Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome

Four siblings are spending the summer along England's Lake District.  Their father, who is away at sea, gives them permission to camp out on an island.  When they land their boat, Swallow, on the island, they see signs that someone else has made a camp there.  Soon adventures begin as they encounter a surly man living in a houseboat and two rambunctious sisters (The Amazons) who declared war on them.
Full of adventure yet it took me awhile to read the book (older English).  I am not sure how readers in modern times would like the book?
Youngsters nowadays are clueless about playing in this imaginative manner and playing unsupervised.  I am curious how readers today would respond to this book.  Would they be able to relate to these children's imaginations and their ability and willingness to problem solve?
I really liked the mother -she played along with their imaginations and gave them enough space to play and take risks.

Strategies: check for understanding, schema (boating terms, pirates, 1930's England, Robinson Crusoe)

Magic Tree House-Shadow of the Shark #53 by Mary Pope Osborne*

"A Merlin Mission"
My third grader read this book to himself and thought it was very exciting.
He liked the ending when Jack and Annie helped a Mayan girl become the ruler of the Mayans.
Jack and Annie travel to Mexico for a vacation but their relaxing time soon turns horrific when a shark attacks their raft.  They soon come to a Mayan village and a new adventure begins.
*Highly recommend.

Leaves Fall Down by Lisa Bullard illustrated by Nadine Takvorian

"Learning about Autumn Leaves"
With simple text, Ms. Bullard explains why leaves change color and fall to the ground.
A sweet dialogue between a boy and his mother keep this nonfiction text personable.
An art activity using leaves is shared in the back.
Text features: glossary, "more books to read",  index and a list of other books in the Autumn series (Apples, Apples Everywhere, Busy Animals, Pick a Perfect Pumpkin).  All those books look interesting and great to add to a classroom  Autumn unit.
My kindergartner saw the leaves starting to change and mentioned a fact from this book.

My Best-Ever Book of Bible Stories by Phil A. Smouse

Through humorous rhymes, Mr. Smouse shares seventeen Bible stories.
As I read them aloud, I found some stories rather long and drawn-out.  He also incorporated objects and concepts not relevant to that time period . . . but I guess that made it humorous?!
My boys seemed to like the stories.  I, however, like our other collections better.
Recommended for preschoolers and for beginning readers.

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal*

I love this author/illustrator team!
A grandmother and her granddaughter enjoy the fruits of the garden and witness the interactions of insects, animals, and plant life in this ecosystem.
The reader also views the garden starting in late winter through the other seasons.
Although this book offers a lot of didactic opportunities, the author and illustrator permit fun, sweet interactions between grandmother and granddaughter.
I loved viewing the insect and animal life under the ground.  I also enjoyed the sketches of different plants/vegetables on the end pages.
In the back are three pages with further explanations of the animals and insects featured in the book.
**Highly, highly recommend.
Strategies: vocab expansion/word choice, compare/contrast (Read this team's book Over and Under the Snow and compare/contrast it with this book), main idea/details

Here is the African Savanna by Madeleine Dunphy illustrated by Tom Leonard*

In the pattern of "This is the house Jack built", the author shares how the various animals and plant life are dependent upon each other for survival.
A great book to feature when learning about habitats.
More in the series- Here is . . .
*Highly recommend.

Armadillo Rodeo by Jan Brett

Bo, an armadillo, is curious and often is distracted by the sights surrounding him.  One he is separated from his mother and three brothers when he spies a bright red armadillo.  This "armadillo" (Harmony Jean's new cowboy boot) leads Bo on an adventure around Curly H ranch.
In typical Jan Brett style, the borders help tell the story.
Guided Reading Level: N (3rd grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 4.6 (maybe because of ranch terms and Texan dialect-is there such a thing?)

