Blog Tour and Giveaway: No Boundaries: 25 Women Explorers and Scientists Shae Adventures, Inspiration, and Advice by Gabby Salazar and Clare Fieseler

Welcome to the No Boundaries Blog Tour!

In No Boundaries, twenty-five inspiring women from around the world -- many of whom are National Geographic Explorers -- share their adventures, failures, successes, sage advice and lessons learned, straight from the field.  This week, get to know five of the amazing women featured in No Boundaries and be inspired by their work and the challenges they overcame to forge new paths in science and exploration!

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Meet Mallory Dimmitt

Mallory Dimmitt is an expedition leader. Her goal is to protect and restore Florida’s wildlife habitats, and to connect them to one another so that animals have an uninterrupted area to roam. Recognizing that the first step to saving these habitats is to open people’s eyes to these amazing wild lands, she and her team from the Florida Wildlife Corridor organization complete both long and short expeditions and share the photos and video footage with the public. Follow her on Instagram for her latest adventures @mallorydimmitt.

Q: How do you sleep in a swamp? 
Mallory: “We mostly sleep in hammocks, with mesh screens for mosquito control. When we started our third trip, the weather was chilly, and we were a little more exposed in a ham- mock than we would have been in a tent, so my back got cold. But then by the end of the trip it was hot, and when you’re hot and sticky, sleeping in a hammock can be uncomfortably snug! I try to lie still and focus on listening to all the night noises I can distinguish until I fall asleep.“ 

Mallory’s Must-Haves:
Fun! Mallory and her team like to play along the way—they toss Frisbees between canoes and sometimes get out in the swamp to splash around and throw a football. Together they biked the final 25 miles (40 km) to the Green Swamp, Florida’s second largest wetland. When they got there, they jumped into the dark waters for a celebratory swim. 
 

 

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Buy | Add on Goodreads

Meet 25 female explorers and scientists in these inspirational and poignant stories of exploration, courage, and girl power.

Along the way, they share lessons learned and words of wisdom sure to inspire the next generation of scientists, adventurers, and world-changers.

Track a volcanologist as she braves the elements atop an active volcano. Travel alongside a mountaineer as she battles stereotypes―and frostbite―to conquer the famed Seven Summits. Join a conservationist on her passionate fight to save lions. Dig with a paleontologist to uncover massive dinosaur fossils, bit by breathtaking bit. These heartfelt stories give readers an insider’s look at the amazing work female explorers at National Geographic―and beyond―are doing in the field to solve some of the world’s toughest problems.

Rather than detailing the lives of well-known women, this anthology celebrates lesser-known changemakers and outstanding women of diverse backgrounds, nationalities, and fields of study who are just beginning to make a name for themselves. Each profile is based on first-person interviews and comes paired with useful tips and relatable advice for budding explorers and scientists. Stunning photography and fascinating general interest information about the animals, places, and practices add drama and context.

No Boundaries sends a positive message to every girl who has ever dreamed or dared to go a little further. And although these explorers’ endeavors are quite adventurous, the lessons they share can inspire all girls, as well as boys, whatever their goals, skills, and interests.

 

Website | Twitter | Instagram

CLARE FIESELER is a National Geographic explorer, photojournalist, and conservation biologist. She has conducted field research on coral reefs and island ecology across the Caribbean and wider Atlantic Ocean. She also studies urban wildlife in her home city of Washington, D.C. As a journalist, Fieseler has traveled the globe, reporting on emerging environmental problems for the Washington Post, NPR, and National Geographic, among other outlets. She was awarded the 2019 Mass Media Fellowship from the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Fieseler is most proud of the time she rappelled down a rock cliff with a broken foot to photograph the world’s most endangered fern. 

 

Website | Twitter | Instagram

GABBY SALAZAR is a National Geographic explorer, a nature and conservation photographer, and a social scientist. As a U.S. Fulbright Scholar in Photography and an associate fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers, she has worked on environmental photography projects across the globe, spending months at a time living in tropical rainforests and on tropical islands. Salazar has an MSc in Conservation Science from Imperial College London and is currently a doctoral student at the University of Florida’s School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Science, where she studies environmental marketing. She is committed to environmental education and uses photography to get kids outdoors and to connect them with nature. 
 

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GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

• One (1) winner will receive a hardcover of No Boundaries!
• US/Can only
• Ends 4/10 at 11:59pm ET
• Check out the other stops on the tour for more chances to win!

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Blog Tour Schedule:
March 28th - Teen Librarian Toolbox
March 29th - YA Book Nerd
March 30th - Always in the Middle
March 31st - Bookhounds
April 1st - Randomly Reading

MMGM: Rescue at Lake Wild by Terry Lynn Johnson

 

I follow a bunch of animal rescue and rehabilitation sites, the goal of which is to eventually return the animals back into the wild, so I just knew this would be a book I wanted to share with young readers. And it did not disappoint.

