Over My Dead Body: 43 Old Cemetery Road Book Two

By Kate Klise

Illustrated by M. Sarah Klise (the author's sister)

A ghost story with a dose of comedy and written in a diary/letter format....who can resist? Author Ignatius B. Grumply, eleven-year-old Seymour Hope, and ghost Olive C. Spence are great friends, contentedly living together at 43 Old Cemetery Road. Then one day, Grumply gets a letter from Dick Tater, director of an organization for the “Safety & Protection of Our Kids & Youth,” who claims that Seymour cannot live at the mansion “without the benefit of his parents.” Mr. Tater commits Grumply to an insane asylum, sends Seymour to an orphanage, and announces plans to exhume Olive's body. Luckily, this tight-knit trio isn't so easily broken up and they have quite a Halloween surpise in store for Tater. This book is a sequel, but it easily stands on its own as the first book is summed up in the first pages of this one. My favorite part is the jokes presented the form of people's names such as Mr. Ike N. Openitt (get it? I can open it) :) A super fun read.....whether its Halloween or not!!

The Case of the Case of the Mistaken Identity: The Brixton Brothers #1

By Mac Barnett

Illustrations by Adam Rex

Action, adventure, and humor...what more can you ask for in a book? It all starts here: the thrilling story of Steve Brixton's first case. Steve Brixton is not a detective, but no one believes him. After all, if he’s not a detective, why is he disguising himself as a sailor, getting kidnapped by an elite fighting force of librarians, and searching for a missing quilt embroidered with secret messages? This story is extremely fast-paced and funny; it would make a fantastic read-aloud. The accompanying illustrations make the story even funnier.

Red Ted and the Lost Things

By Michael Rosen

Illustrated by Joel Stewart

A stuffed bear named Red Ted finds himself in a train station’s gloomy Place for Lost Things. A crocodile tells him, “I’ve been here a very long time, and no one has ever come to find me.” But Red Ted is determined to make it back to his owner, Stevie. “I know!” he says. “I’ll get out of here and find her myself!” Red Ted and his new crocodile friend embark on a huge adventure as they navigate themselves through a train station, a city, and a rainstorm. Along the way they pick up a new friend, a cat, and together they find their way. Though this is a picture book, it is written in a graphic novel format resembling a really long comic strip.

Never Smile at a Monkey

By Steve Jenkins

I love great non-fiction books for kids. This non-fiction book reads like a picture book as it is filled with great illustrations and little text. Each page has a headline that begins with "never", such as "Never swim with a squid." The remaining text fills us in on the details regarding why we should never swim with a squid (because it can whip its tentacles around a victim and tear out chunks of flesh with a sharp, parrot-like beak). The surprise element in this book is that all 17 warnings are regarding animals that we might consider harmless like cubs, catapillers, and kangaroos. If, after reading the book, you are curious to know more about any of the featured creatures, there is more detailed information about each accompanied by more great illustrations.

Saxby Smart Private Detective in the Curse of the Ancient Mask and Other Case Files

By Simon Cheshire Illustrations by R.W. Alley

When things go wrong, kids have someone to call on: Saxby Doyle Christie Chandler Ellin Allan Smart (named after his father's favorite crime writers). Kids just call him Saxby, and they call him whenever there’s a mystery to solve. Working from his Crime Headquarters, the shed in his backyard, he tracks down clues, puzzles out problems, and figures out just what went wrong. Saxby invites the reader to help solve three mysteries in this first book of a new series.

As you read the book, you can read many of Saxby's hand-written notes where he records facts and poses questions he still needs to answer in order to solve the case. I enjoyed trying to solve the cases right along with him!!

Camping Day

By Patricia Lakin Illustrated by Scott Nash

Sam, Pam, Will, and Jill are four alligator friends who are thinking of something to do. Rather than cook out, hang out or work out, they decide to camp out and so the story begins. Quickly, they gather what they need—maps, flashlights, a tent— and they’re off! Little by little, they experience the ups and downs of camping, including the awkwardness of putting a tent together. Then comes night with its shadows and sounds. SCARY!

