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The Jingu Magical Garden
In The Jingu Magical Garden, Lillian Jingu, the youngest daughter in a big Japanese American family living inside the Japanese Tea Garden in San Antonio in the late 1930s discovers a strange egg by the koi pond, hatches a tiny blue dragon she names Kokoro, and hides him with the help of her brother Kimi, a very dignified turtle, and a tough gray cat. At first, it feels like pure magic and mischief in a hidden garden. Then a crack in time opens, and Lillian and Kokoro are pulled into moments that show how war, rumor, and racism creep into their world and shake the life they love in the tea garden. The story braids fantasy with the real history of the Jingu family and the garden, all the way through World War II and beyond.
I had a soft spot for Lillian right away. She just wants to grow her hair long, wear a white Stetson, blend in at school, and also secretly raise a baby dragon who drinks Coca-Cola and eats sardines out of a tin. That mix of ordinary kid worries and wild magical stuff really worked for me. The family scenes in the Bamboo Room kitchen made me feel like I was sitting at the table, listening to sisters tease each other while their parents try to keep everyone fed and in line. Kokoro is goofy and sweet and a bit chaotic, so every time he bursts out of hiding I could feel my shoulders tense and my brain go “oh no, not now,” in the best way. Some chapters feel cozy and funny, and then the tone shifts, and I felt my stomach drop when hints of war and suspicion started creeping into their everyday life.
The book talks about anti Asian prejudice without turning into a lecture, and that made it more powerful to me. You see how quickly neighbors and officials can turn on a family that has done nothing wrong, and it hurt to watch, because we know this stuff did happen in real life and still echoes today. At the same time, the dragon and the time travel bits keep the story from feeling hopeless, almost like the past itself is reaching out to protect this family and their garden. I liked that the author doesn’t pretend everything gets neatly fixed, but she still gives the Jingus courage, humor, and dignity, and that mix left me sad and hopeful at the same time.
As for the writing, it has a very old radio show vibe in spots, with Buck Rogers and songs on the wireless and little period details tucked everywhere, and I thought that was charming. The garden descriptions are lush and detailed, so I could picture the waterfall, the stone paths, and the hidden corners where a dragon might hide, and those scenes slowed my breathing in a good way. The dialogue can be a bit old-fashioned in places, which fits the time period. Still, the emotional beats land. When the family faces public shaming, name changes, and the loss of their place, the simple language hits like a punch because you already care about these people and this garden so much.
I really enjoyed this children’s book. I would hand it to middle-grade readers who like dragons but can handle some heavier real-world stuff, kids around nine to thirteen who are curious about World War II on the home front, and any young reader who has ever felt caught between cultures or out of place. It would also be great for teachers or parents who want to talk about racism, resilience, and community in a way that feels authentic. If you want a story with cozy family meals, secret magical pets, and real history woven together, this one is a good pick.
Pages: 282 | ASIN : B0GCQV9TB9
Tales of Spooner Pond: Supernatural Tales of Unforgettable Characters and Peculiar Gifts
In Tales of Spooner Pond, by Terry Rasner, a girl named Pippy Natalie Hyland discovers her “dreams” are less pillow-fog and more passport: she’s being called from ordinary North Star Ridge into Spooner Pond, a lush otherworld populated by talkative animal-humans (“palimals”) and overseen by Truggles, a towering, dog-and-panda-like guardian who insists she can learn to travel back and forth, and even bring a few friends along. The book opens with a domestic alarm (a bedroom wall turned into a map, furious parents, a counselor visit) and quickly widens into episodic adventures where strange gifts appear, loyalties form, and the geography of wonder becomes almost tactile.
What hooked me first wasn’t the premise, portal fantasies are a well-trod trail, but the particular grain of the telling: Pippy’s voice can be earnest, snarky, and suddenly luminous in the same breath. The adults are drawn with a kid’s exacting fairness (my favorite detail is how her father “towered…like a stout oak tree,” which is both affectionate and indicting), and that tension gives Spooner Pond a real narrative job: it’s not just escapism, it’s relief-pressure, a place where a child can feel chosen instead of merely managed. Even the language invents its own little rituals, “noggin nudger” moments, like the story is quietly training you to adopt its private vocabulary.
