Book Review: Dead Boy

Premise: Crow died 2 years ago. But he's still alive. Sort of. He doesn't sleep or eat anymore, and his sometimes maggots crawl out of his ears, but other than that he's a pretty normal kid. Except that Crow isn't allowed to leave his house. And his parents won't tell him how he died. And then, a new neighbor moves in next door and Crow gets a chance for true friendship. Together they discover the secret of Crow's death.

Title: Dead Boy
Author: Laurel Gale
Length: 256 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content appropriate for: Grades 4-7
Format: Digital ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Three adjectives that describe this book: surprising, engaging, creative

I was expecting Dead Boy to be interesting and fun, a little gross and probably humorous. It was all of the things, but it was also entirely more. Much richer, stronger, and complex than it appears at first. There's something for everyone here.

Dead Boy is a story that reinvents itself over and over. First, it explores the tribulations of being a dead-ish kid. Not a zombie, a dead kid who's still mostly functional. Then, we turn to a friendship and family drama tale. Just as you think you know where the story's going, BAM you get an adventure novel with a crazy does of magic/fantasy/quest. It feels a little Indiana Jones! And in the end, you realize that somehow it was a coming of age story all along.

I found Dead Boy to be completely novel, highly engaging, and really well-done. It would be easy for many authors to struggle with piecing all those elements together cohesively, but somehow they flow together seamlessly with just the right balance of action, dialogue, description, and exposition. Highly recommended.

4.5 stars

Classics Review: The Book of Three

Premise: When Hen Wen, an oracle pig, goes missing, Taran sets off on a quest to find her before the evil Horned King and his men. Along the way he joined by a diverse band including bards, magicians, and dwarfs. They must escape capture, battle magical creatures, and ultimately find that pig.

Title: The Book of Three
Author: Lloyd Alexander
Length: 190 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series or Stand Alone: First book of a trilogy
Content appropriate for: Grades 4-8
Format: Audiobook from the library

Three adjectives that describe this book: action-packed, fun, lacking

I read this book as part of the Classics Club challenge to read 50 classics books in 5 years. My list is comprised entirely of children's books.

I bet if I were in the target audience (maybe grades 4-6) I would love this book. There was a ton of action and the story moved quickly. As a teacher of students in this age group, I know that most of them are looking for books with a lot of action, most haven't quite figured out how to incorporate character development and world-building. So this book is perfect for them. A straight-forward quest novel, moving from one danger to another, with some comic relief built in.

With Lord of the Rings coming about 20 years before this book, it felt almost as if Lloyd Alexander was trying to bring that format to younger readers. Yes, Tolkien gave us The Hobbit for young readers, but even that has quite a bit of complexity that is more suited to upper-middle grades and YA readers. So, The Book of Three fills a nice void for the 1960s.

Cartoon version of Hen Wen the pig & Taran the pigkeeper

But I wanted more development, both character AND world. We jumped from one event to another, with an array of characters who get little more than a cursory exploration. Folks join the band of questers without much thought, or any backstory. And the questers, themselves, make decisions about where to go and changes in course without any real clarity about what is happening. I pretty much stayed confused. Where are they going? Why? What does it look like? Who are those villains?

And the ending really really irritated me. We had to experience the climax battle with the villain second-hand because the main character was unconscious through the whole thing. Boo. Such a cop out. The Book of Three may have broken some ground for middle grade quest novels, but I'm glad that later titles made the genre more compelling and complete.

Classics Review: A Long Way from Chicago

Premise: Joey and Mary Alice spend one week each summer in a small town with their grandmother, a liar, shotgun shooter, and terrible influence. Set during the 1930s, and told in 9 short stories (one for each summer), this book is wildly unforgettable.

Title: A Long Way From Chicago
Author: Richard Peck
Length: 160 pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Book 1 of 3
Content appropriate for: Grades 5-7

Three adjectives that describe this book: hilarious, unique, entertaining

I have been avoiding this book forever. Absolutely nothing about it appealed to me. Luckily I'm doing the Classics Club challenge, so I needed to read it. I read A Long Way From Chicago as an audiobook, and it's the perfect book for that format - the novel is really a collection of 7 stories, so the audiobook feels like having your own personal storyteller. The narrator, Ron McLarty, has great comedic timing and his voices for Grandma Dowdel and her neighbors were spot-on.

