IL's New Year Book Discoveries

 New Year book picks...

Hours inside leads to great discoveries...

Explore these titles...

Grab a quilt and a cup of hot cocoa!

 Family Story Time:

Steven Kellogg

Publisher's Synopsis:

Pinkerton's natural canine urge to chew on things while teething coincides with a chaotic visit to the museum's collection of dinosaur bones.

MrsK's Review:

There is no better author/illustrator than Steven Kellogg! Pinkerton is one of the classic "chaotic" pups of enjoyment. In this sweetness of fun, Pinkerton is teething, and as a great Dane bones are essential. While Emily is preparing for her class trip to the Natural Museum of History, she reads to Pinkerton about dinosaurs. Her teacher has invited the class to dress-up in dinosaur costumes for their "Dinosaur Day" of exploration. Thinking that she could take Pinkerton with her, she hides his identity in a dinosaur costume. What, oh what, would a teething pup do in a museum of dinosaur bones?

With delightful word choice, chaos revealing illustrations, and humorous giggles... Pinkerton will take your heart and fill it with joy!

You can not go wrong with a Steven Kellogg read aloud!

MrsK

Meet the Author:

Steven Kellogg is an author and illustrator who has contributed over 90 books for children. He is best known for writing books about animals, for which he credits his grandmother.

Grades 2-3

Poppy Green

Publisher's Synopsis:

Winter has finally arrived in Silverlake Forest and Sophie and her friends are having some snowy fun! While playing one day, they accidentally wake a hedgehog named Pippa who has been hibernating all winter. Though Pippa is a little foggy at first, Sophie, Hattie, and Owen show her all the fun things to do in wintertime. There’s ice skating on the pond, sledding down snowy hills, snow-animals to build, and so much more! The only problem is now that Pippa’s awake, will she ever be able to get back to sleep?

"Is that what I think it is?"

MrsK's Review:

One morning when Sophie wakes up... her excitement brings her to the window. Snow! A snow day for Silverlake Elementary, is there anything better than that? Nope!

Sophie and her forest friends will have many delightful moments in their "glistening winter wonderland." Why not build a snow wall for a snow fight? Or maybe learning to skate backwards on the pond for the first time is a grand act of balance. Going sledding can lead to new friends, especially if they are ones who hibernate. There's always room for a mystery... especially when it's locating something special that is lost during all of the fun.

Sometimes you discover a delightful story, one in which the illustrations are too adorable not to browse. This is a fun-filled childhood story line with an adorably "spunky" main character. This is a series that brings to life characters that will not be forgotten.

MrsK

Meet the Author:

Poppy Green can talk to animals! Unfortunately, they never talk back to her. So she started writing in order to imagine what they might say and do when humans aren’t watching. Poppy lives on the edge of the woods in Connecticut, where her backyard is often a playground for all kinds of wildlife: birds, rabbits, squirrels, voles, skunks, deer, and the occasional wild turkey.

Tracey West

Publisher's Synopsis:

In the ninth book, a Dragon Master named Mina arrives at the castle. She tells Drake and his friends that her kingdom in the Far North Lands was attacked by a magical Ice Giant. Everything there was frozen -- but Mina escaped! Only a fire dragon can unfreeze her land and defeat the terrible Ice Giant. But Rori and Vulcan are no longer at the castle! Can the Dragon Masters find them in time to help their new friend?

MrsK's Review:

Danger... quests... and dragons! Adventure has once again arrived at the Kingdom of Bracken. When Mina, a dragon master, arrives from the Far North Lands... you learn about the fabled Ice Giant. Mina's quest is to find the one dragon that will keep her kingdom from being frozen forever!

Fantasies have an amazing way of unlocking or fears of "inabilities," and bringing forth our inner strengths. This series is a must for every beginner reader who enjoys a quest into a fantastical kingdom!

MrsK

Meet the Author:

Tracey West is the bestselling author of more than 200 children's books. She is currently working on the Dragon Masters series, which is part of the Scholastic Branches line. Her past series include Pixie Tricks, Scream Shop, and Hiro's Quest.
She currently lives in New York's Hudson Valley with her husband, Bill, and their three dogs, one cat, and five chickens. She is a proud stepmom to Will, Shannon, and Zane.

