Middle-Grade Review: We the Children

My 12-year old son is a big fan of Andrew Clements, so we were excited to hear he had recently published the first book of a new mystery series, Benjamin Pratt & The Keepers of the School: We the Children.  My sons and I listened to it on audio during a trip last weekend to visit cousins.  We all enjoyed the suspenseful tale.

Benjamin Pratt lives in a seaside town and is trying to adjust to his parents’ recent separation.  He lives half the time with his mom and half the time on his dad’s sailboat, moored in the harbor.  He wasn’t too concerned with the town’s plan to bulldoze his historic old school to make room for an amusement park, until the old janitor at school entrusts him with a secret and tells him he needs to protect the school.

As Ben and his friend Jill investigate the development plans, they discover things that certain people don’t want discovered and find themselves in possible danger.  They work together to come up with a plan to save the school, with the help of some very old clues left by the school’s original builder, Captain Oakes, in 1783.  Meanwhile, Ben gets ready for his first solo sailing race.

We all liked the book very much.  It’s an original story, with plenty of mystery and suspense set in an historical context.  My sons love sailing, so they especially liked those parts.  My one disappointment was that it felt like it ended in the middle of the story.  I prefer series where each book can stand on its own.  I guess we’ll just have to wait for book 2 to come out (September 2010).

Simon & Schuster Audio

Read by Keith Nobbs

 

It's Monday 3/29! What Are You Reading?

Very busy here lately.  I spent last week working on a writing assignment (hardly any time at all for blog reading!), and this week, we'll all be rushing around getting ready for our spring break trip - we're driving down to Louisiana with our camper to visit Cajun country and New Orleans.  My husband and I used to live in New Orleans, so it's a very special place to us.  We took our sons there a couple of years ago, and they fell in love with it, too!

Jamie, my 15-year old son, had a bad flare-up of his chronic illness last week and spent 5 long days on the couch.  He watched a lot of movies but also read some good books:

• Jamie finished Sharp North, a chilling novel about a future in which wealthy people keep clones of themselves.  He says it was excellent, so I've added it to my own waiting-to-be-read stack (which is overflowing my bookcase!).
• Jamie also read The Seven Rays by Jessica Bendinger, a spooky teen novel about a girl who can suddenly see people's secrets, dreams, and pasts when she looks at them.  This one sounds good, too!
• Craig, 12, is reading another Hardy Boys book, The Bombay Boomerang - he loves these fast-paced mysteries, just like I loved Nancy Drew when I was his age!
• I finished Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten.  I really liked this suspenseful teen thriller.  You can read my full review here.
• I also read an adult novel, I Was Amelia Earhart by Jane Mendelsohn, for my library book discussion.  It's a fictional story about what might have happened to Amelia Earhart when she disappeared.  It's a beautifully written, almost poetic, novel that would also be appropriate for older teens and young adults.
• I just started a middle-grade mystery, Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars: In Search of Watson by Tracy Mack and Michael Citrin.  Jamie has read other books in this series and recommended them; they're stories about a group of street urchins who helped Sherlock Holmes solve his mysteries.  I'm not sure I've ever read a Sherlock Holmes story myself, but Jamie is a big fan.  A couple of years ago, he read our huge Sherlock Holmes anthology (encyclopedia-sized!) from cover to cover.
• Finally, on a trip to visit cousins last week, the boys and I listened to a new audio book by Andrew Clements, Benjamin Pratt & The Keepers of the School: We the Children, a mystery about a couple of kids who want to save their historic school from being torn down to make room for an amusement park.  We all really liked it; our only disappointment was that, like so many new series now, it seemed to end right in the middle of the story!  I prefer series where each book can stand on its own.

So, lots of good books last week, and a very busy week coming up.

What are you and your family reading?

(What are you reading Mondays are hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books).

Teen/YA Review: Wherever Nina Lies

Lynn Weingarten’s first novel, Wherever Nina Lies, is mystery, thriller, and romance all rolled into one. I really enjoyed this compelling, original story about a sixteen-year old girl on a mission to find her missing older sister.

It’s been two years since Ellie’s beautiful, creative sister Nina disappeared. Nina was a free spirit and seldom at home anymore, but this time, she didn’t return at all. Ellie and her mother have no idea what happened to her or where she is, but Ellie can’t forget her sister and “move on,” as people are always telling her to.

