The Trespasser’s Unexpected Adventure

“This is a great book. It is different from some other middle grade adventure books as the characters are as strong as the plot. The characters are fresh and well developed – led by the one-of-a-kind quirky 11 year old girl Meeka and her friend, brave, troubled 13 year old Logan. The conversations between Meeka, Logan and their friends make you feel like you’re standing in the room. I love the affection and warmth between them. The plot is exciting and fast paced with modern smugglers. I like that some of the teenagers follow martial arts and can stand up for themselves with the villains. The story is listed as the first of a series. I’m hungry to read more adventures by this writer and more of these great characters.”

The Trespasser’s Unexpected Adventure

“What a feel good, great read! It has a bit of everything; family, friendship, action, suspense, laugh-out-loud wit, fight scenes, racing cars and more. The story is believable and heart-warming. The relationships are set up well, which helps to support the plausibility of the characters’ actions during the crime part of the story. There was just enough action and suspense to keep it really interesting for boys, but I loved reading about the interaction between the young people and them and their parents. It’s a great example of what family should be like and it highlights that sometimes family has little to do with blood, but everything to do with commitment, acceptance, and love. The ‘significant others’ in this book are excellent role models. It should be a funny and exciting read for 9-13 year olds.”

The Con Artist’s Takeover

“The Con Artist’s Takeover is a wonderful dual reading experience, the narrative working on both levels—for parents and kids—always the sign of a good middle grade read, in my humble opinion. While there is a lot of dialogue in this one, the sections are short, usually only a few pages, and the plot romps along, making it a good choice for supported bedtime reading. The story’s characters are a bunch of child sleuths, all with distinct personalities and who offer different perspectives on the problem at hand, which in this case is rescuing their kidnapped friend, Nate. These characters read like real kids, complete with food allergies. Author Karen Cossey has not only nailed their voices, it’s clear she has uncovered the secret formula for engaging reluctant boy readers too”

The Adventures of Crimson and the Guardian

“I loved Karen’s latest children’s novel so much I just bought a copy for our school library. The medieval setting combined with magical creatures and much mystery, makes this a must read for both adults and children. I enjoyed following the journey of Kinsey, a young servant girl, and couldn’t put the book down. I can’t wait to read it to my class. Keep on writing Karen, I can’t wait to read another one of your books!”

Cinderella Sarah: Classroom Read Alouds and Bedtime Stories for Children

“This is a decent book for read-aloud. I use it for Grades 3/4 and some of the stories have some nice lessons, too. Most of the stories take less than 15 minutes to read-aloud, which is perfect for a library class.”