Family Reads

Quick Pick: Tunnels

Tunnels

by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams
© 2007, 480 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

Initially, I checked this book out for Ben, but I couldn't resist picking it up and reading a bit. When I did, I was intrigued—I couldn't imagine where in the world this book was going. As I found out, it was going into the world...deep into the earth. You see, the main character, Will Burrows, and his father share a passion for digging tunnels. For Will, it's an adventure. For his academic father, it's an archaeological pursuit. But when Will's father decides to go it alone on a particular dig, he disappears without a trace. Will eventually uncovers his father's journal, and recruits a friend to go searching for him in a tunnel connected to their basement. They stumble upon a hidden world underground—a massive city complete with houses, streets, a church, and even a police force. They soon realize that this civilization is disturbingly different, only after it's too late to leave. Will they manage to escape? Will they ever find Will's father? These questions, and many more that follow, are what drove me to stay up way too late several nights in a row. There are a few brief periods (particularly the beginning) that are slower-paced, but readers will be rewarded well for sticking with this mysterious underground adventure.

Quick Pick: The Time Paradox (Artemis Fowl, Book 6)

The Time Paradox (Artemis Fowl, Book 6)

by Eoin Colfer
© 2008, 432 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox is about a teenage, male, cunning genius named Artemis Fowl, an elf who is a LEPrecon officer, and a dirt-loving dwarf. Artemis' mother has contracted a deadly disease, and the only cure is found in the brain fluid of the Silky Sifaka Lemur. It would be easy to get the cure-if the animal still existed. Due to a heartless deal Artemis made many years ago, the lemur is extinct. Artemis, Holly Short, the elf, and Mulch Diggums, the dwarf, must go back in time and steal the lemur from the younger Artemis. This book is one of the best I've read in a while, and won't dissapoint fans of the previous Artemis Fowl books or people who enjoy science fiction or fantasy.

(P.S. In order to get the most enjoyment out of this book, I highly recommend you read the first 5 before diving into this one).

Quick Pick: Simon's Dream (The Fog Mound, Book 3)

Simon's Dream (The Fog Mound, Book 3)

by Susan Schade
Illustrated by Jon Buller
© 2008, 198 pages Level 4 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

The final book in the Fog Mound trilogy, Simon's Dream, does not disappoint. It maintains the same easy-to-read format as its predecessors with an even better plot. I was able to read this in less than 24 hours, so it should be a quick read.

Thelonious, Cluid, Bill, and Brown get separated from their bear friends at the Mattakeunk Institute. While they try to get back to the building, they learn a little more about the end of the human occupation, and meet Upsilon the Wolfman. They get back to the institute, but the bears are no where to be found.

This charming adventure is a good read for anyone who likes animals or mysteries.

Quick Pick: The Misadventures of Maude March

The Misadventures of Maude March

by Audrey Couloumbis
© 2005, 304 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

I never thought I'd have so much fun with a Western, but The Misadventures of Maude March proved me wrong. Orphaned at an early age, 11-year-old Sallie March and her 15-year-old sister Maude live a sober yet peaceful existence with their Aunt Ruthie. When their aunt is killed as a bystander to an accidental shootout, they go to live with a local preacher's family. When conditions there become unbearable, Maude and Sallie decide to head west in hopes of finding their mother's brother, whom they haven't seen in years. Between their hurried departure and incidents along the way, Maude gains a reputation for being a crazed outlaw. Told in the wry point of view of Sallie, who is so excited to try out life as a range rider after all the dime-store novels she's read, the story is mostly about the girls trying to survive their journey and the people they meet along the way. It's funny, smart, and a perfect introduction to the Western genre for those who've never experienced it before. I listened to this as an audiobook, and it would be an ideal choice for any road trip across western territory!

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere

The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
© 2001, 40 pages Level 2 (all about levels)Learn More on Amazon

 

When you add up the formal clothing, stiff language, and beribboned ponytails we see in portrayals of our founding fathers, it's easy to perceive them as a little...soft. But if we take a look at what was really happening back then and what these patriots did, we're reminded that they were true Revolutionaries. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow memorialized one of these moments of bravery in The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere, in 1860. And now, Christoper Bing brings that famous historical poem to life with a richly layered and beautifully engraved picture book.

