Reading Level: Elementary

Knights vs. Dinosaurs

For the Knights of Camelot, peace has brought boredom. They don’t have much to do, and most have never seen a dragon. During the knightly feast, the knights begin to boast about their heroic deeds. When Sir Erec boasts that he slew forty dragons on his last quest, Merlin decides to teach the knights a lesson and sends them on an adventure.

Four knights and one squire enter a cave and come out during another time. Suddenly, they are surrounded by the most terrible lizards of all: dinosaurs. Will the knights be able to survive the snapping jaws of these gigantic lizards?

Fast-paced, funny, and full of surprises, Knights vs. Dinosaurs blends graphic-style illustrations with a unique adventure. Black-and-white illustrations are scattered throughout the story, and several of the graphic-novel style battles appear over multiple pages. As each knight goes off alone, they encounter different terrible lizards. Seeing each knight’s perception of the different dinosaurs adds interest and humor to the story.

The knights engage in battle after battle, but the story still develops each knight’s unique personality. Sir Hector clearly loves books. Sir Bors believes that, “Might makes right.” The Black Knight is silent and skilled. The characters don’t only clash with the dinosaurs, they also clash with each other. In the end, the knights’ adventures teach them the dangers of boasting and the necessity of working together. The knights discover that each one of them has a specific talent and they need to take advantage of each person’s strengths and work together in order to survive.

For those who like knights, dinosaurs, and battles, Knights vs. Dinosaurs has an entertaining, engaging story that will keep readers turning the page. Younger readers may find some of the vocabulary difficult. In order to create the same feel as medieval times, difficult words such as lummox, smote, peruse, and inscrutable are used. This is the perfect book for reluctant readers who want to fall into a fabulously funny story.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When the knights leave the cave, a dinosaur “snatched him up in its mighty jaws. The beast lifted Bors twenty feet off the ground and shook him like a puppy’s chew toy. Fortunately, Bors’s armor held.” When the Black Knight enters the fight, “a broadsword to the lower leg made the creature toss Bors aside.”
  • The knights see a group of dinosaurs and the “attacking cows” stampede. “Erec was knocked aside. Bors tripped over Erec’s leg. His sword flew straight up, then came back down. Bors, eyes bulging, shifted just as the sword struck the ground an inch from his chest.” The knights retreat.
  • When two of the knights begin arguing, another knight tries to break up the argument but “was kicked in the shin for his effort. So he kicked back instead. They pushed. They slapped. They fell over. It was clanging and awkward.”
  • When Erec sees a dinosaur, he charges it with his lance. “The creature charged. Erec charged. His lance hit the creature directly between the eyes. The beast grunted, veering off to the side.” The battle is described in words and pictures over four pages. At one point, the creature “scooped him off the ground. It shook him once, twice, three times, then tossed him aside like a twig.”
  • One of the knights sees a group of dinosaurs that look like chickens. He assumes they are friendly, but one of them “locked its little jaws around Hector’s finger, clamping down hard with a row of tiny razor-sharp teeth.” Hector hits the dinosaurs with a book, but then “even more appeared. . . Hector tripped and was instantly set upon by the tiny, vicious cuties. They scratched, nibbled and pecked at the noble knight.”
  • A knight sees a dinosaur, and the two “squared off. They burst into action at the same moment, bludgeoning and punching, biting and kicking.” The two fight until a bigger, fighting dinosaur appears. Both the knight and the dinosaur run into the woods.
  • The knights take a swim in a lake. Suddenly, “The lake erupted beneath them as an enormous serpent broke the surface . . . the serpent dived for Erec.” The knights battle the serpent over the course of five pages. One of the knights throws a rock, and “it sailed straight to Magdelena’s hand, and in one smooth movement she brought it down on the serpent’s head. The creature ceased its struggle instantly and sank below the surface, down to the depths.”
  • A flying lizard grabs a knight and takes her to its nest. The knight almost becomes food for a newborn dinosaur.
  • The knights work together to fight a T-Rex. “Erec was the first to find himself lifted several feet off the ground. His armor kept the teeth from puncturing his vital organs, but the pressure of the monster’s bite was tremendous . . .” The battle is described in words and in pictures over ten pages. In the end, Sir Bors “brought his sword down on the monster’s foot . . .He swung one powerful fist in a precisely placed uppercut. The punch connected. The terrible lizard’s eyes crossed . . .” The dinosaur topples over and the knights escape. To prove that they battled the dinosaur, a knight “grabbed a single tooth and pulled and pulled and tore it right out of the king’s gum. It opened its mouth in a roar of pain.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • The Black Knight takes off her helmet for the first time, and “wine was spit out in surprise.”

Language

  • Occasionally the knights call each other names including “dunderhead” and “oaf.” One knight is called a “bookworm.”

Supernatural

  • When Merlin sends the knights on a quest, they enter a cave and are magically transported into another time period.
  • Some believe that Merlin has an enchanted owl that writes and draws. Two knights argue about if an owl can write. One replies, “Merlin enchanted us to this wretched place. I should think he could manage to teach an owl to draw.” The ending of the book shows the owl working on a book.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Liz’s Night at the Museum

Liz has been dreaming about sleeping over at the Santa Vista Art and History Museum. But when the lights go out, Liz hears spooky noises, and she sees scary shadows. Are the strange sounds and shadows her imagination? What’s causing the noise? Will Liz’s museum sleepover turn into a nightmare?

Adorable artwork appears on almost every page, which helps readers visualize the events in the story. Large type, short sentences, and plenty of dialogue will help newly independent readers stay engaged.  Fun onomatopoeias are scattered throughout the story. Although the story focuses on Liz’s fear, and some of the pictures have a spooky feel, the story is more suspenseful than frightening.

Readers will be able to relate to Liz’s sleepover fear. The illustrations show the character’s emotions, which adds to the suspense. The fast-paced story will keep readers engaged. Several of the events are connected to each other, which helps readers understand the effect of having an active imagination. Despite being part of a series, Liz’s Night at the Museum can be read as a stand-alone book.

Younger readers will enjoy the animals, the friendships, and the artwork. Liz’s Night at the Museum would make an excellent addition to any reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Roar of the Crowd

Manny has always been a star on the soccer team. This year, he has decided to try football instead. Manny is determined to get in the game even though it’s his first year as part of the Hudson City Hornets. Manny doesn’t want to sit on the bench, but compared to the other guys, Manny isn’t big. When he tries to tackle the offense, he ends up eating dirt. When the team loses, the coach sits Manny on the bench. Manny needs to prove that he is as tough as anyone else out on the field. Can he prove to his coach, his teammates, and himself that he belongs on the field?

Sports lovers will enjoy the play-by-play football action, both during the games and on the practice field. Many boys will relate to Manny because even though he is small, he still wants to make an impact on the field. Manny knows he is fast, but he worries because, “the other players had everything that he didn’t have—strength, height, confidence.” Throughout the story, the football players appreciate Manny’s efforts and even consider him part of the team, even though he sat on the bench for the entire game.

Although the story focuses on football, Manny’s family also appears frequently. Manny’s two-parent family is portrayed in a positive light. Manny’s little brother adores him, which adds depth to the family dynamics. One drawback of the story is a brief conversation in which Manny and another boy talk about a girl who is “short but built.” During the conversation, the boy makes it seem as if every girl in school “is after” the star football player. Because many children model behavior in books, parents may want to have a conversation about this event.

The simple plot and easy-to-understand vocabulary make The Roar of the Crowd an easy read for younger readers. Readers will learn the importance of focusing on an individual’s strength and never giving up. However, there are better sports books for younger readers, such as Soar by Joan Bauer or the Ballpark Mystery series by David A. Kelly.

Sexual Content

  • Another boy tells Manny that a girl is “out of your league.” The boy said that she is “after Firorelli” who is a football player. The boy jokes that the girl “can probably run him down faster than you could.” The boy thinks that “every girl in the school seems to be after him (Fiorelli).”

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • When Manny was tackled, he said “crap.”
  • When someone shoved Manny, he said “screw you.”
  • A football player said “crud.”
  • The boys say butt occasionally, such as “Get ready to sprint your butt off, man.” Manny also told his friend that he “ran my butt off.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Manny and his family attend mass on Sunday morning. “But all during the sermon he thought about those kickoffs, how he’d been so overpowered by the blockers.”