Ranger in Time #2 Danger in Ancient Rome by Kate Messner*

Ranger, a golden retriever, travels in time to the Colosseum where he rescues Marcus from a runaway lion and helps out a gladiator.
My third grader read this to himself and really liked it.
Ms. Messner includes a lot of historical information at the end.
Ranger's next adventure will take place during the height of the Underground Railroad.
*Highly recommend series.
Guided Reading Level: S (4th grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 4

Masquerade by Kit Williams*

Whoa!  This book will make your brain hurt!
Author Jennifer Chambliss Bertman mentions this book in her book Book Scavenger which I recently reviewed.  So, of course, I had to read it for myself!
This picture book contains a story but also has several riddles on each page for the reader to solve.  The simplest riddle is trying to find the hidden hare in each painting.  The word riddles and word-making riddles are quite challenging.
Mr. Williams actually hid a real jewel and hid clues to its location in the illustrations and the riddles' answers.
A person did find the jewel but was later found out to have cheated.
If this book and its riddles intrigue you, here is a link with its solutions-
http://bunnyears.net/kitwilliams/

*Highly recommend.

Follow the Line to School by Laura Ljungkvist*

The reader can literally follow a drawn line on the page onto the next page.  The line is part of the illustrations.  Each page introduces a new aspect to school and asks the reader some questions.  Very interactive.
*Highly recommend.
Ms. Ljungkvist has written other "Follow the Line" books.  Follow the Line Around the World interests us.
Idea: I created a trial of rope to lead to where the book was hidden.

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn*

A well-read book!
A mother raccoon assures her young raccoon of her love as he ventures to his first "night" of school.
Idea:  I made a trail of Hershey kisses to the location where I hid the book.  Around the book, I made the Hershey kisses in a shape of a heart.  My five year old loved it(the anticipation of eating them, that is!)!

On the Way to Kindergarten by Virginia Kroll illustrated by Elisabeth Schlossberg

This sweet storybook tells the chronological story of a bear starting when he was a newborn until he is five, ready for kindergarten.  At each age, new milestones are celebrated making the case that he (and your child) is old enough and competent enough for school.

Hardy Boys Adventures #9 The Curse of the Ancient Emerald by Franklin W. Dixon

Modern day Hardy Boys!
Parents who were fans of the Hardy Boys series will be delighted to share this series with their children.
Frank, Joe and Chet along with a new friend Amber try to solve riddles before the Phantom steals valuable artifacts around Bayport.  If the boys report the riddles, the Phantom has threatened to hurt the boys' family members.
Short, exciting chapters will keep even reluctant readers reading!
Strategy: check for understanding/monitor- The story is told in first person narrative.  Frank and Joe, however, take turns sharing the story from their point of view.  The beginning of each chapter informs  who the narrator is.
Points to discuss/warning: The boys lie to cover up their investigation.  A minor character is not respectful to authority figures.  The boys sneak out at night to investigate.

Kindergarten Countdown by Anna Jane Hays illustrated by Linda Davick

Lucy is counting down the days until kindergarten.
Starting at day 7, this story in rhyme offers opportunities for parents to discuss what kindergarten may be like and opens the doors for sharing feelings about this change.
I like how the number is displayed at the top of each spread and how the day of the week is shown at the bottom right side of each spread.   On the back endpaper, there is a pictograph that children can count.
A perfect book to read on the day you start counting down with your kindergartner.

Thomas and the Dragon Queen by Shutta Crum illustrated by Lee Wildish*

This book was recommended on-line somewhere for boy readers who like adventure.  Since my eight year son loves dragons, I thought this book would be a good fit.  It was!  Please read his review below:
"In the beginning it was not very exciting.  It mostly told the reader about Thomas, a squire.  When he started his quest it became very exciting.   Thomas had to enter the queen dragon's lair.  The queen dragon had captured the Princess.  Thomas tried to rescue her but he really didn't.  The queen dragon took them home with the promise that her babies would visit him."
*Highly recommend.
Reading Level: 4.1
Lexile:  770

