Middle Grade Fantasy Favourites: Mystery, Magic and More

The power of a novel to transport one to another world, filled with excitement and thrills, is incredible.  The magic in new middle grade fantasy stories is no exception! As Popp (2021) points out:

“Middle grade books with magical themes are literal magic, in a way. They transport readers to places real or imagined. Their lore is wholly concocted by the author or inspired by mythologies from around the world.”

Further, as Popp (2021) references, these types of novels can help readers feel empowered; magic can help one to achieve their goals—and find courage, and strength and to remember than they have these abilities within them.

This blog will focus on some of my newer fantasy favorites—with strong characters, new adventures and a focus on doing what is right....

CeCe Rios and the  Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera

When CeCe was 7, she was wandering in the desert and met Tzizimitl, the criatura of stars and devouring.   Five years later she encounters a dark criatura  called El Sombrerón when he captures her sister Juana and takes her back to Devil's Alley to make her his bride. Cece is determined to get her sister back and is willing to do whatever it takes to get to Devil’s Alley to save her... even if it means training to be a bruja and practicing dark magic...

 Kirkus describes CeCe as a “...culturally rich adventure weaves Spanish and Nahuatl throughout the text. With strong ties to Mesoamerican lore and culture, the story hits the sweet spot between dark and light.”

This is a story of inner strength, magic, spirits, and adventure and is to keep readers of all ages captivated until the very end! 

Amari and the Night Brothers- B.B. Alston

Quinton Peters, Amari's brother, is missing. She misses him greatly and is determined to find him. One day a mysterious package appears in Quinton's closet containing a magic suit, and a nomination to join a summer camp with the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. It also contains magic glasses that allow her to see a whole other world...

As Amari discovers her inner power, and strength, she also discovers that she is a magician, and unfortunately, magicians are not looked upon with favor in this new world.

This novel has some great lessons about privilege and prejudice, as well as magic, mythical creatures, humor, and adventure (and the best part—it's part of a trilogy!).

Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy by Angie Thomas

For Nic’s 12th birthday her father gets her a pet hellhound (Cocoa)...but refuses to share with her how to use her ‘gift’ and what makes her a ‘remarkable.’ When Nic gets grounded the same night that her favorite author TJ Retro is in town for a signing, she sneaks out... and that night her world changes forever. She learns that her favorite book series is actually a fictionalized version of her father (and friends) childhoods fighting evil AND that TJ is actually a manifestor!  She learns her dad has been accused of stealing something very powerful and they are in danger.

It is up to Nic to navigate this new world to try to save him, with the help of her Cocoa, her long lost twin, and ‘unremarkable’ best friend as they embark upon the journey of a lifetime.

Kirkus describes as “A story of African American folklore and mythology, and an examination of Black American’s history and trauma in a fantastical world.”  

An excellent novel sure to be devoured!

Charlie Hernandez and the League of Shadows- Ryan Calejo

Charlie grew up listening to his abuela’s stories about the supernatural, but he soon discovers that they may not be just stories...

When Charlie’s parents mysteriously go missing he is determined to find out what happened to them, and why he has started growing feathers (and horns).  When he discovers a map in his mother’s old locket he embarks upon the adventure of a lifetime, where La Llorona, La Cuca and El Sombrerón are awaiting (and are no longer just names from his abuela’s stories).

Chupacarter – George Lopez and Ryan Calejo

A humourous story involving 12 –year-old Jorge, and his new best friend, a 7 foot tall chupacabra! 

When Jorge is sent away to live with his grandparents  he is not pleased.  They live in a remote area of New Mexico, and he doesn’t know anyone there.  When he meets a monster in the woods, he is initially terrified, but he soon learns that the monster Carter is not dangerous, and is just a lonely chupacabra that has been separated from his family.  He soon discovers that they share a love of video games, junk food and shoes, and they become fast friends.