Twelve-year-old Madison Lewis wants nothing more than to grow up and become the next Jane Goodall. Her beloved grandmother was a wildlife rehabilitator and now that her Nana is gone, Madi wants to carry on her work. But after she finds their parents dead, and even after she rescues their two beaver kits from their lodge Madi knows she's going to be in big trouble if she brings them home. Madi has been told no more rescues or she won't be able to go to the Jane Goodall Institute and meet her idol and find how she did her observations of animals in the wild.

So of course, Madi and her friends Jack and Aaron, along with Jack black Lab, Lid, rescue the kits and bring them to Madi's house. Hiding them in the shed turned clubhouse in the backyard, Madi realizes she has a lot to learn about the care and feeding of beaver kits. At least, she has Nana's notes to refer to, but even at that, it is a big job. Luckily, mom works a lot and dad is often away for a week at a time, but then there is older sister Marley, not much of an animal lover, to contend with.

Then Madi, Aaron, Jack, and, of course, Lid the tracking dog, discover that the dead beavers had built a dam that blocked the channel that flows from Lake Wild to Lake Little Hawk, and is now causing roads and bridges in their township of Willow Grove to flood. While Jack and Lid investigate to see if they can find the person who killed the two beavers, Madi works on caring for the kits. In the middle of all this, Madi finds another beaver kit. When Marley discovers the kits, she makes Madi an offer that she really can't refuse: if Marley keeps quiet about the kits, Madi won't say anything about the party Marley is planning when she is sure no parent will be home. 

Can Jack, Aaron and Lid solve the mystery of who shot the beavers? Can Madi figure out what to do with her beaver kits? And can a viable solution be found to prevent further flooding because of the beaver dams?

Rescue at Lake Wild is an entertaining, interesting and informative story for younger middle grade readers not quite ready for the Terry Lynn Johnson's wonderful but harrowing survival stories like Ice Dogs and Dog Driven. There's a lot of detail about beaver life, and especially about caring for them. Not everything Madi does goes well, but I like how she learns from her mistakes and also how the beaver kits, acting on their  natural instincts, are her best teachers. She certainly hones her observation skills watching and caring for them. 

Johnson really knows how to craft an exciting adventure story. She gives Madi and her friends a freedom of movement most kids don't have in today's world. They travel around in an ATV (all-terrain vehicle) and a small motor boat, but considering how little her parents are around, Madi does have a cell phone to check in with them. All in all, this make a nice way for young readers to have an outdoor adventure, even if it is only vicariously.

Whenever you read a Terry Lynn Johnson book, you know you are reading the words of a real animal lover, and her stories will hopefully inspire her readers to develop a strong love and respect for them, too. Do read the Author's Note for more information about this book and what inspired Johnson to write it. Besides the Author's Note, there is an important list called "The Dos of Wildlife" detailing what to do if you think a baby animal needs rescuing. Madi had the benefit of being her Nana's apprentice before she passed away, and has some experience with wildlife rescue, but as the head of the rehab facility that takes in the beavers kits tells Madi, people keeping wildlife does more harms to animals than good. 

Rescue at Lake Wild is an appealing book that should please animal and wildlife lovers looking for adventure and mystery.

This book is recommended for readers age 8+

This book was an eARC gratefully received from Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media

I haven't done a MMGM in a long time and it's good to be back. You can see all of this week's wonderful MMGM books thanks to Greg at Always in the Middle

Knight of the Cape (Definitely Dominguita #1) by Terry Catasús Jennings, illustrated by Fatima Anaya

 

Knight of the Cape (Definitely Dominguita #1)

by Terry Catasús Jennings, illustrated by Fatima Anaya

Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, 2021, 144 pages

There's a new chapter book series in town and it's all about a girl with a great big imagination. Cuban American Dominguita Melendez loves to read even more than playing with the other kids in her class during recess. Lately, she's been reading Don Quijote, a book her grandmother loves, to feel closer to her abuela who has recently moved to Florida. But when the class bully, Ernie Bublassi, demands to know why she's reading it, she tells him she's studying to become a knight. Throwing the book into the playground dirt, he tells her girls can't be knights, making Dominguita all that much more determined to do exactly that and go questing for adventure...and to help people in distress.

Dominguita turns to her older brother Rafi for help. Maybe he could write a book about her knightly deeds to send to their abuela? Rafi agrees after finding out that one of the Bublassi bullies is behind Dominguita's idea - he has had run-ins of his own with Ernie's older brothers. The Bublassi's are the biggest bullies in otherwise quiet and friendly Mundytown.

