Smoke in the Grove by Courtney Lee

Today's read is one in a series of six books, which center on middle graders who need a little more time practicing their skills. This is a mystery series and appears to involve various characters and situations. There doesn't appear to be any special order, so I'm going to take a dive in this last addition to the row without any worries. This is a shorter read at only around 65 pages, so it should be a quick one to pick up.

I'm expecting tension, clues, a touch of middle school drama, and, maybe, even some creepiness. Let's see if it fits all of these categories or not!

SMOKE IN THE GROVE

Cape Cave

by Courtney Lee

Illustrated by Jennifer Liu

Stone Arch Books

Middle Grade Mystery

64 pages

pages 8 to 12

People who live in Cape Cave know there is more to their cozy coastal town than meets the eye. A nearby magical cave is full of secrets, and sometimes those secrets spill out. When a dragon escapes the cave, it's up to Eve and Sage to save the day. Can the friends send the dragon back where it belongs?

As the adventure unfolds, striving readers practice decoding words featuring long vowels formed by CVCe and CCVCe spellings, as well as inflectional verb endings -ed and -ing. Every Spark Decodables book serves older readers who need practice with foundational literacy skills, combining multiple aspects of the Science of Reading to support small group instruction, independent reading, and reading practice at home.

GOODREADS     /     PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

With a touch of fantasy, these pages take readers on a short, dragon adventure.

Everyone in Cape Cave knows that their cute little town isn't as calm as it appears. Especially a nearby cave holds plenty of dangerous secrets. When Eve and Sage see smoke coming from the cave, they know they have to make sure everything is okay. Upon arrival, they discover a dragon roasting marshmallows on a fire. The dragon needs to go back into the cave before his interest turns to the town and he burns it down to ashes. But the dragon isn't interested in going back into his cave. He wants more sweet things to eat.

This is a quick, easy-to-read tale with a touch of dragon fun and light tension. The story flows smoothly and quickly, even gliding into a nice ending with a last little twist. It's hard to guess what will happen to keep the tension rolling, while a bit of silliness sneaks in too to keep things from growing overly dark or creepy. It's an enjoyable tale to pick up and simply enjoy.

The main focus of this book is to help struggling readers work on their skills. At the beginning of the book, there is a list of chapters and some terms, which could cause difficulties for readers in each one. Then, it slides into a Table of Contents. Each chapter is kept at around 8 pages, but the very light text and plentiful illustrations make sure it never grows overwhelming. The end of the read holds questions for review, a writing exercise, and more. 

While this is for middle graders, it also works for lower age groups all the way down to beginning readers and doesn't grow too tense even for this younger audience. 

Marty Milagros Dooms the Earth by Veronica V. Jones

MARTY MILAGROS DOOMS THE EARTH

A Star League Story, #1

by Veronica V. Jones

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Middle Grade Science Fiction  /  Grapic Novel

228 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING SEPTEMBER 29th!!!

Marty Milagros is a klutz, a clown, a payaso—and now he's got an AI living in his brain! This epic, full-color sci-fi graphic novel is an #OwnVoices Latinx adventure for fans of Hilo and The Last Kids on Earth.

Twelve-year-old Marty Milagros is used to getting in trouble. Little does he know, his upstairs neighbor, Mr. Albert, is secretly a galactic scientist defending the planet from alien invaders—with an AI built to keep Earth safe. Then Marty accidentally downloads it into his own brain.

Now, with the help of his friends Alex and Mia, Marty has to stop the aliens. Can Earth's WORST defender overcome his self-doubt and save the world before he loses Mr. Albert for good?

• A fresh #OwnVoices Latinx sci-fi graphic novel
• Full-color, fast-paced art for fans of Hilo
• Spanish woven naturally throughout, with a heartfelt immigration theme
• Explores ADHD, identity, and self-confidence without being an ‘issue book’

Suit up with Earth's most unlikely hero—the planet is counting on him!

GOODREADS    /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

An awkward boy stumbles head-first into an adventure which thrusts Earth into galactic danger.

