Billy the Kid Is Not Crazy by S.F. Guerra

Have you ever finished reading a book and felt sad because you weren’t ready to say good-bye to the characters?  That’s how I feel about Billy the Kid is Not Crazy.  First of all I should admit that the main reason I chose to read this book is that it is a 2013 book.  The cover didn’t grab me.  I paged through the book and actually worried it would be just another realistic fiction novel with the basic plot line:  character gets in trouble, gets out of trouble, life goes on as usual.  Thankfully, I ignored my first impressions and dove in, and quickly came to love Billy March and his family.

Billy is your typical fifth grader.  He has lots of energy, a vivid imagination that tends to take over whenever he gets bored (which in his case happens frequently).  Unfortunately for Billy the lines between imagination and reality tend to blur a little too often which causes friction between Billy, his parents and other adults like his teacher, especially when Billy ends up damaging something in the process.  Finally his parents have had enough.  Billy is afraid they want to send him away, but they have other plans.

I think many readers will easily be able to connect with Billy no matter what their age.  How many of us remember being grounded for what seemed like forever?  As Billy puts it, “That’s what being a kid is like:  you have two permanent police officers watching you all the time, even when you’re going to the bathroom.”  As a parent myself, I also found myself connecting with Billy’s parents, they’re busy, frustrated and just trying to figure out how to keep Billy from constantly getting into trouble.  But I also found myself wishing they would stop and just listen to Billy for once!  He’s so creative and has such a great imagination; they were completely missing out because they were too concerned with trying to make him fit their definition of good behavior.

Finally, watch out for the end of the book.  My favorite chapter was easily chapter 15.  It’s a roller coaster chapter filled with emotion that leaves you breathless.  Yes I did go back and read it twice!

Nonfiction Video Book Chat: Cars!!

David, Aaron and Luke share books on three on their favorite cars:

Video Book Chat: Ruined

Jada reviews Ruined by Paula Morris.

Video Book Chat: Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library!

Claire and Angie review Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library

The Screaming Staircase/ by:Jonathan Stroud

                                    Book Recommendation

                Do ghosts really exist? Lucy, Lockwood, and George are agents. They face dangers that they might never come back from. They earn their living by solving cases in London. They are hired to solve the case of a strange activity in a house. Lucy and Lockwood go to check it out and barely make it out alive. They are hired to solve another case much more dangerous than any case they have ever solved. Will the young agents survive the horrors of this deadly mansion? Could the two cases be related? Nobody has ever come out of the mansion alive after knowing its secrets!

               The main characters are Lucy, Lockwood, and George. Lucy meets up with the two boys when she leaves her home after a horrible incident. Sh starts looking for a job when she arrives in London. She sees the sign that says that an agency has been looking for an agent about her age. She goes for an interview and they hire her to join their agency. Lucy, Lockwood, and George are soon caught up in a dangerous case that could cost them their lives.

               I would recommend this book because it has very good description of the characters and the setting. The author leaves you hanging so that you want to read more. It includes adventures that the three young agents go through together and the cases they solve. It also has dangers that await to be discovered by the young agents that are unimaginable even in your wildest dreams.   

               I would recommend this book to readers who like to read fantasy, adventure,and mystery books. If you like this book you might be interested in reading the next book once its published.                             

By: Kiranpreet K.

Listening for Lucca by Suzanne LaFluer

Mock Newbery Club member Claire shares her review of Listening for Lucca with Angie and Jada (filming).

Odessa Again. by.Dana Reinhardt

 The book I am reading is called Odessa Again, it's interesting.   Odessa is my favorite character because she is nice and she seemed interesting.   The part part I like in this book is when Odessa is trying out dresses for her dad's wedding.   My favorite quote from this book is, '' Don't be impulsive make it matter THINK!!!   This is  the question I would ask the the author, how did you you come up with all the characters? 

