Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka, illustrations by Francesco Sedita

It's the first day at a new school for Michael K. when he is put into a group two very strange kids.  One had eaten half his pencil, the other told him they were from another planet.

Um-kay.

Michael K. just wants to get away from them, but throughout the day the two stick by his side, tell him all about SPCHDZ and why they need to recruit 3.14 million people or else the planet will be turned off.

What's up with these kids?  Could they really be aliens from outer space?

What I Thought:
Oh, Jon Scieszka.  Just when I think I can't enjoy your work any more, you come out with a gem like this!  It's a fun, and wacky book that I have no doubt that many kids will eat up and ask for more. 

One of my favorite sections of this book is the chapter where the hamster tries to explain what's happening....in hamster.

A fantastic book that you don't want to miss!

Highly recommended.

Want to see more?  Check out Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka, illustrations by Francesco Sedita.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Book two is out now!  I can't wait to read that!

The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson & the Olympians #1 by Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson can't seem to stay out of trouble.  He's about to be kicked out of another boarding school, where some events seem just....odd.

Upon returning home for the summer, he and his mother take off for a relaxing weekend when it takes an unbelievable turn causing Percy to battle against a monster and then running for refuge at a summer camp.

A camp for kids who are half-bloods...on half human, one half Greek god.

Percy is a wanted kid already, and is sent on a quest to prevent a war between the gods!   His time is limited, he is still figuring out his new life...will he succeed?


What I Thought: 
I'm very late to the Percy Jackson party, but glad I joined.  It's not one of my favorite series out there, and it did take me a while to get hooked into the story line but once I did I had to finish the book!  I'll eventually pick up book 2, but I'll have to wait for the title to go off the holds list!

Anyway, this book made me want to freshen up my Greek mythology knowledge.  I was pretty confused throughout the first part of the story trying to figure out what god did what and went with who.  However, by the end I felt pretty caught up, though I still think I should really do some brushing up before I move ahead in the series.

This is a super fun book that has all the elements that kids want...super kid hero, action...the works!

If your favorite tween hasn't read it yet...head on down to your local library and check it out!  I'm looking forward to reading book two, and check out the movie of this book.

Highly recommended!

Want to see more?   Check it out on Amazon: The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson & the Olympians #1 by Rick Riordan.

Reviewed from a library copy.

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer

Bree Tanner is a brand new vampire living in Seattle.  She was created by she--that's all she knows.  Bree lives in a house with twenty+ other newborns with leader Riley who instructs the group on when they can go out and hunt.  They've been instructed to stay as low-key as possible to avoid being noticed.

Yeah, good luck with that.  The Seattle news is consistently reporting of unexplained deaths in the area, causing even more unsteadiness within the house.

Bree befriends another young vampire Diego and together they begin to put together the pieces that all they have been told is not what it seems.  When the duo overhears a conversation between "she," Riley and several "dark hooded figures," the understand that they have been created for a purpose...to fight.

If you've read Eclipse...you know the rest of the story, but through Bella's eyes.  Read this to discover the story through another fascinating point of view: the young vampire Bree Tanner.  Things may not be what it seems!

What I Thought:
What a fascinating novella!  Meyer has taken a character from her novel Eclipse and fleshed out her entire vampire life.  (Short as a life as it was.)

It makes one remember that there are truly two sides to every story. 

One thing I found interesting about this book was that there was no chapter breaks.  This novella is 175 pages long, and it's straight through.  And every bit of it is fluid!  The only reason I even missed the breaks was when I needed to stop reading to take care of other things, like cooking dinner.  I found it hard to find a stopping point.

Oh, how I miss the days when I could just read all day without stopping.  Sigh.

Anyway, if you are a Twilight fan you don't want to miss this book.  You can read if online for free at http://www.breetanner.com through July 5.  But if you purchase the book, a portion of the proceeds will go to the Red Cross.   Which is awesome! 

Highly recommended!

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner: An Eclipse Novella by Stephenie Meyer.

Reviewed from a personal copy.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

Shiver is the story of a girl named Grace, who at a young age was attacked by a pack of wolves in the woods near her house.   She remembers one wolf who stops the rest of the pack from killing her.   She remembers his eyes...

Year after year, Grace keeps an eye out for her wolf.  Every winter, she looks forward to seeing the wolf with the yellow eyes near her house, hearing his howl above the others.

When a boy at school goes missing, then is determined as dead a hunting party is organized to kill off the wolves.  Horrified, Grace goes out into the woods to stop them.