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman*

Ms. Bertman's debut novel.
Emily, twelve years old, does not know what it is like to remain in a school, town, or even state for longer than a year.  Her parents maintain a blog, 50 Homes in 50 States where they share their travels and new living locations.
The only thing constant in Emily's life is her involvement in a game called Book Scavenger.  Emily loves solving riddles and puzzles online and then searching for a hidden book.  After she finds the book, she reads it, hides it and shares a riddle/puzzle for another person to find it.
When her family relocates to San Francisco (the home of the game's creator-Garrison Griswold), Emily finds herself in a much more involved book scavenger hunt where the Mr. Griswold's life and dreams may depend on her and her ability to decipher riddles.
*Highly recommend.
Although this book is fiction, readers will learn more about Edgar Allan Poe, his short story Gold Bug, the picture book Masquerade by Kit Williams (a real book scavenger hunt!!) and ciphers/riddles/codes.
Warning: There are a few villains in the book who use a gun.  In the first chapter Garrison Griswold is shot (but does not die).

Paul Bunyan by Steven Kellogg*

Learn how Paul Bunyan was an amazing baby and how he tackled the forests of the frontier.
We liked the Pecos Bill story better but still enjoyed this one.
*Highly recommend.
Guided Reading Level: O (3rd Grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.8

Pecos Bill by Steven Kellogg*

Follow Pecos Bill and his adventures around the United States.
My boys loved hearing this tall tale!
*Highly recommend.
Guided Reading Level: Q (beginning 4th  grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.9
Strategy: figurative language (metaphors, similes, hyperbole) 

The Book of Giant Stories by David L. Harrison illustrated by Philippe Fix

This copy I purchased at our library' sale (fill a bag for $1.00).  Its copy right is in 1972.
Three separate stories about a boy and giant (s).  Although the illustrations depict the same boy in all of the stories, there is no continuity between the stories.  Each little story begins with a rhyme.
The first story has the boy coming down with the measles.  Most children today do not know what the measles are and how dreadful they are.
The middle story story involved a witch casting a spell on an annoying giant.
The last story features a giant who throws tantrums.  The boy sees him and helps him overcome his frustration.
Warning: A witch is in one story and also in a rhyme.

Farmer Palmer's Wagon Ride by William Steig

Farmer Palmer (a pig) and his hired hand, Ebenezer ( a donkey) begin the day early as they travel to the market to sell leeks, turnips and lettuce.  After a successful selling day, Farmer Palmer proceeds to purchase gifts for his family members and Ebenezer.  On the way home, the day does not go as smoothly as one event after another occur forcing them to problem solve in some unconventional ways.
I liked the word choice.
I love most of William Steig's books and own a few of them so I was excited to find this copy at our library's book sale (fill a bag for $1.00).  I am,  however, not keeping it.  See "warning".
Strategy: expanding vocabulary
Warning: Word a** is used many times in reference to Ebenezer.  

Nooks and Crannies by Jessica Lawson*

Tabitha Crum has spent her entire life trying to win her parents' affections.  They have very little time for her and relegate her to household chores while they attempt to advance their position in London society.  Tabitha is also friendless expect for Pemberly, her pet mouse.  To pass the lonesome hours, Tabitha emerges herself in detective stories.  Then one Friday she receives a sealed invitation.  The weekend that follows changes her entire life and outlook.
Perfect book for readers who like suspense, hidden passageways (my dream to find one!!),  and mysteries.
To be honest, I thought I had the ending figured out by the eighth chapter but there are so many more surprises in the book that I was still compelled to read it.
I also liked the quotes from Tabitha's detective novels that begin each chapter.  I found their tone and cleverness amusing.
*Highly recommend.
Warnings: selfish parents, abandonment, someone dies, a very cruel character and some gruesome descriptions of murder paintings (in my opinion)

