Thursdays with the Crown by Jessica Day George

Thursdays with the Crown
by Jessica Day George
224 pages, 2014
Elementary +

After Celie helped heal the Castle in Wednesdays in the Tower, she is suddenly transported somewhere new with Rufus her griffin, her siblings, and their friends.  Surrounded by forest, they have to start exploring in order to discover where the Castle has taken them.

After most the others have left, Celie is shocked the see some griffins racing around the tower.  Wild griffins!  As she runs after them, more discoveries await her.  Can she finish healing the Castle and make it back home in one piece?

Wizards, magic, griffins, adventure!  What more could you want from a book!  I think I liked this one more than than the second book!  Fast paced, lots of action and discover. Really fun read! Jessica Day George continues to be on my go-to list for recommendations!

InterWorld by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves

InterWorld
by Neil Gaiman and Michael Reaves
260 pages, 2007
Late Elementary to Middle School

Joey Harker's day started just fine.  His social sciences teacher is testing them on finding directions in the city, and he finally feels like he's got a handle on it.  He knows where he is, he's got a cute girl on his team, and even stood up the the bully.

And then he walked around the wrong corner and Walked into another dimension.  And then another.  Joey has the strange ability to walk through dimensions like most people walk to the park.  As he starts travelling, he starts meeting people that are strange versions of himself, humanoid and otherwise.  The more people he meets, the deeper involved in the bigger struggle he becomes.

When I first saw this I thought "How did I not know that Gaiman wrote something else???" I was super excited to read it and see what crazy world he came up with this time.  And Mr. Gaiman did not disappoint.

This was great! I had a hard time putting down.  The reader becomes quickly attached to Joey as the underdog, and you want to cheer for him.  He's the kid that is always trying to work hard and do the right thing, but it turns out wrong.  Many people will be able to relate to him.

I also liked the variety of Joey-like characters- so many different variations, but still have connections to him.  Very believable that they could be a Joey from another universe.

Overall- exciting, action-packed read.  Great characters, interesting multiple-universe structure, and fun to read.  Definitely will recommend to people, especially boys.

That One Spooky Night

That One Spooky Night
Written by Dan Bar-el
Illustrated by David Huyck
80 pages, 2012
Elementary

Creepy crawlies and things that go BUMP in the night...  If you like being scared, then this is the book for you!

This collection of three short stories is scary and makes you think about what is behind those masks at Halloween time.  Is that little girl just dressed up as a witch, or is she really one?  What is under all those bubbles in your bubble bath?  And be careful who invites you over for a party....

Fun, cute collection of stories.  Nothing super scary, perfect for the younger elementary aged kids.  Great illustrations, just enough text to drive the story, but not so much it's cluttered.  Lots of action oriented frames.  Overall, fun quick read!  Great for short attention spans since it's divided into the short sections.

The Last Dragonslayer

The Last Dragonslayer
by Jasper Fforde
296 pages
Middle School+

As a foundling, Jennifer Strange had a rough childhood: competing with the 40 other girls for the only handkerchief to use as a pillow each night.  But despite that, or maybe because of that, she is super strong, stands up for herself, and is capable of managing a magic company while the actual manager is missing.  Kazam Magic is one of the only two magic companies in the kingdom, in a world where magic is on the decline.  And Jennifer has to get their wizards jobs, keep the wizards on task (since they are notoriously scatterbrained), and budget the books.  A lot of responsibility for a (almost) sixteen-year-old.

And then, from one of her most dependable wizards, comes one of the most startling prophecies of all: the last dragon in the world is going to die. And not only that, but Jennifer is somehow deeply involved.  How can she run Kazam, teach the new kid the ropes, take care of her magicians, and resolve this issue with the dragons???

So, this book was GREAT!  I loved it!  Loved it so much I went out and found the sequel and devoured that book as well.  I liked the second, but not quite as much as the first.  Both are full of tongue-in-cheek humor and an amazing contrast between the practical way and the whimsical wizarding way.  It provides a new perspective on a world that is slightly familiar, but full of discoveries at the same time.