When livestock start showing up dead Jorge becomes worried for Carter’s safety, as the townspeople want to know who (or what) is responsible are looking for creatures in the woods. Jorge knows Carter is innocent, and with the help of his new friends he embarks upon a quest to save him...  

All these great books are available to borrow from the Ottawa Public Library! Really enjoyed one of the titles and want to find something similar? Check out NoveList K-8 for read-alikes, recommendations, and more!

Don’t have a library card yet? No problem, you can register for free online!

This month’s blog is written by Charmaine Atrooshi, Children and Teen Librarian at the Hazeldean Branch of the Ottawa Public Library.

Mix it up this March Break at the Ottawa Public Library!

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share some of their favourite books for children with us. This month's post is by Kristina Roudiy, Children's Program Assistant at the Alta Vista Branch.

Illustration by Slavka Kolesar

Picture book: Mixed: a Colorful Story by Aree Chung
https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1103586026

For ages 4-6. Once upon a time, there were three primary colors all living in the same town: Red, Yellow and Blue. One day, a Red announced that they were the best, thus starting a colour war. Soon, each colour was living separately from the others. Until the day that a Yellow and a Blue met, fell in love and decided to mix. How will the rest of the inhabitants react...? This book is fun visually, but most importantly, it will enable families (and classrooms!) to talk about topics such as segregation, community, inclusion, diversity and embracing each other's differences.

Picture book: The Wall in the Middle of the Book by Jon Agee

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1126730026

For ages 4-8. This is the story of a young knight who strongly believes that where he lives is the best and the safest, thanks to a wall built to protect from “the other side”. While the knight tells us all about the dangers lurking on the other side (tigers? a mean ogre!), we spot dangers right behind him (crocodiles? a flood!) on the supposedly “safe side.” Meanwhile, the so-called ogre turns out to be really kind and helpful... A good reminder that, instead of building walls, we should be tearing them down, so that we can better understand and value what is “on the other side.”

Picture book: The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1079068026

For ages 4-8. This picture book mixes old & new in a fun, smart way. It takes a classic story (The little red hen) and changes elements in that story, so that it has a modern twist. The protagonist is a girl called Ruby, and the other characters are her three younger brothers. One day, Ruby decides to build a fort - something she's never done before. Her brothers aren't very keen on helping her and keep saying she won't know what to do. But when the fort is completed and Ruby can now play in it, they are suddenly much more interested! A story with STEAM elements that remind children  they can do whatever they set their minds to..

Non-fiction book: Masterpiece mix by Roxie Munro

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1049833026

For ages 4-7. This is the story of an artist (possibly representing the author herself) who is gathering her painting supplies and wondering what to paint next. She visits the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and admires the works of famous painters such as Van Gogh, Leyster, Vermeer, Cézanne, etc.,then she starts painting. When children reach the end of the book, they get to see the artist's final result: a cityscape which incorporates all 37 masterpieces previously looked at. Sport scenes, landscapes, portraits and more...mix it up! Younger children will enjoy learning about painting & drawing, while older children will enjoy learning some cool new fun facts (ex: did you know that Monet painted the same pond more than 250 times?)

Non-fiction book?: P is for Pterodactyl: The WORST Alphabet Book Ever. All the letters that misbehave and make words nearly impossible to pronounce by Raj Haldar

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1145582026

For ages 7-10. During March Break week, families will also be able to mix-up (and remix!) alphabet letters, words, song lyrics, and more! In this fun book about the English language, we learn all about those words which are pronounced differently than they are spelled. Words with silent letters (ex: knight), homophones and tongue twisters...accompanied by lively illustrations.

Non-fiction book: Wet cement: a mix of concrete poems by Bob Raczka

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/961992026

For ages 8-12. Concrete poetry is fun in the way that it uses the arrangement of the words on the page to convey the meaning of the poem, thus mixing the words within the illustrations. In this collection of 21 concrete poems, children will be alternately amused or perplexed by the visuals and will be challenged in decoding them! It will inspire them to create their own poems.

