stuckinthemiddlegradewithyou's Reviews (317)

This book is filled with magic, friendship and bravery but also lost, anxiety and abuse. 

We follow Pip as she deals with the lost of her best friend and the impact of her mothers abusive boyfriend when she finds a dragon in need of care. 
What follows is a rollercoaster of emotions, there’s sadness, grief and anger yet also hope, care and love.

The story is beautiful written and the discovery and rescue of the dragon is magical, however there are parts that made me feel uncomfortable even as an adult. 

While I understand that these are not topics to shy away from and need to be discussed I want to make parents aware so they can make an informed decision whether or not this book is suitable for their child. 

A funny fast passed read for lovers of the goosebumps and Dreadwood series. 
Thank you NetGalley and Temor press for this arc. 

I absolutely adored this book and devoured it in an afternoon. It’s whimsical, cosy and charming with just the right amount of peril. 
We follow Eglantine as she tries to find her ‘witchspark’ and overcome the evil whistlewitch. We’re also treated to the dual pov with chapters from princess Victoria who faces her own issues with magic. There’s magical hats, dragon butlers, secret witch courses and sassy, sentinel houses, what more could you want from a middle grade fantasy?
I love the overall message of the book that no matter your gender, ability or disability and social status you control your future. 
Can’t wait to read more in this world. 

I simply couldn’t put this down. Full of emotion, memories and a Viking mystery to solve the haunting of fortune farm grips the reader and doesn’t let go. 

An exquisitely written story following 12 year old Edie and 6 year old Pip as they visit their grandmother Lolly at fortune farm on the Irish mountains. Struggling with the lost of her father Edie discovers clues that could lead her to Viking treasure and longs to know more about it and how it can link her to memories of her father. 
Part creepy ghost story, part historical quest and many parts heartwarming connections through lost, the haunting of fortune farm faces subjects not often seen in a middle grade. It was a refreshing take on the traditional spooky middle grade books and the twist at the end was fantastic and full of emotion. 

Thank you Bloomsbury children, NetGalley and Sophie Kirtley for this arc. 

A fun graphic novel bout Puffin and his family as they move home and he starts a new school. There he tries his hardest to make new friends and meets Penguin, a cool but busy bird. 
This is a cute fast read for the younger end of middle grade. It’s overall message of being yourself and having empathy towards others is a great one for this age group. 
I loved the colourful, cute illustrations and play on the names of places

New Stork city and Brookloon

Thank you NetGalley and Kids Can Press for the ARC. 

This is a magical book perfect for cat lovers. It had a very Roald Dahl/ Lemony Snicket-esque feel to it with the evil aunt and uncle and orphan child but it left me with lots of unanswered questions. 

How does Rosa stop things? How could Bathazar talk or slip through windows? Also I’d love to know more about the orange kitten that was saved 20 years before

Overall it was a quick, fun read, tense in places and heartwarming in others. I hope there is a sequel and we can catch up with Rosa and

her new life in Italy

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan children’s books for my arc. 

A fun spin-off from the much loved Asterix, this volume of dogmatix and the indomitables is a collection of three comic strips. We follow Dogmatix and his  furry and feathered friends as they aid the characters of Asterix in their fight against the Romans. 
For those who grew up with Asterix and Obelix this is a trip down memory lane. 
Thank you to NetGalley and Papercutz for this arc. 

A lovely cute book filled with uplifting and inspiring messages with sweet kitties thrown in. This reminded me a little of the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse for its poignant messages and the way the illusions are drawn, as if they are on thick parchment. I really liked how you can dip in and out of this book when you need to and it can make you laugh, lift your mood or make you feel all warm and fuzzy. 
As a cat owner I especially love “look into my eyes and forget you already fed me” and “by the power of the purr and the beauty of the fur good things will occur”
This would make the ‘purrfect’ gift for a cat lover. 

A fun, quirky graphic novel about two boys on a hunt for treasure in their haunted school. While the underlying message was not to bully and be true to yourself there is also the importance of friendship and helping others. 
The story does branch out quite a lot rather than being linear but that only adds to its quirkiness. With fun, colourful illustrations and easy to read text this is a great book for reluctant readers. 

A fascinating guide to the churches of London, each page is jam packed with information about each churches history, its architect and whether it played a part in or was damaged during the war. Filled with beautiful photographs of each church, you get a glimpse of stained glass windows, alters, shrines, statues and more. This would be the perfect book to enjoy while visiting each to the featured churches. 
Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for this arc.