Can't Wait Wednesday/Waiting on Wednesday #288: Changeling (The Oddmire #1) by William Ritter

"Waiting on Wednesday" is a weekly event which had been hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine where we spotlight upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating. I'm now linking up with "Can't-Wait Wednesday" hosted over at Wishful Endings.

From Goodreads:

Magic is fading from the Wild Wood. To renew it, goblins must perform an ancient ritual involving the rarest of their kind—a newborn changeling. But when the fateful night arrives to trade a human baby for a goblin one, something goes terribly wrong. After laying the changeling in a human infant’s crib, the goblin Kull is briefly distracted from his task. By the time he turns back, the changeling has already perfectly mimicked the human child. Too perfectly: Kull cannot tell them apart. Not knowing which to bring back, he leaves both babies behind.

Tinn and Cole are raised as human twins, neither knowing what secrets may be buried deep inside one of them. Then when they are twelve years old, a mysterious message arrives, calling the brothers to be heroes and protectors of magic. The boys must leave behind their sleepy town of Endsborough and risk their lives in the Wild Wood, crossing the perilous Oddmire swamp and journeying through the Deep Dark to reach the goblin horde and discover who they truly are.

Changeling (The Oddmire Book One) by William Ritter is expected to be published July 16th, 2019 by Algonquin Young Readers.

Why am I waiting on this one? I like that it's set in the same world as the Jackaby series. And I like the idea of the two boys being raised up as twins not knowing which one of them is the changeling. I can't recall reading a similar tale before. 

What book are you waiting on this week? Share it or a link in the comments so we can check it out and maybe add it to our TBR lists. Thanks for coming by and Happy Reading!

Review: Doctor Who: The American Adventures by Justin Richards

Doctor Who: The American Adventures by Justin Richards

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I didn't know initially when I was reading it that it was aimed at middle-grade readers. I could tell it wasn't quite a fit for adults, though. The stories were entertaining, but just ok. They were lacking in the mannerisms and the like which help you picture just which Doctor you are reading about.

Middle-grades fans will probably enjoy these stories. It takes some familiarity with the series, though. I wouldn't give it to a child who knows nothing of the series and expect that child to enjoy it.

Overall, I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. The stories are pretty much okay, but not great. The pacing in the stories was good, but they were lacking in characterization. It's a good middle-grades book for fans.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.



View all my reviews

Some Strong Female Characters in Picture Books

Now for something different:

When my daughter was little, I wanted her to have exposure to books where the girl wasn't always being saved by a boy. These are a few of the picture books she came to love for their humor and adventure. 

The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch is a twist on the regular fairy tale. Prince Ronald and Princess Elizabeth are supposed to be getting married. Then along comes a dragon and kidnaps Prince Ronald. Princess Elizabeth takes it on herself to rescue him. However when she shows up wearing a paper bag, the Prince is less than thrilled. 

Princess Smartypants by Babette Cole is definitely different. The Princess doesn't want to get married. She would rather live alone with her pets. Her parents tell her she has to get married. So, she designs tests for the princes, which they mostly fail miserably. Then along comes Prince Swashbuckle.

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans is a classic tale about feisty young Madeline who lives at a boarding school in Paris with her 11 other classmates. She makes life interesting for them. 

When she got a little older we shared Tam Lin as told by Jane Yolen. It's beautifully illustrated and a wonderful story about a brave young woman who must rescue her love from the Fairy Queen and in the process regains her ancestral home.

These are just a few of the picture books available with strong female characters. There are read-aloud books too such as Kathleen Ragan's Fearless Girls, Wise Women, and Beloved Sisters: Heroines in Folk Tales Around the World.

Do you know any books for elementary or middle-grade readers, particularly retellings, with strong lead female characters? Have any favorites? Please share them in the comments so we can check them out.