One afternoon, sifting through boxes of donated junk at the store where her best friend, Amanda, works, Ellie finally – after all this time – finds a clue:

A rectangular piece of cardboard with slightly rounded edges, a little smaller than an index card, has fallen out of the book and fluttered to the floor. I reach out and grab it. As soon as my skin touches it, my heart starts pounding, and I feel dizzy, like I’ve been spinning and just stopped. The room tilts. Everything around me looks wrong all of a sudden, and I think maybe I’m going to pass out. I sink to the floor; I’m vaguely aware of Amanda’s voice calling my name, but I can’t answer. She sounds far away and unfamiliar. Everything is unfamiliar, except for one thing. The piece of paper in my hand, covered in blue vines. I stare at them so hard they begin to swirl, like delicate navy thread snakes on a field of white. And in the center of these vines is a drawing of a girl: big round eyes, round face, round nose, crazy hair curling out in all directions, one dimple, a crooked smile. I know this drawing.

Ellie would recognize her sister’s drawing anywhere because she’s been drawing constantly on all sorts of surfaces ever since Ellie can remember. This particular drawing holds clues that lead Ellie off on a crazy, cross-country road trip with a gorgeous guy she barely knows because he’s the only person in her life who seems to understand and believe in her.

Ellie’s journey takes her to new and strange places, as she follows clues to her sister’s whereabouts. Along the way, she falls in love. This mystery contains more twists and turns than a mountain road, though, and Ellie doesn’t know where this trip will lead her. There's nothing I like better than a road trip book! Filled with plenty of suspense and surprises, as well as Nina’s unique drawings, this well-written novel kept me reading late into the night.

(recommended for older teens and young adults; contains some sexual situations, though nothing graphic)

316 pages, Point (an imprint of Scholastic)

It's Monday 3/22! What Are You Reading?

Very busy week here but beautiful weather! It's finally officially spring - hurray!

None of us had a lot of reading time, but we're all reading some good books:

• Jamie, 15, is reading Sharp North by Patrick Cave, a new teen thriller set in a future Great Britain where mysterious murders occur and the wealthy keep illegal clones of themselves, just in case. He says it's an awesome book!
• Jamie finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows for his British Literature class at school and enjoyed it very much. I'm next!
• Craig, 12, finished Hunting for Hidden Gold by Franklin W. Dixon, a Hardy Boys book and moved onto another one, The Bombay Boomerang. He also loves to watch our DVDs of the old Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew TV show from the 70's, especially on sick days. I enjoy them, too - I used to have a picture of Parker Stevenson hanging in my locker!
• My husband, Ken, finished Icecore, a new teen thriller by Matt Whyman that both Jamie and I loved. You can read my review here.
• I'm reading Wherever Nina Lies by Lynn Weingarten, an excellent teen book that combines mystery, suspense, and romance. I'm about half done and loving it so far!
• I finished My One Hundred Adventures by Polly Horvath on audio and am now listening to its sequel, Northward to the Moon. They're both excellent.

I posted a review of Murder at Midnight by Avi last week.

Now, for an embarrassing admission. I've been wondering why I never get any comments on this blog...and just now discovered I get lots of them but wasn't being notified! Seriously, I had no idea anyone was leaving comments which is why I never reply to any or visit your blogs. My other blogs are set up with e-mail notification and comment approval. As soon as I post this, I'm going to change my settings so that I'll actually see your comments from now on - sorry! Boy, do I feel stupid...

Anyway, what is your family reading this week? I really do want to know and will even read your comments this time!

(What are you reading Mondays is hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books).

Vote for Your Favorite Books!

Voting is now open for the 2010 Children's Choice Book Awards!

Just use this link to vote for your favorite books - choose age categories K-2, 3-4, 5-6, and teens and cast your vote for your favorite book, favorite author, and favorite illustrator.

Middle-Grade/Teen Review: Murder at Midnight

Believe it or not, I had never read an Avi book until last week when I picked up his latest, Murder at Midnight. Ever since my son read Crispin by Avi years ago, he has been telling me what a good author he is. Murder at Midnight was a quick, suspenseful read that I enjoyed very much.

