MapMaker

in retrospect: why would I, a known hater of Fantasy Maps, pick this up? I think mostly because I had liked Ramee's contemporary fiction book A Good Kind of Trouble so much. But this ehhh wasn't quite my cup of tea. Probably will go over better with the real map-heads out there, and I do know they'r......more

This book is so fun and original. The premise hooked me out of the gate—what if the maps you drew became real?—but it was the characters and world building that pulled me into the story and kept me flipping pages until the very end. I loved Walt so much—it was impossible not to root for him—and the......more

I was swept away into this wonderful middle grade fantasy. I have long been a fan of Lisa Moore Ramée’s realistic grade—there is no one who creates characters, friendships, and family relationships quite like she does. MAPMAKER has strong, relatable characters, an exciting, fast-paced story, and a r......more

“‘The dig, the creek, the bridge over the creek. None of that was here before today. I made it appear in real life by drawing it. Because I’m a…mapmaker.’” When twelve-year-old Walt and his twin sister Van move to Blackbird Bay, Walt isn’t expecting anything magical. He misses his home and friends in......more

Unfortunately, my delight at the beginning of this book started to wane long before I reached its conclusion. I especially liked the world building & magical system. How cool is it to be able to draw new worlds, after all?! Sadly, once I reached the middle of the story, it started to lose its appeal......more