A very fun story to read aloud with lots of rhyming text and fun illustrations.

The Secret of Zoom

By Lynne Jonell

Another fun and fantastical story by the author of Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat. Christina lives in an old stone mansion on the edge of a forest surrounded by barbed wire, an electric fence and a sign that states "Tresspassers will be boiled!" Christina's father who is the head scientist at Loompski Labs, located deep within the forest, tries to protect Christina from all the dangers of the world so she is not allowed to do go to school or play with other children . She learns through the use of her computer and is allowed outside for only a short period of time each day. But when a boy from a nearby orphanage talks to her through the fence one day, her life suddenly becomes much more exciting as she discovers a secret tunnel that leads her out of the mansion and into the forest. Once she helps her new friend, Taft, escape the orphanage her life is anything but safe. As Christina and her friend Taft investigate the substance called “zoom,” they discover several things: 1. Zoom can be used as fuel. 2. Orphans are being enslaved to extract zoom from mines. 3. Christina’s long-lost mother may have been killed because of her work with zoom. With the power of zoom, Taft and Christina can fly miniature planes, rescue the orphans (as well as others who have been captured) and uncover the real danger that is lurking at Loompski Labs.

Imogene's Last Stand

By Candace Fleming Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

Imogene has a passion for history. Her first words were "Four score and seven years ago," and while in pre-school she finger-painted an accurate map of the Oregon Trail. When the local historical society is scheduled to be demolished so that a shoelace factory can be built, Imogene fights for history to be preserved. Dressed as Paul Revere, she rides through the streets shouting, "The bulldozers are coming." She ties red-white-and blue- ribbons throughout the town and flying in a biplane, she drops hand-written flyers encouraging the townspeople to rally on the village green. When she realizes that nobody really cares as much as she does, she quotes the immortal words of Chief Joseph saying, "My Heart is sick and sad." However, as she wanders through the historical society one last time, she discovers an old parchment with a note written by George Washington indicating he had slept in the home long ago. Armed with new ammunition, Imogene locks herself on the front porch as the bulldozers are approaching and in the words of the Vietnam War protesters, she shouts, "Heck no, I won't go!" At the last minute, the President of the United States (an african-american woman) arrives declaring the home a national landmark.

Truly a great story that is peppered with many famous quotes from important people in history. Inside the front and back covers, you can read Imogene's Historical Tidbits which reveal details about the orginal speakers of her famous quotes.

The Big Fat Cow that goes Kapow

By Andy Griffiths Illustrated by Terry Denton

If you enjoy Dr. Suess, Dave Pilkey and/or Lane Smith, you are sure to enjoy this very fast and fun read. The book is actually made up of ten short stories that rhyme and are a bit ridiculous. Big Fat Cows, Noel the Mole, Klaus the Mouse, Lumpy-head Fred, and Ruth's Super Scooter are great examples of the chapter titles you will find. Like so many Dr. Suess books, this is a great choice for beginning readers, but the stories and black and white sketch-like illustrations are so zany that anybody who picks it up will enjoy its laugh-out-loud humor.

Wild River

By P.J. Petersen

Both lovers of the outdoors and those who like to stay home and play video games will love this "fast-moving" novel. Outdoor-loving Tanner and video-gaming Ryan are brothers who find themselves on a two day camping/kayaking trip together. It just so happens that the river is rain-swollen and an accident leaves Tanner unconscious. Ryan uses his talents, developed on the computer, to reason through the challenges and decisions he faces in the wild. I love how the story blends the camping and fishing pasttime with computer and gaming systems. The action is fast paced and will keep even the most reluctant readers interested as the two boys fight to survive and persevere.

Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals are Big and Little Animals are Little

By Nicola Davies Illustrated by Neal Layton

Animal books are a favorite of children. This one has a unique twist that I think will be fascinating for both the young and old. It starts with explaining the "Big Thing, Little Thing rule" which sounds super complicated...If you double the length of something, its surface area and cross section go up FOUR times, while its weight and volume go up EIGHT times. She uses this rule to explain dozens of cases. For example, it prevents human beings from walking on the ceiling like geckos. Layton's comic illustrations help make the content accessible and memorable for children. He draws a human foot with ridiculously large toes and adds the caption, "Even hairy toes this big would not be big enough!" to illustrate the example. The whole book is a wealth of interesting facts, but it also introduces an important concept that can be applied beyond the pages of the book.

You Are Weird: Your Body's Peculiar Parts and Funny Functions

By Diane Swanson Illustrated by Kathy Boake

What an engrossing and entertaining book about some amazing and unusual aspects of human physiology. Each chapter explores the wonders and mysteries of different body parts such as our "Flaky Birthday Suit (ever-shedding and self-replacing skin cells), "Stereo Sniffer" (the reason for having two nostrils), and "Dead End Tube" (the appendix). I love how each chapter is packed with information about the function of these intriguing parts of ours and speculations about why they even exist. The artwork is goofy which makes the presentation of anatomical details light and entertaining. My favorite aspect of the book is the "Freaky Facts" that are scattered throughout and add to the fun. Did you know that you have more bacteria in your large intestine the the number of human beings that EVER lived on Earth? To find out more about "odd bods", be sure to check this book out.

Tiny and Hercules

By Amy Schwartz

In the tradition of Frog and Toad, the five stories that make-up this picture book are wonderful examples of friendship: Tiny (the elephant) tires to ice skate, Hercules (the mouse) paints, the friends open a lemonade stand, Hercules' uncle has a birthday, and the two knit sweaters for each other. Each brief story features a problem that is easily resolved and is depicted only in a picture. When Tiny fails to master skating, we turn the page to see a picture of little Hercules carrying his elephant friend across the ice. The two good friends share trouble, fun, and laughter.

The Magical Ms. Plum

By Bonny Becker Illustrated by Amy Portnoy

Third-grade teacher Ms. Plum is the most popular teacher in the school. Everyone wants to be in her class. Children who have had her speak of their love for her, but then stop talking and just smile mysteriously. Ms. Plum has a wonderful secret: a magic supply closet. It smells of something wonderful and has dark corners filled with wondrous things. When a student is asked to get something from the closet, they return with an animal that perfectly matches what they need. A shy girl is pampered by a group of little monkeys. A loud child returns with a parrot who talks even more than he does. And who knows what the smart boy who sees himself as not needing anything will get!
This book is a delight. Ms. Plum is a mix of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle and Ms. Frizzle. She solves children’s problems with magic and a modern style. Ms. Plum’s teaching is evident, but the animals and children are the heart of the story, just as they should be. Portnoy’s black-and-white illustrations nicely break up the text, making a book that reluctant readers will feel right at home reading.
Perfect for reading aloud to a class, this is also an ideal book to hand to young readers who can reach the end of a chapter and have some resolution and a sense of accomplishment.

A Birthday for Bear

By Bonny Becker Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

This is the second Mouse and Bear book. The first, A Visitor for Bear, was the winner of the E.B. White Read Aloud Award as it was also a New York Times bestseller. In this installment, Becker has changed the format to more of a beginning reader book. The text and the art are full of humor. I especially appreciated the dialogue between Bear and Mouse. Bear is so grumpy and hates birthdays, especially his, while Mouse is exuberant and is so excited to celebrate with Bear. Throughout the story, Mouse continues to convince Bear to celebrate with him. There is a strong message of friendship (and trying new things) as Mouse will not rest until Bear gives in. When I read it aloud to a 2nd grade class, they erupted in cheers at the end: a sure sign that this is going to be a well-loved book.

