Some Very Messy Medieval Magic

McKenzie, C.L. (2018). Some Very Messy Medieval Magic (Pete and Weasel Series, #3). Pikeville, NC. Dancing Lemur Press, LLC.

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 15^th, 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.

Thank you to the author and Dancing Lemur Press for providing me a print ARC copy in exchange for my honest opinion – the only kind I give. 

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.  

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The Girl Who Said Sorry

Yim, H. (2017). The Girl Who Said Sorry. Rhyming Reason Books.

All Ages (target ages 5-7) / Feminism / Empowerment

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BLURB: Too girly or too boyish. Too thin or too fat. Too quiet, too loud. Be ambitious, but don't hurt feelings. Be inquisitive, but don't interrupt. Be outspoken, but don't be bossy. Most of all, be yourself--but be a lady.

What's a girl to do in a world filled with contradicting gender expectations, aside from saying sorry?

The way we teach politeness norms to children is often confusing, changing based on gender--and can have lasting effects. And while everyone should be courteous and accountable for their actions, apologetic language out of context can undermine confidence and perceived capability.

Within the subtle yet beautiful illustrations and powerful rhyme of The Girl Who Said Sorry, developing girls will learn that self-expression and personal choices can be made without apology, and with confidence.

50% of profits from this book is donated to Girl Up, a United Nations Foundation campaign dedicated to empowering young girls to take action on global issues.

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HALL WAYS REVIEW: When I received a review request from Hayoung Terra Yim, what first caught my attention was her self-description (see "About the Author" below). It is her mission "to highlight the realities of the gender apology gap to young girls" that made me give a quick reply (YES!) to reviewing The Girl Who Said Sorry.  What a good move!

Using a parallel sentence structure and some rhyming, The Girl Who Said Sorry delivers a much-needed message to girls to stop apologizing and to resist mixed messages and double-standards put upon them. (You're too thin, but should you have that cookie?) As the main character goes through different experiences where she's constantly apologizing for not meeting someone else's standards, she has an epiphany (accompanied by a fabulous burst of swirling colors) and realizes that automatically saying sorry must stop.

Enhancing this story are the simple but eye-catching, expressive illustrations (by Marta Maszkiewicz), which are formatted so that side-by-side pages have a complete scene to support the text. Even the inside cover pages and dedication pages have subtle and not-so-subtle illustrations to make a point. For example, if readers look closely at the pattern on the inside cover pages, they'll notice it's made of pointing fingers!  The colors pop here and there without overwhelming readers, which helps make the illustrations the perfect complement to the text.   

The final two spreads of the book NAIL the messages we want young girls (and us not-so-young girls as well) to hear: never apologize for being authentic and true to yourself. Plus, the message is conveyed not in the trendy screw-everyone-it's-all-about-me way, but in a thoughtful way that reminds readers that you can be yourself without hurting others.

If all the above reasons are not enough to buy multiple copies of The Girl Who Said Sorry for the females in your life, this should be: 50% of the sales profits will be donated to Girl Up, a United Nations Foundation campaign dedicated to empowering young girls to act on global issues.  Sold!

Thank you to the author for providing me a digital review copy of this book (and I WILL be purchasing several print copies) in exchange for my honest opinion -- the only kind I give.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Hayoung Yim is a third-wave feminist, environmentalist, advocate for evidence-based public policies, and diverse writer.  A UofT graduate in political science and English, she strives to highlight issues to developing children in an approachable manner.  She lives in Toronto, Canada, where she dreams about implementing social change through popular culture.

In her spare time, she likes to travel through time and space.

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The Stolen Dragon of Quanx: The Eyes Trilogy

Mann, B. (2015). The Stolen Dragon of Quanx: The Eyes Trilogy. Kingston, NY: Shark Tooth Press. 

Middle Grade - Young YA / Fantasy

I gave this book 3.5 of 5 Stars

In The Stolen Dragon of Quanx, author Becca Mann takes readers on an imaginative adventure into a land of co-existing tribes where tribesmen are distinguished by their eyes. Their peaceful co-existence is threatened when the king of one tribe makes a decision that may have unexpected consequences. As the king's son struggles with the reality of his father's decision, across the land in another tribe, a fisherman's daughter has made discoveries of her own that could have far-reaching impact.  As the paths of the two teens cross, they and two other teens are put on a quest to steal a dragon egg, and they must be successful or all of Quanx will be destroyed. The Stolen Dragon of Quanx is the first novel in The Eyes Trilogy.

Sixteen-year-old debut author Becca Mann has written a unique and compelling high fantasy story that includes humans and dragons battling for control of the land. In the land of Quanx, the good and the bad are not always set in stone, and careful readers will pick-up on subtle hints to show characters' true colors.  The story is told from various characters' perspectives, which leads to good character development (some more developed than others) and also a bunch of cliff-hangers.  Readers may find the main characters are unlikable, and they are definitely inconsistent in their actions, which frequently goes unexplained. Though they do experience some growth, by the end the group of teens still hasn't figured out how to work as a team and some are still quite self-centered.  The main characters do seem to realize their own shortcomings and faults, but they don't necessarily care to adjust.  It is a good message for being "I am who I am - accept me;" however, the lesson of self-reflection and the need for self-improvement would be a great extension. Hopefully, this will be remedied in the next book.

Author Mann does a great job with world-building, including terrific descriptions of the landscape and lifestyles of each tribe. The most intriguing aspect of the lands of Quanx is that it is a world where eye color reveals every aspect of a person's heritage, and the eyes are the true identifier of every person. Mann's descriptions of the unique color combinations and even shape configurations in people's eyes were fascinating, and the concept makes readers think about a world where eye contact is so important.  What could have used some explaining, though, was how the eyes trump the physical appearances of people.  It was a stretch, for example, that a near sixteen-year-old female could simply cut her hair and be taken for a boy, not just visually but after a pat-down from soldiers checking her for weapons.

Overall, The Stolen Dragon of Quanx is a well-written, imaginative story that is action packed and full of twists and turns. There are few errors, and it's clear the book has been thoroughly edited for correctness. What it needs is a full edit for content to eliminate the too frequently used deus ex machina for solutions, the situations that rely too heavily on the suspension of disbelief, and the parts that are just too wordy. 

Despite the age of the main characters as older teens, this book is probably best for middle grade readers who will be more likely to accept the inconsistencies or illogical situations and enjoy the high fantasy aspect of the book.  Becca Mann is a promising new author, and the sequel to The Stolen Dragon of Quanx will be worth a look.

This book was reviewed for Reader Views and is re-posted here by their permission. A print copy was provided to me in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give. 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Becca Mann is a 17-year-old fantasy writer who likes chocolate milk, Broadway musicals, and reciting digits of Pi. Becca has traveled and written in six of the seven continents. She now lives in Baltimore and is a member of the USA Swimming National Team.  

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