Before long, Dominguita has acquired a lance, a helmet, some armor, and a cape and is transformed into Dom Capote. She also adds a squire named Pancho Sanchez and a trusty steed/stray dog named Rocinante or Roco for short, but will they find adventure on their quests besides rescuing stray bunnies from cats? Yes, indeed. Leave it to the Bublassi bullies to help Dom and Pancho find a new addition to their quests - Stephanie, after one of the Bublassi takes her leg brace. The three new friends roam around Mundytown and perform good deeds, but can they finally put an end to the Bublassi's bullying once and for all? 

This is a charming story about a young girl's adventures and how she finds new friends. Dom had also hoped that asking Rafi to help her write her adventures who serve to bring them close together again. Ever since he began high school, Rafi has had not time for Dom and they used to have so much fun together. 

I liked that both of Dominguita's parents and her brother Rafi are supportive of her adventures, though they encourage her to make new friends, too. Mundytown is such a friendly place to live. Even when Dom can't pay for her lunch at Pancho's uncle's restaurant, he gives her a job to do to work off the cost instead of getting mad. And the grocery store owner, Mr. Kowalski, is more than willing to go along with things and knight Dom with his heirloom sword. 

This is the first book in a new series, and like all first books, much of this one is spent setting the premise for future books. In fact, Book #2, Captain Dom's Treasure is already available (watch this space) and in August, Book #3, All for One, will also be available. These are sure to provide some good reading for younger elementary school kids looking for some fun books.  

And just in case you are wondering, yes, Knight of the Cape does include a windmill.  

This book is recommended for readers age 7+

This book was an ARC gratefully received from Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media

Where is Our Library? (A Story of Patience & Fortitude #2) by Josh Funk, illustrated by Stevie Lewis

Where is Our Library? (A Story of Patience & Fortitude #2)

written by Josh Funk, illustrated by Stevie Lewis

Henry Holt & Company, 2020, 40 pages

I just love a good New York story and what could be better than a New York City story about the New York Public Library? And that is just what Josh Funk has written. Where is Our Library? is his second book starring those two lovable library lions Patience and Fortitude and a love letter to the NYPL's 92 library branches, as well as a visit to some iconic bookish landmarks in NYC.

 

It all begins late one night when most New Yorkers are asleep. Patience and Fortitude leave their perch and begin their nightly visit to the children's reading room in the 42nd Street library, anticipating a night of reading some good books, but when they arrive, much to their surprise and dismay, the books are all gone.

Baffled and disappointed, Fortitude immediately comes up with a plan and the two companions head out the library door and stealthily take to the streets, heading toward Times Square. No finding the library's books there, they head uptown to Central Park, through the zoo, past the carousel, arriving at the Alice in Wonderland statue, where Alice points them in the direction of the Hans Christian Anderson statue. Hans' suggestion: a list of branch libraries they should visit. Which they do, traveling from Harlem to Chinatown, and even along the High Line, but they still have no luck finding their books. By now, dawn is breaking and Patience and Fortitude need to return to their perch in front of the Schwartzman Building.

Do our literary lions find their missing books before the sun comes up? Yes, indeed. They have been moved across the street to the newly renovated Mid-Manhatten branch on Fifth Avenue and East 41st Street. That branch, Patience and Fortitude learn, now houses the Children's Library.  

Where is Our Library? is a mystery, an adventure, and an announcement. It is written in a rhyme that never loses its rhythm, an important point for a read aloud. Not only does this story make a good read aloud, but kids will really like seeing some of their favorite books on display in the various branches that the two lions visit. You might also notice that the plays shown on the Times Square pages are all kidlit related, even if the timing of their being performed and the present is a little off. And, thanks to COVID-19, most people never even knew that the renovated Mid-Manhatten branch has been renamed the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library until recently.

 

I read Where is Our Library? as an eARC but I still found the illustrations fun and energetic. I loved Lewis' depictions of the city at night, but I think my favorite is the two page layout of Patience and Fortitude walking through Central Park and all the familiar places they pass though. For those who aren't familiar with New York, the author has included an informative list of all the places the library lions visit.

You can also download a fun 12-page activity kit courtesy of the publisher HERE 

AND you can register for a storytime event WITH author Josh Funk and illustrator Stevie Lewis. Click HERE for details and to register.

This book is recommended for readers age 4+

This book was gratefully received from the author, Josh Funk 

🎂 HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY 🎂

WHERE IS OUR LIBRARY?

OCTOBER 27, 2020

MMGM: Dog Driven by Terry Lynn Johnson

I loved reading Terry Lynn Johnson's earlier book Ice Dogs, so I was pretty excited to get a copy of Dog Driven to read. And I wasn't disappointed, in fact, I couldn't put it down.

