Thursday, October 31, 2019

Brainstorm 191: Shadows

Our daylight doesn’t change that much here in the tropics, but it does change a little and the shadows are starting to lengthen. So it seems like the perfect time to talk about shadows as characters in books. Probably the most iconic literary shadow is Peter Pan’s rebellious counterpart, but here are some others that you may or may not be as familiar with.


Attack of the Shadow Smashers (Notebook of Doom, #3) by Troy Cummings
Alexander starts noticing the shadows in town acting really strangely. And they aren't the only things acting strange, so is his friend Nikki. Can Alexander figure out two mysteries before the town gets taken over by monster shadows?

Target Readers:

  • Fantasy Fans, Monster Story Fans, Mystery Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Would-Be Scary Book Readers Not Really Ready for Truly Scary Books, Lower Grade Readers


The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente, ill. by Ana Juan (Fairyland, #1)
September is taken into Fairyland by the Green Wind, who just might possibly have some ulterior motives (such as getting her to help depose the wicked Marquess). So as soon as September steps out of 1940s Omaha and lands on the shore of Fairyland she is off on an adventure that is entirely unpredictable and imaginative such as you have never quite experienced before though it might remind you of a hint of Oz, with a dash of Wonderland, and a pinch of Willy Wonka-run enterprise. September is a noble little girl, with just enough heartlessness and pluck to help her survive and make her an atypical heroine in Fairyland. Oh, and she has issues with her shadow.

Target Readers:

  • Fantasy Fans, Adventure Fans, Imaginary Land Explorers, Beautiful Writing Fans, Independent Shadow Fans, Middle Grade Readers on up


The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There (Fairyland, #2) by Catherynne M. Valente, ill. by Ana Juan
September manages to get back to Fairyland, only to find that more and more shadows have been stolen in the time she has been gone. And the departure of the shadows for Fairyland Below has created a dire situation in Fairyland Above for the shadows have taken much of the magic with them. Since the shadows are led by her own shadow, Halloween, September feels somewhat responsible and decides she must go on a quest to put things to right. And so on a quest she goes, falling into some rather unusual places and meeting all sorts of strange creatures along the way.

Target Readers:

  • Fantasy Fans, Adventure Fans, Imaginary Land Explorers, Beautiful Writing Fans, Independent Shadow Fans, Middle Grade Readers on up


Hortense and the Shadow by Natalia & Lauren O’Hara
Hortense doesn't like her shadow. She thinks it constantly taunts her. One day she's had enough and cuts it off. She is delighted to be free. But when danger comes one night, an unexpected ally comes to Hortense's rescue.

Target Readers:

  • Fans of Atmospheric Eastern Europe-flavored Reads, Art Lovers, Those Who Want to Talk about Jumping to Conclusions about People’s Motives, Fans of Independent Shadow Characters, Picture Book Readers


My Shadow by Robert Louis Stevenson, ill. by Sara Sánchez
Robert Louis Stevenson's classic poem about a child's wonder over their shadow brought to life with Sara Sánchez’s illustrations.

Target Readers:

  • Poetry Lovers, Playful Shadow Explorers, Realistic Poetry Fans, Classic Fans, Picture Book Readers


Shadow by Suzy Lee
A little girl, alone in the attic with a back light, a pile of miscellaneous stuff and a great imagination has a grand wordless adventure before dinner.

Target Readers:

  • Wordless Book Fans, Imaginative Readers, Art Lovers, Picture Book Readers


Shadows by Robin McKinley
Maggie’s mother has just remarried a man named Val. Maggie is still recovering from her father’s tragic death years ago, but that isn’t the main reason that Val gives her the creeps. The real reason is the hoard of unnatural, wiggling shadows with too many feet that seem to follow Val around. Newworld is supposed to be safe because they put their faith in science. Science will save them from the cobeys and the silverbugs and all the illegal magical stuff that shady magicians were in charge of dealing with over in the Oldworld. Magicians were totally not allowed in Newworld. Anyone with magic in their genes gets it cut out when young to keep others safe. Another reason that Val and his weird shadows gives Maggie the creeps is because it shouldn’t be possible. Maggie finally has had it up to here with the creepy shadows and confronts Val in front of Mom about them. But Maggie soon finds out she has a lot to learn, not only about Val and his shadows but the world as it really is, and learn fast, if she is going to survive. Because for all the army wants them to believe that science is going to keep the cobeys (magical rifts) at bay and the Newworld under control and safe, they are so super mistaken it could mean the end of Newworld if someone (or a couple someones, a pack of dogs, a maniacal cat, and an algebra book) doesn’t step in to help. An utterly unique read.

Target Readers:

  • Fantasy Fans, Contemporary Fiction, Interesting World Building Fans, Unique Magical System Fans, Young Adult Readers


Smoot: a Rebellious Shadow by Michelle Cuevas, ill. by Sydney Smith
Smoot the Shadow is bored of his boy's life. They never do anything exciting. Smoot dreams of doing something exciting, and one day he gets the chance. But soon many other shadows are getting bold and taking on the shape of their dreams. Can Smoot figure out how they can have fun but not drive the world into chaos? A pretty deep picture book with lots of great potential discussion points for lower graders on up.

Target Readers: 

  • Discussion Starting Book Fans, Independent Shadow Fans, Imaginative Readers, Fantasy Fans, Philosophical Book Fans, Picture Book Readers on up



Thursday, October 17, 2019

Brainstorm 190: Reading Ideas for Every Reader

We’re about to head into our October break in our school. Reading always picks up around here during school breaks, and I get plenty of people asking for recommendations. My first question is always what kind of book they are in the mood for. Knowing the genre someone is hungry to read helps narrow down the recommendation possibilities. (And there are so many possibilities floating around in my head!) So today I thought I’d recommend some books by genre. Within each genre is a YA or Adult book, a Middle Grade book, and a Lower Grade or Picture Book. Most of these are books I’ve just met since the school year started. To see my full reviews for any of these books or notes on potential content issues click on the title of the book.

Contemporary Fiction


Yotsuba! Vol. 1 by Kiyohiko Azuma
Yotsuba is a precocious little girl who has just moved into a new neighborhood. She has adventures meeting the new neighbor girls who are all older than her, but welcome her like a little sister. She has adventures with her dad in the process of moving and going to the store to get things for their house, and then she catches cicadas with her dad's friend and one of the neighbor girls.
This whole series is fantastic!

