Devin Drake and the Roller Ghoster by R.M. Clark

Anyone whose ears perk towards the kidlit industry might have heard the increasing arguement for shorter middle grade reads on the market. Other voices, of course, are waving this off and support the heavier end. I'm a bit in the middle on this discussion and always hope publishers and authors keep their gazes on middle graders and what their wants and needs are (not always the adults who surround them). I know true readers love the longer novels, since it really lets them dive into the world and adventures (I was one of those), but on the other hand, these readers only represent a small portion of middle graders. Most aren't really into reading (unless I know the wrong bunch). And since I'm an advocate of opening the world of words up to this later group, I definitely see why shorter reads are beneficial, too. But length isn't the only factor in all of this...like so many other things in the world.

Today's read slides more along the shorter book thoughts. I've visited works from this author before and find them to be a fresh breeze in style and story, since the author tends to be more independent. This one heads into the paranormal direction with a sleuth, who can see and interact (?) with ghosts. Knowing this author, I'm expecting a fast-paced adventure on the lighter read side of things.

Now, let's snuggle into those seats and see if this will be an exciting ride.

DEVIN DRAKE AND THE ROLLER GHOSTER

by R.M. Clark

Solstice Publishing

Middle Grade Mystery  /  Paranormal

149 pages

ages 8 to 12

Devin Drake, a twelve-year-old paranormal ghost detective, is asked by Cassie Waite, the smartest, most athletic girl at their middle school, to help with a ghost problem. It seems her family's house, built on the site of a former amusement park, is haunted by two roller coaster-riding ghosts from a century ago.

While trying to figure out who they are and what they want, Devin realizes the amusement park spirits are in danger and he'll need all his paranormal powers to find them a new hangout in the afterlife.
But when the ghosts trick Cassie into getting on the haunted coaster, Devin enlists the help of an offbeat, local historian to rescue Cassie from their world before she is trapped in it forever.

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON   /    MAGERS & QUINN

MY TIDBITS

With ghostly moments, mystery, and enough quirkiness to draw smiles,  this tale flies along in surprising and spooky ways.

Devin won a free golf lesson...not that he's sure how since he didn't enter a contest, but he could improve his game and decides to try it out. At the golf course, he finds a girl from his school, who happens to know about his ghost-communicating abilities. And she needs his help. A ghost is haunting her family's new house, and he's the only one who can help her figure out why and, maybe, get rid of it. The ghost (or rather, ghosts) has other plans. Soon, Cassie is in danger, and Devin is going to have to find a way to save her.

Devin receives the letter about his win the moment the story starts, and the adventure races along the entire way through from there. There are descriptions, and these build the world just enough to create the foundation for the quick-paced plot. Something is always happening, and every moment feeds into into the mystery and tale. So, it's a quick read and hard to put down.

Still, there is enough character depth and small side-plots to add to the mystery and make Devin and others sympathetic. Devin is easy to understand, holds a tiny amount of awkwardness to make him likeable, and yet, shows determination and assurance to make him easy to stand behind and root for. His special talent gives a nice edge, which also adds the same balance of sureness with a teeny touch of uncertainty. Even the forming friendship with Cassie isn't perfect but grows stronger with every page. 

This is part of a series, but each book is written to stand on its own. Fans of mystery and paranormal, who enjoy going from one moment to the next, will want to take a peek at this one.

Today's read... Devin Drake and the Family Secret by R.M. Clark

DEVIN DRAKE AND THE FAMILY SECRET

by R.M. Clark

Middle Grade Paranormal

172 pages

ages 8 to 12

Another day, another birthday, right? Not quite for Devin Drake. A few days after his twelfth birthday, he loses his new drone in the creepiest place on earth, a cemetery. While retrieving it, he realizes he cannot only hear, but see ghosts. Devin soon finds out that necromancy runs in the Drake family. However, before he can learn everything about his new-found power, a classmate begs him to find out why her deceased grandfather keeps contacting her through cryptic texts, random pennies, and birds of all things. Thinking it’ll be a quick case; Devin agrees to help her. However, he soon learns that spirits don’t always make things easy and just when he thinks he’s solved one clue, another one pops up creating at least ten more questions than the last. Will Devin get the hang of his new-found gift before time runs out? Or will Eva’s grandfather continue to lead Devin on what could be considered a wild goose chase?

GOODREADS   /    B&N    /    AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Drones, magic and ghosts launch this book into a very exciting adventure.

