Pay Attention, Carter Jones

If you only read one book this year.....oh my goodness! I know it's for our Juvenile readers, but it is SO good for your heart that I think ALL ages should read it! Schmidt is a master and he's done it again! I laughed out loud and shed a few tears - and I daresay you will too!

The League and the Lantern

Are you looking for a new read for your middle school readers?  I may have been introduced to JUST the thing!  Brian Wells' brand new novel, The League and the Lantern, is sure to capture readers - boys and girls alike.  This is a riveting, fast-paced novel that starts with a seventh-grade sleepover gone bad and how Jake and his friends must figure out a mystery dating back to the Civil War.  I thought this was fabulous!  It will be one I recommend to my boy readers who are struggling to find a good read - but also to girls who just want a fast-paced mystery.  It is clean and one they will be able to conquer.

It is also an amazing kick-starter campaign story that reached it's $10,000 goal in under four hours!  That says a lot about this book and the need for it!  Another thing I so loved about this story and author is that for every book ordered off of their website, LeagueandLantern.com, a hardcover book will also be donated to a child who could otherwise not afford one - all affirming the book's goal to show kids lessons in mercy, compassion, and charity through the story.

Do not miss this new novel - aimed at middle school readers - but one that will resonate with SO many readers!



 *I was sent a copy of the book by the publisher for an honest review on my blog.

Red Butterfly

There are some stories that are SO tender that you finish them and want to pick it up and start over.  That is what A. L. Sonnichensen's Red Butterfly was to me.  It is a very touching story of Kara - a baby abandoned at birth and taken in by an american woman living in China.  What we find out a ways into the story is that Kara's "mama" is not legally in China and Kara has never been officially adopted.  Kara is immediately taken away, at age 11, and sent to an orphanage to start over with her life.  Her emotions are tender and raw and her anger and hurt is real.  When another family, from Florida, is chosen to be her new family, Kara doesn't desire to be a part of their family and her confusion and frustration are so real that I ached right along with her.  The novel is told in prose and I loved literally EVERYTHING about it - tender, touching and oh so wonderful!

 

Wonder

I had a highly-respected reading friend suggest the book, Wonder by R. J. Palacio.  So I promptly got a copy and began reading - and thus begins a wonderful story.  I can hardly even relay how strongly I feel about this book - it hit me as a mom, it struck strong cords as a friend, and it moved me deeply on a human level in general.  This is the powerful story of August Pullman, a fifth grade boy born with a severe facial deformity, who is just trying to make his way through middle school - just like all the other kids.  However, his way through school is not at all easy - which can be normal for all kids - but even worse when you look like an "orc".  My heart ached for August as he tried to be like all the other kids - but he was very rarely accepted for who he really was.  What you do come to see through a few close friends, are strong friendships that are based on looking beyond the outward and looking inside to see who our friends REALLY are.  I just LOVE this book - and feel so strongly that I even think it should be required reading in middle school!  I mean that - let's see each other and how we are alike - not how we are different - let's see each other's hearts!

The Moon Over High Street

I do not think I have ever read a Natalie Babbitt book that I did not like - and her latest, The Moon Over High Street, is no exception!  I loved everything about this book - at first I was copying quotes like crazy - there were just hints of wisdom all over in this junior fiction novel.  So I gave up copying all of my inspiring quotes and just sat back and read.  It was wonderful - it is the touching story of Joe, a young teen boy, with almost no family left to raise him.  His Grandma and Aunt take over the responsibility and Joe thrives under their care.  But when a stranger, Mr. Boulderwall, offers to take him under his wing and raise him and give him an opulent lifestyle, Joe must make an important decision.  I thought the story was brilliant and one our young readers will enjoy but SO WILL ADULTS - there is just so much to love about this touching tale!


*I was sent a copy by the publisher for review purposes.