Target Readers:

  • Manga Fans, All Ages Graphic Novel Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Humor Fans, Precocious Character Lovers


The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden (Vanderbeekers, #2) by Karina Yan Glaser
When beloved neighbor Mr Jeet has a stroke, the Vanderbeeker kids try to think up something nice they can do for Mr Jeet and Miss Josie. Miss Josie is always talking about how that abandoned lot by the church would make a great community garden. With permission from the pastor, the kids start secretly cleaning up the abandoned lot. But while they are doing that the pastor is called out of town and Mr Huxley seems to be trying to sell the lot. Will all their hard work be for nothing, and will Mr Jeet ever get well enough to enjoy it?

The Vanderbeekers first book is also a great read, and I can't wait for our copy of book three to arrive.

Target Readers:

  • Feel Good Story Fans, Sibling Story Fans, Community Story Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Middle Grade Readers


Basketball Break by CC Joven, ill. by Alex López
Lucas is a ball hog. He takes bad shots and never passes to his teammates. Can he learn how to be a better team player?

Target Readers:

  • Beginning Readers, Basketball Fans, Sports Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Kids Learning to Be Team Players, Leveled Reader Fans, Picture Book Readers


Mystery/Thriller


The Girl in the Picture by Alexandra Monir
Who killed the US Congressman's son attending the elite Oyster Bay Prep? And why? He was a nice guy, star of the soccer team, and everyone liked him. But Lana, a US Congresswoman's daughter and queen of the school who everyone thought was Chace's girlfriend is not the person snuggling with him in the pictures found in his pocket at the scene of the crime. The person in the pictures is the quiet, violin scholarship girl, Nicole. She used to be Lana's friend and roommate till something happened Junior year. Through present day and flashbacks told from Lana and Nicole's perspectives readers will uncover just what happened, why Nicole is in Chace's pictures, and who killed him.

Target Readers:

  • Intense Mystery Fans, Thriller Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Boarding School Setting Fans, Music Lovers, Love Story Fans, Young Adult Readers


The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane by Julia Nobel
Emmy's mother is a child psychologist, famous author, and soon-to-be reality TV star. That means she's really going to be too busy to take care of Emmy (Emmy's father disappeared when she was 3 and the police suspected foul play). So Emmy finds herself being shipped off to a boarding school in England called Wellsworth, because only the best educational ratings for a school will keep her mom happy. Emmy is so tired of changing schools to keep her mom's high standards satisfied. But is that the real reason she ended up at Wellsworth? Because right before she left Connecticut she got this weird anonymous note saying to keep her father's relics safe. Her mother got rid of most of dad's stuff and will never talk about him. Did they still have any "relics" of his? Exploring the attic after her mom goes to bed, Emmy finds a secret compartment and a box of medallions with a note from her father asking her to keep them safe. When she gets to Wellsworth she gets more notes and finds out her dad might have gone to the school, but no one wants to talk about him. The two students who've befriended Emmy, Jack and Lola, help her investigate. But what is going on at Wellsworth and why don't people want to talk about Emmy's dad?

Target Readers:

  • Mystery Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Boarding School Setting Fans, Personal Growth Story Fans, Soccer Lovers, Secret Society Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers


The Grotlyn by Benji Davies
What is sneaking around after dark and making things disappear? People say it is the Grotlyn, but what exactly is a Grotlyn?

Everyone has experienced hearing strange things in the night or having items go missing. Is a monster responsible, or is there a more logical and less sinister reason? The Victorian era city in this book is in for a surprise when they discover just what the Grotlyn is. Told in rhyme and with atmospheric (but not too spooky) illustrations. See if little ones are observant enough to figure out what the Grotlyn is before the characters.

Target Readers:

  • Gothic Story Fans, Victorian Era Setting Fans, Historical Fiction Fans, Sharp Observers, Mystery Fans, Picture Book Readers

Fantasy


Lovely War by Julie Berry
Aphrodite, caught between Ares and Hephaestus argues that gods don't really understand what love is, that only mortals do. So she tells them a tale about what true love looks like. She tells them of Hazel, a shy pianist in England who met James, a soldier about to leave for the WWI front, at a parish dance the week before he shipped out. And she tells them of Aubrey, an African American jazz pianist and soldier, and Colette, a Belgian girl who has lost everything in the war, but is still doing her part to help in France by volunteering with the YMCA. A story of life, death, WWI, racism, music, and love narrated mostly by Aphrodite, but also by Ares, Apollo, and Hades.

Target Readers:

  • WWI Story Fans, Love Story Fans, Mythology Fans, Fans of Stories That Probe Deep Issues, Masterful Writing Fans, Young Adult and Adult Readers


Wicked Nix by Lena Coakley, ill. by Jaime Zollars
When a people moves into the forest Wicked Nix knows he must do his wicked best to scare off the people before the Fairy Queen returns on Midsummer's Eve. He gets advice from his two wise friends, Mister Green and Rose. But the man-people is proving very hard to scare off from the cottage he is fixing back up and he knows how to fend off fairies.

Target Readers:

  • Fairy Story Fans, Fantasy Fans, Fans of Stories with Twists, Luscious Writing Fans, Middle Grade Readers on up


Mighty Meg and the Magical Ring (Mighty Meg, #1) by Sammy Griffin, ill. by Micah Player
When Meg gets a ring from her archeologist Aunt for her birthday, she puts it on. That night she dreams she's an amazing, superhero woman warrior, and at school the next day she finds herself running a bit faster than normal. After school Meg goes off on her own to see just what she can do and if it is her new ring causing these changes.

Target Readers:

  • Superhero Story Fans, Spunky Character Fans, Fantasy Fans, Lower Grade Readers


Science Fiction


Space Boy Vol. 1 by Stephen McCranie
Amy is devastated when her father gets fired for a mishap in the mine and her entire family gets transferred back to Earth. Not only is she moving away from friends, but she'll be in cryo during the trip to Earth and when she wakes up all her friends will have experienced 30 years of life while she'll still be a teenager. The only ray of hope in Amy's life are some kind students at school who make an effort to befriend her and show her how to survive as a teenager on Earth in the present.

This whole series is amazing so far (we have 1-3 and 4 is supposed to arrive any day), and VERY popular at our school.

