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He looks up at me with watery eyes and asks, "How can you, of all people, say everything will be all right?"He has a point. I consider my answer. "Well, it's better than saying 'Keep on crying, I'm sure things will just get worse,' right?
Wendy Mass, Rapunzel: The One with All the Hair
Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint (2025) by singNsong Fiction | Young Adult | Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, Mystery
Kill each other within the time limit or die. It’s just another evening commute on the train, until the passengers are given an order they can’t disobey. Utter chaos ensues, but ordinary office worker Dokja Kim only feels an unsettling calm. He knows exactly how this will play out! The subway car, the passengers’ reactions, even the bizarre creature that suddenly appears to oversee this sadistic scenario... everything is straight out of his favorite story, an online novel so obscure he is its sole reader. And as the only one who knows where the plot is headed, Dokja must use his knowledge to survive the oncoming apocalypse!
A Mango-Shaped Space (2005) by Wendy Mass Fiction | Middle Grade | Contemporary, Coming of Age
Mia Winchell appears to be a typical kid, but she's keeping a big secret—sounds, numbers, and words have color for her. No one knows, and Mia wants to keep it that way. But when trouble at school finally forces Mia to reveal her secret, she must learn to accept herself and embrace her ability, called synesthesia, a mingling of the senses.
Which would you read?
Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint
A Mango-Shaped Space
last book + last stethoscope, part 46
Me and my green and gold MDF scope want to remind you that you're never too old to read books intended for middle school-aged children. At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it. The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass is perfect not just for librarians like me, but any and all readers. I wasn't familiar with Mass before now, but back in 2009, I read Stead's Newbery Award-winning sci-fi mystery, When You Reach Me, and I've been a fan ever since. Lately I've been playing catch-up, because I hadn't read her in years, and this is my favorite of her post-Newbery works so far. It's told from three POVs--a precocious fifth-grader named Evan, a passionate ghost librarian named Al, and Mortimer, a cat with a huge heart who *loves* hugs. (I wish my cats loved hugs). The mystery begins when Evan and his friend Rafe discover a little library that just materializes out of nowhere in their small town of Martinville. In it, they find books that belonged to the town's brick and mortar library--which burned down under mysterious circumstances before they were born. Though faced with some push-back, especially from Evan's secretive father, the two are determined to solve the mystery of who and why someone would burn down a library, as well the story of the beautiful orange tabby who seems to be the keeper of the little library. If you're looking for a cozy mystery, I have to recommend this one, whether you're 12 or 82.
WHERE IS THE WILLOW FALLS FANDOM AT?!
Completely unrelated to anything else I post about, I know. But I need to know if anyone else remembers this series! I actually got around to reading all the books a few years ago and they're great! I miss them so much I gotta reread them again 🤧
Have you read A Mango-Shaped Space by Wendy Mass (2003)?
yes
no
I didn't finish it
I've never heard of it
Ayo shoutout to fairytale retellings that are written for actual preteens/young teens, here are some of my favorites;
Note note: These ones specifically are all appropriate for young audiences, say a hyperlexic little girl with ADHD who had The Hunger Games given to her in 3rd grade because her teacher couldn't keep up with her thirst for pages (just a nonspecific lil example :D) so if you're a parent or teacher reading this post I hope this helps!
Land of Stories by Chris Colfer- of course. What's not to love? I mean I lost a little steam in the last book (there's six) but heyyyy the first one can be read alone and then if you want more lore you can keep going if you wanna.
East by Edith Pattou- Ok fine, our main girl is giving a little bit of not-like-other-girls (Purple eyes? really?) but it's such a fun fucking reread, I feel like some of my superstitious things are validated when I do read it. East of the Sun and West of the Moon hasn't been retold to death so this is awesome.
Twice Upon a Time; Rapunzel, the One with All the Hair by Wendy Mass- Mouthful of a title but I STILL think back to this one all the time and laugh. It's short, it's cute, it's funny, they make the prince and Rapunzel into more normal kids, this one is a great light read. The other ones in the series are probably just as good.
Oh yeah forgot to mention these other books are THICK.
Just Ella by Margaret Peterson Haddix- I've been rereading this one since I was small and I still notice new things every time I read it. I'm so mad I marked up my copy because I have a gorgeous one from before they ruined the cover with modern art. If you look it up, I have the one where it's like half peeled back to show Ella as a peasant. Also a skinny book.
Ever After High's book series, mostly written by Shannon Hale- Did y'all know EAH had books when we were younger? Hale is one of my favorite authors, I ate these UP once I got my hands on all of them. Princess Academy was one of my favorites as a kid so finding these when I was like 11-12 was GREAT. They're long enough to keep me busy and super engaging. Ya gotta know- Briar's my favorite character in the books. Closely followed by Cedar.
Hale's Rapunzel's Revenge is SUPER good too. Graphic Novel. I'm a very huge Hale fan.
I can't think of any others right now but if I do I'll reblog and tack them on!
Title: Every Soul a Star | Author: Wendy Mass | Publisher: Little, Brown Books (2008)
Title: The Candymakers
Author: Wendy Mass
Series or standalone: series
Publication year: 2010
Genres: fiction, mystery, fantasy, adventure, contemporary
Blurb: Four children have been chosen to compete in a national competition to find the tastiest confection in the country. Who will invent a candy more delicious than the Oozing Crunchorama or the Neon Lightning Chew - Logan, the Candymaker’s son, who can detect the colour of chocolate by touch alone; Miles, the boy who is allergic to merry-go-rounds and the colour pink; Daisy, the cheerful girl who can lift a fifty-pound lump of taffy like it’s a feather; or Philip, the suit-and-tie-wearing boy who’s always scribbling in a secret notebook?
