Mark My Words

This blog began in 2009, and it's transformed through different styles over the years. I've become a reviewer for the Young Adult Books Central (YABC) and posts for those books have their own look. I've also been a judge for Cybils.com since 2010 to determine the best books of the year in the category of elementary/middle-grade speculative fiction. You'll see reviews for these top books in some of my January posts from the past.

Tuesday, March 31, 2026

The Cassette Tape Secret by Danielle Herzog

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What worked: Alex and Ida May form an unusual, contrasting pair of characters. Alex likes everything neat and orderly, and he always follo...
Saturday, March 28, 2026

Building 903 by Lois Lowry

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What worked: The author is a master of writing dystopian novels for middle-grade readers. In this setting, the government controls everythin...
Friday, March 27, 2026

Joey the Good by Erin Fry

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What worked: The story deals with death and grief, as Joey still struggles with the loss of his grandfather two years earlier. The author ...
Tuesday, March 24, 2026

Into the Shadows (Anomalies 53) by Angela Cervantes

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What worked: The mixed bag of supernatural creatures will amuse young readers. The prologue describes a newly caught wyvern that can menta...
Sunday, March 22, 2026

Race for Midgard: The Marleau Twins 1 by Maya Y. Lefèvre

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What worked: The book opens with a quest adventure for Kate, Jack, and Stefan. These three characters have grown up together, and they pass ...
Saturday, March 21, 2026

Airrelle of the Maroon Witches by Sumayyah Beck

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What worked: Obviously, identifying witches in the title means there will be magic, and the author adds new twists. The witches live in hi...
Sunday, March 15, 2026

Girl of Lore by Melanie Dale

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What worked: Mina is the main character, and she has a variety of issues. Her psychiatrist says it’s unlikely that she’ll ever act on her th...
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Mark Buxton
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