Once the “palimals” take the stage, I found myself smiling at how the book refuses to sand down its oddities. Kitty Joe, the oversized cat with his chewy idiolect and disconcerting carnivore pride, is both cuddly and feral; he’s the kind of character who can purr in your arms and, two sentences later, remind you he’d prefer his breakfast with a crunch. And the set pieces have a fable-like clarity, Barney becoming “Feathers,” learning to glide and then “fly” by turning ears into wings, is delightfully implausible in the way childhood logic can be: if you want it badly enough and you practice hard enough, anatomy negotiates. I admired the book’s stubborn commitment to its own cadence, unembarrassed, a little eccentric, and often genuinely sweet.
Terry Rasner’s YA novel feels best aimed at middle-grade readers (and read-aloud families) who like fantasy, portal fantasy, supernatural adventure, and magical creatures with a dash of moral weather, patience, courage, and loyalty, threaded through the spectacle. If you loved The Chronicles of Narnia, Spooner Pond offers a similarly sincere invitation, just with fur, oddball slang, and gifts that arrive sideways. Tales of Spooner Pond is a warm and peculiar pocket-universe where the weird feels like a kind of truth.
Pages: 288 | ASIN : B0G6VKNV2Q
Protecting Friends
Facing Revenge follows a group of high school friends who are dealing with normal teen life till two boys decide to take revenge on classmates, leading to a kidnapping. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Cali and Sky made Clair Ransom’s acquaintance back in seventh grade when Cali saw some boys harassing Clair but she was not sure why they were doing the bullying. When she confronted Clair, she discovered that Clair had Tourette’s and was being mocked by other students who were clueless about the malady. She involved Sky with helping Clair deal with his Tourette symptoms and with his lack of confidence because of his malady. As they got to know Clair better, Sky and Cali found that he was intelligent, creative, and had a dry sense of humor that made developing a meaningful friendship with Clair worth their time. Sky and his wrestling and football buddies also developed a brotherly relationship with Clair. Sky, Cali, and their friends have been protective of Clair ever since those early days in junior high.
Now when Cali, Sky, and their ninth-grade friends enter senior high school, students who are not familiar with Clair’s Tourette symptoms, his strange tics, again initiate bullying behavior. Sky and his football friends are prepared to be protective of Clair and when an incident occurs during an early-in-the-school-year lunchroom, Clair’s friends quickly come to his aid. The incident of clueless bullying is typical of modern high school drama. In this instance, when Sky and friends intervene on Clair’s behalf, their protective act humiliates the bullies and a sequence of events then occurs where the bullies want revenge but their choice of revenge escalates to a high level.
While Skyler and Cali keep finding themselves in situations involving trouble and crime, that is not all that shapes who they are as teens. What were some of the trials that you felt were important to highlight the character’s development?
Cali and Sky continue to deal with their difficulty, their confusion about their sexual desires. Part of their psyche knows that sexual desires are normal, but part of their decision making in this area continues to be influenced by several factors: of the influence of cultural expectations; and of their knowledge that becoming sexually involved could make their future relationship difficult and taxing. What if they break up? What if they fall in love with someone else? How will they feel when they must go separate ways after high school but have had an intense sexual relationship? These concerns will continue to influence their relationship as they approach their 12th grade-year and their eventual graduation from high school.
What is your background and experience, and how did it help you write this story?