          
 I would recommend this book for ages 10 and up. The genre of this book is a fantasy because it talks about going back in time in the story. At first when you start reading this book it seems not interesting but when you're in the middle of the book it will be interesting. 

            

  I would recommend this book for the Newbery award book because is full of adventures and it's full of excitement. I hope you get a chance to read this book.

                    Thanks for reading my blog hope you enjoyed it bye. 

          

                                       By. Annie !!!!!!

Escape from Mr.Lemoncello's Library

Mr.Lemoncello has chosen twelve, twelve year olds to spend a night at his brand new, never seen before library. When Kyle is chosen, he is in for a night to remember. Instead of a lock in and exploring the library, the 12 kids have 24 hours to escape from Mr.Lemoncello's library and win amazing prize. Kyle teams up with his friends to escape. With a few lies,betrayal and even crime and punishment, every word will make you dig deeper. What happens? Do Kyle and his friends escape? Or are they trapped until they find a way out?

My favorite character was Haley Daley because,instead of taking all the credit she screams "Nuh-Uh! I'm one member from a super duper team-we're all winners!Woo-hoo!'' The only flaw that I can see was that there was hardly any character development for most of the main characters so when somebody was eliminated you just like "Thats a shame...." and kept reading without feeling any sympathy for the character. Other than that, the book was fairly decent. I am on the fence about whether this book will win a Newbery award because like I said, very little character development for the characters plus, at the start of the book, there was a plot and then it was skipped with no end.

                                                                     -Claire 

Rump The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin By: Liesl Shurtliff (Blog by Claire L.)

Rump. Yes, Rump. That's his name. His mother died before she could finish telling him his name. So, until further notice, he has half a name. Rump lives with his grandmother. When she dies, that's when the trouble starts. Rump finds  he can spin straw into gold, like the story says. But in order to get food you need gold. So Rump trades with the greedy unfair miller,keeper of the food. He gets by until the king comes. The miller says that his daughter is spinning the straw to gold and she is taken away to make him rich.So how does Rump find the rest of his name? Well you'll have to read to find out! I loved this book so much and I def. think this book could win a Newbery Award; this was a great book and I hope Liesl Shurtliff writes more books like this!



                                     I hope that you read this book and agree,



                                   Luved it! <3 claire="" comment-3--="">

Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace by Nan Marino

“When you’re so busy trying to be what other people think you should be, you’ll never find your own music.”

Cecilia has a problem; she can’t hear the music in the pine forest. This is a problem for her because according to the story her parents tell every year on her birthday, the pines played a special song on the night she was born.  Now that she’s almost 11 she wants to hear the music for herself, but no matter how hard she searches she can’t find the music.  Then one night she inadvertently witnesses the secret arrival of a new resident to her town of Wares Grove, New Jersey.  She soon discovers that the mystery person is a famous pre teen star.  He’s picked her town to hide out in after a very public embarrassment on a reality show.  He’s gone from fame to serving pancakes at the Pancake Palace.  Can he help Cecilia find the music before the paparazzi finds him first?  Will the people of Ware’s Grove keep his secret or sell him out?

This story gave me a whole new perspective on the state of New Jersey.  I actually found myself researching New Jersey to discover if there really was a Pinelands, a place that…..

          “…..can go unnoticed.  The trees are stubby, the paths are hard to find, and the      streams are lazy and slow.”

 

I also found myself craving pancakes, especially Aunt Emily’s famous Reds (cranberry), Blues (blueberry) and Whites (plain, but there’s nothing plan about them).

The Bully Book by Eric Kahn Gale

This post is actually a difficult one to write.  The following is the review I wrote for The Bully Book for Goodreads:

"This book is disturbing on many levels..... That being said I think it would be an excellent book to promote class discussion on bullying. My only qualm was the role of adults in the story. How many times have we told students tell an adult? Do we listen? Do we do something? Is it enough? Maybe this a book adults should be reading too."