McKenna Barney, 14, knows there is something wrong with her eyesight, but she's worked hard to hid it from everyone, even at the cost of dropping out of favorite activities and alienating her best friend. But McKenna still has some sight, especially peripheral vision, though she knows she will have to give up her beloved dog sledding at some point. However, after seeing how overprotective her mother is with her young sister Emma, 8, doing everything for her and not allowing her to gain any independence, McKenna isn't ready to lose her freedom, too.

For now, though, there's one more race and Emma, who has been dealing with Stargardt disease, which is juvenile macular degeneration, for most of her short life, manages to talk McKenna into entering. The Great Superior Mail Race is important to Emma, because the mushers will follow the route of the long ago Canadian mail couriers, delivering mail that will be stamped Delivered by Dog Team on them and it is open to mushers age 14 and up. Emma's plan is to write a letter to the Foundation for Fighting Blindness, asking for more research to be done on Stargardt disease. And she figures, if sister McKenna wins the race, surely her letter will be read aloud on TV. But when Emma figures out that McKenna also has Stargardt's, the sisters make a deal - if McKenna doesn't deliver Emma's letter, they will tell their parents about her loss of vision.

McKenna is an experienced musher and knows her dogs well, but even so, it is a dangerous race through the Canadian wilderness. Luckily, she meets two other young mushers who help her along the way. Harper doesn't like sled dog racing but her father wanted her to do this race, convinced it would change her mind about it. There have been mushers in her family for generations, the family is well off and her dogs are top notch. Guy, pronounced Gee, also comes from a long line of dog sledders, but now his mother has passed away, and his father wants to give up the dogs to save money as his delivery service flounders. Guy is hoping to win the race and perhaps get his father's a contract with Amazon, which would mean keeping the dogs to make deliveries with.

McKenna, Harper, and Guy are the only teens in the race, and I guess I was a little surprised they didn't know each other already, but that aside, they did develop a nice friendship, often helping each other when needed. But it is still a race they all have a reason to want to win and McKenna's eye condition is becoming more obvious. Will either new friend take advantage of McKenna's condition to win.

Dog Driven is, to say the least, an action packed nail-biter. The story is narrated by McKenna so the reader knows exactly what is going on in her head as she struggles with the fact of losing her sight. At the same time, the reader also sees everything happening through her eyes, which realistically includes the difficulty she has seeing most of the time. Loss of vision under normal circumstances is difficult, but under the circumstances of dog sledding in the Canadian wilderness is downright perilous. But McKenna has a wonderful relationship with her dogs, and knows and trusts them to do what a good sled dog would.

I really liked McKenna's and her sister's relationship,  too, and I could completely understand why McKenna didn't want her parents to know about her deteriorating eyesight. She sees how her mother does everything for her sister, and won't let her develop the skills she needs to be more independent.

The race is a competition and McKenna, Guy, and Harper each have their own personal reasons for entering it, but it was nice to see how they were still able to become friends and even help each other out when needed. And the details of what the weather and terrain conditions are like for a race like this are amazingly real, probably because Johnson was at one time a dog sledder herself. I have to admit, the idea of being out on part of a frozen Lake Superior is not my idea of fun, but it certainly made for exciting reading. There is a map at the beginning of the book that shows the route the mushers took, so that you can see exactly where McKenna throughout the race. I found myself referring to it frequently

One other thing: throughout the story are letters that take the reader back to when the mail was being delivered by dog sled only, as well as some modern letters the racers are carrying for the competition. I could have enjoyed this book thoroughly without them, but they are at least brief.

Dog Driven is a book that completely took me out of my life as a NYC girl, and put me into a totally different world. It was a wonderful experience, and I can't recommend reading it highly enough.

You can find out more about Stargardt Disease HERE

This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was a ARC gratefully received from Blue Slip Media

Be sure to check out the other Marvelous Middle Grade Monday offerings, now being carried on by Greg at Always in the Middle. 

MMGM: Malamander (Malamander #1) by Thomas Taylor, illustrated by Tom Booth

It's bitter cold winter in Eerie-on-Sea, a coastal resort town, and there aren't many guests staying at the Grand Nautilus Hotel, which means that Herbert "Herbie" Lemon, 12 and in charge of the hotel's Lost and Foundry, isn't terribly busy either. That is until Violet Parma, also 12, enters his life climbing through the window of his small cubbyhole in the reception lobby asking to be hidden.

Violet is being chased by a sailor with a boat hook in place of a hand that was somehow lost. On the other hand, Violet is looking for her parents who had disappeared while staying in the Grand Nautilus when she was a baby and now she's come to enlist the services of Herbie Lemon, who is, after all, the hotel's Lost and Founder. The only clue Violet has is a card with some numbers on one side and a picture of a mermonkey in a top hat on the other side. It's a picture Herbie recognizes and so the two set off for the Eerie Book Dispensary.