I spent twenty years as a high school counselor in a public high school. Teen sexual dilemmas and bullying far outweighed academic concerns that kids would present to me during personal counseling sessions. Also paramount in teen life was the contrast in how parents would deal with their teen child especially in the areas of self esteem and dating complexities.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Forced Apart is now available. A typical situation in the life of a teen occurs. Parents have the opportunity to further their careers but to seize the opportunity means moving to a new city. Cali and Sky are forced to live apart and their separation presents new challenges with which the two teens must cope. How will they handle the separation? And what about that teen’s parents? Will the relocation present challenges for the parents also? Will the teen who must relocate be able to develop new and meaningful friendships? Will the teen left behind find a new romance? And what if a new danger develops to put one of them at risk? Will friends, new and old, be once again instrumental in helping Sky and Cali cope with the challenges of not attending the same high school and not in daily contact with one another? Forced Apart will fit with the preceding novels as these two modern day teens cope with challenges that often do arise in adolescent life in America.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
These situations are typical for current high school students until two boys, ruminating on a public embarrassment, decide to take revenge to a dangerous level. Maybe the remainder of their freshman year at Parkington North won’t be as manageable as Sky and Cali expected.
Facing Revenge
Facing Revenge follows Calista Snipe and Skyler McCray as they navigate friendship, romance, and rising danger during their high school year. The book opens with normal teen routines, like rides to school and lunchroom drama, then slowly shifts as tension rises around bullying, simmering grudges, and a growing threat targeted at their friend group. The story builds toward a frightening climax in which Skyler, Clair, and others face off against masked attackers to rescue kidnapped girls, a scene vividly shown when Sky bursts into the loft to confront four hooded figures reviewing photos of their captives. The novel blends everyday teenage life with suspense, friendship loyalty, and moments of courage.
I found myself pulled into the friendships more than anything else. The banter between Sky, Bax, Leantos, and Clair made the group feel familiar and warm, even when they were dealing with tense moments, like when Clair was harassed in the cafeteria, and Eli slammed Boman against the milk cooler in his defense. The writing had a casual rhythm that felt like listening to actual teens talk. Sometimes the dialogue rambled, but that looseness also made the quieter emotional moments land harder. Seeing Clair’s anxiety before his first wrestling match and the tears on his cheeks afterward made me feel protective of him. Those scenes felt honest in a way that surprised me.
I also reacted strongly to the darker parts of the novel. The boys plotting revenge in Bakari’s bedroom, talking flippantly about grabbing Calista or Gabrielle, hit me with a jolt because of how casually they floated the idea, almost like it was entertainment rather than cruelty. That casual malice felt real and unsettling. And by the time the kidnapping unfolds, the book had built enough dread that the violence in the loft genuinely shocked me. The moment Sky uses the stave as a ruse, fakes high, then sweeps the attacker’s knees while Clair charges like a human battering ram, felt unexpectedly intense for a teen novel.
I felt satisfied with the way the story balanced its emotional beats. The friendships carry the book, and the suspense gives those bonds real weight. I would recommend Facing Revenge to readers in the older-teen range who enjoy stories about tight friend groups, school drama, and real danger woven together. It would especially fit readers who like character-driven suspense that still feels grounded in everyday life, and anyone who appreciates stories that highlight loyalty, bravery, and the way ordinary kids can rise to extraordinary moments.
Pages: 195 | ASIN : B0F5N8YYS9
Not Just Another Brick in the Wall
When I started reading Not Just Another Brick in the Wall!, I expected a typical high school drama. You know the type: sports, crushes, maybe a few fights in the hallway. But this book surprised me. It’s more layered than that. It’s about a group of teens trying to hold on to friendship while life starts showing its teeth. Cali Snipe, the main character, is just beginning ninth grade, nervous and curious and trying to stay grounded while the world around her keeps changing. There’s romance, a bit of danger, even a thread of mystery that creeps in when you least expect it. The story shifts between lighthearted teen moments and dark undercurrents that make you stop and think.
What really stood out to me was how the book captures the in-between. Those moments when you’re not quite a kid anymore but not yet an adult. The writing feels like memory. It’s full of chatter, inside jokes, awkward pauses, and those tiny details that make teenage life feel real. I could see my own high school self in the mix, nervous before the first day, wondering who to sit with at lunch, pretending not to care when I cared too much. The book nails that feeling. Sometimes it wanders, sometimes it circles back, but that’s exactly how being young feels.
