Charlotte’s Library, a blog that focuses on fantasy and science fiction books for kids and teenagers, gave Come Fall a really nice review. “[A]n excellent book full of vivid characterization,” it said.

My favorite quote:

In essence, this is a middle grade story of friendship, one of negotiating the complexities of growing up and being true to one’s self. And it’s a fine example of that genre. The magical underpinnings are unobtrusive, linked to the events of the “real” world, but not so much as to make the kids’ story, in itself, a fantasy. In fact, the story of Salm[a]n, Lu, and Blos could stand alone without the fairies.

But Titania, Oberon, and Puck add a dimension to it that gives it a special zest, a magical intrigue that makes a fairly predictable story into something more.

You can read the full review here. Thank you Charlotte’s Library!

I’m happy to report that the Waterloo Public Library in Waterloo, Ontario chose Come Fall for its August 5th Sizzling Staff Selections among new children’s books. Thank you Waterloo Public Library!

Meanwhile, blogger Debbie Winkler gave No Castles Here a wonderful review in her July 29th posting. Thank you Debbie!

On July 12, Publishers Weekly gave Come Fall a starred review!

“[T]he power of true friendship prevails in this magical yet realistic tale that, quite rightly, makes middle school feel like a trip through a dark and scary forest populated by not-so-friendly creatures.”

A delicious brrr! You can read the full review here. Thank you Publishers Weekly.

The Horn Book Magazine had some very nice things to say about Come Fall in its July/August issue.

Noting that the book is a take on A Midsummer’s Night Dream, the reviewer, Susan Dove Lempke, thought that “the interweaving of magical and realistic elements works surprisingly smoothly,” and “[d]espite its Shakespearean roots, this is a very accessible story.” She found the characters “distinctly and sympathetically drawn, and some of the most heart-wrenching and beautifully written passages are in the form of . . . language arts assignments.” She concluded, “[t]he book is an excellent introduction to Shakespeare’s play, and initiates will enjoy picking up little references such as Blos’s name (a riff on Peaseblossom), but this is, on its own, a compelling story about friendship and trust.”

Thank you Horn Book!

School Library Journal had some nice things to say about the audio book for No Castles Here. They liked the novel, calling it a “heartwarming, wonderfully written story,” and enjoyed John Mayer’s narration. You can read the whole review here.

It’s funny how I find out about some reviews quickly (like when Kirkus gave No Castles Here a star — yay!), and some get buried.

BookList isn’t exactly a small potatoes reviewer. And yet I only found out today that they reviewed NCH back in December 2007. Yup. Over a year ago. And it’s really very nice, saying, among other things, that it’s a “heartwarming novel.”

The full text on the BookList site is only available by subscription, but this website reprinted the review here, with permission. (Many, many thank yous!)

Now here’s a review I missed from Curled Up With a Kid’s Book, “a reading resource for kids, teachers, librarians and parents.”

This is a first novel for author Bauer, and it is an exceptional presentation. Middle-school boys, the toughest reading students, will enjoy this story and the characters Augie, Dwaine and Fox Tooth. The characterization of bullying is well done, as is the presentation of the Big Brother program and its address to stereotypes.

Thank you Curled Up With a Kid’s Book!

You can read the entire review here.