Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth

Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth by Andy Huller is the story of Cal, a boy with fire red hair that has grown up in an orphanage that is located on the sunny side of an island located in the center of the earth.  The book tells a few interrelated and interesting stories.  The story of  the discovery of a giant screw that is found at both poles, how the screw is found and how it is unscrewed creating the hole in the earth that Cal's orphanage is located inside.  The story of Cal's father and most importantly the story of Cal.  The orphanage that Cal lives in is a strange place.  They have fire poles instead of stairs and the food is horrible.  Cal sneaks out every morning to watch a man skip stones in the great artic lake.

This is a very interesting middle grade book.  It has an outlandish setting and background that kids will love.  The orphanage has a creepy but interesting vibe to it and the idea of there being a screw at the north and south pole is really interesting.  The characters are all distinct and interesting with the secondary characters having distinct and interesting personalities.  This is a book full of quirky and original characters.  There isn't much action in the book but the unfolding landscape keeps the reader interested.

Appropriateness:  There isn't anything in this book that would upset parents.  There is absolutely no romance and although the orphanage is creepy and horrible there isn't any violence.  The almost exclusively male cast makes this a book that young boys will enjoy.  I would recommend this book to kids 10-14.

Winter in Wartime

Winter in Wartime by Jan Terlouw has been a classic in the Netherlands for decades.  It is a story of a boy who works for the resistance while his country is occupied by the Nazi's.  Michiel spends his time riding his bike to do errands for his friends and neighbors while staying out of the way of the Nazi's that have occupied his town.  When his friend gives him an envelope to pass on to a member of the resistance before he goes missing Michiel finds himself doing his part to help the resistance and must find who is leaking information to the Nazis.

This is a fantastic novel that tells a side of WWII that hasn't been told much before in children's literature, what it was like to live in a land occupied by the Nazi's and the male viewpoint provides a protagonist that boys will be able to relate to.  There is danger and heartache and mystery.  This is a book that I would recommend to teachers and parents alike.

Appropriateness:  This book like most books taking place in wartime covers some difficult subjects, however it is not as difficult as many WWII books because Michiel is a member of a town that is occupied as opposed to being in a concentration camp or having to hide so it can be read by younger readers.  There are deaths of people close to Michiel that can be a bit traumatic but he is never in a large amount of danger.  I would recommend this book to readers 9-14 and would highlight this as a good book for boys. 

Into the Wild/ Out of the Wild

The book Into the Wild follows Julie who is the Daughter of Rapunzel.  Julie's mom and her fairy tale friends escaped from the wild years before and the wild has remained safely contained underneath Julie's bed.  When someone makes a wish at a magic wishing well the wild is released and townspeople are forced to reenact it's famous stories.  Julie must find her way through the wild, acting out pieces of fairy tales to rescue her mother and save the town from the wild and allow them to get back to their regular lives.

Into the Wild is a delightful mix of fairy tales.  It introduces readers to a large mix of fairy tales and the reader is made aware of the differences between the real versions and the Disney versions.  Julie is a spunky independent girl who is able to think and work independently and cares about her family and friends.

Appropriateness:  Aside from a little scariness this book is appropriate for all middle grade and young adult audiences.  Julie is twelve and her adventure would appeal to kids in the 9-13 year old range.  The lexile is 530 putting it at a third grade reading level making it a good book for reluctant readers.  

The sequel Out of the Wild follows Julie on another adventure fighting to save the world and it is also very good.
 

Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth

 Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth by Andy Huller is the story of Cal, a boy with fire red hair that has grown up in an orphanage that is located on the sunny side of an island located in the center of the earth.  The book tells a few interrelated and interesting stories.  The story of  the discovery of a giant screw that is found at both poles, how the screw is found and how it is unscrewed creating the hole in the earth that Cal's orphanage is located inside.  The story of Cal's father and most importantly the story of Cal.  The orphanage that Cal lives in is a strange place.  They have fire poles instead of stairs and the food is horrible.  Cal sneaks out every morning to watch a man skip stones in the great artic lake.



This is a very interesting middle grade book.  It has an outlandish setting and background that kids will love.  The orphanage has a creepy but interesting vibe to it and the idea of there being a screw at the north and south pole is really interesting.  The characters are all distinct and interesting with the secondary characters having distinct and interesting personalities.  This is a book full of quirky and original characters.  There isn't much action in the book but the unfolding landscape keeps the reader interested.



Appropriateness:  There isn't anything in this book that would upset parents.  There is absolutely no romance and although the orphanage is creepy and horrible there isn't any violence.  The almost exclusively male cast makes this a book that young boys will enjoy.  I would recommend this book to kids 10-14.

