Marvellous Middle Grade (part 2)

It's time for some more magnificent middle grade books! Today you can start with the cocktail, a gorgeous Marshmallow Martini, then decide what to read with it.

This didn't turn out to be as sweet as it sounded so I ended up adapting the recipe a bit more to my taste. Also I only had giant marshmallows so had to cut one in half an it was still huge compared to the cocktail! Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass. 50ml vanilla vodka, 35ml passoa, 10ml lemon juice, 10ml sugar syrup. Garnish with a roasted marshmallow and add a side shot of champagne to make it extra fancy!

Old Gods New Tricks by Thiago de Moraes

The world is suddenly plunged into darkness when all the electricity stops working. No one seems to have a clue how to fix it, but luckily Trixie knows exactly who to go to for help!

This was such a funny book and Trixie is an amazing main character. She's so brave and super-sassy, even in the face of the scary gods, and she's even smart enough to out-trick the tricksters. There was mythology from all over the world. If you're not already a fan of myths, this will definitely get you interested. I loved the snippets of mythology between the chapters and at the end there's a great appendix with more about the five tricksters.

Matilda Meets the Universe by Dom Conlon, illustrated by Heidi Cannon

Matilda wants to know EVERYTHING! On her mission to meet alien life, she finds out about the formation of stars and planets, the speed of light, the Goldilocks zone, the Drake equation, interstellar travel and so much more. She's a lively, energetic character, never stopping on her journey to find things out. At times she switches to adult mode to give some useful information but there are lots of moments of humour in between.

This is great for any little scientists in your life, and also good for getting the more reluctant ones interested in science and space. Lots of starter information and it even got me thinking about some of the things mentioned. It feels more like a really fun text book than a novel but is still very easy to read.

The Myriad Mysteries of Eartha Quicksmith by Loris Owen

Kip is back at Quicksmiths and after discovering the Ark and escaping from Gorvak in his first year, you'd think he has time for a rest. However he and his friends feel like they are no closer to discovering Eartha Quicksmith's secrets and they won't stop until they do!

This is an amazing adventure through seemingly endless worlds. The descriptions of all the different worlds sounded so exciting and interesting, though I wouldn't want to find myself in most of them. I also love reading about the wonderful inventions which are created. For example, being able to jump into someone's dream would be fascinating. 

Book 3 is starting to get a mention so I think now is a good time to catch up if you haven't yet!

What Lives in the Woods by Lindsay Currie

Creepy and suspenseful. With a ticking clock that only Ginny can hear, a chilling mannequin that moves at night despite being bolted down and ghostly shapes in the ballroom.

I loved the ending and how all the clues come together, though in a completely different way than expected.

I've already read one of her books, which I didn't realise when I first found 'Woods' but this one is even better. I've now got 'Scritch Scratch' on my list and I'm really looking forward to it, as well as her newest book 'It Found Us'.

Ophie's Ghosts by Justina Ireland

I knew I'd love this right from the beginning. Ophie was a wonderful, lovable character who I sympathised with immediately. The writing was so easy to get into and very difficult to stop reading!

I love how buildings and railways are characters themselves, with the way their thoughts and emotions are described. Every chapter reveals some new information and interesting clues along the way to solve the mystery and the ghost lore is really interesting and unique. This was a great book for a buddy read, we had loads to discuss!

Scareground by Angela Kecojevic

Book Summary

Roll up, roll up, the Scareground is in town!

Twelve-year-old Nancy Crumpet lives above a bakery and her life is a delightful mix of flour, salt, and love. Yet her mind is brimming with questions no one can answer: Why did her birth parents disappear? Why can she speak with the sky? And why must she keep her mysterious birthmark hidden?

Everything is about to change when the Scareground returns to Greenwich. Nancy is convinced it holds the answers to her parents’ disappearance. Nancy and her best friend Arthur Green meet the fair’s spooky owner, Skelter, and discover a world full of dark magic and mystery. Nancy must confront her greatest fears to get to the truth. But is she ready for all the secrets the Scareground will reveal?

Deliciously creepy from the start, this book is full of mysteries. What is the significance of the horse-shaped mark on Nancy's wrist, why can she understand the sky, and why is everyone so unhappy about the fair that's arriving in town?

I always think rooftop worlds sound so wondrous and Nancy's life in the bakery by day and flitting about the houses by night does sound incredible. I loved the magical descriptions of colours and the illusions sounded fascinating, particularly Pepper's Ghost which I just had to look up and read more about.

