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ages 9-12
April 23, 2018

Interview: Derek Landy’s entire Skulduggery Pleasant series coming to U.S.

Derek Landy says his middle-grade Skulduggery Pleasant books are, “Funny.” and “Full of action.” On May 1, the series is relaunching in the U.S.

ages 9-12 Journey Through Art
April 16, 2018

Journey Through Art takes readers around the globe through time

A Journey Through Art is a beautiful book that offers bite-size snippets of information that are easy to digest. It’s a great nonfiction addition to our home library.

ages 6 & up
April 11, 2018

Adventures in Science: The Human Body is seriously cool

Adventures in Science: The Human Body from Silver Dolphin has to be one of the coolest book/activity sets I’ve received.

young adult
  • All
  • YA interview
  • YA review
Relative Strangers Paula Garner
April 9, 2018

Giveaway and Review: Relative Strangers by Paula Garner

Paula Garner’s YA novel Relative Strangers starts out well and quickly becomes a page-turner. It’s not a romance and benefits from that.

  • Summer of Broken Things
    March 27, 2018
    Magaret Peterson Haddix’s Summer of Broken Things explores friendship, family
  • Orphan Monster Spy Matt Killeen
    March 20, 2018
    Matt Killeen’s Orphan Monster Spy is engrossing cinematic thriller
  • March 19, 2018
    ICYMI: Ink — Flight Season — Where I Live — This Heart of Mine
  • More than we can tell Brigid
    March 9, 2018
    Brigid Kemmerer’s More Than We Can Tell is raw, honest, beautiful
Amy Andelson & Emily Meyer Layover
January 31, 2018

Amy Andelson and Emily Meyer fulfill teenage dream with Layover

After 10 years of working together on movies and TV shows, Amy Andelson and Emily Meyer paired up to write Layover, their first YA novel.

  • March 17, 2017
    Piper Perish author Kayla Cagan turns journal experience into YA debut
  • Rabbit Cake
    March 14, 2017
    Annie Hartnett explores grief and humor in Rabbit Cake
  • March 6, 2017
    Optimists Die First author Susin Nielsen pulls from memories of youth
  • January 9, 2017
    ‘Wayfarer’ gave author Alexandra Bracken excuse to dive into research
Relative Strangers Paula Garner
April 9, 2018

Giveaway and Review: Relative Strangers by Paula Garner

Paula Garner’s YA novel Relative Strangers starts out well and quickly becomes a page-turner. It’s not a romance and benefits from that.

  • Summer of Broken Things
    March 27, 2018
    Magaret Peterson Haddix’s Summer of Broken Things explores friendship, family
  • Orphan Monster Spy Matt Killeen
    March 20, 2018
    Matt Killeen’s Orphan Monster Spy is engrossing cinematic thriller
  • More than we can tell Brigid
    March 9, 2018
    Brigid Kemmerer’s More Than We Can Tell is raw, honest, beautiful
  • March 6, 2018
    Sarah M. Eden’s Ashes on the Moor is an addictive Proper Romance
Middle Grade
  • All
  • ages 10 & up
  • ages 8-12
  • ages 9-12
  • MG interview
April 23, 2018

Interview: Derek Landy’s entire Skulduggery Pleasant series coming to U.S.

Derek Landy says his middle-grade Skulduggery Pleasant books are, “Funny.” and “Full of action.” On May 1, the series is relaunching in the U.S.

  • Journey Through Art
    April 16, 2018
    Journey Through Art takes readers around the globe through time
  • April 11, 2018
    Adventures in Science: The Human Body is seriously cool
  • Judy Moody Giveaway
    April 10, 2018
    Judy Moody gets a new look and you could win all 13 books!
  • Never That Far Carol Lynch Williams
    April 6, 2018
    Carol Lynch Williams’ Never That Far is profoundly moving
Wizard for Hire Obert Skye
March 29, 2018

Obert Skye’s quirky Wizard for Hire is magical MG novel

Obert Skye’s Wizard for Hire is the first book in a series, but it definitely stands alone. While the ending leaves room for expansion, it also provides a satisfying conclusion.

  • Jen Calonita Switched
    March 15, 2018
    Jen Calonita’s Switched is OK addition to Fairy Tale Reform School
  • January 15, 2018
    ICYMI: 2017 middle-grade books worth taking a look at
  • Lily's Mountain Hannah Moderow
    November 14, 2017
    Hannah Moderow takes readers to Alaskan wilderness in Lily’s Mountain
  • Mira Bartok Wonderling
    September 29, 2017
    Mira Bartók channels Dickens in middle-grade debut, Wonderling
Never That Far Carol Lynch Williams
April 6, 2018

Carol Lynch Williams’ Never That Far is profoundly moving

Never That Far is set in rural Florida, and the dialogue is a bit hard at first. However, it doesn’t take long before Carol Lynch Williams’ warm prose envelopes you.

  • March 16, 2018
    Real Stories From My Time add depth to American Girl historical novels
  • Night Diary Veera Hiranandani
    March 14, 2018
    Veera Hiranandani’s The Night Diary is a beautiful MG novel
  • Science of Breakable Things Tae Keller
    March 8, 2018
    Tae Keller’s Science of Breakable Things is an impressive MG debut
  • Lucy Castor Finds Her Sparkle
    February 21, 2018
    Natasha Lowe’s Lucy Castor Finds Her Sparkle explores change
April 23, 2018

Interview: Derek Landy’s entire Skulduggery Pleasant series coming to U.S.

Derek Landy says his middle-grade Skulduggery Pleasant books are, “Funny.” and “Full of action.” On May 1, the series is relaunching in the U.S.

