A Recipe for Trouble (Alice Éclair, Spy Extraordinaire 1) by Sarah Todd Taylor

What worked:

Readers must remember the story is set in the mid-1930s when Hitler and Germany became a growing threat to Europe. This is when spies pass secret, classified information to their governments using ciphers and hidden messages. The book opens with Alice retrieving some microfilm that was stolen from a French agent. Alice’s uncle was a spy who she thinks drowned two years ago. However, he’s still alive and has been training Alice to follow in his footsteps. She’s learned to read codes, follow maps, create detailed diagrams, and be more observant of people and her surroundings. These skills are useful as she tries to thwart a spy from sharing information that might lead to a German invasion of England.

Many young readers enjoy cooking with their parents, and Alice is a gifted pastry chef working in her mother’s bakery. She’s the greatest young baker in Paris, France, and maybe the most talented in the whole country. The first pages describe Alice artfully putting the finishing touches on a baked recreation of the Eiffel Tower with glittery fireworks as a highlight. Her talent opens the door for her to board an exclusive train, trying to stop the person working for the Nazis. There are descriptions of Alice mixing and baking different pastries to maintain her cover. She’s also able to apply her baking skills and knowledge in unexpected situations.

The story presents plenty of suspects for the unknown spy, and readers' attention will fluctuate as more information is shared. Is it the singing/dancing twin brothers who’ve been performing in locations around Europe where previous incidents have occurred? Is it Stella, the reporter with notebooks written in strange language (code?), who has also been traveling around Europe? Maybe it’s the mysterious professor, who’s often poring through books rather than interacting with other guests. Or could the spy be someone else who Alice hasn’t noticed? The author saves a huge surprise as the story nears its climax and leaves the resolution open for the sequel.

What didn’t work as well:

This book is the first in the series, but it doesn’t feel like it. References are made to spy-like activities Alice has done that might have been in previous editions. This results in her backstory and character not being as developed as they might have been. We don’t know a lot about Alice beyond what happens in this book. Also, the plot isn’t overly suspenseful until the surprise mentioned above.

The final verdict:

This book is a nice introduction to a new spy-sleuth in pre-WWII France. Alice’s talents as a pastry chef and the surprise during the book’s climax add novelty and interest to this series. I recommend you give it a shot!

Finding the Lost One (The Extraterrestial Zoo 1) by Samantha Van Leer

What worked:

The author introduces readers to several ELBs in the early chapters to prepare them for later events. Don’t let Ava hear you calling them aliens! The descriptions “humanize” the beings by giving them personalities and showing how they depend on the zoo for survival. One of them can’t breathe oxygen. The first chapter finds Ava checking the tongue of Mr. Wiggles, an Obz, for cavities, and he’s a very cooperative patient. Other creatures are introduced to readers when Ava takes Harley, the new intern, with her to serve the ELBs breakfast. Yeldud is a fourteen-foot ELB and begins every interaction with a hug. Gwenya is green, fuzzy, and limbless and sniffs visitors like the greeting of a friendly dog. Wiblsey is Ava’s favorite goofball, as Ava enjoys playing hide-and-seek with her. Ava can feed Pingree grapes from the palm of her hand, but she must watch out for spitting acid when he’s upset. Ava doesn’t know why the ELB eggs were sent to Earth or why they stopped coming.

The relationship between Ava and Harley offers a wide range of emotions. Ava is angry when he first arrives, because she doesn’t think the zoo needs his help. Ava’s uncle wants her to attend public school, but she thinks it wastes her time. Harley is eager, curious, and energetic about his new job, and he admires how well Ava works with the ELBs. Ava can’t understand why he’s always so positive and happy, but her feelings reluctantly change. Readers will wonder about Harley’s character, too, as there’s something mysterious about him and little information about his past. He finally shares details with Ava, and she realizes they have more in common than she thought.