The situations in this book are over-the-top, in a similar style to adult Southern Fiction. It's full of fun caricatures like a shotgun-toting Grandma and an arrogant local sheriff. This book made me laugh out loud and holler, "Get it Grandma!" I also thought it painted a good picture of life in the 1930s.

This week I started it as a read aloud and my students are absolutely loving it. I'm trying to stick to that storyteller feel, and the classroom is full of laughter.

Sidenote: Parents, guardians, and teachers may want to know that this book contains several references to alcohol and one scene with drunk old men in their underwear.

Smek for President - Top-Notch Alien Humor

Premise: After saving Earth from an alien invasion, Tip (a human) and J. Lo (a Boov) visit the new Boov homeworld. J. Lo is wanted for his role in the Gorg attack, so they quickly find themselves on the run and embroiled in the first-ever Boov presidential campaign.

Title: Smek for President
Author: Adam Rex
Length: 272 pages
Genre: Science fiction
Content appropriate for: Grades 5-8
Format: Digital ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: February 10, 2015

Three adjectives that describe this book: hilarious, creative, engaging

As a HUGE fan of The True Meaning of Smekday, I was both thrilled and nervous about this book 2. Luckily it was very nearly as great, possibly more hilarious, and way fun. J. Lo and Tip experience Boovish government buildings, local Boov homes, the garbage collection system, Boov prison, and even a Museum of Noises. They are even pursued by a strangely familiar assassin:

Since Tip and J. Lo spend most of the book on New Boovworld, I really enjoyed seeing what a Boov society looks like, and the scenes where Captain Smek is trying to be President are hilarious. Really the whole thing is hilarious. Like book 1, this one included comic strips and illustrations that really add to the story.

A taste:

My one big complaint about The True Meaning of Smekday has been that the story is 400+ pages with no chapter breaks, so it just seems to go on and on. This time, Adam Rex decided to use chapter divisions (hooray!). Overall, a great sequel to a wonderful book.

Side Note: I'm hesitantly looking forward to the movie, even though the name they picked (Home) totally stinks. Jim Parsons as J. Lo (named just O in the movie) is inspired and I love the trailer. Fingers crossed.

Classics Review: Maniac Magee

Premise: Jeffrey Lionel Magee, called Maniac, is on his own in a town that's divided. Along the way, Maniacs gain epic status as a master knot-untangler, baseball hitter, and football catcher. He also discovers caring families of all shapes and colors.

Title: Maniac Magee
Author: Jerry Spinelli
Length: 184 pages
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content appropriate for: Grades 4-7
Format: Audiobook narrated by S. Epatha Merkerson

Three adjectives that describe this book: complex, fun, memorable

I read this book as part of the Classics Club challenge to read 50 classics books in 5 years. My list is comprised entirely of children's books.

Even though Maniac Magee is a school classic, required reading in 4th and 5th grades, I had not read it until now. I chose to read Maniac Magee as an audiobook, and S. Epatha Merkerson's narration was exceptional.

Much of the novel was written as a tall tale. For instance, at one point he faces a pitcher who has struck out every single batter. Yet Maniac hits the first pitch, and continues to hit every single one afterward - even when the pitcher hurls a frog instead of a baseball.

This narrative style makes the story fun, but it also raises the complexity of the text. When my 5th grade students discuss Maniac Magee, it's clear that they see these events as actual, rather than exaggerated. I wish Spinelli had made the tall tale aspect more explicit.

As the story progresses, some great things emerge. Maniac spends time with wonderful families, and some that are struggling. I love that Jerry Spinelli explored both ends of this spectrum.

Some other things I loved:
* Explicit discussion of racial issues
* Both positive and negative figures that are both black and white
* A fascinating father-figure who is homeless
* Learning is highly valued both in and out of school

Overall, I can see why Maniac Magee is loved by teachers everywhere. Many students love it too, but others find it lacking in action.

4.5 stars

Book Review: The Magician's Fire

Premise: Harry Houdini and his two best friends are starting to command a crowd for their escape acts. All's well until Harry's elderly mentor, Herbie, disappears in a cloud of purple smoke. Certain that Herbie is in danger, Harry is determined to find and rescue him even if it means risking his own life.

Title: The Magician's Fire
Author: Simon Nicholson
Length: 240 pages
Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction
Series or Stand alone: Book 1 of a new series, Young Houdini
Content appropriate for: Grades 3-6
Format: Digital ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

Three adjectives that describe this book: mysterious, exciting, dangerous

I wasn't expecting much out of this book. While the cover is exciting, there's something about it that seems kind of predictable. But I was still looking forward to reading it because year after year, my 5th graders love Harry Houdini.

