Alone By Megan E. Freeman

Alone

By Megan E. Freeman

I picked this book because it is an Iowa Children's Choice Award book. It is a novel in verse book so the 416 pages go by quickly. 

When twelve-year-old Maddie hatches a scheme for a secret sleepover with her two best friends, she ends up waking up to a nightmare. She’s alone—left behind in a town that has been mysteriously evacuated and abandoned.

With no one to rely on, no power, and no working phone lines or internet access, Maddie slowly learns to survive on her own. Her only companions are a Rottweiler named George and all the books she can read. After a rough start, Maddie learns to trust her own ingenuity and invents clever ways to survive in a place that has been deserted and forgotten.

As months pass, she escapes natural disasters, looters, and wild animals. But Maddie’s most formidable enemy is the crushing loneliness she faces every day. Can Maddie’s stubborn will to survive carry her through the most frightening experience of her life?

 

Two Degrees by Alan Gratz

Two Degrees

By Alan Gratz

    Davis and I are reading this book together right now. WOW! It is a great read!

Fire. Ice. Flood.

Three climate disasters.

Four kids fighting for their lives.

Akira is riding her horse in the California woods when a wildfire sparks--and grows scarily fast. How can she make it to safety when there are flames everywhere?

Owen and his best friend, George, are used to seeing polar bears on the snowy Canadian tundra. But when one bear gets way too close for comfort, do the boys have any chance of surviving?

Natalie hunkers down at home as a massive hurricane barrels toward Miami. When the floodwaters crash into her house, Natalie is dragged out into the storm--with nowhere to hide.

Akira, Owen, George, and Natalie are all swept up in the devastating effects of climate change. They are also connected in ways that will shock them--and could alter their destinies forever.

(Source: Publisher)

 

The End of the Wild by Nicole Helget

 The End of the Wild

By Nicole Helget

It's been a while since I have read a book without one of my kids at my side. We got this book at the book fair this fall and it turned into a quick read for me. One of the things that interested me the most about this book was that her book was inspired by an effort to protect a prairie in southern Minnesota... that is so close to us!

Eleven-year-old Fern doesn't have the easiest life. Her stepfather is without a job and Fern is responsible for making dinner and taking care of her two younger brothers. In addition to that there is a fracking company that promises jobs at the cost of losing her special grove. Can Fern save the forest?

Making Bombs for Hitler

 Making Bombs for Hitler 

By Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

This book had just enough new details about WWII to keep Davis and I wanting to read more. It tells about a lesser known part of WWII.

Lida thought she was safe. She was not Jewish. But, nobody can escape the horrors of World War II. Lida's parents are ripped away from her and sister Larissa is separated. Then, Lida is taken to a brutal work camp, where she and other Ukrainian children are forced into backbreaking labor. Starving and scared for her life Lida forms a bond with her fellow prisoners. That's when Lida and her friends are assigned to make bombs for the German army. Help the enemy? Lida cannot stand this thought and decides to sabotage the bombs. Will she get caught? Will she ever see her sister again? 

Great read! (And there are more written by Marsha!)

Saving Zasha

 Saving Zasha

By Randi Barrow

This book was a great read for Davis and I. We both are interested in WWII and LOVE dogs! Bonus to this book is there is a second one... Finding Zasha. 

After WWII Russia is left with almost no dogs. Thirteen year old Mikhail finds a dying man and his German Shepherd, Zasha. After Germany attacked Russia it is dangerous and some would call you a traitor to own a German dog. Mikhail wants to keep this beautiful dog alive, but a pesky girl Katia is determined to find this dog she is sure Mikhail is hiding. In addition, a new neighbor, Dimitri is breeding a new Russian dog and he too is suspicious of Zasha's existence. As if this is not enough to handle, Mikhail and his family have to be careful of dangerous dog thieves. 

This book gives another perspective on life after war and how a young boy and his family find courage, hope and forgiveness when they least expect it.

The Fort

        The Fort

By Gordon Korman

The story of a middle-school "band of brothers" -- five friends who need to stick together after they set up a hideout in an abandoned bomb shelter and discover that the only way to be true friends is to reveal their secrets and help each other out.

The morning after Hurricane Leo rips through the town of Canaan, residents awaken to widespread destruction -- power outages, downed branches, uprooted trees, broken windows and damaged roofs. Four eighth-grade friends -- Evan, Jason, Mitchell, and CJ -- meet to explore the devastation. The tight-knit group is dismayed to find that Evan has brought along a stray -- Ricky, who is new to their town and school, and doesn’t have any friends yet.

Ricky is the one to find the strange trap door that’s appeared in the middle of the woods -- the door to an old bomb shelter, unearthed by the hurricane. Inside, the boys find a completely intact underground lair, complete with electricity, food, and entertainment (in the form of videocassettes). The boys vow to keep the place’s existence to themselves.

Things soon get tense. Some bad locals keep snooping around. And what started out as a fun place to escape soon becomes a serious refuge for one of the kids who is trying to avoid an abusive home situation. In order to save the shelter, the friends must keep its secret... and in order to save themselves, they’re going to have to share their individual secrets, and build the safest place they can.