Master Man by Aaron Shepard illustrated by David Wisniewski*

"A Tall Tale of Nigeria"
My boys were spellbound while I read this book aloud to them (and so was I!).
Shadusa is quite proud of his bulging muscles and declares himself "Master Man" since he thinks he is the strongest man in the world.  His wise wife, Shettu,  admonishes him about his boosting and states, "No matter how strong you are, there will always be someone stronger."
The next day Shettu's warning becomes reality and some brawls ensue.
This Nigerian tall tale explains why it thunders.
This story lends itself to Reader's Theater.  In fact, the author, Aaron Shepard, is a big time Reader's Theater guru and a professional story teller!  Here is a link to his home page where teachers and educators can print off scripts and other wonderful tools:
http://www.aaronshep.com/
Strategies: fluency/expression, connections (I connected it to Tomie dePaola's Finn M'Coul and the traditional Jack and the Bean Stalk.)
I loved the paper-cut illustrations by Caldecott Medalist Mr. Wisniewski  (pronounced wiz-NESS-key).  The are bold and well . . .STRONG!
*Highly recommend.
This is a book I am considering purchasing.

A House in the Woods by Inga Moore*

Two Little Pigs plus their friends, Bear and Moose, want to build a house so they can all live together.  But building an house is a challenging task so they decide to call the beavers.  The Beaver Builders are willing to construct their home as long as the Little Pigs, Bear and Moose pay them in peanut butter sandwiches.
A sweet, cozy book.
The book is slightly bigger than the standard size.  I liked the illustrations even more than the story!  They make me want to enter the wood,  stumble upon their house, enter and sit by their fire to listen to their stories.
*Highly recommend.
Ms. Moore has also illustrated The Secret Garden and The Wind in the Willows.  
I also like Captain Cat and Six Dinner Sid which are written and illustrated by her.

Cranberry Christmas by Wende and Harry Devlin*

I love this series-especially Mr. Whiskers!
At a library sale, I was able to buy a bag of books for $1.00 and a hard cover copy of this book was in the bag.  So excited!!
Mr. Whiskers has a couple of looming concerns this Christmas-Mr. Grape claims the pond is on his property and won't let the children skate there.  Mr. Whiskers knows the pond is on his property but he cannot find the paperwork.  Then, three days before Christmas his persnickety sister sends him a letter, informing him that she was coming for Christmas and he was to come live with her in the city after the holidays (since he cannot take of himself-her opinion, of course).
Will Maggie, Grandmother and Mr. Whiskers solve all these problems in a few short days?
*Highly recommend.
Whole series is great-we own Cranberry Thanksgiving and Cranberry Valentine.
Cookie recipe on the back.
http://www.harryandwendedevlin.com/cranberry.html

My Garden by Kevin Henkes*

We have owned this book for five years.
A girl enjoys gardening with her mother but has her own ideas of what she would grow in her own garden (seashells, jelly beans, only tomatoes) and what magical things would occur (strawberries glow like lanterns, only chocolate rabbits in her garden).
With my oldest (when he was three years old), we created our own book based on this story line.  In it he wrote what he would grow in his garden and what magical things would occur.
Now I am excited to write a similar book with my five year old!
Teaching idea: Have students write a book about their garden and its unusual capabilities.

What Pet Should I Get? by Dr. Seuss*

The newest book by Dr. Seuss!
His wife Audrey and secretary Claudia discovered the manuscript in a box Audrey had set aside shortly after his death.
The children are the main characters from One Fish, Two Fish, Blue Fish Red Fish.
This book has more of a plot and ends with the opportunity to wonder.
*Highly recommend.
Lots of information about the manuscript, its discovery and its publication in the back for those people interested in the process/history.