Graphic novel: The city on the other side by Mairgrhead Scott

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1114919026

For ages 8-12. In this fantasy graphic novel, we meet Isabel, a young Latinx girl in early 20th Century San Francisco, who until now has lived in a sheltered, high-society environment. Her life completely changes on the day that she walks through an invisible barrier and somehow steps into a magical & dangerous city, right in the middle of a fairy civil war. Can she trust her two newly-met companions, a mushroom-headed fairy and a Filipino boy who can travel between the two worlds? Can they help her deliver a mysterious necklace passed on by a fatally injured messenger? A fast-paced adventure which kids will enjoy reading.

Chapter book: Blended by Sharon M. Draper

https://ottawa.bibliocommons.com/item/show/1126612026

For ages 10-13. This is the story of Isabella, who is 11 years old and biracial,her mother is white and her father is black. People around her sometimes describe her as “exotic,” but she doesn't think of herself that way. Isabella is also from a blended family; divorced parents, two extra stepparents, and an older stepbrother Darren. One day, Isabella is on her way to a piano recital when she and Darren are stopped by the police and a misunderstanding occurs... A book about the search for one's identity, and about the unique struggles still faced by young people of colour.

Illustration by Slavka Kolesar

OPL Staff Picks - Favourite Children's Picture Books 2018

The Ottawa Public Library is back to share some of their new books for children with us. This month’s post is by Xiao Feng Xing, Librarian, Youth Collections at the Ottawa Public Library.

This selection is from her reading and reviews of new picture books published in 2018. We hope you will enjoy reading them!

They Say Blue, by Jillian Tamaki

They Say Blue was written and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki who is best known for her graphic novel This One Summer. This is her first picture book, but she’s already received two important awards – the Boston Globe Horn Book Award and a Governor General’s Award, as well as numerous starred reviews. The two illustrations below are examples of her powerful and creative style. This book about a young girl who contemplates colours in the world is a true gem.

Hello Lighthouse, by Sophie Blackall

Ms. Blackall is the winner of the 2016 Caldecott Medal for illustrating Finding Winnie. The illustrations in this book are outstanding. One of them shows a realistic cutaway interior of a lighthouse, letting us see what it would be like to live inside a lighthouse.

In just 32 pages, the book highlights important moments of the life of a lighthouse keeper in a remote location. “On the highest rock of a tiny island at the edge of the world stands a lighthouse. It is built to last forever. Sending its light out to sea, guiding the ships on their way. From dusk to dawn, the lighthouse beams.”

This is a saga to celebrate the lighthouse keeper’s selfless devotion to saving lives and protecting ships at sea. It’s a sad story too since we learn that his job is eventually replaced by a machine.

The Rabbit Listened, by Cori Doerrfeld

When the amazing blocks that Taylor had just built up were smashed down by a flock of birds, he was very sad. The animals came over to him one by one, each thinking that they knew how to help, but none of their suggestions impressed Taylor. And so they all left. Then a rabbit came by and sat quietly beside Taylor; he didn’t try to fix the problem or offer solutions – just listened. After sharing his feelings with the rabbit, Taylor was happy again. It’s such a simple and cute story but it teaches kids, and maybe even some adults, a big life lesson. 

Night Job, by Karen Hesse

This story about a father and son bonding is very touching. A boy helps his dad who has a job on the night shift as a school custodian. Even though life can be difficult, as long as he can be with his dad, the boy feels happy.

They eat dinner together while at work, and after they come home, “I climb up beside dad and soon we are drifting away together…” Life is hard but it is sweet to stay together with dad.

The powerful illustrations will help kids build up empathy and understanding for a life situation that shows that not every family has a worry-free life.

The Rough Patch, by Brian Lies

Evan, the farmer’s fox and his pet dog loved to do things together. What they loved the most was working in Evan’s magnificent garden. But one day Evan’s dog died. Evan was heartbroken and stopped caring about the garden because he no longer had any desire to look after anything.