Moon Over Manifest

Last year's Newbery Award totally escaped me - I hadn't heard of it or read it for that matter.  So - I just recently got a copy and read it and LOVED it.  Talk about fun - Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool is truly a feast for book lovers - it has a little of everything - mystery, family, quirky characters, prejudice, friendship, humor - and all superbly well-written.  I felt like I lived in Manifest and really KNEW these characters.  The main character, Abilene Tucker is a guaranteed pleaser - she is sweet, innocent, and totally likable.  The friends she meets in the town of Manifest are brilliant and all add to her growth in life - some good, some bad!  You can't miss Abilene's journey down the "Path to Perdition" and Miss Sadie as she pays off her debt - that is how she learns much about her past and begins to also start her new future.

Escape Under the Forever Sky

Here is a new author that you don't want to miss! For our younger readers (3rd-6th or Junior High), Eve Yohalem has written, Escape Under the Forever Sky. A wonderful story written about a U.S. Ambassador's daughter that goes with her parents to Ethiopia to live while her mother serves as Ambassador there. Lucy, age 13, has many encounters while she is there, not the least of which is being kidnapped and held for ransom. That is when the story takes an exciting turn and you travel with Lucy as she tries to escape and find safety. This really is a fun book - it is a riveting ride that keeps you going right to the very end!

*I was sent a copy of this book by the publisher for review purposes.

The Christmas Village

I want to introduce you to a book that is sure to be holiday pleaser!! I do not find many chapter books with the Christmas theme so I was pleased when I was sent this book. Melissa Ann Goodwin's The Christmas Village is a book I know our younger readers will enjoy! It is the story of Jamie Reynolds - a boy going through a tough time at home with his family - but when he goes to his Grandma's house for the holidays, he is transported to a new world through the little Christmas Village set up in his grandparent's home. I loved this - it is well-written and keeps you reading to find out what will happen. Life isn't always "wonderful" but I love how this author uses stories to transport the reader to another world and show how sometimes that can be therapy for us all!!





*I was sent a copy for review purposes.

The Always War

Margaret Peterson Haddix has written some excellent books for our junior high and teen readers - her latest, The Always War, is no exception. Haddix is famous for drawing you in on the first page and that is exactly what she did again. This futuristic novel is set in the war-torn United States - it is very intriguing - you get a glimpse of what war might look like in the future. I had not thought of how the fighting might look in the future - it was interesting - and brought up many questions. This would be a great book discussion book - HIGHLY recommend it!



*I was sent an Advance Review Copy for review purposes.

A Dog's Way Home

Are you a dog lover? Have you ever had a dog that was your best buddy? Have you ever lost a dog and it nearly tore you apart?? Then Bobbie Pyron's A Dog's Way Home will surely touch a chord with you. This is a delightful book that will resound with every dog-lover out there. It is a novel that our junior middle age readers will certainly enjoy. The story is tender and sometimes even hard to read for those of us that have a soft spot for dogs, but SO worth the read. Pyron has captured it - the love we can develop for a dog is one that can not be matched!! Join in on Abby's story as she loses her best friend and dog, Tam - the story that takes up after that loss is surely to be savored over and over. We get to see Abby's struggle as she hopes and waits for Tam to return home and we see Tam's story as he tries to survive in a cruel wilderness. Wonderful chapter book for our 3rd-6th grade readers!

I am also hosting a GIVEAWAY by the same author!!! The Ring, her young adult novel, is available here and all you have to do is leave a comment!!! For extra entries - share this on Facebook and/or Twitter and leave a comment letting me know you did that! I will use Random Generator to choose a winner a week from today, Wednesday, October 26.

*I was sent a copy for review purposes by the publisher.

