A Bunch of Books....

I've been busy training Fitz but have still found plenty of time to read. I'm almost done with the Nutmegs and have read a few "off list" books, too. 

To make things a bit simpler (and easier for me) I'm going to give a quick recap and then rate the book using paws. Four paws means I loved it.; fewer than that, well.....I didn't like it as much. 

A solid mystery, Nutmeg nominee Closed for the Season tells the story of two boys who are trying to answer a simple question: was the previous owner of Logan's house pushed down the stairs or did she slip? And where is all that money everyone is talking about?

If you are in 5th grade and liked Diary of a Wimpy Kid, try The Last Invisible Boy. The content is a bit heavy - Finn's dad has died suddenly and this is Finn's poignant but humorous story of how he deals with the loss.

Nutmeg nominee Mike Stellar is what I might refer to as fantasy lite.  Mike is told just 8 hours before departure that he's traveling to Mars with his parents. What follows is a fun adventure as good battles evil. 

This a second go round for me with Nutmeg nominee Out of My Mind. I forgot how good it was. Read this book and then ask yourself what character you are; what character would you like to be; ask yourself if you have what it takes to be a friend to someone who isn't like you. I've been asking myself those same questions since I finished the book.

Nutmeg nominee, Wildfire Run, is the story of the president's son and his friends who get caught in a wild fire that envelopes the area around Camp David, the presidential retreat. An adventure story, there is nothing plausible about Wildfire Run but it's fun to spend some time with kids who are rather creative problem solvers.

In Nutmeg nominee, Wild Girl, Patricia Reilly Giff has written a wonderful story about horses and young girls and what it's like to be moved from the comfortable to the uncomfortable and what it takes to regain your footing. A wonderful read.

Another Nutmeg nominee, The Candymakers is just plain fun. The story, told from four perspectives - kids involved in a candy making contest, is a both a mystery and a story of friendship.

 When Thea is sent to New Jersey for the summer her mother gives her a notebook to write 100 Truths. It seems Thea has a bit of a problem with telling lies. Much to her chagrin, she is saddled with babysitting her seven year old cousin most afternoons; and all she wants to do is spy. Thea spends the summer answering the questions: Is it ever okay to lie? Does telling the truth always have to hurt? 

A handful of kids mentioned Glory Be to me as school was ending - they loved it and having just finished it, I couldn't agree more. It's not an easy story to read - reliving how African Americans were treated in the early 1960s is never pleasant but you couldn't ask for a better hero than Glory. Spend some time with Glory and Emma and Miss B - you won't be disappointed.