The book is actually two stories, or journals rather, blended into one.  One story is the “bully book” or guidebook on to how to be cool and rule the school (while being a bully).  The other story is the journal of Eric Haskins, the current sixth grade “grunt”, the student that has been chosen for some unknown reason to be picked on, harassed, tortured, in a word – bullied – by the entire sixth grade.   Eric cannot fathom why he was chosen, or why his friends have suddenly turned on him and won’t even talk to him.  Who make the rules?  Why is he the “grunt”?  What can he do to save himself?  Determined to find out, Eric launches his own investigation to find the answers and along the way discovers the existence of the “bully book”.  Unfortunately, the author and location of the book remain a well-guarded mystery.

As I mentioned in my Goodreads review, the adults depicted in the story disturb me.  Are they really so dense they don’t see or even sense what’s going on?  The “bully book” offers bullies insight into how to deal with adults that ask questions, it’s chilling testament to how easy it is to fool people into believing the innocent are at fault.  What is even more disturbing is when Eric finally discovers the true author of the “bully book” and that person’s reaction.  You can feel the pain in Eric’s reaction:

               “Bully Bookers forget………   We live this life forever!”

You’ll have to read the story to find out whom the culprit is, it’s a shocker.

While I think this is an important book for kids to read, it’s a book that needs to be discussed as it’s read.  Kids need to understand that being a bully is not cool, not for the “grunt”, the bully, or the kids dragged into the mess.  The effects of bullying are not easily forgotten and in fact stay with people for years, if not forever.   While the story is fiction I did read in the author’s section that he was inspired to write the story from real life events when he was in sixth grade.  I’m sure there are many of us who can relate….

The Wig in the Window by Kristen Kittscher

“I thought I’d mastered the art of escape.” 

     This first line in The Wig in the Window, by Kristen Kittscher sets the reader up for a mystery filled with spying, suspense, intrigue, danger, and super-sleuths that just happen to be seventh graders.  Sophie and Grace, Agents Young and Yang, pride themselves as being the FBI's secret weapon, ready to crack open the most unsolvable cases.

     It’s on one of their midnight spy missions that they observe a neighbor, Dr. Agford conducting highly questionable activities.  Unfortunately she is also Sophie’s middle school counselor. Who’s going to believe the accusations of two twelve year olds against a highly respected school guidance counselor?  Not parents.  Not the police.  Maybe the FBI?  Or is the person who contacted them really the FBI?  Despite warnings to stay away from Agford, “she’s dangerous”, the girls can’t shake the feeling that there’s a dark side to her. They just have to find evidence for the proof.

     This book is a mystery that will have you guessing at each turn and twist of the plot.  Don’t get comfortable – just when you think you have it all figured out something completely unexpected happens and the story takes off in another direction!

      Reading this book also has the added benefit of learning more about another culture.  Sophie has immersed herself in the Chinese culture since meeting her best friend Grace who is of Asian descent.  Sophie makes frequent references to Sun Tzu’s The Art of War and the importance of maintaining her chi as she works to solve the mystery of Dr. Agford.

Doll Bones by Holly Black

“Everyone has a story,” Alice murmured.  “Everyone’s the hero of their story.  That’s what Ms. Evan’s said in English.”

A ruthless pirate, a daring lady thief, deranged mermaids that demand a sacrifice or else, and a spooky doll, the Queen, that rules over all while locked inside a china cabinet.….  Zach and his friends Poppy and Alice have enjoyed their special world of make-believe adventures since they became friends when they were toddlers.  But now they’re in middle school and the “rules” are changing.  Still, when they’ re together after school, the adventures continue.  Then Zach’s dad decides Zach needs “help” growing up and he takes control.  His actions threaten to not only end the adventures but also tear the friends apart forever.