This is the kind of book that deserves to be pored over. Full of painstaking detail, you'll find maps, letters, and objects strategically dispersed throughout the illustrations. The dark, glowing nighttime scenes capture the mood perfectly and help you imagine what it must have been like to ride through New England farms and villages in 1775, rousing fellow countrymen to prepare for battle. Secret signals, intercepted intelligence, and one brave man on horseback—"The fate of a nation was riding that night...." It has all the makings of a great adventure, one of the many that secured our country's independence.

If you're new to Christopher Bing's work, you might also want to check out his Caldecott Honor Book, Casey at the Bat—another perfect choice for America week!

Quick Pick: Saga

Saga

by Conor Kostick
© 2008, 367 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

Saga is the follow-up to the previously reviewed Epic. The main character from Epic returns to this story which features a rebel named Ghost. Ghost and her friends attempt to overthrow the Dark Queen, the evil dictator of Saga, and force her to release Eric's people from the world of Saga, whom she is holding captive. This novel has a similar mood as Epic, but featuring new characters, plot, and setting. I recommend Saga to anyone who liked Epic or loves sci-fi stories.

A Dog Called Grk

A Dog Called Grk

by Joshua Doder © 2005, 241 pages Level 4 (all about levels) Read Amazon Reviews

 

When Timothy Malt finds a stray dog outside his home in suburban London, he has no idea of the adventures in store for him. It all begins with a simple enough task: locate the dog's owners and conduct a canine reunion. According to his tag, the dog is named Grk and lives at an English address which turns out to be the Stanislavian Embassy. But when Tim and his family show up to return the dog, they stumble upon international turmoil as the ambassador and his family (who happen to be Grk's owners) have just been deported back to Stanislavia amidst a military coup.

Tim's parents are content to leave Grk at a local dog pound so that his owners can eventually catch up with him or he can be adopted by a new family. But Tim knows what can happen at the pound, and he also knows Grk is a special dog that no one would ever leave behind by choice. He's determined to find Grk's family, and his mission leads him on a solo international voyage full of danger and intrigue.

A Dog Called Grk is almost purely plot and reads much like an action movie. In fact, a web search on the title revealed an entry by the same name on IMDb. This book would be a great choice for a reader who likes to keep things moving without getting sidetracked by character development, setting descriptions, etc. Be aware that there is some violence, probably along the same lines as a book like Artemis Fowl.

Lori

This book might not have been the best choice for Ben and I to read together. It takes us a while to get through a book since our time for reading aloud is limited. I think he would have gulped this down in a few days if he was on his own. He seemed to like it more than me, but sometimes that's just part of sharing books with your child—taking pleasure from their enjoyment of the story. We laughed together quite a bit as we read, however, and that's always a sweet experience.

I didn't appreciate the author misusing God's name in this book, so I edited those parts on the fly as I read them to Ben. I wonder if that's more acceptable in books that are published in England. Regardless, it seemed like an unnecessary distraction.

Ben

This was a very fast-paced and good book. I especially liked how the author tied in references to typical dog behavior in the novel, adding hilarity to an otherwise action-packed story. This book also touches a bit on politics. I recommend this book to any fans of action.

Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink

Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink

by MAC (Melissa A. Calderone) © 2008, 256 pages Level 5 (all about levels) Read Amazon Reviews

 

Eleven-year-old Anna Smudge stumbles on to a career of helping people figure out their problems while she gets handed a doozy of her own to solve. While juggling loads of homework and therapy sessions in a storage closet of her apartment building, she has to unravel a complex mystery involving an escaped hitman, her off-kilter art teacher, and someone named Mr. Who. Her father's life depends on it! Her band of misfit yet likable friends joins with her in cracking a case that has the adults of New York City so baffled that they deny the very existence of Mr. Who.

We received an advance reader's copy of Anna Smudge: Professional Shrink from the publisher, Toasted Coconut Media. It's the first in a series of books titled The Professionals, featured on their website WhoisMrWho.com. They describe the book as a graphic novel and despite the fact that the only illustrations are at the beginning of chapters, it definitely reads like one, explaining its debut at the New York Comic Con this February.

