MrsK's Feb-beary books with heart: K-12

 

Which books would you choose?

Bellen Woodard

ISBN: 9781338809275

Publisher's Synopsis:

Penned by the very first Crayon Activist, Bellen Woodard, this picture book will tug at readers' heartstrings and inspire them to make a difference!

When Bellen Woodard’s classmates referred to "the skin-color” crayon, in a school and classroom she had always loved, she knew just how important it was that everyone understood that “skin can be any number of beautiful colors.” This stunning picture book spreads Bellen’s message of inclusivity, empowerment, and the importance of inspiring the next generation of leaders. Bellen created the More Than Peach Project and crayons with every single kid in mind to transform the crayon industry and grow the way we see our world. And Bellen has done just that!

MrsK's Review: Read Aloud K-5

Wow... how often have you been frustrated trying to use the white or peach color when creating your images of children or family members? This is such a sweet book about a young girl who decided to do something about crayons that didn't fit the assigned self-image assignment.

This book will create "thought-provoking" discussions about taking an idea, checking resources, and designing an innovative answer for the good of everyone.

MrsK

Meet the Author:

 Bellen Woodard, 9, is a “crayon activist.” She saw there were no crayons to match some of the skin tones in her classroom. So she began to “change the language” about skin-colored crayons. She used her own money to make packets of crayons ifordiverse skin tones. She gave them to other kids. Bellen now has her own brand of multicultural crayons. It’s called Bellen’s More than Peach.

Patricia MacLachlan

ISBN: 9780060279714

Publisher's Synopsis:

Every school day feels the same for fourth graders Lucy and Henry and Evie and Russell and May. Then Ms. Mirabel comes to their class—bringing magical words and a whole new way of seeing and understanding.

From beloved author Patricia MacLachlan comes an honest, inspiring story about what is real and what is unreal, and about the ways that writing can change our lives and connect us to our own stories—word after word after word.

"I write entirely to find out what I'm thinking,

what I'm looking at,

what I see and what it means.

What I want and what I fear.

Joan Didion

MrsK's Review: Family Read-Aloud

"On the fourth day, of the fourth month, of fourth grade..." Mrs. Mirabel comes to the class to teach them how writers write. They will learn that once an outline is written... there's no reason to write the story! Writers write to find out what is going to happen. Of course, this is not what the students have learned during creative writing. What does this writer mean?

Did you know that some writers write to make their life turn out as they want? Many write to make money. Others will write to understand what they think. Some write to find answers, seek understanding, and work through their fears.

For the soon-to-be writers in the classroom (Lucy, Henry, Evie, Russel, and May), inspiration will begin to flow from within and onto their pages of thought. They will discover the power of words. They will recognize and/or learn about new stories that they want to read for themselves. They will learn about a moment, a time, a place, a character, an emotion, as well as the power of special memories.

Any reader who has experienced Patricia MacLachlan's crafting of words into stories will recognize the power of this book. This is a well-crafted story, and it is an empowering tool for providing "writeable" thoughts for all learners. Age is never a reason to keep a story unread. Use this book as a "saged" book of writer wisdom... grab a journal... read this to your family/classroom... stop... and jot down your experienced thoughts... share... then continue the next phase... soon you will have pages unfolding in a collection of the stories in their minds, hearts, and spirits.

MrsK

"You have a story... a character,

a place, a poem, a moment in time.

When you find it, you will write it.

Word after word after word after word!

Meet the Author:

Patricia MacLachlan was born on the prairie, and always carried a small bag of prairie dirt with her wherever she went to remind her of what she knew first. She was the author of many well-loved novels and picture books, including Sarah, Plain and Tall, winner of the Newbery Medal; its sequels, Skylark and Caleb's Story; and Three Names, illustrated by Mike Wimmer. She lived in western Massachusetts.

