Go-for-Gold Gymnasts: Unexpected Twist by Dominique Moceanu and Alicia Thompson

Christina Flores is going to be an Olympic gymnastics champion someday. That's her goal and that's her mom's goal; every day each work toward it in their own ways. Christina practices her routines while her Mom watches them and points out areas that Christina should work on. There's a big competition coming up, and it could be one to put Christina and the other Texas Twisters on the radar for the next Olympic Team. Christina starts working extra hard...and ignores the pain that she feels in her foot. At this crucial point in her career, is her body going to let her down? And is she going to let down her mother?

I was anticipating the 'Do I want to stay in gymnastics?' plot in Jessie's book, but it also gets visited from a slightly different angle in Unexpected Twist. Since the first book in the series, Christina's been shown to be a little tightly wound - focused on gymnastics but almost to the exclusion of everything else. She, like Noelle, feels the pressure of a family who has committed themselves to her gymnastics, although where for Noelle's family it's more the sacrifice of money, for Christina's mom it's the sacrifice of a life outside of her daughter.  Even through to the book's resolution I was never quite sure why her mom has built her life this way: is she living through her daughter? Did she have a lack of support growing up? Is she doing it to fill in all the lonely space in her life due to her absent husband? But I guess it's not really a book about Christina's mom - it's a book about Christina and what happens to her when she starts to question how clear her vision of being an Olympic champion is. The book explores the area between how one person sees something and how different it is from how someone else sees the same thing; Christina and her mom have a big fight on Christmas because her mom thinks she's ungrateful while Christina just wants to show her frustration. She learns about controlling the things that are within her control and dealing with the things she can't. Christina hasn't always been sympathetic when seen through the eyes of the other gymnasts, so this glimpse into her life really rounds out the series. This is the fourth of four scheduled books, but there are some story strands started her that could easily carry the series through more books in the future.


Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
Go for the Gold by Elizabeth Levy
Off Balance: A Memoir by Dominique Moceanu
The Go-for-Gold Gymnasts: Winning Team by Dominique Moceanu and Alicia Thompson
The Go-for-Gold Gymnasts:Balancing Act by Dominique Moceanu and Alicia Thompson
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens 

The Grunt and the Grouch: Big Splash! by Tracey Corderoy

 The Grunt and the Grouch are roommates and best friends. They both love all kinds of gross stuff, which makes sense, because they're trolls. In Big Splash! they have three adventures. In one, they decide to get some exercise by going to the local pool. In another, they babysit a couple of wild little trolls. And in the last one, they go camping...but not in the way they thought they would. With short chapters, large print, and lots of illustrations, this is a trollrific series aimed at young readers.

The cover of the book cautions "This book contains slime, snot, mud, and other trollrific treats." Readers would be wise to heed this caution, because it's a great indicator of who this book is for. If the idea of snot, slime, and more turns your stomach, you're not the intended audience. If, on the other hand, it only makes you want to read the book more, you're in for a treat. This book (and, I imagine, the rest of The Grunt and the Grouch books) practically screams "great for reluctant readers." If you know a newly independent reader who is frequently complaining about the lack of gross stuff in their books, keep this title in mind.

See more about Tracey Corderoy at her website.

I received a review copy from NetGalley courtesy of Capstone.

Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
Shrek! by William Steig
The Grunt and the Grouch by Tracey Corderoy
The Grunt and the Grouch: Beastly Fangs! by Tracey Corderoy
Treasure in the Graveyard by Roberto Pavanello

Dirty Bertie: Fangs! by David Roberts written by Alan MacDonald

Bertie dives headfirst into life...and gets a little dirt on himself in the process. He doesn't intend to get in trouble, but trouble always seems to find him. Join Bertie in three new stories as he attempts to reveal that the custodian at his school is a vampire, discovers what it's like to be an in-demand model, and tries to avoid getting a terrible new haircut.

Each of the three stories are divided into short chapters. The print is large and the pictures will help young readers keep the story in their heads as they read. There are lots of things that will appeal to young readers: an energetic male character, a little big of gross-out stuff (but nothing that's too gross), and high-action situations that spiral out of control but (spoiler alert?) always seem to come out okay. There are a few things that seem to mark it as an import from the UK, but nothing that would get in the way of a North American reader from identifying with Bertie or the book. This is a book series to consider for classroom, school, and public libraries.

