For Your Young Petaluma Readers: Fabulous Fantasy Book for Kids

Do you have a child who loves magic and fantasy? There's a book for that!

Susan C. Schena, Patch Staff

Posted Tue, Feb 3, 2015 at 7:39 am PT|Updated Wed, Jan 5, 2022 at 10:37 am PT

Fantasy books are really hit or miss for me. I probably fall more clearly in the realistic fiction camp, so I am willing to give more leeway to those stories, while fantasy books have to be exceptionally good to get the thumbs up from me. Try as I might to be balanced, there are always a few biases that creep in ...

The good new is, for those of you who have kids who love being taken away to another world, well I bring you only the books that pass my ridiculously high bar. Luckily there is some good stuff brewing out there, so buckle up. It’s a good ride, especially today withThe Luck Uglies.

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Don’t forget to visit my website at www.onegreatbook.com so you won’t miss a trip to a land full of Bog Noblins. Imagination is a wonderful thing.

Title:The Luck Uglies

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Author:Paul Durham

Target:Grades 4-7

Series:This is the first book in a planned trilogy

What this book is about:
Rye has grown up in Drowning with her mother and sister. She has no memory of when the Bog Noblins terrorized the town and only knows that the Luck Uglies chased them away, only to be banished themselves by the Earl. However, an encounter with a wayward Bog Noblin makes Rye realize that everything she knows may be wrong and that the good guys and bad guys are not so easy to recognize.

Why I love this book:
This book is wonderfully written, the characters are appealing and complex and there is some humor to lighten up the scary parts of the story. I was on the edge of my seat with this one, and I can’t say there was a single character I didn’t appreciate!

Durham has created this rich and spooky world, but even more than that he got me invested in this story and completely wrapped up in these characters. Of course there is plenty of action, humor, monsters and secret societies. What is not to love?

Who this book is for:
Great for any kid who loves the fantasy genre. This book is a perfect fit for kids who loved The Night Gardner or How to Catch a Bogle.

Final thoughts:
The cover did not stand out for me and I would probably not have picked the book up if it hadn’t been chosen as a Cybils finalist for Elementary and Middle Grade Speculative Fiction. The Cybils are the wonderful internet children’ s book awards given out to books that are both exceptionally well written and kid approved. You can check out all the contenders here: Cybils

I am a mom of three with a passion for literature! No matter what book series our kids devour, as they come to an end, we as parents ask the inevitable question - what is next? I am ever on the job, trying to answer that question. I try to do it with a variety of books. Some are silly, some true to life, some pure fantasy, but in the end I hope they make my children love words, explore new ideas, and laugh!

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A Wickedly Clever Book

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What to Read After Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Get Your Reluctant Reader to Pick Up a Book

A Book for Kids Who Love Percy Jackson.

A Book to Inspire Your Children.

A Book That Makes Science Fun For Kids.

A Book Your Kids Will Eat Up

The Ultimate Battle Book for Kids

A Fun Mystery Book for Kids