STORYLINE:  Tabby, a self-absorbed teenager with gorgeous hair, loses her crowning glory through a planned mishap. Although she has a wonderful group of friends and is popular at school, she feels invisible to her family and that without her hair she’s a nonentity. The radical change in her looks takes her on a journey of discovery that changes her life.

PLAYERS: Tabby Karim is a spunky, Turkish-American teenager who doesn’t take any foolishness from anybody. With her supportive group of friends, she weathers attacks from a racist schoolmate, plus a teacher who seems to have it in for her. Tabby is also wrapped up in her own idea of beauty and is the typical teenager, thinking the world revolves around her needs. Plus, she’s a drama queen.

Tabby’s love interest, Michael, seems to be the epitome of what she adores in a boy. The only trouble is that her friends don’t quite see him that way. Micheal is good-looking and considerate and looks like ideal boyfriend material. 

I LIKED: the fact that Tabby comes across as a real teenager. She’s a good kid, but has a streak or rebelliousness a mile wide. She stands up for her friends and does the right thing, which makes her an admirable character.

I COULD HAVE LIVED WITHOUT: the periods Tabby goes through when she thinks she’s not important to her family. It is painful for any child to believe they don’t have a place where they belong. Tabby often feels like an outsider, which makes her act out. However, this is part of what makes the story work and helps with her growth process as her point of view shifts.

OVERALL COMMENTS: Tabby grows and changes as the book progresses, which makes her story worth reading. She moves from being self-centred to caring about how her actions affect other people, owns up to her mistakes and makes amends. I found her dilemma with her hair touching. It’s a rude awakening for her, when what she equates as being important is taken away from her and she begins to feel invisible. She adapts to her situation and learns how to make it work for her. Though Tabby is sneaky, the thing I admire most about her as a character is the fact that she has an active conscience that forces her to do right by the people she wrongs.

COVER NOTE: The emphasis on the hair works, as much of Snip, Snip Revenge is about Tabby’s life, before and after her beautiful hair is lost.

STORYLINE:  Naawe, the young son of a chief, has no intention of doing all the things required of him to ensure succession. Instead, he communicates and plays with animals and does not care in the slightest that this makes him an outcast. Through the capture of his pet armadillo, Naawe is forced into an adventure that will see him trying to save several tribes of the Amazon. If he fails, their way of life will be changed forever and the tribes most likely destroyed.

PLAYERS: Young and carefree, Naawe isn’t interested in hunting or any of the activities that occupy the men of his tribe. He doesn’t think of himself as anything special, but his encounters force him be responsible and face challenges he would rather avoid. The cast of animal characters, who are both diverse and witty, makes this book stand out.

I LIKED: the sometimes funny interaction between Naawe and the animals, who each have distinct personalities. From Egon, the ‘dizzy bird, Bado, the tribe’s ill-tempered sacred bird to Titi, the sweet-natured squirrel monkey. It was a good device on the part of the writer to have the animals helping Naawe with a task he couldn’t do on his own.  While on his adventure, Naawe was forced to be resourceful, which helps in his growth.

OVERALL COMMENTS: Naawe is a middle-grade story with a difference. The adventure aspect made it a fun read. The interaction with supernatural beings was not spooky, but more along the lines of them being mischievous, playing tricks on humankind.

While some aspects of the story might seem mature for middle-grade readers, they work from the perspective of being part of the normal activities and lifestyle of South-American jungle dwellers.

COVER NOTE: The huge spider on the cover and Naawe’s determined expression works to capture the essence of the story.

SOURCE: Novel Publicity Tours provided a copy of the book for review.

Welcome! My theme for the A-Z Blogging Challenge is middle-grade and young adult fiction. The final book is a Caribbean Folk tale written by a Trinidadian.

Young Isha has to find out the old woman's name but, try as she might, she cannot guess. Who can help her and why does she need to know? Only a remarkable crab Solistine knows the secret. In this classic, beautifully illustrated folk tale, the famous Caribbean crab is changed for evermore, and so are the faces of old women. The latest addition to Macmillan Caribbean's list of highly illustrated children's books this is another example of why the Caribbean produces wonderful children's books. The merging of traditional folk tales and modern illustrations tell a delightful story that is wonderful to share with children.

About the Author

Lynette Commissiong was born and grew up in Trinidad, where she lives with her family. A librarian for many years, she has lived in England and Canada and has travelled throughout the Caribbean, Europe and America. Her love for the richness and colour of the Caribbean landscape is reflected in her vivid and imaginative writings for children.