Check out David Roberts's website.

I received a review copy from NetGalley courtesy of Capstone Young Readers.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Dirty Bertie: Germs! by David Roberts and Alan MacDonald
The Grunt and the Grouch: Big Splash! by Tracey Corderoy
Treasure in the Graveyard by Roberto Pavanello

The Mount Rushmore Face that Couldn't See by Steve Brezenoff

Cat and her friends Egg, Gum, and Sam are on a field trip to see Mount Rushmore. It was a long, hot trip to get there, but once they see the presidential faces carved into the side of the mountain, it makes the journey all worthwhile. But then things start going wrong. Their tour guide is tied up - literally tied up - in his cabin, people start shouting about a ghost, and spooky stuff starts happening at night. Cat might only be in the sixth grade, but it's up to her to solve this mystery...before things get even worse!

This book, part of the Field Trip Mysteries series, combines a gentle mystery with lots of facts about Mount Rushmore. When I first saw a thumbnail of the cover, there was something about the girl's clothing (her longer skirt and hairstyle) as well as the lack of cars, buildings, or anything around that made me think that this book took place in a long ago time. It doesn't, though; it's firmly set in the modern day. The book includes a bit of very balanced information about why there might be controversy over Mount Rushmore; all of the information is at a very appropriate age level for the target audience. Cat and her friends are intrepid sleuths in the way that fictional children sometimes are (see everyone from Encyclopedia Brown to Theodore Boone to the Babysitters Club) and they don't really do anything that's too outlandish. Some parts of the mystery reminded me of elements of Murder, She Wrote episodes, but being the major MSW fan that I am, I mean that in the best way possible. A solid pick for school classrooms, school libraries, and public libraries to consider for their collections.

See more information about Steve Brezenoff at his website. 

I received a review copy from NetGalley courtesy of Capstone.

Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
The Ghost Who Haunted the Capitol by Steve Brezenoff
The Crook Who Crossed the Golden Gate Bridge by Steve Brezenoff
On the Bus, On the Case by Steve Brezenoff

The Go-For-Gold Gymnasts: Winning Team by Dominique Moceanu and Alicia Thompson

Britt loves gymnastics. She's already at the Junior Elite level, and her family has just moved to Houston and she has the chance to train at a big gym with a professional coach. She's nervous about training at a new place where she doesn't know anyone, and when the other girls are less than welcoming, she starts worrying about how she's going to fit in. It's going to take more than an amazing beam routine in order for Britt to feel like she's part of a winning team!

(Some very mild spoilers below)

I found this series after I re-read Go for the Gold by Elizabeth Levy. I was really excited by it; I can remember when Dominique Moceanu was part of the Magnificent 7 team at the 1996 Summer Olympics. While I'm no expert on elementary school-geared sports series, I can definitely see this appealing to young girls. Britt is a likeable character. She's young but not childish; her perspective is limited because her life experience is limited. She has to deal with things like problems with her parents and trying to make friends with people who are jealous of her. It does feel a bit cliched to have a story about gymnasts that includes a storyline about a girl with an eating disorder, but it did take an interesting turn (Britt does the right thing and people lash out at her). You don't need to have extensive gymnastics knowledge in order to read the book. There were a few terms that were lost on me, but there is a glossary at the back of the book to fill in some blanks. It looks like the other books in the series will have different points of view, with each girl taking a turn. If the Olympics gets you interested in American gymnastics, consider picking up this series.

Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
Go for the Gold by Elizabeth Levy
Off Balance: A Memoir by Dominique Moceanu
The Go-For-Gold Gymnasts: Balancing Act by Dominique Moceanu and Alicia Thompson

Listen to My Trumpet! by Mo Willems

Elephant and Piggie are best friends. Piggie can't wait to show Gerald her new trumpet! But when she starts playing, Gerald is speechless... and not in a good way. What is he going to say to her?