Grades 4-6

Jason Pamment

Publisher's Synopsis:

Iris knows this because she’s read them all. However, as a thirteen-year-old stuck in the tiny town of Bugden, real adventure seems like a distant dream. But when Iris and her best friend, Sam, stumble upon an unusually dry river on the outskirts of town, they’re led to a discovery beyond anything Iris has ever read about: a hidden city and a forgotten tale of friendship.

MrsK's Review: GN

Iris is an avid reader of adventure stories. With an adventurous spirit of curiosity, and a suddenly exposed "tiny" town for exploration, Iris and Sam begin their journey into the "un-inhabited" tiny town. Where is everyone? How long has this "tiny" town been in existence? How long will they have to investigate this grand adventure?

Just when they think they have all the time they could dream of... ominous clouds begin rolling in. Iris does not want to give up her discovering. Sam is getting more concerned about the storm. When they discover the truth about this "tiny" town... will it be too late for them to escape the rising waters?

Graphic novels are a delight for readers of every age, this novel is so well crafted. There are dangers portrayed in the illustrations. The storyline moves with "cliff-hanging" choices. The characters are so realistically portrayed... you forget you are the reader and not in the story!

Enjoy this grand, yet "tiny" adventure,

MrsK  

Meet the Author:

  For the past decade or so he’s been designing award winning animated short films, commercials, music videos, TV shows and video games. His strengths are in conceptualizing the look and feel of a production, designing environments and illustrating background artwork. He strives to make artwork that is broadly appealing and immersive, featuring bold colors, fun shapes and evocative lighting.

Trudi Truett

Publisher's Synopsis:

Cruz leaves his tranquil home in Hawaii to join 23 talented kids from around the globe to train at the Explorer Academy with the world's leading scientists to become the next generation of great explorers. But for Cruz, there's more at stake. No sooner has he arrived at the Academy than he discovers that his family has a mysterious past with the organization that could jeopardize his future. In the midst of codebreaking and cool classes, new friends and augmented reality expeditions, Cruz must tackle the biggest question of all: Who is out to get him, and why?

"To Discover. To Innovate. To Protect."

MrsK's Review:

Cruz has been chosen to train at the world's prestigious Explorer Academy. Hawaii's surf is much more safe than the expectations of those who believe he has what it takes to become the next generation of famous explorers. What would he do if he failed everyone's expectations?

Lani is his best friend, she will never let him down. Yet, now he will be 4,882 miles away from her friendship and insights. Even though she should have been chosen, Cruz believes that Lani would have been the better choice.

Aunt Marisol continues to teach anthropology at the academy, Cruz's mom had been a neuroscientist until a horrible lab accident took her life. Was he accepted because of the "ties" to the academy? After his mother's death, his dad moved back to Hawaii and opened a surf shop. Their life was ordered. The waves were safe. His friends were on the island. He surfed, hiked, and rock climbed... what will his life be like at an academy?

Cruz will learn that coincidences are not without reason. It will take a character of potential, the ability to perform tasks without endangering life, and an attitude of endurance. Living and competing with international students can be a strengthening experience... then again... it could lead to expulsion!

"Come visit me in Mexico where giant crystals grace.

Trek to frigid Iceland where I roam from place to place.

Look for me in France where old art is on display.

Seek me in New Zealand; let the insects light your way." 

National Geographic has a winner in this Explorer Academy series. Trudi's crafting of a story with scientific wonder will inspire new readers to want to know more. Having this book in your home library will be an outstanding source for research. Just as home encyclopedia's provided hours of discovery for my generation... this series will encourage the same sense of exploration!

MrsK

Meet the Author:

Ever since writing her first play in the fourth grade, Trudi fell in love with storytelling. As a TV reporter, she got to tell other people's stories. Now, she tells her own!

Trudi writes the EXPLORER ACADEMY series, National Geographic's first fiction series for kids. Her other fiction titles include MY TOP SECRET DARES & DON'TS, THE SISTER SOLUTION, STEALING POPULAR, and THE SECRETS OF A LAB RAT series (all from Aladdin). She's also the author of more than 90 nonfiction children's books.

Trudi's married to her college sweetheart, Bill, and lives to serve her cats, Pippin, Woody, and Emmylou. When she isn't reading, she's wrestling yarn from the kitty gallery to crochet or baking bread. And yes, Trudi Trueit IS her real name.