Devin doesn't consider himself  normal, but he has no clue how right he really is. When the drone he received for his birthday crash lands in a cemetery, he swallows his fear to get it...until he hears and sees ghosts talking nearby. It doesn't take long for him to figure out that it's part of a talent, handed down for generations thanks to the necromancers in his ancestery. Going with the flow, he does his best to cope with this new reality. When a classmate discovers what he can do, she begs him to help her. She's convinced her dead grandfather is trying to tell her something. But it's not as simple as it seems, and Devin soon finds himself in over his head in all the wrong ways. 

Devin is a character packed with personality. His fears (and he has several of them) mixed with a little awkwardness make him easy to sympathize with as he does his best to steer through every problem thrown at him. And he has a lot to deal with. This is a shorter read but it packs quite the adventure. The author has made sure to use every moment to move the secrets along and let the tension build. There were a few times, which jumped a bit too fast, but with so much happening, these breezed right on past with barely a notice. The writing is clever, the clues well-laid, and every moment has the reader wondering what will happen next.

These characters come across with natural flair. The back-and-forth between Devin and his younger sister rings true to sibling relationships, but then, family remains a theme throughout the read. It adds a wonderful foundation, especially when the family of his classmate and their wonderful restaurant comes into play. The scenes add depth to the characters and relationships without straying away from the main plot. 

It's a quick-paced, which keeps the pages turning from beginning to end, and holds more than a few surprises along the way.

And here he is...

Clark is children's book writer who lives in a small New England town with his wife, two sons, and one cat. Devin Drake and the Family Secret is his eighth published novel. He is currently at work on his latest middle grade project.

Review: Tick Tock Man by R.M. Clark

THE TICK TOCK MAN

by R.M Clark

Month9Books LLC

Upper Middle Grade

Fantasy

237 pages

When the clocks in town stop, thirteen-year-old CJ discovers an unusual "clock world" where most of the citizens are clock parts, tasked with keeping the big clocks running. But soon the seemingly peaceful world is divided between warring factions with CJ instructed to find the only person who can help: the elusive Tick Tock Man. 
With the aid of Fuzee, a partly-human girl, he battles gear-headed extremists and razor-sharp pendulums in order to restore order before this world of chimes, springs, and clock people dissolves into a massive time warp, taking CJ's quiet New England town with it.

MY TIDBITS

It's Thanksgiving for CJ and his clock-loving family, but when he's the only one who notices that the clocks are all stuck on two, the adventure begins.

The author has created a fantastic world where clocks are so much more than they seem. It's an intriguing world and surprisingly easy to envision and learn about in the process. Although the beginning of the tale starts at a slower pace and allows the reader to sink in first, these first details fall into place around a steady  adventure the rest of the way through. The world is vivid and grows without slowing down the plot. There's so much for CJ to discover and all the things which seem unfamiliar at first, grow until they are hard to let go.

CJ is a thirteen-year-old boy who has some things to learn, but this 'growing up' message slides nicely into the adventure. It's no problem to feel for him, especially when faced up with his not understanding relatives. Fuzee, a part human girl, helps CJ mold into the world. But it's actually her who brings the tale to life. She's strong and adds so much zest to the story, making her a real treat. This mixture makes a great book girls and boys are sure to fall in love with. And this is a tale to enjoy. Before one knows it, the story captures and doesn't let go until the very last page.



And here he is. . . 

R. M. Clark is a children's book writer who lives in a small New England town with his wife, two sons, one dog and one cat. He is currently at work on his latest middle grade project. Clark is represented by Mel Stinnett of the Starlight Literary Agency. 

Review: Running On Empty by R. M. Clark

RUNNING ON EMPTY

Dizzy Miss Lizzie, Companion Novel

by R.M. Clark

Indigo Sea Press

Middle Grade Mystery

152 pages

After getting a video camera for her fourteenth birthday, Kasey Madrid enters a student documentary film contest and chooses her town's 300th anniversary celebration as a subject. Everything is good until the town's time capsule is unearthed empty at the celebration, prompting Kasey to investigate. Things get even stranger when she begins to see someone in her camera no one else can see.

That “someone” turns out to be Marion Gibson, the town's former historian, who went into a coma-like state when the time capsule was buried and whose memories are now trapped in time. Kasey researches the town historians and reveals their 300 year-old secret: a wooden chest that gives them the ability to see other people's memories and visit the past. She also finds that Marion's successor, the real town historian, is missing.

