Mundie Moms

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Must Have Middle Grade Reads

Recently on Mundie Kids I've read some fabulous Middle Grade books I wanted to spotlight here on Mundie Moms. I'm excited that the majority of these books are debuts!


Published by: Abrams Books
Released on: August 1st, 2011

Now, for those of you who know anything about blind children, you are aware that they make the very best thieves. As you can well imagine, blind children have incredible senses of smell, and they can tell what lies behind a locked door- be it fine cloth, gold, or peanut brittle- at fifty paces. Moreover, their fingers are so small and nimble that they can slip right through keyholes, and their ears so keen that they can hear the faint clicks and clacks of every moving part inside even the most complicated lock. Of course, the age of great thievery has long since passed;today there are few child-thieves left, blind or otherwise. At one time, however, the world was simply thick with them. This is the story of the greatest thief who ever lived. His name, as you've probably guessed, is Peter Nimble.

Talk about a captivating, engaging adventure! Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is one part fairy tale, one part epic adventure and one part magical. It's charming, witty and is definitely an unforgettable read. With everything Peter Nimble's story entails, this book has the same feel as the classic, ageless fairy tales I grew up reading or had read to me. Jonathan Auxier's fresh voice combines an array of timeless fairytale elements, and yet creates a story that in unlike anything I've read before.

You can read the rest of my 4.5 star review here.



Published by: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book

Released on: April 4th, 2011

With their family home facing foreclosure, seventeen-year-old Clara Estby and her mother, Helga, need to raise a lot of money fast—no easy feat for two women in 1896. Helga wants to tackle the problem with her usual loud and flashy style, while Clara favors a less showy approach. Together they come up with a plan to walk the 4,600 miles from Mica Creek, Washington, to New York City—and if they can do it in only seven months, a publisher has agreed to give them $10,000. Based on the true story of the author’s great-aunt and great-grandmother, this is a fast-paced historical adventure that sets the drama of Around the World in Eighty Days against an American backdrop during the time of the suffragist movement, the 1896 presidential campaign, and the changing perception of “a woman’s place” in society.


I absolutely loved this incredible journey. Inspired by true events, The Year We Were Famous is a story that is full of hope, courage, and never giving up. Following the journey of the mother-daughter team of Helga and Clara, who in hopes of saving their farm and making money from their story, walked from Mica Creek, WA clear across the country to New York City, New York.

You can read the rest of my 5 star review here.




Published by: Atheneum/ Simon & Schuster
Released on: April 5th, 2011

Katherine Ann Stephenson has just discovered that she's inherited her mother's magical talents, and despite Stepmama's stern objections, she's determined to learn how to use them. But with her eldest sister Elissa's intended fiancé, the sinister Sir Neville, showing a dangerous interest in Kat's magical potential; her other sister, Angeline, wreaking romantic havoc with her own witchcraft; and a highwayman lurking in the forest, even Kat's reckless heroism will be tested to the upmost. If she can learn to control her new powers, will Kat be able to rescue her family and win her sisters their true love?

Take some magic, sprinkle in an old fashion English society that I adore, and add an unforgettable character and you've got a recipe for a fantastic read that will be appealing to both middle graders and adults, or maybe adults who are really just kids at heart.

You can read the rest of my 5 star review here.




By: Sheela Chari

Published by: Disney Hyperion
Released on: July 26th, 2011

Eleven-year-old Neela dreams of being a famous musician, performing for admiring crowds on her traditional Indian stringed instrument. Her particular instrument used to be her grandmother’s—made of warm, rich wood, and intricately carved with a mysterious-looking dragon. When this special family heirloom vanishes from a local church, Neela is devastated. As she searches for it, strange clues surface: a teakettle ornamented with a familiar-looking dragon, a threatening note, a connection to a famous dead musician, and even a legendary curse. The clues point all the way to India, where it seems that Neela's intrument has a long history of vanishing and reappearing. If she is able to track it down, will she be able to stop it from disappearing again?

Vanished is a story that blends both American & Indian cultures, mystery, family relationships, music, and centers around eleven year old Neela who's aspiring dreams and daily struggles make her a relatable, endearing character. Neela has a gift, she can play the veena a rare Indian musical instrument, which is also a beloved family heirloom her Grandmother gave to her. As Neela dreams of playing her veena in front of large crowds, her beautiful instrument goes missing and a mystery ensues.

You can read the rest of my review here.

