Mo-Reading: The Very Unfortunate Wish of Melony Yoshimura

In addition to being extremely strict, Melony Yoshima’s immigrant parents are overly protective. They say they want to keep her safe from the Amanjaku, an evil spirit that preys on children. Melony thinks that is just an old Japanese folktale and doesn’t believe them. Frustrated with her boring and overly controlled life, Melony makes a wish on her twelfth birthday for excitement, adventure, and freedom. She also wants a smart phone, which is just as [...]

By |2023-06-26T13:12:16-04:00July 5th, 2023|Mo Reading|0 Comments

Scritch Scratch by Lindsay Currie

"This is a teeth-chattering, eyes bulging, shuddering-and-shaking, chills-at-the-back-of-your-neck ghost story. I loved it!" ―R.L. Stine, author of the Goosebumps series Claire is a scientist through and through -- that makes her father's fascination with ghosts that much more embarrassing. She likes beakers and test tubes over gravestones and mausoleums. She has scary things to deal with, like is she losing her best friend to the new girl at school. [...]

By |2021-03-10T12:25:18-05:00March 11th, 2021|Book Review|0 Comments

Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur Bradley

For twelve-year-old JJ, an invitation to a free weekend at the famously haunted Barclay Hotel is the best thing that could happen to a ghost hunter, which he is. He pulls the guilt card on his workaholic CEO mom and she agrees to take the weekend off and go. When they arrive, they meet the other guests: a cowboy, an actress, a librarian, and a detective with his granddaughter, Penny. Once all the guests have [...]

By |2020-08-02T11:07:40-04:00August 18th, 2020|Book Review, Mo Reading|1 Comment

Mo Reading: The Secret Notebook by D. A. D’Aurelio

Middle Grade Mojo is proud to announce the release of the debut novel of Mojo member, Debbie D'Aurelio! We're super proud of her and we love this book! The first place 12-year-old Riley Green goes when she arrives at her school is to the STEM lab to show her favorite teacher her invention for the Invention Convention. But when her teacher opens the door to the classroom, Riley forgets all about her invention. The classroom [...]

By |2020-08-03T09:33:32-04:00August 3rd, 2020|Mo Reading|0 Comments

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

Aven was born without arms, but that hasn’t slowed her down at all. She can do almost everything with her feet that other people do with their hands, including going to the bathroom by herself. (Don’t ask). She’s a real trooper about trying new things, but when her parents accept a job to manage a western theme park in Arizona, Aven is not happy. Leaving her friends behind in Kansas is the last thing she [...]

By |2020-04-22T12:18:47-04:00March 18th, 2020|Book Review, Mo Reading|3 Comments

The Longest Night of Charlie Noon by Christopher Edge

Three children are tested by puzzles, spies, a monster and more when they get lost in the woods. As you might expect, because this is a Christopher Edge book it’s the more that’s really interesting. Hair-raising interesting. Thought-provoking interesting. Pull- at- your-heartstrings interesting. You’ll immediately want to read the book over again to see what hints and twists you missed when you read it the first time. I cannot tell you more without spoilers. I [...]

By |2020-04-22T12:47:36-04:00July 10th, 2019|Book Review, Mo Reading|0 Comments

Sweeping Up The Heart by Kevin Henkes

Seventh-grader Amelia is facing a boring Spring Break. Her professor father hates to travel so no trip to Florida for them. Amelia goes to the pottery studio where she spends most of her free time. When she gets there, she’s surprised to meet Casey, the studio owner’s nephew. Casey is spending spring break with his aunt Louise while his parents get marriage counseling. Amelia has never met anyone like Casey. His imagination and creativity fascinates [...]

By |2020-04-22T12:48:31-04:00May 1st, 2019|Book Review, Mo Reading|0 Comments

The Missing Piece of Charlie O’Reilly by Rebecca K.S. Ansari

Charlie O'Reilly is an only child. Which is why it makes everyone uncomfortable when he talks about his brother. The first line of the book blurb on the back cover of Rebecca K.S. Ansari's debut novel, THE MISSING PIECE OF CHARLIE O'REILLY, had me intrigued before I even read the first page. Notions of what this book would be and how can an only child have a brother swirled around in my head. I had [...]

By |2020-04-22T12:49:22-04:00March 13th, 2019|Book Review, Mo Reading|0 Comments

MG Book Review: Thomas Wildus and the Book of Sorrows by J.M. Bergen

Thomas Wildus and The Book of Sorrows delivers a satisfying adventure story about a boy who discovers he has magical powers. Twelve-year old Thomas needs a little magic in his life. Things have been difficult since his father died. Dealing with ordinary middle school drama is hard enough, but being puzzled by his father’s last words to him is harder. His father said, “Magic is real, Thomas. No matter what happens, always remember magic is [...]

By |2019-02-26T09:49:01-05:00February 26th, 2019|Book Review|0 Comments

MG Book Review: Lost Girl by Anne Ursu

Review by Sherry Ellis Iris and Lark are twins. Iris is the practical one. Lark is the dreamer. The two have always been together. Iris taking care of Lark. Lark relying on Iris. But in fifth grade, things change. They are placed in separate classes. The Lost Girl is the story of how the two cope with this situation. Interwoven throughout the main story is a subplot of the arrival of a mysterious antique shop, [...]

By |2019-01-25T14:20:15-05:00January 25th, 2019|Book Review|0 Comments
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