Middle Grade / Fantasy / Adventure
Print ISBN 9781939844460
EBook ISBN 9781939844477
Page Count: 178
Price: $13.95 print
Publish Date: 5-15-18
6x9 Trade paperback
Book Blurb: Pete must take the place of a medieval page or history will be forever altered. Sent to 1173 England with his best friend and alligator familiar, he needs to act when the critical event occurs. Pete soon realizes he’s in over his young wizard head.
“A gripping adventure back in time, with action around every corner.” - Stephanie Robinson, author of The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow
“A great addition to middle school classrooms and libraries, as well as your own private library.” - Beverly Stowe McClure, award-winning author of stories for children and teens
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Also available from: Ingram, Follett Library Solutions, Publish Drive, and publisher direct.
HALL
WAYS REVIEW: Confession. I love reading books intended for
the tween/middle grade audience. It’s a
safe place to read and a great place to experience all the feels, thrills, and
chills that get young readers hooked on reading. My gut feeling has told me for
a while now that C. Lee McKenzie is a writer who nails the middle grade book,
but Some Very Messy Medieval Magic is
the first book of hers I have read. I love when my instincts are correct.
Some
Very Messy Medieval Magic is the third book in the Adventures of
Pete and Weasel series, and it was non-stop fun and action. The book stands
alone, and McKenzie does a great job of getting readers new to the series up-to-speed
but also telling just enough to make us want to read the prior books to find
out the details. CLEVER.
In addition to a fairly
intricate plot, there are a lot of underlying themes going on to which readers
of any age will relate, including friendship, loyalty, family, self-confidence,
belonging, and grief. There are lessons to be learned here, subtly delivered
without beating kids over the head to be kind, do the right thing, step-up,
give that hug.
Included in Some Very Messy Medieval Magic is a rich
cast of characters who bring the story to life – both in modern and historical
times. The majority of the book takes place in the 1100s, and McKenzie weaves-in
lots of details to give readers a peek into the times and again, subtly, teach
a lesson or two. From the eccentric Dr. Wraith (I envisioned a Doc Brown/Back to
the Future kinda guy), to the sneaky Egbert, each character is uniquely defined
and memorable.
As Pete, Weasel, and a covey
of witches and wizards work against the clock to save the world, there is also an
element of mystery and some downright SPOOKY business going on around the Druids
and Samhain. McKenzie’s descriptions put readers right in the middle of the
place and time and will likely encourage kids to dig a little deeper and
research on their own.
The writing is well-done
with dialogue, both internal and between characters, that is natural and useful
in moving the story along. The word choices are perfect with a mix of both easy
and challenging words, most of which can be figured out contextually. There are
scattered typos, which is to be expected in an ARC but also which I expect will
be cleaned-up for the final copy.
I fully intend to go back
and get caught up on this series – I am interested in learning more especially
about what happened with Pete’s parents and how he came to know he had
wizarding powers. I highly recommend librarians and teachers get this series on
their shelves. Some Very Messy Medieval Magic comes out May 15th, 2018,
so it’s perfect timing for kids to fill that end of the school year lull or to put
on that summer reading rotation.
A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: I’m C. Lee McKenzie, a native Californian who grew up in a
lot of different places. I returned to my home state where I live in the Santa
Cruz Mountains with my family. I write most of the time, garden, hike, and
practice yoga. I travel a lot because that’s how I learn new stuff, and it’s my
way to jump-start stories.
In my
young adult writing, I take on modern issues that today's teens face. My first
young adult novel, Sliding on the Edge (2009) deals with cutting and
suicide. My second, The Princess of Las Pulgas (2010), is a story about a family
that loses everything and has to rebuild their lives. Double Negative (2014)
focuses on literacy, and Sudden Secrets (2014) tackles bigotry and
intolerance.
When I want to have fun, I write middle grade
books. Alligators Overhead is my first published book for readers age
8-12. Book 2, The Great Time Lock Disaster, followed and now I have Book
3 Some Very Messy Medieval Magic. Writing the adventures of Pete and
Weasel has entertained me no end. I enjoyed them so much that I came up with Sign
of the Green Dragon—another adventure fantasy.
Connect with the author:
I can't thank you enough for helping kickstart this latest book. I know how many books you have on your list to read and review, so this fabulous post is doubly appreciated.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely my pleasure! Thank you so much for sharing your book with me.
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