In what at first seems nothing more that a desperate attempt to save the friendship, Poppy convinces Alice and Zach to go on one last quest. She claims she’s been having dreams.  The ghost of the china doll, the “Queen” has been haunting her, threatening her.  Poppy must return the doll to her rightful resting place, or else.  The three take off on their quest, which quickly becomes a dangerous journey that leads them away from their families and everything familiar.  When strange things start happening the three being to wonder is the doll just doll, is this still make-believe or is their adventure real?

I love this book for a couple of reasons.  First, the adventure, the fantasy of going on a “quest”.  How many of us remember how fun it was to make up magical adventures with our friends? But I also love this book for the changes the characters go through.  They’re growing up and while they aren’t sure how they feel about the changes or how to deal with it, they do realize there's nothing can do to stop it.  This is a great coming of age novel that will lead to much wonderful discussion on so many levels.

As Poppy so eloquently says about growing up:  “I hate that you can do what you’re supposed to do and I can’t.  I hate that you’re going to leave me behind.  I hate that everyone calls it growing up, but it seems like dying.  It feels like each of you is being possessed and I’m next.”

The Center of Everything by Linda Urban

Have you ever made a wish?  Did you blow out the candles on a birthday cake, see a falling star, or find a four-leaf clover, make a wish and wonder if it would come true?  Were there certain things you were supposed to do so your wish would come true?  I think all of us at one point or another in our lives have found ourselves in a similar situation, wishing for something so hard that we believed if only we could do everything the “right way” our wish would come true.  This is the basic premise in the book, The Center of Everything.  Ruby Pepperdine didn’t find a four-leaf clover or wish upon a falling star, but she did mange to sail a quarter through the center of a donut on the statue of Captain Bunning in the center of town.  And that means her wish will come true, right?  The problem is Ruby’s wish is so important she worries that there must be something more she must to do to insure her wish will come true But what?

This novel is written in a unique style.  While the story itself actually takes place throughout the course of only one day, there are several flash backs in which the reader not only learns more about the story but also is introduced to other important characters and subplots.  In fact, although this is a relatively short novel, it should not be read quickly.  There are so many layers to the plot, the characters, the setting, that it reminds me of an onion, no more like a flaky pastry, each layer richer than the last.  There is the story of Ruby and her wish, her friendships, her family relationships, the fascinating history of the donut (I admit I did crave donuts while reading this and had to research the history myself), and the questions that Ruby ultimately asks once she’s come full circle:

“What if there is no supposed to?  What if there is no one way things are meant to be?  What if it is all just random and spinny and wild?”  

                                                                         Ruby Pepperdine, The Center of Everything

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

As a mother to three boys and a sixth grade teacher, I’m always on the look out for books that will appeal to the guys in my life.  So I was excited to learn that Margaret Peterson Haddix, author of the Hidden Children series would be visiting my area in October.  She’ll be on tour promoting the release of the sixth book in her Missing series.  As luck would have it, I already owned a copy of the first book in the series, Found.

Found is the story of three friends, Jonah (13), his sister Katherine (12), and their new neighbor, Chip (13).  From all outward appearances they seem to be normal happy, ordinary kids.  That is until the letters start to arrive.  Jonah has always known he was adopted, no big secret.  Then he receives a letter informing him he is “one of the missing” and to be careful, someone was coming for him.  What doe this mean?  He’s missing? From where?  Who’s coming to get him?  Then life becomes even stranger.  The FBI threatens his family. Strange people mysteriously appear and then disappear, or do they?  The only person that may have some answers is a woman named Angela DuPre.  But should the kids believe her? Her own family considers her crazy. Angela’s theories on physics and time travel sound like something out of a science fiction novel.  Then she disappears!  The kids need to find someone who knows what’s going on before it’s too late, or is it already?

I loved this book!  Margret Peterson Haddix has a unique writing style that leaves the reader in suspense at the end of each chapter.  You must keep reading, as it’s too difficult to put the book down. I’ll warn you now – Found is Book One in the Missing series. The book ends with a total cliff hanger, it kind of reminds me of a series TV show, you’re so shocked you just can’t stop thinking about it and will definitely be reaching for the next book in the series.