Once Upon a Twice

By Denise Doyen Illustrated by Barry Moser

Danger's lurking in the lettuce,/' Tween the celery, stalkers get us!/Open moonlight is a menace./Trust in shadows--disappear." A mouse named Jam thinks he is too clever to bother heeding the warnings of his elders. He goes looking for adventure--but is he too confident for his own good? I love the wordplay and rhyme. The poetry is wonderfully written and the artwork is striking. The moon is visually depicted in a variety of ways and its passing phases. It is just a great picture book for all ages; younger children will love it and older readers will appreciate its inventive and unique vocabulary.

Damian Drooth Superslueth: Dog Snatchers

by Barbara Mitchelhill

When Damian's detective skills are summoned by Mrs. Popperwell to find her missing dog Blossom, Damian enlists the help of his apprentice detectives. When the posters they have superglued to the grocery store doors and the telephone poles lining main street do not elicit any responses, Damian determines that there is a dog snatcher lurking the streets. He and his friends scour the town to "save" all the dogs that may be in danger of being dog-knapped and take them to Damian's shed. Blossom is "discovered" just in time to save Damian from some very angry dog owners.

This book is one in a series of mysteries for young readers (ages 6-9). It is a book where kids solve the "crime". It is written with humor and is a wonderful adventure story for the young reader.

The Candy Shop War

By Brandon Mull

At just over 400 pages, this is a long book, but it certainly packs in all sorts of action (most of it magical) and keeps you wanting to read more.

Four friends, Nate, Summer, Trevor, and Pigeon, decide to take a break from their dare-devil stunts one day and enter the new candy shop in town. Short on money, they talk the owner of the Sweet Tooth Ice Cream Candy Shoppe, Belinda White, into giving them some odd jobs to complete in return for a little candy. However, the candy is not only free, but it is also magical, enabling them to fly through the air and become indestructible. Each job they are given is a bit more dangerous and a bit more evil until they finally realize that Belinda is using them to do her dirty work. The friends reluctantly decide to stop helping Belinda which also means no more magical candy.

Where they stop, the three biggest bullies in the school pick up. Nate and friends then seek help from another magician in town (also a candy seller), who as it turns out, is also interested in what Belinda is after. This is where the war begins and the action takes off. Using all sorts of magical candy, the kids float, shoot electric shock from their fingers, talk to animals, travel back and forth in time, perform amazing athletic feats, and travel through a mysterious wonderland of mirrors. Nate and his friends must work together in order to stop Mrs. White and the bullies before it is too late.

We have all heard the expression, "Don't take candy from strangers" and this book gives it a whole new meaning. After reading it, you may never feel the same about entering a candy store!!

Elijah of Buxton

By Christopher Paul Curtis

One thing that I love about historical fiction is how much you can really learn from it. This book goes back to the mid 1800s when slavery was still in existence in the US. However, rather than being about slavery or about the Underground Railroad, this story is about Buxton, a Canadian settlement where runaway slaves could live free. Elijah is the first baby born in the settlement which means he is the first resident born into freedeom.

Reading about Elijah and his family, we learn much about issues of slavery and of the pain, physical and emotional, they all endured. We also learn much about the settlement, how it was run and how new people were brought into the community. This story is full of hope...for the people in Buxton have made new lives for themselves. Everybody, children and adults, learn to read and write...even in Latin. It was truly a place where dreams came true.

Elijah himself is a delightful character. Even though he is considered a fragile boy (often fainting), his one gift is being able to throw stones super accurately. He can catch fish without a pole, but by luring the fish to the top of the water with flies and them knocking them out with his stone throwing skill. It is a skill that gets him to a nearby circus show and into a barn guarded by a bear-fighting dog. In the barn, Elijah gets his first true sense of the horror of slavery, and he must muster up the courage to make the right choice and get back to Buxton.