 

My Father’s Words

A terrible accident takes the life of Fiona and Finn’s father. Lost in grief, a friend suggests Fiona and Finn volunteer at an animal shelter. They meet two dogs that need their comfort. As Fiona and Finn help the dogs, they reflect on their father’s words.

Beautifully written, My Father’s Words will captivate readers from the beginning. Being told from Fiona’s point of view allows the story to focus on the family’s grief and how each member of the family responds differently to grief. Fiona worries that her brother has lost his ability to laugh. Introducing the two shelter animals adds heart as well as a little bit of humor.

Fiona and Finn’s father’s caring attitude and wisdom come through as Fiona and Finn think about his actions and words. Finn struggles with whom to blame for the accident that killed his father, but in the end, he realizes, “I can’t blame her anymore. I can’t blame her little boy. And I can’t blame my father.” Finn comes to accept that his father’s death was an accident, and no one was at fault. The story imparts another lesson when Fiona recalls how her father taught her that when a problem can’t be solved, you need to be able to let go.

The two siblings face varied emotions—love, anger, blame, and concern for others. As they process their emotions, they learn the importance of helping others. One of Duncan’s patients, Thomas, helps Fiona with her own grief; through their phone calls Fiona reexamines her belief that Thomas was a “nut case.”

Simple words, short sentences, dialogue, and short paragraphs—many are only one sentence—make the story accessible to younger children. However, because of the topic of death, My Father’s Words would be a good book to read with an adult, who can understand the emotional impact of losing a parent. Anyone, regardless of age, would benefit from reading My Father’s Words since it shows how a loved one is never truly gone. This emotionally engaging story will leave readers in tears, but also with the feeling of hope.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Declan’s will said that he wanted people to “eat cake, drink champagne, and play basketball” at his funeral.

Language

  • Fiona thinks that one of her father’s patients is a “nut case.” Once her father heard her call someone a “nut case” and he “talked to me about the dignity of people.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

 

 

 

 

Soof

Aurora knows all the Heidi stories. All of her life, Aurora has heard about Heidi and how Heidi brought her family luck. But sometimes Aurora thinks her mother doesn’t feel so lucky to have her as a daughter. Her mom thinks she’s weird and wants her to have friends. Aurora has her dog, Duck, as a best friend, and Duck’s friendship is enough.

When Aurora’s mom announces that Heidi is coming for a visit, everything changes. Her mom is obsessed with making everything perfect for Heidi’s visit. Right before Heidi’s visit, bad luck hits the family. When a fire damages their house, Duck disappears, and Aurora and her mother begin fighting like alley cats.

Aurora knows her mother believes in Soof, which means love. But she’s left wondering if her mother loves Heidi more than her.

Although Soof is the companion novel to So B. It, Soof can be read as a stand-alone novel. However, reading So B. It will help readers understand the relationship between Aurora’s mother and Heidi. Soof, which is told from Aurora’s point of view, focuses on Aurora’s struggle to feel loved. Aurora doesn’t mind being labeled as “weird” and not having friends; however, her mother has taken her to several doctors to see if she is “on the spectrum.” Aurora sometimes wonders if her mother was hoping to have a daughter like Heidi, not a weird daughter like herself.

Aurora is a complex character who understands herself, yet still feels insecure. The interactions between Aurora and her family drive the story. Her imperfect family is portrayed in a positive light. Even though Aurora’s family loves each other, the reader can understand why Aurora feels threatened by Heidi’s visit.

 So much of the story focuses on Aurora’s internal conflict that the story lacks action. Although Aurora and her parents are interesting characters, the complicated family issues that drive the story may be difficult for younger readers to understand. For readers who are interested in family dynamics, Soof would be a good choice. So much time is spent building suspense around Heidi’s visit that the short interaction between Heidi and Aurora is a disappointment.

Soof teaches the importance of communication as well as accepting yourself, even if others think you are weird. The satisfying conclusion of the story will leave readers with a smile and a feeling of hope. The easy vocabulary and short sentences make Soof an easy read; however, the story will be best suited for readers who are ready to delve into the interpersonal relationships of families.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • On Aurora’s parents’ anniversary, her parents have champagne with dinner and Aurora has sparkling cider. During dinner they, “clinked glasses, and after a few more toasts my parents were both a little tipsy and I was ready for bed.”
  • Aurora and her mom meet a woman who is smoking a cigarette.

Language

  • Aurora’s dad says “darn” once.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • When Aurora is looking for her dog she says, “Dear Saint Anthony, please come around, something’s lost that must be found.”

 

The Crystal Caverns

Tag, Skyla, and Blaze band together to search for the next piece of the magical Ember Stone. They must find the stone before the powerful vulture Thorn. Finding the Ember Stone will help Thorn increase his power. Thorn also wants the last firehawk, Blaze. Can the three friends save Perodia from Thorn’s dark magic?

The second book in The Last Firehawk Series has a new adventure as the three friends seek the next piece of the ember stone. The three friends brainstorm ideas on how to get into and out of the Crystal Caverns. The addition of a new friend, a seal, gives the story additional interest.

While in the frozen world of the Crystal Caverns, the friends must defeat Thorn’s spies, the ice leopards. Blaze and his friends need to work together to defeat Thorn’s spies. Readers will enjoy seeing Blaze learn to use his powers. Even though he has not mastered his powers, he does his best to help his friends. Readers will learn the importance of helping others as well as working together. The Crystal Caverns has the right amount of suspense and action to keep younger readers interested without adding details that might scare them.

Although The Crystal Caverns can be read as a stand-alone book, readers will enjoy the story more if they have read The Ember Stone first. The Last Firehawk Series is written for newly independent readers and will appeal to readers seeking adventure. The story has many elements that will keep readers interested. The illustrations show emotion, and the ice leopards add danger and suspense to the story. Onomatopoeias are scattered throughout the story, which makes reading fun as well as adds to the mood. Short sentence structure, dialogue, and simple vocabulary make The Crystal Caverns easy to read. Black-and-white illustrations appear on every page, which helps bring the story to life.

The book begins with an introduction to help readers understand the conflict. A two-page map of Perodia gives a visual of the geography and location of important landmarks. The last page of the book contains four questions and an activity, which will reinforce important comprehension skills. Readers who love animals and a good adventure will enjoy The Crystal Caverns.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Ice leopards, who are under Thorn’s control, come after Tag, Skyla, and Blaze. “Skyla loaded an acorn into her slingshot. Quick as a flash, she shot it into the left eye of one of the leopards. The leopard fell back and roared . . . The leopard swiped its claws at Tag, but he ducked just in time.”
  • While in a cave, ice leopards try to get the Ember Stone. Blaze throws fire bolts at icicles to make them fall. “They yelped as the huge icicles came crashing down! Crash! Large icicles smashed to pieces on the ground, right in front of the ice leopards.”
  • The ice leopards make another attempt to get the Ember Stone. “Skyla shot acorns at the other ice leopard, but they bounced off its thick, spotted fur. Skyla was cornered. . . The leopards yelped and fell to the ground as Blaze screeched again. . . Blaze screeched and the ice leopards’ icy teeth shattered. . . The leopards scrambled to their feet and ran away.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Thorn is an evil vulture that uses black magic called the Shadow; he hopes to destroy Perodia.
  • Firehawks “were magical birds who protected the Ember Stone—a stone that holds magic within.”
  • When a piece of the Ember Stone is placed on a map, “the map glowed, brighter and brighter. . . When Tag looked again, a small shining dot appeared on the map.” The magical map guides the friends to the next location to which they must travel.

 

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

 

Fire! Fire!

When a shop burns down on Orange Street in Selinsgrove, nine-year-old Hilde follows the smoke. Hilde discovers that Mrs. Brown thinks her candles started the fire. She’s so upset that she won’t leave the house. Without Mrs. Brown, the town’s pet parade will be canceled. Can Hilde find a hot tip that will lead her to the true cause of the fire?

This fast-paced mystery comes to life with illustrations on every page. Like the previous books, Hilde uses real-life skills, models questioning skills, and shows the importance of being observant. In this story, Hilde also explains the importance of treating witnesses with tenderness and respect. She clearly cares more about people’s feelings than getting the scoop.

Younger readers will enjoy reading about the interesting characters, injured birds, and a fun pet parade. Besides investigating the fire, another mystery is added when the store owner’s parakeet disappears. The satisfying conclusion of the story is wonderfully illustrated. Readers will fall in love with the pets who are dressed up for the parade.