There are some very strong Elephant and Piggie books, and there are some that don't resonate with me as much. Listen to My Trumpet falls satisfyingly in the middle. I really like the books that explore the deep friendship between Piggie and Gerald. They don't always agree on things and sometimes they face difficult choices, but they care about each other and want to be good friends to each other. In this book, Gerald faces a tough decision: does he tell Piggie the truth and risk hurting her feelings, or does he lie to her and tell her how good she is? It might be a concept to explore with kids but in this book it comes across in a straightforward way. Elephant and Piggie fans have another book to enjoy and parents and caregivers looking for books about friendship and honesty have another book to explore.

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
We Are in a Book! by Mo Willems
Happy Pig Day! by Mo Willems
Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems

Go for the Gold by Elizabeth Levy

Heidi Ferguson was America's rising gymnast star...until anorexia sidelined her career and left many wondering if she'd ever compete again. Recovery was difficult but Heidi is finally back competing, and she's stronger than ever. She's America's best hope at an Olympic medal in gymnastics and a star at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. She knows what it will take to win and is ready to go for the gold, but injuries, pressure, and biased judges threaten to get in the way. Heidi is going to give it her all, but will it be enough?

A lot of my childhood books were random ones that, if I had to guess, were picked up from yard sales, book sales, etc, at least before I started defining my own reading preferences. This was a book that I know I had (and still have), but I didn't own or read the rest of The Gymnasts series (with the bizarre exception of Tumbling Ghosts - again, it had to have been a yard sale pick). I loved Go for the Gold as a girl an even had many of the most dramatic lines memorized (I can't tell you which ones, it would give away the plot). It has stood up surprisingly well. It's set during the 1992 Barcelona Summer Games, and even though that's now 20 years ago, not much stands out too much as being dated. Yes, technology has changed, but that's about it. There are things in there that make sense for a reader today: the realities of anorexia in sports like gymnastics, parental pressure, being friendly with competitors while still trying to beat them, carrying the weight of a nation's hopes, dealing with paparazzi and journalists and agents. Set before the Magnificent 7-era of the 1996 Olympics, it makes sense that an American winning the All-Around Gold in 1992 would have been a big deal. Heidi is a likeable character: a determined athlete struggling to balance the expectations and fears of her parents, coach, and friends with her own expectations and fears. This book is long out of print, but if you can find it (maybe at a yardsale? or in a library or a used book store) it would be a great read during the 2012 Olympics.

(Also, is it just me, or does the cover picture look a little bit like teenage Robin on How I Met Your Mother?)

Check out more information on Elizabeth Levy at her website.

Find out more information at Amazon.

Read it with:
The Gymnasts: The Beginners by Elizabeth Levy
Gold Medal Dreams: Chance of a Lifetime by Melissa Lowell
Off Balance by Dominique Moceanu
Winning Balance by Shawn Johnson

Cover Kids: Ashley's Big Mistake by Suzanne Weyn

Ashley Taylor is in demand as a model. She's been on magazine covers, done tons of high-level photo shoots, and has been working steadily since she was a baby. Now she has a chance to add a new item to her resume: actress. Ashley's landed a role on a TV movie. This is her chance to be like her big actor brother, her talk show host mom, and her producer father. Even better, her modeling friends are all joining her in California to do a beachwear shoot. Modeling comes so easily to Ashley, but acting is harder than it looks: she can't remember her lines, she doesn't know how to bring emotion to her line readings, and she doesn't get along with the movie's big star. This could be Ashley's breakout move - or her biggest mistake.

As I mentioned in my post on Chloe Mania, Ashley's Big Mistake was a book I read when I was younger (most likely from a book order at school, since it is a Troll book) and mostly forgot about until I found Chloe Mania in a used book store. There are some things that I remember very clearly from this book, like Ashely seeing her face on the cover of a magazine after a heated lunch at a hotel or Chloe dripping over sandcastles on the beach while she films a walk-on part on a TV show. I had forgotten the main plot of the book, though. Ashley's crisis of identity is interesting even as it is unlikely - that is, the plot of transitioning from cover girl model to a TV movie of the week star is not something that will happen to a lot of people. But underneath that are very real and common emotions. How can you shine in a family of stars? What happens when your dreams are different from those of your parents? How much of your life is defined by who your parents are? Should you do what you love or what makes you famous or rich? And, ultimately, how do you make yourself happy?

