Find Yourself on Unicorn Island

We're excited to feature Unicorn Island by Donna Galanti this week. Read our review here, and take a look at some of the exciting news about this new middle grade book. 

Book Excerpt

In New York City, lights twinkled across Sam’s ceiling all night long. She had never felt lonely there, knowing the city was awake with her. She could already tell Foggy Harbor was different. It looked like the loneliest place ever. Why would anyone live here on purpose? she wondered.

The driver pulled into the bus station. A neon sign that should have flashed Foggy Harbor Parking was missing most of its letters. BOR . . . ING. Some sign, she thought. I’m already bored here.

“You got someone picking you up, Miss?” the driver asked as he pulled her suitcase from the luggage compartment.

Her t-shirt clung to her in the heavy, muggy air. Sam checked her phone for the address Mom had given her: 1 Foggy Way. 

“My uncle lives a block from here,” she said, pointing at the street sign.

The driver nodded and pulled out of the station, leaving her under the broken sign. Sam texted Mom one word out of duty: ARRIVED. With no choice but to find her new home, she adjusted her backpack and popped up her suitcase handle, dragging it along. It clickety-clacked all the way down the quiet street.

Uncle Mitch’s stone house sat at the end, alone and secluded, hugging the ocean. Its sloped roof pierced the murky sky. One light glowed in a back window. Crickets trilled around the house, creating an eerie buzz as waves lapped the shore.

Sam crunched over the walking path made of shells, then thumped up the front porch steps and rang the doorbell, eager to escape the empty night.

After a few minutes, the door was yanked open. A tall man with curly black hair and a bushy mustache loomed over Sam, the porch light deepening his frown. “Yes?”

Sam swallowed hard. “Uncle Mitch?”

His eyes grew wide and he pulled her inside, slamming the door. “Samantha? What are you doing here?”

Cool air washed over her from a ceiling fan that whirred above, and she shivered, shrinking under his glare. Then she remembered what Mom had said: He’s the only family we’ve got.

Beyond the mist lies a magical secret waiting to be discovered. Unicorn Island is a middle-grade illustrated novel series about a young girl who discovers a mysterious island full of mythical beasts and darker dangers!  When Sam arrives in Foggy Harbor, population 3,230, all she can see is a small, boring town that’s way too far from home. And knowing that she’s stuck there all summer with her grumpy Uncle Mitch only makes things worse. But when Sam discovers a hidden trapdoor leading to a room full of strange artifacts, she realizes Foggy Harbor isn’t as sleepy as it seems. With the help of a new friend, Sam discovers an extraordinary secret beyond the fog: an island of unicorns whose fates are intertwined with hers.

“An accessible and fast-paced magical adventure.”

– Kirkus Reviews

“An all-too-human, enchanting middle grade fantasy novel.”

– Forward Reviews 

“What begins as realistic fiction turns to a fantastical tale of magical rescue. Fans of unicorns and magic in the real world will enjoy this adventure.”

– School Library Journal

Book information
Grade Level: 4 – 6
Hardcover: 224 pages
ISBN-10: 1524864706
ISBN-13: 978-1524864705
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (February 9, 2021)
Reading level: 8 - 12 years

Find the book here!

Read the reviews on Goodreads

About the Author

Donna Galanti is the author of the middle grade adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road, which the Midwest Book Review called, “A heart-pounding thrill ride full of unexpected twists and turns from start to finish”. She’s also the author of the follow up, Joshua and the Arrow Realm, and writes the popular Unicorn Island series for Epic, the leading digital platform for kids 12 and under. Donna is a writing contest judge at nycmidnight.com, a member of From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle-Grade Authors blog, and regularly presents as a guest author at schools. She also loves teaching at writing conferences on marketing and craft and through her Udemy online courses. Donna has lived in England as a child, her family-owned campground in New Hampshire, and Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. Visit her at donnagalanti.com.