Shortly into The Magician's Fire I was proven wrong. This book is fun, fast-paced, and well-written. Populated with magic tricks, illusions, sneaky villains, and death defying escapes, it was a really fun read.

The level of character development (quite a bit for 3 primary and 2 secondary characters) and plot complexity (one straightforward tale with some twists) makes it a great selection for the middle grades. The use of the iconic figure of Harry Houdini will also make it a grabber for less-confident readers.

Historical Fiction can be challenging for middle graders, but historic New York City was painted in clear details that made for a great backdrop.

My only complaint is that I kept wondering how much of young Harry's story was based on fact. An author's note to this effect  would have been a great addition.

* Excellent post by Simon Nicholson about his inspiration to write this book
* The Magician's Fire website with educator guide and excerpt

Mutation is an Intense Conclusion

In Mutation, Roland Smith impressively wraps up this complex and intense series. The action takes place deep in the Amazon as our heroes attempt to find and rescue their missing parents. Meanwhile, our central sociopath - Noah Blackwood - and his crew are hunting them down. The action is intense, as the various characters race through the jungle, cross raging rivers, track dinosaurs, and get captured by people with blow guns.

Title: Mutation
Author: Roland Smith
Length: 352 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Book 4 of 4 in the Cryptids series
Content appropriate for: Grades 5-8
Format: Digital ARC provided by Scholastic via NetGalley

Three adjectives that describe this book: intense, dark, adventurous

I was most surprised and impressed with how Smith spiraled these 4 books into darker and darker territory and Mutation is certainly the darkest. Our villains think nothing of slitting throats or executing children.

Ultimately, Mutation is a fast-paced, twisty story. It also includes some interesting ethical questions in science including genetic modification, cloning, and human subjects. It may also challenge some readers with it's constant switching around among 6 or more perspectives, but for me this multi-person view was wholly appropriate since the characters were spread out throughout the jungle. As always with this series, I enjoyed following the villain's perspectives so that you could compare how each side of the chase was going.

Unfortunately, a few issues tempered my enjoyment of Mutation. A few mysteries were never explained such as who the native people are and how they became so genetically  strange. I'm also  still confused about how gender can be altered in a clone.

But overall, Mutation was a terrific ending to an outstanding upper middle grades series.

Classics Review: Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

Premise: When 13 year-old Brian finds himself stranded and alone in the North Canadian wilderness, he struggles against nature to keep himself alive.

Title: Hatchet
Author: Gary Paulsen
Length: 186 pages
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Book 1 in Brian's Saga (5 books)
Content appropriate for: Grades 4-8
Format: Paperback from classroom library

Three adjectives that describe this book: adventurous, predictable, easy-to-read

I am in the middle of the Classics Club challenge to read 50 classics books in 5 years. My list is comprised entirely of children's books.

When I read Hatchet in 5th grade, I loved it. This time around, I really enjoyed the first half, but struggled with the ending. Brian's crash and first days of survival are palpable. The images in Paulsen's writing are clear and meaningful. The whole thing feels dangerous and immediate.

Then about halfway in, Paulsen decided to skip ahead 40 days and tell everything in flashback-y snapshots. This sudden shift really caught me off guard. I struggled with it. The tone slowed down, and so did the sense of near-death danger that was making Hatchet so great.

Finally, the very end is so sudden and cut short that it felt a bit like Paulsen got tired of his own story. We're going along with survival in the woods and then BAM a rescue plane appears and all is well in a neat little package.

So basically, I would give the first third of the book a near 5 stars, but it just goes downhill from there.

Mysterious and Creepy - The Whispering Skull

Premise: Lockwood and Co have a major case - a strange mirror has been stolen. Not just any mirror, but a haunted mirror owned by a Victorian doctor who tried to communicate with the dead. As bodies pile up, the team must find the mirror and fend off threats from all sides.

Title: The Whispering Skull
Author: Jonathan Stroud
Length: 448 pages
Genre: Mystery, Horror, Fantasy
Series or Stand Alone: Book 2 or 2 (so far) in the Lockwood & Co series
Content Appropriate For: Grades 6-8
Format: Digital ARC provided by Disney and NetGalley

Three adjectives that describe this book: dark, gripping, mysterious

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, The Screaming Staircase. See -

So I was both excited to re-enter the ghost-riddled world of Lockwood & Co., but also terribly nervous. What if The Whispering Skull suffered from Second-Book-Itis? So let's start off by saying that this book absolutely does not suffer from Second-Book-Itis.