The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss

My five year old read this to himself/aloud today and was quite proud of himself.
The book contains a lot sight words.  The illustrations support the more challenging words.
Perfect for beginning readers.
Strategies: sight words, cross checking
Guided Reading Level: E (1st grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 1.1

Nighttime Animals by DK Readers*

Pre-Level 1 (learning to read-simple sentences to introduce and reinforce vocabulary)
My five year old and I took turns reading this book aloud together.  More difficult words can be figured out by context clues (skip and read to the end of the sentence; then reread for the correct word) or by photograph clues.
Text features: table of contents, headings, labels, picture glossary, index
*Highly recommend.
Could teach a mini lesson on compound words while reading this book (nighttime, moonlight, underwing).
Other titles in this Pre-Level 1 series:
*Frogs and Toads
*Monkeys
*Colorful Days
*Meet the Dinosaurs
*Fishy Tales

Isa Does It by Isa Chandra Moskowitz

"Amazing, Easy, Wildly, Delicious Vegan Recipes for Every Day of the Week"
My neighbor who is a vegan came for dinner this summer.  She brought a dessert- an amazing dessert that we devoured-Lemon-Blueberry Loaf.  I asked for the recipe and she, of course, shared.  It was from this recipe book (pg. 265).
I borrowed this recipe book from the library.  Not being an vegan, a lot of the ingredients I do not have on hand plus I am not too fond of tofu.  I tried the Chicky "Tuna Salad" Sandwiches on pg. 99 and thought they were yummy.
The recipe book is well organized and includes recipes from soups, salads, pasta/risotto, stews, chilis, curries, stir fries/sautes, Sunday night suppers, breakfast/brunch and desserts.

Pluto's Secret by Margaret A. Weitekamp with David DeVorkin illustrated by Diane Kidd*

Written in a fun manner, readers will learn the  history of Pluto's discovery and how he became "kicked off" the planet list.
*Highly recommend.
My boys loved it!

Library Mouse-A Museum Adventure by Daniel Kirk*

My five year old received this book via a Chick Fil A meal.
Sam, who lives in the library, discovers the adventure and the wonder of a museum next door to the library.  His friend Sarah leads the way and helps him appreciate adventure while he helps her conclude that maintaining journal is a worthwhile endeavor.
Replicas of famous paintings are included so perfect to read this book during an art unit.
*Highly recommend.
My five year old wanted to make his own journal after reading this book-he made two!!
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.2

Supertruck by Stephen Savage

The garbage truck just picks up trash, right?  But who is the truck who rescues the other trucks after the blizzard?
Resembles Superman in a way (look at the last illustration!).
Very simple text with bold illustrations.

Flying Squirrels by Mary Ann McDonald

Each text page is coupled with a whole page photograph.
My eight year old learned about the index in this book and how sometimes the only reason the page number is indicated for a word is that only that word is written on the page (He was trying to find out which pages share what they eat and he looked under "food".  He could not find out what they ate on those pages--the pages just had the word "food" mentioned in the sentence.   He had to look under the word "eating" to discover what they eat.)   Great teaching moment!!
Text features: italic words, index, photographs

Flying Squirrels by Judith Jango-Cohen

Perfect book for a new researcher (K-2nd grade)-small in size, not a lot of words on each page and adorable photographs on each page.
Text features: italic words, map, diagram and labels, glossary, index ("hunt and find")
Guided Reading Level: K (2nd grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 2.1
Lots of books in this series-"Pull Ahead-Animals" (49 titles!!!)

Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom by Eric Wright

My eight year old son read this to himself.
He said he liked it because Frankie has a great imagination.  He said Frankie learned the consequence of not cleaning his room.  My son also said it was funny.
Part of series.
Great for boys and reluctant readers.
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.5

Geronimo Stilton Back in Time-The Second Journey Through Time*

My eight year old read this book to himself.
In this book Geronimo travels back in time to ancient Rome, the Maya civilization and Versailles, France.
Humor, adventure and many learning opportunities mixed together.
*Highly recommend.