I plan to read Found to my classes as our first read aloud of the year.  I’m hoping to hook them on the series and build excitement for the new book due out in September and other books by the author. 

Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz

Don’t be fooled by the cover of this book!  I’m embarrassed to say I almost put this book back on the shelf after discovering it at the library.  I hadn’t heard any buzz about the book and judging by the cover (yes, I’ll admit, covers do have the power to pull me in or push me away), the book was about zebras in a forest.  It just didn’t seem like a topic that would hold my interest for long.  Thankfully, I listened to that little inner voice that told me to give the book a chance, advice I so frequently give kids, to not judge a book by its cover.

This story begins quietly enough:  Anne and Rew are young siblings who are being raised by their grandmother in a small town.  Their mother abandoned them when they were little more than babies.  Their father was killed by an “angry man”.  This is all they know of their past.  Talking about the past is not something Gran does willingly or frequently.  Annie and Rew are fine with their simple life.  When not in school they occupy their time by helping Gran, reading (Gran doesn’t allow television in the house) books especially their all-time favorite, Treasure Island.  They also love to play and tell stories in the forest of oak and birch trees behind their house, lovingly nicknamed the zebra forest.  Their favorite stories center around adventures they imagine for the father they don’t remember. Then one night their world turns upside down!  An escapee from the nearby prison breaks into their home and holds them hostage.  Scared, the children are even more mystified at Gran's reaction.  Why won’t she come out of her bedroom?

This is must read book! While the plot was fairly simple, the emotions felt and expressed by the characters leave the reader in constant turmoil. It’s difficult, if not impossible, to decide which character to feel more empathy for.  One minute I was agreeing with the anger felt by Rew, the next minute I was feeling the confusion felt by Annie.  As a mother I could also empathize with Gran.  Honestly, the range of emotions felt while reading this book:  anger, confusion, fear, sadness, etc, left me feeling exhausted but wanting to know more.  There needs to a sequel, I was just not ready to say good-bye to anyone.  While this book is written for a middle grade audience, the emotions felt by the characters and the subject matter of the story make it a book that will be actively discussed at several grade levels.

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

“ ‘What’s in a name?’  To all those with common names, rare names, beautiful names, strange and exotic names, or names they wish they could change:  Names are powerful and so is destiny, but a person’s will is more powerful than both put together.”  Author’s Note, p.261 Rump:  The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin, by Liesl Shurtliff.

What is in a name? Names aren’t important, it’s the person inside that determines who you are, right? Unfortunately for Rump, in his small village it is believed that your name determines your destiny in life, your purpose for being on this Earth.  With a name like “Rump” that can’t be good, can it?  Rump has been bullied his whole life because of his name, but he knows something others don’t.  He doesn’t believe Rump is really his name, at least not his full name.  Gran’s told him many times of how his dying mother whispered his name to him right after he was born.  She tired to tell Gran but was only able to say the word “Rump…” before she took her last breath.  Rump’s father had died before he was born, so he was left an orphan to be raised by his grandmother.  Mining for gold (this was a job done by children in the village), being bullied, and having so little to eat he only grew to half size, Rump did not have much of a life.  Until he discovers he can spin straw into gold!  Rump is so excited!  His magic can change his destiny, his troubles are over!  There’s only one problem…he can’t stop spinning.  His one and only friend, Red, warns him that magic is trouble, but it’s too late, something has taken control of Rump and he’s powerless to break the spell.  Will discovering his true name and destiny help him or is his fate, like his poor mother’s, sealed already?