That's when she finds Sam, naked on her front porch.  And his eyes...his eyes are just like the eyes of her wolf.

Thus began a brilliant love story...between a girl and a boy who turns into a wolf. 

What I Thought:
Several of my friends read this book and just raved about it...so I gave it a go.  And it was good!   All the reviews and such say that this book will give Twilight a run for its money, and while I think Twilight lovers will LOVE it, I kind of liked Twilight better.

But only because it had more sappy love story.  I'm mushy like that.

Don't get me wrong, this is a great love story too!  Sam is completely devoted to Grace, and vice versa...it's just not as unbelievably sappy as the Twilight books are.  Which I think a lot of people will appreciate!

Anyway, this book has it all.  Romance, paranormal, teenage drama, family issues, excitement, intense moments...everything you need for a great story!  And a cliff hanging ending that leaves you screaming in frustration.  But have no fear...the sequel Linger comes out in July!  So I don't have to wait that long.

This is a great book to hand to Twilight fans and those who enjoy paranormal romance.  I've already got a couple of people in line to read this one...I sure hope they like it as much as I did. 

Very highly recommended.

Want to see more?  Check it out on Amazon: Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. 

Reviewed from a library copy.

The Eternal Smile: Three Stories by Gene Luen Yang

In this collection of three short stories in graphic novel format, Luen tells some tales of fantasy and explores the idea of good vs. evil.

Duncan's Kingdom: When the love of Duncan's life, a princess, puts out a challenge Duncan goes forth to look for the King Frog. When he brings back his head, he will win her hand in marriage. He has a fantastic adventure, but is everything as it seems.

Gran'Pa Greenbax and the Eternal Smile: Gran'Pa Greenbux is all about money. He wants enough money to be able to dive to the bottom of his gold and not not hit the bottom! He demands his worker Filbert to find a way for him to make more and he directs him to a smile that appears to be coming from the sky. Gran'Pa creates a church to get donations from his parishioners...but Gran'Pa is surprised by shocking reality.

Urgent Request: Janet is stuck in a boring nine to five job and her request for a promotion is rudely shot down. When she receives an email from a Nigerian prince asking for money, she complies...time after time. We all know its a scam, but does Janet?


What I Thought:
I loved Yang's American Born Chinese so I was excited to pick up this collection. I enjoyed the setup of the three short stories, and how they really all fit together with the classic good vs. evil plot. Each story also brings to light a more serious issue under the disguise of a great fantasy plot. I love stories that make you think!

Wonderful illustrations, in true Yang style!

Highly recommended.


Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: The Eternal Smile by Gene Luen Yang.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Robot Zot by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by David Shannon

Robot Zot is ready to take over the world! "Robot Zot--never fall. Robot Zot--conquer all!"

He begins with kitchen appliances and after his victories in the kitchen, heads onward to the television.

There is nothing that Robot Zot cannot overcome! Even the dog!


What I Thought:
Wow, this is a book that young boy will love! Then I foresee there will be a lot of robots being portrayed after this book is read.

Robot Zot thinks he's going to overtake the world, but in reality he is a toy robot the size of a Hot Wheel car. But it doesn't matter...in his head he's the largest thing in the universe!

The illustrations are wonderful, and what you would expect from Lane Smith. He and Jon Scieszka make the most wonderful team!

A wonderful story, one that is full of imagination and fun! A wonderful book for the preschool and early elementary crowd.

Recommended.

Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: Robot Zot by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by David Shannon.

Reviewed from a library copy.

The Monsterologist: A Memoir in Rhyme ghostwriten by Bobbi Katz, illustrated by Adam McCauley

In this book, a monsterologist presents their findings to the reader on a plethora of monsters in the form of correspondence in verse.

What I Thought:
This book isn't my cup of tea, but I'm not so into monsters! However, if you know someone who is...they'll love it! This book reminds me a lot of the Dragonology books that have been so popular without all the manipulatives.

This book covers monsters like werewolves, Medusa, the yeti, trolls, even the Kraken. Each of the monsters is presented in a poem, but also like a letter or other type of correspondence. The illustrations are well done, and very appropriate for this book.

Recommended, especially for kids that enjoy reading about monsters.

Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: The Monsterologist: A Memoir in Rhyme ghostwriten by Bobbi Katz, illustrated by Adam McCauley.

Reviewed from a publisher review copy.