Short paragraphs, simple word choice, and black-and-white illustrations that appear on every page will keep younger readers engaged. Even though some characters reappear in each book, each story can be understood without reading previous books. Like the previous books, questions and activities appear at the end of the book. Readers will want to follow the clues and see if they can solve the mystery along with Hilde. Fire! Fire! is an engaging story that animal and mystery lovers will enjoy.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • The “mean-agers” are a group of teenagers “known for their rotten attitudes.” When a bird poops on Hilde’s shirt, one of the mean-agers tells her, “It looks like we aren’t the only ones who think you make a better toilet than a reporter.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Bear on the Loose!

Nine-year-old Hilde is determined to find a story for her newspaper. When she hears sirens, she follows the sound and discovers there may be a bear on the loose in Selinsgrove. Hilde knows people love animal stories, and she’s ready to hunt down the facts. Hilde and her sister, Izzy, follow the tracks into the forest. When Hilde gets tangled in a prickler bush, and then sees a black blur run by, Izzy is ready to call it quits. Can the two sisters find the bear before someone gets hurt?

A fast-paced mystery designed for younger readers, Bear on the Loose! integrates new vocabulary into the story. Hilde’s reporter’s notebook contains illustrations as well as repeated key facts. Throughout the story, Hilde shows the importance of being observant and models questioning skills. When two younger children say they saw a bear, Hilde questions the kids and finds out that they hid when they heard a growl. She tells the kids, “I report facts. The fact is that you heard a growling noise. But it is also a fact that you did not see a bear.”

Several people warn Hilde and her sister to avoid the bear. However, the two girls follow the bear tracks into the forest, and then use berries to tempt the bear into coming into their yard. They eventually call a wildlife officer to come capture the bear, but the story doesn’t focus on the real danger associated with wild animals.

Short paragraphs, simple word choice, and black-and-white illustrations that appear on every page will keep younger readers engaged. The Lysiak family has many positive interactions, and the two sisters work together toward a common goal. Another positive aspect of the story are the questions and activities that appear at the end of the book. Readers will want to follow the clues and see if they can solve the mystery along with Hilde. Bear on the Loose! is an excellent story that has the added benefit of teaching younger readers skills they will use in their daily life.

Sexual Content
• None

Violence
• None

Drugs and Alcohol
• None

Language
• The “mean-agers” are a group of teenagers “known for their rotten attitudes.” When two of the boys appear, Izzy is worried that they are angry with them. When Izzy tries to explain, one boy says, “Don’t pee your pants.”

Supernatural
• None

Spiritual Content
• None

The Prodigal Cat

Mittens thinks highly of herself. She is smart and beautiful. Mittens is so proud of her beauty that she thinks her family should pamper her with the best of everything. One day Mittens gets upset at her family and hides from them. She thinks she can manage everything on her own.

Once Mittens is on her own, she realizes how much her family had done for her. Lost, alone, and scared, can Mittens learn to depend on others? Can Mittens learn the importance of being humble and letting others help?

Mittens’ story begins when she is a kitten. She goes from living with a family to living in the pound. Watching Mittens grow from a kitten hoping for a family to a proud cat gives the story depth. Younger children will enjoy the interplay between Mittens and the family dog. Mittens’ bad behavior begins when she tries to get the dog in trouble so that he will be sent to the backyard. As she grows older, she becomes completely focused on her appearance.

Adorable colored illustrations will engage readers and help bring Mittens’s personality alive. The Prodigal Cat is a cute story that teaches the importance of appreciating others and being humble. The message never feels preachy, but instead focuses on how pride causes Mittens to struggle. The ending brings Mittens back together with her family, but it also has a satisfying surprise.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A dog jumps at Mittens, and “she gave a swipe with her paw and tore through the house.” Later, Mittens tries to hide from the dog, but when she can’t she “took a swipe at his nose. . .”
  • When Mittens tries to cross the road, “she looked up just in time to see a car heading straight for her, and everything went black!”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Addison Cooke and the Treasure of the Incas

Twelve-year-old Addison longs for adventure, but his aunt and uncle, both respected curators at the New York Museum of Archaeology, always leave Addison home when they travel the world to find hidden treasures. When Addison’s aunt and uncle discover an ancient Incan key that leads to treasure, they are kidnaped by the evil Russian Professor Ragar.

Addison convinces his sister, Molly, and two of his friends to set off to South America on a mission to rescue his aunt and uncle. Once they arrive, they find adventure, danger, and booby-traps. Can Addison and his team find the treasure, outsmart Professor Ragar, and save his family?

This fast-paced adventure takes readers on an epic journey through South America. Addison, who is eccentric and optimistic, leads his friends into one dangerous situation after another. Although the group is often in danger and narrowly escapes death several times, the events are often humorous. Even though the group is young, they are able to figure out ancient clues, outsmart Professor Ragar, and escape mercenaries.

Full of mystery, suspense, and evil villains, adventure seekers will keep turning the pages of Addison and the Treasure of the Incas. Young readers will learn about the conquest of Pizarro as they follow the exciting travels of Addison. However, the story is not always historically accurate, and the path the kids take is geography inaccurate. Despite these inaccuracies, the story will pique middle graders’ interest in the Ancient Incan Society and increase their love of reading.

The publisher recommends this book for children as young as eight. Although younger children may enjoy the story, the length of the book and the complexity of the writing would make Addison and the Treasure of the Incas difficult for beginning and struggling readers.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • During the time of the Incas, Pizarro kidnapped Atahualpa. Atahualpa’s, “brother’s army attacked Pizarro before the ransom could be delivered. . . Pizarro burned Atahualpa alive at the stake.”
  • Professor Ragar and his mercenaries kidnap Uncle Nigel and his wife. “Immense men in dark suits crowded the room. They held Uncle Nigel pinned down, his face pressed against his desk.”
  • During the kidnapping, the mercenaries also try to seize Uncle Nigel’s niece and nephew. There is a chase. The two kids are cornered so they put an electrical cord into water. The mercenary “kicked his foot and the giant floodlight crashed into the water. Electricity jolted through the reflecting pool with a thunderous zap. Bodyguards collapsed like felled oaks, hitting the water in a sizzling, giggling mess.” The men are not seriously hurt, and the kids are able to escape.
  • Addison talks about the Spanish Inquisition, when non-Catholics were killed “often by burning them at the stake, like King Atahualpa. People would say they were Catholic to avoid being killed. So the Inquisition would torture them to find out who was telling the truth.”
  • The kids go into an ossuary and discover ancient trip wires. Eddie falls “into a vat of skulls, the mummy on top of him. . . The skull bin tilted, pulling an ancient trip wire, releasing a boulder. The falling stone yanked a rope through a pulley, sending a massive scythe blade whipping through the air.” While trying to get up, “Raj sprinted and Eddie followed, their feet dancing across the pile of bones. A massive blade sprung from the ground, splitting every bone in its path.” The boys are not injured.
  • When Professor Ragar and his men find the kids in the ossuary, there is a chase. One of the kids pulls a trip wire and a “steel scythe rocketed toward the surprised guard. Terrified, he leapt…striking his head on the rocky ground. The man lay crumpled in a heap of clattering foot bones.” Another man “slipped on a femur, and crashed down the mountain of bones. . . Boulders tumbled from the ceiling, pelting the guard on the head. The man sank to his knees, stunned senseless.”
  • When Professor Ragar tries to catch Addison, one of his men, “slashed with his knife. Addison crab-walked backwards on his hands, the knife barely missing his throat.” When Addison is caught, “Ragar wound up his open palm and slapped Addison across the face. Addison’s cheek stung, and his head rang for a few seconds.”
  • Zubov, one of Professor Ragar’s men, threatens to cut off Addison’s fingers. “Zubov began squeezing Addison’s windpipe. . . Zubov pressed his knife to Addison’s cheek.” One of Addison’s friends helps him.
  • While in the Amazon jungle, Molly is attacked by a giant spotted anaconda that “dropped onto Molly. The ten-foot constrictor wrapped its muscled body around her legs, then waist, and worked its way up her chest.” Someone pokes the anaconda with a flaming brand. “It hissed viciously, tightening its grip on Molly, and wrapped a coil around her throat.” The snake eventually releases Molly.
  • The kids are chased by tribesmen who shoot poison-tipped spears and darts at them.
  • Don Guzmán is rumored to kill people by putting them in a freezer.
  • Don Guzmán locks the kids in a room. In order to escape, Raj “took a running start and swung his plank hard into a man’s stomach. It connected with a satisfying smack, like a Jell-O mold chucked from a high window and meeting the pavement.” The group runs through a wedding where “Guadalupe lay pinned to the dining room table, Zubov’s hand clutching her throat. . . Zubov brushed the hair back from Guadalupe’s neck and ran the blade along the fold of her ear.” The kids are able to escape.
  • The kids, Ragar, and Zubov have a conflict during the wedding of Don Guzmán’s daughter. Zubov “gripped his stiletto and stabbed at Addison. Addison leapt back, but too late—the knife struck him square in the chest. He fell to the ground, stunned. . . “ Rager stops Zubov from killing Addison, because he doesn’t want to upset Don Guzmán. During their escape, Molly landed “a well-placed kick right in the guard’s stomach.”
  • As the kids are fleeing, they steal a limousine, but they are followed. Eddie smashes the limousine into a jeep and they are able to pull ahead. Eddie “plowed directly through a supermarket. The limousine smashed through the front window and into the cereal aisle. It crashed through frozen foods and baked goods before blasting out the rear wall of the store, onto a new street.”
  • When one of Ranger’s men try to enter a treasure vault, he triggers a booby trap and is impaled by “spikes like a shish kabob.” A second man “plummeted into the river a hundred feet below with a terrified splash. . . The man’s screams echoed until the trapdoor slid shut.”
  • Zubov tries to kill Molly by throwing knives at her. Molly, “wound up and kicked Zubov as hard as she could. This time, she aimed a few feet higher than his shin. . . Zubov turned purple and crumpled to his knees, winching.”
  • Ragar ties the kids up with rope, intending to burn them alive. “The flames snapped and jumped, devouring the kindling. Addison felt the growing heat inching closer to his toes . . . the raging flames touched Addison. The cuffs of his pants ignited, the blaze racing up his legs.” The group is able to escape.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Addison sees a “weather-beaten man sipping a bottle of foul-smelling liquid from a brown paper bag.” The man offers Addison the bottle, but Addison declines saying, “Arnold Palmers are as strong as I go.”
  • While in South America, Addison and the others see “local women with gold hoops in their noses who drank corn wine from gourds . . .” Later, the kids see women “drinking white rum.”