The Curse of Captain La Foote

Ahoy yea Mateys - here is a book that you land-lubbers are sure to enjoy! Eddie Jones' The Curse of Captain LaFoote is a new book on the market that I will be sure and share with my male readers! Because yes, I am always on the lookout for boy lit! This is a young adult/tween novel that starts off in the very beginning with a fire that burns down an apartment building and quickly turns to a novel where the main character, Ricky, is thrust into the creek while saving a dog and dies and then becomes a novel where Ricky is given a choice - return to his former life or become a sailor on the high seas. He chooses the new life on the high seas and his real adventures begin. What a fun story - full of adventure and excitement! I do think it will be a pleaser - for boys and girls - and it's a great novel by Jones for the world of teen lit.




AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Tell us about The Curse of Captain LaFoote.
EDDIE: When my boys were young, I'd tell pirate stores on the bow of our sailboat. The lead character was Captain Stinky Foot. Captain Stinky Foot was named after my youngest son. If you've ever spent any time on a boat in August with a crew of unwashed young males then this needs no further explanation. I've always been fascinated by the stories of boys snatched away from London and Bristol and forced to serve before the mast. Seems to me life at sea was more fun than peeling potatoes. And more dangerous.

So The Curse of Captain LaFoote is a pirate tale awash in buried treasure, romance and dead men's bones. The truth is, this book and the ones that follow in the Caribbean Chronicle series are love stories. For Ricky Bradshaw, the hero of the book, the story is a quest to find his father, soul mate, and purpose in life.

What is your lead’s wound?
EDDIE: A friend suggested that I let my lead have epilepsy. She said when she has an episode she sort of zones out—like daydreaming except she can’t stop it. She also said she knows when it’s about to happen. That she smells something like burning wires. So I gave Ricky epilepsy and finished the story.

It wasn’t until much later that I realized the book had a larger purpose. I met another woman at a writer’s conference whose son has epilepsy. During the conference, her son suffered a seizure — the first one he’d ever had without his mother present. The look on her face that morning convinced me that Ricky Bradshaw could be a champion for those suffering from epilepsy.

It’s not cancer or heart disease but over three million Americans live with epilepsy. If the sale of this book can raise awareness, then the book has done its job. For each book sold, the publisher and I will donate “a few pieces of eight” — half a sandy dollar — to the foundation’s Heroes Among Us program. Our goal is to raise ten thousand dollars in honor of Ricky Bradshaw.

What is the spiritual message in your book?
EDDIE: That courage cost. Near the end of the book Ricky has the chance to go back to his old life. We get to do the same thing, go back to our old way of doing things. But Christ says there is a cost for doing the right thing. Ricky faces that choice.

What takeaway value do you hope readers receive after reading this novel?
EDDIE: There are a lot of other deep and important themes explored in the book too. Things like what the poop deck is and why cruise ships no longer use them, the secrets inside Davy Jones' locker, and why you shouldn't walk downwind of a pirate who's just eaten turtle soup.

Seriously, my goal in writing this book was to spur the imagination of young readers. Boys especially. I wanted to create within them a desire to read and set sail for a life of adventure, wherever that journey may take them. Even now I can see Ricky standing on the sugar-white sands of that island just south of Hispaniola. I am that boy. And so are a lot of other boys.

And there is a Grand Prize Package with this blog tour!!!
To enter just leave a comment on this post. To gain extra entries:

1 - Tweet it and then come back and leave a comment.

2 - Join In The Pages Facebook Page and come back and leave a comment that you did join.

3 - Post about it on Facebook and come back and leave a comment.

******************Grand Prize Giveaway
All you need for a PIRATE PARY!
• 8 invitations
• 8 - 9" party plates
• 8 - 9-oz. cups
• 16 luncheon napkins
• 16 pc. blue cutlery set
• 1 red plastic table cover
• 2 rolls of streamers, 1 blue and 1 red
• 12 each of blue and red balloons
• 2 pkgs. of confetti, 1 blue and 1 orange
• 4 yds. deluxe creepy cloth
• 12 pirate swords with eye patch
• 72 pirate tattoos
• 8 dessert plates
• 16 beverage napkins
• 8 treasure chest-shaped filled treat boxes
• 1 10 ft. pennant
• 12 child-size pirate hats
• 1 photo door banner
• 1 piñata and toy & candy asst.