  

Jahnna N Malcolm

MrsK's Review: Gr. 1-2

The Midnight Ride (Book 1): Jake and Mandy Strange live with their parents in an old mansion that is now open for public tours. The Strange Museum houses unique antiquities. The bottom two floors are filled with lost and found objects from around the world. They live on the top floor. Would you enjoy living above an odd collection of objects? Would you dare to go into the museum after hours? Would it make a difference if your parents remind you to never go into the museum after hours, and never touch any of the objects? Would your insides do "flip-flops?"

Even though Jake and Mandy had their favorite rooms, there was this one item that "called" to them. They knew that they were not allowed to touch the 1775 map. They just wanted a closer look at the corner of the map, or where the corner of the map should be. Once they opened the lid of the case where the map is housed... Jake notices a handprint at the corner, a handprint that was made over 200 years ago. All of a sudden..." the room began to spin... lights flashed..."

"Listen, my children, and you shall hear

Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere..."

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Pirate's Revenge (Book 2): Mandy has always had a fear of being in the darkness, it's been a secret all of her life. On the night of a storm without power, Jake and Mandy find that they need to go down into the basement, into her father's office to locate Mandy's history book and a lantern so she could finish her homework. Down into the museum... in the dark..!

Carefully they made their way to the basement. Odd how there is a light coming out of their dad's office. Once inside, Mandy discovers that her history book has been moved beside the oil lantern. Wow, dad would never leave an old oil light unattended. What if it was knocked over and started a fire? Deciding that the lantern would help them find their way back to their rooms, as she reaches for the lantern... the room began to spin!

"If I didn't shoot one or two now and then, they'd forget who I was."

Edward Teach 1680-1718

These stories of historical objects, fascinating names from long ago, and sci-fi travels will ignite a desire "to know more." To read more... be aware... that's where reading leads!

MrsK

Meet the Authors:

  Jahnna N. Malcolm is the pen name for husband-and-wife team Jahnna Beecham and Malcolm Hillgartner. Together they've written four musicals, two movies, three CD-ROM games, and nearly one hundred books, including the popular series The Jewel Kingdom. They met in the theater and were married on the stage using Marlowe's famous love letter from "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love" as their wedding vows.

James Russell

ISBN:9780473376215

Publisher's Synopsis:

The wild and wonderful island home of Flynn and Paddy holds an incredible secret - dragons live there!
But when the evil boss The Pitbull finds out, he sends his men to kill one, and bring back a dragon's egg, so that he can hatch it in his private zoo. Flynn and Paddy's job is to stop them and protect the island's dragons.

The Dragon Defenders is the first in a middle-grade novel series (7-12-year-old readers), which follows on from the Dragon Brothers Trilogy of picture books, also by author James Russell.
This book comes alive! The Dragon Defenders features extra digital content, accessed by using a device or smartphone.

MrsK's Review: Gr.3-5

Are you a fantasy "dragon" reader? How much do you know about dragons? Have you considered that real... honest... to goodness... dragons might exist on islands somewhere in our world? Flynn and Paddy know that dragons are real, in fact, they have been warned never to explore close to Mt. Monstrous.

Flynn is an outstanding marksman with a slingshot. Paddy is an outstanding marksman with a bow and arrow. Together they will be defending their island home, dragon eggs, and many huntsman skills that they never had to put into practice before the thieves came to their island.

Be forewarned, hearing the magnificent "whoosh" of a dragon overhead is not for the faint of heart. These mighty and powerful creatures have personalities that can befriend or strike you with talons so sharp... well you get the picture! 

Most of us have some information or experience with thieves. Usually, thieves are cunning and dangerous. The thieves that Pitbull sends to the island, appear to be seriously dangerous, that is until they get discovered by the brothers. Will they get the dragon egg for their boss? Will they get close enough to kill a dragon for the Pitbull's infamous museum?

That's up to you... you have to open the covers of this book to discover the test of the quest!