Target Readers:

  • Graphic Novel Fans, Scifi Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Third Culture Kids, Young Adult Readers (and Middle Grade Readers)


The Ark Plan (Edge of Extinction, #1) by Laura Martin
Scientists figured out how to bring back dinosaurs using DNA from fossils. For a while, things were really cool with new dinosaur pets and zoo attractions. But then the dinosaur flu hit. Thanks to an ancient microbe that got revived with the dinosaurs, there was a massive pandemic that wiped out a huge portion of the Earth's population. Now the dinosaurs rule most of the Earth, and the few people who survived the pandemic have retreated underground into one of the 4 Compounds set up by the Noah. The Noah is the ruler of the world now. Life is pretty good for most of the humans in the compounds, except for Sky. Sky's father disappeared above ground five years ago and was labeled a spy. Since then, Sky has been a ward of the compound but not treated very well. On her birthday, she discovers that her father did leave a note for her those five years ago. It was hidden in the compass he gave her. The note says that if he didn't come back within 4 years, she needs to get a data plug to a spot in Lake Michigan. Sky has been told all her life that going topside is suicide. But her dad's note says the survival of the planet depends on her taking this message North.

The 2nd book is exciting too!

Target Readers:

  • Dinosaur Lovers, Dystopia Fans, Scifi Fans, Survival Story Fans, Thriller Fans, Middle Grade Readers


Superbad (The Bad Guys, #8) by Aaron Blabey
Our reformed heroes are now imbued with superpowers. But they are awful at using them. The International League of Heroes decides to step in and give them some training on how to use their powers, while also working on a plan of how to defeat Marmalade.

All of the Bad Guys books are very entertaining, but watching them learn how to use their superpowers was extra funny.

Target Readers:

  • Superhero Story Fans, Animal Lovers, Scifi Fans, Humor Fans, Graphic Novel Fans, Reluctant Readers, Lower Grade Readers (and Middle Grade Readers...and Adults 😉)


Historical Fiction


Dear Mrs. Bird by A.J. Pearce
Emmeline Lake has always dreamed of being a war correspondent. She's a young woman making a go of surviving in London during WWII. She lives with her best friend and does her part for the country as much as possible. She volunteers for the fire brigade at night answering phones. But when she sees an advertisement for a typist/assistant at the newspaper she jumps at the chance. This could be her chance to really make a difference! However, when she shows up for the job, she finds out that she isn't working for the main newspaper. She's working for Woman's Friend owned by the same company, but focused entirely on knitting patterns, recipes, fictional stories, and an advice column called Henrietta Helps. Emmy is stuck working for Mrs. Bird, the editress of the magazine and author of Henrietta Helps. But Mrs. Bird is a relic herself and has very, very decided opinions about what shall be permitted in the advice column. Emmy's heart goes out to these women who are desperate enough for advice on relationships and such that they'll write in to a complete stranger. But what can she do? Meanwhile, she's juggling everyday life in the war and her own relationship issues.

Target Readers:

  • Historical Fiction Fans, WWII History Fans, Humor Fans, Fantastic Character Fans, Adult Readers (though accessible to Young Adult Readers)


Skylark and Wallcreeper by Anne O’Brien Carelli
It's November 2012 in Queens, New York and Lily, though just 12, is helping with the evacuation of her grandmother's retirement home as Hurricane Sandy causes waves to pound in through the 1st floor of the building. Relocated to the Armory in Brooklyn, Lily convinces her mom to let her stay and help her grandmother and the other residents. During the move her Granny handed her a fancy old pen and told her to keep it safe. The pen went missing while Lily went out looking for food for the residents, and now she's trying to track it down because her Granny keeps talking about it and saying it needs to go to Marguerite. But who is Marguerite? Meanwhile, flashbacks to Brume, France in 1944 share Granny's exploits as a 12 year old girl herself during WWII. She was recruited as a messenger for the French Resistance, dubbed Wallcreeper for her bird-like climbing skills, she was joined in her dangerous assignments by another girl, Marguerite, whose codename was Skylark.

Target Readers:

  • Historical Fiction Fans, WWII Story Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Time Slip Story Fans, Intergenerational Friendship Story Fans, Feel Good Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers


Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall
The story of a lighthouse and the man who keeps it from day to day until the day his job is done.

Sophie Blackall totally earned that shiny sticker that now graces the front of this book. Her illustrations are filled with so many minute details that make the life of the lighthouse keeper come alive that much more.

Target Readers:

  • Historical Fiction Fans, Art Lovers, Lighthouse Fans, Award Winner Readers, Picture Book Readers


Biography/Autobiography/Memoir


Wreck My Life: Journeying from Broken to Bold by Mo Isom
Mo Isom shares her story of growing up and the struggles she faced. How she dealt with crazy standards she set for herself, an eating disorder, the mask she wore as she started college, the success she achieved on the soccer field but emptiness she felt inside, how her dad's suicide rocked her world, and how God broke through all the brokenness and heartache as she hung upside down in her wrecked jeep one Thanksgiving. She shares then how her life changed after that, the long recovery process, the healing physically, emotionally, and spiritually that followed. And where God led her once she gave her life over to Him completely.

Target Readers:

  • Autobiography Fans, Christian Literature Fans, Overcomer Story Fans, Sports Fans, Young Adult and Adult Readers


Guts by Raina Telgemeier
Raina shares her intestinal and anxiety struggles that emerged in 4th and 5th grades. Readers get to peek inside her head to see how she was thinking and feeling as she faced name-calling by a girl in her class, verbal presentations, her best friend moving, her constant stomach aches, her grandma coming to live with them for a few months, and her fear of getting sick.

It is great to have a person kids look up to SO much (seriously, kids LOVE her stuff) openly share how she has struggled with anxiety, fear, and stress, and what helped her get a little better. I appreciate that she includes her therapy sessions and some real helpful tips in this autobiographical graphic novel. She also does a great job of sharing just how many people benefit from therapy and that it isn't something to be ashamed of. This is an absolutely fantastic read.

Target Readers:

  • Autobiography Fans, Graphic Novel Fans, Mental Health Awareness Book Fans, Middle Grade Readers on up


Magic Ramen: the Story of Momofuku Ando by Andrea Wang, ill. by Kana Urbanowicz
A picture book biography of Momofuku Ando who invented instant noodles.

I love how this picture book biography really brings across all the trial and error of invention and the ways that failures are part of the process to success. I also had no idea that the creator of instant noodles was inspired to create something cheap that anyone could afford to help alleviate hunger. Make sure you read the further info in the back of the book about how Ando kept on inventing even into old age, even inventing food for astronauts.

