Monday, April 16, 2012

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Goddess Girls: Medusa the Mean


I know, it's been awhile---life, right? But I have been reading. I found my MMGM pick from the constant nagging of my daughters. Medusa the Mean is the newest book in the Goddess Girls series.

Goddess Girls #8: Medusa the Mean by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
Published in April 2012

Other books in the Series:

Athena the Brain #1
Persephone the Phony #2
Aphrodite the Beauty #3
Artemis the Brave #4
Athena the Wise #5
Aphrodite the Diva #6
Artemis the Loyal #7

The Hook: Medusa, the mean girl in all the other books, finally gets a chance to tell her side. She's tired of being the only mortal at Mount Olympus Academy, so when she discovers a necklace that will help her to be immortal, she jumps at the chance.

Why I love the Book/Series: Tone and Characters. This series is pitch perfect for middle grade voice and the characters are entertaining. It was really fun to read the side of Medusa in this book where she's been such a brat in the other books. Lauren loved this book as well. She read it first and gave me chapter by chapter summaries and highlights. She thought Medusa was a magnet for bad luck and was really funny. This series is perfect for girls.

My other daughter Bryn, 8 and the reluctant reader, just finished the first book in the series and jumped right into Persephone the Phony. This is a huge sign of a great series for reluctant readers. I've mentioned before how Bryn will put down a book if it doesn't hold her interest on each page. Up until Goddess Girls, Wimpy Kid was the only series she wanted to read. I've been recommending this series to a lot of parents who are looking for a good series for girls. The books are creative and fun as well as a blend greek mythology. My girls and I are continually discussing the different characters and how they compare to the original myths. There's also nothing too intense in this series, so they are great books for younger middle graders like Bryn.

What middle grade mythology books do you love?



8 comments:

  1. Sounds like a great series for younger kids. I've heard lots about it. Don't worry about your daughter--mine read Captain Underpants for a long time. I loved Percy Jackson. So did my daughter. It was one of the series that really got her hooked on reading.

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  2. These do sound great for younger (and reluctant readers). My reluctant reader is my husband. Any suggestions for him? :-)

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  3. I haven't read any of these, but I've heard them talked up a lot. I'll have to check them out.

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  4. Brooke! You're back!

    This sounds like a funny and painless way to learn Greek mythology. We finally got these in at the bookstore, but I haven't read them yet.

    I still love Percy Jackson.

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  5. It has been quite a while since I was in middle school. I think this book looks great and would be valuable for reading aloud and sharing with the class.

    kellybrown28021@gmail.com

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  6. Hi Brooke,

    Thank you so much for reviewing our new Goddess Girls book. I'm so glad you and your girls are enjoying the series! Medusa the Mean is one of my favorite covers so far, and we had a lot of fun with Medusa's character--showing her mischievous, determined side, and adding humorous touches. :o)

    To answer your question, for the younger end of MG books, some that I like and often recommend are Judy Moody, Ivy and Bean, and Junie B. Jones. I just saw that Fancy Nancy has a new series called Nancy Clancy Super Sleuth that looks intriguing. I enjoy Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries too.

    Thanks again. Happy Tuesday!

    ~ Joan

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  7. Hi Natalie,

    I think the popularity of Percy Jackson is one reason our series got picked up by Aladdin (our publisher). Good timing. I hope you enjoy Medusa if you get a chance to take a look.

    I'm a huge fan of the Captain Underpants books and of any book like that or Percy J that gets kids interested in reading. It's great that they worked for your daughter.

    Joan

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  8. I'm so glad I found your blog! I'm always looking for recommendations for MG books, especially ones that will appeal to girls (I have an eight year old daughter plus I love to read MG books). These sound terrific and I love the idea of bringing to life the goddesses for young readers.

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