MrsK

Meet the Author:

I am the author of the best-selling Dragon Brothers Trilogy of children's books (The Dragon Hunters, The Dragon Tamers, and The Dragon Riders) and the best-selling, middle-grade novel series The Dragon Defenders (The Dragon Defenders, The Dragon Defenders – Book Two: The Pitbull Returns, The Dragon Defenders - Book Three: An Unfamiliar Place, The Dragon Defenders - Book Four: All Is Lost and The Dragon Defenders - Book Five: The Grand Opening.
I launch my first book for adults, entitled 'Mine - A Surfing Odyssey on North Sentinel Island' on June 1, 2021. I live in Auckland with my wife and two young sons.

Sarah Weeks

ISBN: 9780439793346

Publisher's Synopsis:

She doesn't know when her birthday is or who her father is. In fact, everything about Heidi and her mentally disabled mother's past is a mystery. When a strange word in her mother's vocabulary begins to haunt her, Heidi sets out on a cross-country journey in search of the secrets of her past.

Far away from home, pieces of her puzzling history come together. But it isn't until she learns to accept not knowing that Heidi truly arrives.

"If the truth was a crayon and it was up to me to put

a wrapper around it and name its color..."

MrsK's Review: Gr. 5-8

Heidi has a life behind closed doors. She rarely leaves the apartment or her mother. The summer before she turns thirteen, she finds out that "not knowing something doesn't mean you're stupid." All Heidi knows is the life she has with her Mama and the neighbor Bernadette (Bernie/Dette). Her Mama has areas that aren't right, areas inside that are mysterious and not working. So Heidi and Bernie take care of Mama and each other. What Heidi does have is the ability to know things, she doesn't know how she knows... she just does. Memory games, guessing how many candies are in a jar, knowing the numbers for the slots... Heide calls her gift "Luck" because she guesses and then it is true.

Before Heidi turned thirteen, she earned money babysitting the twins upstairs. She had only left the apartment a few times. She had one friend,  . If she left the apartment, Bernie always reminded her to "Listen to the eyes." Her safety relied on this truth since she didn't know life beyond the apartment. She had to know how to trust strangers.

As most teens know, there comes a time when you desperately need to understand where you came from, who your parent/parents were, what's your connection to the world. Well that day came for Heidi. There was only a few clearly spoken words that her mother could say, so when Heidi asks her mother what her name is... it sounded like she said So B. It.

When an old camera falls to the ground, Heidi discovers a roll of film. From that moment on, she begins a plan of action. She needed to find out who is in the picture with her Mama at the Hilltop Home, in Liberty, NY.

Learning how to live beyond the apartment is a major turning point. She must get to the Hilltop Home, she doesn't know why, she only knows she must go! So many new experiences... so many challenges un-learned... many strangers... it doesn't matter... she must go!

This is a story that shouldn't be missed... give Heidi a chance... walk with her as she ventures beyond the safety of her apartment building,

MrsK

"Believe me, Heidi, there are some things in life a person just can't know."

Meet the Author:

Sarah Weeks has been writing children’s books and songs for the past twenty years. She is a graduate of Hampshire College and NYU and recently became an adjunct faculty member in the prestigious Writing Program at the New School University, in New York City.

Her first YA novel, So B. It, which appeared on the LA Times bestseller list was chosen as an ALA Best Book for Young Adults and received the 2004 Parent’s Choice Gold Award. In addition to being an author, Sarah is an accomplished singer/songwriter. She has written for television, stage and screen and a number of her picture books include songs which she both writes and sings for the accompanying CD’s. Sarah's titles have sold well over a million copies, including several foreign editions.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

ISBN: 9781423168317

Publisher's Synopsis:

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

"Teenager, presumed troubled..."

MrsK's Review: YA

Cassie might be a troubled teen, with a father living halfway around the world and a mother missing she is content with her part-time job. Until she has an unusual young man seated at one of her tables. Cassie has always known that she had exceptional skills for "profiling" her customers. Her mother taught her the BPE's in discerning people (behaviors, personality, environment). The ability to "know" what people were thinking was natural, the ability to control it was still a work in progress.