Revenge of the Itty Bitty Brothers: Who Shrunk Daniel Funk #3 by Lin Oliver, illustrated by Stephen Gilpin

The Itty Bitty Brothers are back! When we last left them, Daniel was still working to figure out what exactly made him shrink to the size of one's big toe. The mystery is solved in this book and the boys use it to their advantage. (You'll just have to read the book to find the reason!)

Now that Daniel can control his shrinking, Pablo comes up with "Pablo's Phat Phive" in which the twins spend the whole day doing very awesome things...that only people that are inches tall can accomplish.

The finale to the "phive" is being launched in rockets that Daniel's science club are working on and launching at Le Brea Tar Pits.

Sounds like a good idea? You'll have to read it to find out!

What I Thought:
First off, how cool would it be to be the size of a big toe and be launched off in a rocket? Totally cool, and kind of terrifying.

The Funk brothers are a plain old good time, a great read. I love the entire eccentric family, and how Daniel's heart is just as big as the sky. The brotherly bonding in this book is so sweet, and you know how important these guys are to one another.

This is book three of this series, and I think readers will need to have the background story on Daniel and Pablo. Read this series in order!

Give this book to any mid-elementary/middle school reader...they'll love it! (But especially the boys!)

Very highly recommended.

Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: Revenge of the Itty Bitty Brothers: Who Shrunk Daniel Funk #3 by Lin Oliver, illustrated by Stephen Gilpin.

Reviewed from a library copy.

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Neffenegger

This is a love story...the story of Henry DeTamble and Clare Abshire. Henry has the unique problem of being chrono-displacement (CPD): he time travels. Clare first encounters Henry at the young age of six. She is playing in the meadow near her house when a man in his late 30's speaks to her from the wooded area. Thus begins a relationship that will span age of times.

As Henry travels through time and lives in the present, the readers will learn of his life and of Clare's through both their voices. As with any couple, there will be happy times, sad times, difficult times. But as with any good love story, love conquers all!

What I Thought:
Wow. This is a book that I normally probably would not pick up, but I did due to the wildly positive feedback from friends and the upcoming movie release. And I am SO GLAD that I did. This book is a science fiction book that is driven by its relationship/love story elements.

This book is insanely good. Neffenegger does an outstanding job weaving together a solid story while telling parts of it in sections. The reader must pay attention as there is a lot of jumping around in time and ages (due to the time travel aspect) and it can be somewhat confusing to figure out where in the overall story you are focusing on. It's hard to explain, but the author accomplishes this in a perfect way.

The love story will simply melt your heart and leave you wanting more. This book will definitely be one that you will want to read over and over, because I am positive that you will get more tidbits of the story each time.

If you are planning to go see the movie based on this book, I highly recommend that you read the book first. I myself am excited to see the movie very soon.

This book is a must read for anyone who loves a good love story.

Very Highly Recommended!

Want to see more? The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Neffenegger

Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

In this graphic novel, the lunch ladies are super secret undercover spies, complete with cool spy gadgets-made from kitchen utensils!

One day a very odd substitute teacher arrives and sparks suspicion. The teacher he is subbing for has not missed a day in decades, and assigns so much work it is impossible to finish!

Thankfully, the lunch ladies are on duty to save the day!

What I Thought:
Oh my! What a fun book! This is going to be a sure hit with the elementary, maybe middle school crowd! It is a very imaginative and creative book. It's a graphic novel which makes it a fun read as the action is drawn in the illustrations. Illustrations are done in black and white, with some yellow accents.

There was a few points that I particularly enjoyed:
*I loved all the creative gadgets the lunch ladies use: the spatula helicopter, the hot dog nun-chucks, chicken nugget bombs, and cafeteria tray computer. So creative!

*I loved how the author steered away from stereotypes. There are three kids who decide to follow the lunch ladies to see what they do in their spare time. A "cool" looking guy, a "nerdy" looking guy with glasses, and a girl. One may automatically come to conclusions about these kids, but you would be wrong!! The "cool" kid is actually kind of timid and easily scared, the "nerdy" kid is brave and athletic, and the girl is strong and will stand her ground...even against the class bully! Well done!

*The cliff hanger! There's more of this series to come!

I've had these on order for a while now, though they will not be published until July 2009. I can't wait to put this book in a kid's hand this summer!

Recommended.

Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett J. Krosoczka.

Duck and Cover by Jackie Urbanovic

Duck, Irene and all of the other animal friends are playing one day when the doorbell rings. Much to their surprise, it's an alligator who has run away from the zoo and needs somewhere to hide.