The hurricane hits about one-fourth of the way into the book and changes the plot. All of the cages have been destroyed, and Ava learns armed soldiers are searching for the escaped ELBs. However, the ELBs are being shot on sight, and the general leading the hunt is supposed to be overseeing the zoo. Ava’s uncle leaves with police officers and hasn’t been seen since. Pingree is the only ELB that didn’t run away, and Ava and Harley know they’re too late to save many of the other creatures. They spot Cutis near the broken cages, but he’s frightened and flees into the national forest. He’ll die in four days due to his condition, so Ava and Harley pack up Pingree and venture into the forest to save Cutis’s life. They eventually get lost but discover a huge surprise.

What didn’t work as well:

For some readers, the logistics of the zoo may be confusing. Maintaining the zoo is internationally important and must be expensive to maintain, but it seems like Ava and her uncle are living in poverty. Is that because of her uncle being irresponsible, or is it due to a lack of money? The facility doesn’t match the expectations for even a community zoo.

The final verdict:

The idea of ELBs is inventive, and the author includes plenty of unexpected twists to keep readers guessing. The book’s resolution will have readers anxious to read the sequel, and I recommend you check it out.

Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic by Leslie Adame

What worked:

Chloe’s parents are undocumented immigrants from Mexico, which isn’t a common topic among middle-grade novels. The narrative includes some Spanish words and phrases, but readers should be able to use the context to understand their meanings. The early chapters describe the family’s fear of ICE, and Chloe’s sister is afraid federal agents will grab her parents at any moment. Chloe learns that a new classmate named Tiny is also from an undocumented family, and the author later reveals that a second character’s parents were arrested by ICE agents.

Since there’s a school, there must be bullies, and two characters fill that expectation. Chloe meets Danielle before reaching the academy, and her conflict with Danielle is more personal. Danielle’s father and Chloe’s parents have a contentious history, so Danielle directs that animosity toward Chloe. Jason’s character is pompous and cocky which rubs everyone wrong. He’s overly competitive and isn’t used to losing. An expected aspect of the story concerns how Chloe’s interactions with these two bullies develop over time.

Osthall is the main antagonist, and he wants magic revealed to humans. His anger toward humans comes from their history of persecuting sorcerers, as in the Salem Witch Trials. However, Ora, the head of the Agents of Magic, casts a spell separating the two worlds. Osthall wants to destroy the protective shield, which will let him control humans and make them his slaves. He captures Chloe’s parents to find the location of a powerful gem, and the residual effects of touching Chloe’s arm let him connect with her when she sleeps. These dreams tease her with feelings of hopelessness and have Chloe questioning any trust she might have with the Agents of Magic. The agents also think someone at the academy is passing intel to Osthall, so everyone becomes a suspect.

What didn’t work as well:

The Agents of Magic are sticklers for following human laws in case humans become aware of magic sometime in the future. If the veil is broken sometime in the future, it will be unimportant if the sorcerers followed human laws in the past. It’s only described in the book’s early parts, so it’s not a big deal. Also, astute readers may figure out the identity of the academy spy before it’s revealed.

The final verdict:

It’s hard to write a fresh story about a character discovering her powers, but the Mexican culture and undocumented immigrants help. There’s a spy at the academy, a family feud, an evil sorcerer, and Chloe puts a lot of pressure on herself to keep her parents safe. Overall, this is an exciting new series, and I recommend you give it a shot.

Soni and the Life Drinkers by Shiko Nguru

What worked:

Soni and her friends, the Intasiimi Warriors, have superpowers that help them fight evil in the world. Soni blasts sound energy from her hands, Xirsi can talk to animals and is a genius at research, Mwikali is a seer, and Odwar has super strength. Two of them have already acquired Entasims, objects that amplify their powers, and a girl unexpectedly appears and gives Soni a bracelet. She says she’s a relative, and that the bracelet is Soni’s Entasim. It doesn’t work the way her friends’ Entasims did, so readers are left to wonder why not, and Soni assumes she doesn’t know how to activate it yet.