  • Journey Through Art
    April 16, 2018
    Journey Through Art takes readers around the globe through time
  • Penelope March is Melting
    November 24, 2017
    Jeffrey Michael Ruby’s Penelope March is Melting is fun mystery
  • The Giant Pumpkin Suite
    November 17, 2017
    Melanie Heuiser Hill’s Giant Pumpkin Suite is a wonderful MG novel
  • Perfect_Score Rob Buyea
    October 9, 2017
    Rob Buyea takes on state testing in middle-grade novel The Perfect Score
April 23, 2018

Interview: Derek Landy’s entire Skulduggery Pleasant series coming to U.S.

Derek Landy says his middle-grade Skulduggery Pleasant books are, “Funny.” and “Full of action.” On May 1, the series is relaunching in the U.S.

  • Mira Bartok Wonderling
    September 29, 2017
    Mira Bartók channels Dickens in middle-grade debut, Wonderling
  • Beatrice Zinker Shelley Johannes
    September 14, 2017
    Shelley Johannes offers new perspective with Beatrice Zinker Upside Down Thinker
  • August 2, 2017
    It All Comes Down to This author Karen English draws from life as teacher, mom
  • Missy Piggle-Wiggle Dog Cure
    July 27, 2017
    Annie Parnell follows in great-grandmother’s footsteps with Missy Piggle-Wiggle
picture books
  • All
  • ages 4 & up
  • ages 5 & up
  • author interview
Mice in the City
April 2, 2018

Ami Shin’s intricate Mice in the City books make great gifts

Ami Shin’s Mice in the City series is like a mashup between the Babar and Where’s Waldo? books. This time around, though, it’s mice that are the stars.

  • Tough Tug
    April 1, 2018
    Margaret Read MacDonald & Rob McClurkan’s Tough Tug is a tough read
  • George the Hero Hound
    March 31, 2018
    Jeffrey Ebbeler’s silly George the Hero Hound will get kids giggling
  • March 26, 2018
    Botley the Coding Robot offers fun introduction to programming
  • When Paul Met Artie
    March 21, 2018
    G. Neri & David Litchfield’s When Paul Met Artie hits all right notes
Mice in the City
April 2, 2018

Ami Shin’s intricate Mice in the City books make great gifts

Ami Shin’s Mice in the City series is like a mashup between the Babar and Where’s Waldo? books. This time around, though, it’s mice that are the stars.

  • George the Hero Hound
    March 31, 2018
    Jeffrey Ebbeler’s silly George the Hero Hound will get kids giggling
  • February 13, 2018
    Barry Wittenstein explores invention of Band-Aid in Boo-Boos That Changed the World
  • February 2, 2018
    Celebrate those you love with charming Valentine’s Day books
  • Earth-My-First-4.54-Billion-Years-
    October 27, 2017
    Earth! My First 4.54 Billion Years is a delightful look at our planet
March 26, 2018

Botley the Coding Robot offers fun introduction to programming

Botley the Coding Robot is a simple robot that teaches programming basics through play rather than screen time, and at $60, it’s a great value.

  • Sylvia Rose and the Cherry Tree
    March 7, 2018
    Illustrations are best part of Sylvia Rose and the Cherry Tree
  • Astronaut Annie
    March 5, 2018
    Suzanne Slade & Nicole Tadgell’s Astronaut Annie is sweet, nuanced
  • February 2, 2018
    Celebrate those you love with charming Valentine’s Day books
  • Bonaparte Falls Apart
    October 25, 2017
    Celebrate Halloween with Bonaparte, Zombelina & Ghost Cat
I Am Famous
March 1, 2018

Kids are ‘paparazzi’ stars in Tara Luebbe & Becky Cattie’s I Am Famous

The idea for Tara Luebbe and Becky Cattie’s I Am Famous stemmed from Weir Al’s song TMZ, a parody of Taylor Swift’s You Belong to Me.

  • February 13, 2018
    Barry Wittenstein explores invention of Band-Aid in Boo-Boos That Changed the World
  • Don't Forget Dexter Lindsay Ward
    January 8, 2018
    Lindsay Ward’s Don’t Forget Dexter inspired by random text message
  • IT'S-NOT-JACK-AND-THE-BEANSTALK-cover
    September 19, 2017
    Josh Funk ‘fractures’ classic fairy tale in It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk
  • May 5, 2017
    Get to know Will Hillenbrand, author of Share, Big Bear, Share
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  • Recent Posts

    • April 23, 2018
      Interview: Derek Landy’s entire Skulduggery Pleasant series coming to U.S.
    • Journey Through Art
      April 16, 2018
      Journey Through Art takes readers around the globe through time
    • April 11, 2018
      Adventures in Science: The Human Body is seriously cool
    • Judy Moody Giveaway
      April 10, 2018
      Judy Moody gets a new look and you could win all 13 books!
    • Relative Strangers Paula Garner
      April 9, 2018
      Giveaway and Review: Relative Strangers by Paula Garner
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  • On Writing

    “The dance with words and the way the hair on the back of my neck raises when it works right is what I live for.”

    —Gary Paulsen

    “I write because I exist. Because I read. Because I breathe.”

    —Lindsay Eager

    “Books are kind of like the sense of smell: inhale one page and memories come rushing back.”

    —Keir Graff

  • Cracking the Cover is a website dedicated to picture, middle-grade and young-adult books. It features reviews, author interviews and other items of interest. Learn more about our reviewers and check out our review policy. PLEASE NOTE: We are not currently accepting self published books for review. Unless otherwise noted, all books — digital and physical — have been provided by publishers in exchange for honest and unbiased reviews. All thoughts and opinions are those of the reviewer.
  • Reviews Published Professional Reader 2016 NetGalley Challenge 100 Book Reviews