It is 1490 in a small town in Italy, and a young boy named Fabrizio is adjusting to his new job working for Mangus the Magician:

During the past year, his parents – ragpickers – had died, leaving him a homeless ten-year-old. Only by relying on his wits and friends did Fabrizio survive the streets of Pergamontio. But a month ago, the City Corporation, which had the responsibility for orphans, bound him over to Mangus the Magician.

It was the magician’s wife, Mistress Sophia, who made the arrangements. It was she who insisted that her elderly husband needed a personal servant. She herself proved kind, and Fabrizio was thrilled not to be begging on the streets for a daub of cold, clotted pasta for his dinner. Now he had good food in his belly, a roof over his head, a bed for his back, and even a few coins for his pocket. Besides, not only did Master Mangus have a house with two older servants, there was his amazing magic.

Mangus is an illusionist, though to Fabrizio, his magic seems real. Both of them find themselves under suspicion and at the center of a plot to overthrow the king. Fabrizio wants to save his new master and prove his worth to him, but he doesn’t know who to believe or who to trust. Faced with possible death for himself and Mangus, it’s up to Fabrizio to figure out who’s behind the sinister plot.

As I said, this was my first Avi book, but it’s easy to see why his books are so popular. This one was filled with wonderful details of the historical period, realistic dialogue, and a fast-paced mystery plot. I’m looking forward to reading its sequel, Midnight Magic.

254 pages, Scholastic

It's Monday 3/15! What Are You Reading?

Today is the Ides of March! I'm not sure exactly what that means, but to me it means that spring is finally on its way, after a long, difficult winter! We had a weekend full of rain, but the weather is supposed to be beautiful the rest of this week.

Meanwhile, we've been enjoying some wonderful books at our house:

• Jamie, 15, is reading Sharp North by Patrick Cave, a new teen thriller set in a future Great Britain where mysterious murders occur and the wealthy keep illegal clones of themselves, just in case...
• He's also reading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows for his British Literature class at school - I can't wait to get my hands on that one when he's finished!
• Craig, 12, finished Nick of Time by Ted Bell, which he said was his favorite book ever! He's started Hunting for Hidden Gold by Franklin W. Dixon, a Hardy Boys book - the equivalent of comfort food for Craig!
• I just finished Murder at Midnight by Avi, a suspenseful mystery set in Italy during the Renaissance. Believe it or not, this was the first Avi book I've ever read, though Jamie's been telling me what a good writer he is for years.
• My husband, Ken, is reading Icecore, a new teen thriller by Matt Whyman that both Jamie and I loved. You can read my review here.
• We finished listening to the audio of a classic, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. We all really enjoyed it and have decided we need to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC!
• I've been listening to the audio of My One Hundred Adventures by Polly Horvath, a wonderful middle-grade novel about a 12-year old girl looking for adventure.

What are you and your family reading?

(What are you reading Mondays is hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books)

Teen/YA Review: Icecore

Publisher’s Weekly said, “If Robert Ludlum ever wrote a book for teens, it would probably be a lot like Whyman’s action-packed techno-thriller.” I don’t normally quote other reviews, but this statement just seems perfect for Icecore, a new teen thriller by Matt Whyman. My 15-year old son recently read this exciting suspense novel and recommended it, and now I understand why.

Seventeen-year old British computer hacker Carl Hobbes is shocked when American agents pick him up on his way home from school and take him into custody. Sure, he hacked his way into Fort Knox – which is supposed to be impenetrable – but it was just for fun, to see if he could do it. No one got hurt from his prank, right? But the American government doesn’t think it was funny at all, especially as gold bars from Fort Knox start ending up in the hands of terrorists all over the world.

At the police station, Carl’s assigned lawyer tells him about his offer:

“It’s from the American authorities,” she began, as if this made it something I couldn’t refuse. I’m not sure what I expected to hear. When Ms. Greene finished, I asked her to repeat it so I could be sure I hadn’t missed some kind of catch.

According to her, I had actually been invited by the Americans to fly out and answer some friendly questions. This wasn’t an order, she stressed. It was a request for me to come voluntarily. Once they understood exactly how I had managed to hack into such a high-security financial institution, they would put me on a plane home again. I wouldn’t be arrested or earn any criminal conviction. Not a caution or even a fine. As part of this package, my father would be forbidden to talk to the press, as would I on my return. In fact, they proposed that the whole thing would be kept completely off the record.