Find it at Amazon.

Read it with:
Stacey's Mistake by Ann M. Martin
Chloe Mania by Suzanne Weyn
Tracey's Tough Choice by Suzanne Weyn
Nicole's Chance by Suzanne Weyn

The Puzzling World of Winston Breen by Eric Berlin

Winston Breen loves puzzles. Word puzzles, number puzzles, treasure hunts, basically any kind of puzzle. If he doesn't have a puzzle handy, he'll just make one up - that's just how much he loves puzzles. For his younger sister's birthday he gives her a box that has a false bottom. Only he didn't know it had a false bottom, or else he would have discovered the four mysterious strips of wood. While he's puzzling over what these strips mean, some strange things start to happen: the local librarian flips out at him, he's approached by two different men who want to get his strips, and he discovers that the strips might be clues to finding a long-lost hidden treasure. Winston can't resist the puzzling nature of this quest - but in looking for the treasure, is he putting his life in danger?

Anyone who likes puzzles should definitely read this book. If that's not clear from the cover of the book, then it should be clear from the above recap, where I used variations of the word "puzzles" more than half a dozen times. In addition to the main puzzles that make up the story, there are mini-puzzles for the readers to solve (and the answers are in the back of the book). (There are also some really nice touches, like Winston living on Raskin Street.) The story is much more balanced than I was anticipating; Winston is lauded for his ability to solve puzzles, but there are other people in the story who can gently remind him that puzzles aren't everything. The story also (possible spoiler) turned a bit darker than I thought it would. There's some drama over Winston's fingerprints that includes a lot of suspense, and the ending brings the threat of life or death violence much closer than I thought. I don't think there's anything that would stop someone from reading it, but it does amp up the action to the book. I was surprised by the twists and turns precisely because I wasn't expecting twists and turns (there's probably a good lesson in there about puzzles and assumptions). I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the series and solving some more puzzles.

Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
The Potato Chip Puzzles by Eric Berlin
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Floors by Patrick Carman

The Mystery of the Messed-Up Wedding by Elspeth Campbell Murphy illustrated by Chris Wold Dyrud

Sarah-Jane, Timothy and Titus are cousins who also like to solve mysteries. That's why they formed the Three Cousins Detective Club! They're visiting their grandparents and there's going to be a wedding a their Grandpa's church (he's a Pastor). Sarah-Jane is excited, because she thinks weddings are wonderful; Timothy and Titus think that weddings are weird. Before the wedding, the groom shows up to say that the wedding ring is missing! The three cousins are on the case! But instead of finding the ring, they discover that the bridge/groom topper has been inverted into the cake, and someone is popping the balloons on the wedding car. Someone is out to stop the wedding, but can the T.C.D.C. stop that person before it's too late?

Caution: spoilers below!

When I was younger, I read one of the books in this series (mysteries based on the Ten Commandments); I think it might have been The Mystery of the Laughing Cat.  Later, when I realized what the word meant, I wondered how a children's book would cover the topic of "You shall not commit adultery." The answer is: vaguely.  Before heading to the wedding, the family discusses their favourite Bible verses (including the Ten Commandments). Titus asks what adultery is, and Grandpa answers: "That commandment is a special law for husbands and wives, Titus. When two people get married they make an important promise to God and to each other. They promise they will love each other - and only each other - in a special way. That's why people wear wedding rings The rings show that the people have made a promise. Adultery is when the promise is broken." The ring is used in this book as a promise between the bride and the groom. When the ring went missing I had hoped (foolishly) that the real thief was someone the groom was having an affair with, but of course it wasn't. This book does a great job at balancing a grown-up topic in a children's book. The mystery is a bit flimsier, mainly because aside from the cousins, their grandparents and the groom there's really only one other character who's even introduced. But, at only 40 pages, what more could really be done in this book? The series is long out of print but if you're curious about it you might be able to find it at a library or bookstore.

Check out Elspeth Campbell Murphy's website. 

Find it at Amazon. 

