We Dream of Space, by Erin Entrada Kelly

 My first 5 paw rating of 2021! Finally! This new book by Newbery Award-winning author Kelly (Hello, Universe), is a slow, steady heartbeat of a book. The story of three siblings, two of them twins, navigating a difficult home life during the winter of 1986. That year is important because NASA was sending the space shuttle Challenger into space that year, and Bird, one of the protagonists in the story, fancies herself a NASA scientist one day. 

The three siblings are as different as can be, and all floating in their own space, in their own ways, sometimes crashing into objects that interrupt their paths along the way. I know, this is pretty cryptic, but trust me, Kelly weaves a wonderful, heavy, heartfelt tale that will have you plugging yourself into the story and feeling for the characters and each of their lives. A better-than-average realistic fiction story, perfect for fans of Sharon Creech or Jerry Spinelli. Space won a Newbery Honor this year...two Newbery's for one author is rare air. This story is worth your time! Enjoy! 5 paws!

Moving Target, by Christina Diaz Gonzalez

 Another title on this season's OBOB list for middle school! Gonzalez is the author of Red Umbrella, which I have seen, always wanted to read, but haven't gotten to yet. Like many books, it's on my "want to read" list! Perhaps you have one, too? Moving Targets is book 1 to Return Fire, which came out in 2016, the year after Moving Target did. So it's not a super-new book, but being an OBOB selection puts it on my radar.

And...meh. I tried to love it, but only liked it. And only liked it a little. It wanted to be a good action/adventure book, and almost got there a couple of times, but then the writing got really predictable, the characters never turned into people I cared about, and the next plot twist was handed to the reader on a platter, as if we couldn't figure some of it out on our own, if allowed to. This might be a good mystery for a younger reader, maybe 4th or 5th grade? But for most middle graders, there are SO many other good action/adventure/mysteries out there, you could skip this one and not really miss out on anything. Try Alex Rider, or Ranger's Apprentice, or authors Blue Balliett, Caroline Cooney, or Shannon Messenger. Life's too short to read a mediocre book. Read this if you want, but you were warned... 3 paws (and only because it is an OBOB book).

The Erth Dragons: The Wearle, by Chris D'Lacey

 I finished this book last week and just couldn't find the time to put my paws to the keyboard. As a pug, I don't officially hibernate, but this cold weather sure makes me want to sleep a lot! You, too? 

Anyway, the first book in the most recent series by dragon-writer D'Lacey, author of the Last Dragon Chronicles (The Fire Within, etc.) from a few years back. You've heard of that, right? A very, very popular series for the last several years...if you read dragon stories, you've probably read some or all of that series already!

The Erth Dragons starts off really slowly, I think, but pretty quickly finds its footing and takes off. A fantasy story, of course, of dragons and humans interacting, not usually very well, and the results of their interactions. Let's just say more than one person gets burned by dragon fire!

If you are a die-hard dragon fan, you will likely enjoy this book and series. I admit to never having read Wings of Fire (yet, but I will some day!), but I do know a couple of dragon books that are awesome. Dragon's Milk by Susan Fletcher and Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede are two of the best, in my opinion. Erth Dragons was good, but not as good as these two. If you like dragon books, you will probably like this, and other D'Lacey titles. If not, go find Dragon's Milk or Dealing with Dragons first...they are both wonderful! 3 paws.