The Garden of My Imaan By Farhana Zia Juvenile Fiction Realistic Fiction / Grades 4-7 * * * * Stars (Great!) Aliyah, fifth grader, is having a difficult year. She’s got two big projects to complete – one for elementary school on the topic “Respecting Ourselves and Others,” and another for religious school on self-improvement. Her biggest problem is that she’s still figuring out and getting comfortable with who she is – particularly as a … Read more
Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) When Prairie’s parents move them to New York (from North Carolina) to take over Prairie’s grandparents’ farmstead, Prairie isn’t thrilled – especially when her Grammy, who lives with them, announces that she’s moving back to NC. And things don’t improve immediately, either. Prairie also has to go to public school for the first time in her life and the kids there tease … Read more
Bad to the Bone Down Girl and Sit #2 by Lucy Nolan Funny Juvenile Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Down Girl and Sit are back (as are Hush and Here Kitty Kitty)! In book #2, the dogs try to keep their owners safe (by patrolling their backyards at night) and end up keeping the whole neighborhood awake. When their owners (at the end of their leashes!) get fed up with their dogs’ behavior, … Read more
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken Adventure Classics Historical Fiction Suspense Thriller * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Bonnie’s cousin Sylvia comes to live with her when Sylvia’s elderly aunt Jane feels she can no longer care for her properly. Bonnie’s own parents are leaving on a sea voyage – in an attempt to improve her mother’s health – and the girls are to be left in the care of a distant … Read more
Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea Realistic Fiction * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) This is Rob Buyea’s first novel. It is an exciting ride, with twists and turns about friendships, growing up and life. The story is told from seven students’ viewpoints from Mr. Terupt’s fifth grade class, which might sound like a lot, but each one has a distinct personality which shines through in his writing. And it reminds us that … Read more
Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) After reading Love, Aubrey, I’d like to meet her! She is someone who tells you how it is, doesn’t sugarcoat the truth. She’s the kind of friend each of us needs during a difficult time or the best of times. When we first meet Aubrey, she is alone and doesn’t know where her Mom is. She is tough and ready to survive … Read more
Spirits of the Season Saranormal #4 by Phoebe Rivers Supernatural Saranormal Spirits of the Season by Phoebe Rivers is part of Rivers’ Saranormal series. In this book Sara and her father have moved back to New Jersey and are living with an eccentric old woman, Lady Azura. Sara takes a liking to her because the two of them have so much in common. As it turns out, they can both talk to the dead. In … Read more
The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum by Kate Bernheimer and Nicoletta Ceccoli Picture book The Girl in the Castle inside the Museum is an interesting piece of writing for the young reader. It is certainly a concept that will stir the imagination. In the book there is a museum and in the museum there is a globe which houses a castle in which a little girl lives. If one looks really hard the … Read more
Undead Ed Book #1 by Rotterly Ghoulstone Funny Supernatural * * * * Stars (Great!) Thirteen year old Ed is pretty unlucky. After being hit by a semi, he comes back as a zombie and his left arm immediately detaches from the rest of him, crawls away, and vows to kill Ed if it ever sees him again. Uh-oh. Ed’s whirlwind introduction to “life” as one of the newly undead is fraught with dangers and … Read more
Wanted: A Guinea Pig Called Henry Rainbow Street Shelter #3 by Wendy Orr Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Sam really wants a pet for her birthday, but because her family lives in an apartment, her choices are limited. She and her family visit the Rainbow Street Shelter and meet some of the small pets there – including the guinea pigs – and Sam later returns to adopt “Henry,” an adult guinea pig … Read more