Ever Breath by Julianna Baggott - Ages 9+

Ever Breath

What's the Story?

In a world where locust fairies flutter and firebreathers burst from snowbanks, two children are having the adventure of their lives. Truman and his twin sister, Camille, have just met their grandmother Swelda. . . and she’s a little strange. She whispers a tale about something called the Ever Breath, an amber orb that maintains the balance between our world and a dreamy one of imagination—and evil.

Soon Truman and Camille find themselves in the Breath World, a magical place where ogres clash and a mouse holds the key to a mystery. Some creatures want to help them—and some want them D-E-A-D. That’s because the Ever Breath has been stolen, and an epic battle is raging to bring it safely back. Can the twins save not only one world—but two?

What's the Buzz?

"It brings back all the magic of juvenile fantasy that I often reminisce about. I have a feeling that Baggott’s books will go alongside Eva Ibbotson’s as great reads for 8- to 12-year-olds." - Steph Su Reads

"Her characters, especially the uncoordinated, allergy-besotted Truman and a conscience-plagued mouse informant named Binderbee, are vividly depicted and full of interesting contradictions." - Parent Dish

"After the first chapter, I had one child tucked up on each side of me... When I tried to quit reading for the night, I heard the words that had never been said by my children before: "Just one more chapter!" I felt like I was dreaming. I'm not kidding -- it was weird!" - Little Blue School

"I found The Ever Breath to be a good book. It is funny, and it keeps you wanting to read the next page. It kind of reminds me of The Chronicles of Narnia and Harry Potter combined." - Kayley (6th Grade) @ BookTrends

"Swelda is a hoot, and I particularly liked a talking mouse named Binderbee Biggby, who has the most interesting crisis of conscience in the whole book." - The Book Aunt

Where Can I Learn More?

The Author's official site is here.  Baggett also started a Ever Breath blog but it's been abandoned for a while now.  If you're an internet treasure hunter, you might find a few golden Ever Breath nuggets there if you dig deep enough.

Series: Shark Wars by EJ Altbacker - Ages 9+

Shark Wars

Book 1

What's the Story?

Since the dawn of time, prehistoric shark clans called Shivers have ruled over the earth's oceans, fierce protectors of all who swim. For eons, the Big Blue has prospered under Shiver Law, and the delicate balance of sea life kept sacred. Until now.

Rising sea temperatures and overfishing have caused food to become scarce, and the battle for new hunting grounds has brought with it corruption and warfare.

Now, with the ocean on the brink of chaos, a young reef shark named Gray - exiled from the safety of his peaceful reef home - must venture deep into Open Water to unlock the secrets of his destiny and bring peace back to the ocean. But first, he'll have to discover the truth about who - and what - he really is.

What's the Buzz?

"...if you have middle grade kids who are fascinated by the shark craze, you might want to introduce them to the first in the series of Shark Wars novels." - The Morton Report

" Confident readers will find this book action-packed and reminiscent of the Warriors series (but instead of cats, it's sharks). Mild bloody violence and shark fighting occur." - Story Snoops

"This book was good because of all the epic battle scenes and the tales of budding friendship.  At times I didn’t like how the language was vague and details were left out, but this was a really fast read." - Ian @ Well Read Spartans

"I must admit this is a great fast paced, action packed series, perfect for reluctant young readers." - Geek Dad @ Wired.com

"I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this story. This is one exiting, action packed, fast paced story that takes readers into a whole new underwater world. These's battles, a fabulous underwater setting, and a large cast of great shark characters." - Mundie Kids

"When I first picked this book up I really wasn’t sure I’d like it. The plot didn’t seem like something I’d be interested in. Well -I LOVED THIS BOOK! It is well written, the description of the story made it come alive and the whole story was really good...I give Shark Wars five out of five book worms! " - This Kid Reviews Books

Where Can I Learn More?
Shark Wars has an official website where you can learn about the characters in Shark Wars.  There's also an Iphone app and you can download an excerpt of book 1.

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Marvelous Middle Grade Monday Book Review: My Rotten Life - Book 1 of the Nathan Abercrombie Accidental Zombie Series by David Lubar - Ages 9+