatened her before and a group of boys seeking revenge on her for beating them in volleyball). I think they were meant to give the main guy a reason to notice her, but the scenes really didn’t fit well with the Amish setting for me.
Do any of these sound interesting to you? Have you read any of them? What did you think?