As soon as Michael had seated himself at one of her tables, Cassie knew he would not be a regular customer. Why was he watching her? Why would he tell her to guess his lunch request? How would he know her ability to "profile and analyze" people? Why has he left her a calling card for Special Agent Tanner Briggs at the FBI?

You... is an unknown character. Who is waiting for the right girl at the right time. Meanwhile, this sleeping girl will do even though she is not the one you are waiting for. She will awaken... she will scream... she will beg... she has yet to discover that she will be more beautiful when you are done.

Once Cassie decides to contact the FBI's special agent, she will be given a once-in-a-lifetime choice. Nonna will not be supportive, and neither will the rest of her family. Yet, Cassie knows that being with others who have natural skills like herself... the opportunity to work cold cases... and the drive to discover the truth about her mother... is what she must do!

With frightening details... extraordinary plot twists... this is an "all-consuming," page-turning novel,

MrsK

Meet the Author:

Jennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been, in turn, a competitive cheerleader, a volleyball player, a dancer, a debutante, a primate cognition researcher, a teen model, a comic book geek, and a lemur aficionado. She's been writing for as long as she can remember, finished her first full book (which she now refers to as a "practice book" and which none of you will ever see) when she was still in high school, and then wrote Golden the summer after her freshman year in college, when she was nineteen. Jen graduated high school in 2002, and from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science (the study of the brain and thought) in May of 2006. She'll be spending the 2006-2007 school year abroad, doing autism research at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

Happy Feb-beary Reading!

MrsK's New Year's Explorations for K-12

 

There is no better time of the year for snuggling in with a good book.

The weather says... to stay inside,

The chill reminds you that you need a warm cup of cocoa,

and...

A story is always a welcoming adventure!

Family Read Aloud:

Peter H. Reynolds

ISBN: 9781338572322

Publisher's Synopsis:

Celebrated, bestselling creator Peter H. Reynolds brings his signature touch of love and kindness to this special, timely picture book, as families now, more than ever, are rediscovering and reevaluating what means the most: time together with one another.

Violet longs for the time when her family was connected: before life, distractions, and technology pulled them all away from each other. They used to gather at the table, with food and love, to make memories, share their lives, and revel in time spent together. But now her family has been drifting apart, and with nobody to gather around it, the table grows smaller and smaller.

Can Violet remind her family of the warmth of time spent together, and gather around the table once more?

MrsK's Review:

What should you do when your family is too busy to be family? In this family fable, Violet is concerned that her family is so connected to their devices that she began daydreaming about a time when they could be together in one room at their table. As with every good fable... the unthinkable happens. The table begins to shrink!

How will Violet get her family to reconnect? That's a tale that will need readers to discuss and enjoy. A perfect family read-aloud filled with a tale of woe, characters that must work together, and hope for a better tomorrow.

MrsK 

Meet the Author:

Peter Hamilton Reynolds is an author and illustrator of children's books and is the co-founder and CEO of the educational media company FableVision.

 https://www.peterhreynolds.com/meet

  

 

Patricia MacLachlan

ISBN: 9780063116016

Publisher's Synopsis:

Jacob is nine years old when his life changes. He wants a litter of puppies. But instead, his parents have a different surprise. Jacob will be an older brother soon. And there won’t be only one new baby. There will be three! When the triplets are born, Jacob thinks puppies are cuter. The babies look identical to him and he gives them a name: “the Trips.”

For a school science project, Jacob decides to study the Trips. It feels like magic as they begin to smile, talk, and grow. Slowly, he gets to know each of them. They call his mother “Mama” and his father “Da.” But what will they call him One day, one of the Trips calls him “Jay.”

As each of the triplets become unique and more special with each day, Jacob starts to wonder if “the Trips” is still a good name for them. They aren’t puppies, or a bunch of bananas, and they aren’t just “the Trips” anymore. What should he call them that will show what they mean to him Can he figure out their “forever name” And will he ever get a puppy?

