Our featured review for today comes from The Show Me Librarian, which is the blog of Round 1 Middle Grade Fiction judge Amy Koester. Amy is a professional children's librarian in Missouri, and on her blog she reviews books and graphic novels for children and young adults, as well as posting about literacy, library programming, and other related topics. Fun Fact: Amy was appointed to the 2014 Newbery Award Committee!
Earlier in the year, Amy reviewed MG Fiction nominee Rebel McKenzie by Candice Ransom. Main character Rebel McKenzie is an aspiring paleontologist who wants nothing more than to attend a real paleontology camp–and she figures out an interesting way to try to come up with the money: entering a beauty contest. In her review, Amy says:
I loved seeing the feisty, whip-smart Rebel try to weave together her
identities as goal-oriented future paleontologist (the Ice Age kind, not
the dinosaur kind), defender of the downtrodden, and caring sister,
aunt, and friend.
Read the rest of the review here.