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • While in South America, Addison sees women selling voodoo dolls.

Spiritual Content

  • The kids see a mural painted with angels and “dozens of Incan gods. Some gods were male and some female. Some were part jaguar, llama, or snake.”
  • The Incas considered King Atahualpa a god. “The Incan emperor was considered the child of the sun. Inti, the sun god, the most powerful Incan god.”

Bob

Five years ago, Livy told Bob to hide in a closet. Since then, he’s built a Lego pirate ship sixty-three times. He’s played chess with a Lego pirate monkey. He began reading the dictionary. And he’s wondered why Livy hasn’t come back.

It’s been five years since Livy visited her grandmother in Australia. Once she’s back, she knows she’s forgotten something very important. She’s forgotten all about Bob.

Bob, a short greenish creature, hasn’t forgotten about Livy, but he has forgotten who he is and where he came from. Five years ago, Livy promised to help him find his home. Now that Livy is back, they work to solve the mystery of where Bob belongs.

Each chapter switches between Livy’s point of view and Bob’s point of view. Hearing the different perspectives of each character adds interest and allows the reader to peek into each character’s world. Younger readers will relate to Livy, who is afraid to stay the night at her friends’ houses and struggles between growing up and remaining a child. Bob adds an interesting perspective showing how Livy has changed since they parted five years ago. In the end, Bob realizes that “Livy’s not just Old Livy or New Livy, she’s every age she’s ever been, and sometimes they get jumbled but they are all there.”

The simple writing style and beautiful pictures will engage even the most reluctant readers. Bob has spent much of his time reading the dictionary and uses his knowledge to explain the meaning of words in a fun way that is completely integrated into the story, so readers will learn new words without feeling like they are sitting through a vocabulary lesson. The story contains short paragraphs, lists, and dialogue that break up the test and keep younger readers interested.

The mystery of where Bob came from and what he is adds interest. The friendship between Bob and Livy will touch reader’s hearts. Bob and Livy are well developed; however, the other characters lack personality and added little to the plot. The ending is a surprise and wraps everything up nicely. Not only does Bob show the value of friendship, but he also realizes that “All the things I choose to put in my head are what make me, me. I plan to choose wisely.”

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Livy carries a black pawn from a chess set to help her remember Bob. When she doesn’t have the pawn. She forgets Bob.
  • Bob is a well dweller. They live in between wells and are responsible for bringing the rain. Well dwellers are “tied to the earth and the sky . . .”

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Two Dogs in a Trench Coat Go to School

Waldo and Sassy spend their days taking naps and keeping the house safe from squirrels. When their boy Stewart comes home from school smelling like “boredom and anxiety,” the dogs decide to save Stewart. Waldo and Sassy stand on top of each other, dress in a trench coat, and enroll as a new student. Everyone at school thinks that Salty is a new student—everyone except Stewart. The two dogs help Stewart in an unexpected way.

Two Dogs in a Trench Coat uses silly, slapstick humor to engage readers. The dogs are obsessed with squirrels, meat, and helping Stewart. Some of the dogs’ conversations are random and repetitious. The dogs’ fascination with squirrels and the dogs’ myths about squirrels allows the reader to look at the world from a dog’s point of view. In the end, the dogs’ fascination with squirrels helps Stewart achieve success on his big project and allows the dogs to put their exceptional knowledge to use. The unexpected conclusion will bring out the giggles in readers.

Black and white illustrations appear on every page, which helps bring the dog’s actions to life. The character’s facial expressions are hilarious. The typography will help keep readers engaged. When the dogs speak, the font is larger and bolded. Food words, which are scattered throughout the book, are also bolded. Two Dogs in a Trench Coat would be a fun book to read out loud, especially if the reader used different voices. The change in the font is the perfect opportunity to have a younger reader take a turn reading.

One of the characters is surprisingly different than expected. Stewart thinks Bax hates him and is a bully, but in the end, Bax helps save Stewart from failing his big project. Bax realizes that his teasing comments were misinterpreted by Stewart and says, “And sorry about making fun of you. That’s just how they do it where I’m from. We let people know we like them by making fun of them. I forget sometimes that some people think that’s rude.”

Some readers may get bogged down by the length of the book—at 186 pages, the story slowly comes to a conclusion. Some portions of the story don’t add to the plot, such as a subplot about Mrs. Twohey’s teaching. She thinks that Salty is a spy from another school who is trying to discover her excellent teaching methods. If a reader has graduated to more mature books or likes to focus on facts, this book will not appeal to them. However, for readers who love ridiculous slap-stick humor, Two Dogs in a Trench Coat will make them smile.

Sexual Content
• None

Violence
• None

Drugs and Alcohol
• None

Language
• When Salty smelled everything during a smell experiment, Mrs. Twohey said, “You have one heck of a sniffer!”
• When loud barks interrupt class, Mrs. Twohey said, “I’m going to close these windows so those darn dogs aren’t so disruptive.”

Supernatural
• None

Spiritual Content
• None

Wizard for Hire

When Ozzy was six years old, men took his parents. Since then, he’s lived alone. When Ozzy finds Clark, a robotic talking raven, the two venture into town. All Ozzy wants is to find his parents, but he’s not sure how a fourteen-year-old boy can discover the secrets to his parents’ disappearance.

Then Ozzy sees an advertisement: wizard for hire. Ozzy isn’t sure if wizards are real, but he’s read enough about Harry Potter that he has hope that wizards do exist. When Labyrinth “Rin” appears in his bathrobe and high-top tennis shoes, Ozzy has his doubts. Can Rin cast any magic spells and help him find his parents?

Wizard for Hire will cast a spell over readers, making it hard to put the book down. From the very first page, the story begins with an engaging mystery and a unique character that is easy to love. After living alone for so long, Ozzy struggles with how to talk to others, which is a dilemma many readers will relate to. The surprising appearance of a magical raven brings humor and heart into the story. Clark gives Ozzy encouragement, advice, and a reason to leave his small cabin. Clark’s crushes on metal objects add a fun element to the story.

