Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite

The Gemstone Chronicles: The Amethyst by William Stuart is the second book in the Gemstone Chronicles. Aidan and Maggie along with their grandparents have another mission awaiting them which will take them back to Celahir. This is a magical world where a group of Light Elves asks for their help to recover four gemstones that were stolen by Dark Elves. The loss of the gemstones has tipped the scales in the way of evil and weakened the barrier between the two worlds, allowing evil to grow in power. They retrieved one of the gemstones during their last journey into Celahir but the Light Elves have once again arrived to ask for the family's help to find the next gemstone: the Amethyst. Their upcoming journey is waylaid when it's discovered that Naesse has kidnapped Aidan and Maggie's father, which pulls their mom along into a race against time to rescue him and to retrieve the Amethyst.

The story is a family orientated adventure which takes the whole family into another world to save two worlds from evil. The family weaves between two worlds, with the human world and Celahir drawing them into this ultimate battle. They're the heroes of the story which veers from the typical fantasy-adventure as instead of the protagonist venturing off to save a magical world on their own, this is a family that takes this journey together. Family is at the heart of the story as they band together to rescue one of their own which provides a sweet center and drives each of the characters forward. The plot is driven by the love and bond of this family which is the key to stopping the plan of the Dark Elves and tipping the scales back to good. The fate of the two worlds and the balance of good rests on the shoulders of this family as the Light Elves trust in them.

William Stuart delves more into the rich and incredible mythology brought to life within this world by the balance between good and evil. Balance is a key theme of the story represented through light and dark, good and evil, and the two worlds. The gemstones even add to this theme of balance as they maintain the separation of the two while keeping in the favor of good. The fight between good and evil is represented through the Light and Dark elves. The Gemstone Chronicles: The Amethyst is an exciting and magical story that pulls a family into the middle of the fight between good and evil with the fate of a world at stake.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

The Slug Queen Chronicles is a work of playful fantasy fiction written for middle-grade aged children and penned by author S. O. Thomas. Billed as Season One of the chronicles, the opening to the story sees twelve-year-old Cricket Kane face a dangerous magical adventure as she learns the truth: fairies do exist, and they’re much more terrifying than you’d think. When Cricket’s brother is kidnapped and toxic dust takes his place and infects her family, so begins a wild adventure to recover him and discover why fairies don’t take single teeth anymore. The story is told over four short novellas that make up the season as a continuing arc.

Author S. O. Thomas writes with a delightful sense of imagination that teeters between fun and darkness nicely for the target middle-grade age range. There are plenty of hairy moments for young Cricket to endure as she solves dangerous problems, fights for her family and learns a lot from the characters she meets along the way. The four-novella format actually breaks a large, complex story down into very manageable chapter-chunks for MG readers, making it easy to lose yourself in this fabulous, cute and creepy world. Fans of visual feasts like the works of Tim Burton will fall in love with Thomas’s descriptive techniques, the atmosphere and color palette that falls as a backdrop to the magic and mayhem of the plot. Overall, The Slug Queen Chronicles is a sharp series with plenty of fantasy fun for children everywhere.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

The Guitar of Mayhem is a work of children’s fantasy fiction penned by author Jessica Renwick and is the sequel to the award-winning The Book of Chaos. We continue the adventures of our heroine Fable Nuthatch and her faithful friends a little while down the road from their last great escape out of the clutches of Endora. Now, in this second instalment in the Starfell series, the children are busy practising magic until incredible messages appear in Fable’s book. It seems Endora is on their trail again, and a series of bizarre signs send them on the hunt for a magical guitar that holds life-changing secrets for all.

This truly magical sequel has tons to offer fans of fantasy and incredible magical adventures. Fable is a plucky heroine with plenty of smarts, but the authenticity of the youth of her and her friends is palpable on every page, making them highly relatable to children of the same age reading this book. The prose is simple enough to be understood by independent readers, but also offers gorgeous, lavish descriptions of the magical elements of the world and hidden brilliance that adults reading along are sure to enjoy too. The plot turns with clever pinpoints that mimic a traditional fairy tale but also twist the conventions into new and surprising directions, thus offering something inventively new but comfortingly familiar. Overall, The Guitar of Mayhem is a fun and frolicking sequel that author Jessica Renwick can be truly proud of. Any kid’s new must-read!

Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite

Twelve-year-old twins Karina and Charlie Rosas are on a trip to Switzerland with their famous survivalist uncle, Diego Rosas, when their train mysteriously derails. They find themselves in a strange world, prompting them to find the nearest help. Unfortunately, a ferocious dragon appears, snatches Uncle Diego up, and flies away. Afraid but determined, the twins decide to rescue their uncle with the help of a dwarf, Zid, and a pirate, Captain Niraya Storm of the Red Hood. The task, however, is not easy. Other than the deadly dragon, they have to face a Kraken, werewolves, ghosts and other fantastical creatures that one can imagine. It's an impossible rescue mission that could end their lives. How will they fare? Roses in the Dragon's Den is an exciting children's fantasy adventure by Jacob Devlin.

Filled with adrenaline-pumping and heroic moments, Roses in the Dragon's Den hits all the right notes with spunky characters and a fascinating but dangerous world. The plot is well-paced and has great surprising twists. Family bonds is a strong theme that resonates in chapter after chapter. Alternating the POVs between Karina, Charlie, and Diego is deftly done, easily giving readers the chance to relate to the protagonists. The twins are easy to root for even though they let their emotions get the better of them at times. I gravitated towards Captain Niraya Storm instantly, the fearless and intelligent pirate who becomes the twins' protector during their journey. Simply put, this is an entertaining story by Jacob Devlin that has charm, a great sense of wonder and adventure for its readers.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

My Dad is a Mad Scientist is a science fiction adventure book for children penned by author Matthew Cox, and forms the first book in The Adventures of Ubergirl series. Twisting the traditional conventions of the superhero genre in new and interesting ways, we meet the young Kelly Donovan when she is just nine years old. Precocious and advanced at school, Kelly is a loner with few friends, and she retreats often into the comic book world of heroes and villains for solace. But when an alien invasion gives her actual superpowers, she vows to use them to rid the world of evil. There’s one small problem: her own father has vowed to do just the opposite.

Comedic and crazy, but with a lot of heart, the work of author Matthew Cox is sure to tickle the funny bone and warm your heart at the same time. I really enjoyed the presentation of Kelly as an outsider type, but someone who is still kind and friendly despite her introversion. The plotline with aliens travels from freak occurrence to a really interesting and credible conclusion as the plot progresses, and I particularly enjoyed the numerous puns and quips planted in the quirky narrative. This is definitely a book that can be enjoyed by adults and children together, and one which subverts many conventions of comic book and superhero plots in fresh and entertaining ways. Overall, My Dad is a Mad Scientist is a highly recommended read for ages eight and above.

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Candlewicke 13 and the Tombstone Forest is a work of fantasy fiction written for young adults by Milan Sergent and forms the second book in the Candlewicke 13 Series. After the events of Curse of the McRavens, our hero Valor is mere minutes from achieving his dream of attending the prestigious school of magic, Mystic Steeples. But just as he and his delightfully morose sister, Doomsy Gloomsy, are about to enroll, they are kidnapped by none other than their own parents. Valor's father, the totally insane Houmas McRaven, is insistent that his family must escape the Grim Warlock's Thirteenth Hour, but his methods set the family on a disastrous adventure into a world of tombstones and monsters.

It was an absolute delight to return to the bizarre, macabre and utterly entertaining world of the McRavens in this latest edition of Candlewicke 13. Valor and Doomsy developed a lot during book one, so it’s wonderful to see their new skills at work as they struggle through the mess their wayward parents have gotten them into now. The mystery of the McRavens continues with fluid prose, immense wit and highly engaging dialogue as author Milan Sergent weaves an intelligent tapestry of ideas. It is masterfully simple for younger readers but has plenty of depth left to explore. In this novel, I particularly enjoyed the role reversal of precocious kids with insane parents, and the amusement park was a truly wild ride. Overall, Candlewicke 13 and the Tombstone Forest is another superb YA fantasy novel, not to be missed.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

A work-at-home dad is shocked to find an elephant in his bathtub when he goes to take a morning bath. Then he finds a gorilla sitting on the kitchen counter, a camel in the study, a cobra in the bedroom window and so many other animals scattered about the house. It’s a zoo! Each new animal is majestically marched down the hall, “to your bedroom.” When the little boy arrives home from school, and leans his ear against his bedroom door, Dad proudly announces that “Your animal friends are all in there waiting.”