2021 Middle School Picks

 

Jennifer Muro

ISBN: 9781401296575

Publisher's Synopsis:

Ashley's latest set of presumably short-term foster parents are Kitch and Yuka Nolan. Like Ashley, Kitch happens to be an artist. Yuka, on the other hand, is a geneticist working for a very high-level tech company, one that's contracted out to work for the government and the military. And it's Yuka's latest top secret project that has her very concerned. Developed for the military, it's a set of body paints that, when applied to the wearer, grant them a wide range of special powers. Fearful that this invention will be misused, Yuka sneaks the set of paints home, substituting a dummy suitcase with an ordinary set of paints in their place.

From here, signals get crossed. Ashley comes home from school one day with her new friend Luke and, thinking that the Nolans have purchased a surprise gift for her upcoming birthday, finds the set of paints. Being an artist, Ashley naturally assumes these are for her. It isn't long before she realizes that she's stumbled upon something much bigger and a lot more dangerous. Although she uses her newly discovered powers for good, it's not long before the military becomes wise to what happened to their secret weapon. And this spells big trouble not only for Ashley, but for her newfound family and friends as well.

MrsK's Review:

Meet Ashley... she is "unafraid." With her father in prison, Ashley is once again placed into a new foster home. Thinking that this foster home will be just like all the others, she realizes that these foster parents have a talent for meeting her "wit" and "equalizing" her sass. She quickly discovers that there is a shared talent in this home, a talent that could provide a positive avenue beyond a temporary life.

Ashley's quick "wit" and sassy attitude has provided a bit of a "secret" identity. Yet, these foster parents are equipped to help Ashley challenge what she does with her artistic ability. Unfortunately, at what price will her choices lead her... astray or home.

What is great about this graphic novel is the weaving of Ashley's story as it is portrayed with the perfected art work of Gretel Lusky. Once you meet Ashley... your creative side is "uncapped."

Mrs.K

  

A creative designed graphic novel that entertains the artist within.

Meet the Author:

As one of the industry’s top female writers, Jennifer Muro has quickly made a name for herself through the storylines she has crafted for TV projects over the last decade. Through her writing, Muro is on a mission to make women of all ages feel strong and empowered through the characters she creates, whether for drama, action or comedy.

Rob Harrell

ISBN: 9781338772814

Publisher's Synopsis:

Twelve-year-old Ross Maloy just wants to be normal. Not to have a rare eye cancer, not to lose his hair, not to have to wear a weird hat or have a goopy eye full of ointment. Just normal. But with a sudden and horrifying diagnosis, Ross can't help standing out. His new life is medical treatments that feel straight out of a video game, vision loss in one eye, disappearing friends who don't know what to say to "the cancer kid," cruel bullying, and ultimately, friendships new and old that rise above everything.

Just when Ross starts to feel like he's losing his footing, he discovers how music, art, and true friends can change everything. Filled with Rob Harrell's comic panels (Batpig for the win!) and spot art, this novel brings effortless humor and hope to an unforgettable, uplifting story of survival.

MrsK's Review:

Meet Wink, he is a spirited 7th grader who meets his rare-eye cancer... head on! Most of us remember those crazy days of middle school. Those that soared... those that bullied... and those who remained affected by the "roller coasting" trauma of trying to fit in. Can you imagine what your life might be like when your one eye is always in a wink "oozing goo" at all times?

Wink is by no means willing to "give in" or "give up." With great "grit" he discovers that his inner hope and strength will bring a unity to many of those who walk the halls of his school. Abby is that first grade friend, you know that type of relationship that stands next to you without faltering. Isaac is a gamer, his view on life is in a different dimension. Frank is the tech who treats Wink with an open and honest acceptance, his goal is to bring updated music into Wink's life as a diversion while Wink is getting treatment. Neither of them anticipates how music transforms the horrible days of cancer into a journey beyond expectations. Jimmy, well he is that school "Vader" that torments you into a determination to meet him "eye-eye" and not back down!

This is a remarkable journey of strength, humorous cartoons, outrageous characters... and hope! An autobiography that you won't forget,

MrsK

 Courageous strength!

When facing the unknown... how do you remain hopeful?

Meet the Author:

  Rob Harrell wrote and drew the syndicated daily comic strip Big Top through 2007 and currently creates the long-running strip Adam@Home.

Harrell wrote and illustrated the graphic novel Monster on the Hill, published by Top Shelf. The story of a town with a down-on-his-luck monster, Monster was the inspiration for the animated movie Rumble (2021) from Paramount Pictures.