It sounds like a good idea, but Carl soon realizes he’s gotten into more than he bargained for, as he is transported secretly to a military prison deep in the Arctic among world-famous terrorists and his questioning takes some surprising turns.

This is an action-packed thriller, with plenty of unexpected plot twists to keep you glued to the page. I grew to like Carl and couldn’t wait to find out what would happen to him. My son and I are both looking forward to the upcoming sequel, Goldstrike.

307 pages, Atheneum Books for Young Readers (Simon & Schuster)

Kids' Book Awards

There was some interesting news this week about two different book awards for kids' books.

The Children's Book Council announced its finalists for the Children's Choice Book Awards, in categories from kindergarten through teen. One of my favorites made the teen list: Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games - easily my favorite teen/YA books from last year (I read both in 2009). Their author, Suzanne Collins, was also nominated for Author of the Year. Check out the full lists at the CBC website, and vote for your favorites starting on March 15.

The UK's Booktrust announced its winners of the coveted Blue Peter Book Awards. The winner for Best Book I Couldn't Put Down as well as Blue Peter Book of the Year was Frozen in Time by Ali Sparkes, an exciting adventure of two cryogenically frozen kids from 1950 who are brought back to life in 2009. Sounds like a great plot, doesn't it? Frozen in Time will be available in the US on May 25, 2010. I can't wait!

Teen/YA Review: Camilla

I jumped at the chance to review Camilla by Madeleine L’Engle because she was one of my favorite authors when I was a kid and teen. Camilla, though, is a very different kind of novel than her better-known sci-fi series that starts with A Wrinkle in Time. L’Engle’s writing talents still shine through in this classic coming-of-age story that I listened to in audio.

Camilla Dickinson is 15 years old, lives in New York City and has lived a happy life so far with her parents, with little strife or suffering. All of a sudden, though, things start to go wrong, and it seems to her that her life is crumbling around her. She doesn’t know where to turn until she meets Frank, her best friend’s brother. The two immediately become lost in conversation, and Camilla feels like she has met her soul mate.

Camilla and Frank spend long hours roaming through the streets of New York and talking about every subject they can think of, from war to religion to philosophy. Frank introduces Camilla to new people – some of them far different than anyone she has encountered before in her sheltered life – and, despite the heartbreak she feels at the divisions forming in her family, Camilla feels alive and in love for the first time in her life.

Although this novel was originally published in 1951, its themes are still relevant today. There are minor hints of its age – especially the prices for a meal in NYC! – but the things that Camilla experiences are similar to what teens today experience: the crushing disappointment at finding out your parents aren’t as perfect as you thought they were, the pull between being a child and growing up, and the universal feelings of a first love. Camilla is a wonderful narrator, full of youthful exuberance about her city and her new love, as she works through the challenges of growing up.

272 pages, Square Fish (reissue)

Listen to a sample at Audible.com

It's Monday 3/1! What Are You Reading?

March 1st - finally! It's been a long, hard winter - I'm ready for spring! We had another busy week, including a whirlwind trip to Connecticut for my niece and nephew's birthdays after yet another snowstorm passed through the area.

It was a good reading week for all of us:

• Jamie, age 15, finished Everwild by Neal Shusterman, the excellent sequel to Everlost. He loved it as much as I did, then passed it on to his Dad who is now reading it!
• Jamie started Sharp North by Patrick Cave, a new teen thriller set in a future Great Britain where mysterious murders occur and the wealthy keep illegal clones of themselves, just in case...
• Craig, 12, is still reading Nick of Time by Ted Bell, an exciting time travel pirate adventure.
• I finished listening to Camilla by Madeleine L'Engle on audio, a coming-of-age teen classic by one of my favorite authors.
• During our car trip, we all listened to the audio of another classic, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg. We're about 2/3 of the way through and finishing it at home - we're all enjoying it very much and have decided we need to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC!

Last week, I posted reviews of The Lightning Thief on audio by Rick Riordan and Spacer and Rat, a clever teen sci fi novel by Margaret Bechard.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Mondays is hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books)

Teen Review: Spacer and Rat

At my 15-year old son’s recommendation, I recently read Spacer and Rat by Margaret Bechard, and I thoroughly enjoyed this clever, funny, and suspenseful sci-fi tale set in the future.

Jack, an older teen, is a spacer, someone who has lived his entire life on Freedom Station, a space station in the Asteroid Belt, in the Black (as space is known). Generations of humans have lived out in the Black, on Freedom Station and other colonies, but there are still more ships full of Earthies coming, trying to escape the problems back on Earth and not really understanding the foreign culture and challenges they’re escaping to.

Jack works in a pub, where he meets all kinds of people and is familiar with all kinds of technology (“tech”). One evening after work, he meets Kit, a runaway sneaking around behind the pub:

The Earthie girl glared at him, hands on her hips, all wild, wiry white hair and eyes as bright green and iridescent as fish scales. They had to be gen mods, no way they could be natural, but Jack had never seen them in the catalog. “You don’t have to grab people.” She sounded just like a school vid, teaching the basic regs. “And don’t call me ‘rat.’”

Jack laughed. “You are a rat. True fact. Your parents dumped you here.”

“Look, spacer.” She took a step closer, her eyes narrow bright slits. Jack took a step back. He couldn’t help it. “No one dumped me on this rusty space station.”

It happened all the time. Earthie parents got out this far into the Black and ran out of supplies, ran out of credit. Ran out of caring. They knew the guards would round their kids up and shuttle them right back to Earth.

As they get to know each other better and try to protect a special bot (robot), Kit changes Jacks’ preconceived notions of her. They have to work together if they hope to achieve their goals.

I love the way this book is written, with spacer slang sprinkled throughout the dialogue that really helps to create a sense of a place and time different from our own. The characters have real depth, and the plot is exciting and fast-paced, with a nice dose of humor throughout. Spacer and Rat is a unique book about what it means to be human – a definite winner both for sci-fi fans and for anyone who enjoys a good adventure story told with heart.

183 pages, Roaring Brook Press

Middle-Grade Review: The Lightning Thief

With The Lightning Thief one of the top movies in theaters right now, I thought it would be a good time to post a review of the book by Rick Riordan that the movie is based on. We listened to audio versions of both The Lightning Thief and its sequel, The Sea of Monsters, on family road trips a couple of years ago. Both were excellent, and Jamie, my 15-year old son, just finished reading the third book in the series, The Titan's Curse, last week - he wanted to re-read the books before seeing the movie!

An edited version of this review appeared in the April 2006 issue of Family Fun magazine:

“I accidentally vaporized my pre-algebra teacher,” says 12-year old Percy at the start of Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. During a two-week road trip, my husband and I and our boys, Jamie, 11, and Craig, 7, were so riveted by the audio book that we hated to get out of the car. When the story begins with this strange admission, Percy is at a school for “troubled kids,” dealing with typical pre-teen challenges as well as some increasingly odd occurrences. Things get even stranger as Percy finds that the Greek gods he’s been learning about in Latin class are alive and well in our modern world. When Zeus’ thunderbolt is stolen, Percy and his new friends – a satyr and a daughter of Athena – set off on a cross-country quest to retrieve it from the Underworld, accessed through L.A. Combining classic Greek myths, modern settings, and a hefty dose of humor, Riordan tells a compelling story of adventure and friendship. We can’t wait for the next Percy Jackson book!

And now, we can't wait to see the movie, so we can see how one of our favorite book series has been translated to the big screen!

400 pages, Hyperion Books

It's Monday 2/22! What Are You Reading?

We had a difficult week here. Jamie, 15, in in the midst of a severe flare-up of his chronic illness and has been flat on his back for over a week now. The only good aspect of this is that he's enjoyed some great books as he's been lying on the couch. Jamie loves to read, and escaping into a good adventure helps to pass the time and take his mind off his illness as he waits to feel better again.

• After Jamie finished reading Sabriel by Garth Nix, he read a brand new teen thriller, Icecore by Matt Whyman, about a seventeen-year old boy who hacks into the security system at Fort Knox for fun and ends up in a military prison deep in the Arctic. Jamie says it was very suspenseful, with lots of exciting plot twists. I've added it to my stack of want-to-reads!
• In preparation for seeing the new movie The Lightening Thief, Jamie read the first three books of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan this week! We had previously listened to the first two books on audio a few years ago on family vacations. This week, Jamie read The Lightening Thief, listened to The Sea of Monsters, and read The Titan's Curse. Now he wants the fourth book!
• Finally, on my recommendation, Jamie started Everwild by Neal Shusterman, the intriguing sequel to Everlost, which he and I both loved. I just finished Everwild last week; Jamie's already half-way through and enjoying it very much.
• Craig, 12, is still reading Nick of Time by Ted Bell, a pirate time-travel story that he says is the best book he's ever read!
• My husband, Ken, is reading Brisingr, third book in the amazing Eragon trilogy by Christopher Paolini.
• No kids or teens books for me this week - I've been reading Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger.
  

So, what are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Mondays is hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books).

Middle-Grade Fiction Review: Fever 1793

Today's review is written by a special guest reviewer, my 12-year old cousin Abby. I have heard wonderful things about Laurie Halse Anderson's books but have never had the chance to read one myself, so I was glad to read Abby's review:

Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is a very interesting book because it tells a fictional story about the yellow fever of 1793. After reading a couple chapters of Fever 1793, I was not very interested. I was not very interested because there was not a lot of action happening. I kept reading on to about half the book, and there, there was a lot more action happening, and it was more enjoyable. Finally, after I finished Fever 1793, I was really happy because it mostly has a happy ending. I would rate this book with an eight out of ten. I would give it an eight because the beginning wasn't all that interesting, but by the end, I was hooked, and ready to read a sequel, if there was one. In conclusion, Fever 1793 was a great book, and very enjoyable.

Sounds great - I can't wait to read it myself! Thanks, Abby!

It's Monday 2/15! What Are You Reading?

Happy Mardi Gras! Happy Valentine's Day! Happy Chinese New Year! Happy President's Day! All of the winter holidays hit in the same weekend this year, so we've been busy this past week. We hosted our annual Mardi Gras party on Saturday. So, not a lot of time for reading this week, but we all enjoyed some excellent books:

• I finished Everwild, the sequel to Everlost (review) by Neil Shusterman, an exciting and creative story about kids trapped in the limbo-world between life and death. The second book was even better than the first - I can't wait for #3!
• Jamie, 15, is still reading Sabriel by Garth Nix. He says it's very good - just the kind of fantasy novel he loves.
• Craig, 12, is reading Nick of Time by Ted Bell, a time-travel pirate story. Craig says it's the best book he's ever read!
• My husband, Ken, is still reading Brisingr, the third book of the Eragon trilogy by Christopher Paolini, one of Jamie's all-time favorite series.
• I just started Rose, the prequel to the acclaimed 10-book graphic novel series Bone by Jeff Smith. I have previously read the first two books in the series. Any graphic novel fans out there? This is an excellent, well-written series with amazing illustrations.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Mondays are hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books)

It's Monday 2/8! What Are You Reading?

We had the second-biggest snowfall in Delaware's history here this weekend, so the kids have been spending most of their time outside! We're all in the middle of some good books, though:

• Jamie (15) is reading Sabriel by Garth Nix and enjoying it very much.
• Craig, 12, started Nick of Time by Ted Bell last week. He says it's one of the best books he's ever read!
• I'm reading Everwild, book 2 of the Skinjacker Trilogy by Neal Shusterman. Jamie and I both loved book 1, Everlost (review), in this series about kids caught in the interim place between death and the afterlife. It's suspenseful and imaginative, and, so far, book 2 is just as good as book 1 was!
• My husband, Ken, is still reading Brisingr, book 3 in Christopher Paolini's wonderful trilogy that started with Eragon.

What are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Mondays is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through a World of Books)

It's Monday 2/1! What Are You Reading?

February already! Craig and I were home sick all last week, but we're both feeling better now. On the plus side, we all had plenty of reading time:

• I read - and loved - When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, a book that recently won the Newberry Medal. It's a wonderful middle-grade novel about a thirteen-year old girl obsessed with A Wrinkle in Time who's dealing with her own strange events. Check out my review.
• I also read a book published for adults but perfectly appropriate for older teens and young adults, Life on the Refrigerator Door by Alice Kuipers (recommended by Kim at Page After Page). It's a novel told entirely through the notes that a mom and 15-year old daughter leave for each other, and it's got surprising depth and emotion - I cried my eyes out!
• Jamie, 15, finished The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and loved it. I want to read it next!
• Jamie started Sabriel by Garth Nix, a Christmas gift from us, based on a recommendation from The Eclectic Reader (thanks!).
• Craig, 12, is reading Aliens Stole My Body, the fourth and final book in one of his favorite series by Bruce Coville. He says it's really getting good toward the end!
• My husband, Ken is reading Brisingr, the third book in the wonderful trilogy by Christopher Paolini that began with Eragon. This is one of Jamie's favorite series of all time.

So, what are you and your family reading this week?

(What are you reading Mondays is sponsored by J. Kaye's book blog).

Middle-Grade Review: When You Reach Me

When I read a review written by Heather at Tales of a Capricious Reader of the middle-grade novel, When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead, I knew I had to read this book. I immediately requested it at the library. I finished it last night and couldn’t wait to tell you about it! You don’t have to just take my word and Heather’s, though. When You Reach Me recently won the 2010 Newberry Medal and has been at the top of many Best Of 2009 lists.

Miranda, a twelve-year old girl living in New York City in 1978, is pretty happy with her life and her best friend, Sal, until one day in October when everything begins to change. Sal gets punched in the stomach on their way home from school by a boy they don’t even know then suddenly cuts Miranda out of his life. A few days later, Miranda receives the first of several mysterious notes:

This is hard. Harder than I expected, even with your help. But I have been practicing, and my preparations go well. I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own.

I ask two favors.

First, you must write me a letter.

Second, please remember to mention the location of your house key.

The trip is a difficult one. I may not be myself when I reach you.

Miranda tries to unravel this strange puzzle, while helping her mother prepare for her appearance on the game show The 20,000 Pyramid. One of my favorite aspects of this book, though, is that Miranda is obsessed with the book A Wrinkle in Time, which just happened to be my favorite book when I was her age!

“Still reading that same book?” Belle asked, once I had settled into my folding chair next to the cash register to read. “It’s looking pretty beat-up.”

“I’m not still reading it,” I told her. “I’m reading it again.” I had probably read it a hundred times, which was why it looked so beat up.

“Okay,” Belle said, “so let’s hear something about this book. What’s the first line? I never judge a book by the cover, “she said. “I judge by the first line.”

I knew the first line of my book without even looking. “It was a dark and stormy night.” I said.

She nodded. “Classic. I like that. What’s the story about?”

I thought for a second. “It’s about a girl named Meg – her dad is missing, and she goes on this trip to another planet to save him.”

Just like Miranda, I read and re-read A Wrinkle in Time when I was a kid, along with the rest of that wonderful series by Madeleine L’Engle. I even played Meg in our class play of the book! I love that Stead used that wonderful, classic novel as the jumping off point for a whole new mystery. And it is a good mystery, one that kept me guessing right up until the last chapter, with a very satisfying conclusion. Stead’s writing kept me interested from the first pages, with characters I came to care about and clever plot twists. Whether you’re a fan of A Wrinkle in Time like I am or just looking for a good story, you’ll love When You Reach Me.

197 pages, Wendy Lamb Books (Random House)

It's Monday 1/25! What Are You Reading?

I've been busy reading two grown-up books for two different book groups this past week, but the rest of my family enjoyed some good books:

• Jamie, 15, finished Raven's Rise, book 9 in the fabulous Pendragon series by D.J. MacHale. He said it was insane (that's good), filled with lots of twists he didn't see coming. Now he's one book ahead of me, so I'll have to get to this one soon!
• Jamie started The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, a Christmas gift from us. We must be the last family on earth who hasn't read this award-winning book yet!
• Craig, 12, finished Dark Whispers, book 3 in his favorite Unicorn Chronicles series by Bruce Coville. He says it ended with a cliff-hanger - he can't wait for book 4 to come out! You can read his summary here.
• My husband, Ken, is reading Brisingr, the third book in Christopher Paolini's trilogy that began with Eragon. I haven't read the series, but it's a favorite of Ken and Jamie.
  

What books are you and your family reading this week?