Marty Milagros always is getting into trouble...or rather, he's constantly banging into it. He's, actually, a good kid, but life seems to have it out for him as he, accidentally, causes problems everywhere. The school aspect might be somewhat his fault, since he does procrastinate and tend to hand in his homework late, but he's doing his best-ish to kind of turn that around. When his mother asks him to take a misdelivered package to an elderly neighbor, he isn't excited and, again, finds himself in the middle of a small blunder as he backs into a shelf. When he picks up a strange sphere, he's hit with an odd sensation, but it isn't until a bit later that the neighbor explains what has really happened. Soon, Marty is hit with high-tech knowledge and, thanks to direct brain downloads, becomes a genius immediately. And that's not good because he's also now a member of a galactic organization, which defends against evil aliens. 

These pages take an awkward teen and thrust him into a role way beyond anything he could have imagined. The author takes care to keep Marty very unsure of himself, and while he might suddenly run into powers, he definitely doesn't sink into them with amazing ease. This gives it a natural flow, which keeps him relatable, sympathetic, and easy to root for. At the same time, the science fiction world builds around him, mounting as the pages turn. The first encounter only holds a couple pages before sliding right back into his normal life, which allows the reader to ease into fantasy right along with Marty. So, there's a steady flow on this end. The danger and action mounts, keeping a steady pace with a constant build the entire way through. Then, there are messages surrounding friendship, fitting in, feeling comfortable in your own skin, and taking responsibility. Add the last layer of goodness, the bilingual dialogue, and it's a book that stretches beyond a simple adventure.

The illustrations are bold and bring across each scene naturally. The bilingual end is easily slid in with an English translation in a box at the bottom of the panel. However, most of the dialogue is in English, anyway. The text is easy to read and fits the middle grade age group nicely. 

As the first novel in the series, this one sets a good foundation of the characters, situation, possible problems, and more. The world building is nicely laid out, and the reader has a very good handle on the characters. The tale does switch between points of view...mostly from Marty to the police. This wasn't my favorite, but it did smoothly open up to the danger and offer a door to feed in necessary information. The author spends time letting the reader really sink into Marty in the beginning, which allows them to get a good handle on his uncertainty before hitting him with the powers. While this offers great character connection, the first scifi moments didn't come in until over a quarter of the way into the book, and the danger came even later. So while there is plenty of tension and excitement in the later pages, it takes a bit to get there. But that also means there's a rich foundation for the rest of the series.

And here she is...

Veronica V. Jones is an illustrator and comic artist based in Northern Virginia. Influenced by a lifetime of reading comic books, she uses challenging compositions, dynamic poses, and expressive faces to tell stories with her art. A love of detail adds depth and complexity to the worlds she creates. As a Latina, Veronica sees the world is filled with beautiful people of all backgrounds and she wants to share their stories. Marty Milagros DOOMS the Earth is her debut graphic novel, and combines her deep nerd love of engineering, space and aliens.

Bear's Magic Show by Mike Wohnoutka

Today's read caught my attention thanks to the friendly bear on the cover. And who doesn't enjoy a magic show? I'm curious to see how this show does and what surprises it holds. So, let's open up the book and take a look!

BEAR'S MAGIC SHOW

by Mike Wohnoutka

Candlewick Press

Picture Book

40 pages

ages 3 to 7

COMING SEPTEMBER 26th!!!

Could the third time be the charm? Bear is determined to break his string of showtime disasters in this comedy of perseverance from the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award–winning illustrator of See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog.

Bear’s track record when it comes to putting on a show hasn’t been exactly stellar. His puppet show was a flop (anyone could get tangled in those strings, right?). His baking show had some, er, unexpected developments. But Bear is confident that his magic show will be a success! Can Bear ace the tricks on his program for his eager friend Fox and pull a rabbit out of a hat, guess a card, and . . . well, there’s always the disappearing act! With a funny narrative told in bold visual jokes and simple language, this latest act from the award-winning Mike Wohnoutka will have newly confident readers lining up for an encore.

GOODREADS    /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Friendship beams bright even when things don't work out quite as expected.

