and one of my favorites Summer According to Humphrey
. We did it for the first time last year and my daughter loved being able to pick a free book to take home. Here's the link to the program and here's the direct link to the reading journal. You have till September 6th to get your free book.
follows Jane a "teenage" vampire with a blood allergy. Jane was turned during the depression and has been moving every four years since with her parents and her younger bother. At Jane's new school she has to deal with a mysterious history teacher, an overexcited human history partner and a couple teen vampires all while dealing with her over protective mother and her blood allergy.
by A.M. Robinson instead.
. Kitty's owners are home with a big surprise for Kitty. But what is it? Kitty, reeling in horror, thinks it’s a . . . dog. The neighbor cats are convinced it’s a cat. But we all know that it’s really a BABY!
With Nick Bruel’s trademark mix of antic humor (this time involving a Kitty game show and the Kitty Olympics—which the baby wins hands down), riotous illustrations, total mayhem, and Uncle Murray Fun Facts, this may be the funniest Kitty book yet, and the one that hits closest to home.
.
. The series is funny and a hoot to read.The final battle is brewing between Vampires and Slayers. But for Sunny McDonald, the true war is being fought over her heart.
Though now officially back in the arms of her vampire boyfriend Magnus, Sunny finds she still can't forget the gentle mortal Jayden who once saved her life. And when the darkness threatens to steal his humanity, Sunny finds herself with a choice. Stay true to Magnus and the Blood Coven or defy them in a desperate attempt to save Jayden’s soul.
Meanwhile, the Blood Coven is gearing up for its toughest fight yet--going head to head with a splinter group of Slayer Inc who's regrouping in Tokyo, Japan, still determined to take over the world. In dark blood bars and hidden temples, it'll be Vampires vs. Slayers in a showdown that could cost Sunny not only her heart...but also her very life.
by Roald Dahl is about a window washing company. The employees of the window washing company are a Giraffe who serves the role of the ladder, a Monkey who washes the windows and a Pelican who is the bucket.Roald Dahl uses rich language and fantastic images to tell the tale of a young boy who is able to make his dream of running a candy shop come true. The adventure begins when the little boy teams up with the Giraffe and the Pelican to clean windows at the Ladderless Window Cleaning Company.
This simple plot explodes into an excitingly zany tale that makes readers laugh out loud while conveying a positive message. Dahl expresses this tale by interweaving poetry, charming illustrations and an engaging narrative voice to make this story enticing. Many young readers will recognize that each character serves a special purpose in the story. For example, the Giraffe becomes a main character because of his long neck and ability to reach and clean high windows.
A great read-aloud, this book is also a spectacular model to use with young, developing writers. Among other things, it is a terrific example of what poetry is and how poetry can be used to tell stories. The book closes with the words "No book ever ends when it's full of your friends, the Giraffe and the Pelly and Me." The last line invites young readers to imagine the wonders that lie within all books. This fun, fast-paced story is a fabulous choice, containing many valuable lessons.
Dear Sara,
I read your review of Intertwined on Amazon.com. I'm halfway through the book myself and a little dumbfounded as to why this book is spoken of highly by anyone who reads it. Of course, that sounds a little catty, but Gena Showalter isn't here to read this herself, and if she didn't want to be spoken of behind her back like this, she really should have written a better YA novel.
The reason I was reading the book in the first place is that my novel, XXX, was compared to in a flattering way in a review on teensreadtoo.com. Although the spirit of the review was very positive, I'm not so sure I'm happy about being compared to this book now that I've seen it. The issues you mentioned as being weaknesses in this book are the very things I consider to be strengths about my book: character development, pacing, relevant plot progression. Too many of these YA books feel that have to jump into the action in the first few lines or they'll lose the reader. The problem is, you just don't care about the characters. And I couldn't understand why characters in Intertwined cared about each other. The emotional element was really lacking.
The purpose of this email is to request a review for my book. While only self-published at this point and available for Nook, Kindle, and in paperback at lulu.com, I do have an agent reviewing the manuscript and am hopeful the book will be published with a little luck and perseverance. Based on your displeasure with Intertwined, I really believe you would find what you were missing in XXXX. It's being extremely well received by those who've read it, and I ask you to spend your valuable time reviewing it confident you will enjoy the story as well.
Thanks for your consideration and please let me know if you feel you could add this to your list of books to review. If you give my book a chance, I know you will feel you've found a diamond in the rough. Your experience and feedback are both highly sought commodities to an author at the beginning of his career.
Sincerely,
The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it's the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.
Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn't notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.
and I'm sure this will be just as good.
by Sarah Beth Durst is a modern retelling of the classic tale. Ali our heroine lives at an arctic research station. She was told that her mother, the daughter of the north wind was taken away by the trolls and had been given to a magical bear. Cassie goes off with the bear and the story begins. Durnst makes the bear a creature that delivers souls and keeps the babies of his species from being still born and pregnancy is a theme in the book.
by Jessica Day George is a more traditional retelling. This version features a girl with no name who talks to animals. Her brother goes missing for a year and returns with a coat covered in troll language which he teaches to her. A bear then comes to her and asks her to go with him in exchange for bringing wealth to her family. The troll language, her ability to talk to animals and the girls elationship with her brother are additions to the original tale.
by Edith Pattou is the longest and most literary of these retellings. In the tale a girl named Rose is a member of a large family which is very poor. She has always wandered and has on several occasions seen and felt a connection to a large white bear. When a bear comes into her home and promises to heal her sister and help her family out of poverty if she comes to live with him she agrees to go with him. The book is told from the viewpoints of many characters allowing the reader to have an understanding as to how each character thinks, I even at time found myself sympathizing with the villain once or twice. Rose's father is a map maker and Rose loves to weave fabric and both of these things help her along her journey.