Interview & Giveaway with Crossroads author Mary Ting



I'm excited to have debut author, Mary Ting with us today. Mary's book, Crossroads was officially released on Monday! You can read my review here. Recently I had the chance to talk to Mary about her book, her mythology and her writing process. Here's a little bit about Crossroads:

On the same night of her friend’s tragic death, Claudia Emerson encounters another world, Crossroads, through her dream. There, she learns about a mix breed of angels and humans, who possess supernatural powers. Among those with these powers, lies evil, known as the fallen. Mystified by her ability to enter this place called Crossroads, certain that the fallen will be after her, she is assigned a guardian angel named Michael. Aden, the fallen leader, is convinced that Claudia holds the key to help destroy Crossroads. Her dream becomes a nightmare as more secrets are revealed, about who she really is, and the true identities of the people she loves most.

Congratulations on your debut! What inspired you to start writing?

My grandmother and a dream I had in high school inspired me to write. When I started writing, it helped me heal the loss of my grandmother. The character Gamma is inspired by my grandmother. Chapter one and two are my real dreams, except there was no Michael…too bad…lol!!! I have always wondered what it would be like if I stayed at that place I call Crossroads. Since I’ll never know, I created a world.

How long of a journey has Crossroads been for you & did you have a "must have" thing while writing? (ie caffeine, quiet, music etc)

Crossroads took me about two years. When I first started writing, I couldn’t stop. After I had my first draft, I put it away for a while thinking what am I doing. I am not an author. Then, I told my friends what I was doing, but I was really shy about it. I’m glad I did because not only were they a huge help like giving me input, editorial guidance, and of course their support, I was really motivated to give it my all.

I need peace and quiet when I write; however, music inspires me too. Listed are few songs that tugged at my heart: With You by Chris Brown, Angel by Sarah McLachlan, Hero by Enrique Iglesias, Sometimes When We Touch by Dan Hill, Open Arms by Journey, and The Way I Loved You by Selena Gomez.

I don’t need to be eating anything when I write, but I LOVE Giant Chewy Sweet Tarts. I can eat several packs in one sitting. Yum!!!

I really liked the unique angel-lore and paranormal mythology Crossroads has. What is one unique thing/ability you wanted your angels to possess?

They had to be fast and have superpowers. I love superhero movies. Superman is my favorite!  But Michael had to have wings and be able to fly on top of everything else. He had to be able to wrap his wings around Claudia and fly her around.

I really like the way you mixed in romance, action, suspense and plot twists into your story. Which element did you enjoy writing the most and why?

I have to say all of them. I wanted to write a story about elements that I enjoy reading about. One could not be without the other.

What was one of your favorite books as a teen?

Confession time…yikes!!! I read more books as an adult than as a teen…lol!!! But what I remember reading, that I enjoyed, was the Judy Blume series and V.C. Andrew books.

____________________________

Thank you so much for being with us today Mary!

You can visit Mary on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, and on Goodreads.
You can buy Crossroads, which was officially released on August 1st at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Thank you to Mary, we're giving away a copy of Crossroads and this heart pendant to one lucky winner. The winner will get to choose between winning a paperback copy of the book or an e-book file.

To ENTER to win please:
- Fill out the form below
- This is open to US residents who are 13 yrs & older
- 1 entry per person, per email
- This giveaway will end on 9/4/11

Thoughtful Thursday- Favorite Reading Places


I'm getting ready to go on a little trip to the beach, and I'm looking forward to being one of those beach goes who does this.....


Ever since moving to TX I've rarely gone to the beach, and I'm really excited about going. I'm headed to FL for a few days and I've heard their beaches are amazing, which also has me wondering how much reading I'm really going to get done. That got me thinking about favorite reading places. I googled favorite reading places and here's an assortment of places I found listed.
  1. In Bed
  2. At The Park
  3. In A Library
  4. On A Couch
  5. In A Tent (that's a new one to me)
  6. In A Tree House
  7. In The Bathtub
  8. On the Beach
  9. At A Friend's House
  10. In The Car
  11. By The Pool
  12. On the Subway
  13. Starbucks/Coffee House
  14. Outside
My favorite place to read is on my couch in my library room. Don't laugh, I really do call one of my rooms a library room because the room is full of bookcase (11 to be exact). One day I'll post a picture of it. Really I'd like to pretend it's one of those grand libraries that needs a ladder to reach the books on the top shelves, I'm picturing the library in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. I don't remember how old I was when I first saw that movie, but I've been in love with that library ever since.

Okay, maybe not as big, but wouldn't it be awesome to have a room similar to that in your home? Maybe I'm a total book geek, but I'd love it.

I would also love to sit and read by a crystal, clear mountain lake. I have the whole scene pictured in my mind. It just seems like it would be so peaceful reading outdoors with that fresh mountain air, away from everything. Plus I'd get to escape this horrid TX heat wave.

What's your favorite place to read? Do you ever imagine a place you'd like to be reading at?

Labels