Connie Bowman’s picture book story, There’s an Elephant in My Bathtub, is a charming exploration of the wild animal kingdom. Each animal is introduced with a feeling of surprise. The dad is certainly surprised at what he discovers and to find them where he does. He describes each animal in great detail, making the reader believe in these animals and learn something unique about them. Like the big tusks on the elephant, it’s a wonder he actually fitted in the bathtub. And the bear eating from the box of cereal in the kitchen cupboard. The colorful illustrations help lead the story along and the reader has to chuckle as each new animal is led away, with Dad’s kind words, “Come along, dearie.” This is a great story to introduce young readers to the animal kingdom and to have a little fun along the way.

Reviewed by Joel R. Dennstedt for Readers' Favorite

When someone comes to a children’s book like The Library of Secrets: The Giant Mistake written by Zoe Penn and illustrated by Z. Pahek, it is often uncertain what age group is targeted for readership. Sometimes, this age consideration remains unimportant; other times, it can make a difference in the intensity of interest for the reader. This book has many fine qualities – which shall be mentioned further – with the caveat that its main appeal – at least story-wise - seems most likely designed for pre-teens and younger teens. The only reason for mentioning this is that the interior illustrations used to headline individual chapters are more professional in scope and quality, and they might well draw the interest of someone expecting older, maybe young adult fiction.

Be that as it may, considering The Library of Secrets: The Giant Mistake within its most likely age category, Zoe Penn’s writing is highly creative, well plotted, filled with engaging characters both human and fantastic, and well spiced with many enjoyable twists and turns. Penn begins her tale of adventure with two children – a brother and a sister: Mark and Sophia – accidentally falling into the alternate reality of a strange, enticingly titled, recently discovered old book: Almation – The Book of Secrets. In order to navigate this odd but highly colorful new world, and in hopes of quickly returning home (there is a deadline), these sometimes-at-odds siblings must solve puzzles, answer riddles, and extricate themselves from several dangerous situations. New friends come often to their aid, however, turning their adventure into a humorous and fun romp for the pair. And for the younger reader, too.

Reviewed by Scott Cahan for Readers' Favorite

Leo Gray and the Lunar Eclipse by K.J. Kruk is a fun science fiction adventure for young readers. It’s set in the future in a time when average Earth citizens dream of living in a super hi-tech city on the moon. A school has been established there for all of Earth’s most gifted students to study and learn to use their gifts for the betterment of mankind. The main character, Leo Gray, is fortunate enough to obtain a ticket to go to the Lunar city despite the misgivings of his father. Soon, he begins his studies in the exclusive moon school where he meets lots of interesting characters including a new circle of quirky friends. Leo also finds trouble as he and his friends learn what happens on the dark side of the moon.

Leo Gray and the Lunar Eclipse is written with lots of colorful descriptive language by K.J. Kruk. The author has a way with words, keeping every scene interesting by including quirky details about characters and their setting. Leo and his friends are a fun bunch of characters to root for. The story has its fair share of villainous characters as well that are appropriately dark, but never to the point of being frightening. Harry Potter fans will enjoy following Leo Gray and his friends as they navigate the futuristic school that reminded me of Hogwarts. The unusual school boasts robot teachers and holographic decorations that come alive and transform the campus for every special event. Young readers will find much to love in Leo Gray and the Lunar Eclipse.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

It’s amazing where imagination can take you. Timothy Mean certainly has a very good imagination. With his imagination and his creative ingenuity, he can create a time machine out of cardboard boxes and lots of glue. But is it a time machine for real? Why not join Timothy Mean for an entire week and see where his imagination and his time travel machine will take you. How about to a pirate ship? Or a medieval castle under siege? Or to the moon for the first lunar landing? Timothy Mean even went back in time to when his parents were young and in school and he played some pranks on them, making his Daddy cry. That wasn’t very nice. But, then again, he is Timothy Mean.

William AE Ford’s picture book story, Timothy Mean and the Time Machine, is a clever journey through time and all in rhyme. With colorful illustrations, the author and Timothy take the reader on an exciting adventure, one day at a time. Each day is a new place, a new time, a new adventure. Not only does the reader enjoy these jaunts through time, but they will learn some things about pirates and the first landing on the moon. The rhyming verse will certainly have the reader rhyming his or her way through the rest of the day. The power of imagination is a wonderful gift and Timothy displays his imaginative powers with great panache. This is a fun and educational read, beautifully presented.