It jumps right in with ghost-action and continues to build tension throughout the central mystery of who stole a deadly, haunted mirror spirals to include murder, black-market scheming, raids, and catacombs. Once again Jonathan Stroud has created a complete and compelling world.

Most interesting is that this time around he rounded out the central characters and made them somewhat untrustworthy - George was obsessed with an artifact and perhaps too-trusting of a new colleague, Lockwood ignored all the warning signs and was too focused on defeating a rival, and Lucy...

Lucy found herself directly under the influence of a ghost. This ghost, the title character, can only be heard by Lucy. It whispers rumors about her colleagues, sketchy leads for the investigation, and derisive sniggers. Although she tries not to listen, this ghost may have useful information after all...

4.5 stars

Book Review: Airman by Eoin Colfer

Premise: Conor Broekhart, a boy obsessed with flight. He dreams of designing a flying machine and taking to the skies himself. But when Conor witnesses a murder, he is imprisoned by the murderer to keep him silent. In prison, Conor faces brutal conditions, but survives with a relentless focus on escape and revenge.

Title: Airman
Author: Eoin Colfer
Length: 424 pages
Genre: Historical fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content appropriate for: Grades 6-12
Format: Audiobook from the library

Three adjectives that describe this book: action-packed, intriguing, exciting

Eoin Colfer does outstanding historical fiction in this thrilling adventure. Not only was Airman fast-paced and thoroughly gripping, but it was set in a fascinating time and place. Set on the Saltee islands off the coast of Ireland in the late 1880s, Airman is complete and complex with whole and believable characters. The time and place are impeccably developed, with careful and subtle world-building - no annoying info dumping here.


I loved how the story was divided into 3 equally-interesting acts:
* Conor's life, sword fighting, scheming, murder
* Prison, bad guys, scheming, escape
* Flying, adventure, revenge

The inclusion of flight-science was seamless and terrifically interesting. We follow the characters as they theorize, design, build, and test various gliders and planes. So cool!

I wish I had older students so that I could recommend Airman to them, but instead I'll settle for recommending it here.

Book Review: Oliver and the Seawigs

Premise: When Oliver's parents go missing, along with an entire group of islands, he is determined to find them. But his rescue mission turns out to be a bigger adventure than he could have imagined - mermaids, living islands, and sea monkeys make for a fantastically thrilling time.

Title: Oliver and the Seawigs
Author: Philip Reeve
Illustrator: Sarah McIntyre
Length: 208 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Content appropriate for: Grades 3-5
Format: Digital ARC provided by Random House Children's via NetGalley
U.S. Publication Date: July 22, 2014

Three adjectives that describe this book: whimsical, fun, creative

I absolutely LOVED Oliver and the Seawigs. This book is so much fun! It's full of adventure, creativity, and hilarity.

Before I go any further, I insist that you watch the book trailer below. It will give you a good sense of what Oliver and the Seawigs is all about.

Oliver and the Seawigs was published in the UK nearly a year ago and has had nothing but outstanding reviews. I love Philip Reeve's witty humor in the Larklight series, but those are a bit too advanced for my students. So I was excited to see Philip Reeve taking a dip into the middle grades. And when the publisher approved me for an advanced copy I literally squealed.

All that is just to say that I had high expectations for Oliver and the Seawigs. High expectations are dangerous, but in this case the book managed to exceed them.

Oliver and the Seawigs is:
* Fun
* Whimsical
* Adventurous
* Funny
* Creative

This book is perfect for 3rd-5th graders. Check out this blurb from a reviewer on Amazon UK:
"Both my sons, (aged 7 and 9), totally loved this book. They said that it was quite unlike anything that they'd read before, that it kept them guessing about what was going to happen and that it was a little bit crazy and a lot funny!"

And the illustrations?! Sarah McIntyre's work is perfect. The artwork and text create one complete experience. I mean - look how fun that is:

I've pre-ordered a copy of Oliver and the Seawigs for my classroom and I can't wait for the next book from this amazing duo, Cakes in Space.

