mglit | Page 6 of 9 | Daddy Mojo

The Weeping Tide, misfires in its second entry in the Wilderlore series

Sometimes I co-teach a lesson on fantasy reading. It’s good to experience it from this perspective because it reminds me what separates the good from the great; as well as those that didn’t measure up to the levels of their predecessor. The Accidental Apprentice was the first book in the Wilderlore series, which we were big fans of. The Weeping Tide is the second book in the series and as the name and cover image would imply, it mainly takes place around the water. This is where our fantasy lesson planning came in, because I was reminded that fantasy books typically have a large number of characters.

The Weeping Tide is the second book in the Wilderlore series that slows down the story with longer chapters and drama that mglit fans might not dig.

The second verse is not the same as the first

The Monsters of Rookhaven, odd, a little evil and great for ages 9 and up

A great heel makes the difference in stories that entertain, vs. those that flounder. It’s especially true in wrestling, as well as, literature. If the heel isn’t a strong one then the audience can be hopeful that it moves along quickly; with the vestiges of said plot point withering away due to its lack of spandex or words. The Monsters of Rookhaven is mglit that runs from the first page. It’s brilliantly weird, fun to read and feels familiar enough to bring in reluctant readers, while being different enough to satisfy those who need something new.

The Monsters of Brookhaven is mglit with an excellent villain, beautiful mystery and monsters that do exactly what a 9-year-old wants them to do.

upper elementary spooks, monsters and dread-with a side order of feelings

AfterMath, mglit on loss, tragedy, growing up, family, and some math puns

Middle-grade books about tragedy don’t need to be a drag. Some topics and some characters certainly need to have their story presented in a book that’s clearly dramatic and mglit readers can still learn from them. Take for example the topic of school shootings. It’s an event that happens at schools and students have drills to prepare for them. However, because they happen, they occur too often, and when it does happen it impacts the kids in that particular school in ways that others can’t fathom. AfterMath is mglit that deftly walks the line of drama, feelings of melancholy, school shooting, coming-of-age, and death of a family member in a way that readers can empathize with and learn from.

great Realistic fiction that you wish it wasn’t

Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines, the curse continues

When our boys were younger they’d receive Rube Goldberg toys as presents from time to time. They were poorly made, never worked and made us yearn for our Mousetrap game from the 1970s. Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines is the first in a series of books with a middle school version of the titular character. This is an intellectual property that exudes characteristics that any parent wants their child to emulate. The characters in the story are ones that kids will like also. It’s therefore really ironic that the book doesn’t connect with middle school readers.

Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines tries to capture the inventor, madcap sprit in a tween book, but lets loose some of the mojo.

The mystique doesn’t measure up the book

Birdie’s Billions, realistic fiction ages 9 and up already think about

You need to read this book. I love it when our 12 year-old says something like that. When he does, he usually follows it up with some sort of qualifier like, it’s really good, the chapters are funny or some other attribute before going off to find his phone. He read Birdie’s Billions in just under a week before saying that to me. My inner-dad voice was telling me to be wary of his recommendation.

Birdie’s Billions is realistic fiction that will hook in readers who normally don’t dig this genre. It’s fun, real and centers on something they all think about.

MGLIT that makes kids think, even if they don’t admit it

Alien Superstar #3, Hollywood Vs. The Galaxy crash lands the finale

Alien Superstar is an engaging upper-elementary through middle school book series. The first book in the series was fresh, exciting, funny and quite fabulous. Book #2 in the series, Lights, Camera, Danger! had its moments and opened up a larger threat to the alien who crash-landed on a Hollywood backlot. Hollywood Vs. The Galaxy is the final book in the series and while it doesn’t land with a complete thud, it’s a shadow of how clever and original the first book was.

Alien Superstar: Hollywood Vs. The Galaxy is the third and final book in this series that started out excellent, but has ended with a groan.

A trilogy is not always necessary, say it with me now

The Bones of Ruin is big scope sci-fi with an alt-steampunk edge

The Bones of Ruin is a big book. It’s the thick kind of upper mglit book that starts with that age range, but demos north for some readers. This is a story whose scope of action grows with each chapter and new character introduction and mysterious ability that they have. Aside from having one of the coolest titles I’ve seen in ages, The Bones of Ruin comes across as a book that will make the rounds for high school kids as a smart, alternate history tale that could possibly lead to the apocalypse.

The Bones of Ruin is the first book in a series about an immortal girl, circus freaks and the end of the world in Victorian England.

A meaty book on social outliers, shady characters and the end

Middle School Bites: Out For Blood is fun, mglit want-to-read-it, incarnate

Our 12YO read Middle School Bites: Out For Blood so quickly that I thought he was trying to distract me from something else. It’s not I thought he was lying, but he got the book on Friday and had read it by Tuesday. Combine that timeframe with middle school, LEGO, Scouts video games, and something didn’t add up. He told me the plot of Out For Blood, I then read it for myself and had a similar experience, except I read it two days quicker. Apparently, I need to play more video games, buy more LEGO sets, or otherwise engage my time, or maybe not.

A howling good delight for ages 9 and up…… way up