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.

The Greatest Skating Race

The Greatest Skating Race

by Louise Borden
© 2004, 48 pages Level 3 (all about levels)Learn More on Amazon

 

If you read the review about Number the Stars the other day and thought it sounded interesting, but a little old for your kids, then this is the book for you. A World War II story from the Netherlands, The Greatest Skating Race shares a tale of bravery about a 10-year-old boy named Piet who helps guide two neighbor children to safety by skating 16 kilometers through the frozen canals of the Netherlands and across the Belgian border.

Piet's greatest dream is to skate in the Elfstedentocht, a 200-kilometer race held in the northern Netherlands. So when his grandfather asks him to use his skating skills to lead the two younger children to their aunt's house, he is excited about the athletic opportunity, but concerned about the dangers along the way. They must skate a long distance in a short time, all while appearing to be carefree children out for an ordinary afternoon of skating. It's a difficult journey, and the Nazi soldiers posted on their route only add to the peril. The physical and mental challenges they encounter make for a suspenseful read!

The Greatest Skating Race is another great example of children rising to the occasion and doing something meaningful. Though a little shorter than most of our Level 3 books and in a picture-book format, this story was considerably longer than a Level 2 with a plot that should easily hold the interest of Level 3 readers. There are pronunciation helpers and notes throughout the book (which I found very handy), as well as some interesting historical information at the end. The illustrations are reminiscent of Robert McCloskey, and add a warmth that only complements the suspense of the story and the icy landscape.

Number the Stars

Number the Stars

by Lois Lowry
© 1989, 144 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Learn More on Amazon

 

Stories of World War II seem to fascinate our culture, and I think it's because so many of them tell tales of ordinary people rising above their circumstances to do extraordinary things. We marvel at battles fought by soldiers barely old enough to shave, women who went to work for the first time in their lives (and in factories, at that!), and sympathetic individuals who showed kindness behind enemy lines...and we wonder if we'd be able to do the same. Number the Stars is just such book.

Set in Nazi-occupied Denmark in 1943, Number the Stars tells the story of 10-year-old Annemarie Johannesen, who has lived the life of a normal schoolgirl up until that point. Well, at least as normal as things can be in a Nazi-occupied country, with rationing, curfews, and the ever-present soldiers. Like most girls her age, Annemarie goes to school and plays, mostly with her best friend and neighbor, Ellen Rosen.

But when the Jews begin to be removed from their homes and relocated, the Johannesens fear for their neighbors.  As both families work to secure the safety of the Rosens, each member must wrestle with difficult choices and summon courage in their own unique way. And in Annemarie's actions we see a perfect illustration to the famous quote:

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear." Ambrose Redmoon

Winner of the Newbery Award in 1990, Number the Stars is definitely worth a place on your child's reading list. Some kids might not choose this one on their own, so you might consider reading it together or listening to it as an audiobook (only 3.5 hours!). Though the book is suspenseful, it doesn't become too scary and is milder than The Diary of Anne Frank. Number the Stars is one of those small gems that pulls us in with a compelling story, while showing us that we're often capable of more than we've ever imagined.

Airman

Airman

by Eoin Colfer
© 2008, 412 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

From the author of the Artemis Fowl series comes Airman, an enthralling tale of a soaring adventure. Airman is about Conor Broekhart, a boy who loves to fly. He has a wonderful life on the island of Great Saltee. Conor has a great instructor who teaches him fencing, flying, and standard school subjects. He is also good friends with the princess of the Saltee Islands. But his life changes one night when he is blamed for the murder of the king and sent to prison on Little Saltee, where he has to fight for survival.

This is a spectacular book. It is a little complicated, but not too much so. It is very suspenseful and exciting. I recommend this novel to any fan of fantasy, mechanics, or the Artemis Fowl series.

Hatchet

Hatchet

by Gary Paulsen
© 1987, 195 pages Level 5 (all about levels)Amazon Reviews

 

When Brian Robeson's parents get divorced, it sets his life on a trajectory that he never could have imagined. Just months after the split, Brian finds himself in a single engine plane on the way to visit his father in the Canadian wilderness. When the pilot has a heart attack mid-flight, Brian is left alone in the air and after several hours on auto-pilot, he's forced to crash land in a lake. And that's where his real adventure begins.

Brian, who thus far had led the ordinary suburban life of a 13-year-old boy, must learn to survive with only the clothes on his back and a hatchet his mother gave him as a going-away present. What will he eat? Where will he find shelter from the elements? How will he stay safe amongst the wild animals?

Since I would be just as lost as Brian in trying to solve these problems, I was right there with him as he made his first fumbling attempts to find food and safety. After several painful encounters with this new environment, Brian learns some hard lessons, including the one most valuable for his survival: feeling sorry for yourself is counterproductive.

"It wasn't that it was wrong to do, or that it was considered incorrect. It was more than that—it didn't work. When he sat alone in the darkness and cried and was done, was all done with it, nothing had changed. His leg still hurt, it was still dark, he was still alone and the self-pity had accomplished nothing." In Brian's story of physical survival, we also see him evolve emotionally and discover truths that are relevant far beyond the wilderness.

Written in a straightforward tone with a quick pace, Hatchet details Brian's days in the wilderness. This gripping Newbery Honor book was hard to put down. I was fascinated by this boy's solutions to the day-to-day struggle for life, and I eagerly rushed forward to find out the answer to my big question: Will Brian Robeson ever be rescued?

Pendragon: The Quillan Games

I'll say it now. Pendragon: The Quillan Games is a wonderful book. It is the best installment in the Pendragon series by far. To tell you how good it is, I will say that this book has 29 5-star reviews on Amazon, and the average customer rating is 5 stars.

I highly recommend reading the rest of the series before reading this book because you might get very lost if you don't.

The Quillan Games is the seventh installment in the Pendragon series. This book takes place on the territory of Quillan. On Quillan, there are people called challengers who play games. Deadly games. Many citizens also wager on the games. If they place the Ultimate Bet and win, they get extra food for a while. But if they place the Ultimate Bet and lose, they are sent to the tarz, a place that is very deadly and dangerous.

That's what Bobby finds on Quillan. He realizes that to fix Quillan, he must compete in the games, including the World Cup of Quillan, The Grand X. If he wins, Bobby may be able to uncover the mystery of the Travelers, which has eluded him since the beginning of the series.

Something very devastating also happens with Mark and Courtney, but I won't spoil it. The Quillan Games is the best book yet in the Pendragon series; hopefully it will just keep getting more amazing.

The Quillan Games by D.J. MacHale
© 2006, 486 pages
Level 5 (tell me about levels)
An enchanting tale of a boy trying to discover where he came from and save a territory.
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