I also liked that the story isn’t afraid to show adults in gray shades. The teachers and parents aren’t just background noise. Some are kind, some are creepy, and some are both. That part hit me harder than I thought it would. It reminded me that growing up means realizing not everyone who’s supposed to protect you always does. I won’t spoil the darker turns, but the tension builds quietly and sticks with you after the last page. It’s the kind of discomfort that makes you think about how fragile trust can be.
In some ways, Not Just Another Brick in the Wall! reminds me of the emotional honesty in Judy Blume’s coming-of-age novels and the raw realism of S. E. Hinton’s The Outsiders. It has that same heartbeat of youth and rebellion, but with a modern voice that feels closer to Laurie Halse Anderson or Sarah Dessen, writers who don’t flinch from showing how messy growing up really is. Like those authors, author Richard Read doesn’t just tell a story about teenagers; he lets them stumble, speak, and learn in their own rhythm. The book fits comfortably beside classics about adolescence and identity, yet it still stands apart with its mix of small-town grit and genuine warmth.
Pages: 236 | ASIN : B0DNXYKZKX
Not Logan: How I Accidentally Became A YouTube Star
When I first opened Not Logan, I thought I’d get a goofy story about a kid messing around on YouTube. Instead, what I got was a sharp, funny, and oddly moving ride through middle school awkwardness, internet fame, and the chaos that comes when the two crash into each other. The book follows Logan Blake, a painfully normal twelve-year-old who stumbles into viral success after a ridiculous video glitch. From there, his channel explodes. What begins as a small escape from everyday life turns into a whirlwind of sponsorships, trolls, fan art, cookie-shaped sidekicks, and the strange pressure of trying to keep the internet entertained. Beneath all the jokes and silliness, though, the story quietly asks what it means to be yourself when the whole world is watching.
Reading this book felt like listening to a kid tell you the wildest story of his life while constantly interrupting himself with jokes, embarrassing confessions, and sarcastic asides. I laughed. A lot. The humor is quick, self-deprecating, and just the right mix of cringe and charm. But what surprised me was how often I caught myself nodding along, feeling that familiar knot of anxiety about being “good enough” or the weird hollow feeling when attention shifted away. The writing makes those moments land without getting heavy or preachy. Instead, they sneak up in between the punchlines and the chaos. I loved that balance. It kept me grinning even while I was thinking about bigger stuff.
The book leans a little into the randomness. Whole chapters spin off into tangents about burnt cookies, bizarre sponsorships, or ridiculous meetups, that are usually funny. I found myself wanting to stay with the quieter beats, like when he doubts himself after reading cruel comments, or when he chooses to step back and just be a kid for a while. Those parts hit harder, maybe because they’re honest in a way that doesn’t need exaggeration. Still, the over-the-top bits are clearly part of the charm, and I can see why younger readers especially would eat them up.
I had a blast with Not Logan. It’s goofy, fast-paced, and full of ridiculous scenarios, but it also has a big heart. It reminded me how strange and fragile it can feel to put yourself out there, and how important it is to laugh at your own disasters. I’d recommend this book to middle schoolers who spend too much time online, to parents who wonder why their kids watch endless YouTube streams, and to anyone who’s ever felt both invisible and too visible at the same time. It’s not just funny. It’s weirdly comforting.
Pages: 252 | ASIN : B0FH2G6N67
Almost Fourteen
When I first cracked open Almost Fourteen, I wasn’t sure what I was in for. What I found was a gritty and surprisingly tender story about young teens caught between the messy edges of childhood and the raw beginnings of adulthood. The book follows Calista Snipe and Skyler McCray, two friends-turned-something-more, as they try to make sense of junior high life while fending off dangers that are far darker than most kids their age should face. Alongside them are classmates like Mohini, who’s pulled into drug dealing, and Talia, who finds confidence through running. It’s a tale that mixes school dances and awkward crushes with kidnappings, gang threats, and brushes with predators.