MrsK's Review: Grades 1-3

Do you believe in the sweetness of discovering a story so "good" you must share it with others? Can you remember an author from your youth? Have you tried to pass on that type of a story to a new generation? Whether you answer a yes or even a no... this is a story that must be shared!

Jacob was rather disappointed when he was told that he wouldn't be getting a puppy. Who wouldn't be feeling sad, cheated, or even a little bit mad? Why would he want a new baby instead? Well, it won't be a new baby... it is going to be three new siblings!

Given a school assignment, Jacob decides to "study" the Trips. What he learns is just how unique his sisters are, as well as how much he has grown beyond his wants. 

Once again, Patricia has crafted a story that will become a classic in classrooms, in homes, and in the hearts of readers. This is her final story... yet, it is just as touching as Sarah, Plain and Tall. Don't miss this story of family, love, growing up, and learning the value of being unique.

MrsK

Meet the Author:

    Patricia MacLachlan was born on the prairie, and always carried a small bag of prairie dirt with her wherever she went to remind her of what she knew first. She was the author of many well-loved novels and picture books, including Sarah, Plain and Tall, winner of the Newbery Medal; its sequels, Skylark and Caleb's Story; and Three Names, illustrated by Mike Wimmer. She lived in western Massachusetts. March 03, 1938 - Died March 31, 2022

 MrsK's Review: Just for fun Gr.3+

Who doesn't find some reading enjoyment in browsing a book for a good joke! These are the best and silliest joke books. I once heard that a joke a day kept the doctors away! What reader wouldn't want to help their friends, family, and teachers to have better health? Brighten your reading choices and learn how to engage others beyond their phones......!

Rodman Philbrick

ISBN: 9781338736298

Publisher's Synopsis:

Davy and Jo Michaud have been recently orphaned. Taken in by a distant relative—a famous aviator—they are now working with a group of stunt pilots who spend their time wing walking, leaping from plane to plane, and flying through fireworks! But though the stunts are dangerous, the real threat is building behind the scenes.

The KKK is on the rise in Maine that summer, inspired by the racial fears promoted in Birth of a Nation. They spew hatred of immigrants, Blacks, Jews, and French Catholics—that last, a rage that will be directed at Davy and Jo. When Davy and Jo cross paths with the Klan, they get tangled up in a terrible revenge plan, and held as hostages. Can they escape with their lives?

MrsK's Review: Grades 5+

At the graveside service for their mother, Davy and Jo learn that they have a relative that will offer them an amazing adventure. An adventure that is better than being orphans working at a cotton mill in 1924.

While they are working for the Ruthie Reynard's Flying Circus, they will have a place to live... meals... and a paying job. Davy will begin as a popcorn maker and Jo will begin as the ticket/cashier for the air show. With the sense of adventure their lives will take a path that neither of them are prepared for.

They will meet professional aviators, death-defying feats stunts, motorized races with speeds exceeding 100mph, and the unfortunate bigotry and hatred of the KKK.

Have you heard about the wing walkers? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to a daring bi-plane walker? Don't miss this historical novel about what life as a wing walker might have been! The characters are uniquely defined. The historical accuracy of the settings and the trials of life is crafted with a mixture of wonder, spunk, and an ability to be intellectually flexible!

Historical fiction isn't always a "review-mirrored" glance of perfection, it can be a "snapshot" into the life of those who lived before us. Yet, it is an opportunity to learn about that which needed to change. To learn what courage, determination, and "grit" looks like. To live outside the box and to create a better life out of hardships. An inspiring novel for a read-aloud in grades 3-6 (so many discussion points + research opportunities = a literary must).

MrsK

Meet the Author:

Rodman Philbrick grew up on the New England coast, where he worked as a longshoreman and boat builder. For many years he wrote mysteries and detective novels. The Private Eye Writers of America nominated two of his T.D.Stash series as best detective novel and then selected Philbrick's 'Brothers & Sinners' as Best Novel in 1993. Writing under the pen name 'William R. Dantz' he has explored the near-future worlds of genetic engineering and hi-tech brain control in books like 'Hunger', 'Pulse', 'The Seventh Sleeper'. And 'Nine Levels Down'.

