The Wooden Prince is Pinocchio re-imagined. He’s a construct of wood and gears, a robot servant in the palace of the doge. But suddenly he has ideas of his own and a person to find: an alchemist named Geppetto. Fascinating world-building. Steampunk and alchemy, with a island where “half-beasts” and elementals live under the peaceful reign of a benevolent eternal. Lots to discover and action aplenty. In Den of the White Fox, Zenta and Matsuzo travel into a valley where people believe in legends of a trickster fox. In order to help the young woman who offers them shelter, the two ronin seek to unravel a mystery involving several thefts. A (much-welcomed) final story from Namioka, which was probably not included in the main series simply because it’s shorter than the previous books. Jinx’s Fire is the final installment in the Jinx trilogy. He may not be the most tactful boy in the Urwald, but he’s certainly the most powerful. But he can’t end a war and save a friend without help. Complex, unique, and very satisfying to my curmudgeon-loving soul.

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In The Owls have Come to Take Us Away, Simon is intrigued by aliens and the conspiracies surrounding them. When his family leaves the air force base that they call home to camp in the woods, something strange happens in the woods. Simon is sure he’s been abducted by aliens. Getting someone to believe him is tough. I’d call this a psychological thriller, middle grade style. The Isle of the Lost is a fairy tale remix set after the events of all the Disney movies, during an era when King Beast and Queen Belle rule over all the kingdoms and the villains (and their assorted minions) have long been banished to the Isle of the Lost, where they have no access to magic. Words of Stone was kind of … literary? Blaze is a fearful boy facing big changes. Joselle is an angry girl looking to alleviate her boredom by picking on the aforementioned fearful boy. Which inspires a fragile kind of friendship. I’d say this is one of those kids’ books that doesn’t seem to have been written for kids.

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The Coming of the Bear is the sixth mystery in the Zenta & Matsuzo series. The two ronin become castaways, shipwrecked on the Japanese island now known as Hokkaido, which is populated by a native people known as the Ainu. Zenta and Matsuzo struggle with a language barrier and cultural differences while trying to figure out who’s trying to cause trouble between the Ainu and a nearby Japanese settlement. The Soprano’s Last Song is the second mystery for our trio/triangle, this time involving the opera. I find this alternative history to be light and entirely appropriate for lower middle grade readers. Nothing too complex, with hints of a long and tangled future for Irene and the two boys who have become her best friends. In Jinx’s Magic, Jinx has a whole lot of people relying on him, and most of them are trees. This is the second book in the trilogy, which picks up where the first left off and ends with the definite need to grab the final installment.

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In Winterhouse, a series starter, Elizabeth the orphan is sent off to spend the Christmas holidays alone at a hotel known as Winterhouse, where she’s able to indulge her love for books, word games, and puzzles. In The Other Boy, Shane pitches for his school’s baseball team. He games with his best friend and has a crush on this really pretty girl in their class. Normal stuff. Until his rival catches wind of a secret from his old school. Something really private. Something that shouldn’t make a difference, but does. (Not really a spoiler: Shane is transgender.) In The Wild Robot, a robot washes up on an island and is accidentally activated by the animals there. Roz must learn to survive in the wild. And to get along with the many animals who also call their island home. To this end, Roz applies herself to learning the language of animals.

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Aru lives in a museum dedicated to Indian history and culture. She’s grown up hearing the stories of Hindu gods and heroes. In Aru Shah and the End of Time (Bk1), she releases a demon & learns she’s the reincarnation of a folk hero. A fascinating dip into Indian culture. Fast paced, imaginative, and promising several tangles as the rest of the quartet unfolds. In The Not-So-Jolly Roger, Joe, Sam, and Fred use the book again and are transported to a tropical island, where they meet the infamous Blackbeard. Another fun, mildly educational adventure through time. Illustrated and appropriate for lower middle grade readers. In Death and Douglas, Douglas Mortimer understands death better than most kids his age. And no wonder. He lives in a funeral home, right over the morgue, because his parents are the town’s morticians. To Douglas, death is a natural part of life. But everything he’s always believe is overturned when someone in town is murdered. This is a murder mystery that gives readers a peek into the behind-the-scenes business surrounding death.

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