Bud, Not Buddy

By Christopher Paul Curtis

Bud Caldwell is a ten year old orphan living in Flint, Michigan in 1936 and his real name is Bud, not Buddy. In fact, Bud reminds many people of this fact many times throughout the story, and some of those people even resort to calling him Bud, Not Buddy.

For a kid who lost his mother at six, never knew his father, and lives in an orphanage in the Great Depression, Bud has an optimistic view on life. He treasures the few items he owns and keeps them in an old ratty suitcase. He is writing "Bud Caldwell's Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself". And he is on a quest to find his father who he believes to be Herman E. Calloway..the leader of a jazz band called "The Dusky Devestators of the Depression".

The story is really all about Bud's adventures and misadventures once he decides to find his way from Flint to Grand Rapids in order to meet his father. Curtis has a way of capturing the language and spirit of the times through the people Bud meets along the way. (Much of the dialogue is written is dialect, so it is spelled as it sounds. I loved listening to this book on CD in order to get a sense of what the language really sounds like). Though Bud is often faced with dire circumstances, he faces each one with optimism and wins the hearts of most.

I love the humor in the story and the host of very "colorful" characters, especially the band members like "Steady Eddy", "Doug the Thug", "Doo Doo Bug", and "Mr. Jimmy". By the end of the story, they have given Bud his own nickname: "Sleepy LaBone". You will have to read the book to know what inspired that name!

A Picture for Mark

By Eric Kimmel
Illustrated by Matthew Trueman

Did you know that when Marc Chagall drew, actually traced, his very first picture he didn't even the know the words "drawing" and "art"? Marc soon tires of tracing and moves on to drawing the most imaginative pictures: his uncle on the roof, flying cows, and giant chickens. Pictures no one has seen before. I loved reading this historical fiction book because I really got a glimpse of Chagall's childhood during the 1800s in Russia.

Even though this is a beginning chapter book, it offers even the most advanced readers with a great story and intriguing information about the early life of Marc Chagall. I highly recommend it for those who want to learn more about this Chagall who went on to become one of the greatest 20th century artists.

The fictional part of the story really captures and reinforces the idea of holding on to one's dream. Marc's parents do not want Marc to waste his time drawing pictures and pursuing a career in art. They tell him it is a waste of time. But even though he does not have their support, Marc believes in himself and visualizes himself as an artist. It is a great message for all of us to remember. It is only fictional because Kimmel uses specific dialogue and circumstances that are not written precisely as they happened. Though it is true that Chagall's family is not supportive of his interest in art, what exactly was spoken and what exactly happened is not for certain; therefore it is considered fictional.

This truly is a great historical fiction book...one that gives accurate information in the context of an engaging and interesting story. And what a great way to introduce young children to the world of art!!

Being Teddy Roosevelt

By Claudia Mills

Have you ever had to learn about a famous person from history and then put your know how to the test by dressing up like them and pretending to be them? Riley O'Rourke does just this; he must read a biography about Teddy Roosevelt and then come to the 4th Grade Biography Tea as Mr. Roosevelt himself. For good students like his friends Grant and Sophie, who are reading about Mahatma Ghandi and Helen Keller, this is a simple enough project, but for Riley, who has a tough time in school and can't remember anything, it is a duanting task.

Nonetheless, he finds a book that teaches him some important information about Teddy Roosevelt...lessons that he applies to his school assignment and also to his own life. So inspired by his reading, Riley often asks himself, "What would Teddy do?" when facing tough decisions in his own life. Riley uses his new tenacity and persistance to get what he wants the most: music lessons and a saxaphone. His friends are also influenced by their subjects but not quite as much as Riley.

This is a short book, 90 pages, yet it is packed with a great story and a few tidbits about a few important people from history. Not really historical fiction, but a nice way to learn a little something about important people from the past. I especially liked the message about the transforming power of reading!!!

