Beyond Lucky by Sarah Aronson

Beyond Lucky by Sarah Aronson
250 pages

I think I would have honestly enjoyed this one more if it weren't the third sports book I have read for the Mark Twain awards. I am not much into sports books. But love the fact it is a good soccer book, for a boy or a girl. The kiddos in my community are gonna love this one!

Flutter by Erin E. Moulton

Flutter by Erin E. Moulton
200 pages

Didn't get much into this book. Hard to really sink my teeth into, and I thought the plot very unlikely. Loved the cover, though

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann

The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann
390 pages

In Quill, only the best thinkers are allowed to live. Any one showing signs of weakness, or creativity, or imagination is eliminated. But they are not. Instead of being terminated, Alex finds himself in the secret world of Artime. Can he adapt to his new home, or will missing his twin lead him down a path that might be the end of Artime, and maybe even the deaths of his new friends.
Liked this! And the cover says it all...Hunger Games meets Harry Potter. If a parent is a little weary of their kiddos reading Hunger Games, this would be a good alternative.

Close to Famous by Joan Bauer

Close to Famous by Joan Bauer
250 pages

Foster has issues out the wazoo. Her and her mom left her home in the middle of the night to escape the rampage of her mother's ex-boyfriend, an Elvis impersonator, who was getting creepier, and creepier. And she can't read. For every time she has opened a book, something shuts down, and won't let her read the simplest words. But she, and her mother, are not giving up. They find themselves in a new town, with new opportunities. And who knows? Maybe is she can do the impossible, teach a scaredy-cat aging actress to cook something as simple as a hamburger, maybe she can teach her to read. And she is going to need to read if she is going to become famous for her cooking.

Saint Louis Armstrong Beach by Brenda Woods

Saint Louis Armstrong Beach by Brenda Woods
137 pages

Saint is a boy loving life in the middle of New Orleans. He comes from a good family, has a best friend (even if they are on the outs right now) and he has a dream. He is performing with his clarinet with an empty hat for tourists so that he can buy his dream clarinet...and in a few years, he will be on his was to Julliard. But Hurricane Katrina sweeps through, possibly destroying his town as well as his dreams. Really liked this book...and I think it is great for kids from this area to get a glimpse of such a catastrophe that truly rocked the world.

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
546 pages

Do not let the thickness of this book scare you away, from reading it yourself, or picking it up for your kiddo! Beautiful story, and half of it is illustrations.

Ben's mother has passed away, leaving him in the care of his aunt and uncle. Never knowing his father, he starts to find clues that there might be someone out there that he belongs to.

Rose is kept inside her house...it is far too dangerous for a deaf girl to be out on her own. She could have an accident or be kidnapped. Do not mention the fact that this could happen to any kid out and about.

Ben and Rose's story intertwines beautifully. Both kids strike out on their own to find their place in this world, drawing together in a warm heartfelt conclusion. Ben's story is told in words, and Rose's in pictures. Love, love, love!

Zombie Tag by Hannah Moskowitz

Zombie Tag by Hannah Moskowitz
227 pages

Thought this book was a bit of a waste of time. Assume that thirty years ago there were confirmed zombies. They found them dead in a heap, and no one knows what really happened with them. Wil's brother is dead, and he knows that there is some way to get him back. But he's worried about how he will come back. And then there's this bell, that happens to end up in a friends house, so he steals it, rings it, and brings back all of the dead within five miles. But they aren't zombies like we think. They are just a bunch of disinterested people who want to go back to their lives. No sadness, no happiness, no nothing. Yeah..

The Underdogs by Mike Lupica

The Underdogs by Mike Lupica
280 pages

I don't care for sports books, but this one literally had me bawling towards the end. Such a positive book for kids...a must read for your sports nuts, or any boy for that matter (or girl!)
Football is everything for twelve-year-old Will. But soon there will be no football for this dying little town. But without his team, Will has no idea what he will do, or who he even is. He goes all out, turning for help to someone so big and distant, that it is very unlikely that he will even get an answer. But he does...the team is saved. But, can he pull together enough people who still have faith to even fill the roster?

Pie by Sarah Weeks

Pie by Sarah Weeks
183 pages

Warm, heartfelt, funny book. Alice's beloved Aunt Polly passes away, along with her secret to making the best pie crust in the nation. Instead of leaving the recipe to her niece, as everyone thought she would, she left it to her cantankerous cat, Lardo. Now Lardo is missing, the pie shop has been ransacked, and Alice and her friend can only think that someone will go to no ends to get their paws on that recipe. At the beginning of each chapter there are pie recipes...so much wish I knew how to bake!

Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach

Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach
262 pages

Fun mystery for younger readers.