At the Eerie Book Dispensary, which is owned by Mrs. Jenny Hanniver, they run into Sebastian Eels, an author and a local celebrity. Mrs. Hanniver recognizes Violet's name because she used to know her father, Peter Parma, also a writer. At the Book Dispensary, the book choses the reader by feeding the mechanical mermonkey a coin, which then issues a card, similar to the one Violet already has, and by following the code on the back, the reader finds the book that has been chosen for them. A book called Malamander by Captain K is chosen for Violet.

The malamander is a local legend, a monstrous half man, half fish creature with hideous spikes and steely scales protecting it. The creature lays one magical egg every year on midwinter night, which is fast approaching. The  egg is said to grant the dearest wish of whomever can get it. But to get the egg, the malamander has to be defeated, no easy task. And at the end of midwinter night, if a mate doesn't show up, the malamander eats the magical egg and seekers have to wait another year for another chance at the egg.

And there are a whole bunch of shady characters who would dearly love to get their hands on this magical egg, including a watery ghost, and they all seem to think Violet Parma has the secret to defeating the malamander, putting her and now Herbie in a very dangerous and most precarious position.

Malamander is a fun, quirky fantasy novel, narrated by the very lively and likable Herbie, who, like Violet is an orphan and has a story of his own, which we don't fully know...yet. The mystery of how and why Violet's parents disappeared keeps the action moving, mostly because Violet is fearless and determined and not above taking off on her own, despite the danger.

There are lots of plot twists and wordplay to be found among the adventures and different characters making the whole story feel very tongue-in-cheek at times. Adding to the fun and the idiosyncratic human characters is a cat named Erwin, who can speak when he wants to. He takes an instant liking to Violet, which proves to be a life-saving good thing.

Malamander is a fun fantasy for anyone who is looking for an offbeat mystery/adventure story that is the beginning of a new series.

You can find an excellent Teacher's Guide for the Malamander courtesy of the publisher HERE
You can find fun Activity pages to download courtesy of the publisher HERE

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was received with gratitude from Candlewick Press and NetGalley

Be sure to check out the other Marvelous Middle Grade Monday offerings, now being carried on by Greg at Always in the Middle. 

Blog Tour: Alex Rider: Secret Weapon by Anthony Horowitz

Welcome to the Kids Know Best Blog Tour, a two part tour featuring two different books: Theodore Boone: The Accomplice by John Grisham and Alex Rider: Secret Weapon by Anthony Horowitz. For this tour, I chose to read the Alex Rider book.

And I have to confess, I have never read an Alex Rider book before, but chose it based on different things I have heard from young readers, who are fans of the series. So far, there are 11 books in the Alex Rider series, not counting Secret Weapon, which is a book of 7 short stories.

For those like me who don't know, 14-year-old Alex has been well trained to be a spy by his uncle, Ian Rider, who was a secret agent for MI6. After his uncle was killed, MI6 approached Alex, recognizing his potential, talent, and training. Now, Alex is working for MI6 and having some incredible adventures.

In the first story, "Alex in Afghanistan," Alex is sent to a remote area in the Herat Mountains, where Darcus Drake is holed up in a ancient citadel, hoping to get an old Soviet calutron working again, so he can quickly produce the uranium needed for bombs and offer it to every terrorist group in the Middle East. All Alex has to do is find it to prove it exists. Why Alex? The back way into the citadel is through some narrow ventilation pipelines.

In "The Man with Eleven Fingers," Alex's trip to the dentist for a sore tooth turns into a exciting day when he is given a free chocolate bar being handed out to passersby. But when Alex notices something wrong with the wrapper, he begins to follow the man who gave the candy out. He recognizes the driver that picks up the candy man, and decides to punt on the dentist and follow them to see what's up. No sooner does Alex figure out what's going on, then people all over London start dropping in their tracts. This was an interesting story and the ending really surprised me.

The third story is called "Secret Weapon" and involves a drug-dealer named Skoda, whom Alex had a run in with in an earlier book. Skoda has finally figured out how to sneak out of prison and take care of Alex. And his plan works, until it doesn't. This story also has a surprise at the end, and again, I didn't see it coming.

"High Tension" is a little different, as it doesn't involve any spy activity. Alex is on vacation with a friend in the South of France. When he finds himself with some free time, his host, Andrew Hale, insists that he go parasailing and enlists his wife Celestine to drive Alex to the beach. Not really wanting to parasail, Alex reluctantly agrees and is not sooner in the air, then the driver of the motorboat to which he is harnessed passes out. Getting out the air safely may require readers to really suspend their disbelief more than in other Alex Rider stories, but it's still a tense, action-packed story.

