Written by Zoë Marriott
Published by Candlewick, 2009
ISBN 9780763637491

Zira trains hard, determined to be the best fighter possible. Her sanctuary in the temple of the Holy Mother and her assumed destiny there makes her path certain… except for the dreams. Dreams of fire and escape… dreams of kings and war… dreams of siblings and a mother she thought she had forgotten. When the holy temple is attacked Zira instinctively takes charge and leads the people there to safety. Is there more to her past than she remembers?

This is an engaging story about a girl’s awakening awareness of who she is and includes enough fighting scenes to engage boys. When she finds herself at the center of a war with King Abheron, fighting for the survival of the people she has come to love and treasure as her own, every reader will cheer her on.

This is author Zoё Marriott’s second novel. “After I finished The Swan Kingdom, “ she observes, “I decided to take a month or two off to relax.  Unfortunately for my plans, a new character popped into my mind. She shouted for attention nonstop, haunting my dreams and shoving intriguing images before my eyes.”
 
As readers, we are fortunate Marriott decided to write all these ideas down, and Daughter of the Flames is a great end result.

—Heidi Grosch, educator and children’s literature enthusiast

Written by Robin Nelson
Published by Lerner, 2008
ISBN 9780761340713

Which country in the world do you think grows the most apples? (The answer is China). Through vivid colorful photographs and simple text, beginning readers learn about apples, apple trees and everything that happens to them in Life Cycles: Apple Trees.
 
Did you know that it takes five to seven years for an apple seed to grow into a tree and produce its first apples? Readers follow a seed as it germinates, becomes a sapling and then a budding tree. They learn how buds form and flowers turn into fruit. A diagram on page 18 outlines the lifecycle of both fruit and tree, and more in-depth details about apples and apple facts are provided at the end of the book, which also includes a simple glossary (with words and pictures) and an index.

Other books in this series include Dandelions, Pumpkins, Strawberries, Sunflowers, and Tomatoes.

—Heidi Grosch, educator and children’s literature enthusiast

Written by Kristen Chandler
Published by Viking, 2010
ISBN 9780670011421

The wolves in this debut novel aren’t the hunky, teen, paranormal variety, they’re the lanky, controversial, natural ones found in and around Yellowstone Park. As someone who spends a lot of time in Montana and follows the ongoing wolf management disputes, I found this book to be a realistic and thought-provoking portrayal of the complex issues and deep emotions surrounding the reintroduction of wolves.

The story follows sixteen-year-old KJ Carson, a resident of the small town of West End, Montana, as she comes to know and love a new boy in town, gets involved in a rapidly escalating community controversy over wolf management, and grows in her relationship with a minimally communicative father. “Refreshing,” is a word used on the jacket flap to describe heroine KJ Carson. I agree. KJ attacks life with sincerity, passion and just a smidge of sarcasm.

The format of this book includes newspaper columns, quotes from conservationists and poets, proverbs, letters and jokes—devices that impart both information and humor. While the book is classified as a young adult novel, I thought it was appropriate for most middle grade readers as well. Strong characters, suspenseful situations and snappy dialogue give readers plenty to chew on all the way to the last page.

—Constance Van Hoven, children’s book author and teller of tall tales