The Wildest Race Ever by Meghan McCarthy

The Story of the 1904 Olympic Marathon
As usual Ms. McCarthy makes history come alive with her engaging tone and ability to present facts/history in an interesting way.
She describes the course, the athletes and the situations that arose during the race.
-Borrowed from the library.

Otis and the Kittens by Loren Long*

The latest Otis book!
It is a dry, hot summer.  The farmer and his hired hands are busy filling the old barn with straw.  As Otis rests in the shade with his animal friends, he spies a cat running towards the old barn.  Then he sees the smoke streaming out of the haymow.  He and his friends race down the hill to discover that the cat is a mother and needs her kittens rescued from the fire.  Otis, always courageous, rescues the kittens but finds himself in a dire situation.  Will his friends be able to rescue him before it is too late?
-Sweet story of courage and friendship.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.
"a must read series for tractor lovers"

Duck on a Tractor by David Shannon

The sequel to the amusing book Duck on a Bike.
Duck spies the tractor in the barnyard and decides to take for a spin (his logic is, "if he can ride a bike, of course, he can ride a tractor!).  The other farm animals clamor on for a ride and enjoy a trip into town.  Patrons at the diner cannot believe their eyes when they see a tractor overflowing with animals chug by and later deny it happened.
-Funny!
-Borrowed from the library.

The Swan Maiden by Howard Pyle illustrated by Robert Sauber

Someone is stealing pears off of the king's prized pear tree.  He promises his sons half of his kingdom before he dies and the rest of it after he dies if they can catch the thief.  Sons #1 and #2 fail in the mission but the third son cleverly stays awake to see the thief, a beautiful maiden who turns into a swan.  She is under a curse by a three eye witch.  In order to marry her, he must completes impossible tasks.  Using her magical powers, the Swan Maiden, helps the third son achieve each task to result in a happy ending.
-Borrowed from the library.

Miss Spitfire by Sarah Miller*

Reaching Helen Keller
Ms. Miller carefully researched Annie Sullivan's life and utilized the letters Annie wrote to her housemother at Perkins (School for the Blind) to write this book.  Told in first person from Annie's point of view, the book brings to life the emotions Annie must have felt that first month when she was first working with Helen.
Interspersed throughout the book are flashbacks to Annie's life as a child with her sick mother and drunken father, at the almshouse -Tewksbury and at Perkins School for the Blind.
After reading this book I have a whole new appreciation and respect for Annie Sullivan.
Photographs and timeline are included at the back of the book.
Warnings: abusive father, inappropriate cook at Tewksbury (nothing explicit just that- his hands would go where they had no business), whores are mentioned twice (again, nothing explicit-just mentioned that they were there).
*Highly recommend for older readers (because of the warnings).
-Borrowed from the library.

The Sherlock Files #2 The Beast of Blackslope by Tracy Barrett*

Xander and Xena, Americans spending a year in England, are thrilled to vacation in Blackslope.  Their peaceful escape, however, is soon disturbed by a 100 year old mystery-the horrible beast of Blackslope.  Apparently this beast has been causing fear within the hearts and minds of the residents for a 100 years.  Xander and Xena's ancestor, Sherlock Holmes, was unable to solve the case.  Can the siblings restore peace to Blackslope by finding the monster and ending its reign?
My fourth grader read book #1 in this series and is continuing with the series.  He really enjoyed the suspense and adventure, and would frequently share exciting parts with me.
-Borrowed from the library.
*Highly recommend.

Unglued by Lysa Terkeurst*

"Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions"

Mrs. Terkeurst writes in such a fashion that the reader feels like she is sitting across from her, talking and sharing.
With poignant examples from her own life, Mrs. Terkeurst reinforces how emotions can cause damage and create many regrets.  She, however, builds a case for imperfect progress by encouraging her readers to change their thought patterns and also by identifying the four "unglued reaction" categories with suggestions how to transform their tendencies.  The four unglued reactions are: 1. Exploder Who Shames Herself 2. Exploder Who Blames Others 3. The Stuffer Who Builds Barriers 4. The Stuffer Who Collects Retaliation Rocks.
*Highly recommend.
-I own this book.