Jennifer is a great balance of practical thinking in a strange world. She has to have this endless patience to deal with the whimsies of the wizards and at the same time stay on target enough to accomplish what the company has been paid to do.  Great character for a teen book.  Lots of fun seeing how she approaches and solves problems.

Overall, definitely a book that recommend.  I can see this appealing to both boys and girls, starting in middle school and into high school.  Also a great introduction to this author for younger readers, since most of his works are aimed more toward adults.  Interesting book, fun read, and best of all, dragons!  (Yes, multiple!  But you have to read it to find out...)

Ungifted

Ungifted
by Gordon Korman
288 pages
Late elementary+


Donovan Curtis isn't really a bad kid, he just lacks impulse control.  When that impulse is to whack a bronze statue of Atlas on the backside, which causes the globe on his shoulders to come of and roll into the gym during a basketball game, it cause him lots of trouble.  Especially with the superintendent standing right there.  After going to his office and getting his name written down, Donovan expects the worst: the dreaded call to his parents.  When that never comes, Donovan wonders what happened.

Then the completely unexpected happens: instead of getting reprimanded for what he did, Donovan is getting promoted.  His parents received in the mail a letter stating that because of his excellent test scores, he has been invited to attend the Academy of Scholastic Distinction, the school for the super smart kids.  Donovan figures this is a great place to hide from the superintendent until he remembers to punish him.

At this school, Donovan couldn't be more out of place.  While other kids are acing calculus, everything said in class is going way over his head.  His only redeeming feature: he's normal.  He quickly names the school robot (Tin Man), makes the robotics team a true team, and introduces the smart kids to YouTube.  Making their days better, he seems to fit in, even without the smarts.

But can he stay there forever? His teachers are quickly realizing he's not gifted, the superintendent is still looking for him, and now his pregnant sister is moving back home.  On top of all of this, he's got to take care of her spastic dog that doesn't like anyone but him.  How long can he keep hiding, and keep his random impulses under control?

This book made me laugh so much.  The visual of a kid whacking Atlas' backside with a tree branch, and watching, horrified, as it rolls into the school gym was priceless.  He is continually defying expectations and norms.  Quirky kid, who just doesn't want to be yelled at.

I liked how the point of view switched between people.  It always came back to Donovan, but you got a great look at how frustrated the superintendent is when he loses Donovan's name, and how his new teacher really likes him and values what he is doing for the class, but wonders why this kid was chosen for the gifted school.  Makes you realize the other characters in the book aren't necessarily oblivious to what is happening, and gives their perspective on the story as well.  While in other books, I have seen this distract from the story line, it really worked out well in this instant.

Another thing I really liked was how the characters could grow while staying true to themselves.  Donovan changed his perspective on some things, grew out of some childish tendencies, but at the end is still struggling with his impulse control (great scene!  Robot showdown!).  He is still himself, but an improved version of himself.

Overall, really good book.  The characters were fun, the story was great, and had meaning without being preachy or trite.  Lots of humor, and both girls and boys should enjoy it.  Have fun reading it!
 

Poems I Wrote When No One Was Looking

Poems I Wrote When No One Was Looking
by Alan Katz
drawings by Edward Koren
160 pages
Elementary+

This collection of poems reminded me a lot of Shel Silverstein.  Same type of humor and lots of play on words.  It also has little illustrations that go with each poem!  Very fun!

Not a lot to write about, though!  Good book!  If kids like humor, they'll like this! Super fun book, I'll recommend it to kids, definitely!

 This was one of my favorites.  Enjoy!

"What a Gas!" (from Poems I Wrote When No One Was Looking) by Alan Katz

My two brothers,
Mom and Dad, and I
went to the Museum of Fine Arts.
We had spicy food right before we arrived-
now it's the Museum of Five Farts.

