WONDER WORLD KIDS BOOK TWO: THE CASE OF THE LOST LLAMAS 
By Dori Marx (Illustrated by Priscila Orozco Gallo)

Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This super cute chapter book series introduces kids to new destinations around the globe. In this installment, the reader is transported to Machu Picchu in Peru to help the Cook Family solve the mystery of the disappearance of llamas from the area.

With simple language and frequent illustrations, this book is ideal for reader's age six to ten-years-old, especially animal lovers. The eight-year-old Cook twins, Fynn and Celia, are memorable and unique characters, and their ten-year-old sister, Lily, is equally delightful. 

Back matter and a glossary are provided for readers who wish to delve into more detail about story elements such as challenging words, animals unique to the area, and local foods. 

Get your suitcase ready, the travel bug is about to hit!

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A Drop of Hope by Keith Calabrese

Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

If you've been searching for a middle-grade read full of inspiration and the power of small kindnesses, this is it. Set in a struggling small town, the story follows multiple sixth graders and their interactions with an old well said to grant wishes. Each character is as unique and memorable as the next and the way their stories and experiences interweave is brilliantly crafted. 

This is a page-turning read told from multiple points of view. Suitable for grades three and up. Get ready for intrigue, tension, adventure, and your heart to fill with hope and happiness.

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Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
 
Release date: 4/30/19
 
THE LIBRARY OF EVER By Zeno Alexander
 
This story is a librarian and book lover’s dream! A young girl, Lenora, with aspirations of becoming a librarian, is employed in a magical library. She swears to answer any question, no matter the challenge and so begins a wild adventure involving space and time travel, shrinking and unshrinking, and assisting a variety of library patrons from robots to ants.
Lenora is a well-crafted character full of spirit and warmth. The library patrons are unique, memorable and colorful. The intensity is well paced and the evil ‘Forces of Darkness’, who seek to destroy all libraries and sources of knowledge, are just the right amount of scary.
This page-turning adventure full of facts, twists, and turns is perfect for reader’s eight years and up. Additionally, teachers will love the endless project inspiration stemming from the interesting facts Lenora accumulates during her adventures. This a must read and will certainly be flagged as a kid lit classic in years to come.

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Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
 
Publication date: 11/6/18
 
INKLING By Kenneth Oppel (Illustrations by Sydney Smith)
 
A middle-grade novel about an inkblot might sound uninspiring but this novel is far from it! The blot, Inkling, is full of warmth and loyalty and arrives just at the right moment for a struggling single-parent family.
Oppel’s wonderfully crafted cast from Inkling to the depressed comic artist father jump off the page and straight into your heart. Even the ‘bad guys’ are multi-dimensional and layered.
Family dynamics and friendships are well portrayed and the cascade of events that follow the inkblot’s sketchbook escape are engaging and page turning.
Moral and ethical questions are also raised during the course of the book, encouraging readers to think and ponder right from wrong and everything in between.
Grab your favorite inky pen and sketchbook and enjoy!

How to be a Supervillain: Born to be Good by Michael Fry
 
Thanks to the @kidlitexchange network for the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
 
This follow-on tale to How To Be A Supervillain is just as quirky, hilarious, and absurd. From the tickling super skill of the narrator, Victor, to the diverse secondary characters, including The Smear, Moldy Dave, and Anvil Head!
 
Even abstracting from the humor of the superhero’s names and traits, the plot will ensure readers continue to turn pages— who wouldn’t want to know the outcome of a battle between a whole bunch of Supervillains and the alien Commodore who trapped them to use as galaxy entertainment. Oh, and if that’s not enough, the narrator wants to give up his supervillain life to become a civilian librarian and no one’s pleased about that either.
 
A great middle grade read, either as a stand-alone title or follow on from book one. The large number of illustrations provide another layer of entertainment and will be a great help for reluctant and struggling readers.

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