Love & Other Great Expectations by Becky Dean

 Britt was a soccer star and depended on this talent for a scholarship to UCLA. Then she blew out her knee. Tests also revealed she had a condition that would prevent her from playing or paticipating in any contact sport/activity. Amazingly, her English teacher, who is wealthy, offers her and three other students a chance to win ten thousand dollars. The students would travel to England, participate in a literary scavenger hunt, and write journal entries about their experience. Britt is not a scholar but is competitive and needs that ten thousand dollars! Along the way she meets Luke, a British teen with wit, sensitivity and dimples. Love was not in her plans!

As I was reading this novel, I realized I do not like romance novels. A bit of romance woven into historical fiction,  fantasy, and other genres is fine. .. but not novels that focus mostly on romance! 

In the acknowledgements, the author gives the impression that she is a Christian.

Consideration/Warning: Descriptions of Britt and Luke "falling in love" and kissing are detailed. The novel is labeled "YA"-young adult.

Pass Go and Collect $200 by Tanya Lee Stone illustrated by Steven Salerno

The Real Story of How Monopoly Was Invented
Lizzie Magie was disturbed how the urban areas seemed to teem with financial inequality so she created a board game called the Landlord's Game to show the disparity.  People liked the game so much that they began making their own versions of it.  Unfortunately, the Parker Brothers thought the game was too challenging and educational and refused to market it.  Then during the Great Depression, Charles Darrow took the game and improved it and began making copies of it in his basement to sell.  He changed the name to Monopoly.  In the end, Mr. Darrow was the one to receive the credit and earnings for this game!  Lizzie only received $500 for it!
-Borrowed from the library.

Book Scavenger #3 The Alcatraz Escape by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

Emily and James qualify for an exciting escape "room" game which takes at Alcatraz.  The game is designed by their friend and famous game creator, Garrison Griswold.  Well-known yet reclusive mystery author Errol Roy partners with Mr. Griswold to design the ultimate game.  A few of the participants, however, seem to want to sabotage the members of Emily's group.
Ms. Bertman researched some interesting history and incorporates some aspects of her research into the plot.
Very exciting.  A fun series.
Point to discuss: One sentence mentions a family of two women with a young boy and girl (pg. 156).
-Borrowed from the library. 

Mr. Lemoncello's Great Library Race by Chris Grabenstein**

Audio-CD book
read by Jesse Bernstein
We thoroughly enjoyed this third "Lemoncello" book.
Kyle and his fellow trustees are placed in pairs to find specific facts about various historical figures.  As they race across the United States, they discover some disturbing information about Mr. Lemoncello.  Is he truly the honorable man he portrays? 
Kyle and his friends utilize the fact finding skills they have learned to uncover the truth about Mr. Lemoncello.
I really like how this book points out the importance of finding reliable sources and to double check facts with other sources (It also points out very clearly that just because one reads it on the internet does not mean it is true!).
**Highly, highly recommend.  We liked this book a lot better than the second book.
-Borrowed from the library.

The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors by Drew Daywalt illustrated by Adam Rex

Did you ever wonder how the game "rock, paper scissors" came to be?  This book offers an explanation of its origins.
Each of the main characters are weary of dominating their "land" and winning all of the battles.  So each one leaves their home territory in search for worthy opponent.  When the three encounter one another, they are delighted and participate in a thrilling, challenging battle!
Boy appeal because of the battles and the desire to be challenged.
My boys and I enjoyed this book's humor and creativity.
Mentor text: vivid words; writing a story that explains how a tradition or a culture practice came to be
Warning: Rock says apricot looks like "a fuzzy little butt".

In Plain Sight by Richard Jackson illustrated by Jerry Pinkney*

This book is so much fun!  Mr. Pinkney's illustrations are what tell the story in a way that draws you into the character and setting.
Every day after school Sophie runs into her grandfather's room to see if he has lost anything that day.  It is her job to find it (the reader can try to find it too!).  The reader will soon realize that the grandfather actually hides the object and that it is  little game between grandfather and granddaughter.
Very sweet!
Strategy: inferring (by looking at the illustrations that depict his room readers can infer what the grandfather's past life was like and what his current interests are.)
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

Recently I read an article on the blog Read Aloud Revival (https://amongstlovelythings.com/) how children of color do not have enough books that are mirrors or windows.  Often diverse books center on a historical event or written to expose racial tensions.  A need for diverse books that celebrate the everyday are needed.  This book fits the bill!

Follow the Leader by Emma Chichester Clark*

A boy and his dog are playing "follow the leader" when, one-by-one other animals join in the game.  Then a tiger wants to join in the game.  What a predicament!
A great book for toddlers who are learning to identify animals.  As each animal joins the line, the toddler can name it.
For older listeners, they can predict how the boy will solve the problem.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

Follow the Leader by Erica Silverman illustrated by G. Brian Karas

An brother and his younger brother play follow the leader, with the older brother always leading.
Rhyming text.
-Borrowed from the library.

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).

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein*

Kyle Keeley loves games.  In his home town a famous game inventor, Mr. Lemoncello,  is hosting a game in the new library.    Twelve twelve year olds are selected to spend the night at the library before it opens.  They have a task, though . . .to figure out how to escape from the library by playing lots of clever games and solving riddles.
Kyle is a likable character who shows kindness even though he is competitive.  At the beginning of the book he is not a reader, just a gamer.  By the end of the story he is ready to read and catch up on all the great books he has missed!  Another aspect I liked was that Kyle came from a solid family-parents who loved each other and their children and three brothers who had healthy relationships.
Reminded me a bit of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (especially Mr Lemoncello-similar to Willy Wonka).
Lots of children's book puns . . .if you love children's literature, you will recognize many titles being used as clues and in other ways.
Highly recommend.