The Nine Lives of Alexander Baddenfield

The Nine Lives of Alexander Baddenfield
by John Bemelmans Marciano
Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
144 pages
Late Elementary+

The Baddenfields are the worst people around.  Alexander's ancestors have done horrible things: blamed Abe Lincoln for chopping down a tree, spiked Rip Van Winkle's drink so he would sleep, and even tried to kill the last remaining black pygmy rhinoceroses!  As last of the Baddenfields, Alexander has to live up to his family name!

And Alexander has a fantastic idea: why must only cats have nine lives?  He wants nine lives too!  He searches everywhere for a doctor that will transfer a cat's lives to him.  After going through the best doctors in the world, he finally finds Kranstenenif, a crazy scientist who specializes in grafting different animals together, like a rabbittortoise (a hare wearing the shell of a turtle).  When he hears of Alexander's strange request, he is ecstatic! He knows just the organ to transfer.  After a successful operation, Alexander now has eight lives (one being spent in the operation) to use doing what he does best: being bad.

After trying all the foods he couldn't eat before (he might be allergic), he comes up with a great idea: let's see if the third rail on the subway really is fatal!  After that, he kind of drowns, really drowns, flies through the air, and even enters a bull fight.  But it's never enough for him.  Alexander must be as bad as possible.

So, first of all, I won this as an advanced uncorrected proof on Goodreads.  Yay for winning books!  I was very excited to get this and to read it!

Next, I laughed so hard while reading this.  Alexander is pretty much the most spoiled, rotten little kid you can imagine.  But what happens to him is pretty funny.  The humor is kind of grim (spoiler, he does lose all his lives), so while funny, it's a certain type of funny that will appeal to some but not others.  It's kind of grim and graphic, since Alexander dies 9 times, so I will be careful who I recommend it to.

The background for the story was really well built.  The reader gets a look at Baddenfield genealogy, but it's not boring like a back-story can be occasionally.  But it's necessary for understanding the story and why Alexander is the way he is, plus what Winterbottom serves Alexander the way he does.   Good use of introducing the story.

I also liked the illustrations.  Totally adds to the story, and breaks up some heavy seeming text blocks.  They really help the reader increase their understanding of the characters and get a good sense of the humor of the story. 

Overall, this was a fun book, great humor, great characters and back-story, and good balance with the illustrations.  Will appeal to the kids that like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, or other books like that.  Kind of grim, so I will be careful who I recommend to, probably mostly boys that want a funny, scary book.

Pandemonium

Pandemonium
by Chris Wooding and Cassandra Diaz
176 pages
Elementary+

Seifer Tombchewer is a darkling: a flying being that loves skullball (think flying soccer but more violent), likes his family alright, but sometimes wonders if there is more beyond his little village.  Reading books is frowned upon by his father who loves sports, but it's how Seifer satisfies his curiosity.  Dreaming of more, he practices his skullball skills, and visits his grandpa to read some more books.

Then one day he wakes up in a palace with a splitting headache.  Abducted by spies, he is the spitting image of Prince Talon of the Pandemonium tribe, who is missing.  There to replace Talon, Seifer must learn how to act princely enough to fool not just the prince's family and allies, but also his enemies.  The hardest one to fool: Talon's huge cat who tries to swallow Seifer every time they meet.

Thrust into the middle of intrigue, Seifer must figure out who to trust, make new friends, and also discover his hidden enemies.  Responsible for the safety of the kingdom, he needs to figure out how to win the wars they are already fighting without plunging them into more.  And above all, no one can know who he really is.  Driven by his own moral compass, which Talon apparently never had, Seifer must become a prince to save the realm.

I really enjoyed this book!  It reminds me of some of the anime series, without being horribly dark or sickeningly cute.  It has some great humor, but balances it with serious thought.  Think Avatar: The Last Airbender, but abducted devil prince.  Kind of similar types of humor.  While Seifer always means well, sometimes his methods infuriate those around him and even seem unconventional, but are strangely effective.

Again, the writer and artist have worked together really well to obtain a great balance of story telling through art versus text.  The art often makes me laugh, but also reveals a lot of how the characters are feeling.  Some of the symbolism in the art is perfectly done, and I just loved it.

