Piper by Emma Chichester Clark*

My nine year old and I thoroughly enjoyed this well-told story about Piper, the sweet dog.  Piper's mother teaches him to obey his master, to look both ways when he crosses the street and to help anyone in danger.  When he is old enough to have his own master, he is wary of Mr. Jones.  Mr. Jones is grumpy and cold.  Because Piper does not rid his garden of rabbits, Mr. Jones beats him, calls him names and abandons him in a shed.  Fortunately, Piper escapes and finds a delightful home.

Warning: This book is not for very sensitive kids.  Mr. Jones is cruel.  An elderly lady is almost hit by a car and is injured (taken away in an ambulance). 
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

Mr. Squirrel and the Moon by Sebastian Meschenmoser*

My nine year old and I found this book quite humorous!
Another book recommended by Sarah Mackenze at Read Aloud Revival.
One morning Squirrel finds the moon sitting on his tree branch.  He spends the rest of the day trying to return it to the sky where it belongs.  Humorous events ensue, making Squirrel more convinced he will end up in jail for stealing the moon!
Strategy: inferring
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed via Inter-Lib Loan (My county does not own it.) .
Another book recommended by Sarah Mackenzie.

Badger's Perfect Garden by Marsha Diane Arnold illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki*

A sweet, sweet book!
Another book that Sarah Mackenzie recommended on her "book of the week" feature. 
Badger has saved seeds from the previous growing season and carefully plants them in an organized garden.  Then the rains come . . . heavy downpours which wash away his seeds.  He bemoans to his friends how his hard work has been a waste. 
His friends are delighted to show him a surprise later that summer.
Strategies: connections, predicting
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library. 

The Rough Patch by Brian Lies*

Evan, the fox, loves his dog  and spends every waking minute with him.  Together they grow a beautiful garden.  Then his dog dies.  Evan shuts himself off from others and becomes bitter and angry.  Will he remain in this "rough patch" forever?
A story of hope amidst devastation. 
Mr. Lies is an incredible artist who depicts objects with such accuracy and detail.  The hues darken when Evan is experiencing his deep sadness and anger.
*Highly recommend.
A good book to read when a child is mourning the loss of a pet or a loved one.
-Borrowed from the library.
Another book mentioned on Read Aloud Revival.

Hats off to Mr. Pockles! by Sally Lloyd-Jones illustrated by David Litchfield

Sarah Mackenzie on Read Aloud Revival featured this book as a "book of the week".
Mr. Pockles loves hats and fills his house with them.  He, however, is lacking friends.  One day when he enters Treat House to enjoy the Bun of the Month, he meets a very important panda, Lady CoCo Fitz-Tulip.  She is wearing a gigantic fruit hat. When baby bunnies devour and eventually destroy her hat, she is devastated.  Mr. Pockles decides to help out and makes many friends that day.
A sweet story!
Strategy: predicting
-Borrowed from the library.

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan*

I read this book aloud to my nine year old.  He loved it.
Ms. Weeks and Ms. Varadarajan alternate writing the chapters.  Ms. Weeks tells the story from Joe's point of view and Ms. Varadarajan shares Ravi's story.  They seamlessly weave together the boys' stories and create a satisfying ending. 
Joe has Auditory Processing Disorder.  For years he has endured the scorn and teasing from the class bully, Dillon Samreen. To make his situation worse, his mother now has job as a cafeteria monitor.  She sees first hand the bullying and tries to intervene, only to make Joe's circumstances dire.
Ravi has moved from India to New Jersey with his parents and grandparents.  In India he was a top student and athlete, and also very popular.  Now he finds himself frustrated at teachers' and classmates' lack of understanding of him and his culture.  Will he ever adjust to America, and will he find a friend?
The chapters are short.  The plot moves quickly.  I like how the book is divided up based on the school's lunches. 
I appreciated the glossaries for both of the boys.  Each author also included a recipe that represents each of the boys' cultures!  My son wants to make both recipes (Apple Crisp and Naan Khatais).
--**Eating peanut M and Ms during or after this book is a must!!
Points to discuss/Warning: bullies, cruelty, inferred swearing  Dillon is kleptomaniac and hides his stolen items in the front of his pants.
*Highly recommend (for 4th grade and up).
-Borrowed from the library.

The River by Peter Heller

Jack and Wynn, best friends since freshmen orientation, decide to spend some months canoeing a river into the Hudson Bay.  They imagine idyllic weeks fishing, reading, talking and picking blueberries in the Canadian wilderness.  They, however, do not anticipate a forest fire, encountering some raunchy drunk men or witnessing a couple arguing.  A day later they interact with the man from the couple. He claims his wife has disappeared.  Jack and Wynn, compassionate young men, decide to retrace their path and try to locate the wife.  But people and situations do not always seem as they first appear.  Whom can they trust or believe?  In a moment their peaceful adventure has turned into a terrifying experience where they are struggling just to live.
I loved the description of nature throughout this book . . . I felt like I was there, enjoying the serene wilderness.  The poetry and beauty woven into this novel also really appealed to me.  I also adored Jack and Wynn.  Mr. Heller deftly integrates Jack's and Wynn's family background into the narrative.
 This book made me cried, and I was sad by its ending.
I did not appreciate all of the swearing nor the fact that both Jack and Wynn chew tobacco.
-Borrowed from the library.