I didn’t expect a coming-of-age story to dive into such dangerous territory. There were moments that left me uneasy, even angry, because of how vividly the author captures the vulnerabilities of kids. But then, in the middle of all that heaviness, you get these really sweet moments between Cali and Sky. Their awkward romance feels real, almost painfully so, and it’s a reminder that kids this age are pulled in opposite directions, wanting freedom but still being so young. I admired how the story didn’t shy away from showing both the light and dark sides of early teen years. It made me remember my own clumsy steps into adolescence, when one moment was pure fun and the next was laced with fear or uncertainty.
Some dialogue sparkles with humor and warmth, while other parts get weighed down by explanations or blunt descriptions. Sometimes I wanted the characters’ emotions to be shown more subtly. But I kept turning the pages. There’s an urgency in the way the plot moves, with danger always lurking around the corner, that made it hard to put down. And I got invested in these kids. I wanted them to win, to stay safe, to keep figuring out who they are in a world that can be cruel.
Almost Fourteen is not a light read, but it is a worthwhile one. It’s best suited for readers who appreciate stories that capture both the innocence and the peril of adolescence. If you like tales that mix young love, friendship, and school drama with real-world dangers and moral choices, this book will keep you hooked. I’d recommend it to parents, teachers, or even teens themselves who want something raw and honest.
Pages: 587 | ASIN : B07RHBR2VT
Ellie Ment and the Material Matter
Ellie Ment and the Material Matter, by Bertie Stephens, is a quirky and fast-paced middle-grade adventure that blends science, humor, and environmental themes with a heavy dose of curiosity and chaos. It follows the story of Ellie, an 11-year-old self-proclaimed scientist living in the endlessly rainy town of Hapsie. After witnessing her brand-new school go up in strange purple flames, Ellie is drawn into a mystery that includes jam jar experiments, mysterious adults, glowing embers, suspicious teachers, a secret science club, and a new girl who seems just a little too perfect. Armed with a fierce love of science and a head full of questions, Ellie digs deeper into what’s really going on, and ends up discovering more about the world (and herself) than she bargained for.
The writing is seriously fun. Bertie Stephens has a wild energy in his prose that feels like Roald Dahl with a scientific twist. There’s a real rhythm to the way he plays with narration, slipping in clever asides and running gags that make you grin without feeling overdone. The world-building in Hapsie is rich in detail, from a pothole nicknamed “Stego-hole” to an art teacher who inexplicably wipes down students’ faces with talcum powder. It’s packed with oddball characters and moments that are both funny and surprisingly touching. I loved how the book never talks down to the reader; it trusts kids to understand big ideas, and that trust feels earned. The science woven into the story isn’t just accurate, it’s exciting. Ellie’s obsession with the periodic table, her experiments with rainwater, and her balloon hypothesis all made me want to pull out a notebook and start investigating things myself.
Ellie is a joy. She is relatable, sharp, stubborn, and delightfully flawed, but Kami, her main “rival,” didn’t feel quite as developed early on. I found myself wanting to understand her a bit more beneath the confident, polished surface. Some of that depth does come through later. I loved the fast pace and witty writing. While a few moments felt a little rushed or slightly tangled, there were still plot twists that surprised me in the best way. This is a story that’s bursting with creativity, warmth, and just the right amount of scientific mayhem.
Ellie Ment and the Material Matter is one of those rare stories that feels smart and silly in equal measure. It’s great for curious kids who love science, adventure, or just getting into a little trouble in the name of learning. Teachers and parents will appreciate its environmental message and the way it champions creative thinking without preaching. It reminded me how important it is to question the world around us and to never accept “that’s just the way it is” as an answer. If I had this book when I was eleven, I would’ve read it twice.
Pages: 284 | ASIN : B0F6T1ZMFX