But should they let him in? Alligators are known for eating animals, in fact this one has been accused of eating a little's girls pet. The alligator just thought it was a snack!

They group lets him in and spends the next bit figuring out how to hide the alligator from the detective (it's hard to hid such a large animal!) and keeping him full. (So he won't get hungry and eat them!)

What I Thought:
A wonderful book. This is the third book featuring Duck, also check out Duck at the Door and Duck Soup.

This book does not disappoint anyone who is a fan of the earlier books. The story is fun, the illustrations are bright and enhance the story wonderfully. This book is a delight.

Highly Recommended.

Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: Duck and Cover by Jackie Urbanovic.

Who Shrunk Daniel Funk #2: Escape of the Mini-Mummy by Lin Oliver, illustrations by Stephen Gilpin

When Daniel and his friend Vu are assigned a school project to make a diorama (not to be confused with diarrhea), Daniel's tiny twin Pablo wants to play a part.

In the meantime, Great -Granny Nanny, Daniel, and Pablo continue working to figure out why Daniel randomly shrinks to the size of his fourth toe, while keeping a secret from the rest of his family.

What I Thought:
A super fun book. You'll fall in love with Daniel, Pablo and the whole gang in this second book of his adventure. (Be sure to check out my review of the first book in the series!)

A great book to give to kids who love the Diary of the Wimpy Kid books by Jeff Kinney. Highly Recommended.

Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: Who Shrunk Daniel Funk #2: Escape of the Mini-Mummy by Lin Oliver, illustrations by Stephen Gilpin.

Vunce Upon A Time by J. otto Seibold and Siobhan Vivian

Dagmar the vampire was a vegetarian who thrived off of vegetables and candy. He tended to his garden, but it could not produce enough food to keep him satisfied, and was quickly running out of candy!

Dagmar was wondering what to do, when a friend told him about the human tradition of "trick-or-treating." But, he will need a costume. So Dagmar works to come up with the perfect costume that is scary, as he is nervous about being around humans-they are scary! He comes up with the perfect costume (a clove of garlic-what is more scary than that to a vampire??) but is shocked when moths eat his costume before he can wear it.

Dagmar flies away, as a bat, and heads into town. After realizing he already has the perfect costume already, he turns back into a vampire and goes trick-or-treating with a ghost. They become great friends, and Dagmar is shocked and scared when the ghost takes off her costume and turns into a little girl! Will Dagmar overcome his fear of humans to find a new friend?

What I Thought:
I ordered this book for the library and had hoped this book would come in before Halloween, but it was about a month late. But that is okay, we will have it for Halloween '09!

This book is very fun. Seibold took such a famous mythical character, that may often be scary to young kids, and made it scared of them ! I have no doubt that kids will giggle at this story and relate to Dagmar's love of candy.

This book will definitely be on my list of Halloween read-alouds next year. Recommended.

Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: Vunce Upon A Time by J. otto Seibold and Siobhan Vivian.

Who Shrunk Daniel Funk #1: Attack of the Growing Eyeballs by Lin Oliver, illustrations by Stephen Gilpin

The day Daniel's eyeball growled is a day that he will never forget. It was the day he shrunk to the size of his fourth toe.

One moment he was normal sized, just hanging around, living the life of a normal guy--being bothered (and pestering) his sisters, trying to understand his crazy family. The next second, BAM! He was inches tall, then he sneezed and returned to his normal self.

If that wasn't weird enough, his Granny Nanny totally understands his dilemma. She even shocks Daniel with the news that he has a twin brother, Pedro, who is tiny.

As Daniel tries to figure out what makes him shrink and get to know his newly-found brother, he is frustrated at his sisters upcoming pre-pre-pre-pre prom party. Together they plot to ruin the party with a cockroach.

Will they succeed? Will Daniel figure out what makes him shrink?

What I Thought:
This is such a fun book. I think tween guys will be clamoring for this new series, and I'll be right there with them! It is a great premise with adventure and even annoying sisters!

The dialogue is very friendly, Daniel is telling the story to his audience and the words chosen in this book reflect that. He talking straight to ten year old boys. Plus, fun illustrations!

Highly recommended.

Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: Who Shrunk Daniel Funk #1: Attack of the Growing Eyeballs by Lin Oliver, illustrations by Stephen Gilpin

The second book in this series (Who Shrunk Daniel Funk?) has been released: Escape of the Mini Mummy. Look for a review as soon as I can get my hands on a copy. (And read it, of course!)

The Tales from Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling

In this much anticipated book by J.K. Rowling, five "fairy tales" from the wizarding world are presented to readers.