In time his garden turned wild. One morning, Evan spotted a pumpkin vine sneaking under the fence. So he let it be. Eventually, he brought his giant pumpkin to the fair. It felt good to be out again, even if it wasn’t quite the same as before. He won third prize in the pumpkin competition and claimed his prize. From inside the box, he heard a scrabbling sound…. The last illustration in the book shows Evan driving home with a small dog.

The lovely illustrations and the touching story will show kids how to overcome a rough patch, that very sad feeling that comes when they lose a pet or a loved one, and that life continues.

The Day War Came, by Nicola Davies

This is one of the most powerful books that I have read dealing with children refugees.

A young girl’s peaceful, normal life is turned upside down when war comes to her town. She becomes a refugee and is forced to roam all by herself. She finds a school and attempts to enter the classroom but a teacher won’t let her in. “There’s no room for you, you see. There is no chair for you to sit on”. Then comes a happy and touching moment when a young boy and his classmates all bring their chairs for the young girl. The last illustration shows the kids hand-in-hand walking together on a road lined with chairs.

This book will open a window for kids learning about the plight of children refugees and teach them empathy and kindness.

THANK YOU, OMU! by Oge Mora

This is a heart-warming story about kindness and sharing. It’s a perfect match for the holiday season.

“Omu” is the lgbo term for “queen”. Omu has cooked a delicious stew. The smell brings all the people one-by-one to knock on her door. Omu offers each of them a portion of her meal and pretty soon the pot is empty. As she’s sitting at the table with her empty pot, she hears someone knock at the door. All the people who received food from her are now coming back, one by one, bringing food to her. Omu’s heart is full of happiness and love.

Africville, by Shauntay Grant

I’m so glad to see this wonderful book about Africville as there aren’t enough books about the Canadian black community.

This book uses a girl’s imagination to replay the happy life the black community enjoyed in their old home of Africville.

The author provides a note at the end of the book that details the sad and dark history of Africville and the tragic injustice and racial discrimination that took place.

That’s Not Hockey, by Andrée Poulin

It’s only common sense to wear a helmet and a face mask when playing hockey. But did you know that not that many years ago, hockey players and even goalies, didn’t wear any facial protection when they played?  This book is a true story about the goalie Jacques Plante and how he grew up as a kid from a poor family to become one of the greatest goalies of all time and play for the Montreal Canadians. He changed the history of hockey with his courage and determination to be the first to wear a mask while playing the game.

Henry and the Yeti, by Russell Ayto

A little boy makes up his mind to find Yeti. Everyone laughs at him and his school principal tells him to remember to bring evidence if he does find Yeti.

The little boy overcomes a lot of difficulties to find Yeti, and he takes pictures too. But when he comes back to school to let everyone know what he found, he can’t show them his evidence because he lost his camera. Everyone laughs at him again, and nobody except his own father believes him. You can imagine the surprise then when Yeti comes to visit the little boy’s school. This is a heartwarming and witty story about believing in yourself.

Grace for Gus, by Harry Bliss

This is a near wordless graphic novel-style picture book.

It’s a hero story about a little girl named Grace who sneaks from her bedroom to go to the subway station to play the violin, draw caricatures in the park, and finally to perform acrobatics in the subway car. She raises a lot of money and the next day secretly puts it all in the jar for the classroom pet hamster fund.

If you want to read more wonderful picture books, please click here.

Every kid a card -welcoming a new sponsor

Do your kids have their own library cards? We'd like to welcome the Ottawa Public Library as our newest sponsor as we help them promote their Every Kid a Card initiative. We are already big supporters of the library and love and look forward to their monthly contributions to Kids in the Capital.

A library card gives you free access to:

• Homework helpers like programs, research tools, newspapers, and books

• Computers to use for free for up two hours a day

• Fun resources like movies, music, graphic novels

• Activities like book clubs and author visits, games,arts and crafts

Tell us - do your kids have a library card?