Target Readers:

  • Biography Fans, Foodies, Instant Noodle Lovers, Asian History Studiers, STEM Book Fans, Picture Book Readers


General Nonfiction


The Tornado Scientist: Seeing Inside Severe Storms by Mary Kay Caron, photos by Tom Uhlman
Mary Kay Carson shares how Robin Tanamachi has been studying tornadoes for years. The way she got into studying weather, how she performs her research, and some major studies she's been/is involved in. Along the way readers will learn a lot about how tornadoes form, the kind of destruction they can cause, and how scientists are hoping to reduce fatalities from tornadoes in the future.

Target Readers:

  • Storm Chasers, Weather Studiers, STEM Book Fans, Curious Readers, Young Adult Readers (approachable for upper Middle Grade)


Backyard Bears: Conservation, Habitat Changes, and the Rise of Urban Wildlife by Amy Cherrix
Tag along with scientists studying the black bears living in Asheville, NC and its suburbs. They are looking at how living in the city is affecting the health, longevity, and population of the bears. The book also looks at several other wild animals that have adapted to living in urban areas.

Target Readers:

  • Animal Lovers, STEM Book Fans, Curious Readers, Middle Grade and Young Adult Readers


Water Land: Land and Water Forms around the World by Christy Hale
Die cut pages help illustrate different land form and bodies of water names for children.
A pond on one spread becomes an island on the next spread. A straight of water becomes an isthmus, and kids get clear pictures of these different names for bodies of water and landforms. In the back of the book is a big foldout showing the locations of examples of all of these things in the world. There's also definitions for each term, and a list of more locations of these things throughout the world.

Target Readers:

  • Curious Readers, Geography Studiers, Geography Teachers, Picture Book Fans


Thursday, October 10, 2019

Brainstorm 189: Read alouds that will entertain multiple ages

As promised, here are the picture book read alouds that will appeal to a wide age range. The teacher who asked for these was looking for something that would entertain even teens, so most of these are lively and have humorous elements for both little kids and older readers included. (For example, the “We are natural gas” picture on the wall of the 3 Dinosaurs’ house is something that teens and adults will chuckle at and little kids totally won’t get, but there are definitely other elements of that story that little kids will find funny.) If you’re trying to keep a very mixed group of ages entertained with a read aloud, you might want to pick out one of these.


Be Quiet! by Ryan T. Higgins
Rupert the Mouse has decided to make a wordless book. But it turns out it is quite hard to have a wordless book when you have to explain what you're doing to your friends and then they try to "help."
Don’t miss the lines of text on the end papers! Those who have read Higgins' Bruce books will recognize these mice from those books (and keep an eye out for Bruce's cameo appearance).

Target Readers:

  • Humor Fans, Animal Lovers


Chloe and the Lion by Mac Barnett, ill. by Adam Rex
This is supposed to be a story about Chloe, a little girl who runs into a lion in the woods, but the artist and author have some disagreements on how the story should go and the whole things turns into a big (and hilarious) mess.
Barnett and Rex obliterate the fourth wall in this, and it is utterly hilarious.

Target Readers:

  • Writers, Fans of Stories that Break the 4th Wall, Teamwork Story Fans, Perseverance Story Fans, Humor Fans, Unique Art Fans


Chu's Day by Neil Gaiman, ill. by Adam Rex 
Chu goes to the library and his mother is worried he'll sneeze because of the dust, but thankfully he doesn't. Then he goes to eat lunch and his father is worried he'll sneeze because of the pepper, but thankfully he doesn't. Then they all go to the circus and no one hears his warning that he thinks he's going to sneeze until it is too late.
Any of the Chu books would be an excellent pick for a read aloud. They are all hilarious and feature Chu’s rather epic sneezes.

Target Readers:

  • Humor Fans, Animal Lovers


The Epic Adventures of Huggie & Stick by Drew Daywalt, ill. by David Spencer
When Huggie (stuffed rabbit & committed pessimist...slightly unlucky), and Stick (a stick & eternal optimist...also slightly naive), fall out of Reese's backpack, they get swept away on an epic adventure to all the continents of the world as they try to get home.
Note: See my full review for content notes some adults may want to be aware of.

Target Readers: 

  • Travel Story Fans, Readers Wanting to Discuss Attitude, Fans of Stories from Multiple Points of View, Adventure Fans, Humor Fans 


Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems
Mama Dinosaur, Papa Dinosaur, and the other Dinosaur visiting from Norway, decide to go on a stroll after making some chocolate pudding. They make sure to leave the door unlocked, and though you might think you see them lurking in the woods waiting for a wayward child to go waltzing in their door, you're probably mistaken. Goldilocks comes along, and proceeds to go through the normal Goldilocks routine, until she decides something is fishy with the setup and she better skeedaddle out of there.
Pay attention to the background. There are a lot of fun little bits added in there, including a certain bird Willems fans will recognize. And FYI, pretty much any Mo Willems’ book makes a great read aloud.

Target Readers:

  • Humor Fans, Fractured Fairytale Fans, Scifi Fans, Dinosaur Lovers


If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki VanSickle, ill. by Cale Atkinson
Dissatisfied with her new pet hamster, a little girl dreams of all the mythological beasts she'd rather have as a pet but soon realizes there are some serious drawbacks to having animals like gryphons or dragons or kirins as pets, and perhaps a tiny hamster isn't so bad.

Target Readers:

  • Mythical Creature Fans, Rhyming Book Fans, Humor Fans, Gratitude Message Fans, Pet Story Fans


If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don't by Elise Parsley 
Magnolia is headed to the beach with her mom and two siblings. Her siblings are bringing things like boats and balls, she wants to bring the piano. Her mom warns her not to lose it, and they head off to the beach. Of course, things do not go as planned, and Magnolia realizes what a horrible idea it was to bring her piano to the beach.
All of the Magnolia Says Don’t books make fantastic read alouds. This one is just my personal favorite.

Target Readers:

  • Story Prediction Practicers, Humor Fans, Memorable Character Fans


Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of Surprise by David Ezra Stein
The little red chicken comes home from school announcing to her father that her teacher has told her there's an elephant of surprise in every story and she's supposed to read three stories and find it. Her father thinks it is more likely the teacher said the element of surprise, but they settle in to read some stories and find out which it is.