Read it with:
The Mystery of the Laughing Cat by Elspeth Campbell Murphy
The Mystery of the Gravestone Riddle by Elspeth Campbell Murphy
The Mystery of the Carousel Horse by Elspeth Campbell Murphy

The Phantom of the Post Office by Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise

The authors of the "43 Old Cemetery Road" series are used to getting fan mail, but lately they've been receiving some other kinds of letters through the mail. They're not sure what to make of the vaguely threatening letters. Meanwhile, the post office is scheduled to close and all future letters and deliveries will be made through the brand-new VEXT-mail system. Then Seymour comes down with a mysterious flu and is hospitalized along with another child, a hopelessly cellphone-obsessed child. With nothing but time on their hands, they begin to sort out the connection between the letters and the post office...but will they be able to do anything before it's too late?

I've really enjoyed the books in this series, but this book and I sort of got off on the wrong foot. I think I've spent too much time lately, personally and professionally, reading about the technology wars, particularly eBook vs. print. If I had to declare myself, I am not an "either/or" person but a "both/and." I read paper books; I read eBooks. I think I read more now that I can read print books, eBooks, on my computer, and on my cell phone. From my vantage point in the middle, I think that either extreme seems a bit ridiculous. It's not too far from this 'debate' to the questions of technology that permeate The Phantom of the Post Office. There was far too much of the "no technology is the smarter choice" in the early parts for my liking, but once I got partway through the book it coalesced a bit better for me. The book built to a conclusion that I saw coming but I very much enjoyed the ride. Seymour remains a great fictional character: a thoughtful, sensitive, creative boy who loves reading and writing and uses his wits to solve problems. The letters, newspapers, and other notes that make up the book are still fun to look through, and I'm eagerly awaiting the chance to read book number five in the 43 Old Cemetery Road series.

Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
Dying to Meet You by Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise
Til Death Do Us Bark by Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise
Over My Dead Body by Kate Klise and M. Sarah Klise

The Baby-Sitters Club Super Special #14: BSC in the USA by Ann M. Martin

Dawn Schafer spent the summer in Stoneybrook, Connecticut with her Mom and her step-father, her brother, step-sister and all of her friends in the Baby-Sitters Club. But now her father has a surprise: he's taking her and her brother back to California in an RV! Not to be outdone, Kristy Thomas' step-father, local millionaire Watson Brewer, also decides to RV across the country with his family; in a show of one-upsmanship, Mr. Schafer invites the rest of the BSC to come along. The cross-country trip is on! With one RV headed north and one taking a southern route, this is one tour of America unlike any others.

This is one of the later books in the BSC series, and one that I'm pretty sure that I didn't read when it first came out. But what book would be better for July 4th than a road trip exploration of America through the eyes of the BSC? There was something that seemed more... mature about this book; the themes seem to be a bit weightier. Less random baby-sitting, for one thing (the sitting that does get done is only a little bit of looking after Kristy's younger siblings). And yeah, Stacey and Claudia have the lamest fight ever. And Dawn is just kind of there, bitching about meat and junk food. But there's more than that. Jessi deals with discovering the plantation where her ancestors worked as slaves; Mary Anne feels uncomfortable around Dawn's father and tries to deal with the awkward semi-relationship that you would have with your step-sister's father. Kristy is forced to deal with her dad, the man who abandoned his family and has been a pretty terrible dad ever since; Abby confronts the memories of her late father and the vacations that they never took. But don't worry - there's lots of classic BSC stuff in here, too. Mallory dorks out about horses, Stacey falls in LUV, Kristy is obsessed with baseball. If you have fond memories of the Baby-Sitters Club, this is definitely worth a read because of the ways that it balances the heavier stuff with the lighter, more snark-worthy stuff (and the just downright unbelievable).

Find it at Amazon.