Prairie Winter

Prairie winter follows the life of a sixth grader in the fifties who faces many challenges during a long winter in South Dakota.  Rachel and her sisters face many challenges during the winter including a massive snowstorm that causes them to move into town by themselves so they can attend school.

This book works well as a read aloud. It has fairly short chapters and mini-plots that finish in small arcs of two or three chapters at a time which is good for a book that is going to be read to a child or a class over a long period of time. The descriptions of events in the books are well written and colorful and the voice is strong, serving as a good example for young writers.

Appropriateness:  There is a discussion of a controversy involving strip poker which could be "controversial" for younger listeners/readers. It ends up being nothing more than gossip, but there is a vague description of how the game is played.  the lexile is 720 putting it at a fourth grade level.

The Compound

The Compound by S.A. Bodeen stars Eli who has spent several years living with his family in a luxurious bomb shelter after the wold has been attacked by a nuclear bomb.  Things initially went well but over time their supplies have been sabotaged and his father's demands of things they need to do to survive get stranger and more disturbing.

This book is terrific, it starts out calmly and slowly becomes more and more twisted.  The setting and story are original and Eli's character is one that boys will be able to relate to.  I tore through this book unable to put it down.

Appropriateness:  This is a book that is perfect for the younger end of the young adult audience and is a book that boys will enjoy.  There are a few references to sex but otherwise there is no adult content.  It is twisted and disturbing and could easily give a younger kid nightmares.  The book has a lexile of 570 putting it at about third grade level making it perfect for reluctant readers.  I would recommend this book for 5th-8th graders.

Dark Life

Dark Life by Kat Falls follows Ty who lives on the ocean floor. When he meets a topsider (someone who lives on the surface) named Gemma together they must save the underground settlements from being destroyed by outlaws.

Dark life is a lighter take on today's popular dystopian genre. Falls has created a world under the sea that is different without being terrible. The characters are fun and face adversity and have plenty of action without much violence or terror.

Appropriateness:  This book has nothing that would irritate a parent and is appropriate for middle grade and intermediate readers. The tale is told from a male perspective and there's enough romance to entice girls who need their love story but not enough to chase away boys or younger readers  The lexile of this book is 690 putting it at a fourth grade reading level.

Zoo School

This is a delightful kids book about a school at a zoo. My daughter was excited each night to hear what zany lesson the kids were going to have (gym class with seals, sorting and counting with real monkeys). It's the type of school every kid wishes they went to.






We loved this book in my house.  The premise was fun and the kids had wonderful adventures each day at school.




The book has about twelve chapters that aren't too long and it has a story which is entertaining to kids as well as adults so it's a fantastic book to read aloud to your child or your class. It is one of my daughters favorites.  The lexile is 720 putting this at a mid fourth grade level and making it perfect for either advanced younger readers or upper elementary readers.

The Clone Codes

The Clone Codes is a science fiction novel which uses historical events as a framework to tell the story. Leanna has grown up in a world where clones are slaves and cyborgs are segregated from society. Leanna's mother is arrested for belonging to a group that has helped those who are not treated equally throughout history. Leanna then learns (through her super cool virtual tools) that she is a clone and spends the rest of the book hiding from those who are hunting her.

This is a nice dystopian for intermediate readers and the historical framework should tie in nicely to their history studies.  The book ends abruptly with no real conclusion so I'm assuming that it's the first in a series. This would be understandable (because kids and teens love series) except that the novel was so short that there was no reason to cut the story off.

Appropriateness:  The suggested age for this novel (per the ARC) was 12 and up. After reading the novel I'd put 12 as the top age that would enjoy the book. The book is very short and the font is large (I finished the book in about two hours) and the story is very unsophisticated. It is interesting enough to keep one interested, however the story isn't exciting or complicated enough for teens and if the author had made the main character a few years younger it would have been more appropriate. The lexile is 680 putting it at a fourth grade level.

ARC received from Amazon Vine

Plain Kate

Plain Kate follows Plain Kate, a orphaned girl who is forced to leave her town because of accusations of witchcraft.  Plain Kate is born in a superstitious town and with an extraordinary talent for carving and is spat on by townspeople because of her "witchy" eyes.  When her father dies she looses everything and is forced to live on the street.  She then sells her shadow to a traveler (and receives a talking cat as payment) and joins up with a band of roamers.  There she meets a great friend and they work to solve her problems and save others from the traveler's evil deeds.

This is a fantastic story that will be enjoyed by many.  The paranormal and historical elements are interwoven perfectly and the strong bond of friendship will speak to many readers.