Overall, I enjoyed the artwork/text balance, the humor was great, the story line was really good, and the characters are believable.  Seifer is often doing things that I can see someone doing in a similar situation.  There are strange moments of humor throughout the book (like the prince's parents dying while working on a goat cannon).  Boys would get a kick out of it, but girls will love it too.  Read it!

Sidekicks

Sidekicks
by Dan Santat
224 pages
Elementary+

Captain Amazing is just that: amazing!  But his pets at home miss him terribly when he is gone.  Roscoe the dog waits patiently by the door for him to come home, while Fluffy the hamster plays video games all day long.  One day, a box comes in the mail.  What's inside?  Seems like nothing.  Until a sneaky chameleon makes an appearance. Captain Amazing names him Shifty, for his constantly shifting eyes.  When Captain gets hit by peanuts (he's allergic, his one weakness!), he gets to stay home for several day with the boys.

But all is not well in Metro City.  Dr. Havoc is running a muck, an unknown villain is sneaking around, and Captain Amazing is out of commission for a few days.  What he needs is a sidekick!  While he sets up auditions for a new superhero, his pets are left at home, missing him again.  What Captain doesn't know is that they might want to try out for the auditions.  While living with the Captain, his pets have each developed super abilities.  But will their abilities be enough to save the day?  And just who is that sneaky cat that keeps watching Fluffy like he's a tender morsel to eat?

This was a super fun book!  Think of it as "The Incredibles" meets animals!  The feel of the book was very kid friendly, which isn't always the case in super hero books, but it also has some great themes that takes it beyond just fighting bad guys.  These themes make it much more meaningful and thoughtful.

I really enjoyed the artwork and how it helped convey the mood at the moment.  The backgrounds go from bright and sunny to dim to dark as night.  Very expressive through the colors, and while there is lots of detail and color, I never felt overwhelmed or that it was messy.  Great balance of art to words, where the art aids the plot along. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this.  Great book for boys, especially some of the younger boys that still want the super hero books.  It still has a little fighting (especially the last big scene), but I think the values that it enforces is worth it.  I will definitely recommend for both girls and boys!

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
by Tom Angleberger
141 pages
Elementary+

Sixth-grader Tommy has a mystery to solve: is Origami Yoda real?  Sitting on Dwight's finger, Yoda seems much more intelligent and aware of everything than Dwight ever was.  In his screechy little voice, Yoda answers questions, gives advice and helps the other kids make it through the day.

But how can a dweeb like Dwight answer these questions?  Or does Origami Yoda really have the Force with him?  And above all, does Sara really like Tommy?  And why does Tommy need to learn how to dance the Twist?

This was such a fun book to read!  While told mostly from Tommy's view, there are several chapters "written" by the other kids at school with them, giving variety to the novel.  Plus, each chapter is fairly short, so it is really fast to read. Very fun narrative style!  If they liked Diary of a Wimpy Kid, they will like this!

Definitely a lot of themes that kids will relate too.  School cliches are very present, as well as jocks, pretty girls, and the everyone else.  I like the fact that Tommy has the same insecurities as a lot of kids that age- not really sure if he should ask a girl to dance, not wanting to look like a dork in front of everyone, and so one.  Very realistic portrayal of kids that age and what they worry about.

Anyways, very fun book!  Quick read, yet has great message and lots of humor to entertain the kids.  I recommend this book all the time!

Meanwhile: Pick Any Path

Meanwhile: Pick Any Path. 3856 Story Possibilities
by Jason Shiga
80 pages
Elementary+

Jimmy has a simple choice: chocolate or vanilla ice cream?  But this one small choice leads to another, which leads to another.  Before you know it, the entire world is at stake! 

You, the reader, get to decide which path Jimmy takes, which machine he tries to use, how far back in time to go.  With over 3000 possibilities, can you find a happy ending?

So, if you remember the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books for a while ago, this is exactly like that!  Jimmy has different decisions to make, and the reader gets to decide which plot line to follow!  Instead of telling you to go to whatever page, there are tabs with pathways to follow.  Lots of fun!