Target Readers:

  • Story Element Studiers, Humor Fans, Animal Lovers, Parent/Child Story Fans


Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads by Bob Shea, ill. by Lane Smith
Drywater Gulch had a big problem. A big problem by the name of Toad. No, not hippety-hoppety toads, outlaw bandits of the family name Toad. Kid Sheriff rides slowly into town on his tortoise, and promptly changes all of the wanted posters to rightly reflect the perpetrators of the crime in his opinion...dinosaurs. Will the Toad gang let the dinosaurs take all the credit for their crimes? Will Kid Sheriff find real dinosaurs? Will the town's cumin ever be safe again?
Must be read with a slow drawl!

Target Readers:

  • Story Prediction Practicers, Western Fans, Humor Fans, Mystery Fans


Steve, Raised by Wolves by Jared Chapman
Steve has been raised by wolves. It's his first day of school, but Steve is having trouble adjusting. Can Steve figure out how to be himself in a way that doesn't disrupt the rest of the students?

Target Readers:

  • Culture Awareness Story Fans, Self-Acceptance Story Fans, Humor Fans


There Are No Bears in This Bakery by Julia Sarcone-Roach 
A guard cat at a bakery investigates a case of breaking and entering, and takes care of the problem.
Make sure you read this in a Humphrey Bogart detective voice for full effect.

Target Readers:

  • Mystery Fans, Animal Lovers (especially Cat Lovers), Descriptive Language Fans, Memorable Voice Fans, Writers, Subtle Humor Fans, Unique Art Fans


This Book Will Not Be Fun by Cirocco Dunlap, ill. by Olivier Tallec
Mouse promises a nice, boring read. (You must read the inside front flap.) But then a flying whale shows up and a glow worm...and well, you didn't really believe that cover did you?

Target Readers:

  • Humor Fans, Animal Lovers


We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
Penelope is struggling with starting school. It isn't the subject matter, it's that she's a T-Rex and her classmates are all tasty human children. Penelope gets quite lonely as the children in her class learn to avoid her, but it isn't until she gets a taste of her own medicine that she learns how to be a better classmate and friend.

Target Readers:

  • Bad Habit Breakers, Golden Rule Message Fans, Dinosaur Lovers, Humor Fans


Thursday, October 3, 2019

Brainstorm 188: Bedtime Read Alouds for the Whole Family

This past week I was asked by two separate people for read aloud ideas for groups that encompass a broad age range. One was for bedtime read aloud ideas for a family with four kids that span a range from pre-K to upper elementary, the other was someone asking for picture book read alouds that even teens would find fun. Since the lists are a bit long when combined I’m going to split this into two Brainstorms.

This week we’ll look at read aloud ideas for bedtime. I picked books that don’t have a ton of illustrations (or the illustrations are not integral to following the story) so that kids can listen with their eyes closed. The books had to avoid anything too scary (for example, the mother of the kids who asked for the list said the youngest isn’t quite ready for Narnia books yet). They had to be plot lines that would engage preschoolers through middle graders and not lose or bore anyone. While I did include some humorous and adventure books, I tried to pick things that would make kids chuckle but then be able to quickly fall asleep with a smile on their faces and tried to avoid anything that would get kids too wired for slumberland. So without further ado, here are my recommendations for bedtime read alouds for families with multiple ages. (These would also work for classroom read alouds in Elementary or Middle School, or any group of kids that encompasses a range of ages.)



Beatrice Zinker, Upside Down Thinker series by Shelley Johannes
Beatrice Zinker likes to think upside down. Literally. As in hanging from her knees in trees, inverted in chairs, etc. She also thinks upside down figuratively. Meaning she has a different perspective on the world from most, she likes activities many others don't even consider, and she thinks outside the box. Her best friend Lenny totally gets her upside down thinking, as did her 2nd grade teacher who gave her an award for being an Upside Down Thinker. But now she's entering 3rd grade. Mrs Tamarack is not a fan of upside down positions or thinking. She lays down the law for Beatrice right at the start on day one. Beatrice gets 3 warnings and then she can say bye-bye to recess. That may be tough, but what's even more disturbing is that Lenny forgot to wear her ninja outfit for the first day of school. Not only that, but she's hanging out with the new girl Chloe and acting different. Will they ever complete the secret project they planned at the end of 2nd grade? Beatrice’s misadventures continue in book 2, & 3 (which just came out).

Target Readers:

  • Upside Down Thinkers, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Light Humor Fans, Relatable Character Fans, Lower Grade/Middle Grade Readers


Beverly Cleary's Middle Grade Books 
Beverly Cleary’s books may be pushing 50, but they still resonate with kids. I’d probably start with Socks, The Mouse and the Motorcycle, Beezus and Ramona, or Henry Huggins. Families with lots of animal lovers will probably want to pick one of the first two, while families with kids who want stories of what kids were like when their grandparents were little will want to pick the Ramona or Henry books. Most parents will have a Beverly Cleary book they loved as a child, so it is also nice to share a book you loved with your kids.

Target Readers:

  • Animal Lovers, Historical Fiction Fans, Award Winner Readers, Real-Feeling People Story Fans, Parents Wanting to Share Old Favorites, Middle Grade Readers


Castle Glower series by Jessica Day George
Castle Glower has personality, strong opinions about who is king of the land, and the ability to do something about it. The rooms, hallways, and decorations of the castle are likely to change whenever the castle feels like it. (Which can be confusing and a little bit of a headache if you’re a resident.) But Princess Celie loves the castle and its ways. Her father was chosen by the castle to be king when he was a young man, so she’s grown up there and everyone says she has a special connection to the strange building. When Celie’s parents and eldest brother are ambushed during a trip and pronounced dead, it is up to her, her brother Rolf, her sister Lilah, and the magical castle to defend the kingdom (and themselves) from devious plans of the Council and the sinister Prince Khelsh of a neighboring kingdom. Celie and her family go on to solve more mysteries related to the castle and the secrets it holds in future books. This series is now complete at 5 books.

Target Readers:

  • Magical & Unusual Castle Fans, Mythical Creature Fans, Fantasy Fans, Mystery Fans, Sibling Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers


Catwings series by Ursula K. Le Guin, ill. by S.D. Schindler
A group of kittens born with wings are sent off by their mother to find a better place to live as their city neighborhood gets worse. At first they have trouble finding a place where they are welcome, but then they meet two friendly children who promise to take care of them and keep them a secret.