Once Rin enters the story, Ozzy (and the reader) are both left questioning Rin’s wizardly abilities. Rin could be using magic or modern technology to help Ozzy, but the reader is left guessing about Rin’s magical ability. Rin casts a spell to make Ozzy invisible, which only works because the man is blind. Even though Rin may or may not be a wizard, he embarks on a quest to find Ozzy’s parents. As Rin and Ozzy investigate to find Ozzy’s missing parents, they must avoid the police who are looking for Ozzy, which adds suspense to the story. One additional bonus is Rin’s occasional words of wisdom. For example, when Ozzy is worried about his future, Rin tells him, “Too many of you humans are scared by ghosts that haven’t yet formed.”

Humor, heart, and Harry Potter references make Wizard for Hire a must-read. This coming-of-age story shows the importance of being unique and true to yourself. Although the ending isn’t a happy-every-after, Ozzy does find the answers to his questions. Although there is very little violence, some sensitive readers may be upset by the idea that Ozzy’s uncle was responsible for his parents’ deaths and, in the end, desires to kill Ozzy for greed and personal gain.

Sexual Content

  • Clark, a metal bird, is attracted to metal objects. “Clark sort of gets funny crushes on anything bird-related—or made of metal.” Once he tells Ozzie that “your fork isn’t unattractive. Maybe you could bring it home.” Later in the story, Clark has a crush on a dumpster.

Violence

  • Men came and took Ozzy’s parents. “One of the men put a rag over Emmitt’s mouth. Another did the same to Mia. Ozzy’s parents thrashed and kicked, but their mouths were covered and they were no match for the hulking men who had them bound.” Ozzy hides from the men, who leave him, thinking he will die.
  • A man breaks into Ozzy’s home. Later, Ozzy discovers who the robber was and Clark follows him. “Something hit Ed in the back of the head, causing a good deal of pain and making his sunglasses fly off of his head. Ed swore. . . Something slammed into the right side of his face. Ed spun around twice before regaining his footing. . . Something slammed into and stung his lower back. It took everything he could do to keep the bike under control.” The man crashes the bike, but “he scrambled up screaming and swearing.”
  • There is a car chase. Trying to lose the men who were chasing them, Rin goes into a graveyard. “The SUV followed suit. They were considerably bigger than the white car and kept hitting gravestones on their right side. . .” The SUV crashes.
  • Ozzy finds out that his uncle took his parents “and brought them to a bunker in New Mexico, leaving Ozzy for dead.” When Ozzy’s parents wouldn’t tell his uncle the formula, his uncle ended “his parents’ lives.”
  • During another car chase, Clark “shot through the window” of the SUV. “The bird bounced around inside the vehicle like a possessed pinball. He knocked the driver’s glasses askew and broke a tooth of the large goon with the mean eyes.” The SUV “flipped onto its side and went skidding across the freeway.”
  • The bad guy, with a gun, confronts Ozzy. Clark saves his friend when he “slammed into the right side of Charles’s head. The evil half-uncle swore and waved his gun at the dark sky. . . Clark swooped in again and hit him from the left. Charles spun and shot into the air, hitting the bird and dropping him like a rock down onto the deck.”
  • Ozzy tackles Charles and “the gun flew from his hand and Charles’s head slammed against the railing. Ozzy began to punch him as if he were the root of all his sorrow ever. And since he was, Rin let it go for a few moments before he pulled the boy off.”
  • Charles grabs Rin’s wizard wand and “raised his fist, intending to thrust the wand into Ozzy’s chest, but at that moment, the dark sky opened up and a terrific bolt of lightning snaked down and made contact with the wand. . .” Charles is dead and “Ozzy saw, “his lifeless body smoldering.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • When the wizard first discovers that Ozzy lives deep in the words, he tells Ozzy, “Listen, if your family is out here doing something illegal, like making moonshine or fireworks, I want no part of it.”

Language

  • The bad guy yells, “The formula your parents came up with could have changed the world. No more idiots letting their free will ruin things for others.”

Supernatural

  • Ozzy’s dad makes a metal bird named Clark that is alive.
  • Rin said he went to Quarfelt, which is another dimension, where wizards live.
  • Ozzy’s parents thought they “discovered a formula that could help people have better control over their own free will. The formula had the potential to cure apathy and misunderstandings.” They tested the formulas on unsuspecting people. One man, under the influence of the formula, enters a polar bear enclosure and walks towards the bears. “Timsby stood up in the water and began to walk toward the bears. Before he could get to them, four zookeepers entered the enclosure from the door.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

Callie

Mia and Michal Battelli want a pet. Michael thinks a dog would be perfect. Mia wants a cuddly cat. But their parents aren’t sure their small apartment is a good fit for a pet. When Mia discovers a tiny calico who is injured, she convinces her mom to take care of the kitten named Callie. Mia wants to keep the kitten for herself, but the cute calico keeps running away. Is Mia’s home the right home for Callie?

Kitty Corner Callie is an easy-to-read high-interest book for beginning readers. The story has an easy-to-follow plot, a loving family, and is sprinkled with cat facts. As Mia’s family takes care of Callie, Mia discovers that no matter how cuddly Callie is, or how much Mia wants to keep her, the Battelli’s house just isn’t the right fit. In the end, Mia finds the home that is right for Callie, even though that means saying goodbye. Kitty Corner Callie will engage younger readers and leave them with a positive message about doing what is best for a pet.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Wizard’s War

When Evan and Cleo jump into a book, they find themselves thrust into a quest to save the kingdom. In order to save the kingdom, they will have to fight elves, trolls, and the mighty Golden Dragon. Danger comes from many places, and the two are not sure who they can trust. Only magic will end the war, but will it help them find the right key and return home?

This fast-paced fantasy contains many fantastical creatures that will enthrall younger readers. Danger lurks around every corner, which keeps the suspense high throughout the entire story. When Evan and Cleo meet the manticores, there are several fun riddles that readers can try to solve. Because of some overlapping plot points, The Wizard’s War should be read after the first two books of the series.

Throughout the story, Evan and Cloe show their bravery, brains, and devotion to each other. Working together to defeat evil is the main theme of the story. King Ledipus’s words reinforce this theme when he says, “Today we start a new chapter in the world, one where all creatures—humans, elves, manticores, dwarves, dragons, and even trolls—live in harmony. We will work together to build a future where all can find happiness.”

The story contains a lot of dialogue and short descriptions that help keep the story interesting. A full-page illustration appears in every chapter. The story contains magic wands and magic spells, which are clearly fantasy and not part of the real world. The Wizard’s War will be a hit with readers looking to take a trip into another world. The ending contains a cliffhanger that will leave readers reaching for the next book of the series—The Titanic Treasure.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Elves throw a net on Evan, Cleo, and Vixa. “They struggled but it was no use. Even Vixa’s blade couldn’t cut the net.” The elves take the captives to the queen. “The elves tied up Evan, Cleo, and Vixa and led them to a platform made of logs.” The queen orders the elves to let them go.
  • A group of trolls uses a catapult to fling “a fiery lump” at Evan, Cleo, and Vixa. “The fireball roared past them.”
  • Cleo and Evan try to escape the trolls by riding on a railroad cart. The trolls follow them in their own cart. “One of the trolls leaped into their cart and bared his yellow teeth. He growled and swung his club with the force of a sledgehammer.” Cleo slows the cart and s out of the cart. “Evan curled his legs under the troll’s chest and kicked up. The troll lifted into the air just as the cart shot under a low bridge. His head smacked into a beam and he flew out of the cart.”
  • When another troll attacks, Cleo “kicked the troll in the face. The creature swung his club. It whizzed past Cleo’s head and smashed the hand brake to splinters.” Cleo causes the troll’s cart to flip and “the troll flew forward and smacked into the tunnel wall.”
  • Someone jumped onto a troll’s back and “yanked on the troll’s ears. . .”
  • A dragon attacks Evan and Cleo. “Another flame spewed from the dragon’s throat. . . Evan rolled away and crept behind a statue of an ancient king.” During the attack, the dragon’s “tail whipped around and hit Cleo.” The battle takes place over a chapter.
  • During the final battle, dwarves, manticores, and others fight to defeat the evil villain. The manticore and dragon fight. “The manticores clawed and bit and let their spikes fly. The dragon swung her tail like a club.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • The library under the school has a magic portal that takes people into books. When a person travels into a book, they become a character in the book.
  • When Evan and Cloe become characters in a book, Evan is a wizard and Cloe is a moon elf.
  • An evil character controls the king and his daughter through a headband that uses “dark magic.”
  • One of the characters is a manticore, which is a “lion with bat wings, and the end of its tail was covered in sharp spikes.”
  • Tannis wants Vixa to find the Dragon’s Orb because it “has the power to control dragons.”
  • Cloe poured a “silvery liquid onto Daruis’s wing. The leathery skin began to mend. She took the rest of the potion and poured it into Darius’s mouth . . . The manticore seemed to swell with strength.”
  • When Evan uses a spell, “orange light fired out and hit the troll in the face. Daisies sprouted from the troll’s head, and his nose started blinking like a holiday light.”
  • During the story, several of the characters smash a crystal that opens a magical doorway.
  • Evan uses the “Monstrous Transformation spell,” which makes him become large.