Classics Review: The Black Stallion

Premise: After being shipwrecked together, Alec and a mostly-wild horse begin an impossible quest to train and compete in horse racing.

Title: The Black Stallion
Author: Walter Farley
Length: 224 pages
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Classic
Series or Stand Alone: Book 1 of 19
Content appropriate for: Grades 4-6

Three adjectives that describe this book: predictable, engaging, easy-to-read

I am in the middle of the Classics Club challenge to read 50 classics books in 5 years. Every so often the club hosts a Classics Spin in which a book is chosen randomly (ish). The Black Stallion is my book for Classics Spin #6 and it was listed as a "Book I'm Hesitant to Read." That's because I don't like horses, so I knew that The Black Stallion would be a real challenge for me.

Okay, enough stalling - here's my review:

I'm sure kids who love horses also love this book. It is very very horsey. I am freaked out by horses. Still, Black Stallion was a pretty engaging read. The plot drove forward without lingering on character development. That left the story thin and riddled with cultural stereotypes (the Italian immigrant, Tony, being the most offensive to me). Overall, I found myself more interested than I expected to be in the process of breaking a wild horse. Farley did a great job crafting Black and the scenes in which he interacted with young Alec.

My primary complaint is the way parents are handled in this book. Alec and his retired neighbor sneak off several days a week at midnight to ride the Black. They never tell his parents. They just say, "I hope they don't find out." And then when Alec finally tells them, they don't care. They just say okay and send him off to Chicago with two grown men they barely know! Really? Was that parenting in the 40s? Your kid does whatever he wants at all hours with strange adults and you don't know and don't care?

Book Review: Manhunt by Kate Messner

Quick Premise: Three kids must hunt down the stolen Mona Lisa through lots of Paris landmarks while being pursued by scary dudes.

Title and Author: Manhunt by Kate Messner
Length: 240 pages
Genre: Mystery
Series or Stand Alone: Book 3 of the Capture the Flag series
Content appropriate for: Grades 4-6
Format: Digital ARC provided by Scholastic via NetGalley
Publication Date: June 24, 2014

Three adjectives that describe this book: adventurous, twisty, atmospheric

I've heard this series described as a cross between Harriet the Spy and National Treasure. I totally agree with this description. This installment is like an art-based National Treasure, set in Paris.

Having not read the first 2 books in this series, Capture the Flag and Hide and Seek, I was really glad that Kate Messner did such a great job of making this book make sense without that background knowledge.

Manhunt is well-researched and wonderfully written. I've never been one to fantasize about visiting Paris, but Messner made me feel totally present in the dusty environs of Notre Dame, the Catacombs, Shakespeare & Co bookshop, and the Conciergerie. I loved the photos provided in the author's note at the end, and I know kids will love that too.


My only complaint is that the primary protagonist, Henry, was really really annoying for the first half of the book. He is constantly complaining, whining, and pouting. It was painful to be reading his perspective because I really just wanted to whack him in the head. Luckily he got better when the danger quotient ratcheted up.

Book Review: V is for Villain

Premise: Brad's famous brother, Blake, is a superhero, but Brad doesn't have any awesome powers like strength or flight. Brad's only power is that he's really smart. Someday, he'd like those awesome powers to appear - then he can destroy villains like his father and brother. But Brad's newest friends have different ideas about who the real heroes are. And Brad might not be as under-powered as he thinks.

Title: V is for Villain
Author: Peter Moore
Length: 336 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone (as of now)
Content appropriate for: Grades 8-12
Format: Digital ARC provided by Disney-Hyperion via Netgalley

Three adjectives that describe this book: action-packed, easy-to-read, gritty

V is for Villain is a fast-paced superhero novel. It has many tropes of the genre, so that makes it fairly predictable, especially in the beginning when Brad is feeling terrible about himself and his lack of appropriate powers. I enjoyed how V is for Villain delved into how these superheroes came to be. Much like the X-Men, there's quite a lot of talk about genetics, DNA, and computer programs.

However, one thing sets this book apart from others like it: The protagonist is actually a bit of an anti-hero.

Peter Moore does a terrific job of transitioning the reader toward a stance that almost takes pity on the villains, and sees arrogance in the heroes. As Brad begins to ally himself with "the enemy," we're not so sure that's the wrong decision. Moore really embraces fuzzy morals, and that makes V is for Villain quite intriguing.

