Middle Grade Book Review – The Mint Girl Blog

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 Reads: Count me In By Varsha Bajaj

Count Me In is a middle grade fiction book written by Varsa Bajaj.

The protagonists in this book are 12 year old Karina and Chris who live in Houston, Texas. They’re neighbors but they don’t know each other well until Karina’s grandfather gets attacked and things start spiraling out of control. What follows is that Chris, Karina, and their friends find the true meaning of belonging in America today.

This realistic fiction book is very relevant in today’s world, as kids like me figure out where we belong in present day America. I found this book very moving and emotional. I live in a community that is welcoming and accepting and I am shocked at how people can act. I knew hate crimes existed, but I never gave it much thought until I read this book. I was shocked at how Karina’s grandfather was treated and how cruel people can be.

If you enjoy diverse reads and middle grade fiction then you’ll definitely enjoy this book.

Mint Girl Reads : More To The Story by Hena Khan

When I first saw the cover of this book, I was captivated. The vibrant colors blended together in perfect harmony. The girls on the cover of the book captured my attention and I found myself wanting to know more about them. That is the reason I started to read More to the Story.

More to the Story is about how sisters, Jam, Bisma, Aleeza, and Maryanm, face a hard time where their dad is in a different country working and Bisma has just gotten diagnosed with lymphoma, a type of cancer. This book is about the relationship between the sisters and Ali, their cousin while they discover themselves.

Jam’s story enraptured me. I loved her passion for journeling and her interesting ideas. I especially love her relationship with Travis and how he keeps shooting down her ideas. Bisma deserves a big round of applause. She managed to stay brave and calm during a hard time for her. Aleeza and Maryanam don’t appear much in the story, but their bond surprises me to no ends.In any fights, it usually ends up being Bisma and Jam vs. Aleeza and Maryanm.

I’ve read many of Hena Khan’s literature before and I’ve always enjoyed them. I especially like how she uses diversity in middle grade fiction. Amina’s Voice will always be one of my favorite books, as I love Amina, Emily, and Soojin’s story.

Mint Girl Reads More to the Story by Hena Khan. Picture created on Canva.com

Mint Rating: 4/5 Mints