Read it with:
Aloha, Baby-Sitters by Ann M. Martin
Baby-Sitters on Board by Ann M. Martin
Baby-Sitters' European Vacation by Ann M. Martin

Cover Kids: Chloe Mania by Suzanne Weyn

Chloe's been modeling for years - even though she's just thirteen. She's always booked lots of jobs, but she's worried that when she gets too old to model as a child model she won't be tall enough to be an adult model. Then a new opportunity comes her way: the TV show that she had a bit part on wants her back. This could be her chance to be an actress! Or a comedian! Or maybe even a music star. But Chloe's finding it hard to balance school, modeling, working in her parents' restaurant, and now acting. Even worse, the TV part seems to use a lot of stereotypes that Chloe's not comfortable with, an interview quotes Chloe out of context, and all of her friends are mad at her? Is this the price of fame?

When I was younger I had one of the books from this series. I probably picked it up from a yard sale or a book order or something (as I often did). I had Ashley's Big Mistake (the book immediately preceding this one in the four-book series)  and I loved the glamour of four teen (really, practically pre-teen) models all being friends with each other. I also was had no idea how to pronounce Chloe, so in my head I read it as Chlow. Anyway. This book picks up where Ashley's Big Mistake leaves off, with Chloe dealing with the doors that appearing on a TV show opens. I still find it a bit bizarre that the activity of one child model would be headline news, but really I guess it makes even more sense now in the age of Twitter and reality TV and everything else. I mean, Chloe becomes a really big star on the basis of...nothing. But there are positive messages about honouring your family and your commitments, what it means to be a good friend, and being true to yourself. If you loved these when you were younger (or discovering them makes you want to read them now), they're actually quite a good readalike for the America's Next Top Model novel series.

Check out Suzanne Weyn's website.

Find it at Amazon. 

Read it with:
Nicole's Chance by Suzanne Weyn
Tracey's Tough Choice by Suzanne Weyn
Ashley's Big Mistake by Suzanne Weyn

The Glimpse by Claire Merle

In 2018, the world as it was known collapsed. Society was thrown into chaos. In order to rise from the ashes and rebuild, London instituted a new policy: every person would have to undergo a DNA test, and anyone who had the gene for one of the Big3 (Depression, Schizophrenia, Anxiety) was immediately dealt with. The "Pures" were given a much different life from the "Crazies," and much emphasis was placed on binding and joining two Pures together so that they could have Pure children. Just before she's ready for her own joining, Ana discovers that she isn't who she thinks she is. Her mother wasn't Pure, and neither is she. How could the test make such an error? Or did it? It casts suspicion on her father, the creator of the test. As Ana tries to figure out who she is and what she wants, she gets drawn into a deadly game of power, truth, and politics.

The strongest futuristic books are the ones that seem outlandish at first but also completely believable. Medicating children, scapegoating, and the focus on an ideal purity all seem like things that could happen in this way. Ana is a smart, resourceful girl whose world is crashing around her. Her father isn't who she thought he was; her fiance is a mystery to her, too. She makes dangerous moves because she's desperate. There's a lot of action and a few twists about what is really going on, both in the city and in the Pures' own walled community. And, rounding out the action, is a romance that emphasizes questions of attraction, fate, and doing the right thing. The Glimpse is book one in a two book series, so look for the story to continue sometime in the near future.

See more at Claire Merle's website.

I received a review copy from NetGalley courtesy of Faber and Faber.

Read it with:
Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
Divergent by Veronica Roth
Matched by Ally Condie

Bink and Gollie: Two for One by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee and illustrated by Tony Fucile

Best friends Bink and Gollie are back! This time they're exploring adventures at the State Fair. Will Bink win the world's largest donut? Will Gollie find fame, fortune, and prizes in the talent competiton? And what mysteries will the fortune teller share? All will be revealed in Bink and Gollie: Two for One.

I feel like I've barely stopped talking about Bink and Gollie since I first read it. It's a funny, smart book with great characters and beautiful illustrations that's such a great read for beginning readers. I was so excited to see that now there's a second Bink and Gollie book and not only do I love it just as much as the first, but (if I may admit this), I might even love it a tiny bit more. The first story, "Whack a Duck," features Bink's seemingly unending determination and Gollie's dry observations. "You're Special, Aren't You?" has an incredible series of spreads that manage to convey just what stage fright feels like (and is topped with a lovely demonstration of friendship). The third story concerns questions about the future, a natural curiosity for children and adults alike. Whatever you do, don't miss this book, and expect to find it on many Best of 2012 lists at the end of the year.