Using her film footage (and with a little help from Marion), Kasey discovers the chest is passed on to each new historian every generation through time capsules. When the chest is stolen, Kasey and her camera go back to save Marion, find the identity of the next historian and solve the mystery of the empty time capsule. 

MY TIDBITS

With logic, thought, curiosity and a perfect dash of magic, this mystery grabs from page one and keeps kids guessing until the very end.

Kasey has her camera ready to catch one of the town's most important events - the opening of the time capsule. But when the bolts are removed, nothing's inside. Curious, Kasey attends the town meeting to see what happened, but instead of answers, she accidentally films a mysterious woman who can only be seen through Kasey's camera.

I've read this author's works before and again, wasn't disappointed. What I love about Running On Empty is the 'Nancy Drew' feel. The plot is built on thought, facts and good old clue hunting, but with a tiny bit of fantasy thrown in. Kasey is a very average girl, who is simply curious. With her best friend, she tries to figure out what is going on, not through any amazing methods, but by every day information gathering, paying attention to details and a sharp sense of logic.

Kasey delves through quiet a bit of historical facts, but the information doesn't really get boring. Subtle clues are peppered here and there, keeping the pace flowing even in slightly 'dryer' areas. There are many layers behind the secrets, which makes it difficult to guess what will happen next or where the mystery is headed. The addition of a little fantasy creates a nice touch without disturbing the realistic setting and gives the whole thing just the right amount off magical flare.

Summed up, this is an intriguing mystery for middle graders. Especially girls will enjoy following Kasey as she uncovers the many secrets, and at 150 pages, it's not the kind of book which will scare more reluctant readers away.


And here he is. . .

R. M. Clark is children's book writer who lives in a small New England town with his wife, two sons, one dog and one cat. He is currently at work on his latest middle grade project. Clark is represented by Mel Stinnett of the Starlight Literary Agency.

You can find out more about him and his books at:

 http://www.rmclarkauthor.com

Review: The Right Hand Rule by R.M. Clark

THE RIGHT HAND RULE

by R.M. Clark

Indigo Sea Press, LLC

Middle Grade Mystery

Amy, Amanda, Marshall, and Ziggy expect their middle school to be empty on Saturday morning so they can get ready for the regional science fair. They don't expect a botched experiment to attract a horde of time-displaced ancient Mayans when their unusual science advisor, Frederick Froth, goes missing. 

The four must use their unique science skills and work together as they grapple with a Mayan god, the Dark Rift, and the principles of science to rescue Mr. Froth.

Coming November 17th, 2015!!!

MY TIDBITS

If only all science fairs were as neat as the one in this story! I think all kids would be preparing projects and diving in. So I'll start this review with saying - 'Teachers, read this. THIS is how to get kids interested in a project." (And I say this with a smile because such a fair wouldn't be easy to pull off.)

But now, for the kid review because this is who the book is actually intended for:

From the very first page, I liked Ziggy. His character is fun, a tiny bit arrogant and way brainy. But then, all of his friends are quite the thinkers. The four are each very different from one another, and although they don't get along at first, they grow together as their 'test' takes its course. It was nice to watch them team up despite their differences and contribute their individual talents to get the job done--a great message for young readers. Even if they didn't get along, working together is invaluable.

But this book isn't about messages. The pages are packed full of scientific and some historical information. Kids, who have an interest in facts and not just fiction will eat this up. The author does a good job of making the information fun while explaining it in a way kids will understand. However, there were times that it was too much. As each character must grab back on their science project to help solve the mystery the technical details were thrown in one after another. Although it all works to solve the mystery at hand and keeps a fast pace, it was a bit over-whelming at times, and just pure story for a page or two more often in between would have offered a little break for the mind. I hope this won't drown kids. But the information itself is good. Very good. And science fans will definitely get their full thrill while accompanying Ziggy and his friends as they try to solve the puzzle. 

About half-way through the book, things really take off, and honestly, this is where the story first grabbed me. Although it's interesting to watch the kids try to use their knowledge to solve the puzzle in the first chapters, the stakes and true adventure starts later. The game rules change as something unexpected and fantastical happens, letting the tension finally mount and giving the kids a real reason to solve the puzzle. After this change, I couldn't put the book down.

The writing is perfect for the intended age group (ages 8+) and will pull kids in. The familiar school setting is easy to fall into as well as how the kids speak and handle each other. Ziggy and his friends are likable, and it's no problem to cheer for them at the end.

This is a fun mystery, which will appeal to science fans or kids who simply like interesting facts and know-how mixed into their story. I hope there will be a sequel because the idea behind this mystery is very good.