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

80 Days or Die

Jules Verne’s left behind an unpublished manuscript, The Lost Treasure. When Max and his cousin, Alex, follow the clues and end up rich, they think all of their problems are solved. But when Max’s friend becomes gravely ill and Max’s mother’s illness returns, Max and his cousin take a deeper look into Verne’s history.

They discover that Verne miraculously recovered from a near-fatal gunshot wound. The Lost Treasure hints that Verne discovered magical healing elements that allowed him to recover from his wounds. Using clues from Around the World in 80 days, Max and Alex set out on a daring adventure to learn more of Verne’s secrets and heal Max’s mom and friend.

80 Days or Die begins with fun riddles that readers will enjoy trying to figure out. When Max and Alex head out on their journey, they meet several new people who they bring on their trip. Although Max seems fascinated by facts, he doesn’t take the time to do any research on the people who travel with him. Can these new friends be trusted? The question adds to the suspense, but the blind faith in random strangers doesn’t ring true.

Like the first installment of the Max Tilt series, 80 Days or Die jumps from location to location in a rush against time. Younger readers will enjoy seeing a fascinating underground cavern, strange wolf people, the icy Antarctica and a glimpse of the desert. Several times throughout the story, Max and Alex just happen to run into the perfect person to assist them. Although the additional characters were needed to advance the plot, their appearance and willingness to help is unrealistic.

Lerangis writes a solid adventure, sprinkled with surprises and interesting landscapes. However, having a cast of untrustworthy supporting characters made the story less fun. After all of the hardships Max and Alex endured in Fire the Depths, their trusting nature seemed misplaced. Max and Alex’s blind trust in other people will bother some readers, especially when one of the characters they trust ruins a perfectly happy ending.

Sexual Content

  • When looking for someone, Max and his friend “stopped at a booth where a couple in matching black leather jackets were in the middle of a long kiss.”

Violence

  • When Max takes an object, the natives threw a rock at a man in the group. “With a soft thud, the rock hit the back of Sergei’s head, and he dropped to the ground. The wolf people were surrounding him now. . . With a leap, he decked one of the wolf people with a solid martial-arts kick to the jaw. . . The wolf people backed away.” During the fight, a kid is pushed into a hole, where her arm is injured.
  • Max and another man race toward a house. They jump on yaks, but when Max pulls ahead, Nigel grabs him. Max “hit the ground hard, the pain shot up his spine . . . The pain came in waves.” Later, someone causes a yak to collide into Nigel and the man falls, and “he moaned, writhing in agony.”
  • A woman holds a gun on Max and is friends. There is a struggle for the gun, and the woman falls into a crevice. Max also falls into the crevice. “He was panting. Sweating. Achy.” His friends save him and help the woman.
  • Two people are arguing when a man with a gun approaches. Max jumps at the man, “With a cry, they both fell to the ground. The gun flew out of the man’s hand and slid off.” After a short scuffle, the man “Lifted Max off the ground. Mag struggled against the man’s grip, but his fists were like stone.” Someone helps Max by hitting the man on the head, and the attacker “fell to the ground, limp.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • In a moment of excitement, a character says, “Good God, what is it?”
  • Someone says, “I’ll be darned.”
  • One of the characters asks Max if “Plan B stands for ‘boneheaded’?”
  • “Oh dear Lord” is used as an exclamation once.

Supernatural

  • Wolf people watch over coils. The coils “fell from the sky one day, like holy rain. They do things—make people sick, punish for bad hunting season . . . the usual local superstitions.” The coils changed the people, making them look like wolf people. The people believe the coils are sacred and “they must protect holy coils from intruders.”

Spiritual Content

  • Max, who likes facts, said, “God is in the factoids.”

 

Fire the Depths

Thirteen-year-old Max Tilt’s life changes in a moment. When his mother becomes ill, his cousin Alex comes to care for him. When Max discovers his parents are in danger of losing their home, Alex and Max want to find a way to help. They head to the attic to find items to sell and discover Max’s great-great-great-grandfather Jules Verne’s unfinished manuscript The Lost Treasures. What begins as a quest for artic items becomes a treasure hunt as Alex and Max learn that everything Jules Verne wrote in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea was true.

As Alex and Max begin their journey, a strange skunk-haired man named Spencer Niemand appears. He’s determined to steal The Lost Treasures’ manuscript and claim the treasure as his own. However, he needs the kids’ help. Can Max and Alex outwit the devious man who is willing to use violence to gain the treasure?

There is a lot to like in Max Tilt: Fire the Depths. Right from the start, the story is fast-paced and interesting. Although the story is a bit far-fetched, especially the part where his parents leave knowing the electricity will be turned off and the house repossessed, these events explain why Max and Alex are willing to go on a dangerous treasure hunt in order to help.

As the two cousins begin their journey, they don’t realize the danger that follows. As the two follow Jules Verne’s path, they use clues he left behind, but they are soon trapped in a submarine with a villain. As they struggle against an evil villain, they dive to a city beneath the ocean, explore an ice cave in Greenland, and fight a giant squid. This page-turner keeps readers engaged using suspense, adventure, and a bit of humor.

The interplay between Alex and Max helps readers engage in the story. Throughout the story, the two cousins build a friendship and learn to rely on each other in dire situations. Each shows their bravery in different ways. Alex is unique in that he has synesthesia (where one sense substitutes for another) and the effects of synesthesia are shown in a simple, unique way.

Although this adventurous story is written for the ages of eight and up, the story is more appropriate for middle school students because of the violence and the truly evil villain. Although the violence is not described in graphic detail, the villain kills others in order to satisfy his greed. The action-packed plot takes Max and Alex on a submarine ride to an epic adventure that will engage students and teach that, “Sometimes you can’t be ready to do the things you really need to do. You just do them. And that makes you ready.”

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When a man grabs Niemand’s wrist, Niemand, “drew a knife from his pocket, and slammed it downward. As the man yanked his hand back, the blade sank into the tabletop.”
  • In order to eliminate witnesses, Niemand locks people into a warehouse and then sets off explosives. Niemand tells the event from his point of view, “on four, he heard sudden shouting and frantic footsteps inside the building. They finally realized. Good. Let them know there was no escape . . . On seven, the warehouse exploded.”
  • Niemand throws hot coffee in someone’s face. The man, “was squirming in pain on the worship floor.”
  • When bullies steal Max’s lunch, he uses a drone to get his lunch back. The drone hovers over the bullies’ heads and Max hits the release button. “The apple conked Dugan in the head. As he screamed and jumped aside, Max guided Vulturon downward, where Claw #3 grabbed onto his lunch bag.”
  • When a bad man tries to grab Alex, she hits him. The man, “recoiled with a howl of pain. But his reflexes were quick enough to wrap one beefy hand around Max’s throat.” Someone grabs the man’s foot and he lost his balance, “falling to the floor. His head smacked against the solid-steel edge of the Tilts’ coffee table.”
  • A man shoots at Alex and Max, but someone stops him before anyone is hurt.
  • In a letter, Verne writes about how Captain No One destroys an underwater civilization. “With a flash of fire, the carapace was breached. A hole shattered the thick material, jagged and mean as a lightning bolt. An explosion turned the sea to red.” Captain No One looted the city, and when two crew members tried to steal, they “were shot for their greed.”
  • A man falls from an icy ledge, “and then came the scream—deep, raw, animal-like—as Basile fell off the ledge and into the teeming white mass below.” Later, he is discovered alive.
  • Niemand ties Alex and Max to a snowmobile. “He circled it around each of them individually. He tied it down to various places on the snowmobile . . . Niemand flipped the lever to Drive. And he walked away.” The kids then fall into the frozen ocean, but they do not die. When the squid grabs Alex, Basile “swung the ax at the appendage that held Alex . . . The blade split it in two, the top part skirting upward in a violent spray of milky liquid.” The squid finally retreats.
  • A giant squid attacks the submarine and is able to get inside. Basile, Alex, and Max fight the squid in a battle that lasts eight pages.
  • When Niemand tries to capture Alex and Max, Max fights back. “As André approached, Max thrust himself off with his hands and kicked upwards, landing a solid hit on André’s chin. The scraggle-haired man fell backwards, arms flailing.” André grabs Alex and tosses her “like a bale of hay. Max saw her body fly over a thick copse and smack against a tree trunk. He heard her head thump and saw her limp body drop down to the forest floor.”
  • Niemand tells Alex to dig his own grave, but before he can get the work done, Alex hits Niemand on the head with a shovel. The kids are able to get away.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • “Crap!” is used once.
  • Max tells someone that they are about to feel like “asses.”
  • Someone yells at a bad driver, “Watch where you’re going, idiot!”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • While hiking, a character thinks “if God had meant for humans to live among hills, he would have made them goats.”
  • After defeating the squid, Alex said, “Thank God it’s over.”