The Mysterious Benedict Society

By Trenton Lee Stewart

"Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" Reynie Muldoon, a bright but lonely orphan, reads this advertisement in the paper one morning and undergoes a series of very strange tests. In the end, Reynie and three other children, whom are also "abandoned" in some way, are the only ones to pass the tests and find themselves working as a team to undertake a very mysterious assignment. The assignment requires them to work together to be successful as they all passed the test using very unique strategies.

Joining Reynie are "Sticky" who has an amazing memory for facts, Kate who has a bucket full of gadgets at her disposal at all times, and Constance who is very small and very stubborn. Together the children infiltrate The Learning Institute for the Very Enlightned and try to discover the director's secret plans and sabotage them before it is too late.

This book is a very wonderful adventure story of four young spies trying to uncover a sinister plan without blowing their cover. It is also very funny with many humorous scenes to make you laugh aloud. It is also a thought provoking book with themes that examine ideas of friendship, courage, loyalty, and leadership. All these abandoned children have been brought together by Mr. Benedict and they must learn to trust and work together in order to accomplish their mysterious task.

I thought this book was both interesting and intelligent. There is definately a sense of fun in both the action and the wordplay. The suspense of the story kept me reading until the very end...and this is not the shortest of books. If you enjoy the Harry Potter and Lemony Snicket novels, I know you will also enjoy this fun novel. Don't be daunted by its length!

A Million Dots

By Andrew Clements

I have a tough time wrapping my brain around the concept of a million. Kids have an even tougher time of trying to understand how much a million really is. Andrew Clements, who is a great young adult author, has come up with a fantastic picture book to help kids figure out and see how much a million is.

There are literally one million dots in this book; on each page there is a rectangular grid filled with dots. No worries…you are not just looking at page after page of dots!! Each page of dots serves as the background for a superimposed colorful and whimsical illustration. These wonderful illustrations usually depict a factoid from a random dot number on the page such as dot # 675,000 - "Like chocolate? To eat 675,000 Hershey's bars, you would have to eat one bar every two minutes, nonstop, for more than 234 days!"

This is a great non-fiction book for children and adults. Whether you want to get a better sense of the enormity of a million of just fill your mind with random facts you can use to impress your friends, A Million Dots will be one of the most memorable math lessons you have ever experienced. And if you are ambitious enough to want to count every single dot in the book, it will take you more than eleven days of non-stop counting!!

Piper Reed, Navy Brat

By Kimberly Willis Holt

It seems like I have been reading a lot of books lately that are about spunky, spirited and strong girls. This book is no exception. Piper is the middle sister in a family of three girls whose father is a Navy Captain whom they all call “Chief”. Like many military families they have moved more times than Piper can count and find themselves following Chief from San Diego, California to Pensecola, Florida when the story begins. One of the funniest parts of the story is when Piper’s little sister Sam insists that they are moving to Pepsi-Cola.

Piper is not too eager to leave San Diego. She has made some good friends that are all part of “The Gypsy Club” even though it has nothing to do with gypsies. They just have meetings in a tree house and exclaim “Get off the bus!” whenever something happens that they can’t believe. It replaces more overused terms such as “No way!” or “Awesome!” I actually found myself saying “Get off the bus!” a few times shortly after I read this book. Evidently, those I said it to had not read the book because afterwards I found myself explaining what it meant. ☺

Once in Florida, not all has changed. Her older sister Tori is still bossy and her younger sister Sam is still a super-genius. But her new school is named after the Blue Angels and her new friends expect to have their fortunes read by a real gypsy after agreeing to join the Gypsy Club. Best of all, Chief lets them get a dog and even though it is not a German Shepard like Piper wants, she gets to name their new poodle and it is a name you probably have never heard of.

More than anything this book is a great family story that I believe draws on the author’s own experiences growing up as a Navy brat. I thought is was at times funny as well as being realistic. Piper and her sisters can do and say the craziest things, but they also can perform a bit of "sister magic" doing the kindest of acts. Hopefully you will enjoy Piper as much as I did and find yourself exclaiming, “Get off the bus!”

