I have been a Karen Cushman fan ever since reading The Midwife's Apprentice , Catherine, Called Birdy, and Alchemy and Meggy Swann. Since all her books feature spunky characters in medieval England and are expertly written, I was excited to hear of the release of her new book, Will Sparrow's Road. From the opening of this middle… Continue reading Will Sparrow's Road
Tag: book for boys and girls
The Wright 3
Secret codes. Invisible men. Pentominoes. Fibonacci numbers. Hidden Pictures. Geometry. Red herrings. Murder. The Wright 3, a middle grade mystery for boys and girls by Blue Balliett, has all of these PLUS a plot that captures the reader’s attention and refuses to let go. When 6th-graders Tommy, Calder, and Petra hear that the Robie House,… Continue reading The Wright 3
This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein
This book is not for the faint of heart. And it’s not for the reader who doesn’t have a stomach for scary, gory scenes and unpredictable mad scientists. But, if you are intrigued by fast-paced adventures that seem impossibly dangerous—then This Dark Endeavor is a book for you. I chose this book because I had… Continue reading This Dark Endeavor: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein
Giving Away Glory Be- Part II
When Augusta Scattergood's debut novel came out at the beginning of this year, I blogged about the story behind the story. Now it's time for a review of the book itself. Glory Be (Scholastic, 2012) spans two weeks in the summer of 1964 when Gloriana Hemphill turns twelve. In these eye-opening weeks, Glory becomes aware of… Continue reading Giving Away Glory Be- Part II
Crossing the Wire
Assault rifles, a wild puma, extreme cold, excessive heat, starvation, dehydration, a capture by the Border Patrol and deportation, hundreds of miles of deserts, drug-smuggling thieves, extortioners, a rattlesnake bite-- Crossing the Wire by Will Hobbs has all this and more. Girl and boy middle schoolers will be rooting for 15-year-old Victor Flores as he struggles against unbelievable odds… Continue reading Crossing the Wire
FLUSH: An Example of What Every Book Should Include
I can't help myself. Whenever I read a book I'm always analyzing how the author pulls it off. How does he or she weave together the different elements needed to produce an engaging book for young readers? My recent read, FLUSH by Carl Hiaasen, is a great example of this type of book. It has:… Continue reading FLUSH: An Example of What Every Book Should Include
Windblowne Giveaway!
Kites with personalities? Evil kites that hunt and maim and a beloved kite that guides, protects, and leads a boy to discover his talents and destiny? Only a man who grew up flying kites in Maine and Arizona would conceive of a book in which kites fly between worlds and are harbingers of good and… Continue reading Windblowne Giveaway!
Zora and Me: Multi-Racial Read #5
I didn’t realize when I selected Zora and Me from the audio book shelf of my local library that I would be treated to a powerful, multiracial historical novel. But I was. Under 200 pages long, this book is the result of collaboration between Victoria Bond and T.R. Simon. Their fictionalized account of Harlem… Continue reading Zora and Me: Multi-Racial Read #5
Heat
I'm not much of a baseball fan. To be honest, it has always seemed like a fairly boring game and one that drones on without much excitement. Oops- has my honesty just alienated a baseball fan among my blog readers? But wait. Reading Heat by Mike Lupcia changed my opinion. Before, I had no idea how much strategy… Continue reading Heat
When the Hero Is a Dog
This is the perfect time of year for elementary school students to read The Wreck of the Ethie (Peachtree, 1999). In this short novel, Hilary Hyland recounts how the steamer, the SS Ethie, was caught in the middle of a violent blizzard 90 years ago. Both girls and boys in 3rd-6th grades will enjoy reading… Continue reading When the Hero Is a Dog