The fifth story, "Tea with Smithers" is not action-packed or a spy story, but rather a look at Alex's 'quieter' side of life. After a debriefing at MI6, Alex runs into Smithers, the man who invents and then disguises all of Alex's James Bond-like gadgets for fighting off bad guys. Smithers invites Alex to tea and when he shows up, he learns all about Smithers' life and how he became an inventor/disguiser for MI6. But when he challenges Alex to try to find his brand-new gadget, one sitting right in front of Alex, the ace 14-year-old is totally stumped. This was a fun story, and there are lots of hints as to what the new gadget is, but if you, like Alex, can't figure it out, it is a fun, surprise ending.

"Christmas at Gunpoint," the sixth story is the only one in which Ian Rider appears. During a ski trip to Gunpoint, Colorado, Alex meets Sahara Sands, a fellow teen, there with her dad, who does "something in government" The two teens have lots of fun skiing and snowboarding, but one night, he catches his uncle fighting with a man over a gun with a silencer, then he sees Sahara looking scared and being escorted into a gondola by two rather sketchy men. This is an exciting story, and Ian's lesson for Alex here is to closely observe the people he meets - how they dress, how they speak, what they eat and drink, and where they carry their guns: "You have to notice these things, Alex...all the details. People tell a story the moment they walk into a room. You can read them." (pg. 227) What does this advice have to do with the story - only everything.

The seventh and last story, "Spy Trap," Alex wakes up in what appears to be an MI6 hospital in an old abbey, and is told he was in an accident. Kept confined to bed, except for visits to a Dr. Feng, who claimed to be a therapist, Alex quickly suspects that things aren't what they appear to be. Yet, when asked questions about his life with MI6, Alex can't stop himself from speaking the truth. When he suspects his food is drugged, he stops eating and drinking and begins to control what he tells Dr. Feng. As Alex's memory returns, he begin to plan his escape, then discovers he isn't the only MI6 agent being held hostage.

To call these short stories thrilling and action-packed is an understatement. More than once, I found myself shaking my leg to release the nervous energy as the tension of a story built. I actually thought these stories all quite good. They are well-written, there is plenty of excitement, and even though it is pretty improbable that a 14-year-old would ever be allowed to be a spy, it is still fun reading about Alex Rider's adventures. I really liked that Alex is so detail oriented, as I am as well, so I enjoyed reading all the descriptions he relates about his surroundings and the people he encounters. And Alex is quite personable. I also found that not knowing anything about the Alex Rider series, there was enough information in these stories so I never felt lost.

Would I recommend this book? Yes, I definitely do. Would I read another Alex Rider book? Well, I do have Book 1, Stormbreaker on a hold at the library.

This book is recommended for readers age 11+
This book was provided to me for review purposes

Be sure to visit all the other stops on the Kids Know Best Blog Tour:

PART ONE: Theodore Boone: The Accomplice

WEEK ONE

May 6 – InRandom – Review

May 7 – Homeschool on the Range – Novel Study

May 8 – Min Reads and Review – Spotlight

May 9 – Picture Books to YA – Listicle: Non-fiction books + TV Shows for kids who are interested 

              in law

WEEK TWO

May 13 – Reading Corner for All – Crossword/Word Search + Review  

May 14 – Two Points of Interest – Review

May 15 – Homeschool by the Beach – Creative Instagram Picture

May 16 – Little Homeschool on the Prairie – Review

PART TWO: Alex Rider: The Secret Weapon

WEEK THREE

May 20 – Createexploreread – Creative Instagram Picture

May 21 – Alohamora Open a Book – Review + Playlist

May 22 – Somethewiser – Review + Video Clip

May 23 – Lost in Storyland – Listicle: Teenage Spy Survival Guide

WEEK FOUR

May 27 – @gobletoffiction – Creative Instagram Picture + Review

May 28 – Randomly Reading – Review

May 29 – Amanda Seghetti – Creative Instagram Picture  

May 30 – Ms. Yingling Reads – Memorable Moments in Alex Rider History

24 Hours in Nowhere by Dusti Bowling

Thirteen-year-old Gus is small for his age, but much smarter than most of his classmates. And he's hoping his good grades will be his ticket out of Nowhere, Arizona, a small boring, poverty-stricken trailer park town in the middle of, well, nowhere. Gus' size makes him an ideal target for bullying by the not-too-bright Bo Taylor; unfortunately, Gus' smarts don't always help him when it comes to Bo. Such is the case when Bo tries to force feed Gus with a Jumping Cholla cactus. Fortunately for Gus, Rossi Scott, a Tohono O'odham that Gus has a crush on comes along to save him, by offering Bo her beloved dirt bike, Loretta.