I loved this book!  It was a fun read as I have heard the fairy tale of Rumpelstiltskin many times before but had never considered the “back-story”.  This story is filled with unexpected twists and turns and interesting characters such as pixies that sniff out gold, good witches, and evil trolls (that actually turn out to be allies for Rump) that live deep in the woods.  I even found myself rooting for the trolls to help Rump in one scene!  I look forward to sharing this book in the classroom, possibly as a read aloud and mentor text.  Students could then be encouraged to read other fairy tales and write the back-stories they imagine.

Hollow Earth by Carole Barrowman (and a book birthday announcement!)

Have you ever stared at a picture or painting and wondered what the artist was thinking when he painted it?  Or have you wondered what it would be like if you had been part of the scene depicted?  In Hollow Earth, twins Matt and Em don’t have to wonder, they can do so much more than that.  The twins have the ability to enter a painting and become a part of that world.  They can even bring art to life!  Sounds like a fun, but harmless activity, right?  Wrong!

For most of the first 12 years of their lives, their mother, Sandy, has kept the twins hidden away in London.  The twins have no idea just how special they are until one day they enter a painting to take a swim, and draw some unwelcome attention.  Suddenly two very sinister groups that want the twins and their powers for very different reasons are hunting them.  The twins and their mother escape to a secluded island off the coast of Scotland where they will be safe.  But will they?  Their grandfather, who they haven’t seen since they were babies, is a powerful man and should be able to protect tem.  But why wasn’t he able to protect their father?  What happened to their father?

I first discovered this book last December when one of my students emailed me that she had received it as a gift.  She declared it to be the best book since the Percy Jackson series! (This is high praise as she is a very avid reader!)  On her recommendation, I immediately purchased the book and started reading.  I could not put it down.  Our sixth grade book club (30+ students) ended up reading and discussing the book.  We then had the excitement of welcoming the author, Carole Barrowman, to our school for a book talk and signing in March.  The students were captivated!

 Tomorrow, July 9 is the “book birthday”, of the second book in the series, Bone Quill.  While I do not assign summer reading to students, I know many will be reading this!  (I might even see a few former students at the bookstore tomorrow!)

One for the Murphys

Sometimes when you read a book, you meet a character that reaches out and touches your heart.  That character and the story stay with you for a really long time.  Carley Connors in One for the Murphys, is that kind of character.

Life is definitely not fair.  Carley Connors knows this firsthand.  Why else would she end up in a foster home with three boys and a foster mom that must be from another planet?  If only her mother hadn’t married Dennis, there wouldn’t have been that terrible fight, she’d still be with her mom and this nightmare never would have happened!

In One for the Murphys, Carley learns what it means to be a part of a happy family.  This is a strange new reality for Carley who’s grown up in a world of hard knocks.  For a 12 year old, she’s already developed a hard shell in order to survive the only life she’s ever known. She is bent on taking out her anger and frustration on everyone that tires to reach out and help her.  Now however, her sarcasm and tough attitude, meant to protect her, are met with only more kindness and something called “unconditional love”.  Do people actually live this way?  Is this family for real?  Carley begins to wonder if this life could actually someday be her reality?  But what about her real mother?  Will she ever recover and get better?  Will she go to jail for  her part in what happened?  Or will Carley have to go back and live with her?

One for the Murphys is a book I will not soon forget.  Have a box of tissues handy when you get to the end, you’ll need it….

     In 1935, Key West, Florida is not exactly the vacation paradise it is today.  It’s the middle of the Great Depression, many people are out of work, and no one has any money.  It’s hot, humid and you have to be sure to shake your shoes out before putting them on, deadly scorpions are everywhere.  Even with all this adversity there's a special sense of community.  Everyone looks out for one another and communication travels quickly throughout the Key’s special “conch telegraph” system.  Life is simpler and seems to go at a slower pace in the Keys.

       Eleven-year-old Turtle has never been to Florida but has heard her mother, Sadiebelle, share wondrous stories of growing up in the Keys.  Then her mother lands a job as a housekeeper and children are not allowed.  There is no choice but to send Turtle to live with Aunt Minerva down in Key West.  As if moving from New Jersey to Florida wasn’t culture shock enough, Turtle discovers she’ll be living with three boy cousins, Beans, Kermit, and Buddy, as well.