Next, Harrell wrote the Life of Zarf trilogy of hybrid novels. Published by Dial Books for Young Readers, they tell the story of Zarf Belford, a troll attending middle school in a fairy tale world.

Harrell’s next book is Wink, the funny but heartfelt story of Ross Maloy, a seventh-grader dealing with a horrible diagnosis and cancer treatments – all while trying to just blend in and survive middle school.

As an illustrator, Harrell has worked with clients including Mad, Simon and Schuster, American Greetings, Time, Inc. and Volkswagen. His figurative paintings have been shown in solo shows in San Francisco, Austin and Indianapolis.

Jason Reynolds

ISBN: 9781481450164

Publisher's Synopsis:

Running. That's all that Ghost (real name Castle Cranshaw) has ever known. But never for a track team. Nope, his game has always been ball. But when Ghost impulsively challenges an elite sprinter to a race -- and wins -- the Olympic medalist track coach sees he has something: crazy natural talent. Thing is, Ghost has something else: a lot of anger, and a past that he is trying to outrun. Can Ghost harness his raw talent for speed and meld with the team, or will his past finally catch up to him?

MrsK's Review:

Meet Ghost a sunflower-seed-spitter who is, by circumstances, a runner. At this point in his life, Ghost only has Mr. Charles the local "country store" sunflower seed provider as a daily support. He is the one man that believes Ghost will one day set a world's record. Since that one night, when the man with the gun cocked it and fired... it was like his  "brain was going to pop" in his head and it was "enough to make his heart hiccup!" That was the night... Ghost became a runner!

Coach is dedicated to his team of runners. During practice, this runner appears with a "raw talent" for speed. Could this "ghost" of a runner learn how to become a team member? Not everyone has the fortitude to guide a collection of "troubled" runners into Junior Olympians. Not every runner can learn the difference of "running from" to "running with a goal."

Finding your "grit," that is what this series is all about. Jason Reynolds has a gift for weaving the best of every day into the possibilities of tomorrow! These runners aren't "unknown," they are recognizable because of their stories... and their heart. Coaching isn't always a "real-life" experience, not everyone encounters a coach who comes into your life and is dedicated to seeing you through the enormities of your life... yet, when an author can weave the wisdom of a coach in a book series... well that wisdom can change a readers perspective...

MrsK 

The first in a series about finding the "grit" within.

Meet the Author:

After earning a BA in English from The University of Maryland, College Park, Jason Reynolds moved to Brooklyn, New York, where you can often find him walking the four blocks from the train to his apartment talking to himself. Well, not really talking to himself, but just repeating character names and plot lines he thought of on the train, over and over again, because he’s afraid he’ll forget it all before he gets home.

Dan Gemeinhart

ISBN: 9781338713589

Publisher's Synopsis:

Five years. That's how long Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, have lived on the road in an old school bus, crisscrossing the nation. It's also how long ago Coyote lost her mom and two sisters in a car crash.

Coyote hasn’t been home in all that time, but when she learns the park in her old neighborhood is being demolished - the very same park where she, her mom, and her sisters buried a treasured memory box - she devises an elaborate plan to get her dad to drive 3,600 miles back to Washington state in four days...without him realizing it...

MrsK's Review:

Meet Coyote, she's been on the road for 5 years. You see her life had a restart with her dad (Rodeo), in an old school bus... on the road... and "Once upon a time"... Coyote is the best storyteller when it comes to "real-life" twists and turns. Sometimes in life, life happens. It's part of everyone's journey. It's about the "how" you travel the path before you, not what's been available.

Coyote's story begins unfolding with that moment in her life when she has to "love" her father into returning to the place they once called home. Along the way, their bus becomes a traveler's unique ride to destinations unknown. Coyote and her dad have one rule for their traveler's, you must be able to answer Rodeo's three questions: favorite book; favorite place on earth; and favorite sandwich. If you think these are odd questions, well there's a whole lot of information that's given about someone's life when you're riding a school bus back home.

If you have ever taken a leap of faith, left your home unsure of what or how to restart your life, and or ever wondered what living on the road might be like... this is a reader's delight! It's like a quilt of storylines, characters, and settings that are "stitched" together with the threads of hope. A quilt of comfort!

MrsK

 Truly a remarkable journey!