The Treasure of Way Down Deep by Ruth White*

Sequel to Way Down Deep.
On Ruby's thirteenth birthday she makes a wish to find the rumored treasure buried somewhere in the town of Way Down Deep.  With local coal mines closing, miners losing jobs and businesses suffering loss, a pirate's treasure would certainly solve a lot of problems.   Or would it?  Can the lovable residents of Way Down Deep handle the temptations money often brings with it or will it destroy the lifelong friendships and relationships?
It was a delight to return to Way Down Deep and interact with Ruby, Miss Arbutus, Grandma, and other residents of the Roost and the town.  New characters arrive on the scene including a bald man with a blue sparkle.
Although this book is a historical fiction, it has elements of magic and fantasy.
*Highly recommend.
Points to discuss: Miss Arbutus actually lives out her dreams-from her bed.  God is mentioned but not with total awe.
Lexile level: 850L

I'm Trying to Love Spiders by Bethany Barton*

In an amusing fashion, the author/illustrator shares how she is fearful of spiders and has a tendency to smash them.  The reader journeys with her as she tries to convince herself to love spiders as she focuses on their amazing traits.
The end pages display illustrations, names and one interesting fact about many spiders.
There is an interactive aspect to this book (hint-smashing!).
*Highly recommend.
A must have for all elementary school teachers who teach an unit about spiders-tons of facts mingled with humor and fun!

The Brave Little Tailor by Olga Dugina and Andrej Dugin*

This husband and wife team took over six years to complete the illustrations in this book.  My eight year old loved the illustrations-very fanciful and lavish.
One day a tailor swats seven flies and kills them with one blow.  He is so proud of himself he embroiders on a belt "Seven at one blow".  As he pranced around, wearing his belt, people assumed he had killed seven men in one blow and became wary and fearful of him.  When the king hears about him, he makes him a commander of his army.  The tailor proves over time how clever he is as the king places before him challenge after challenge.
My five year old inferred, "That tailor is really smart.  He figures out how to solve all these problems."-to loosely paraphrase him.
Strategies: inferring, character traits
*Highly recommend.

Andy and the Lion by James Daugherty*

"A Tale of Kindness Remembered or the Power of Gratitude"
First published in 1938 and still keeps children spellbound!
Andy borrows a book from the library about lions and reads the book all day and all evening.  Right before bed, his grandfather tells him tales about hunting lions in Africa.  Andy dreams about lions and the next day, thinks about him as he readies himself for school and walks to school.  And what does he encounter?  A Lion!
*Highly recommend.
Strategies: inferring, predicting 
Guided Reading Level: M (second grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 3.1
This story is a retelling of Androcles and the Lion by Aesop.

Daddy All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas illustrated by Priscilla Burris*

I loved the illustrations in this book.  The cover (gasp!) is what made me suggested it to my five year old.
A plump, cheerful piglet and his father, in competitive spirit, try to outdo each other in how much they love the other one.
This book also couples as a counting book ("I love you more than chocolate milk . . .I love you more than two pancakes. . . I love you more than three piggyback rides etc. all the way to ten, then one hundred and finally one million "zillion").
Pair with Guess How Much I Love You? by Sam McBratney
*Highly recommend.
Strategy: connections (t-s)

My Daddy and Me by Jerry Spinelli illustrated by Seymour Chwast*

A pup relates all the fun ways he and his father have fun together.
Sweet!
*Highly recommend.
Strategy: connections (t-s)

31 Uses for a Mom by Harriet Ziefert illustrated by Rebecca Doughty

Recently the children's librarian read a bunch of books to preschoolers that celebrate family.  She, of course, displayed lots of books about this topic.  We picked a few to enjoy at home.  This title was one of them.
In list fashion, Ms. Ziefert reinforces all the hats moms wear! (examples-encyclopedia, tooth puller, party planner, hand holder, page turner etc-and lastly-friend!)
For mother's day it would be fun to read this book aloud to students and have them create their own list of "uses" for their mom.  A simple, meaningful gift.
Read Ms. Ziefert's other books similar to this title-(40 Uses for a Grandpa, 41 Uses for a Grandma, 39 Uses for a Friend).
Strategy: expanding vocab.