After Davis got done with his virtual author visit he wanted me to preorder Gordon Korman's newest book The Fort. It came to our house this summer and we were so excited to get started on it. If you are looking for a great author for your kids to get hooked on Korman is a solid choice. Davis and I still read books together (it is the only time I get to be one on one with him). Gordon Korman likes to write from his characters' perspectives. Our bookmark usually has each character and notes about them. That way when we start the next chapter we can remember who the character is; this is especially helpful at the beginning of the book. 

If you are interested in more Gordon Korman books here is his website: https://gordonkorman.com/

Linked

 

   Linked   

By Gordon Korman

In the 2021-2022 our 4th and 5th graders did a virtual author visit with Gordon Korman. My son, Davis, came home with this book and could not wait to read it. Davis and I have read lots of books about World War II so he has a pretty good background on the Holocaust. This book ties the past with present day, making it easy for any kids to relate to. Gordon Korman once again did a fantastic job bringing his characters to life in this mystery. GREAT read!

Link, Michael, and Dana live in a quiet town. But it's woken up very quickly when someone sneaks into school and vandalizes it with a swastika. Nobody can believe it. How could such a symbol of hate end up in the middle of their school? Who would do such a thing?

Because Michael was the first person to see it, he's the first suspect. Because Link is one of the most popular guys in school, everyone's looking to him to figure it out. And because Dana's the only Jewish girl in the whole town, everyone's treating her more like an outsider than ever.

The mystery deepens as more swastikas begin to appear. Some students decide to fight back and start a project to bring people together instead of dividing them further. The closer Link, Michael, and Dana get to the truth, the more there is to face-not just the crimes of the present, but the crimes of the past. 

Hello From Renn Lake

        

 Hello From Renn Lake

By Michele Weber Hurwitz

Annalise Oliver, was abandoned as a baby in a small Wisconsin town. She has always had a special, almost mystical connection to Renn Lake. Annalise's happiest times are working alongside her adoptive parents at the cabins along the lake their family has owned and run for generations. But the summer Annalise turns 12, a small patch of algae quickly becomes a harmful bloom and Renn Lake is closed. Even worse, Annalise's connection with Renn is gone. Frustrated with the authorities' inaction, she teams up with her friends and vows to find a way to save her beloved lake. Hello From Renn Lake is a heartfelt story about community, activism, and fighting for the things you love.

Orange for the Sunsets

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 Orange for the Sunsets

By Tina Athaide

     Asha and her best friend, Yesofu, never cared about the differences between them: Indian Girl, African Boy. The Ugandan President Idi Amin announces that all Indians have 90 days to leave the country. Now their differences are the only things others can see. Soldiers start to line the streets and slowly the friends find that nothing seems sure. Will Asha and her family leave Uganda? Will Asha and Yesofu stay best friends? 

     I picked this book because it was a children's choice award book. I was excited that it was historical fiction but even more excited that it was about a time in history I wasn't familiar with. This book is easy for kids to relate to as we navigate through a time where our differences are brought to the surface. 

Before the Ever After

    Before the Ever After

By Jacqueline Woodson

    This is an Iowa Children's Choice Award Book. Jacqueline Woodson writes it in verse and it is a quick read. 

    The book is from the perspective of a young boy who has a NFL player for a father. Something is not right with his dad. He isn't acting like himself- moody, headaches, etc. ZJ is doing the best he can to hold onto the good times and survive his new reality. 

    I found this book to be interesting because it addresses chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This is a degenerative brain disease found in people who have suffered repeated blows to the head. I Survived the Attacks on September 11,  2001 also addresses this illness. Both books give some medical information but also help the reader see how you might live with the disease and the emotions/ hardships it brings.  

Wild River by Rodman Philbrick

 If you enjoyed Wild Fire by Rodman Philbrick you will definitely love this book! 

Daniel is fast asleep on the very first night of a white water rafting trip. Suddenly, he is awake from screams. The dam failed and now the river is rushing towards them. With the help of the adults the kids get to higher ground. They make it... barely. But, the counselors weren't so lucky. Now they are alone, in the wilderness, with limited food and survival supplies. Who knew staying alive could be so difficult? This book of survival is filled with twists and turns and will keep you wanting more.

Nubby's Story

The Dodo: Nubby's Story

By Aubre Andrus

 

A student of mine got this book from our book fair. He couldn't read it fast enough. When done he set it on my desk and said I should read it next. :) I sure love it when students start to recommend books to me.

Nubby's story is a true story about a dog born without two front legs. The owners who adopted Nubby weren't sure if he would make it. Against all odds, Nubby overcomes many obstacles and does it in style. If you like animals you are sure to love this story!

Recommended reading age: 8-12 years old

 

Dragons in a Bag by Zetta Elliott

Dragons in a Bag

By Zetta Elliott

    I picked this book because it is part of the Iowa Children's Choice book list (2021-2022). It is a quick read and when we discovered that there is a second book my son immediately said he wanted to read that too. This book combines what most kids love... magic and dragons!