R My Name is Rachel by Patricia Reilly Giff

R My Name is Rachel by Patricia Reilly Giff
166 pages

Rachel and her two siblings are uprooted along with their father in the middle of the depression in order to find work. When their father finally does find work, it takes him away from home, leaving the three kids to fend for themselves.
For a book set in this time frame, the characters didn't stick with me as much as I thought they would. I didn't find myself liking or disliking any  of them. I felt it was very bland. I would, however, love this book as a group discussion. I am fascinated by the struggles and sacrifices of this desolate time, and wonder about all of the luxuries that we have in modern homes that we would lose if we hit hard times like this. It was hard, but we have so many extras that are taken for  granted..tvs, phones, computers, gaming devices, etc.

Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck

Secrets at Sea by Richard Peck
238 pages

I couldn't get into this book personally...if it wasn't a part of a list I was reading, I probably wouldn't have finished it. The writing was absolutely superb, and I think this would be a fun book to read snuggled into bed, reading along with a child. But as an adult reader, it has always been hard for me to swallow a mouse character. Would love to talk to kids that have read and loved this one. Wonder what the interest is.

Hothead by Cal Ripken Jr. with Kevin Cowheard

Hothead by Cal Ripken Jr. with Kevin Cowheard
135 pages

I was wildly impressed with this book, and sport books usually aren't my thing. I felt this book was so very real, and I could instantly think of a dozen kids that would/should read this book.
Connor is a baseball legend in his hometown. And his team is headed towards the championship. But he finds himself making mistakes on the field. Even worse, he finds himself losing his temper in a huge way, that makes him a lousy friend and teammate. But with all the the stress at home, his dad losing his job, and the late night overheard discussions about 'losing the house' it's no wonder that he is having a hard time holding it together. But he has to reign in his temper, maybe talk to someone about what is going on at home, before he completely loses it, or gets booted from the Orioles.

Barn Boot Blues by Catherine Friend

Barn Boot Blues by Catherine Friend
142 pages

When twelve-year-old Taylor is uprooted from her home in Minneapolis to a small town farming life, she is anything but happy. She has to find her way back to the big city where she belongs. And when several disasters give the town reason to openly laugh at her, her unhappiness turns to pure misery. One of her big jobs is to collect eggs in the morning...which leads to her running late to the bus in her ugly old barn boots, or lands her in class with chicken poop in her hair.
Taylor is a very sympathetic character. Even as an adult I found myself hoping she gets out of the mess. But her parents are also sympathetic...they had no idea what they were getting themselves into. You truly see a family trying their hardest. Loved this book! Will be a great book for young readers.

Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins

Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins
213 pages
2nd book in the Underland Series

Gregor is back in the Underland after Boots is kidnapped right in front of his own eyes. The Underlanders need him to follow through on another prophecy. This time, it is Boots' life that is on the line.

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy
438 pages

Fun story, good for boys and girls alike. Definitely would stick to younger readers. Great fantasy/adventure, but the writing is absolutely geared towards a lesser mature audience, in my opinion.

Gregor and the Overlanders by Suzanne Collins

Gregor and the Overlanders by Suzanne Collins
311 pages

This is one of those books that I have seen on the book shelves at the library about 100 times, and I keep thinking I should try it. I mean, anything written by the author of the Hunger Games is gonna be great, right? I have no idea why I have passed it over so many times...and when I finally picked it up, I was absolutely hooked from about page five.
Gregor has to spend his summer home, instead of going to camp, in order to take care of his two-year-old sister, Boots. Mom is way over worked, and Dad disappeared two years ago. But despite the hard times, Gregor cannot always keep himself from thinking of all the great things he and his Dad will do once he gets back. And Mom and the kids KNOW he didn't just up and leave.
Gregor and his sister are down in the apartment basement doing laundry, when Boots chases her ball down by the air vents. When she crawls in after it, Gregor has to go in for her. But what they fall into is a whole new world. Literally. He must find a way to get back to the 'Overland'. But a strange human race, giant spiders, cockroaches, bats, and rats, all need him to stay to fufill the prophesy....one that might just lead him straight back to his dad.
An exciting adventure/fantasy, one that any thrill seeking middle schooler would love to fall into! I cannot wait to start on the second, Gregor and the Prophesy of Bane.

A Difficult Boy by M.P Barker



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A Difficult Boy by M.P Barker
298 pages

Ethan, nine-years-old, is bound out to be an indentured servant after his family falls further and further into debt. In his new home, he tries to make friends with an older Irish boy, Daniel. But Daniel is very rarely happy, and is often sulky and sullen, and the others treat him badly because of his family's heritage.

Tulsa Burning by Anna Myers



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Tulsa Burning by Anna Myers
152 pages

Historic fictional account of a small town affected by the race riots in Tulsa.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman



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The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
307pages
2009 winner of the Newbery Medal

Nobody Owens, a little boy very much alive, is being raised in the graveyard by ghosts. I found the concept of this book fascinating, but didn't really get into the writing. Granted, I may have been the only one, since Newbery Winners are always the best of the best, in my opinion.