Feeling guilty about his safety costing Rossi her bike, Gus heads over to Bo's trailer to try and buy it back. But there's a big dirt bike race coming and without Loretta, Rossi doesn't stand a chance of beating Bo again. So Bo offers Gus a challenge - that Gus go into the Dead Frenchman Mine and bring back a big chuck of gold. Gus accepts the challenge even though he knows the mine is dangerous, that cave-ins have killed a number of gold seekers and coming out alive would be quite a feat.

While buying supplies, Gus runs in into his former old friend Jessie Navarros. When Jessie started hanging out with the other Mexican kids in school lunchroom, and speaking Spanish, Gus, who doesn't know Spanish, thought it was a pretty clear sign that Jessie was no longer wanted to be his friend. And yet, he feels compelled to tell him about the deal he made with Bo.

Later, just as Gus sets off for the mine, one of Bo's pals, Matthew Dufort, shows up. Matt has been ordered to accompany Gus into the mine to make sure he brings back a piece of real gold, not just a painted rock. Once inside the mine, they hear voices that turn out to be Rossi and Jessie, there to talk Gus out of the challenge and the mine. But Gus is determined.

No sooner does he start chiseling away, than he breaks though the wall that reveals another chamber in the cave. But then, they hear a rumbling sound and the old Dead Frenchman Mine does what old mines often do - it collapse around them. No one is killed, but with the entrance blocked, will the be able to find their way out? More importantly, will they actually find gold?

24 Hours in Nowhere has everything - excitement, humor, adventure, all contained in a dangerous setting. And it all happens within a 24 hour time frame, measured by Gus' watch, the only thing his dad ever gave him. All of these characteristics will hold a young readers attention, as will Gus' wry wit, and the vocabulary words he inserts in his first person narrative (preparation for the SATs - his real ticket out of Nowhere). 

Bowling has also sensitively addressed some pretty intense themes - poverty, bullying, child abuse, child neglect, and prejudice - and somehow the hot, barren desert in which a collapsing mine is located seems the most appropriate setting, almost as though it were another character. But then I remember how beautiful the desert is when it is in bloom, and we see the characters in this novel also starting to bloom. Of course, a death-defying adventure could do that to a person. So Bowling also addresses themes hope, friendship, and personal growth in some of her characters.

I lived in Arizona for four years and I still love it, especially the desert, and I thought it especially clever that Bowling has taken one of Arizona's more popular historical legends - the Lost Dutchman Mine - and reworked it as the Dead Frenchman Mine.

24 Hours in Nowhere will definitely take young readers somewhere and it is really worth the trip.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an ARC received from the publisher, Sterling Children's Books

The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert-Murdock, illustrations by Ian Schoenherr

When I was in grad school, I had a passion for the medieval period. Unfortunately, I was in a small German department that didn't have its own medievalist, though we did have some wonderful visiting professors. Still, it meant I couldn't write my first choice dissertation. Nevertheless, I continue to have a soft spot for books set during this time period, which is why I was drawn to The Book of Boy.

The story begins in France in 1350, shortly after the plague* had swept through. Boy is tending the goats at the manor of Sir Jacques, a knight with a traumatic brain injury from a joust and who can no longer speak or move. Boy is an excellent jumper and climber despite the large hump on his back, and also has the unique ability to understand what animals are thinking.

One day, a pilgrim named Secundus arrives at the manor, sees Boy's climbing ability, and convinces the cook, now the wife of Sir Jacques, to let him take Boy on his pilgrimage. Secundus is collecting seven relics of St. Peter, which are to be found throughout France and Rome. Secundus, who is quite ill, believes that if he can collect all seven relics, he will be allowed to enter Paradise when he dies, and be reunited with his wife and child, both of whom died from the plague. Needless to say, Secundus didn't exactly lead a good, honest life, which is why he needs the relics.

As the two travel, it soon becomes clear to Boy that their journey isn't the honest quest he believed it would be. Instead, Secundus drags Boy into some pretty shady situations, stealing, fighting, and getting in all kinds of dangerous situations. Even though Boy knows what they are doing is wrong, he stays with Secundus for his own reasons - maybe, just maybe, if they make it to Rome, he will get his wish to be a "real boy."

Boy has always been picked on and bullied because of his hump. He had been told never to reveal himself to anyone by Father Petrus, who had cared for Boy until he too died from the plague, and Boy always thought it was because of his hump. But, as the story moves along, Boy becomes more and more aware of who he is. And it is definitely not who he thought he was (and, given this twist, he was not who I thought he was, either).