Learn more about Bink and Gollie at their website. 

Check out the websites of Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee.

I received an advance review copy from NetGalley courtesy of Candlewick Press. 

Find it at IndieBound.

Read it with:
Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee
I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen
Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo
Making a Friend by Alison McGhee
Let's Do Nothing! by Tony Fucile

The Mystery of the Silly Goose by Elspeth Campbell Murphy

Timothy, Sarah-Jane, and Titus are more than just cousins; they also solve mysteries around their neighbourhood. They've created the Three Cousins Detective Club (TCDC) and often find themselves in the middle of one mystery or another. When Lyddie, an older girl who isn't always very nice to the three of them, tells them that she needs their help, they have no idea what to expect. Lawn ornaments have gone missing from lawns all over the neighbourhood, including Lyddie's grandmother's darling goose. She wants the TCDC to find out what happened and bring the goose back. The TCDC isn't sure where to start, but the lawn ornaments won't be gone for long once they're on the case!

Years ago, when I was a young girl, I read a series of books that were based on the Ten Commandments. Years later this information surfaced to the front of my brain and I discovered the work of Elspeth Campbell Murphy. I don't think that I read any of the Three Cousins Detective Club books as a child, but there was something about them that seemed like it could have been familiar. The book started with a Biblical quote from Proverbs, but that was really the only overt mention of The Bible or religion in the book. There were themes of living an honest life and being true and fair with your actions, but it was worked into the life and behaviours of the characters. The mystery isn't too scary and the kids are never in danger; they use their head to piece information together and never do anything that goes against their moral compass. This series is, I believe, out of print, but if you are looking for Bible-inspired titles or books like that for young readers, do look up the work of Elspeth Campbell Murphy.

Find out more about Elspeth Campbell Murphy at her website.

Find it at Amazon. 

Read it with:
The Mystery of the White Elephant by Elspeth Campbell Murphy
The Mystery of the Silent Nightingale by Elspeth Campbell Murphy
The Mystery of Wrong Dog by Elspeth Campbell Murphy

Murder, She Wrote: Trouble at High Tide by Donald Bain

Jessica Fletcher, world-famous mystery novelist and occasional real-life mystery solver, is ready for a bit of vacation. She accepts the invitation of a high powered judge (someone who shares her publisher) to spend some time at his Bermuda estate. Sun, sand, and solitude - that's just what Jessica is looking forward to. But she's barely been there 24 hours before a murder is discovered: the judge's beloved niece. Even worse, Bermuda is experiencing a wave of Jack the Ripper-inspired murders. Could the same killer have attacked the judge's niece? Or is the murderer much closer at hand?

After a long week at work, I was so ready to curl up with the latest Murder, She Wrote novel. I slipped quickly into the pages and surrounded myself with Jessica Fletcher's gentle judgement and moral compass. The murder came quickly and a number of people were reasonable suspects with believable motives. I liked learning about the details of life in Bermuda (like families are only allowed to have one car), although I did pause at the mention of "Wikipedia" in the resource acknowledgements. As an added bonus Jessica's frequent investigative partner and sometime beau Chief Inspector George Sullivan of Soctland Yard makes an appearance in this book (tied into the Jack the Ripper investigation aspect). I enjoy him, and a part of me hopes that in an upcoming book he and Jessica will finally take a step forward with their circling romance.

Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Murder, She Wrote: The Fine Art of Murder by Donald Bain
Murder, She Wrote: Majoring in Murder by Donald Bain
Murder, She Wrote: Dying to Retire by Donald Bain

Squish #3: The Power of the Parasite by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Squish is not looking forward to the summer. His mom made him choose between Ballet Class or Swim Class, and he chose the pool. (His friends chose ballet.) He's has some bad experiences in the water before, so he's not that keen on getting 'riding the waves.' He soon makes a new friend, a hydra named Basil. They get along great and Hydra loves to make jokes and play pranks...but Squish doesn't always think they're that funny. Is this summer going to be a big disaster?