This is an interesting way to teach kids the consequence of their actions in a fun way.  While the pages occasionally got messy and your eye wants to dart around the page, it was really engaging to read.  It is only 80 pages, so not too overwhelming, but it can be read in so many different ways, it takes more time than you would think.

Over all, lots of fun!  Simple yet engaging art, you create whatever plot line you want, plus there is a page you can't get to by following the paths!  Have fun exploring possibilities with Meanwhile!

The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Out Stars
by John Green
336 pages
High School+

Hazel has cancer.  Even though it is in remission, she knows that one day, sooner than she would like, it will kill her.  It's hard to try and live a busy and satisfying life when you can't breath well and you know you're going to die anyways.  While Hazel tries to live life, and be happy, she feels cynical and weighed down a lot of the time.  She even doesn't like going to her cancer support group- too dreary and disheartening to hear the list of dead people 3 times longer than the list of those still alive.

One night, her mom all but forces her to go to support group, to get out of the house and go do something.  She gets there, sees a couple old friends, and also meets a new guy, Augustus Waters. Gus is different, even though he too is a survivor.  He smiles, he grins, and draws Hazel to him, not just for his looks, but for his charisma.  Soon, they are hanging out together, going on picnics together, and even sharing their favorite books.  When Hazel makes Gus read "An Imperial Affliction" about a girl with cancer, he is hooked.  He reads it in a night, and, just like Hazel, can't stand not knowing what happens.  The book ended mid-sentence!  Both of them write the author to see if he is writing a sequel, or would even just tell them what happens to the characters.

Together, they start an adventure.  Hazel lives life, finally, while helping Gus live his as well.  They support friends through breakups, pester an author, and manage their cancer symptoms.  What good is living with cancer if you can't live? 

Oh my goodness, I cried!  I loved this book, not just for its witty banter, not only for the great characters and realistic setting, but because it made me cry.  I got so emotionally tied to Hazel and Gus that when they hurt, I hurt too.  My heart ached for their trials. Hint- have lots of tissues on hand toward the end.  This was a fantastic book!

I'm usually not into realistic fiction (check out how many fantasy books I have on here), usually because it doesn't seem to do much.  There's not adventure or the characters just sit around and talk about each other behind their backs.  But in the book, Hazel and Gus were doing things.  They went places around town, obsessed about their favorite book, comforted another friend in need, and more.  They don't just sit around, the do things!  And not normal everyday things.  I do enough "normal" things, I don't particularly want to read about them.  But this book had a great blend of normal, so I would identify with the characters, and the unusual, to keep my interest. 

Several themes in this book that could be discussed, almost too many to list.  Life and death is huge.  Both Hazel and Gus know that at some point soon, they will die.  This changes their outlook on life, and causes them to evaluate what "living" means to them.  What would you change in your life if you knew you might not be around the next month? 

Another theme is love, what it means to a person, how it affects their actions, and how it changes lives.  Knowing what the future holds, or knowing how things will end is another emphasized theme.  Hazel and Gus do some fairly extreme things to try to figure out what happens to characters in a book.  This reflects their desire to know how their own stories end: what happens to their families and friends after they die, will people remember them or be hurt by their death.  Knowledge is powerful in this book.

Overall, AMAZING book.  I will recommend to any teen, regardless of gender or what type of book they usually read.  I would keep it to high school teens for a couple reasons.  One, subject matter- so heavy and thought provoking.  I don't know that middle school kids would have the maturity to be interested in this book.  Second, a small sexual scene.  Nothing big, nothing explicit, but it's there.  Younger kids probably know more than what this book holds, but just for safety's sake, keep it more to high school or older.

Read this book!  It is amazing and I loved it!