Igraine the Brave

By Cornelia Funke

I love books with unexpected characters, and Igraine is just that….unexpected. She lives in Pimpernel Castle with her mom and dad who are accomplished magicians and also her brother who is an aspiring magician. But Igraine is not interested in magic and the singing magic books that belong to her mom and dad; she would rather become a brave knight in shining armor as her grandfather once was.

However, there is somebody who is interested in those magic books, and he is the nephew of the baroness who lives next door. Osmund takes control of his aunt’s estate and plans to siege Pimpernel Castle as well. Had Igraine’s parents not accidentally turned themselves into pigs, Osmund would never have a chance. Igraine and her brother must figure out a way to fend off Osmund and his army long enough for them to somehow obtain the hair of a giant, a key ingredient for the magic potion their parents need to make so that they are no longer pigs.

This book is filled with memorable moments and characters…including a sorrowful knight and a castellan nicknamed the “iron hedgegog”. The enchanted castle has a magical moat that turns people into fish if they happen to fall (or get thrown) in. And watch out for Igraine’s cat Sisyphus who often eats fish from the moat; she doesn’t care whether they were men once or not. But like many stories about knights, Igraine the Brave is about courage and honor. It is about facing your fears and doing what is right. If you enjoy reading “twisted” tales, you will like this one which puts a new twist on the traditional knight’s tale.

The Frog Princess

By E.D. Baker

There are only a few “princess” stories that I really enjoy and those are the ones where the princess is nothing like Cinderella or Snow White. I like paperbag princesses who save the prince from the fire-breathing dragon or the princess smartypants who does not want to meet her Prince Charming and would rather live with all her pets. The Frog Princess is certainly my kind of princess story. Princess Emerelda, or Emma, laughs more like a donkey than a girl and she is so clumsy that she can barely curtsey. Emma finds herself fleeing her castle when Prince Jorge is coming to win her over. She escapes to a nearby swamp and encounters a talking frog. Of course, the frog claims he is a prince, Prince Eadric, and needs a princess to kiss him in order to break the spell (doesn’t this sound familiar?), but Emma doesn’t fall for it……well, she doesn’t fall for it at first. Eadric is persistant, and Emma does eventually give him the kiss he wants, but rather than him turning back into a prince, Emma transforms into a frog.

As a pair of frogs, Emma and Eadric must survive the forest creatures long enough to figure out how to get both of them back into their royal selves. They encounter a slobbering dog who seems to want to eat them, a wannabe witch who wants to use their bodyparts for a magic spell, a bat who wants to be their friend, and a gigantic snake who seems to want to help them, but they just can’t be sure. Along the way, Emma discovers something remarkable about herself and that will ultimately help her and Eadric transform back into people; if only she can trick an otter (who loves to eat frogs) into believing she is something that she isn’t and giving her the one thing that can reverse the spell.

Aside from the annoying aspect of Eadric wanting Emma to kiss him throughout the book (even after the 1st kiss and the damage it did),this story is a delightfully funny adventure and Emma sums it up best, “My days as a frog had taught me many things…The swamp was indeed a magical place where old lives can end and new lives could take the most unexpected turns, where friends and heroes could come in many forms, and where life could be wonderful, even for a clumsy princess.”

Marley: A Dog Like No Other

By John Grogan

I know many people have seen the movie "Marley and Me", and this is the same story except with all of the adult content taken out. This version of the story, which is true, is written for younger readers and focuses mainly on Marley and his crazy antics. Seriously, this dog cannot mind to save his life; he even got kicked out of obedience school!! Despite all his misbehavior, his family loves him dearly and he is an integral part of the family for 13 years.

We do not have a dog, and after reading this book I don't see myself getting one anytime soon. :) The Grogans spend an enormous amount of time (working with Marley on behaving) and money (replacing all the things he breaks), yet despite all this it is clear that they love him with all their hearts. I think most people who have dogs would probably really relate to how much love, joy, and affection a dog can bring to a family.

