MMGM: Secret of the Shadow Beasts by Diane Magras

 

Nora lives in Brannland, where shadow beasts called the Umbrae come out once the sun goes down. Adults who are bitten die, but there are children who are immune. These children become knights at the age of 7 when they train to destroy the shadow beasts. Although Nora Kemp’s blood was tested and proven to be immune, her father refused to allow her to become a knight. Knight's train hard and live away from their families and Owen Kemp wanted his daughter to have a normal childhood. Instead, Nora lives in the countryside on a farm where she has sheep and plays the fiddle. Her family has always known they have to be inside when the "gloaming" comes because that is when the Umbrae come out to attack anyone outside. But life on a farm doesn't always stop. It’s been over a year since the beasts got her dad and now Nora’s mother has been almost bitten by them (even being near them can make someone sick). Only Nora’s quick thinking saves them both. But this makes Nora think about being a knight and she calls up the school and talks to the person who tested her when she was seven. The umbrae have been getting worse and there are less people who are able to fight them, so the school agrees to have Nora come and try out. She missed five years of training but that doesn’t stop Nora’s natural instincts and abilities from shining through. Nora has a lot to learn about the school, which is divided into different orders. It takes a little bit of time for her to bond with her new order, but they are a team the first night they go to fight the Umbrea together. Unlike the video game Nora played at home, these battles are exhausting, dangerous, and extremely stressful, as she needs to protect herself, her order and the citizens. When someone from another order does something that puts the lives of everyone in Brannland in danger, Nora and her order try to come to the rescue. What they discover is even more dangerous and petrifying than they could’ve ever imagined. Can Nora and her order defeat the beasts? What secrets will Nora discover about her family? Why are the beasts multiplying? You’ll have to read this fast paced adventure to find out.

I own a hardcover copy of Secret of the Shadow Beasts by Diane Magras, but I was lucky enough to win a copy of the audiobook online. I am so glad I did. The narrator does an amazing job and I felt like I was right there in the store with Nora. The way the setting was painted made the scenes easy to imagine. Nora is a character that people can relate to because she seems like a regular kid who enjoys reading, playing video games, and spending time with her family. I like seeing how the relationships in the book change as Nora gets to know everyone. It’s dangerous for children to be out fighting the beasts, but the story explains why it needs to be children, not adults. I highly recommend this book to anyone in fourth grade or up who enjoys action, adventure, and characters who really make you care about them. I have read The Mad Wolf's Daughter by Diane Magras and I look forward to reading other books by her in the future.

Has anyone else read Secret of the Shadow Beasts? Or have you read another book by Diane Magras? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~L

For other MMGM posts, please visit Greg Pattridge's blog.

Margo's Musings: What's Up With Wombats?

This week, Margo’s favorite pick was a big hit with the whole family. My little sister couldn't resist the cover and we were all curious. Turns out none of us really knew anything about wombats before we read it! They really are fascinating.

Wombats Are Pretty Weird is a nonfiction text that is perfect for read aloud! Abby Cushman is the illustrator and the author. She sure is funny! We loved reading all the little jokes, and there is a snake throughout the book commenting on the facts and they are hilarious. Margo looked for the snake and pointed each time she spied it. Through our laughter we were amazed about all the things we were learning about wombats. Once you learn about their unique poop and their bottoms, you will wonder how you never knew these things before!

Love the illustrations and speech bubbles used throughout the book. Text was displayed in a way that was easy to process. loved the way humor was used to help us learn and remember key facts. This book will have you laughing out loud and wanting to know more! I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys learning about animals and likes to laugh.

We were excited to learn the author has another book that just came out called Flamingos Are Pretty Funky. I know what we will be getting from the library next!

Has anyone else read Wombats Are Pretty Weird? Or have yours read another book by Abi Cushman? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Happy Reading!

~F

Views From the Pond: January/February/March 2024

 I am trying to meet my goal of doing my Views From the Pond posts every two months. But, alas, here we are with three months of pictures.  January came in with some snow and the temperatures went down for a bit. We had one weekend that was in the single digits. Brrr! The snow was VERY wet and heavy. Still we were lucky and got to enjoy many snow free days and some nicer than usual temperatures. After all the rain we received in December (15 inches)- we were surprised to get another 12 inches throughout the month. It was wet! The pond was full and the brook was babbling! 

There are many pictures of my views. So thankful for this calm setting.

January 2024

A beautiful snowstorm, but the snow was SO heavy it weighed down the branch so that it brushed the ground. 

It's hard to leave for work when I see this out my door. 

Our weather station and in the pond a large branch can be seen. It broke off during the heavy snow. 

February 2024

More heavy snow! Beautiful for sure. 

Love watching the light change! So different from moment to moment. 

Limbs in the water! 

More limbs around the base of the tree. She really shed during the snowstorm!

Lord and Lady Quackerly are back with a friend. The first time I saw them was 2/7, but I have been lucky enough to see them almost every morning before I leave for work. I get to watch them for much longer on the weekends. They are so cute swimming around.  

March 2024

The limbs were so large and wet that we knew getting them out was going to be a challenge.

We had to buy a grapple to get this large tree limb out of the pond. It was heavy and waterlogged after being stuck in the pond for months (much heavier than I expected). We had to put a cord around it and pull it all the way out using a pickup truck. What a process! 

  

Lord and Lady Quackerly

So many pine cones this year!

Can you spot the hawk in the tree? It landed on the branch after silently swooping just over our heads! It was quite the surprise!

Hard to believe, but it was another rainy month. We got 3 inches the last week of March alone! 

I hope you enjoyed sitting by the pond with me for a little while. Hope you enjoyed some of the sights! Soon I will share picture of spring in bloom and the start of summer!

Thanks for stopping by!