Etiquette & Espionage

Etiquette & Espionage: Finishing School, Book the First
by Gail Carriger
307 pages
High School+

Sophronia is a youngest daughter, completely uncultured, and hopelessly interested in how the dumbwaiter works.  Her mother despairs of her ever becoming a sophisticated woman.  Imagine the surprise of both of them when she is invited to attend a prestigious finishing school, Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

On the way to the school, Sophronia eyes are opened.  Her carriage mates inform her that this is definitely not your typical school.  Not only is the headmistress NOT the actual headmistress, but flywaymen (similar to highwaymen, but using balloons) try to steal something from them.   The pretend headmistress faints, the coachman is knocked out, so Sophronia must take control of the situation.  Rescuing herself, plus the others, they manage to elude the flywaymen and make their way to the school, minus only their luggage.

Thus begins Sophronia's unique and highly interesting education.  Instead of merely learning etiquette, manners, and how to curtsy, she is also learning stealth, poisoning, information gathering and tumbling (most unusual!). Sophronia actually enjoys her time there and finds the classes very interesting.  But what exactly were the flywaymen after?  And what will they do if they don't get it soon?


Oh my goodness, I laughed so hard in lots of places on this book!  Carriger's humor comes through, and is wonderful.  I had a hard time putting it down!  One of my favorite lines, fairly early in the books is: "Pillover is terribly bad at being bad, if you take my meaning.  Our daddy is a founding member of the Death Weasel Confederacy, and Mummy is a kitchen chemist with questionable intent, but poor Pillover can't even bring himself to murder ants with his Depraved Lens of Crispy Magnification."  This sentence had me laughing so hard people were looking at me weird.

I really enjoyed this book (if you couldn't tell!).  The characters stay true to themselves, the plot was interesting, but not overwhelming, plus it was fun to find the connections to Carriger's other books.  This one is set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate series, but has its own characters and plot lines.

Overall, I will definitely recommend this book.  Unlike Carriger's other books, this is definitely appropriate for teens of almost any age. I put high school as my recommended level for two reasons: interest (I have a hard time seeing middle school or elementary school students interested in this) and also because it might lead the teens to Carriger's other books, which I said were more late high school or college age.  The book is funny,  interesting, and is definitely building a foundation for more adventures.  I can't wait for the next one!

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made

Timmy Failure #1: Mistakes Were Made
by Stephan Pastis
304 pages
Elementary+

The name is Failure, Timmy Failure.  He runs Failure, Inc., a detective agency designed to solve all local and global mysteries!  With his partner, the polar bear Total, he prowls the city on his mother's Segway, accepting cases from other kids to look into their problems.

Timmy's major competition is the Weevil Bun, I mean Evil One: Corrina Corrina.  She has a competing detective agency and is everything evil in the world! Of course Timmy is much better at solving mysteries, but she keeps taking cases away from Timmy!  Noooo!!!!

When his Segway goes missing, he knows Corrina Corrina is behind it. Now, he must plot and find a way to get it back! He must overcome a reduction in workspace (his mother's closet), group tests at school, and even the loss of his polar bear!  Timmy must get the Segway back, or face his mother's wrath.

This was a laugh-out-loud book, all the way! Timmy is hilarious, and all his conclusions, while making me cringe, were also super funny.  The only thing I worry about is kids accepting Timmy's faulty logic as reasonable.  Hopefully they realize how ridiculous he is.

I also like that while humor is definitely the focus, there are also so serious issues that Timmy must face.  His friendship with Total the polar bear is definitely tried, he has to deal with his mother and the hard times that she is going through, and he has to face the possibility of failure in school.  Timmy has all these issues he has to cope with, and the detective agency is his way of dealing with it.

Over all, great book!  This is a great recommendation for kids that like Diary of a Wimpy Kid.  Has lots of illustrations, plus the humor.  Boys will definitely dig this book, and lots of fun!

Earthling!

Earthling!
by Mark Fearing
248 pages
Elementary+

When Bud moves out to the New Mexico desert with his scientist father, he feels like he is moving to the middle of nowhere.  No friends, nothing ordinary, and most of all, a new school he has to attend.  And of course, on his first day, he's almost late for the bus!  Luckily, he catches it just in time.

But did  he really catch the right bus?  Instead of being full of kids, the bus is loaded with aliens!  The bus is really a spaceship picking up all the alien kids from random planets for Cosmos Academy, the best space school in the galaxy!