This book is actually really funny. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the crazy things Marley did, or sometimes I would cringe in horror. I had to keep reminding myself that this was a true story because at times it is so crazy that it seems more likely to be made up! Nonetheless, it does chronicle Marley's entire life up until his final day. It is pretty sentimental (or sad) towards the end and may bring a tear to your eye.

Gregor the Overlander

By Suzanne Collins

I liked Gregor immediately merely because he likes to run, and if you know me at all, you know that I like to run too. Even if he didn't like running, I would have learned to like Gregor. He is an exceptional character. In the beginning of the book, we learn that he is 11 years old and that his father has been missing for over three years. For some reason, Gregor knows in his heart that his dad is not dead and will return home one day. Gregor's senile (crazy) grandmother lives with him, his mom, and his two sisters. It is the start of summer vacation and rather than going off to summer camp like other kids, Gregor must stay home to take care of his two year old sister, Boots. By the end of chapter one, Boots has found herself inside the dryer and when Gregor goes to get her, they both fall through a mysterious empty space.

When Boots and Gregor finally land on solid ground, they find themselves surrounded by giant, talking cockroaches. These cockroaches are so taken with Boots' beauty that they call her princess and they lead Gregor and Boots to the other humans. These humans call themselves "underlanders" as they live under the surface of the earth, and they call people such as ourselves "overlanders" since we live above the surface. This is how Gregor gets his name.

The book is a fantasy filled adventure story as Gregor learns that he is a warrior in a mysterious prophecy. The prophecy foretells that Gregor will play a role in the Underland's future as well as save his father. Throughout the book, Gregor and his underlander friends must conquer giant spiders, bats, cockroaches and rats. It is at times a bit scary and extremely suspenseful, but as I read I reassured myself that Gregor was going to make it since I knew there were other books in the series. :)

Alice in Wonderland is one of my all-time favorite stories...and in some ways Gregor the Overlander is set up in a similar way. Alice falls down a rabbit hole into her wonderland and Gregor falls through a grate behind his dryer into the Underland. The fun begins once they fall inside and we meet ordinary creatures and people who live in fantastical new ways.

Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat

By Lynne Jonell

I brought this book home to read this summer because it is on the Battle of the Books list for 2009-2010. We have had it in our library for quite some time and I hadn't yet read it. It was surprisingly good and I ended up really enjoying it. It is one of those books that is a lot different than what you expect it to be like. Emmy is an only child whose parents recently inherited a fortune and are often traveling abroad. She is left alone in the care of her not-so-nice nanny, Miss Barmy who has her eyes cast upon Emmy's family fortune. At school, her classroom has a pet rat and one day he bites Emmy and she finds herself actually talking to him. She ends up feeling sorry for him and releases him from her cage. That same day she finds herself skipping her dance class and ducking into a dirty, dark, deserted and dangerous looking alley way. Here is where the adventure begins as Emmy finds herself entering a store called "The Antique Rat". In the store she sees a rat that appears to be the same one she had earlier released. But it is part of a pair, and it labeled "Shrinking Rat of Schnactedy". The store's owner, Professor Vole, insists it is not Emmy's rat, and is very curious about this other rat. So curious, in fact, that he show up in her classroom the next day offering an enormous amount of money for it. The rats and rodents Professor Vole cares for are all used for the purpose of magic and Emmy's nanny is in on their uses. She is linked to Professor Vole and Emmy cleverly notices that Miss Barmy might be up to no good. There are reasons why none of the kids at school ever seem to notice her and why her parents don't seem that interested in her anymore. As Emmy uncovers the secrets behind the rats and their uses, she herself learns how to use magic, how to win back the attention of her parents and how to save her family's fortune. If you like mystery, fantasy, and humor, you will love reading this book.