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Marvelous Middle Grade Monday # MMGM Book Review: Unicorn Island by Donna Galanti

 

Twelve year old Samantha Sea Wells is happy to have finally settled down in one place for a whole year and is getting ready to spend the summer with her friends. Her excitement is soon dashed when she finds out her mother is working in Europe for the summer. With her mother gone, Sam will have to leave home and go stay with an uncle she doesn't know in Foggy Harbor. As soon as she arrives, she's disappointed by the boring town, which is so small compared to Brooklyn. Uncle Mitch is grumpy, and Sam feels out of place. She meets Tucker, and they become fast friends. Hanging out at her uncle's she and Tuck find a trapdoor, which leads to a secret room. Of course they have to explore! They find some artifacts that puzzle them and they have all kinds of questions. Then Uncle Mitch comes home, and he's very angry to find them snooping. He tells Sam she will have to leave and she's not allowed to see Tuck again. Later, she looks out over the water and notices the constant fog is lifting. Sam sees her uncle rowing toward an island that wasn't there before. Where is he going? And where did the island come from? What lies behind the fog? Sam and Tuck decide to find out. Are their eyes deceiving them? Should Sam and Tuck explore or stay away? You will have to read the first book in the Unicorn Island series to find out what happens next. 

I was so excited when I found out that Donna Galanti had a new book coming out. I have read other books by her and loved them, so I knew I was in for a treat when I picked up Unicorn Island (Volume 1). The cover drew me in right away- I love the colors and the sparkly title. Throughout the book there are many color illustrations by Bethany Standcliffe, which made the story even more magical. I think kids will be able to relate to Sam, and the fact that she was happy to finally be settled somewhere. I know visiting relatives can be fun, but it can also be stressful to go where you really don't know your family or anyone else. I was glad Sam made friends with Tuck, because he seemed nice and they got along. I could relate to exploring the room under the trapdoor, since I know I can't resist a good mystery. I would love to get to see unicorns in person, and I think anyone who enjoys magic will fall right into this story and want to go beyond the fog. I recommend this book to anyone eight and up who likes fantasy and mystery. I'm already looking forward to the next book in the series! 

Has anyone else read Unicorn Island? Or has anyone read anything else by Donna Galanti? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~L

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

Stop back here on Tuesday for a special spotlight on Unicorn Island!

Answer to Fairday's Riddle: The Mysterious Unicorn

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! We're on the lookout for unicorns. Tune in Monday to find out how the answer ties into the story. See you all around the book block. ~F

Mystical and pure, with a horn of white. Ride off with your imagination on a moonlit night.

What am I referring to?Answer: Unicorn!

Round About and Back Again!

 

Happy Groundhogs Day! We followed our shadow back to our old blog home. Moving just didn't feel right, so here we are, ready to bring you all sorts of unique stories and interesting things. Stay tuned! 

Here's a riddle to get you in the mood for mystery. Can you guess our theme? Tune in Monday for another excellent middle grade book review. It's good to see you all around the book block! 😃 

Mystical and pure, with a horn of white. Ride off with your imagination on a moonlit night.

What am I referring to? Stop by Friday for the answer. 

I gave you a clue!

Standard orbit. Live long and prosper.

Moving to a New Spot on the Book Block!

 

Dear Readers, 

We're not really going anywhere, we're shifting in the cloud. If you've been following Fairday's blog, you know we've been posing here on blogspot as our main characters, Fairday and Lizzy, bringing you riddles, middle grade and children's picture book reviews, author interviews, and tons of bookish shenanigans over the years—since 2011! Fairday's corner of the book block is still here, but we'll be posting as ourselves over at FairdaysFiles.com, the location of our website, and now book blog. We'll continue to review great middle grade fiction and children's picture books, plus all sorts of new and exciting things. We hope to continue to hear from you.

Happy reading!