Inspired by the life of a boy who lived a few blocks away, he wrote 'Freak The Mighty', the award-winning young-adult novel, which has been translated into numerous languages and is now read in schools throughout the world. The book was adapted to the screen in 1998 as 'The Mighty', starring Sharon Stone, Gillian Anderson, James Gandolfini, Kieran Culkin, and Elden Henson.

Philbrick, a screenwriter as well as a novelist, is the author of a number of novels for young readers, including 'The Fire Pony', 'Max the Mighty', 'REM World', 'The Last Book In The Universe', 'The Journal of Douglas Allen Deeds' and 'The Young Man And The Sea'. His recent novels for adults include 'Dark Matter', 'Coffins', and 'Taken'. He and his wife divide their time between Maine and the Florida Keys.

Brian Selznick

ISBN: 9781338180633

Publisher's Synopsis:

A mysterious voice has been speaking to Louise in her dreams. She and her brother Merwin are Sycamore seeds, who hope to one day set down roots and become big trees. But when a fire forces them to leave their mama tree prematurely, they find themselves catapulted into the unknown, far from home. Alone and unprepared, they must use their wits and imagination to navigate a dangerous world—filled with dinosaurs, meteors, and volcanoes!—and the fear of never finding a safe place to grow up. As the mysterious voice gets louder, Louise comes to realize their mission in life may be much bigger than either of them ever could have imagined!

"What does the old one tell you?"

MrsK's Review: Grades 4+

Meet the sibling seeds, Louise and Merwin. They are young seeds changing, developing, and unfortunately set free during a fire evacuation. With words of wisdom from their mother Sycamore, these two will journey in and out of environmental habitats trying to find the perfect soil conditions that their loving mother had taught them to find.

Within the seedball, Louise longed to see the sights outside. Yet, inside she believed she heard the stars calling to her. To Merwin, the world seemed to be "nothing but danger." They must head to the Beautiful Mountain, that's what their mother had told him.

Who knew Sycamore seeds could have discussions? Only the author Brian Selznick could weave an entertaining and poignant story about sibling seeds! Will the sibling seeds get the Beautiful Mountain? Will they find the perfect soil conditions to settle into? 

Once upon a time...

Enjoy, MrsK

Meet the Author:

   Hello there. My name is Brian Selznick and I’m the author and illustrator of The Invention of Hugo Cabret. I was born in 1966 in New Jersey. I have a sister who is a teacher, a brother who is a brain surgeon, and five nephews and one niece. I studied at The Rhode Island School of Design and after I graduated from college I worked at Eeyore’s Books for Children in New York City. I learned all about children’s books from my boss Steve Geck who is now an editor of children’s books at Greenwillow. While I was at Eeyore’s I also painted the windows for holidays and book events.

My first book, The Houdini Box, which I both wrote and illustrated, was published in 1991 while I was still working at the bookstore. Since then, I have illustrated many books for children, including Frindle by Andrew Clements, The Doll People by Ann Martin and Laura Godwin, Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride by Pam Muñoz Ryan and The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins by Barbara Kerley, which received a 2001 Caldecott Honor. I have also written a few other books myself, including The Boy of a Thousand Faces, but The Invention of Hugo Cabret is by far the longest and most involved book I’ve ever worked on.

"You know me, Maxine. I always land on my feet."

Jennifer Lynn Barnes

ISBN: 9780759555402

Publisher's Synopsis:

Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why -- or even who Tobias Hawthorne is.

To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into a sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch -- and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a con-woman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

MrsK's Review: YA

Meet Avery, a teen that has been living in her car. Her mother raised her to "play" games that would sharpen her intellect and promote an "out-of-the-box" creativity. One of the few stabilities in her life began the day her mother's secret took her life. Her one and only best friend, Max, is the only one she can confide in... the only one who knows she left her step-sister's house and is now living in a car.

