Category: Books

6 Book Series you Should Totally Read

I really love books that are series. These are some of my favorite series, which are ages 9-12.

Fantasy:

  1. The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

This series is amazing. I just love the crazy plot twists that no one ever sees coming (unless you’ve already read the series). This series has recently come to an end and I know that I’ve cried a lot and laughed a lot when reading these books. All the characters are either princes/princesses or their sons/daughters. When you start reading this, make sure you are reading for one of the craziest series ever. This is a great series!

2. The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer

This series takes place in a storybook world. Two twins, Alex and Conner Bailey, accidently fall into a storybook! They meet their beloved fairy tale characters, but they are all different. In this series, you’ll figure out how Alex and Connor adjust to this new world. They make friends with some unlikely friends and go on many adventures with them. Also, the backstory to this story is being explained in The Tale of Magic series. I really love this series!

Realistic Fiction:

  1. The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall

This book is hilarious and sweet. I love how I always feel immersed in the adorable story. Every part plays out well and I love the writing style. This book makes me feel happy and I giggle every time I read it. You’ll definitely go on an adventure with Rosalind, Skye, Jane, Batty, Hound and their friends. Each of the Penderwicks has a different personality which makes this series perfect. The sisters get along well (usually) and you can count on them to spice things up!

2. The Vanderbeekers series by Karina Yan Glaser

The Vanderbeekers is another lively series with siblings. Journey along with Isa, Jessie, Oliver, Hyacinth, Laney, and their many pets in this series. You’ll also get introduced to many loving characters like Ms. Josie, Mr Jeet, and Orlando. These siblings try to help, but sometimes (usually) it doesn’t work out well. I love the relatable events that happen and the addition of writing magic. I really love this style of writing as well. You can count on these kids to take you on the adventure of your life!

Historical Fiction:

  1. The Seeds of America trilogy by Laurie Halse Anderson

This series talks about slavery. The first book, Chains, is in the perspective of Isabel, a young girl born into slavery. The second book, Forge, is in the perspective of Isabel’s friend, Curzon. The last book, Ashes, was in the perspective of Isabel again. These books talk about heavy issues as Isabel and Curzon go on a quest to escape slavery and find Isabel’s sister. There are a couple of plot twists and you might be surprised at what happens.

2. Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales by Nathan Hale (not the spy, the author)

This graphic novel style comic is hilarious and informative. I learn so much about the Civil War just by reading one of these books. They are hilarious and make me laugh every time. There is an element of fiction for sure and I recommend that you start from the beginning to fully understand the series. In it, the spy Nathan Hale tells tales of what will happen in the future. It is super interesting and I love the writing style.

These are some of my favorite series to read in multiple genres. What are some of your favorite series?

Mint Girl Reads Why is my Hair Curly? by Lakshmi Iyer

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of Why is my Hair Curly? by Lakshmi Iyer. This book talks about a girl whose hair is curly and wild and how she learns to accept it. I enjoyed the plot and the small mystery along the way.

Avantika has a really bright personality that I love and I was carried along on her story. I can relate to her hair struggles, as I also have curly and unruly hair. This book is funny, while also having a message about being different. It was very open and I loved how Avantika’s problems get solved at the end. It was very sweet and had diverse voices, with a glimpse into an Indian lifestyle. Another great thing about this book was how the author talked about adoption. Avantika and her brother are both adopted and I like how that element was incorporated.

My favorite part of the book is when Patti (a mysterious stranger who she’s been meeting with) and her family meet. She then figures out who Patti really is and realizes that her and Patti’s hair are very similar. Patti also shows her various ways to comb her hair. I really enjoyed this book and think that you should read it.

Author Biography

In my WITS writing camp, we had to write a 5-10 line author biography about ourselves. Here is mine!

The Mint Girl is an acclaimed author and TV host. She is most famous for her books Say it Like it is and its sister, Say it Like You Mean it. She hosts the game show What Do you Mean?. She has 3 cats and a hedgehog. She lives in Honolulu, Hawaii and has dreamt about going to live in Japan. Her next book, The Best Place to Live?, is coming out in September and is highly anticipated. 

When she’s not writing, you can find the Mint Girl reading, dancing, and ziplining. You can connect with her on Instagram.

What will your dream author bio look like?

The Mint Girl Reads The Heath Cousins and The Moonstone Cave by Eileen Hobbs

Recently, I received a copy of the book, The Heath Cousins and the Moonstone Cave by Eileen Hobbs. This is the first book in a trilogy and I am really excited to read the other books.

Addie B. is a young girl who lives in London. She comes to her grandparent’s beach house in Maine. She is excited to meet her grandfather, but not at all excited to see her 3 cousins: Jack, Beanie, and Bodie. Addie’s grandfather gives her a treasure book, which her grandmother once owned. Inside it is a moonstone ring and a poem. These lead Addie and her cousins to a cave. The adventure that they go on is unlike any other.

My favorite part of the book was when Addie and Jack (and the other cousins) start to understand each other. This helps them get along better and work together to get out of the cave.

This book is perfect if you love mystery and fantasy. I was kept on the edge of my toes while following the story of Addie B., Bodie, Jack, and Beanie.

Mint Girl Recommends Reimagined Fairy Tales

In these uncertain times, I find myself wanting to read something familiar, but new and exciting at the same time. Reimagined fairy tales give me the exact mix of new, but old that I need. Here are 5 of my favorite reimagined fairy tales.