    Jaxon is sent to spend the day with a mean old lady his mother calls Ma. Ma, Mamma and Jaxon are NOT happy with this situation. That is when Jaxson finds out Ma is not his grandmother; she is a witch! Ma recruits Jaxon into helping her deliver three baby dragons to a magical world where they’ll be safe. There are two rules when it comes to the dragons: don’t let them out of the bag and don’t feed them anything sweet. Unfortunately, it's too late for that! Will Jax get the baby dragons delivered safe and sound? Or will they be lost in Brooklyn forever?

Recommended for ages 8-12

 

 

Greetings from Witness Protection!

 Greetings from Witness Protection!

By Jake Burt

                                            

The U.S. Marshals are looking for the perfect girl to join a mother, father, and son on the run from the nation’s most notorious criminals. It is getting more difficult to hide a family with social media, so they have decided to make them a family of four.

Nicki swears she can keep the Trevor family safe, but to do so she’ll have to dodge hitmen, cyberbullies, and standardized testing, all while maintaining her marshal-mandated B-minus average to blend in. As she tries to balance the responsibilities of her new identity, Nicki learns that the biggest threats to her family’s security might not lurk on the road from New York to North Carolina, but rather in her own past.

I could NOT put this book down! WOW! What a great read!

Reading age: 10-14

 

Rescue Dogs- Ember

 

 

Rescue Dogs- Ember

by Jane B. Mason, Sarah Hines-Stephens

If you love dogs and adventure you will love this book! My third grader and I have been taking turns reading pages and we are hooked! We find ourselves laughing at Ember and relating her curiosity to our 1 year old pup at home. After starting this book we discovered it is a series of 4! We are looking forward to reading the other three books. 

Reading level grades 3-7

Ember is looking for her forever home but she has A LOT of energy. This energy can turn into destruction, which is why she has been brought back after three placements. 

The Sterling family takes rescued dogs and turns them into rescue dogs. Does Ember have what it takes to control her curiosity? 

Blended by Sharon M. Draper

Blended

By Sharon M. Draper

Yes, this is another Iowa Children's Choice Award book, and that is what drew me to it. Although I cannot personally relate to many of the situations in this book it didn't stop me from feeling empathy. Our children are faced with many of these issues today... divorce and racism. Sharon does a wonderful job telling the story from a child's point of view. Isabella copes with these challenges by playing her piano. I highly recommend this book to readers who want to see the world through a different lens. 

Reading level grade 4

 

 

Lemons

 Lemons

By Melissa D. Savage

Lemonade Liberty Witt forgets how to make lemonade out of lemons after her mother dies. Now she is in a strange town, living with her grandfather that she has never met. This place is different and so is the boy she meets... Tobin Sky, CEO of Bigfoot Detectives Inc. Will she end up going back to San Fransisco or will she find her place in this new town?

This book had me crying, laughing and wanting to read more. It is a GREAT read!

630 lexile

grade level 3-7

The One and Only Bob

 The One and Only Bob 

by Katherine Applegate

Katherine Applegate wrote a #1 New York Times best seller with her unforgettable book, The One and Only Ivan. She now has added to this spectacular book by writing from the dog's perspective, Bob. Both of these books are worth reading! (I have included a trailer for you to watch.)

Reading level grades 2-5

 

Who is Temple Grandin?

Who Is Temple Grandin? 

By Patricia Bennan Demuth 

Autism is a word we hear more and more. This book helps us understand the life of somebody with autism. Temple Grandin is a brilliant scientist and inventor but life wasn't always like this. This book talks about her childhood and what it was like growing up with a mind that thinks differently. Temple grew up during a time when people didn't accept these differences like we do now. 

You could pair this book with the A Boy Called Bat series. "Bat" is a young boy who is also diagnosed with autism.  

This series of Who Is, Who Was or What Is is a great way to introduce our young readers to nonfiction. They are recommended for readers between 8-12 years old. 

The Unteachables

 The Unteachables 

by Gordon Korman

The Unteachables are a notorious class of misfits, delinquents, and academic train wrecks. Like Aldo, with anger management issues; Parker, who can’t read; Kiana, who doesn’t even belong in the class—or any class; and Elaine (rhymes with pain). The Unteachables have been removed from the student body and isolated in room 117.

Their teacher is Mr. Zachary Kermit, the most burned-out teacher in all of Greenwich. He was once a rising star, but his career was shattered by a cheating scandal that still haunts him. After years of phoning it in, he is finally one year away from early retirement. But the superintendent has his own plans to torpedo that idea—and it involves assigning Mr. Kermit to the Unteachables.

The Unteachables never thought they’d find a teacher who had a worse attitude than they did. And Mr. Kermit never thought he would actually care about teaching again. Over the course of a school year, though, room 117 will experience mayhem, destruction—and maybe even a shot at redemption.

When looking for a book to read Gordon Korman is a sure bet. For example, Restart was mentioned in our blog earlier. Both Restart and The Unteachables have a new chapter to tell a different character's perspective. This book is recommended for ages 8-12 and is a great read!