Avery knows the value of her education, especially when her finances will depend on her grade point average for a university that will give her a degree in statistical risk assessment. Life might have seen her into college, if it wasn't for her step-sister Libby. 

The morning before her life changed forever... or so it seemed, Avery had been in the park playing a game of chess with a homeless man named Harry. People play chess for various reasons, Avery played the game with Harry because it was the only way she could make sure he would have a meal every day.

Maxine, Max, moved during their 8th grade. Their phone connection kept their friendship strong. Avery had just informed Max that Libby's boyfriend had moved in again and that she is staying in her car. Will her last words to Max be her strength in the year ahead?

The next morning, during her English class, an office aide came to escort her to the Principal's office. Avery quickly learns that she was not summoned because of her test scores, she was summoned by Grayson Hawthorne. A young man who was claiming that he had been sent there by his Grandfather's lawyers to bring her to the reading of will. Libby had been brought to the school, because she was Avery's guardian. What is this about? Who is Tobias Hawthorne? How could someone be taking her and her step-sister off to Texas! What was this all about?

And so the inheritance games begin... What would be going through your mind as a junior in high school? What are these Hawthorne's playing at? Why would a multi-billionaire request her to be present at the reading of his will?

Mysterious rooms in a mansion; four grandsons who should be sharing an estate from their grandfather; and a body guard placed in charge of Avery. Be prepared to be turning pages until some of the game has begun! Excellent read...

MrsK  

Meet the Author:

  Jennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been, in turn, a competitive cheerleader, a volleyball player, a dancer, a debutante, a primate cognition researcher, a teen model, a comic book geek, and a lemur aficionado. She's been writing for as long as she can remember, finished her first full book (which she now refers to as a "practice book" and which none of you will ever see) when she was still in high school, and then wrote Golden the summer after her freshman year in college when she was nineteen.

Jen graduated high school in 2002, and from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science (the study of the brain and thought) in May of 2006. She'll be spending the 2006-2007 school year abroad, doing autism research at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

David Hoffman

ISBN: 9781567314427

Publisher's Synopsis:

The man who commissioned the Mona Lisa refused it. Three of the first five U.S. Presidents died on July 4th. The company name Atari was chosen so consumers would think the Northern California-based company was Japanese. These and other eye-opening revelations await the reader of Who Knew? Part pop culture, part pop quiz, this quirky compilation of little-known facts and figures will amaze and amuse readers of all ages. Who Knew? collects tidbits and trivia about well-known personalities and products that we are all familiar with—or at least think we're familiar with. From Twinkies to Tupperware to toys and television, these offbeat informational nuggets are guaranteed to entertain and enthrall.

MrsK's Review: Young Adults

Do you know why peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth? How many ridges are there on a dime? Why did they call the book of maps an Atlas? Do you know what key a housefly hums in? Did you know that there is one "soothing" smell from childhood that could lower your blood pressure?

This is a book that is truly a hidden treasure! Every page has a quick fact that you probably never knew and most importantly probably will begin sharing with others more than once,

MrsK

Meet the Author:

The author of seventeen books about popular culture, ranging from Kid Stuff (which takes a look at classic toys) to Doofus and Darling's Manners for the Modern Man, The Sand Bucket List (366 Things To Do With Your Kids Before They Grow Up) and Little-Known Facts About Well-Known Places (a travel series covering the world’s most popular destinations), Hoffman has also turned his titles into brands. From Pigging Out, he assembled a $2.5 million licensing campaign that included greeting cards, calendars, plush, t-shirts, mugs, and magnets as well as a line of kitchen textiles; he not only sold Kid Stuff as source material for two television documentaries, but for (and with) the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, MA, he co-created and curated a 4500-square foot interactive traveling exhibition based on the book that toured internationally for 12 years; and as the author of two novelty cookbooks (The Easy-Bake Oven Gourmet and The Breakfast Cereal Gourmet), he has served as a media spokesperson for publicity campaigns for Quaker Oats, White Castle and Hasbro.