Appropriateness:  This is one of the rare young adult paranormal books about a girl that I have read that is neither excessively violent and that doesn't have any romance.  It is also drug and alcohol free.  This makes it a must read for younger advanced readers as well as middle grade readers.  The lexile is 630 which puts it around a fourth grade reading level.

Happy Birthday Sophie Hartley

Sophie Hartley wants a baby gorilla for her birthday.  When her Dad says yes she's excited.  However when it's time to tell the family she instead gets a shocking announcement from her older sister.  Her sister is moving out of her room and into the attic.  Sophie's story is entertaining and fun.

It's difficult for parents and teachers with young but advanced readers to find books that are interesting yet challenging.  This book has some very difficult vocabulary while still having a plot that young children will like and there are no major boy obsessions.  The book isn't overly long and the chapters are short.

Appropriateness:  This is a girl book, with lots of talk of bad girls and other things that third grade girls find important.  There is a chapter in which Sophie and her friend talk about bras and breasts (in a typical childlike way with lots of giggling and even some sock boobs).  It's enough to make a boy uncomfortable but not too much to alienate a young girl (it's a step down from Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.)  This book is on a fourth grade reading level with a lexile of 680.

Review copy obtained from Amazon Vine.

Cloaked

In Cloaked Johnny, a lover of shoes, is approached by a princess who needs him to rescue her brother who has been turned into a frog by a witch.  She gives him a magic cloak, headphones that will let him talk to animals that used to be human and some money and some vague directions and sends him on his way.  Throughout his adventures he encounters giants, witches, men with guns and his best friend Meg and ends up with his own fairytale ending.

Cloaked, unlike Alex Flinn's other two fairy tale novels Beastly and A Kiss in Time is not just a modern retelling of one fairytale.  It takes elements from several less known fairy tales and combines them.  The result is a fun and original tale with just the right bit of romance and action.  It is a light and fluffy story and a very quick and easy read (I finished it in about three hours).

Appropriateness:  This is a book that can be enjoyed by the entire YA audience and even younger readers looking for romance.  The romance is sweet and not something that would intimidate young readers and there is no substance abuse or violence.  The lexile for this book is 580 putting it at a third or fourth grade reading level making it a perfect novel for reluctant middle school aged readers.

Review copy received from Amazon Vine

PaperToy Monsters

PaperToy Monsters is a book full of punch out paper monsters that can be assembled with nothing but glue.  Each monster has two pages, one glossy page with a picture and instructions and the cardstock page with the monsters that is perforated and ready to punch out.  There are four sections of monsters:  Monster Legends, Earth Ocean and Space Monsters, Mutant Food and Thing Monsters, and Human Monsters.  There is also a nice paragraph describing each monster's story and a set of templates in the back of the book so you can design your own monster.  The PaperToys come in Intermediate, Easy and Advanced difficulty and I was able to complete both an intermediate and an easy monster without much trouble and I'm one of the least crafty people ever.  It was a lot of fun.

My first two monsters:

Appropriateness:
 I would recommend this book for kids ages ten and up (although younger kids will be able to help and play with the monsters).  Any younger and the parent will end up doing most of the work.  How to books are great for kids to work on reading carefully and following directions.

Sugar and Ice

Sugar and Ice by Kate Messner follows thirteen year old Claire as she receives a scholarship to work with a prestigious figure skating coach.  Claire, thrust into this high stress environment has to learn to deal with a crew of backstabbing girls and trying to figure out a way to balance her new schedule with the rest of her life.

Messner does a fantastic job with creating a world that readers can get lost in.  Claire's love of skating and her fight for confidence makes her a character that girls can relate to.  She has a great relationship with her parents and is understanding of their needs.  It is refreshing to see an author paint a young character that has such a healthy understanding of their parents financial and time constraints.   

Appropriateness: This book has no objectionable content.  The book was much more complex than I would expect for the recommended age.  The main character is thirteen and her story is not simple and silly.  While I think nine and ten year olds would enjoy this book I think it would be more appreciated by a middle school aged audience of 11-14 than the 9-12 that the publisher recommends.

Ellie McDoodle

The Ellie McDoodle books follow Ellie as she goes on vacation and moves to a new school.  The book is Ellie's illustrated journal and is filled with pictures and antidotes of her adventures.  As a bonus at the end of each book the author offers drawing and journaling tips to help your child create their own illustrated journal.


The books are written on a mid third grade level and would be enjoyed by any elementary aged student.  My daughter loved the two novels that have been published so far and is excited for the newest novel.  She thought Ellie's adventures were exciting and loved the pictures throughout the book.  This is a good book for both advanced readers and for older reluctant readers.  The pictures and humor are encouraging for young readers.