Last month, I participated in #mgbooktober on Instagram. #Mgbooktober is a fun book challenge which requires you to post something every day. I decided to share a few of my favorite posts on my blog as well. You can check out my other posts on Instagram and hopefully follow me!
Tag: books
Mint Girl Reads What Stars Are Made of by Sarah Allen
I recently read the book, “What Stars Are Made Of” by Sarah Allen. It’s a book that makes you want to laugh and cry at the same time.
It’s about a 12 year old girl, Libby Monroe, who is born with Turner syndrome. This impacts how she acts in certain situations, but it doesn’t make her any less of a determined girl. When her big sister, Nonny, announces that she is pregnant, Libby is thrilled. She decides to make a deal with the universe. If she is able to give credit to Celia Payne, a lesser known scientist , through a Smithsonian contest, then Nonny’s baby will be fine. She tries hard to get Celia into her school textbook, but when that doesn’t work, she is heartbroken. Along with her friends though, she creates a new stunning project.
I loved learning about how Libby overcomes her shyness and is able to show who she really is in this book. I think it was a sweet book and I could never put it down.
In this book, y0u will learn how Libby makes friends and comes to realize that she is perfect, just the way she is. I really enjoyed reading this book and thought it was amazing. I definitely recommend you to check out this book if you haven’t read it.
4 Graphic Novels I Enjoyed
Graphic novels are almost like normal books. They capture a lot of the same emotions and talk about problems in the same way. The only difference is that they are usually lighter and more fun to read. Here are some of my favorite graphic novels.
- Raina Telgemeier books
I absolutely love the graphic novels that Raina Telgemeier writes. She writes many different ranges of books. 2 of my favorite books by her are Smile and Sisters which talk about her experiences with mouth troubles and her relationship with her sister. I also enjoy her graphic novel take on the novels written by Ann M Martin. The Baby-Sitters Club series is so lively and it’s one of my favorites. I also love her stand alone books.
2. Go With The Flow by Lily Williams and Karen Schneemann
This book talks about periods and how one certain middle school never had pads and tampons stocked up. It is really exciting and I love how the authors tied in the theme of friendship in as well. Each character’s personality is so different and I loved the idea of protests. This is such a great book and you should totally read it!
3. 5 Worlds series by Mark Siegel and Alexis Siegel
This series is so captivating and exciting. Each graphic novel ends with an enthralling cliffhanger and makes you want to read the next book. It follows the story of Oona Lee and her friends who are trying to save the 5 worlds from extinction. There are so many plot twists and everyone has secrets. I love the fantasy element and it’s so fun to read! This is a great series and the last book is coming out soon!
4. Emmie and Friends series by Terri Libenson
This series is so upbeat and I love the problems and solutions. It’s really fun to read and each book can be read as a stand-alone or a series. It’s one of my favorite series, because of the realistic characters. It’s so fun to read and I always can count on Emmie, Brianna, and Jamie (even though I haven’t read her book yet- it’s on my TBR) to cheer me up. This is such a great series and I really think you should read it.
What are some of your favorite series?
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.
- 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 Reads: Shine! by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein
One of the best books I’ve read this year is Shine! by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein. Shine! tells the story of a young girl named Piper Milly who is a new student at Chumley Prep, an fancy middle school. She makes fast friends with 3 of her classmates and learns from them. Then a mysterious source announces an award called the Excelsior Award. Piper feels that winning the award will help her fit in. Throughout this story, Piper learns about the importance of friends and that who you are is defined on the inside.
Shine is one of those books that makes you feel good about yourself. J.J. and Chris Grabenstein put a lot of detail into Shine! and I feel like I know a lot about Piper and who she is. The lesson here is to be yourself no matter what happens. The book also talks about how acadamics are important but they aren’t everything.