Bear loves putting on shows, but so far, none have gone as planned. Instead, they've gone turned into disasters. But Bear isn't one to give up and decides that three is a charm. So, he gets ready to perform an amazing magic show. With his very small audience of one, his best friend Fox, Bear is ready to prove that he can put on the best show ever. But when the first trick already runs into some snags, his show might not work out quite as expected this time, either.

This is an adorable read, which lets humor flow. Bear is a character to root for as he hits the stage with enthusiasm and excitement. His attitude is golden as he takes everything in stride and doesn't let the mistakes ruin his fun or determination. Even when things go wrong, he doesn't let disappointment take control and looks forward to the next trick. It's inspiring and keeps everything light-hearted and fun. The fox cheers him on as a good friend should and never says a negative word. So, it's a good-vibe book from beginning to end.

Each moment draws smiles as readers/listeners can easily identify with the situation. Plus, each of Bear's mistakes carries a bit of silliness. It creates a quick read and is sure to hold the attention of even impatient listeners. 

The end of the story comes with a clever surprise that will have more than a few listeners laughing. And the question of whether or not the magic show was a success leaves food for thought...in a way that brings smiles again and again.

And here he is...

Mike Wohnoutka has illustrated more than thirty books for young readers, including Mr. Fox’s Game of “No!”; How to Apologize; Go and Get with Rex; and the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award–winning See the Cat: Three Stories About a Dog, all written by his good friend David LaRochelle. He is also the author-illustrator of Ups and Downs: A Book of Emotions and other picture books. A native of Spicer, Minnesota, Mike Wohnoutka currently lives with his family in Minneapolis.

Why Are Horses? by Brittany Long Olsen

 I've been a bit busy the last few days but am not going to let these reads skip out. So, I have two postings for today...one for yesterday and one for today. Both a little late but not forgotten.

Today's read heads into the nonfiction realm (yay!) and takes a look at horses. It's a fully illustrated read, so I do hope each horse breed is recognizable. I'm also curious how the horse information is going to be brought across...and what type of information is included.

So, go get all horse fans because this one should capture their attention...or that's what I'm hoping will happen. Let's open it up and find out!

WHY ARE HORSES

An Illustrated History of Horse Breeds

by Brittany Long Olsen

Andrews McMeel Publishing

Middle Grade Nonfiction

96 pages

ages 9 to 12

COMING OCTOBER 20th!!!

Ever wonder why Thoroughbreds are so fast or why Miniature Horses make great guides? Discover the history of 30+ horse breeds in this nonfiction book for kids, complete with comic panels and illustrations!

Why are Shetland ponies so small? Why are there so many horses in Mongolia? Why are Andalusians movie stars?

For hundreds of years, humans have been breeding horses and working alongside them, using them for everything from farm work, warfare, transportation, to sports. In this illustrated nonfiction book that combines comic panels, illustrations, diagrams, and text, readers will learn about the stories behind over 30 of the most popular horse breeds around the world and why they look and act the way they do. Discover the origins of Arabians, Thoroughbreds, American Paint Horse, and so much more!

Why Are Horses includes:

• 30+ horse breeds with origins from around the globe
• Diagrams showing each breed's unique features
• Comic panels that add humor and narrative
• Information that makes it a great classroom and library resource

Saddle up and discover the fascinating facts behind your favorite four-legged friends!

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Horses, horses, and more horses pack every page along with a vast amount of information to make horse fans' hearts trot faster.

This book is all about horses and especially takes a look at over thirty different breeds. It begins with an introduction to the history of horses, the various roles they've played, and how their relationship with humans developed. Then, the book dives into each breed, revealing their origins, purpose, facts, and other various information to give a very rounded look at each one.  At the end, there is a glossary of terms as well.