Coyote will remain an inspiration long after the last page.

Meet the Author:

Dan Gemeinhart lives in a small town smack dab in the middle of Washington state with his wife and three young daughters. He was lucky and grateful to be a teacher-librarian in an elementary school for thirteen years, where he got to share awesome books with awesome kids. He loves camping, cooking and traveling. He also plays guitar (badly) and reads (constantly). His house is always a mess. He is really pretty darn happy.

Gordon Korman

ISBN: 9781338053807

Publisher's Synopsis:

Chase's memory just went out the window.

Chase doesn't remember falling off the roof. He doesn't remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again . . . starting with his own name.

He knows he's Chase. But who is Chase? When he gets back to school, he sees that different kids have very different reactions to his return. Some kids treat him like a hero. Some kids are clearly afraid of him. One girl in particular is so angry with him that she pours her frozen yogurt on his head the first chance she gets. Pretty soon, it's not only a question of who Chase is--it's a question of who he was . . . and who he's going to be.

MrsK's Review:

Meet Chase an generational football hero. Or so he thought! A select few in a "league all of their own." You probably know a group of middle schoolers who are living life in this "thoughtless" reality. That was Chase then. Chase now... well the only thing he remembers is falling and someone screaming.

Amnesia. How could he remember what that word means, yet not remember his name, who the lady and man standing at his hospital bed is? Can you imagine that type of scenario? As Chase recovers, his life only gets worse. Try to imagine what it would be like to return to school, only to see fellow students run from you. Imagine what it would be like to see fear in someone's eyes just because you said hello to them!

They say that Chase's amnesia won't last long. What type of  "grit" will Chase need as he follows his potential instead of what other's knew him to be before the fall? Let's just say, it will need a measure of determination and a lot of courage. With the help of those willing to trust his new personality, Chase learns how treating others matters. The hardest step will be learning to trust himself once he confronts who he was.

Why read this book? First it's written by Gordon Korman, a master author who knows all the methods in hooking his audience. Second, it's a writing perspective in which readers will begin re-thinking what their assumptions are about those they go to school with. Finally, it is just a great story about life and what works or doesn't work.

MrsK

Restarting your life?

Facing who you were and who you are!

Meet the Author:

 Gordon Korman wrote his first book, "This Can't be Happening at Macdonald Hall", when he was 12 years old, for a coach who suddenly found himself teaching 7th grade English. He later took that episode and created a book out of it, as well, in "The Sixth Grade Nickname Game", wherein Mr. Huge was based on that 7th grade teacher.
Korman moved to New York City, where he studied film and film writing. While in New York, he met his future wife; they now live in Long Island with their three children. He has published more than 50 books.

Inkling: 2021 Favorite Gr3-5

Kenneth Oppel

9781524772840

Publisher's Synopsis:

Ethan’s dad is a comic artist whose greatest creation, the mutant superhero Kren, brought him fame and glory. But after his dad’s string of successful books, a tragedy strikes the family and now his dad is completely stuck.

If only artistic talent were hereditary. Ethan is stuck on a graphic-novel project of his own at school and won’t own up to the fact that he can’t draw. When one night an ink-blot creation emerges from his father’s sketchbook, the family’s whole world begins to change.

"The ink rippled, like dark water with something swimming beneath..."

MrsK's Review:

I don't know about you, but when a book's title or cover design "begs me" to take a closer look... well could you resist opening this book?

This is a multi-faceted adventure. It begins with a quick introduction to Inkling's creation and continues in the little ink spot's growth with-in Ethan's family. Rickman the cat is not impressed with Inkling, not in the slightest. Sarah is Ethan's little sister and she is completely... head over heals... enthralled with Lucy the puppy aka Inkling.

Ethan begins to rely on Inkling's ability to create "masterful" illustrations for his 6th grade project, yet how does he keep Inkling from his dad's office? You see, Inkling only needs one thing to survive, unfortunately that one thing seems to be found in Mr. Rylance's office. Could there be a purpose for Inkling beyond helping Ethan? 

This is one of the most inventive novels... If you are a reader that enjoys graphic novels, try this novel for the many illustrations and cartoon blocks will provide many moments of artistic inspirations. If you are a reader that requires more depth in your reading enjoyment, this novel is uniquely woven with engaging "sparks" of creative story hooks... mysterious red herrings... and delightful surprises.

MrsK

 Best discovery!