Winners will be chosen on June 3.

*I was sent a copy of this book for review purposes.

Okay for Now

When I say Gary Schmidt - I hope you smile!! If you are clueless, then I say - GET ON BOARD! He is a fabulous author that has captured me with every book he has written! I pass them along to my boys and they love him as well. DO NOT MISS THIS AUTHOR!!! (I would say it louder if I could, but this will have to do!)

His latest title, Okay for Now, kept me laughing and crying - he really is quite an author! This is the story of Doug Swieteck, who we first saw in The Wednesday Wars. You certainly do not have to read Wednesday Wars to know what is going on in this book - they are both stand-alones. (But if you do not read Wednesday Wars in your lifetime - that would be a horrible sadness!!) Doug's life is not an easy one - his father is a total loser of a father - he is abusive and mean. His mom tries hard to be a tender mom, but she seems powerless in the face of his father. And then his brother, seems to be taking after his father - mean and abusive as well. And another brother that is in Vietnam fighting and returns home - to teach us all the realities of what happened to many of our vets when they returned home, scarred and sad.

So that leaves Doug on his own, trying to get through school with some teachers that are even against him. His bright spots seem to be Lil, his adorable girlfriend that is just the sweetest character in this novel, and the customers that he delivers food to each Saturday - yes, even dear Mrs. Windmere! I could go on and on on this one - I will just say - it resounds with readers - you find yourself laughing along, shaking your head "yes" - because you just "get it." OH, and I almost forgot - I loved the WONDERFUL bird-theme in this one as well!! I love everything about it and I will sing Schmidt's praises until I rest in my grave - he is a master storyteller!!

Cahoots

I have said it before - LOVE Aldo Zelnick!! This screams "boys" and I cheer whole-heartedly when I see a wonderful series that boys will enjoy!!! If you've missed it before - the Aldo Zelnick series is a comic novel series based on the alphabet. It is geared to our kids ages 7-13 and it is just the right size for our readers that may be daunted by larger chapter books. It follows the adventures of 10 year old, Aldo Zelnick, and this particular installment, Cahoots, focuses on the family summer vacation spent visiting relatives on a small farm in Minnesota. Yep, Aldo still hates physical activity but loves bacon - he hasn't changed a bit!! I love how new vocabulary is introduced in these books - they sneak it right in and kids just read it and never know they are learning excellent vocabulary words at the same time!! You will laugh out loud - I guarantee it - the books are THAT funny. AND it is reminiscent of the Wimpy Kid series format so I really can not say it enough - this will be a hit with those readers. Watch in the fall for the next title, Dumbstruck!


*I was provided a copy for review purposes by the publisher.

Classic Horse Stories

What more can I say about this wonderful title? Classic Horse Stories compiled by Christina Rossetti Darling and Blue Lantern Studio will be a favorite of all of you horse fans. My daughter saw it lying here and said, "Oh mom, can that be mine??" Yes - it is a superb compilation that horse lovers are sure to enjoy - shortened versions of Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, C.S. Lewis' The Horse and His Boy, and poetry as well - all illustrated with that classic look that brings back such fond memories! Thank you, Chronicle Books, for finding this gem!!

*I was provided a copy for review by Chronicle Books.

Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman

Francesca Simon's Horrid Henry series continues to be a big hit here at our library. So her latest, Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman is sure to be another that we can't keep on our shelves! Henry is just quite the kid - he is full of energy and fun - and our young readers can't seem to resist him! My favorite chapter in this book?? "Horrid Henry's Author Visit!!" Yep, it's a good one!!

This is a series that boys respond to and it makes them laugh - just what we want!!! (Well, girls like it too, but I love it when I can get a boy wanting more of a series!!) Don't miss her latest release!

*I was provided a copy for review by the publisher.