Bud quickly makes a new friend in Gort, an friendly alien that helps Bud blend in, make even more friends, and not eat what looks to be a pile of food but is really a fellow student.  On top of all of this, they discover the nefarious plots of the principle to use the school as a weapon. Together, they have to figure out how to get Bud home before the principle figures out that Bud is really an Earthling, the worst type of alien there is.

This was a funny example of being the new kid in town.  Bud has to go through hazing, trying to stand up to bullies, making the bullies his friend, and even trying out for the sports team!  Any kid that has been the odd one out would enjoy Bud's antics, and recognize a kindred spirit.

I also really enjoyed the attitude of trying something different if the first thing didn't work out.  Bud and Gort have to try several different things before they finally get Bud home.  This is a great example of perseverance  and persistence. I think more kids need to learn not to give up if the first thing you try doesn't go right.

Over all, really fun book, lots of great morals but told in a way that it doesn't bash you over the head with them.  Bud and Gort do get into mischief, but it would be hard to name a book that they don't get into mischief!  Great book for boys, and it's actually fairly substantial, so keeps them occupied for more than 5 minutes.  Fun read, I'll recommend it a lot!

Mr. and Mrs Bunny- Detectives Extraordinaire!

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny-- Detectives Extraordinaire!
By Mrs. Bunny, translated from the Rabbit by Polly Horvath
Illustrated by Sophie Blackall
256 pages
Elementary+

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny decide to leave their large, mostly empty home for a smaller home closer to town.  There, they have easy access to town with a stores, clubs and even a hat shop!  They want to buy fedoras so they can become detectives! And their first customer is Madeline.

Madeline is in fifth grade, and for graduation needs white shoes. She can't really expect her parent to help with it; they would rather spend money preparing for the summer solstice luminaries.  Madeline is the sensible one in the family, taking care of things around the house and managing the finances.  Her parents Flo and Mildred love everything, but don't have an intelligent though between the two of them.

One night, foxes come to see Flo and Mildred.  The foxes want to know where Uncle Runyon lives, who can decode the recipes left behind by Fanny Fox, the greatest fox chef ever.  When Flo and Mildred can't remember when Uncle Runyon lives, the foxes kidnapped them, and leave a note for Madeline.

Madeline must now turn to Mr. and Mrs. Bunny to help solve the mystery.  Together, they visit marmots, go to hat club, stand before the Bunny Council for various crimes, and even eat at the Olde Spaghetti Factory.  But can they find Madeline's parents before the foxes completely freak out???

This was a pretty fun book.  This would be a great book for earlier chapter book for kids.  While it has 256 pages, it goes really fast, and has the occasionally illustrations.  Definitely humorous, has a couple twists and turns.  Tongue in check humor- kids will get some, but the older the kids will get even more. Very fun! Great introduction to the mystery genre for kids!

Lio: There's a Monster in My Socks

Lio: There's a Monster in My Socks
by Mark Tatulli
224 pages
Late Elementary+

Lio, with his hair sticking up, in many ways is just like many boys: likes gross things, hates chores, and is excited to get a C on his homework instead of an F.  But, in many other ways, he is definitely NOT normal: instead of a pet dog, he has a pet squid, and he likes the monsters under the bed.

Follow Lio as he creates time machines, raises Godzilla, and has science experiments go wrong!  Will aliens abduct him before he can take over the earth???

So, this made me laugh out loud as I was reading it. In a library.  Not the best place to laugh out loud.  But it was just that funny.  I really enjoyed reading it, and can think of tons of boys that would totally laugh at it.  It reminds me a little of Calvin and Hobbes, but a little more modern, not as philosophical, and still tons of fun.

Most of the panels are just a page in length, making the reading go really quick. Plus, there is not a ton of vocabulary, so this would be good for a reluctant reader.  I put it as later elementary, mostly because of some scary looking monsters and mischief that Lio gets in.