While Rowling wrote the book, she actually made part of the storyline to be that the stories are actually "translated from ancient runes by Hermione Granger," "commentary by Albus Dumbldedore," with "Introduction, Notes, and Illustrations by J.K. Rowling."

So, each of these stories have a different "moral" and meaning that kids who grew up in the wizarding world grew up listening to, just as the stories that we all know by heart, like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty.

The stories, which range from stories about not cheating death, being nice to others, to about love.

What I Thought:
This is a very interesting book. I am a fan of the Harry Potter series and was excited to read this book. I very much enjoyed reading the actual tales, though the commentary by Dumbledore proved to be challenging and felt like I was reading an academic journal for a research paper. (Which I am sure that fits in to Rowling's overall vision of the book, but I wasn't in the mood for that at the time.)

Anyway, this book is a must read for Harry Potter fans.

Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: The Tales from Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling.

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

(Note the pretty Newbery Medal!)

A toddler crawls out his house in the middle of the night, unaware that someone is murdering the rest of his family. When the man with the knife goes to find the baby, he is baffled as to where he may be. The baby has toddled from the house into a nearby graveyard where the residents vote to raise the child after receiving permission from the child's parents, also ghosts at this point, but would not be residents at this particular graveyard which houses souls from much earlier times. The child is named Nobody "Bod" Owens, and will spend his childhood in the graveyard learning the ways of the ghosts as well as the ways of the living.

Each chapter tells a different adventure of Bod's childhood and his experience in the graveyard. He befriends most of the ghosts residing there and they teach him how to Fade, Dreamwalk and other skills that help him survive. He goes to school, and even makes friends with a young girl, and sneaks into old crypts.

As he grows older, Bod becomes curious of the world outside of the graveyard, and he is often put in harms way. Bod is protected in the graveyard, but is exposed outside the gates. Thankfully his guardian and friends save him every time...but Bod must save himself and his one of his friends in one exciting adventure where he meets the man who once tried to killed him and killed his family.

Check out this link for Amazon's book trailer (like a video) promoting the book.

What I Thought:
A wonderful story! So very imaginative and I am simply amazed at the skill of storytelling that Gaiman has as he tells the story of Bod and the ghosts in the graveyard.

While this book is not one that I would have normally picked up, and since we are being honest here, it was kind of hard for me to 'get in to,' I can say that it is an EXCELLENT book that is just plain good. The ending was great and I hope Gaiman has a sequel up his sleeve. It is so well-written, the story is captivating and the characters are believable. Even the ghosts!

(I do want to mention that while the family is murdered, Gaiman does an outstanding job informing the reader of the situation without it being overly graphic and disturbing. That's just my opinion and while I think it is a great book for older kids, especially those clamoring for a great ghost story.)

This book is the 2009 Newbery Award Medal Winner, meaning that the American Library Association picked this book book to be the best book written for children in 2009. It has also received many other accolades such as ALA Best Book for Young Adults, Horn Book Fanfare, & New York Library's "One Hundred Titles for Reading and Sharing." And believe me, it is well worth all the attention. This book deserves it.

Very highly recommended.

Want to see more? Check it out here: The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

This book has many different covers, which I found interesting. I liked a couple of these better than the US book and thought you would enjoy looking at them. I love how each cover depicts a different aspect of the story. Which one is your favorite?? (Don't forget the one on top of this post!)

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by David Prince

(Newbery Honor Medal should be added soon to image!)

This is a story of an unlikely friendship, a story of unconditional love, a story of family, a story of hate, a story past and present times.

It all started with a calico cat looking for a home. She found one in an unlikely place--under an old house with Ranger, a hound dog who remains chained to the deck by his mean-spirited owner. When the cat has two kittens, both Ranger and the cat feel unbelievable love for these two new lives.

At the same time, hatred abounds. Ranger's owner, Gar Face, is hunting an alligator that lives in one of the nearby rivers. This Alligator King has lived for a thousand years, and has seen much. He has seen Grandmother, a serpent who has also lived for a thousand years, spending most of those trapped in a clay jar.

In this wonderful story, each of these characters will intertwine between situations and time in this story of love, bravery and acceptance.


What I Thought:
Um, wow.

This book is well deserved of the 2009 Newbery Honor it was bestowed.

I'll admit it, at first I found it difficult to get into this book. But as Appelt tells this story, she sucks you in and one can simply not this this book down. The magnificence of the storytelling in this book is simply pure genius. Appelt takes you back in time one thousand years and back to the present seamlessly, I have read few- if any -better.