Target Readers:

  • Cat Lovers, Parents Wanting to Share Childhood Favorites, Fantasy Fans, Adventure Fans, Quick Read Fans, Lower Grade/Middle Grade Readers


A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban
A cute and humorous misfit tale about a 6th grade girl who dreams of being a concert pianist but gets saddled with an electric organ and has to settle for playing theme songs from 60s TV shows. Oh, and she's been informed that she is now Emma's former best friend. Zoe isn't the only misfit in the book. Her dad is an agoraphobic who stays home and earns online degrees in things he'll never use; a boy in her class follows her home just about every day and wheedles his way in to cook with her dad because his dad is never home; and her mom is a state controller trying to hold together their household and the entire state of Michigan, but Zoe feels she's so busy maybe Michigan is more important than she is. Through prepping for and participating in an organ competition (and all the ways that that could go wrong), Zoe learns that nobody is perfect, but you just gotta keep playing through and have fun.

Target Readers:

  • Contemporary Fiction Fans, Kids Who Think Their Family is Wacky, Music Lovers, Relatable Character Fans, Feel-Good Story Fans, Perfectionists, Middle Grade Readers


The Emperor’s Ostrich by Julie Berry
The Emperor is about to come of age and really take control of the empire. But some are worried. Because the Emperor is a spoiled brat and isn't fit to have tea with, let alone rule a kingdom. One of his dearly departed ancestors decides to do something instead of just watch his old kingdom go to rot. Not trusting his manipulation, another ancestor sets in motion her own plans to help. And so in one night the Emperor disappears under highly unusual circumstances, an ostrich disappears from the royal aviary, and far away Begonia finishes milking to discover that Alfalfa, one of the family cows has wandered off again. And on the road the two will find adventures, people, and lessons beyond their wildest dreams.

Target Readers:

  • Fantasy Quest Fans, Asian Fantasy Fans, Adventure Fans, Moral Reform Story Fans, Inspirational Story Fans, Animal Lovers, Slightly Zany Humor Fans, Middle Grade Readers


The Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia C. Wrede
If you like unconventional princesses, fantasy quests, light mysteries, humorous characters, unpredictable magical forests, and splendid writing you need to venture into the Enchanted Forest. This is my go to re-read fantasy series and contains my favorite princess and dragon characters of all time. If I’m reading something dark and heavy, I’ll sneak in chapters of these books to lighten my day. The first book starts with Cimorene, a princess who’d rather learn swordcraft and negotiation tactics than etiquette and dancing. She runs away and volunteers to be Kazul the dragon’s princess. (It’s very vogue for princesses to be captured by dragons. Not so vogue to volunteer, though.) Cimorene cooks and organizes Kazul’s library (and turns away would-be-rescuer princes), while Kazul provides good friendship and a little mystery involving the unfriendly but mostly inept wizards for Cimorene to solve.

Target Readers:

  • Cozy Fantasy Fans, Humor Fans, Strong Princess Fans, Dragon Lovers, Middle Grade Readers


Galaxy Zack series by Ray O’Ryan, ill. by Jack Colin & Jason Kraft
Zack is not excited about moving to Nebulon. He is afraid it'll be a horrible place and he won't have any friends. Will Nebulon live up to Zack's worst fears or does is it about to surprise him?
Zack’s series has him deal with moving, making new friends and keeping old ones, understanding new cultures, and adventuring in new places. I love this series for the way it blends fun scifi adventures with third culture kid experiences like negotiating a new culture and enjoying a new home while not feeling like a traitor to your old home. There are currently 17 books in this series. There are a lot of illustrations in these books but you don’t have to share them to get the story.

Target Readers:

  • Scifi Fans, Third Culture Kids, Adventure Fans, Relatable Reads, Lower Grade Readers


Hamster Princess series by Ursula Vernon
Harriet Hamsterbone's parents forgot to invite the evil fairy to her christening, and so, as expected, she's been cursed to prick her hand on a hamster wheel on her 12th birthday. When her parents finally tell Harriet about the curse when she's ten it backfires as Harriet realizes that if she can't thwart the curse, she's also invincible till she turns twelve. So off Harriet goes to fight ogres and join jousting tournaments and go cliff diving, while her parents start searching for a prince to break the curse. Harriet returns home for her 12th birthday and manages to foil the evil fairy, but manages to still put everyone else in the castle to sleep until she can find a prince to help her break the curse. Harriet finds it's a little hard to find a prince willing to help out a princess who isn't typically princessy, but eventually she finds the right guy. She just has to rescue him first. Her adventures continue from here with 5 other fractured fairytales in which Princess Harriet comes to the rescue (or tries to) with the help of her faithful quail and best friend.

Target Readers:

  • Fractured Fairytale Fans, Humor Fans, Strong Princess Fans, Adventure Fans, Reluctant Readers, Middle Grade Readers


How to Tame a Triceratops by Will Dare
Josh desperately wants to win the Founders Day Race, but the only racing dino he has is the family’s herder for their iguanadons, Plodder. And Plodder is anything but fast in his old age. When his parents send him to town to get a new herder, Josh decides to get a dino worthy of racing in the Founders Day Race, a triceratops. But Josh was tricked. Charger is the most untrainable triceratops in the West. Will he ever get to become a famous dino racer? If kids like this one, there are 5 other books in this series.

Target Readers:

  • Dinosaur Lovers, Scifi Fans, Western Fans, Adventure Fans, Lower Grade Readers


Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
Aven was born without arms, but she doesn't let that stop her (with the loving but firm encouragement from her adopted parents). She can get dressed by herself, eat meals, do her own hair, and even play the guitar. She's had a great group of friends at her school in Kansas who love her for her and see her as Aven, not the girl without arms. However, her family is moving to Arizona so her dad can be the manager for a Western theme park and Aven isn't thrilled with the idea of starting over at a new school in middle school. In her quest for a non-awkward lunch period, Aven meets fellow misfits Connor and Zion. Connor has Tourette syndrome and one of his tics is that he barks which can get really misunderstood. Zion struggles with his weight. The three of them form a bond, forged by the ability to see each other and not their quirks. It is still hard, though, even with friends. While each of them figures out how to do this thing called life and survive the other inhabitants of the planet, Aven pulls the guys into figuring out the mystery of why the owners of the Stagecoach Pass never show up in person and all photos of them have disappeared. Does the locked up building with seven no trespassing signs have any answers? A sequel to this book just came out this year and I can’t wait for the copy I ordered for our library to arrive!

