Hello, Agatha Christie!
Now, it’s impossible to compare any murder mystery with some of the best by Agatha Christie. One of my favorites as a teen was And Then There Was None
Category: AR levels
The Night Gardener
It’s that time of year when we’re all ready for something a little spooky, right? Well, I’ve got a few scary ideas for you, but I definitely want to mention The Night Gardener.
Land of Stories: Wishing Spell
If I could credit one book with giving my daughter the bug to read, it might be this one. Or perhaps, I’d just credit the whole series. This was the first BIG series that she undertook, and the assembly of fairy tales into an exciting novel was enough to hook her for the rest of the series.
Blood on the River
This book was provided to me by my Mom, because she knows how much I love historical fiction. What I discovered while reading it was a wonderfully crafted book that follows a boy’s journey to the English settlement of Jamestown.
Panic
I was fortunate enough to meet Lauren Oliver at yet another great event at our local bookstore, Edmond’s Best of Books. She was joined by Adam Silvera, and they offered a scintillating talk about writing inspirations, techniques, and character-driven plots.
CatStronauts: Mission Moon
If you ever want to see your second grader have a meltdown in Barnes and Noble, then take him to get his free copy of CatStronauts: Mission Moon for completing his reading list, and then find out the store is out of them.
Bone Gap
Haunting, cool, zany, funny, creepy, intriguing, thrilling. Laura Ruby’s Bone Gap are all these things.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I read this for a writing critique group assignment. What I experienced was a book so extraordinary, I had this sense of beauty and unsettlement for days following.
The Call
By Paeder O’Guilin Published 2016 AR level: 5.5 AR points: 11.0 Word Count: 71019 I suggest 8th through 12th grade. This is a drastic departure from the previous books I’ve written about. Not only is it young adult, but the tone, while not completely devoid of humor, is most definitely dark. As a kid, if…
Ghost
I had heard about the book Ghost and seen it during my weekly trips to the bookstore. However, when two fictional kids in The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise (another great middle grade read) discussed it in the story, I checked it out at the library.
Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster
Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster is a tale that made me hold my breath, laugh, and cry. Set in 1875 London, the novel will never let you think of chimney sweeps the same way. In fact, before your child digs into this story, you might have a quick conversation about what a chimney sweep did back when.
Whales on Stilts (Pals in Peril Series)
By M.T. Anderson Published 2005 AR Level 4.6 Word Count: 22071 Suggested readers: Grades 3rd-6th So. I’ve posted three books so far, and all of them have one major thing in common. HUMOR! And I’m not alone in my love of laughter. Each year, Scholastic releases a Kids & Family Reading Report, and toward the…
Puppy Place
You know what kids love?
Puppies. They love puppies.
I dare you to say differently.
Puppy Place is a chapter book series for any child, because at one point or another, we all have a dog or know someone with a dog.
Kid List 