The characters are lovable and instantly you will love them, or love to not like them! You feel their hurt, their disappointment, and you sympathize with their situation...even if you find yourself wishing you wouldn't.

The illustrations are superb. However, there were a few in there that startled me when I turned the page! (Though all in good fun!)

This book would be a great read aloud, and sincerely hope this will become a timeless and beloved book in the world of children's literature.

Winner of a 2009 Newbery Honor, and a National Book Award Finalist.

Extremely Recommended! Run, go read it!

Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: The Underneath by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by David Prince.

Snoring Beauty by Bruce Hale, illustrated by Howard Fine

King Gluteus and Queen Esophagus were overjoyed when they had a baby girl, and named her Princess Drachmina Lofresca Malvolio Margarine. All the fairies in the land were invited for her christening, except for one-Beebo. That fairy came anyway, and out of spite gave a mean spirited gift that was made even more odd when another hearing impaired fairy messed it up while all the other fairies bestowed sweet gifts to the child.

On the Princess's sixteenth birthday, Beebo's gift came true, and the princess turned into a sleeping dragon that could only be awakened by a quince. (Yes, a quince-not a prince.)

So for years the Princess (dragon) slept. And SNORED. Very loudly. The queen and king tried everything they knew to do to wake her up, but to no avail. Will her quince ever come to wake the princess and give the kingdom a peaceful night's sleep?


What I Thought:
The amazing cover illustration caught my eye and enticed me to read this book. I'll admit, at first I wasn't super impressed by the story, but my mind was changed by the end.

This book is a twist on several fairy tales and other stories. This book is definitely a fractured fairy tale stemming from Sleeping Beauty, but I also saw other stories in here as well: Ella Enchanted, and the dragon reminded me a little of Shrek. (But I'm weird, so maybe that is just me.)

Overall, I think this is a delightful story! The illustrations are spot on and enhance the story greatly. This book would be great in any fairy tale unit, and any child who loves fantasy or just a solid story will enjoy this book. While it's long, it would be a great read aloud for older children. I think it would make a very fun reader's theater activity!!

Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: Snoring Beauty by Bruce Hale, illustrated by Howard Fine.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Miranda lives in New York City in the 1970's. Miranda and her friend Sal walk back and forth to school everyday until one day Sal is punched by another kid on the way home. From that day forward he stays clear of Miranda, is not sure why.

Though Miranda is hurt, life goes on. Her mother is preparing to go on the game show "$10,000 Pyramid," she goes to school, works with some of her friends at a little deli during her school lunch hour, and curiously observes (from a distance) an odd man who lives on the street and sleeps with his head under the mailbox, and reading and rereading her most favorite books, A Wrinkle in Time.

Then some odd things begin happening. Miranda starts getting anonymous letters, and it kind of freaks her out...but slowly but surely time causes the pieces of the puzzle to fall together.

Could time travel really be possible?


What I Thought:
I wasn't so sure of this book, but decided to pick it up after reading positive review after positive review. And man, I'm so glad that I did!

This book keeps you on your toes and wondering what is going to happen next. Set in the 1970's, I found it to be a great flashback to that era. You might have to explain to your kids who Dick Clark is and maybe find an old episode of the $10,000 Pyramid game show!

This book is a perfect mix of science fiction and mystery. It's looking like it may be on the short list to win a Newbery and I would not object at all if the committee chose this book. It's well written and a great story!

I didn't think the cover is particularly catching, and that may be why this book did not move off my new shelf at all in the months my library has had it...but you can bet I'll be book talking this sucker to everyone who will listen!

Very highly recommended.

Want to see more: Check it out on Amazon: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.

Reviewed from a library copy.

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

This book picks up seamlessly from where Eclipse leaves off and continues the saga.

Will Bella's wish of immortal life come true? What other obstacles will she have to overcome?

What I Thought:
Once again, I am fighting my urge to talk about this book incessantly and ruining it for anyone who may not have read it yet.

Therefore, I will only say that I thought this book was great. I know that there is a divide of Twilight fans on this book. Some loved it, some hated it. I can totally understand both sides, but I enjoyed this book very much! I thought it was a perfect installment of this story and if it is the very last one Meyer gives us, I can live with her decision.

(But I'd really like for the story to go on.)

So for one last time, if you have not picked up this series yet, I highly recommend it. Seriously!

Want to see more? Check it out on Amazon: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer.