It’s Monday. What are you reading? I just finished The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows. I’m reading a book about teaching called Learning Targets and I’m finishing up the Smells Like… series by Suzanne Selfors. This is a trilogy I wrote about at the beginning of the summer here. The more I read, the more convinced I am that this is a great set of books for some many of you. It’s suspenseful and funny, fast moving and surprising. Homer Winslow Pudding and Dog are fabulous characters.  Bumbling and smart at the same time.  Start the school year with them. You’ll be glad you did!

A couple of weeks ago I got a message from Oliver saying that he and his brother were reading The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart as part of a library book group. He said he thought I would like it. It’s on the Great Stone Face list too so I decided to give it a try.  I’m glad I did. It is a perfect book to read with a group. There are so many things to wonder and think about. If your family is interested in a book that will inspire conversations about choices, living, dying, and what is important, this would be a great book to read together.

Alexis shared the Magic Bone series with me. I’ve yet to read the first one to learn how the “bone” is unearthed, but in the last couple weeks I have really enjoyed several of Sparky’s adventures with his magic bone. He’s gone to Maui, Rome, Switzerland and seven other places so far. What dog lover (Can’t you see why Alexis recommended them!) wouldn’t enjoy seeing the world from a dog’s point of view, learning how dogs might view people, or having the thrill of traveling to different places with a “magic bone.” Sparky gets into some funny and scary situations, but his love for Josh and his appreciation for home always seem to pull him through in the nick of time.

Continuing on with the dog theme, Erin Soderberg’s first two Puppy Pirates books have been published. We learned about those when we explored her website during our Quirky celebration. The series begins with Wally, a golden retriever pup, who is looking for a place to belong and call home. He decides to give pirating a try and stows away aboard Red Beard’s ship, The Salty Bone. While in hiding he discovers Henry, another stowaway – different because he is a boy and together they become a team. If they can prove their worth, they can stay. If not, it’s the plank for them both. In Stowaway readers meet all the Puppy Pirates and learn their different personalities. In X Marks the Spot readers get a sense of how these adventures will unfold as the series is written. Catnapped is announced as the third in the series. I think you’ll have fun enjoying the crew of The Salty Bone. Which pup is your favorite – mine might be Old Salt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s late in the afternoon because I wanted to finish  The Windy City – IQ 5 before I wrote the post.  I wanted  to see if it was something you’d like reading.  I think it is!  IQ is a series of six books by Roland Smith.  The series is full of action, mystery and excitement.  Q (short for Quest) and Angela have recently become step-brother and sister.  Their parents are musicians   and their new songs have rocked to the top of the charts.  The band is touring the United States.  Q and Angela are traveling with them, but something is up.  A terrorist ghost cell seems to be following them wherever they go.  Philadelphia to Washington DC to Kitty Hawk and San Antonio and now Chicago.  Somehow Boone, who manages the roadies, takes care of things.  He’s not what he seems.  Is he FBI, CIA, something else?  Is he who he says he is?  He shows up in the strangest places and in the strangest way.   Can he be trusted?   It will take until the last book to know. (I’ll be starting that one tonight!)  The six books are all one story, so you do need to begin with the first and read on.  IQ is fast paced and exciting, full of espionage and gadgets. If you’re up for an action-packed challenge make sure you give IQ a try.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I  discovered a new series called, Starring Jules.  She’s in second grade and full of sass and pizzazz.  This shows at the diner when she teaches her little brother, Big Henry, how to make a “fizzy ice-cream cone” and sings a snappy jingle to encourage him along.  What’s extra-amazing about this moment is that the person sitting behind Jules in the next booth is Colby Kingston, a film agent.  She thinks Jules will be just right for a commercial.  After speaking with her parents, Colby invites Jules to an audition and one thing leads to another and another. The three books published so far in the series, Starring Jules (as herself), Starring Jules (in drama-rama) and Starring Jules (super-secret spy girl), share how Jules does at the audition and what happens next as she launches her acting career.  Along with acting, Jules is still in school.  And because of this, she has to deal with ex-friends, teasing, bossiness, jealousies and all the things that come with being part of a school, and a classroom and a family. Jules has a lot to show us about ourselves.  She is a lot of fun.  Enjoy!

Also fun are Detective Gordon – The First Case by Ulf Nilsson and The Top Secret Diary of Celie Valentine – Friendship Over by Julie Sternberg (author of Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie – with similar appeal.)