Overall, this was so much fun to read!  I would definitely give it to almost any boy, especially those into science and monsters.  Quick read, quirky humor, and great expressions.  Since there isn't a ton of text, the facial expressions really help fill that gap.  Check it out!

Mrs. Noodlekugel

Mrs. Noodlekugel
by Daniel Pinkwater
Illustrated by Adam Stower
80 pages
Elementary+

Nick and Maxine just moved into a new apartment.  One day, Nick has Maxine come to his room to see his discovery: a small house surrounded by apartment buildings, with its own little yard.  When they tell their parents, they tell Nick and Maxine not to go there, so of course, they do.

What they find there is bizarre and fun- a little old lady, a talking cat and mice that help them make cookies.  Mrs. Noodlekugel's house has a little fun, magic and excitement!

So, I read this because a couple of my fellow librarians recommended it to me.  I had lots of fun with it, but there were a couple things that bugged me.

First of all- good things.  Yay for a simple chapter book that is not the Magic Tree House series!  It was cute, fun and should keep the kid's attention. While it has a simple plot line, there are enough challenging words that it isn't boring.  This would be a great early chapter book for young readers.

Okay, now to the things that bugged me.  Whether on purpose or not, it kind of talked down to the kids in places.  I don't think they are going to get that mice on cookie dough is not good, but Nick and Maxine talk about it.  In places where contractions could have been used, they weren't.  This especially bugged me when it was when one of the kids was speaking.  What kid says "I did not" instead of "I didn't"?

Anyways, overall view- I will probably still recommend it to kids.  The details that bugged me won't bother the kids (but they might the parents!) and the kids will have fun with this.  Looks like it is the beginning of a series, so lots more fun will be had!  Fun book, just a couple details that disagreed with me.

Lou! #1- Secret Diary

Lou! #1- Secret Diary
by Julien Neel
48 pages
Late Elementary+

Lou lives with her mom and a stray cat in their apartment in the city.  Not your typical 12-year-old, Lou designs her own clothes, hates playing with dolls, and her homework sends her to shrink.  At least she has a friend and a secret diary to pour her heart out.

When she starts noticing the boy across the street, things start getting complicated in life.  Then a cute guy her mom's age moves in down the hall.  On top of everything else, she has to deal with not only her own love life, but her mom's as well.

I found this book to be very funny and light-hearted. Lou goes through several things that a normal 12-year-old would face, plus some more!  Her lazy mom loves her, her cat thinks she is strange, and her friend rolls her eyes at everything, but still hangs out with her.  I love that her mom is addicted to video games!

I would give this to girls much more than boys.  I would probably start in late elementary aged, through middle school.  Lots of fun, and very cute!

ParaNorman

ParaNorman
by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
256 pages
Elementary+

Norman Babcock is definitely not your average 11-year-old.  Like everyone else, he gets bullied, annoys his older sister, needs friends, and has a hard time talking to his parents.  But UNLIKE everyone else, he can talk ghost.  Not just one or two, but every ghost in town.  While for him it's normal, everyone else wonders why this wacky kid is talking to thin air.

Things just get worse and the 300th anniversary of the local witch trial. Norman is having strange dreams and visions about disasters that are threatening his town. When his great-uncle dies and visits him, Norman now has a mission to save the town.  But can he, a new friend, his one time bully, and his sister really make a difference when pilgrim zombies are invading?

This was a really fun book to read!  This is based off the screen play for the movie, and I can't wait to see it! Every time you turn the page there is another disaster, or another zombie, and somehow it is all hilarious.

As much as this is about pilgrim zombies, this is also about a boy finding his own confidence and also about relationships.  Norman has to develop confidence in his ability, plus come to value his own uniqueness.  When he embraces himself is when he starts being successful.  And as he does this, he starts seeing the value in others as well.  This is a neat little story that wraps everything up neatly in the very happy ending.

I would recommend this for all kids, with the humor and everything.  Boys will love it, and this is one to put on the list of kids that like Diary of a Wimpy Kid- similar humor and everything.  I had a lot of fun with this book, and really enjoyed it!