Mac Undercover

Mac Barnett is just an ordinary kid growing up in the 1980s. Then the phone rings. It’s the Queen of England. And she needs Mac’s help. The Crown Jewels have been stolen and the Queen of England wants Mac to find them. Mac, the newest secret agent, takes a trip to England, where he meets the Queen in the Tower of London. From there, Mac travels around the globe looking for the stolen treasure. Will the kid spy be able to find the treasure?

Mac Undercover will entertain even the most reluctant readers with its fast-paced plot, interesting characters, and funny historic facts. Short sentences and simple vocabulary will help readers build confidence. Readers will understand Mac’s disappointment when he’s not invited to a karate birthday party and laugh at his secret identities. Every page contains large blue and gold illustrations that add to the humor of the story. As the story unfolds, readers will learn historical facts, geography, and word origins. Each new fact is integrated into the story in a seamless manner, which makes learning fun.

Mac tells his own story with humor and puts a spotlight on the absurd. Younger readers will love the adventure, intrigue, and corgis. The only negative aspect of the story is that the French are portrayed in a stereotypical rude manner. Mac Undercover will leave readers in giggles and with some cool new knowledge.

Sexual Content

  • When Mac is exploring London, “two people with purple liberty spikes kissed against an ancient wall.”

Violence

  • The story includes historical facts such as how “Henry VIII kept many of his wives, friends, and relatives at the Tower of London, before he chopped off their heads.”
  • A KGB wanted to have a karate match with Mac. The KGB Man “twisted my arm behind my back and pushed my face into the carpet . . . The KGB Man placed me in a vicious headlock. His bicep was lodged against my windpipe. I could hardly breathe.” Mac ends the match by licking the KGB Man’s arm.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Supergifted

Noah Youkilis has never been normal. With an extremely high IQ, this super gifted kid dreams of having an opportunity to fail. After years at the Academy for Scholastic Distinction, Noah dreams of being in remedial classes, being a failure at something, and having some unpredictability in his life. When Noah enrolls in his friend’s school, both of their lives begin to change.

Noah may be super gifted when it comes to school, but he’s not super gifted at making friends. Noah makes enemies out of the cheerleading captain Megan Mercury and lacrosse player “Hashtag” Taggart.  Sticking up for Noah makes Donovan a target, and he’s told to stay away from Hashtag, or else. When a freak accident makes Donovan a hero, he can’t let anyone know. In order to help his friend, Noah steps in and becomes “Superkid.” When the fame goes to Noah’s head, Donovan wonders if the lie may just cause more chaos than telling the truth.

Younger readers will be pulled into the stereotypical life of junior high as they watch Noah go from friendless to popular. One simple lie drives the suspense in the story and will keep readers wondering how Noah will ever keep his secret.

The story is told from a first-person point of view, which allows the readers to understand the different characters’ motivations and feelings. However, the point of view changes between five different characters and becomes confusing. Although the story focuses on Noah, it really is a story about Donovan trying to save his family pet and his friend. The balance between Donovan’s home life and school life adds interest and heart to the story.

Supergifted has many stereotypes—the mean cheerleader, the bully jock, and the smart kid who can’t pick up on social clues. The only character that breaks the stereotypical mold of a junior high student is Donovan. Donovan wants to keep Noah out of trouble and goes to great lengths to keep the bullies from harassing him—the only problem is that Noah doesn’t seem to notice anything that Donovan does for him. And when Noah becomes Superkid, he also becomes a super terrible person. At the end of the story, Noah doesn’t even seem to recognize what a super friend Donovan is.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A boy goes to the park with the intent of beating up Noah. Donovan sees the boy, who is “hauling Noah up by his shirt . . . He wrestled Noah to the ground and straddled him, a knee pinning each arm.” Donovan tackles the boy. “It hurt like mad when my nose slammed into his shoulder, but not as much as when I slid through the wood chips, picking up splinters over at least half of my body.” The fight ends when a dog bites the bully.
  • Donovan goes to a party he was not invited to. He climbs a tree and falls. “I pictured him dropping from the sky into the middle of my party. . . And I remembered what had happened a few seconds after that—that same Donovan tackling Peter out of the way of a falling tree branch.”
  • At an event, a robot malfunctions and “lurched around the room firing projectiles in all directions. Cries of shock and pain rang out as golf balls bounced off heads and shoulders. People tripped over each other’s feet and ran into one another trying to get out of harm’s way.” Donovan jumps on the robot and turns it off.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Someone calls a person a “jerk” and an “idiot.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Turtle Invasion

Max receives an urgent message. The Battle Bugs need his help. An old enemy has returned and this time the enemy has vowed to destroy every bug. An epic fight is about to begin, and only Max can save the day.

For those who have read the previous Battle Bug books, the appearance of General Komodo brings suspense. The Turtle Invasion brings the gecko and bullet ants into focus and readers will learn interesting facts about each species. The bug (and human) characters are not developed as well as they were in the previous books; however, seeing a human through a bug’s eye gives the story interest. The fighting between lizards and bugs adds suspense with kid-friendly descriptions.

The plot of The Turtle Invasion has the same structure as previous books. The bugs need help. Max appears. Max is almost eaten by a creature. Max survives and is the only one who can save the Battle Bugs. Although younger readers might not mind the repetitious plot, some may find the story less enjoyable.

Readers should read earlier books in the Battle Bugs series because many of the characters were developed in previous books. Even though The Turtle Invasion has some longer, descriptive paragraphs, the text is easy to read. Dialogue, Max’s thoughts, onomatopoeia, and full-page illustrations help keep readers engaged.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When Max arrives on bug island, a gecko wants to eat him. Max, “head-butted the gecko right on its nose. The gecko squealed and clutched its face. With one last surge of energy, Max flung the lizard away from him.”
  • General Komodo leaps onto Max. “Max let out a yell as Komodo’s claws grabbed hold of him and he went tumbling to the ground.” Later Komodo chases Max up a tree. Komodo is able to break the tree branch Max is on. “The impact knocked the wind out of him (Max). He lay on his back, fighting for breath.” Max is then taken to prison.
  • When Max escapes from prison, a gecko grabs him. “The gecko shoved Max down against the ground. Max twisted in pain. . .” Bullet ants appear and swarm the gecko, and “then the stinging began. The gecko yelped in pain, let go of Max, and went hobbling off toward the beach.”
  • The two armies fight. During the battle, “hornets zoomed down from the sky, struck with a barrage of stings, and then soared out of range of reptile jaws.” The bugs end up victorious.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Max has a magic book that takes him to Bug Island. When he looks at the book through a magnifying glass, “a familiar force snatched him off his feet. The room around him seemed to swell and swirl. He went tumbling down into the book.” When he lands on Bug Island, he is the size of a bug.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Switch

Gypsy Beaumont used to love being a whirly-twirly girl who picked flowers and danced. She has been dreaming of her savvy—the extraordinary talent that strikes every Beaumont on their thirteenth birthday. Gypsy had imagined getting the wings of angels or being able to catch candy necklaces instead of fish, but when her thirteenth birthday arrives, Gypsy gets blurry vision and catches glimpses of the past and future.