Meet the Author:

 Kenneth Oppel I was born in 1967 in Port Alberni, a mill town on Vancouver Island, British Columbia but spent the bulk of my childhood in Victoria, B.C. and on the opposite coast, in Halifax, Nova Scotia...At around twelve I decided I wanted to be a writer (this came after deciding I wanted to be a scientist, and then an architect). I started out writing sci-fi epics (my Star Wars phase) then went on to swords and sorcery tales (my Dungeons and Dragons phase) and then, during the summer holiday when I was fourteen, started on a humorous story about a boy addicted to video games (written, of course, during my video game phase). It turned out to be quite a long story, really a short novel, and I rewrote it the next summer. We had a family friend who knew Roald Dahl - one of my favorite authors - and this friend offered to show Dahl my story. I was paralyzed with excitement. I never heard back from Roald Dahl directly, but he read my story, and liked it enough to pass on to his own literary agent. I got a letter from them, saying they wanted to take me on, and try to sell my story. And they did.

Peace, Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson

ISBN: 9780399246555

Publisher's Synopsis:

Twelve-year-old Lonnie is finally feeling at home with his foster family. But because he's living apart from his little sister, Lili, he decides it's his job to be the "rememberer" and write down everything that happens while they're growing up. Lonnie's musings are bittersweet; he's happy that he and Lili have new families, but though his new family brings him joy, it also brings new worries. With a foster brother in the army, concepts like Peace have new meaning for Lonnie.

Told through letters from Lonnie to Lili, this thought-provoking companion to Jacqueline Woodson's National Book Award finalist Locomotion tackles important issues in captivating, lyrical language. Lonnie's reflections on family, loss, love and peace will strike a note with readers of all ages.

"I think it it's..."

Imagine Peace by Lonnie Collins Motion

MrsK's Review:

As a reader, there are always certain characters that speak into your heart. Those that you never forget as the years and titles move forward. As an educator, there are certain book discussions, in which your students are so engaged that you are touched with inspiration. Locomotion was one of those experiences. So when a new generation of learners wanted to read Poetic Novels, Locomotion was my first choice. As I created a list of titles, I was thrilled to discover Peace, Locomotion!

Lonnie, aka Locomotion, continues to hope that one day he will be old enough to be the guardian of his little sister Lili. He has continued his writing, only now he is writing hope-filled letters to Lili. His school life has changed, or maybe fallen back into a place less inspired. Yet, because of his academic slump, he has chosen to write Lili's letters to ensure that their memories of life before the fire won't fade away into a "grayness" that has become "real, real quiet" in their minds. He is gathering all of these letters into a box of "Before Time" for the time when Lili is once again living with him.

What is Locomotion's newest challenge? He has a teacher that believes he can't be a poet without being published. So many times, a small comment can cause a student to choose to disengage in ways that spiral out of control! Living in Miss Edna's home, Lonnie is met with a realization that in this foster location there are words like home, son, brother, and comfortable moments of love and support. Turning 12 will be a year of cherishing his before the fire life and learning to embrace his before "as a man" life unfolds. Will he remain hope-filled about his little sister's "new" before life?

Clyde is the friend that helps Locomotion regain his "for real" now life. Sometimes in life a stranger or someone who once seems like a foe, in reality becomes a life time friend. Clyde is honest. His honesty creates a "sounding board," a type of regulator for Locomotion. While Locomotion tries to come to terms with his new season of life, Clyde shares more about his own home. This form of bonding encourages Locomotion to move forward into an acceptance and freedom.

Through Locomotion's acceptance of his life with Miss Edna and her sons, he begins writing to Lili a "one true thing" for the day. These letters become an exposure to the depth of a "for real" family life. For the first time since the fire, Locomotion is now willing to accept that his little sister has a "for real" life in a family that he wasn't ready to support.

This sequel is as moving and inspiring as the first novel. The weaving of words, emotions, hopes, and acceptance portrays a realistic plot that creates an inner peace about how these characters are growing up. It is with much hope... that this reader eagerly waits Locomotion's next season...
MrsK

"I think if you imagine it....

Then it can happen,...."

 Both titles are crafted with a character with heart,

true grit, and a voice that requires an audience.