The Life Drinkers, or Takers, are trying to attain immortality by stealing years of life from Soni’s mentor, Mr. Lemayian. This makes the conflict personal and creates sympathetic emotions in readers. Soni and her friends don’t know how his life is being taken, but they realize the person must be close when it happens. This will cause readers to suspect almost every character they encounter, as they try to unravel the mystery. While this is happening, Mr. Lemayian is slowly wasting away and may only have a few days to live. It may be a prelude to an ultimate battle between good and evil.

The author artfully weaves elements from the Kenyan culture to add authenticity. The book opens with Soni and her dance team practicing for a Vunja Mifupa competition. The Intasimi Warriors snack on plantain chips, flavored milk, or mango juice. Mr. Lemayian greets the kids by saying “Karibu” or “Jambo”. The clothes and homes reflect what readers might find if they visit Nairobi. Evil creatures from folklore called shiqqs attack the warriors on multiple occasions and have different appearances; Mwikali is the only one who can see the true face of a shiqq.

What didn’t work as well:

Soni’s cousin gives her the bracelet, but Soni refers to the girl’s mother as her Evil Auntie. It never occurs to Soni and her friends that a gift from an evil aunt and a cousin she just meets might be a bad thing. Also, there was tension in the conflicts, but it didn’t reach the level of being suspenseful.

The final verdict:

The Intasimi Warriors will appeal to a middle-grade audience, and the inclusion of Kenyan culture makes it even better. I was expecting more from the conflicts, but I still recommend you check it out for yourself.

Sky Battles (Dungeon Runners 2) by Kieran Larwood

What worked:

The camaraderie between Kit and his teammates sets them apart from the other competitors. Kit lacks confidence, although he wants to prove he can be a fierce, brave hero. Sandy is the team’s spell-casting mage but doesn’t know many incantations. She’s conjured a sandcastle spell before, and Kit’s grandfather gives her a staff and a second spell written on paper. Sandy’s main contribution to the group is her positivity and rosy disposition. Thorn is the third member of the team, and he’s a vegan vampire (although Kit and Sandy think he might have eaten something else during the previous competition). He’s the team’s healer but doesn’t see much action this time.

The story has humorous highlights, as you can see from Thorn being a vegan vampire. Kit shows up for his first professional Dungeon Runner competition carrying a sword and shield he made out of wood. Not very handy when battling monsters. Kit wishes the team could get a sponsor, and the only business interested is called Troll Boogers. Apparently, their snot is good for making things stick together. One of the other teams is called the Yarn Stormers, and the team members are made of living string in humanoid shapes. The Gravediggers consist of Dr. Kronkenstein and two assistants made from bits and pieces of former Dungeon Runners. They tend to fall apart in the dungeons.

What didn’t work as well:

Thorn doesn’t have much of a role this time, unless you count knitting the team uniforms with purple and orange yarn. There’s not much character or plot development in this short book, and the challenges don’t develop much drama. There are two bully-like characters, but there aren’t enough interactions to be significant. It feels like the book ends rather than builds to a big climax, which may be because it describes challenges in the first part of the overall competition.

The final verdict:

The short, quick-paced story and abundant illustrations of various monsters are perfect for emerging or reluctant middle-grade readers. It doesn’t seem to be as eventful as the first book, but I still recommend you give it a shot.

Storm Singer by Sarwat Chadda

What worked:

The author creates an imaginative world where birdlike creatures rule over the humans. The garuda call humans Worms because they’re a lower life form, barely worth worrying about. Nargis finds an injured eagle garuda named Mistral, although she likes to call him Birdy. Raptor garudas are the most powerful, and Birdy’s father was the ruler before being captured by a vulture garuda named Shamshir. As you can see, the characters live in a caste system with humans at the bottom. Normally, characters aren’t able to move to higher caste levels, but Mistral’s father has ideas that are not popular among many garudas. The sarcastic banter between Mistral and Nargis is a highlight.