       Turtle is nothing if not adaptable.  Soon she has assimilated to life in the Keys, joins the boys on their daily rounds with the Diaper Gang, and becomes aquatinted with the locals, including a very curious writer nicknamed “Papa”.  (Turtle feels compelled to offer him advice.  If he ever wants to become famous he needs to listen to her.)  She even manages to find a part-time job fishing for sponges with a local fisherman, Slow Poke.  She also becomes friends with the meanest woman in the Keys, Nana Philly, and then discovers a startling connection.  Still, Turtle misses her mother and wishes for a way for them to be together again.  But how can that happen?

       This book has been on my TBR (to be read) pile since last summer when I read many favorable reviews and postings on blogs and Twitter.  As I was packing for vacation the silver Newbery Honor medal on it’s cover caught my eye, so I threw it in my tote thinking it might be a good summer read.  I can honestly say I did not want this story to end!  I want to go back to Key West and read about the next chapters in Turtle’s life with her extended family.

Capture the Flag by Kate Messner

Have you ever been stranded at an airport (or really anywhere for that matter) in the middle of a major snowstorm?  You can’t leave, you can’t go anywhere.  The roads are completely impassable; the world has become a swirling mass of white.  If you’re stuck someplace that’s not home all you can do is sit and stare, while you wait for the storm to pass.  This is the fate that has befallen Anna, Henry and Josè.  They are snowed in at the Washington DC airport.  But it’s during this weather-imposed delay that the kids start to realize they have more in common then just their ages.  First, all three are returning to Vermont after a trip to Washington DC.  Second, they were all at a special event at the Smithsonian the previous night.  And finally, all three have relatives that are members of a secret society.

It’s during this unplanned stay at the airport that the kids first hear about the heist that took place at the Smithsonian museum the previous night, the night they were there!  Someone has made off with a very famous flag, Old Glory, the flag that inspired the “Star-Spangled Banner” has been stolen.  The kids quickly come up with a theory:  the flag must be at the airport.  Whoever stole it would want to get it out of Washington DC as fast as possible; so flying would be the obvious choice.  Unfortunately for them they didn’t plan on the storm.  The news is filled with stories of the missing flag and possible suspects, including Josè’s mother, the woman responsible for restoring the flag, but also the last person to have seen the flag before it disappeared.  The police have her in custody, while even more suspects are questioned and detained, including parents of another new friend.  The kids take it upon themselves to solve the mystery and find the flag, never realizing the danger they were heading into.

If you like the “National Treasure” movies, you’ll love this book.  Each chapter keeps you guessing as to who the culprit is and what the possible motive could be.

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl is just the novel to read when you want to escape the dreary winter.  Within minutes of diving into the book, you are off on a great adventure with James and a scary-looking, but lovable, group of giant insects.

The story does have a rather nasty beginning though.  James Henry Trotter, once a happy little four year old, becomes an orphan when his parents, while visiting the city, are consumed by a runaway rhinoceros.  James is sent to live with his two horrible aunts, Spiker and Sponge, who seem to have much in common with the ugly stepmother and stepsisters from Cinderella.  James’ life quickly becomes one of hard work and drudgery, living with the spiteful aunts that view James more as a servant and pest than as their poor orphaned nephew.

Life quickly changes for James, when the giant peach appears.  On a whim, he climbs inside and encounters Old Green Grasshopper, Centipede, Earthworm, Glowworm, Silkworm, Miss Spider, and Ladybug.  Scared to death at first, James quickly realizes the “human-sized” insects are friendly and mean him no harm.  Within minutes the peach begins rolling down the hill toward the sea and the group is off on a series of magical, wonderful adventures that will send them on an unforgettable journey!