Locomotion

Publisher's Synopsis:

When Lonnie Collins Motion "Locomotion" was seven years old, his life changed forever. Now he's eleven, and his life is about to change again. His teacher, Ms. Marcus, is showing him ways to put his jumbled feelings on paper. And suddenly, Lonnie has a whole new way to tell the world about his life, his friends, his little sister Lili, and even his foster mom, Miss Edna, who started out crabby but isn’t so bad after all. Jacqueline Woodson’s novel-in-poems is humorous, heartbreaking . . . a triumph.

Meet the Author:

  I used to say I’d be a teacher or a lawyer or a hairdresser when I grew up but even as I said these things, I knew what made me happiest was writing.

I wrote on everything and everywhere. I remember my uncle catching me writing my name in graffiti on the side of a building. (It was not pretty for me when my mother found out.) I wrote on paper bags and my shoes and denim binders. I chalked stories across sidewalks and penciled tiny tales in notebook margins. I loved and still love watching words flower into sentences and sentences blossom into stories.

I also told a lot of stories as a child. Not “Once upon a time” stories but basically, outright lies. I loved lying and getting away with it! There was something about telling the lie-story and seeing your friends’ eyes grow wide with wonder. Of course I got in trouble for lying but I didn’t stop until fifth grade.

That year, I wrote a story and my teacher said “This is really good.” Before that I had written a poem about Martin Luther King that was, I guess, so good no one believed I wrote it. After lots of brouhaha, it was believed finally that I had indeed penned the poem which went on to win me a Scrabble game and local acclaim. So by the time the story rolled around and the words “This is really good” came out of the otherwise down-turned lips of my fifth grade teacher, I was well on my way to understanding that a lie on the page was a whole different animal — one that won you prizes and got surly teachers to smile. A lie on the page meant lots of independent time to create your stories and the freedom to sit hunched over the pages of your notebook without people thinking you were strange.

Lots and lots of books later, I am still surprised when I walk into a bookstore and see my name on a book’s binder. Sometimes, when I’m sitting at my desk for long hours and nothing’s coming to me, I remember my fifth grade teacher, the way her eyes lit up when she said “This is really good.” The way, I — the skinny girl in the back of the classroom who was always getting into trouble for talking or missed homework assignments — sat up a little straighter, folded my hands on the desks, smiled and began to believe in me.

Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur

Suzanne LaFleur

ISBN: 9780385740302

Publisher's Synopsis:

Elise and Franklin have always been best friends. Elise has always lived in the big house with her loving Uncle and Aunt, because Elise's parents died when she was too young to remember them. There's always been a barn behind the house with eight locked doors on the second floor.
When Elise and Franklin start middle school, things feel all wrong. Bullying. Not fitting in. Franklin suddenly seems babyish. Then, soon after her 12th birthday, Elise receives a mysterious key left for her by her father. A key that unlocks one of the eight doors upstairs in the barn.

"Question.

Believe.

Choose to..."

MrsK's Review:
Elise is starting middle school. During one of her hardest years, she will need to discover her truest sense of self. Thankfully, she is given many opportunities to unravel the mystery of the keys. Each key presents an opportunity to unlock eight rooms. Each room not only leads to an amazing discovery, but provides an insight into her inner perception about life. Can Elise discover the truth about her parents? Will she discover what a "true" friendship really means? How do these keys unlock a "treasure" for a life time?

Franklin is the one friend that knows Elise the best. Yet, now that middle school has begun he finds himself in the dilemma of protecting Elise or letting their friendship go. Thankfully, he has some great science opportunities to keep him going. Yet, when friendship begins to change not everything can be forgiven.

Caroline is the best friend of Elise's locker partner. A locker partner who is a bully, who is mean and nasty to Franklin, and a locker partner who is determined to make Caroline miserable. In reality, Caroline doesn't agree with how Amanda is acting. So when Elise asks her how she feels about a room filled with books, it was a great opportunity to discover a new friendship.

Every key unlocks a new discovery. Each discovery offers a better insight into what the mysterious messages are really about. Every character has a delightful depth of perception about Elise. Every room offers a challenge to embrace a strength.

This novel is worth sharing, discussing, and cherishing the changes that every one can aspire to.
Unlock a great read and then enjoy the journey,
MrsK

Delightfully crafted! 
A must for every classroom and school library.