Welcome! My theme for the A-Z Blogging Challenge is middle-grade and young adult fiction. The letter X is for the Xanth series by Piers Anthony. A Spell for Chameleon is the first book in the series.

Xanth was the enchanted land where magic ruled--where every citizen had a special spell only he could cast. That is, except for Bink of North Village. He was sure he possessed no magic, and knew that if he didn't find some soon, he would be exiled. According to the Good Magician Humpfrey, the charts said that Bink was as powerful as the King or even the Evil Magician Trent. Unfortunately, no one could determine its form. Meanwhile, Bink was in despair. If he didn't find his magic soon, he would be forced to leave....

About the Author

Piers Anthony is one of the world's most popular fantasy authors, and a New York Times bestseller twenty-one times over. His Xanth novels have been read and loved by millions of readers around the world, and he daily receives hundreds of letters from his devoted fans.In addition to the Xanth series, Anthony is the author of many other best-selling works. Piers Anthony lives in Inverness, Florida.

Source: Amazon

Welcome! My theme for the A-Z Blogging Challenge is middle-grade and young adult fiction.

Eighteen-year-old Bria wants to be a Global Vagabond. In a quest for independence, her neglected art, and no-strings-attached hookups, she signs up for a tour of Central America—the wrong one. Middle-aged tourists are hardly the key to self-rediscovery. So when Bria meets Rowan, devoted backpacker and dive instructor, and his outspoken sister, Starling, she seizes the chance to ditch her group and join them off the beaten path. Bria's a good girl trying to go bad. Rowan's a bad boy trying to stay good. As they travel through Mayan villages and remote Belizean islands, they discover they're both seeking to leave behind the old versions of themselves. The secret to escaping the past, Rowan's found, is to keep moving forward. But Bria realizes she can't run forever. At some point, you have to look back.

About the Author

A travel writer and young adult author, Kirsten Hubbard has hiked ancient ruins in Cambodia, dived with wild dolphins in Belize (one totally looked her in the eye), slept in a Slovenian jail cell, and navigated the Wyoming badlands (without a compass) in search of transcendent backdrops for her novels. She lives in San Diego, California.

Source: Amazon

Welcome! My theme for the A-Z Blogging Challenge is middle-grade and young adult fiction. This book sounds like a wonderful collection for young readers.

Featuring velvet-smooth dolphins and flying fish, and whispered ghost stories about the Jumbie Man, this collection of poetry conjures the sights and sounds, tastes and tales of the Caribbean.

About the Authors

This collection of Caribbean poems was compiled and edited by John Agard & Grace Nichols, Under The Moon & Over The Sea: The artwork was done by Cathie Felstead, Jane Ray, Christopher Corr Satoshi Kitamura, and Sara Fanelli.

Source: Amazon

Welcome! My theme for the A-Z Blogging Challenge is middle-grade and young adult fiction. If you’re a writer and would like to have your book featured during the Challenge, drop me an email with your book blurb, cover, your bio and picture. I’ll slot in your book based on the letter of the day. I like the sound of this book and would love to read it.

A luminous novel in verse from the author of the Jefferson Cup award winner ALL THE BROKEN PIECES.

Serafina has
a secret dream.

She wants to go to school
and become a doctor
with her best friend, Julie Marie.

But in their rural village
outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti,
many obstacles
stand in Serafina’s way--
little money,
never-ending chores,
and Manman’s worries.

More powerful even
than all of these
are the heavy rains
and the shaking earth
that test Serafina’s resolve
in ways she never dreamed.

At once heartbreaking and hopeful,
this exquisitely crafted story
will leave a lasting impression
on your heart.

About the Author
Ann Burg was born in Brooklyn, New York and moved to New Jersey when she was in the third grade. Although she always knew she wanted to be a writer ~ and began writing in earliest childhood ~ Ann studied to become a teacher and taught for ten years. It wasn't until the year 2000, that Ann gave up teaching to pursue writing full-time. Her first books were published in 2003. In 2009, Ann received the Jefferson Cup Award for her poetry novel, All the Broken Pieces. Her latest release, Serafina's Promise, has been designated a Fall 2013 Parent's Choice Gold Award winner. Ann's favorite quote is by Charlotte's Web author, E.B. White. "All I hope to say in books, all I ever hope to say, is that I love the world."

Source: Amazon