Florida Swamp photo by Peter Long www.flickr.com
*Middle-grade to tween (there’s some language in here–FYI ) contemporary fiction novel
*Middle-grade students Nick and Marta as main characters
*Rating: A good eco-mystery for kids with a quirky cast of characters, similar to Hoot and Flush by Carl Hiaasen.
Short, short summary: Scat has a main plot [...]

I am sharing my pets with you today (Chester the boxer and Hush Puppy the basset hound) because I am an animal lover. And because I am an animal lover, I also want us to take a trip back and remember the book The Incredible Journey by Shelia Burnford. Many of you have probably seen [...]

photo by Paul Mannix www.flickr.com
*Middle-grade contemporary novel
*Fourth-grade boy as main character
*Rating: Two hysterical authors, Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver, write a truly funny novel that boys (and girls, too) will love!
Short, short summary: The first book in the Hank Zipzer series, Niagara Falls or Does It? introduces us to underachiever Hank Zipzer. Hank is starting [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Middle grade novel, fantasy
Momma mouse and her rat friends as main characters
Rating: Robert C. O’Brien’s book is captivating, and a true classic that children will love for years!
Short, short summary: Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH is a Newberry Medal winner, and once you start reading it, you will [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, margodll@aol.com, www.margodill.com
Middle grade novel, realistic fiction
13-year-old boy as main character
Rating: Gary Paulsen tells a captivating story of Brian and his plight in Hatchet, a Newberry Honor Book.

Short, short summary: In Hatchet, Gary Paulsen tells the story of Brian Robeson, who is taking a single engine plane to visit his father because [...]

Thank you again, everyone, for making Under the Night Sky part of a successful blog tour on “Read These Books and Use Them.” I am happy to announce that Claudia is the winner of the copy of the book. If you are curious, how I pick the winner so scientifically. . .I put [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Middle-grade fantasy novel
High school girl and five-year-old boy as main characters
Rating: A classic book (a Newberry Award Winner even) that can STILL relate to children today and get them excited about reading!
Short, short summary: Meg Murray and her brother, Charles Wallace, are a little different than everybody else. Meg has [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Middle-grade novel, historical fiction 1859 United States
Twelve-year-old girl as main character
Rating: A great story told in the voice of a slave girl with some very heartwrenching parts.
Short, short summary: Clotee is an orphan slave girl, who is owned by Master Henley and Miss Lilly. Because she has the job [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Middle-grade novel, contemporary
10-year-old girl as main character
Rating: It won the Newberry–Lucky’s story is perfectly endearing, and I can’t wait for the sequel.
Short, short summary: Lucky’s life is extremely interesting even though her hometown of Hard Pan, CA is in the desert with a population of 43. She works at the [...]

Reviewed by Margo Dill, www.margodill.com, margodll@aol.com
Middle-grade novel, contemporary fantasy
11-year-old boy as main character
Rating: The first book of a wonderful series that keeps you wanting more!
Short, short summary: Gregor and his two-year-old sister, Boots, fall into an air chute in their New York City apartment building’s laundry room. They fall into the Underworld, which is a [...]