Chapter Book Reviews Archives - Reading Middle Grade

Review | Bodega Cats: Picture Purrfect

Afoma Umesi — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 10:34:21 +0000

Miguel lives in New York City with his Mami and Papi and wants more than anything to be an artist, even though his immigrant parents want him to have a more traditional career. The next thing on Miguel's wishlist is a pet, so what a joy when he finds a cat near his parents' bodega. Written from the perspectives of Lolo the cat and Miguel, we follow these two as Lolo adjusts to having a family and learning to share his space and the love he's received and Miguel finds a way to share his artsy dreams with his family.

The post Review | Bodega Cats: Picture Purrfect appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

Review | Accidental Trouble Magnet (Planet Omar #1)

Afoma Umesi — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 12:08:53 +0000

Summary: Accidental Trouble Magnet (Planet Omar #1) Omar is a young Muslim boy with a huge imagination. He and his family (his mom, dad, and two siblings) are adjusting to a new move (new house, new school) and approaching the month of Ramadan. Unfortunately, the adjustment process is NOT smooth. First, there’s a neighbor who

Review | Frankie and Friends: Breaking News

Afoma Umesi — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 12:28:48 +0000

Frankie and Friends: Breaking News is the first in the new Frankie and Friends series. Frankie's mom is off on a reporting trip, and the whole family is missing her. With her stuffed animals as partners, Frankie decides to use the journalism tidbits she's learned from her mom -- like finding your beat and being honest -- to solve a surprising family mystery.

The post Review | Frankie and Friends: Breaking News appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

Review | Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun

Afoma Umesi — Wed, 24 May 2023 06:08:22 +0000

Ten-year-old Zara has been crowned Queen of the Neighborhood by a loving neighbor. Zara makes fair rules for all the games she and her brother Zayd play with the other kids and Zara likes things just like that. But when her neighbor, Mr. Chapman moves out, a new family moves in. Their daughter Naomi has other ideas for playing and the other kids seem to like many of her ideas too. To win back her crown, Zara decides she'll try to break a World Guiness Record. But as time goes on, she realizes that it may just be better to share her crown instead.

The post Review | Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

Review | Just Harriet

Afoma Umesi — Fri, 04 Feb 2022 11:29:03 +0000

Just Harriet is a new chapter book/young middle grade book by Elana K. Arnold who wrote the A Boy Called BAT series. This new title features young Harriet whose family is undergoing a change. Her mom is pregnant and has been placed on bed rest until the baby is born. Harriet, an energetic child has been sent to Marble Island where her grandmother lives and runs a bed and breakfast. She's understandably frustrated, feeling abandoned by her parents. Thankfully, she takes her cat, Matzo Ball with her. When she arrives at Marble Island, Harriet starts to learn more about her father's childhood and discovers that they have more in common than she expects.

The post Review | Just Harriet appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

Review | J.D. and the Great Barber Battle

Afoma Umesi — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 11:00:00 +0000

In J.D. and the Great Barber Battle, eight-year-old J.D. has to devise a means to correct a haircut gone wrong. His mom obviously doesn't care much about lining his cut evenly, and J.D. gets laughed at school by his friends. Eventually, after using his little brother as a subject, J.D. figures out how to cut his own hair -- and he does a fantastic job!

The post Review | J.D. and the Great Barber Battle appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

Review | Too Small Tola

Afoma Umesi — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Too Small Tola is a new chapter book from Atinuke featuring three stories about a girl living with her grandmother and siblings in Lagos, Nigeria. Everyone teases Tola -- sometimes lovingly -- for being so small. They think she can't lift heavy loads or do other things because of her size. But Tola's grandmother reassures her that you can be small, but mighty, and Tola proves that she is!

The post Review | Too Small Tola appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

Review | Camila, the Record Breaking Star

Afoma Umesi — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Camila the Record-Breaking Star is the first in the Camila the Star series by Alicia Salazar, illustrated by Thias Damiao. In this book, young Camila who has always wanted to be una estrella discovers that one way she can do this is by breaking a world record, but which one? After much thought and many failed tries, she finally finds the perfect thing for her. She's not going to break any previously set records; she'll set hers instead!

The post Review | Camila, the Record Breaking Star appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

Review | Twig and Turtle 1: Big Move to a Tiny House

Afoma Umesi — Fri, 02 Oct 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Twig and Turtle are two sisters whose parents have just moved into a tiny house! The family has done some major downsizing -- the kids even had to choose just five toys they could keep, and now they have to clean up after playing with their toys. Both girls are also adjusting to a new neighborhood and new school.

Turtle, the younger girl, seems to be adjusting well at school, making friends and having a good time. But for the older girl, Twig, things are a bit harder. She's self-conscious about having few clothes in rotation and being new in general. Twig is also missing their Great Dane, Bo, whom they had to leave at their Grandma's because of the tiny house. Twig decides that the she will convince her mother to let Bo move in with them again.

The post Review | Twig and Turtle 1: Big Move to a Tiny House appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.

Review | Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business (Mindy Kim #1)

Afoma Umesi — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business is the first book in the Mindy Kim series. Mindy and her father have recently moved from the city to a suburb in Florida where she is the only Asian girl in her school. On top of that, Mindy's mom died shortly before their move and her dad is adjusting to being a single parent. Like any normal child, Mindy wants to be liked at her new school. She's fortunate to meet a new friend on her first day, even though the kids complain about the way her Korean lunch smells.

The post Review | Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business (Mindy Kim #1) appeared first on Reading Middle Grade.