Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival

This lovely little picture book written by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery tells the story of a rescued dog and cat with an unusually close relationship.  Without dwelling on the devastation on this huge disaster, the authors manage to portray the serious situation many people and their pets were in when the hurricane hit and people were forced to leave their pets behind.  Piecing together the story of these two animals, who refused to be separated from each other, and discovering the reason they remained so close and devoted to each other makes a beautiful and satisfying story.  Animal lovers of all ages will enjoy this book.

Sylvia & Aki by Winifred Conkling

It's 1942 in California.  Pearl Harbor was recently bombed.  Japanese Americans have been removed from their properties and placed in "camps" because they are security risks.  For the Mendez family, this provides an opportunity to lease a farm and live in a real house rather than being migrant workers.  The Munemitsus, on the other hand, have to leave their farm behind and trust strangers to take care of it.  When Sylvia Mendez discovers a doll hidden in her new yellow bedroom, she wonders about Aki Munemitsu, who was forced to leave her doll behind when her family was moved to Poston, Arizona.  Both girls endure their own versions of imprisonment when the local school district forces Sylvia to attend the Mexican school.  While her father fights the school district in the courts, Sylvia and Aki form a friendship that will last long after both of them are free.  This is a wonderful novel that deals with complex issues in such a way that kids can understand them.  

Summer Plans

When most people talk about their summer plans, they mention vacation destinations or family visits.  My summer plans always include what I plan to read.  I have a stack on my desk to go home with me today.  I'll try to keep you posted as I make my way through them, but there is one other plan I always make -- to stay away from my computer for awhile!  Happy reading!

Moon Over Manifest by Vanderpool

It's no wonder that this charming novel was awarded the Newbery Medal.  The heroine, Abilene, is unexpectedly sent to her father's home town of Manifest when he decides that his rough life on the road is no longer suitable for her.  Of course, she is not happy about this change and has some trouble finding a place to belong.  During the course of her stay, she learns, through seamless flashbacks, more about the history of this sad town and the mystery that is her father.  How she comes to terms with her own past and helps the town move out of the shadow of its past is the heart of this story.  It would make a wonderful read aloud and would be an excellent addition to any unit on the Depression.

Alcatraz versus the Scrivener's Bones / Sanderson

I am in love with this witty, wonderfully wacky series.  Of course, any series where the librarians are the villains bent on dominating the world works for me.  Still, Sanderson cracks me up with his sneaky asides, his insistence that his hero is really a coward, and his irreverent pokes at librarians.  In this, the second book of the series, our hero goes to the famed library at Alexandria to find his missing father and grandfather.  Unfortunately, the library is guarded by soulless spirits who continually tempt you to ask for a book, any book.  The problem is, once you touch a book or take it from the shelves, your soul is theirs, and you become one of them.  Makes it very hard to do any research!  To add to the intrigue, Alcatraz and his friends are being hunted by a half-man, half-machine monster --a.k.a. Scrivener's Bone -- that is relentlessly determined to destroy them.  How he defeats the Bone and saves his father's soul is a fast-paced, highly entertaining read.

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer Holm

Holm, most known for her Babymouse series, has created a charming and quirky piece of historical fiction with Turtle in Paradise.  The story takes place in the Florida Keys and introduces the reader to a delightful group of young boys who make their extra cash by taking care of the babies.  When the new girl in town becomes part of their activities, things become very interesting.  Throw in a pirate's treasure, a con man, and a spooky old lady and you have all the elements of a great read.  This book was fun, interesting, and would make a great read-aloud.

Never Glue Your Friends to Chairs by Katherine Applegate

Fans of Junie B. Jones should find it easy to like this series of early chapter books.  Roscoe Riley is a typical first grade boy with an incomplete understanding of all the rules governing polite behavior and a tendency to get into trouble.  In this, the first of his misadventures, he decides to get creative with the art supplies in an effort to help his brand new teacher, Ms. Diz, have a perfect open house.  How his plans backfire -- and how everyone deals with the ensuing disaster -- make for a quick and entertaining read.  Thoroughly likable.

Swindle by Gordon Korman

What a great story!  The action moves from spending the night in an abandoned and possibly haunted house to planning and executing a major heist.  When Griffin Bing discovers he has been cheated out of a million-dollar baseball card, he vows to steal it back.  Even though the main characters are kids, they are so well-developed that the reader never doubts that they are capable of such an amazing feat.  Along the way, they deal with bullies, dangerous guard dogs, and a completely unlikeable and sleazy villain.  The ending is perfect with a twist of irony that ties all the pieces together in a neat little package.  Even though there are two more books featuring the same cast of characters, this one can stand on its own.  Swindle would make a great read-aloud and will appeal to both boys and girls.

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan was an action-packed thriller.  From the early chapters through to the very end, the action was non-stop.  The two main characters, Sadie and Carter, tell the story, with the narrator changing every chapter or two.  Being brother and sister, their relationship is not always friendly, but the way they learn to trust each other and like each other gives an added depth to the story.  Being pursued by the awakening gods and goddesses of Ancient Egypt puts them in many situations where their relationship is tested, and they must lean on each other in order to survive.  The ending was satisfying, and the book can stand on its own, even though it is apparently the beginning of a series entitled The Kane Chronicles.  Highly recommended either as an independent read or a read-aloud.

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Fans of her Among the Missing series will find a lot to love in this new set of historical suspense novels by Margaret Peterson Haddix.  It all starts with a mysterious plane that appears with no adults on board, only babies, and disappears as soon as the babies are rescued.  In Found, the story begins when two boys realize (through a combination of first class sleuthing and stumbling discoveries) that they are part of this group of babies who have been adopted out but are now, for some reason, being drawn into the same area.  Strangers who appear and disappear at key points add to the suspense as we discover the beginnings of the true identities of these children.  As with all first books in a series, the story is really just getting started when the first book ends, but it would appear that there will be some interesting adventures throughout history as the two boys work to save all these children without wrecking time.  Fast-paced and intelligent with likable characters and just enough mystery to keep the reader guessing, this appears to be the beginning of a very interesting series.