Young readers will root for Nargis, as she’s an unlikely hero. She seems feeble due to her damaged leg and the fact that she must use a crutch carved by her deceased father. She’s been ostracized from her village and lives in a small hut with her Baba. Her lone friend is Arjuna, owned by the greedy, ruthless man controlling the village. Nargis has a magical ability to control the spirits, although she still needs to learn that they can’t be ordered to help. Her songs asking for help have good intentions but the spirits don’t always act as she wants. Readers will wonder why Shamshir wants her dead once he learns Nargis’s connection to her father.

The setting is very important to the events, so readers are constantly reminded of the harsh, dry, barren lands. Nargis assumes her village is worse off than most others until she discovers they’re more fortunate. Nargis and Baba have a well that provides small amounts of water, but the stream running by the village is tainted with yellow poison. Nargis and Baba use spirit singing to help their small garden survive, but everyone else struggles for food. Nargis is banished from the village and ventures into the severe terrain, which reminds readers that it’s unforgiving. The hostile environment forces all the caste groups into competition for survival, with the strongest typically surviving.

What didn’t work as well:

The crippling of Nargis’s leg is a little confusing, as she seems to move about better than expected. The author emphasizes the pain and cramping she experiences, but she’s still able to travel across rocky, hilly terrain and scale a ladder. Also, there isn’t any technology in the book; bows, arrows, spears, and clubs are used as weapons, but Shamshir has a cannon called the Dragon. It’s powerful enough to wipe out a whole village, but its power doesn’t fit the context of the overall book.

The final verdict:

Nargis’s sympathetic character highlights the book, as her story is literally spiritual. The author saves some surprises for later in the book, as Nargis learns of her father’s past history with the garudas. I recommend you give this book a shot.

Skandar and the Chaos Trials (Skandar 3) by A.F. Steadman

What worked:

The author creates uncertainty between the unicorns and their riders. Skandar and his friends are now Fledglings, third-year students at the Eyrie, but their unicorns have reached a rebellious age. They don’t always obey their riders even though they’ve become more connected during the past two years. The unicorn might decide to chase a rabbit, shoot lightning from its horns, or release sparkles from its butt. Readers should expect the unexpected. Skandar’s older sister has a forged bond with a wild unicorn and is connected to all five elements; most riders have one special element. The Weaver forges Kenna’s bond, so everyone is leery and frightened of what Kenna might do.

Skandar and the other Fledglings must pass four Chaos Trials by collecting spirit stones from each of the elements: air, fire, water, and earth. These trials break the book into separate milestones while the longer stories of helping Kenna and locating missing unicorn eggs are going on. Each trial presents different rules and challenges that might result in death or injury. In the first trial, the Fledglings must climb to the top of a mountain that seems to have a mind of its own and doesn’t want to be climbed. The Weaver adds to the danger as Skandar and Flo spot her during two of the trials. Why is she risking being seen, and does she truly want to kill Skandar, her son?

Several subplots are equally interesting. Skandar is afraid of what the forced bond with a wild unicorn might be doing to his sister, especially when he sees what her magic can do. He has an idea of how to fix the bond, but Kenna’s reaction to it is unpredictable. The missing unicorn eggs mean there won’t be any new rider ceremony for the next decade, but Bobby is expecting her younger sister to come this year. Readers don’t see much of the Weaver for most of the book, but the characters can’t figure out what she’s up to. They assume she’s behind the missing eggs, but they don’t know why she might want them. Rex Manning is now in charge of the Silver Circle, and there are concerns that he wants more power. He’s been helping Flo navigate her problems this year, which worries Skandar.

The final verdict:

This book seems to mark a pivotal moment in the series. Two important events occur as the book nears its climax that will surely have a dramatic effect on the future. I highly recommend you read this book, but you’ll enjoy it more if you start the series from the beginning.