Stay Alive #1: Crash by Joseph Monninger

The Junior Action News Team was flying to Alaska to film about the Iditarod when their plane crashed into a remote Alaska lake.  The pilot dies as the plane lands.  The team now must work together to survive with little food or equipment.
This book certainly will keep readers engrossed as they experience the characters' agony as they wonder if anyone is looking for them and as they wait and wait  and try to "stay alive".
I did not like the fact that a few characters die.
A plot-driven book-very exciting.
Guided Reading Level: V (5th/6th grade)
Grade Level Equivalent: 5th grade
More titles in this series: #2-Cave In, #3 Breakdown, #4 Flood
Link to series:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Stay%20Alive%20Series%22?Ns=P_Series_Number&Ntk=P_Series_Title&Ntx=mode%20matchall

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley illustrated by Diana Sudyka*

  Ephraim Tuttle, Micah's grandfather, has raised Micah ever since his parents died in a car crash.  Micah loves hearing Ephraim's stories about a magic circus he experienced as a young boy.  As Ephraim is approaching death, Micah discovers that all the stories are true and is able to see the circus for himself.  Then he learns that the Lightbender, the circus' illusionist, owes grandfather Ephraim a miracle.  Micah, desperate to keep his grandfather alive, seeks out the circus again, begging the Lightbender to prolong his grandfather's life.
Meanwhile, in the normal world, Micah befriends Jenny, a new girl in class who is extremely intelligent and practical.  With logic she tries to explain away the magical circus.  Then, his Aunt Gertrudis threatens to eliminate anything that points to magic or the circus.  Unfortunately, when and if his grandfather passes away, she is to be his guardian.
A captivating tale.  The reader will love Ephraim and Micah immediately.
I did not care for Aunt Gertrudis at all-she was rather cruel.  As the story progresses,  Ms. Beasley offers some reasons why she acts the way she does.
Points to discuss/warnings: death of a beloved, a cruel aunt, some disrespect to adult (the aunt), skipping school
*Highly recommend.
**I just read online that Stone Village Productions has bought the movie/TV rights to the novel!
Ms. Beasley's second novel is set to be published in 2016.

Secret Files #16-Hardy Boys Camping Chaos by Franklin W. Dixon illustrated by Scott Burroughs*

My eight year old bought this book recently and read it in one day.
Nine and eight year old Frank and Joe camp in Bayport State Park with their friends.  The boys want to win the tent-decorating competition.  Then decorations begin to disappear and the culprit's "foot"prints do not look human!
*Highly recommend for reluctant readers and transitional readers.

Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff*

Trent wishes he could change his fifth grade year.  He hit a hockey puck.  The puck hit Jared Richards in the chest.  Jared died (he had a heart defect).  As he enters sixth grade he is convinced the whole town hates him.  As the anger bubbles inside of him, he retaliates with mean words and actions.  Then he and Fallon Little become friends.  A girl with scar right through the middle of her face. . . .no one knows how it happens and each time someone asks, she makes up a new story.
Will Trent's simmering anger destroy the only friendship he has?
The title comes from one small section in the book.  Would be interesting to discuss with the reader/students why Ms. Graff choose this title in relation to her message in the book.
I stayed up until midnight to finish this book.  Ms. Graff is brave to expose a young boy's guilt and anger over a tragic event.  My heart broke for Trent.  I became frustrated with the parents (I did not like his dad at all!!).
*Highly recommend.
For mature junior highers only (my opinion).
Points to discuss/warnings: swearing ("a" word, "jacka" etc), divorced parents/new marriage, death, anger (sometimes explosive), a bit of violence (fight between Trent and Jeremiah, Trent's thoughts/ book of thoughts),  disrespect to teachers and father

Strategies: inferring, character traits, author's message/main idea