Touch blue

I have been a fan of Cynthia Lord since Rules - Touch blue, her latest, did not disappoint!! Lord places a strong emphasis on family in her novels - and I think that is just "key" for our readers. I suggest her books liberally to our younger readers - and even some older ones too - they are loved by all ages.

Touch blue is the story of families that live on an island - an island that may have to close its school because their numbers of children are WAY down. SO, a plan is devised for families to foster children from the mainland in order to raise their numbers and save their school. We follow the Brooks' family as they bring in a 13 year old boy, Aaron. It is so tender - it is a great picture of the foster care system and the positives and negatives. It is honest and humorous all at the same time. Cynthia Lord is magnificent!!!

Bubba Goes National

I love blog tours - always a chance to find a new author - and this one is a good one! Jennifer Walker has written Bubba Goes National. I think our middle school readers are going to really enjoy this one - it is all about horses. We find it hard to locate new, strong, horse fiction AND a little budding romance thrown in. I think our young teens will like it. Here is what has been said about the book:

Thirteen-year-old Leslie Clark has loved horses for as long as she can remember and has been riding since she was six. Although her widowed father cannot afford to give her everything she desires, she works hard to get what she wants. When what she wants, a great horse to show, is taken right out from under her by her rival, Kate Wellesley, Leslie thinks her whole world has been turned upside down--until she finds Lucky (nicknamed Bubba by her father, who thinks he is funny). Then, everything changes.

Readers of Bubba Goes National will be touched by an inspiring story, but they will also learn about the care and showing of horses while they read about Leslie's adventures. Sandwiched in is a lesson that if one is willing to work hard, they can make their dreams come true. Bubba Goes National is the first of the Riders of Green Meadowseries, which will showcase horses that are unwanted by one person but are another's dream come true.

It's true - it's a good read, one I really think our young teens will go for! My only complaint - SO many kids are turned on or off by covers - I wish this one was stronger. I will really have to "sell" it without the cover!!! It's also Book One in a series - I'm excited about that - a horse series that I think our girls will be excited about.

**I was sent a copy for review by Pump Up Your Book.

Wild Soccer Bunch

I am excited to tell my "younger sports readers" about a new series I was introduced to. The Wild Soccer Bunch by Joachim Masannek is a fun ride for kids that enjoy soccer. Masannek was a soccer coach, himself, so he knows the thrills that can go along with kids' soccer teams. I know my younger readers will enjoy this new series - even the girls - because Masannek has purposely incorporated girls on his team as well! Fun books - AND a fun website to go along - visit WildSoccer and learn more.

*I was furnished a copy for review purposes by Impress Media.

Word After Word After Word

Patricia MacLachlan has done it again! That is about all I would have to say and then close my post, but I'll continue just so that you TRULY make time to read it!! Word After Word After Word is in one word, DELIGHTFUL!! This story is not just for our young readers - this is one that you can read to teens AND adults - it focuses on writing and writing skills - so if that is your audience - you've got a whole writing curriculum right here! Told from the perspective of a group of 4th Graders - you get the inside scoop when Ms. Mirabel, a famous author, comes to share her thoughts on writing. Just don't miss this one - it is truly for ALL ages and so worth the quick read!

Take Me With You

Carolyn Marsden's Take Me With You is such a great read. It is written for the Junior High age reader - a touching story of two girls that have lived in an orphanage in Italy for as long as they can remember. Their stories and reasons why they are there are completely different, but they become fast friends. When Susanna's dad comes to claim her, that lives Pina dealing with her feelings of being left behind. It is really a sad story - of how the girls were treated while in orphanage care and even the parents' reasons for abandoning their daughters. But through it all, the girls come to learn about identity and what it really means to have a home. Marsden shines in this novel - you come to feel for these girls and the tough lives they have to live. The story is actually based on a friend of Marsden's that grew up in a home for unwanted girls in Naples - it is one that will stick with readers for some time!