Jess Haight & Stephanie Robinson 

Join us over at FairdaysFiles.com 

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday # MMGM Book Review: Unbound: A Novel in Verse by Ann E. Burg

 

Grace has been raised in slavery. She lives with her mama, Uncle Jim, and her brother is in a small cabin where they share nightly stories and love. But when Grace gets called to the Big House her mama is worried because Grace has a tendency to say what she thinks. That won’t do up there. Warned to keep her eyes down and her mouth closed Grace goes off to the Big House alone, unsure of what she is stepping into. She soon sees that things are even harder at the Big House than they were at the small cabin. The Missus of the house is mean to the core, and seems to take pleasure in asking Grace and the other slaves to do things twice or a third time.  Luckily a kindly woman in the kitchen befriends Grace and tries to help steer her through the tricky situations.  Unfortunately, Grace sees an injustice and doesn’t hold her tongue. She worries because she has she puts her whole family in danger. It gets even worse when she overhears the Master say they are going to sell her mama, or her brothers, or her. She can’t believe her family will no longer be together, and it’s her fault. Grace knows she has to get word to her mama and they may need to be on the run. What will they do? Where will they go? Is it even possible to flee to safety on the spur of the moment? Is freedom a possibility? Are the rumors of safety at the Great Dismal Swamp a reality? You’ll have to read this adventure and heartwarming story to find out.

Unbound: A Novel in Verse by Ann E. Burg is a beautifully written story that will draw the reader right in. I enjoyed that this book is historical fiction and the characters tugged at my heart. I completely agreed with Grace’s questions and the things she thought weren’t fair. Unfortunately, during slavery those questions and looks could get someone whipped, or even worse. I would have felt the same way as Grace because no human should be treated the way slaves were treated. Reading her story reminds readers of this horrible time in history, but her spirit gives you hope. I loved seeing the way her family connected with each other and how much they all loved each other. I also liked learning about what happened to the family and hoped they would make it to the freedom they so deserved. I won’t tell you what happens, but trying to make it to freedom was a dangerous journey and the outcome wasn’t guaranteed. The author’s note at the end helped me learn a lot about some parts of slavery, the Underground Railroad, aspects of escaping that I did not know about, and the Great Dismal Swamp which I had never heard of before. I recommend this book to people who like books told in verse, historical fiction, and characters and stories that stay with you. This is a story that should not be missed.

Has anyone else read Unbound: A Novel in Verse? Or have you read another book by Ann E. Burg? We would love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!

~L

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

Answer to Fairday's Riddle: Free to Flourish~

Excellent guessing, Riddlers! Freedom is fundamental for beings to flourish. Tune in Monday to find out how the answer ties into the story. See you all around the book block! ~ F

If you are, no need to ask—nothing left to unmask. To the world you are bound, both feet set upon the ground. You might be put in a bind; silenced by a hateful mind; or left out in the cold, maybe win a pot of gold. You could climb high, just to fall, or be the belle of the ball. You might choose this over that, perhaps you're thin, maybe fat. It's possible you could fly, it's certain that you'll cry. Love and hate, fear and shame; guilt and anger, joy and pain— all these vibes you will know, everyday as you go. Breath in time—feel it all; ups and downs; rise and fall. No matter how things unfold, or which story you've been told, the universal song we sing plays the note our hearts ring.

What note rings? Answer: Freedom!

Fairday's Riddle: Hear It Ring?

Hello, Riddlers! Can you guess our theme? It's important to appreciate what this means. ~F  

If you are, no need to ask—nothing left to unmask. To the world you are bound, both feet set upon the ground. You might be put in a bind; silenced by a hateful mind; or left out in the cold, maybe win a pot of gold. You could climb high, just to fall, or be the belle of the ball. You might choose this over that, perhaps you're thin, maybe fat. It's possible you could fly, it's certain that you'll cry. Love and hate, fear and shame; guilt and anger, joy and pain— all these vibes you will know, everyday as you go. Breath in time—feel it all; ups and downs; rise and fall. No matter how things unfold, or which story you've been told, the universal song we sing plays the note our hearts ring.

What note rings? Stop by Friday for the answer

I gave you a clue!