Everything about this book centers on horses and takes a close look at each breed. Four or more pages are given to each one, allowing plenty of space for the facts to unfold. Each one begins with the history of the breed before going into other information surrounding famous horses, roles they played in different situations, interesting facts, and more. To keep all of this information more digestible, each theme is placed in its own block of text with fitting illustrations. It carries slight nods to a graphic novel style but only loosely. The lean in this direction helps to keep things organized and allows readers to pick and choose the information. There's also a bit of humor added to keep everything relaxed and enjoyable. The illustrations bring across the breeds nicely and are similar enough to be recognized. Plus, they add variations in the coloring, as applicable, to help readers see realize the variety within each breed. There's also a diagram for each one, which highlights each breeds features. So, there's a lot of information packed inside these pages.

This is just right for middle grade readers and is a book which can be picked up as desired instead of being read all at once. I do wish there was a Table of Contents to help locate each breed easily, but that's my only small criticism. Otherwise, this is a book horse fans will really enjoy.

And here she is...

Brittany Long Olsen is a cartoonist and illustrator with a deep love of storytelling through comics. Her previous graphic novels for young readers include Magic in the Valley and The Happy Shop. She lives in the Portland, Oregon area with her partner and their Australian Shepherd mix named Jetpack.

Baby in Paris by Dorian Day

Today's read is the first in a series, which features a baby in striped PJs with a beanie who travels the world. This first book should highlight the major sites in Paris and promises beautiful, watercolor illustrations. I'm curious to see how it flows...and am more than happy to revisit Paris in the process. Whether this fits for ages 0 to 5, though, is something I'm wondering about.

Let's open it up and see how it does!

BABY IN PARIS

Baby Travel Books, Book 1

by Dorian Day

Picture Book

30 pages

ages 0 to 5

When Baby's family arrives at their Parisian hotel after a long flight, everyone settles down for a nap. Everyone except Baby.

This curious little 9-month-old has other plans. Slipping out of the hotel room, she embarks on an incredible crawling adventure through the City of Light. From the Champs-Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe to Notre-Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and the charming cafés of Saint Germain, Beanie Boo explores 20 of Paris's most iconic landmarks, all before her parents wake up.

With enchanting watercolour illustrations that capture the magic of Paris in autumn, Baby in Paris is a whimsical bedtime story that will delight little ones and grown-ups alike. Perfect gift for baby showers, first birthdays, and families who love to travel.

GOODREADS    /     PUBLISHER     /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Every flip of the page opens up to beautiful views of Paris, while keeping a cute baby in the middle of everything.

When a baby's parents take her along on their trip to Paris, they don't expect her to unknowingly crawl out the hotel door and discover the city on her own. There are many sights to visit and little adventures to undertake...all before she grows tired again and has to return to the hotel for a nap.

This is a book that will delight two types of readers, those who know and adore Paris (most likely, the adults) and young listeners who enjoy watching babies. And yes, I do know of several toddlers who get excited whenever they see a baby. The scenes are lovely and draw in, while the characters carry quite a bit of reality to catch young listeners' attentions. The story itself is straight -forward and simply follows the baby from one place to the next. The name dropping is more meant for the adults, since most children won't be able to associate much with them. The older end of the intended age group can grab some first impressions of famous sights in Paris, although these still will connect best with those who have already visited the city or soon will be. It's a gentle tale and makes a nice bedtime read, especially since there's a last little twist at the end. 

It's an adorable book and will hit a niche group of young readers nicely. Otherwise, adults are sure to enjoy many of the scenes, making this a read that both sides can explore and enjoy.

And here he is...

Dorian Day is an author and adventurer who travels the world with his young family 200 days of the year. He creates children’s books, directly and indirectly inspired by his travels with his little ones. In 2026 Dorian created Baby Travel Books, a watercolour picture book series for the world's littlest explorers. Each book follows one adventurous baby girl (inspired by the author’s daughter), in her signature blue beanie and striped onesie, as she crawls her way through a different magical city, from the cobblestones of Paris to the cherry blossoms of Tokyo.

Told in gentle, simple words and painted in soft watercolour, the series was born from a simple belief: that it is never too early to start dreaming about faraway places. These are books made for bedtime cuddles and baby showers. New cities are always on the way. Follow along to hear when the next little adventure arrives.

• Series website: www.babytravelbooks.com 
• Baby in Paris: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H2XQTSKP
• Baby in Rome: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H44Z5KCD