At the end of 2023 I had the pleasure of reading some amazing middle grade books. There have been some I’ve already featured on this blog, but I didn’t want to let another month go by before I included these two gems.
Here’s the blurb:
On the day they are born, every Swift child is brought before the sacred Family Dictionary. They are given a name, and a definition. A definition it is assumed they will grow up to match.
Meet Shenanigan Swift: Little sister. Risk-taker. Mischief-maker.
Shenanigan is getting ready for the big Swift Family Reunion and plotting her next great scheme: hunting for Grand-Uncle Vile’s long-lost treasure. She’s excited to finally meet her arriving relatives—until one of them gives Arch-Aunt Schadenfreude a deadly shove down the stairs.
So what if everyone thinks she’ll never be more than a troublemaker, just because of her name? Shenanigan knows she can become whatever she wants, even a detective. And she’s determined to follow the twisty clues and catch the killer.
Deliciously suspenseful and delightfully clever, The Swifts is a remarkable debut that is both brilliantly contemporary and instantly classic. A celebration of words and individuality, it’s packed with games, wordplay, and lots and lots of mischief as Shenanigan sets out to save her family and define herself in a world where definitions are so important.
And here is my review for this entertaining book:
THE SWIFTS: A DICTIONARY OF SCOUNDRELS by Beth Lincoln
A mash up of Agatha Christie, KNIVES OUT, and Edward Gory rolled into one entertaining mystery for middle graders that will keep readers turning pages and laughing at a family of ridiculous characters and their antics. Black and white illustrations add a level of humor. Games, wordplay, and clever antics will keep readers guessing until the end.
The second book is a delightful piece of historical fiction by author REBECCA BEHRENS.
Here’s the blurb:
It’s 1967 and twelve-year-old Bea is in need of some adventure. Her mother is off in San Francisco, while her father has just gotten remarried in Los Angeles. Bea has gained a younger stepsister, and she’s not thrilled about her blended family. So when her ailing grandmother, Pidge, moves to an Orange County senior-living community and asks if Bea would spend the summer helping her get settled, Bea is happy for any excuse to get away.
But it turns out, her grandmother isn’t interested in settling in. What she really wants is to hop a train back to Atchison, Kansas—where she thinks she’ll be reunited with her long-missing sister: Amelia Earhart. And she wants Bea to be her sidekick on this secret trip.
At first, Bea thinks her grandmother’s plan is a little crazy. But Pidge has thirty years of letters written in “Meelie’s” unmistakable voice, all promising to reunite. This might be the adventure Bea needs…
With letters in hand, Bea and Pidge set off on their quest to find Amelia. But getting halfway across the country proves to be more of an adventure than either of them bargained for. And their search for Amelia leads to some surprising truths about their family—and each other.
My Review:
THE LAST GRAND ADVENTURE by Rebecca Behrens
A charming and quirky historical fiction story of loss, family, and the enduring bond of sisterhood. Bea and her grandmother Pidge set out on a cross-country trip to meet Pidge’s sister Amelia Earhart after 30 years of absence. The people they meet along the way and the misadventures they share changes both of them forever. Told with humor and heart, this novel is highly recommended.
I am giving away my copy of THE SWIFTS to one person chosen at random from those who leave a comment below. USA only please.