Target Readers:

  • Fans of Books That Build Empathy, Inspirational Book Fans, Feel-Good Story Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Mystery Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Adopted Family Story Fans, Middle Grade Fiction


The Life of Zarf series by Rob Harrell
Zarf is a troll. Trolls aren't exactly the most popular of creatures, but Zarf manages to have some friends. There's Chester the human training to be a jester...except he really isn't that funny. And Kevin Littlepig, who is a pig, and a bit of an extreme worry wart. So the King of the country manages to get himself captured by Snuffweasels and his son takes over as king, which is really bad news because Zarf just tackled the prince in a moment of lost cool. Anyway, Zarf ends up in the dungeon, but he realizes the Prince is totally incompetent and somebody has to rescue the King. So, thanks to the help of the school lunch lady, he breaks out, gathers his friends (and a guy he found in the dungeon), and is off to save the kingdom. Or just try to survive the woods. Whichever seems most important. In the 2nd book Zarf and friends must handle a wolf invasion, and in the 3rd book Zarf has to rescue his Gramps and the Prince from and ill-conceived boating trip. All three are quite humorous fractured fairytale adventures with a relatable and unexpected hero.

Target Readers:

  • Fractured Fairytale Fans, Humor Fans, Reluctant Readers, Adventure Fans, Fantasy Fans, Middle Grade Readers


Missy Piggle-Wiggle series based on the characters created by Betty MacDonald, written by Ann M. Martin with Annie Parnell, ill. by Ben Hatke
Missy Piggle-Wiggle gets a letter from her great-aunt Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle asking her to come and fill in at the upside-down house while Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle goes out hunting for her pirate husband. Missy is quite familiar with the house, the animals, and the Piggle-Wiggle magic having spent her summers there developing her own magic. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle asked Missy to start with the Freeforall family. In her indomitable way, Missy manages to win the children's trust and then work on changing their bad habits. Of course, the Freeforalls are not the only family in the neighborhood that could use some help, and Missy finds her days quite fulfilling and full. Just as good as the original Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books, but a little easier for modern children to grasp. There are currently three books in the Missy Piggle-Wiggle series.

Target Readers:

  • Inspirational Story Fans, Light Fantasy Fans, Relatable Kids Fans, Middle Grade Readers 


Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series by Chris Grabenstein
Alexandriaville, OH is getting a new public library, thanks to the generous funding of hometown game designing legend, Luigi Lemoncello. Twelve twelve year olds who win an essay contest will be the lucky people to get to enter the new library first, and they don't just get to visit, they get to spend the night. The evening proves to be everything the children could have hoped for with fun games galore, but in the morning when they go to leave they find the library's front door locked. It turns out, Mr. Lemoncello has one more, rather elaborate game in store for the children who are game, with a grand prize of lots of money and becoming the future star in Mr. Lemoncello's commercials. Some of the children are in it for the fun of Mr. Lemoncello's games, some are in it as a matter of pride, and some are just plain desperate for the fame and fortune. The game is to figure out how to get out of the library without using the front door and without setting off any alarms. There are clues all over the place for the observant to find, but figuring the way out will be tricky. There are currently four books in this series with a promised 5th book, Mr. Lemoncello and the Titanium Ticket, coming out in 2020. All of them involve contests that require puzzle solving, research, and negotiating interpersonal relationships.

Target Readers:

  • Puzzle Fans, Mystery Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Very Light Fantasy Fans (some of the tech in Mr. Lemoncello’s library is not realistic), Middle Grade Readers


Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater, ill. by Robert Lawson
The classic children's story about a family who welcome a group of penguins into their home. Parents and grandparents who loved this book as a child can share the penguin love with the next generation. The antics of Mr. Popper to make his penguins welcome and the accommodations his family must make never fail to entertain.

Target Readers:

  • Penguin Lovers, Humor Fans, Award Winner Readers, Parents Wanting to Share Their Childhood Favorites, Middle Grade Readers


My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett, ill. by Ruth Chrisman Gannett
Elmer and a cat set off to rescue a baby dragon with only the items in Elmer’s pack. Another one that will give many parents a chance to share a book they read as a child. If kids enjoy this one, there are two more books in the series.

Target Readers:

  • Kids Practicing Their Reading Prediction Skills, Fantasy Quest Fans, Award Winner Readers, Dragon Lovers, Lower Grade Readers


The Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall
This series about a family of sisters and their everyday adventures as they grow up feels like an old classic but the series was just written in the past 15 years. There are now five books in the series and the author says it is now complete.

Target Readers:

  • Nostalgic Book Fans, Sibling Story Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Middle Grade Readers


Recipe for Adventure series by Giada de Laurentiis, ill. by Francesca Gambatesa
Alfie and Emilia are tasting their Aunt Zia's zeppole when they suddenly find themselves in Naples, Italy, the city their parents were originally from. They get involved in a pizza contest and helping their new friend Marco and his family prepare while trying to avoid spies who would steal their recipe. The other 6 books see the siblings visit all sorts of other locations around the world after tasting their Aunt Zia’s cooking.

Target Readers:
Foodies, Adventure Fans, Virtual Travelers, Sibling Story Fans, Light Fantasy Fans, Lower Grade Readers


A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
Felicity Pickle is not like most other kids. For one thing, she collects words. They appear all over the place for her, hovering over people, in the falling rain, and she snatches them up to be savored. She shares the words with her little sister in poems sometimes, but whenever she tries to share them with bigger crowds her tongue shuts down. Felicity also is different because she's never lived anywhere longer than a year. Her Mama is a wandering soul, and the Pickles regularly relocate. Seeing the world is wonderful and all, but Felicity kinda sorta hopes that just maybe Midnight Gulch could be home for a while. Especially since Midnight Gulch is supposed to have remnants of magic in it. If the Pickles are to set down roots somewhere, it might as well be a place with magic. And it might as well be a place with family, history, and best friends. But is the magic of Midnight Gulch enough to overcome Felicity's tongue-tiedness or settle Mama's wandering soul? Mixed in with Felicity's story, is the mysterious town Beedle, an unknown person who has been doing random acts of kindness for the past 50 years. There's also the locally-made ice cream. And the legend of the brothers Threadbare, whose famous duel was the end of the magic in Midnight Gulch.

