Samuel Ash and the Grasshoppers of Doom
written by Mary Mofit Small
illustrated by James Koenig

Fire-breathing grasshoppers in the garden. Line-dancing fireflies in the cemetery. A murderous unicorn hidden in the forest.

When the nature in his grandparents’ town becomes unnatural, 13-year-old Sam, his grandfather, and the girl next door investigate. But this, the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to Sam, has a catch. He can’t tell his best friends from home what he’s discovered because they’ll plan a dangerous adventure with it, an adventure that could turn nature upside down—permanently.

In this light-hearted coming-of-age novel, the snarky hero pits his wits against magical creatures and, in the process, discovers who he wants to be and who his real friends are.

5 out of 5 fairies

This was such a fun book, full of magic, adventure, and a little bit of growing. Sam is a fairly typical kid, just wanting to spend the summer with his friends and go on adventures. Instead, he discovers a whole new world and makes some new friends when he gets sent to his grandparent’s house for the summer. Small draws you in quickly with vivid descriptions, and I liked how each character was so different from the others. As an adult, I can see why Sam’s parents are doing what they do, but at Sam’s age, I would’ve totally agreed with him about how unfair it is. The story itself has good pacing, and the deeper you get, the more wrapped up in Sam’s adventures you’ll get. I like how there’s a little bit of a lesson in there about real friendship, and finding out who you are and who you want to be mixed in. Definitely recommend!

Books2Read | Meet the Characters | Goodreads

Mary Mofit Small, a former wildlife biologist and returned Peace Corps volunteer, now creates adventures with a pen and paper instead of living them. And, if she exaggerates the excitement and adds a little more magic and humor than she’s ever experienced while exploring the natural world, who will ever know? (Shh! Don’t tell!) You can contact Mary Mofit through her website at https://mwritingsmall.com/

James Koenig has worked on over 70 children’s books and has created characters and illustrations for countless other children’s toys and products over 18 years. James and his lovely wife, Corissa, live in Arizona with their dog, Bailey. Since he was a young kid, James has had an interest in animals, fantastical creatures, aliens, and other weird stuff. It’s always a privilege when he gets an opportunity to illustrate for a book cover like this one! You can learn more about James and see his work at: www.freelancefridge.com