Lori

I have to begin by saying that this book is not the type I would normally choose to read. It's a fast-paced action story low on emotional involvement. Ben and I read this book separately and I was tempted to give up several times because it just wasn't clicking with me. Ben, on the other hand, zipped through it in a couple of days. But after we watched the Nancy Drew movie, I could see some similarities between the two female sleuths that made Anna a little more appealing. Finally, I got hooked on the mystery and finished it quickly after that.

I'm still a little torn about this book because it isn't as sweet or kind-hearted as the ones I like to recommend. It's a little crude here and there, but no more so than an average family movie like Kicking and Screaming. It's a very modern book, and that probably says a lot about why it's not my favorite ;) But it's an interesting concept, the unique characters are smart and capable, and kids who enjoy quick-moving mysteries should be amply entertained. I'm looking forward to seeing how this series develops.

Ben

I really enjoyed this book. It is fast paced and has lots of action. I disagree with the fact that Anna Smudge is a touch crude, and if I'm wrong it is because it is a modern story. There is a slow beginning, but the book builds up speed like a train until the cliff-hanger ending. I highly recommend this book to any young mystery fan.

Nightmare Academy

Nightmare Academy

by Dean Lorey
© 2007, 310 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

"The monsters under your bed are real!" Nightmare Academy is the first book in a series about the Nightmare Dimension. After some nightmares, kids encounter real monsters.

When Charlie  Benjamin dreams, monsters leave the Nightmare Dimension and enter his world through a portal. After a particularly dangerous dream, Charlie is whisked off to the Nightmare Academy, a school that teaches kids to control their nightmares. Just after he arrives, Charlie unfortunately meets one of the four most powerful monsters called Barakkas the Rager. The monster causes all sorts of mayhem in Charlie's life.

Nightmare Academy should really be a Level 4 3/4 book, but since there are many battles and some killing in the novel (it sounds worse than it is), it qualifies as a Level 5. Nightmare Academy is an entertaining tale of a young boy and his adventures in a very imaginative world.

The Strictest School in the World

The Strictest School in the World

by Howard Whitehouse
© 2006, 252 pages Level 4 (all about levels)Learn More on Amazon

 

It's 1894 and a pioneering young scientist named Emmaline is working on creating a flying machine. The only problem is...she's intensely afraid of being in the air. She needs an assistant, and that's where Robert "Rubberbones" Burns comes in.

So begins The Strictest School in the World: Being the Tale of a Clever Girl, a Rubber Boy and a Collection of Flying Machines, Mostly Broken. Set in an English village, the story follows the efforts of Emmaline and Robert, as aided by her indulgent Aunt Lucy and their butler, Lal Singh.

The group spends a summertime happily engaged in their aviation endeavors until Emmaline's distant parents send her away to St. Grimelda's School for Young Ladies, which happens to be The Strictest School in the World. It doesn't take long for Emmaline to experience the horrors that occur behind its towering stone walls and decide that she must find a way out. Many students have come to the same conclusion, but not one has ever escaped successfully. But with Emmaline's knowledge of flying machines and her cohorts on the outside who are willing to assist in her getaway, will she have what it takes to break free?

This is a thoroughly fun book and a perfect candidate for a multi-age family read-aloud. It's enjoyable on so many levels, featuring lovable and brave characters, a simple story, and humor throughout. The author takes advantage of every opportunity to play with the book, from the "reviews" on the back cover written by characters in the book, and the prehistoric pet pterodactyls kept by the school to maintain order with the students, to the names of the characters like Miss Sumfiddle, the mathematics instructor, and Miss Venividivici, the frightening Latin teacher.

The Strictest School in the World is a lighthearted book that's wonderfully suited for the end of the school year when most of our students are dreaming of their own impending freedom. And it looks like the adventures continue with a followup all ready and waiting for us: The Faceless Fiend: Being the Tale of a Criminal Mastermind, His Masked Minions and a Princess with a Butter Knife.