Target Readers:

  • Inspirational Story Fans, Feel-Good Story Fans, Light Fantasy Fans, Ice Cream Lovers, Beautiful Language Savorers (Lloyd’s writing is quite lyrical), Middle Grade Readers


The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt
J'Miah and Bingo are raccoon Scouts of the Sugar Man Swamp. Their mission is to keep an ear tuned to any messages from the Voice and wake up the Sugar Man (cousin of Big Foot and the Yeti) if the swamp is in danger. Soon enough there are some strange rumblings in the swamp and once the Scouts find out the cause they know they have to wake up the Sugar Man. The thing is, the Sugar Man has to be approached and woken just right or he can be a bit testy (and so can his pet gigantic rattle snake, Gertrude).
Meanwhile, Chap Brayburn is having a rough week. His Grandpa Audie just died, and Chap and his mama don't know if they can keep Audie's pie shop open. Sony Beaucamp, who pretty much owns the entire swamp, is about to close down the Brayburn shop and most of the rest of the swamp to open up an Alligator wrestling show and amusement park. Sony has said that Chap needs a boatload of cash to save the pie shop, which is about as likely as the legendary Sugar Man showing up or pigs flying. Chap is wracking his brains trying to figure out a way to save the shop and the swamp that Audie loved.

Target Readers:

  • Fans of Atmospheric Reads, Animal Lovers, Folklore/Fantasy Fans, Adventure Fans, Middle Grade Readers


The Vanderbeekers series by Karina Yan Glaser
With just days till Christmas, the Vanderbeekers' reclusive and grumpy landlord Mr. Beiderman has given them notice in the first book that he's not renewing their lease next year and they need to find a new home by January 1. The five Vanderbeeker children are heartbroken. They love their home, they know everyone in the neighborhood, and some of the other residents in their brownstone are more like family than just friends. How can they leave the place they've grown up in the past six years? Something must be done. So the kids start brainstorming how they can convince a man they really don't know and have practically never seen to let them stay. If your family enjoys this book, there are now 2 more books in this series featuring further adventures of the Vanderbeeker kids. I can't wait to read #3 which just came out.

Target Readers:

  • Contemporary Fiction Fans, Sibling Story Fans, Feel-Good Story Fans, Christmas Story Fans, New York City Fans, Middle Grade Readers


Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
Minli is a girl in a drab, muddy town of poor rice farmers who can barely scrape by an existence under the shadow of the Fruitless Mountain. The only bright spot in Minli's days are the stories that her father tells her. Hoping to change her family's fortune, and with the encouragement and advice of a grateful goldfish, Minli sets out to go ask the Old Man of the Moon how that can be done. Along the way, Minli meets a lonely dragon who decides to travel with her and ask the Old Man of the Moon why he cannot fly. Minli and Dragon meet some challenges and some friends along their journey, and through the folk stories told to them by various people (which more often than not turn out to be more than just stories) they discover some important lessons about thankfulness, unselfishness and the dangers of greed and discontent.

Target Readers:

  • Fantasy Quest Fans, Inspirational Story Fans, Feel-Good Story Fans, Asian Folklore Fans, Adventure Fans, Award Winner Readers, Middle Grade Readers


The Wild Robot series by Peter Brown
One day, a hurricane sinks a cargo ship carrying robots fresh from the factory. One robot's crate is washed onto an island and some playful otters accidentally turn her on. Roz meanders the island figuring out how to survive and where she is. Most of the creatures fear her as a monster. Over time, Roz's careful observations allow her to catch on to the language of the animals and she starts to communicate. They still fear her. When an accident happens while Roz is climbing, an entire family of geese is accidentally killed except for one egg. Roz takes care of the egg since she was responsible for the accident, and soon finds herself the mother to a little goose dubbed Brightbill. Roz's care of Brightbill helps other animals realize that Roz isn't so bad, and soon Roz finds herself with a whole island of friends. She helps them as best she can, and they in turn help her. The island is a better place for the arrival of Roz, until one day other robots come to the island to retrieve Roz and take her back to the factory. In the second book Roz finds herself in a new place and must figure out how to get back to the island. Roz is definitely the sweetest, kindest robot you’ll come across.

Target Readers:

  • Feel-Good Story Fans, Robot Fans, Light Scifi Fans, Survival Story Fans, Animal Lovers, Reluctant Readers, Middle Grade Readers


Wishtree by Katherine Applegate, ill. by Charles Stanoso
Red is an old oak tree. She's been in her spot hundreds of years, and witnessed many things both amazing and heartbreaking. Every year around May for many, many years locals have hung their wishes on her. Wishes both silly and 100% serious. Red can talk, but it is a solemn secret, known only by other trees and animals. But when she thinks her time is drawing short, and a little girl living under her shade, who visits her and the animals who live in her branches nightly, makes a heartbreaking wish Red thinks she can make come true, she breaks her solemn silence.
Applegate’s The One and Only Ivan is also a fantastic read aloud.

Target Readers:

  • Light Fantasy Fans, Tree Lovers, Animal Lovers, Inspirational Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers


Wonder by R.J. Palacio
The story about a deformed 10 year old and how a year in 5th grade changes him, his family, and his entire class.

Target Readers:

  • Contemporary Fiction Fans, Fans of Books That Build Empathy, Inspirational Story Fans, Feel-Good Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers


Zorgamazoo by Robert Paul Weston
Morty, a reporter zorgle who ends up chosen to go on a quest to find the missing zorgles of Zorgamazoo. Sounds great, right? But Morty feels a bit in over his head. That adventuring stuff is something his Dad did, it’s not really his thing. Katrina Katrell is all for adventure, which is a good thing because she is forced into running away from her guardian when Mrs. Krabone decides Katrina’s imaginative brain must be stopped with some good ol’ brain surgery by the lobotomy doc. Katrina gets away from Mrs. Krabone only to fall into the clutches of an unfriendly street gang. It’s looking quite bad for her until Morty stumbles in and saves the day. It’s only right that Katrina should then help Morty on his quest. So the two of them set off for Zorgamazoo and find plenty of adventures awaiting them. This entire chapter book is written in rhyme!

Target Readers:

  • Mystery Fans, Rhyming Fans, Epic Poem Fans, Fantasy Fans, Adventure Fans, Middle Grade Readers