Without giving away any spoilers I have to say I found it a bit hard to understand why Nancy would do some of the things she did. After vowing that no one would take her away from her parents, her actions seemed quite counter-intuitive. Then again maybe I shouldn't expect anyone to be logical in this situation!

Nancy and Arthur were really brave, confronting their fears of the fair and investigating, meeting lots of intriguing characters along the way. It was so sweet how they supported each other. The suspense kept me on edge the whole time and I was never sure if they would get away with it. There was a very mysterious ending, possibly paving the way to a second book??? 🤞

Author Bio

Angela Kecojevic is a senior librarian, author and creative writing tutor. She has written for the Oxford Reading Tree programme and the multi-award-winning adventure park Hobbledown where her characters can be seen walking around, something she still finds incredibly charming! She is a member of the Climate Writers Fiction League, a group of international authors who use climate issues in their work. Angela lives in the city of Oxford with her family.

To make a Carnival Cosmo, add the following ingredients to a shaker full of ice, shake well then strain into a martini glass. 40ml vodka, 25ml limoncello, 25ml cranberry juice, 15ml lime juice. 

Graphic Novels (part 2)

There are some really great graphic novels out there and I think they just don't get the love they deserve! I can't get enough of all the beautiful art styles and interesting fast-paced stories. So here are a few of the gorgeous books I've enjoyed this year.

But first things first, let's start with The Seventh Art cocktail. This one sounded amazing so I'm glad I got an excuse to try it out.

Muddle half a cup of popcorn (I used sweet) in a shaker, add 50ml white rum, 10ml yellow chartreuse, 20ml lemon juice and a dash of sugar syrup. Shake with ice and fine strain into a cocktail glass.  Once you've got your refreshment ready, on to the books!

Frontera by Julio Anta, Jacoby Salcedo

Mateo is making the dangerous journey through the desert, from Mexico to America. Luckily for him, he makes a helpful friend who just happens to be a ghost.

Between running from boarder patrol and running out of supplies, Mateo comes across many different challenges, finding help in unexpected places and even helping others. Guillermo's story is also really interesting, I feel like he could have his own series where he saves unsuspecting travellers. This was completely action packed but somehow also managed to be very touching, I had tears at the end! The art and colours are really vibrant, I'm sure the finished version will be gorgeous.

The Hills of Estrella Roja by Ashley Robin Franklin

Kat receives word of mysterious devil lights floating above the hills in a small town and decides investigating the phenomenon is the perfect thing for her spooky podcast. Of course she finds a lot more than she was expecting, including a cute girl who used to be local but now feels just as out of place as Kat.

I'm not usually one for romance in books but these two are just so cute! I loved the will they/won't they through the book and how they kept getting all embarrassed every time they accidentally touched. However, my favourite character was probably Ana, she really needed a bigger part. She always had this shrewd look on her face and seemed to notice everything. They'd have solved the mysteries a lot quicker if she was in charge.

There were a lot of characters which I found a bit hard to follow and I was slightly confused with the ending but I still really enjoyed it and wonder if there will be more books to follow.

My Heart in Braille by Joris Chamblain, Anne-Lise Nalin

Victor likes to mess around, playing in the band with his friends and always getting things wrong at school. Striking up an unlikely friendship with Marie-Jo, they find they can actually help each-other out.

This was such a sweet story, I had a tear or two by the end. Victor was a really honest character. So cheeky but all he truly wanted was to do well and make people proud. Meeting Marie-Jo opened up his world a bit and got him trying new things and making a huge effort to learn. The way they got on together was lovely to see and I think they both learned from each other. 

The art was delightfully soft and had a beautiful colour palette.

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, Wendy Xu

I finally got to read the book so many people have recommended over the years and it did not disappoint at all! Nova is a young witch who discovers dark forces in the woods and realises she has to find a way to fight them to save her childhood friend who pops up after being gone for years.

The spirits were just TOO adorable. And I loved how the Nanas just trusted Nova to get on with things, even when it could be dangerous. They were like mischievous children! Wonderful characters and a great art style. I want more!

20km by Woshibai

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but it caught my eye and I had to give it a try. It was like lots of little stories. Some were really clever, a few made me smile and some were a little sad. I can't say I understood them all but it was amazing the amount of emotion that even such simple pictures could elicit.

Have you read any wonderful graphic novels recently? I am always on the lookout for more so please let me know your recommendations!