Meet the Author:

  

I grew up outside Boston in Newton, and later Natick, MA. During the school year I went to Catholic school, did a lot of homework, and read a couple books a week. During the summer I read a couple books a day and spent hours swimming and playing outside at our local pool or beach. I was very much a planner, dreamer, and writer, creating plays and shows for my siblings and the neighborhood kids to be in and filling up entire notebooks with novels. I always read late into the night and slept with a book under my pillow.

I went to college in Lexington, VA at Washington and Lee, where I studied English and European History; I went to grad school in New York City at The New School, where I studied Writing for Children.

Now I divide my time between Natick, MA and New York. Due to my frequent travels, I don't really have a "typical" day, but most days I spend some time writing, reading, exercising (swimming, lifting, or walking), and visiting with friends. I like to warm up for writing by playing computer games. I do my best writing at home in my pajamas, though a lot of days I will venture out to a library to work (in jeans and a sweatshirt, rather than PJ's!). Most days I take a nap, which I tend to do with a book on my chest, whether or not I was actually reading it before I fell asleep. I still read before bed, and, now that I'm older and have a big bed to myself, I slide the book I'm reading under the pillow next to me (rather than the one I'm planning to sleep on!).

Other Titles

Above by Roland Smith

Roland Smith

ISBN: 9780545564892

Available September 27th!

Publisher's Synopsis:

Pat O'Toole and his brother, Coop, are on the run from an enemy that specializes in hiding in plain sight. Along with their new companion, Kate, they've narrowly escaped a cultlike community situated beneath the streets of New York City. Kate has lived underground since birth, and the world above thrills her, but it's treacherous as well. With the cult's leader — Kate’s grandfather — on their trail, will they spend the rest of their days as fugitives? Who can they trust but each other?

The adventure that started Beneath concludes Above in this action-packed middle-grade thriller by Roland Smith!

MrsK's Review:

It isn't just Pat, Coop, and Kate that have survived the beneath explosion. Survivors of the radical Weather Underground Organization are above and they are on a mission to locate Kate while they continue their efforts to destroy the government.

Anxiously waiting the arrival of Kate and Coop, Pat is apprehensive about being spotted at Union Station in Portland, Oregon. Given the need to blend in above, the three decided to travel incognito to the west coast. With only a small backpack, an emergency iPhone, a laptop, and his notebook Pat is once again on the run. Worried about how Kate is surviving above ground, anxious to reconnect with his brother Coop and completely paranoid about the news that the originals have survived Pat isn't in a state of calmness. Who would be? Being on the run and alone isn't like a walk in the park!

"We don't know what they have, where they are, or what they're planning.

All we know is that they are planning something..."

People of the Deep (POD) are exceptional shadows, expert trackers, scavengers, and following a leader that always has a plan. In no way does it help that Kate just happens to be the grand-daughter of Dane, the leader and designer of all things concerning the POD. Dane is not someone you cross. You do not create any disturbance. You do not question his plans. And blood doesn't give you any special outs. It is a safe assumption that if Dane survived the explosion, he will find Kate, Coop, and Pat.

"Compromised..."

As a hand reaches out to grab Pat's iPhone, this word will begin a trek to the Oregon coast and won't end until the everyone, yes everyone is in... 

Ok, you know I won't be a spoiler... All I will say is this book is so fast paced you will feel adrenaline long after you've turned the last page!

I will leave you with some of my thoughts:

• Would you trust anyone if you knew you were being hunted?
• Once abducted, will Kate be safe? After all, she is a resourceful shadow.
• Can Coop continue getting them what ever they will need to find Kate?
• Is Dane's brother just as twisted as Kate's grandfather? 
• Who are the players in this deadly game of cat and mouse?

Excitement for the continuing adventure above ground kept me up late, completely charged, and filled with apprehension!
MrsK

A must read!

Add it to every home, classroom, and library shelf!

Click here for MrsK's review

Check out Roland's other books.

Meet the Author:

 I've wanted to be a writer virtually my entire life. When I was five, my parents got me an old manual typewriter for Christmas and it was my favorite possession. I spent hours in my room clacking away. Even before I knew how to read, I always loved books. I used to go down to my parents' library, pull books off the shelf and sniff them. I just loved the smell of books for some reason, and this hasn't diminished.

Writing is like any skill in life — the more you practice, the luckier you get. If you want to become a writer, you need to write every day, even if it's in a journal or diary, and you need to read everything you can get your hands on all the time. I know hundreds of authors and all of them are fanatic readers. You learn to write by reading other people's words.