If you're not reading the Squish series, you should definitely start now. It has a likeable everyman (or everyamoeba?) main character, lots of humour, and situations that will resonate with young readers. There are meta-fictional elements that will appeal to kids with a certain sense of humour. Squish himself is a reader and there's a story-within-a-story as his comic book parallels the main storyline. The short sentences and large amounts of space on the page (joined with the fun illustration styles) will make this a popular pick for new readers and kids who are transitioning out of reading picture books. You don't have to have read the first two books in the series to be able to follow along with this storyline, but when a series is as good as this one is, why wouldn't you read them?

 For more information about Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm, check out their websites.

I received a review copy from NetGalley courtesy of Random House Kids' Books.


Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
Squish #1: Super Amoeba by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Squish #2: Brave New Pond by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Babymouse #1: Queen of the World! by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Karen's Telephone Trouble by Ann M. Martin

Karen loves using the telephone to get funny jokes and to find out her horoscope. Then she has to call all her friends and tell them the jokes. She can't help it if she's popular! But she's spending a lot of time on the phone...and the other people at the Big House are getting really mad at her. Then she finds out that her telephone calls cost money and she has no way of paying the bill. What is she going to do?

Readers of The Baby-Sitters Club and the Little Sisters series who are easily annoyed by the character of Karen Brewer should probably steer clear of this one. The cover shows her looking pretty pleased with herself as she flouts the rules and inconveniences her family members. A lot has changed in the fifteen years or so since this book was published, particularly around telephones, so that adds a particular element that kids today might not have personally experienced. Also, it made me smile that at the end of the book Karen decides to fix her trouble by emailing her friends instead...as if mid-late 90s computers wouldn't use telephone lines! But if you're looking for jokes that a second grade class finds funny, there are lots of them in here.

Find it at Amazon. 

Read it with:
Karen's Witch by Ann M. Martin
Karen's New Year by Ann M. Martin
Karen's Pony Camp by Ann M. Martin

S.A.V.E. Squad #1: Dog Daze by Lauraine Snelling and Kathleen Damp Wright

Aneta's life has gone through a lot of changes lately. She was recently adopted and is still adjusting to having a mom and a family. She's terrified that if she's not good enough, she will be sent back to the orphanage. Her English isn't strong and she's very shy and quiet, which makes it hard to make friends. Then she ends up working with three other girls on a community fundraiser project for Founder's Day. She has nothing in common with the other girls and they're having a really hard time coming up with a great idea. Then they find an abandoned Basset Hound, and they get the idea to have a dog-themed fundraiser. But their rival group is determined to sabotage Aneta and her friends, and Aneta is having a hard time convincing her mom that she should adopt the Basset Hound. How is Aneta going to make sure that everything works out in the end?

For such a small book, there sure is a lot going on. Aneta's struggle with her new life comes through in really interesting ways. When the story starts, she's called Annette by her mother but comes to the realization that she wants to be called Aneta, her birth name. She's still getting used to the idea of being a "Jasper" and thinks that she has to mold herself into someone that she isn't in order to get to be able to stay with her mother. Even the way she refers to her mother, as Mom, is a small point that illustrated the distance Aneta was putting between herself and the idea that she had a 'forever home.' She would say things like "I have to talk to Mom before I can do that," as if the woman's name was Mom and rarely possessive phrases like "my mom." I was a bit surprised to see a very dark scene involving the discovery of the Basset Hound, later named Wink - someone attempted to kill him by throwing him into a lake. This was a very fast way to set up the 'bad guy' as a truly terrible villain - who else would want to kill a dog? The mystery of discovering the identity of the attempted dog murderer had an almost Scooby Doo-like quality about it; I almost expected the person to exclaim that they would have gotten away if not for those meddling kids. Religion and church life are threads that run through the book, tying the plot together, and at several times the girls talk about being Christians. Parents and kids who are looking for a series featuring strong girls and cute animals wrapped up in an overtly Christian message should definitely keep an eye out for this series.

I received a review copy from NetGalley courtesy of Barbour Publishing.

Find it at IndieBound. 

Read it with:
S.A.V.E. Squad #2: The Great Cat Caper by Lauraine Snelling and Kathleen Wright
What a Pair #1: Double Trouble by Wanda E. Brunstetter
Gabby's Stick-To-It Day by Sheila Walsh