  1. The Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer

This book is the first book that comes to my mind when I hear “fractured fairy tale”. This series is very imaginative and gives a whole new spin to the usual fairy tale. It tells the story of twins, Alex and Conner Bailey, who get sucked into their grandmother’s story tale book in the first book. This is just the start of their adventures. Soon, they find themselves traveling back and forth the 2 worlds in the other books. This is one of my favorite series.

2. Ella Enchanted and Ogre Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

I’ve read Ella Enchanted, but Ogre Enchanted is high on my TBR list. This book explains Cinderella’s true nature and why she’s so obedient. This had made no sense previously, but this book really explains it well. It is very detailed and I’m absolutely in love with this book.

3. Liesl Shurtliff’s (Fairly) True Tales

This book series is hilarious. Each book stands apart from each other and it tells of the characteristics and explanations never seen before. Ever wonder why the dwarf Grumpy was so grumpy? Or why Rumpelstiltskin choose to spin hay into gold? These books explain it all.

4. The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

What were the true characteristics of The Princes Charming, Belle, Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Snow White? This book gives a twist to them as they embark on the quest of a lifetime (Well, most of them). This is a 2 book adventure, but I’ve only read the 1st one.

5. The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

This is definitely my favorite book and I’m so excited for the last book, One True King. The cover looks awesome, but of course, the cover is not the book! Sophie and Agatha, best friends and best enemies, figure out what it takes to survive in the school for Good and Evil while going through tough times that tests them and their friendship. Love this book so much!

6. The Fun in Devlok series by Devdutt Pattanaik

This isn’t exactly a fairy tale, but I love the new way of telling stories.

I love reading reimagined fairy tales and I hope you enjoy these books as much as I do. Tell me if you have any suggestions in the comments!

Mint Girl Reads A Galaxy Of Sea Stars

A Galaxy of Sea Stars is a middle grade book written by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo. It tells the story of 11-year old Izzy who is having friendship troubles.

Her dad is back from the war in Afghanistan, but he’s changed. Her mom is working at their aunt’s bakery in Block Island for the summer. But just summer turns into a longer time and Izzy starts to feel annoyed. Then Sitara and her family joins and Izzy starts to feel more left out by her dad. Quickly, though, Sitara and Izzy become friends. At school, Izzy has way more problems, like how will she go on her school’s news? and why is Zelda acting so mean to Sitara.

Slowly, Izzy begins to understand the meaning of friendship and loyalty and being yourself.

Mint Girl Meets Jason Reynolds and Ibram X Kendi

On 3/13/2020, I attended Blue Willow’s Meet Jason Reynolds session. It was about his new book Stamped. The book is about racism and how it spread. The format was easy to read and understandable. It made talking/reading about race much easier.

Jason Reynolds answered many inspiring questions asked by Ibram X Kendi, kids, and adults. The whole topic of this meeting was what inspires race and how can we stop it.

The book Stamped is a shortened version of Stamped From The Beginning which is written by Ibram X Kendi. The Jason Reynolds version is much easier to read and makes more sense to kids.

I haven’t finished reading it yet but I hope to over this extended spring break. Stay Healthy!

Mint Girl Reads Stories For South Asian Super Girls by Raj Kaur Khaira

I have recently read Stories For South Asian Super Girls by Raj Kaur Khaira. This is a book where you learn about many south Asian wonder women in today’s world. This is a nonfiction book about strong Asian women from Jhansi Ki Rani (amazing warrior queen) to Hannah Simone ( an actor). This book is chock-full of interesting facts and it has the best illustrations.I love this book.

This book tells you about all the amazing things women can do. They fight for their rights and can become role-models. This book earns a big thumbs-up from me.

International Women’s Day is a day where we celebrate all the strong women in the world and think about how women have come a long way from where we begun.It’s a day where we remember how far we have to go and think about achieving our goal.Happy Woman’s Day! 😁

Mint Girl Sees The Diary Of Anne Frank Play

On February 16, 2020, I went to see the Diary Of Anne Frank play. It was a haunting story about two families forced to go into hiding as not to be killed and about the people who risked their lives to save them. We watched this play at Match Theater and it was presented by Main Street Theater.

As most people know, Anne was a real person and her diary is our connection to her. We now know about her life and her feelings. We know how she coped in rough times and how she felt in the good times. The Diary Of Anne Frank is a sad play about love, hope, and finding the beauty in things you think can’t be beautiful anymore.

It was very different from reading the book as the whole diary came alive. The characters came alive when they stepped on stage. They reacted as though they were really Anne and her friends and family .

I was impressed by the quality of the play. The actors knew their lines and reacted just as I thought the real families would. This play helps us see Anne’s life and how she felt. This play was very useful as I am a visual person and it helps me to understand the book.

Mint Girl Reads Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly

I recently read Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly and illustrated by Lian Cho. It was a book that has been high on my reading list for days. The cover is beautiful as it shows Lalani sitting in her small rowboat while the title, written in gold, is embedded on a tree. This clearly shows Lalani’s journey and the expression on her face shows her troubles.

This is one of my favorite books because of the genre. It’s a fiction/fantasy book. I love reading about magic and how it is used. Each story has its own use of magic in a different world and Lalani of the Distant Sea was no different. This was a lively story about a ghost,unique creatures,and humans who are very different than how we are today.

Lalani of the Distant Sea teaches us about hope, greed, selfishness, and love along with many other virtues. The amazing thing about this book is how Erin Entrada Kelly weaves so many different lessons, perspectives, and characteristics into one book. Lalani of the Distant Sea is truly a miracle book.