Much like the main character, Twig, this magical realism story is sweet and short. Twig has a big secret, and it's not just the secret ingredient in her mom's Pink Apple pie. The town of Sidwell is also plagued by a mysterious monster. A great middle grade, summer read!
Heather
The Gaither sisters are back in Brooklyn in the sequel to ONE CRAZY SUMMER School is starting, the Jackson Five are coming to town, and the girls have a new stepmother who doesn't believe in doing things the old-fashioned way.
Sarah
As with all John Boyne’s writing, I was quite taken with this book. He tells good stories of historical circumstances and through the perspective of his characters provides an intimate look of the times. This story is a good introduction to the First World War, of how the war affects a soldier, his loved ones, conscientious objectors, and of the public’s dawning recognition of what then was called “shell shock.”
Robin
When you're Louisa, a theater geek living in the middle of nowhere, what could be better than a new neighbor who used to be a Broadway star? And when you're Jack, done with acting for good, what could be worse than getting dragged into the world of small-town theater?
Sarah
I've never laughed so much as I did while reading this book--it's Diary of Wimpy Kid set in an 1800s lumber camp in rural Michigan, and perfect for young, reluctant readers (but also with a lot of jokes for their parents). Join Stan as he learns about true manliness, searches for the father he never knew, avoids the antics of his cousin Scary Geri, tries to fend off the suitors sniffing around his eligible mama, and avoids the wrath of his Granny (who is 99% evil). If this is not the funniest book you read I'll year, I'll buy you breakfast.
Mackenzie
This is a most remarkable story, and though a middle grade book I would recommend to any reader. World War II historical fiction, it tells of two children sent from London to the countryside to spend the duration of the war with a single woman living on the outskirts of town. Sound predicable? With Bradley’s storytelling of great nuance, it is anything but.
Robin
What a fun book. The hamster is missing from the classroom so Smashie and her friend start investigating. Griffin’s depiction of Room 11, and her use of humor and complicated vocabulary layer the story beautifully. Parents will love reading this to their kids.
Carol
I truly missed this character when I finished this book. Josie is smart, insightful, and very funny.She speaks her mind, but what language does she speak? Her friends speak
Robin
Jump aboard the Boundless, a city on a train barreling across the Canadian wilderness, complete with a circus, a Sasquatch, a fiercely-guarded funeral car, and a conniving brakeman intent on getting into it. The only thing standing in his way--Will Everett, a young boy desperate for adventure. As he did in his masterful Airborn series, Kenneth Oppel yet again blends fantasy, history, and folklore to create this masterful, old-school adventure novel.
Mackenzie
When Ellie's grandfather develops an anti-aging potion that turns him into a 13-year-old boy, she acquires a new housemate, plots the rescue of a prized jellyfish, and learns what it means to be a scientist.
Sarah