The thing that brings this book down for me, other than some of the cliche teen elements, is that the world of the book was pretty underdeveloped. Since it was told from inside the elite world of superheroes, a lot of explanation was missing. For instance, it wasn't really clear how the Heroes interact with "Regulars."

3.5 stars

Book Review: Scan by Sarah Fine

Premise: Tate's father is an inventor of weapons and tech gadgets. When Tate takes one of his father's strange devices to school, a deadly battle for the scanner begins. Both sides have nefarious intentions, both are prepared to kill. One side is human. The other side is aliens... who look like humans.

Title: Scan
Authors: Sarah E. Fine and Walter Jury
Length: 336 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Series or Stand Alone: Book 1 of a new series
Content appropriate for: Grades 9-12
Format: Digital ARC provided by Penguin Young Readers via NetGalley

Three adjectives that describe this book: fast-paced, gritty, intense

This is a seriously action-packed YA alien thriller. Scan focuses on a device that reveals who among us is human and who is alien. The story is complicated by a romance between the protagonist (a human) and his hot girlfriend (an alien). Both characters hold their own with explosives, traps, and fight scenes.

Scan is populated by a great many chase scenes, gun fights, and explosions, alongside awkward teen romance, no-one-understands-me angst, and overly convenient MacGyver skills. Trapped in Walmart with a team of murderous aliens after you? No worries - we teenagers can make some explosives in just 5 minutes. And they will work perfectly.

You might be wondering - Who are these aliens? How did the human families find out about them and keep their blood "pure?" Why do the aliens look just like humans? Even though I have finished the book, I'm still wondering all of these things, too. In short, the action was plenty actiony, but the world was very very flat.

This action-packed book will make great summer reading for the high school set (lots of cursing and making out), but the plot holes and thin world development left me unsatisfied.

How to Train Your Dragon ~ The Book

When the movie for How to Train Your Dragon came out, I didn't realize it was a book so I broke my rule and watched the movie first. I absolutely love love love the movie. At first I was mildly disappointed that the book is SO different from the movie. Had I read the book first, I probably would have been angered by the movie. The only real similarity is that some of the characters have the same names.

So - be warned - this book is it's own thing.

Title: How to Train Your Dragon
Author: Cressida Cowell
Length: 224 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Series or Stand Alone: Book 1 of 11
Content Appropriate For: Grades 3-5
Format: Paperback from the classroom library

Three adjectives that describe this book: fun, entertaining, simple

The best thing about the book being so completely different is that I quickly dropped all my expectations and was able to just judge the book on its own merits (I hope).

Kensuke's Kingdom

Premise: Eleven year old Michael is washed up on an island with his dog, Stella. At first they appear to be alone, but soon they realize that someone else is on the island with them. Is he an enemy or a friend? And how will they manage to get back home?

Title: Kensuke's Kingdom
Author: Michael Morpurgo
Length: 176 pages
Genre: Realistic Fiction, survival
Series or Stand Alone: Stand alone
Format: Paperback in classroom library
Content appropriate for: Grades 4-7

Three adjectives that describe this book: believable, engaging, simple

Kensuke's Kingdom is a straight-forward survival story. Michael and his dog, Stella, are only able to survive on the island thanks to the help of a mysterious and possibly dangerous stranger was stranded there many years before.

J is for Jack Templar

I discovered this series by reading Jeff Gunhus's wonderful Nerdy Book Club post, Reaching the Reluctant Reader - One Dad's Journey. In the post he describes how he and his sons came to write this book together (sort of). My curiosity was piqued.

These books are really action-packed. They are perfect for fans of the Percy Jackson books since they are full of quests and monster battling. The plots are a bit more straightforward since there aren't all those pesky gods to confuse you, but they are also much much darker.

I love these books because:

* They are exciting

* My students love them

* They aren't overly complex

* One of the main characters, Eva, is a girl who kicks major butt

* One of the secondary characters, Xavier, fights creatures through math, science, and technology. Xavier reminds us that smart people can be awesome too.

Book 1: Jack Templar, Monster Hunter

Book 2: Jack Templar and the Monster Hunter Academy

Book 3: Jack Templar and the Lord of the Vampires

Book 4: Still in the works

These are independently published books, but you can get them through all the major book retailers.

This post is part of the A to Z Challenge.

Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

Premise: Prince Liam. Prince Frederic. Prince Duncan. Prince Gustav. You've never heard of them, have you? These are the princes who saved Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel, respectively, and yet, thanks to those lousy bards who wrote the tales, you likely know them only as Prince Charming. But all of this is about to change. Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, Liam, Frederic, Duncan, and Gustav stumble upon an evil plot that could endanger each of their kingdoms. (from Goodreads)

Title: The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom
Author: Christopher Healy
Length: 436 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Re-invented Fairy Tale
Series or Stand-Alone: 1st book of (currently) 3
Content appropriate for: Grades 3-8
Format: Hardback in the classroom library

Three adjectives that describe this book: hilarious, creative, adventurous

This book is a rollicking good time with lots of witty humor along with bad puns, fun characters, and a witch with an evil plot. I absolutely loved the way Christopher Healy played around with gender roles and stereotypical fairy tale characters. Healy crafted a book with a distinct authorial voice, and a world of terrifically crafted characters. So fun!

My only complaint is that it got a little slow in the middle. The novelty was wearing off and the climax was a few too many pages away, while the characters traipsed about it in the woods... I wonder if Healy should have shaved 50ish pages off the middle. Overall there was TONS of action, though, so it's only a minor complaint.

Overall, a solid 4 stars!

This post is part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge.

Amulet ~ An Addictive Graphic Novel Series

Graphic novels are SO popular with middle grade readers, including my students. I was hesitant to bring them into my classroom at first because I didn't think they counted as "real reading," but I have seen how they motivate my students and push them outside their own comfort levels. Often, graphic novels turn out to be more complex and require more advanced comprehension skills than traditional texts. Now I actually require my students to read at least two graphic novels per year.

The most popular graphic novel series in my classroom is Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi. These books never seem to sit on the shelf, they are passed from one student to another all year long. Below are super quick premise/review blurbs for each book. All premises are from Goodreads.

A scene from Amulet

Amulet 1: The Stonekeeper (2008)

After the tragic death of their father, Emily and Navin move with their mother to the home of her deceased great-grandfather, but the strange house proves to be dangerous. Before long, a sinister creature lures the kids' mom through a door in the basement. Em and Navin, desperate not to lose her, follow her into an underground world inhabited by demons, robots, and talking animals.

Review: This book is definitely engaging! I like how it's unclear who the bad guys are and if the Emily's amulet is trustworthy or manipulating her for evil purposes.  I'm still confused about the overall problem, though.

Amulet 2: The Stonekeeper's Curse (2009)

Emily and her brother Navin head for Kanalis, a beautiful and mysterious city of waterfalls, where they hope to find the antidote for the poison that felled their mother. That cure lies in the eggs of a giant serpent atop Demon's Head Mountain, but the kids' archenemy, Trellis, is headed for the peak, too.

Review: There is lots of action in this one! I like how the characters are evolving and how Kibuishi is doling out information about the conflict a bit at a time. The story and backstory are emerging simultaneously. Nicely done.

Amulet 3: The Cloud Searchers (2010)

Emily, Navin, and their crew of resistance fighters charter an airship and set off in search of the lost city of Cielis. There they hope to find help from the Guardian Council's powerful Stonekeepers. It's a mission that Alledia's survival depends on, and time is running out--Emily's got to find Cielis before the Elf King finds her.

Review: I love the complexity and intensity of this world. Some of the action scenes really confused me, though... not enough transition panels maybe?


Amulet 4: The Last Council (2011)

Emily and her friends think they'll find the help they need in Cielis, but something isn't right. Streets that were once busy are deserted, and the townspeople who are left live in crippling fear. Emily is escorted to the Academy where she's expected to compete for a spot on the Guardian Council, the most powerful Stonekeepers. But as the number of competitors gets smaller and smaller, a terrible secret is slowly uncovered.

Review: My students would give this series a million stars if they could. I enjoy it too, but there are some gaps in the plot that really bugged me. The world building continues to be great and moves up to a whole new level in this one.

Amulet 5: Prince of the Elves (2012)

the Elf King forges new Amulets that will give him the power to invade and destroy the nation of Windsor. Emily and her friends lead the soldiers of the Cielis Guard in a fight to stop him, but Max stands in their way.

Review: Ah this wonderful series has redeemed itself after the gaping plot holes in book 4. This one is so dark and the truths revealed make for a complex and compelling story.


When I revealed the cover for Amulet 6: Escape From Lucien, my students burst into a round of applause. They are so excited for this book! Unfortunately the have to wait until August 26th.

This post is part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge.