Middle Grade Pick: The Dark Lord Clementine

The Dark Lord Clementine
by Sarah Jean Horwitz
Algonquin Young Readers
2019
329 pages
ISBN: 9781616208943

Middle grade readers: get ready to be delighted, enthralled and enrapt in the immersive world of master storyteller Sarah Jean Horwitz!

Clementine Morcerous is the only child and sole heir to Castle Brack. When her father falls ill to a cunning spell cast by the Whittle Witch (the Witch of the Wood), it's up to Clementine to figure out how to help him and keep their castle and lands running. Father's magic is running out, the scarecrows aren't working in the land, the castle witch runs away with their grocery money, and everything is turning topsy turvy. Things are getting worse on an hourly basis, and unless Clementine moves fast, they could lose everything.

Clementine must find the Whittle Witch and figure out how to undo her magic, fix her father, get the magic back into the castle on pretend to be just as dark and menacing as the Dark Lord himself without ever letting any of the town's people know the Dark Lord is ailing. Everyone knows what happens if the Dark Lord appears weak: the people will wreak havoc and take over the castle. Clementine can't let that happen.

She turns to a magical book: the Witchionary! which has "...cataloged and chronicled" details of the Dark Lord's most dreaded enemies: witches. With her sidekicks a talking sheep, a young boy from town and help from a stranger, Clementine searches to find her place in the world and answers to her father's predicament.

Captivating and mesmerizing, full of wit and snark, and whimsical beings including witches who are indentured servants and a satyr who trades goods for spells, the Lady of the Lake (from Arthurian legend) who is indeed beautiful. But as beautiful as she is, she is an equally horrible singer with a bad memory, and worse yet she keeps mixing her metaphors which is laugh out loud funny.  She's so ditsy,  she'll throw swords at anyone who passes her whether it be a knight or not (hence the swords all over the book cover).

The Dark Lord Clementine will be up for Book of the Year and awarded many state awards.  You heard it here first! It is a rare middle grade find and a soaring triumph that kids will be delighted to read. Clementine is one tough female with equal parts intelligence, humor, and bravery. No matter how dire her predicament, she summons the strength to move forward and do what is right.

Highly, highly recommended as a MUST READ. If you have middle grade kids or know some, buy this book now! A must for all middle grade collections.

Grade 4 and up.

Pamela's Picks for Book Club Titles: Middle School to Adult

Every year, librarians and teachers ask about books for book clubs. I have made this list from the last two years of book club reads at our school:

Suggested Books for Book Clubs:
These are books are members have read over the two years. 

Grade 6: 

Barnhill, Kelly. The Girl Who Drank the Moon. Algonquin Young Readers
Bell, CeCe. El Deafo. Harry N. Abrams, 2014. 978-14197121732014. 
Collins, Suzanne. Gregor the Overlander. Scholastic Paperbacks, 2004. 978-0439678131

Giff, Patricia Reilly. Pictures of Hollis Woods. Yearling, 2004. 978-0312674854

Grisham, John. Skipping Christmas, Dell, 2010. 978-0440422969
Sunny Side Up, Holm, Jennifer L. GRAPHIX, 2015. 978-0545741668

Horowitz, Anthony. Skeleton Key, Puffin Books, 2006. Skeleton Key, 978-0142406144

Palacio, R.J. Wonder, Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2014. 978-0375869020

Pennypacker, Sara. Pax.  Balzer + Bray, 2016. 978-0062377012

Grade 7:

Bodeen, S.A. The Compound. Square Fish. 2009. 978-0312578602

Carter, Ally. Heist Society. Disney-Hyperian. 2011. 978-1423116615

       Deuker, Carl . Gym Candy. HMH Books for Young Readers. 2008. 978-0547076317

       Doctorow, Cory. Little Brother. Tor Teen. 2010. 978-0765323118

Falkner, Brian. Brain Jack. Ember, 2011. 978-0375843679

      Hirsch, Jeff. The Darkest Path. Scholastic Press. 2013. 978-0545630627

      Morris, Paula.  Ruined. Point, 2010. 978-0545042147

      Sloan, Goldberg Holly. Counting by 7s. Puffin, 2014. 978-0142422861

Stiefvater, Maggie. Shiver. Scholastic, Inc. 2014. 978-0545682787

Volk, Lauren. Wolf Hollow. Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2016. 978-1101994825

Grade 8:

       Charbonneau, Joelle. The Testing. HMH Books for Young Readers, 2015. 978-0544336230

Dashner, James. Maze Runner. Delacourte Press, 2010. 978-0385737951

Fukuda, Andrew. The Hunt. St. Martin’s Griffin, 2012. 978-1250005298

Henry, April. Girl, Stolen. Square Fish, 2012. 978-0312674755

Lu, Marie. Legend. Speak, 2013. 978-0142422076

      Michaels, Rune. Genesis Alpha. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011. 978-1416965008Henry,

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Scholastic Paperbacks, 2000. 978-0439064873

Stand, Jeff. A Bad Day for Voodoo. Sourcebooks Fire, 2012. 978-1402266805

High School:

Arnold, David. Mosquitoland. Speak, 2016. 978-0147513656

Knudsen, Michelle. Evil Librarian. Candlewick, 2016. 978-0763676407

Kraus, Daniel. The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch . Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016. 978-1481411400

Ohanesian, Iline. Orhan's Inheritance. Algonquin Books, 2016. 978-1616205300

Smith, Andrew. 100 Sideways Miles. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2015. 978-1442444966

Smith, Andrew. Grasshoppper Jungle, Speak, 2015. : 978-0142425008

Smith, Andrew. Winger, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2014. 978-1442444935

Smith, Andrew. Standoff. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers , 2016. 978-1481418300

Weingarten, Lynn. Suicide Notes From Beautiful Girls. Simon Pulse, 2016. 978-1481418584

Adult Titles:

Bick, Ilse. Ashes. EgmontUSA, 2012. 978-1606843857
Goolrick, Robert. A Reliable Wife. Algonquin, 2010. 978-156512977

Eugenides, Jeffrey. Middlesex. Picador, 2002. 978-03124277331

Eugenides, Jeffrey. The Virgin Suicides. Picador, 2009. 978-0312428815
Hadon, Mark. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. Vintage Contemporaries, 2004. 978-1400032716
Roorbach, Bill. Life Among Giants. Algonquin, 2013. 978-1616203245
Rindell, Suzanne. The Typist. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2014. 978-0425268421

Sedaris, David. Naked.  Back Bay Books, 1998. 978-0316777735
Shapiro, B.A., The Art Forger. Algonquin, 2013. 978-1616203160
Zafon, Carlos Ruiz. The Shadow of the Wind. Penguin, 2005. 978-0143034902

Zevin, Gabrielle. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikrey. Algonquin, 2014. 978-1616204518

Top Titles 2016: YA and Middle Grades

Pamela's Picks 2016 (Prezi)

It has been a great year for YA and middle grades, too! With so many books to choose from, I've developed my list of favorites this year. Click the link for a Prezi 

Best Books (So Far) 2016

Pamela's Best Books (So Far) 2016
Presented at LEND conference, El Paso, Texas
June 2016
Best Books (So Far) 2016 use the link Best Books 2016