The Book of Boy is narrated by Boy, who gives the readers a wonderfully informative window into life during the medieval period, particularly what happened during the height of the plague in France, and the fears of its return. He is a wonderful character, a really sweet innocent, despite being an outcast who has been bullied, ridiculed, and physically attacked all his life. At first, I was a little turned off by his ability to understand what animals were thinking, but as the story progressed, I found it to be more and more interesting, a unique way of providing the reader with necessary information. Consequently, for that reason and others, this book becomes a nice mix of realistic and fantastic fiction.

Secundus, who always smells like brimstone to Boy, is as mysterious a character as Boy. A scoundrel and a thief, his story is slowly revealed along with Boy's and by the time the novel ends, readers will surely realize that sometimes people just aren't who they appear to be. But getting to that point is quite a journey.

The Book of Boy is fast, informative, at times cruel, and at other times, fun, particularly some of the conversations between Boy and various animals. I sat down to read it one evening and didn't get up until I finished. And I spent lots of time studying the wonderful woodcut-style illustrations by Ian Schoenherr. Pay attention to the cover - it traces the quest of Secundus and Boy in a most interesting way.

The Book of Boy satisfied my medieval cravings like no book has recently. It is an interesting quest into what is good and what is evil, and why, and hopefully, Boy's story will serve as a nice addition to books for young readers about this underrepresented time period.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL

*The plague referred to in this book is often called the Black Death. It swept across Europe and Britain between 1347 to 1353, and it is believed that 75 to 200 million people died from it. At the time, no one knew what cause the plague, only that it spread rapidly. Below is a map that shows the spread of the plague:

Source: Wikipedia: Spread of the Black Death in Europe and the Near East

The Unexpected Life of Oliver Cromwell Pitts by Avi

One of the things I like about reading a novel by Avi is that I can (almost) always count on it being an interesting work of historical fiction and his latest novel is no exception.

The story begins on the morning of November 12, 1724. Oliver, 12, wakes up to discover that not only has a violent storm flooded his home and his town of Melcombe Regis on the Dorset coast, but his father is also missing, and Oliver has no idea where he might be. His father left a note telling him where he went, but it is too waterlogged to read.

Left with no money and no food, Oliver heads outside, and discovers a shipwreck on the beach. He decides to explore a little even though he knows that taking anything at all from a shipwreck is a death-by-hanging offense. Still, when he discovers 30 shillings, he decides to “borrow” 23 shillings, which he figures is more than enough money to live on until his father returns.

Unfortunately for Oliver, his lawyer father has managed to offend pretty much everyone in Melcombe Regis, so when those in authority discover that he is alone and his father missing, they decide the best place for Oliver is in the poorhouse.

After hiding his ill-gotten shillings, and figuring the poorhouse is at least good for food and shelter, Oliver lets himself be taken to there with plans on remaining for only two weeks. But escaping it takes longer and is harder than he had anticipated. But escape he does, and decides to travel to London, where his older sister Charity lives and works and who may know something about what happened to their father.

The road to London, however, is paved with one setback after another for Oliver, including a gang of ruthless highway robbers, led by one notorious Captain Hawkes. Kidnapping Oliver, Hawkes already knows about the shillings he stole from the shipwreck, and decides that since Oliver is already a thief, he can be used for more highway robberies.

Just when you think that Oliver couldn’t possibly have more adventures and misadventures, Hawkes takes him to London, and next thing Oliver knows, he is reluctantly involved with the (real life) criminal Jonathan Wild. But will he ever find Charity and his father and get out of this mess?

The Unexpected Life of Oliver Cromwell Pitts is a very exciting story. Each chapter ends with such a strong cliffhanger, that I couldn’t help but turn the page and keep reading. And I did finish the book in one sitting because of that. 

Avi is really a master at placing his characters in difficult situations, and then following them step-by-step as their story plays out. In this way, it makes it so easy and rather understandable as we watch Oliver’s life spiral into crime.

Oliver narrates this engaging tale in language that authentically reflects the time in which he lives, but not so much so that it will put young readers off. Besides, Oliver is just too appealing to leave him to his fate without taking the journey with him.

I also feel that some of the novel's real strength lies in the vivid descriptions of life in early 18th century England. The abusive treatment of even very young children is part of Oliver’s experience in the poorhouse, where cold, underfed regimented children are forced to do hard, menial work for long hours and faced cruel punishment for any act of disobedience. 

    

In Melcombe Regis and in London, there are depictions of the farce of 18th century "justice" as practiced in the Old Bailey and the prisons of the period (where prisoners are charged for the privilege of being incarcerated).

All in all, The Unexpected Life of Oliver Cromwell Pitts is an exciting adventure. It is the first book in a series and I personally can’t wait to read Book 2 and see what else life holds for Oliver Cromwell Pitts.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was provided to me by the publisher, Algonquin Young Readers

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday is a weekly event hosted by Shannon Messenger at Book Ramblings, and Plenty of Shenanigans