Then in a strange turn of events, everyone’s savvy is switched and things become topsy-turvy. Gypsy must learn to use her new powers and try to stop the events of the last vision she saw. As she tries to change the future, Gypsy embarks on an adventure that will lead to new friendships and closer relationships with her family.

Right from the start, readers will want to turn the page to see what happens next in this entertaining story of adventure and magic. Switch shows the power of friendship and family in a heartwarming story. Being told from Gypsy’s point of view allows the reader to peek inside of her mind and understand her hopes, fears, and uncertainties. Gypsy’s personality comes to life and shows the difficulties of being different; however, the story goes on to show how being different should not be seen as an embarrassment, but as a gift.

Switch tackles several difficult issues including changing friendships and the effects of aging. Gypsy’s self-confidence takes a hit when her best friend stops talking to her because Gypsy acts like a “baby.” The story also focuses on Gypsy’s grandmother who is beginning to have difficulties remembering people and often lives her life in the past. Switch expertly weaves lessons about friendship, family, and accepting yourself into a beautifully written story with memorable characters.

Sexual Content

  • Two characters kiss twice. When it’s close to Valentine’s Day, Gypsy is reminded of the way, “Samson and Nola had secretly kiss-kiss-kissed behind Grandma’s house.”

Violence

  • Tucker throws a tantrum and grows “as tall as the house itself.” In his anger he uproots “trees in our front yard like they were daisies . . . tossed two leafless maples and a blue spruce into the field across the road.” He also “kicked over a tool shed.” Someone finally calms him down by offering him candy.
  • A bully tells B-Bug to punch someone. “B-Bug was already reaching over the counter. With an apologetic look, he grabbed the front of Del’s hoodie. Then he pulled back his arm, aiming his knuckles at the smaller boy’s face.” Before B-Bug can hit him, Gypsy stops time.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Savvy family members have special powers. At the beginning of the book, Gypsy can see into the future and past.
  • Samson can make fire. When he first learns of the power, he “glanced down at his hands as each of his fingers lit up in licks of red-and-yellow flames. He looked like he was holding ten candles. A second later, there was a whoosh and a crackle, and Samson’s entire body became a bonfire.”
  • Tucker grows bigger (he can grow larger than a house) when he is angry.

Spiritual Content

  • Gypsy’s family attends church once and Gypsy prays. In one scene she “asked God and all the angels to make everything go back the way it was before Mrs. Kim called . . . before we learned that Grandma Pat was ill and had to live with us . . .”

Scumble

Ledger Kale has looked forward to his thirteenth birthday in anxious anticipation. That is the day when his savvy, a special magical talent that all members of his family receive, arrives. His excitement is short-lived, however, as everything falls apart . . . literally. Ledger’s savvy is worse than he could have imagined. Now he must struggle to regain control as things break all around him.

His family riskily decides to travel to Wyoming for a savvy-filled wedding, where his power is revealed in full force to his entire family and an outside witness: ambitious amateur reporter Sarah Jane Cabot. Due to Ledger’s newfound destructive nature, his parents decide that it is safer to leave him and his sister on the family ranch for the summer. They hope that when he and his sister return, Ledger won’t combust everything that surrounds him. Adventures ensue as Ledger must cope with his new capabilities, crazy cousins, and Sarah Jane’s nosy journalism.

Scumble is a delightful read for young audiences as Ingrid Law spins an enthralling tale of family, friendship, and finding yourself. Ledger’s journey to control his power brilliantly displays the struggles of growing up, no matter how extreme the circumstances. His initial disappointment and ultimate triumph are relatable to young readers trying to discover who they are. Fans of Savvy will love this new adventure because of the fresh faces that invigorate the story. Although not quite as entertaining as the first book, it is still a worthwhile, fun read.

Sexual Content

  • One of Ledger’s friends, Josh, is a “ladies man.” He has “even locked lips with Misty Archuleta during a field trip to the planetarium once, after giving her a necklace with a big silver M on it.”
  • The Kale family goes to the wedding of Fisher Beaumont. Ledger describes the ceremony, including the beauty of the bride and their “just-kiss-the-bride-already smooch.”
  • In order to distract Sarah Jane from some savvy magic that is occurring, Ledger kisses her. She promptly punches him in the ribs.
  • Ledger’s mom tells his cousin that “a girl wants a cheerful, clean-cut beau, not a moody caveman.”
  • Uncle Autry thinks that Ledger has a crush on Sarah Jane and brings it up several times throughout the book. Many of their family members join in teasing the young man and at one point, he protests by saying, “She’s not my girlfriend! Not, not, not my girlfriend.”
  • Rocket loses control of his powers and confidence in himself when he “was showing off . . . for a girl.”
  • Ledger receives a letter from Sarah Jane. His twin cousins Marisol and Mesquite see him with the letter and they ask, “Did you get a love letter, Ledge? Ooh! Do you have a girlfriend now too, Sledgehammer?”
  • When Ledger contemplates the thought that he and Sarah Jane might be cousins, he, “stood up fast, riddled with heebie-jeebies. I’d locked lips with her! And I’d considered doing it again!” It is later revealed that they are not cousins.
  • Once Sarah Jane and Ledger are apart for the school year, she writes in a letter that she “planned to kiss me the very next time we met.”

Violence

  • Ledger trips, and his “mouth filled with the taste of panic, sharp and metallic.”
  • Ledger blows up his Dad’s watch using his savvy. “The parts flying like shrapnel… I covered my head to avoid getting razor-thin gears lodged in my brainpan.”
  • The realization of the true nature of Ledger’s savvy is quite shocking. “The understanding that I had a powerful savvy after all hit me like a hammer blow. It wasn’t just watches and windshield wipers that needed to look out. It was the whole, wide world.”
  • Ledger accidentally blows up the barn during his cousin’s wedding. The groom is injured as his, “cheek was bleeding, gouged by something sharp and airborne.”
  • Ledger’s mom references a time when her brother was young. “You broke your leg here, Autry. . . Your collarbone, too. You also fell in the river and nearly drowned before Cam Beacham fished you out. The two of you weren’t even dry before you wrestled him into a cactus patch and got nearly a thousand stickers in your–”
  • When Ledger comes to talk to Sarah Jane, she says, “Did you come for another right hook in the kisser?”
  • When his cousins continually attempt to help Ledger learn to scumble, they intentionally pelt him with shrapnel to see if he can control it.
  • Sarah Jane gets hit by a fence that Ledger is scumbling. “The scratch wasn’t deep. Not even bleeding.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • On many occasions, characters “cuss” but the words they say are not described.
  • When Ledger breaks the handle of a suitcase, he is “cussing as it broke loose.”
  • When Ledger loses his temper, he lets, “a loud barrage of barnyard language rip. After a full minute of noisy cussing, I looked up realizing that the rest of the world had gone much too quiet.”
  • A character yells “shut it” once.
  • A character exclaims, “What in John Brown’s britches is going on here?”
  • When a truck drives away from Rocket, he runs after it and Ledger could, “hear Rocket cuss as he tugged on the sticky door handle.”
  • The word “crud” is used once.

Supernatural

  • The majority of the characters have an inherited magical power called a savvy. The plot of the story revolves around the main character learning to control his power of manipulating metal.
  • Dinah Kale, Ledger’s mom, can control people’s actions through her words and facial expressions.
  • Ledger describes Wyoming as “still and silent as if the ghost of the Wild West outlaw the Sundance Kid had come back to haunt the place.”
  • One of Ledger’s cousins, Samson, is invisible.
  • A magical jar that captures music is played at the wedding.
  • At Grandpa Bomba’s funeral, the Earth drastically shifts in remembrance of his life and savvy, which was the manipulation of Earth.

Spiritual Content

  • Ledger questions his purpose and says, “Surely my Maker had had some plan when He put me together like this?
  • In another instance, he asks, “Dear God, what had I been built to do.”

by Morgan Filgas

Surrounded by Sharks

Early in the morning, Davey wakes up in a small hotel room surrounded by his family. He sneaks out of the room because he doesn’t want to waste any of the vacation sleeping. Davey, with a book in hand, heads to the beach. The beautiful ocean is too much of a temptation for Davey to resist. When he sees the No Swimming sign, he decides to just dip his toes in the water. But the waves tear Davey away from the island and soon he’s miles offshore. He’s surrounded by water—and something else. Sharks are circling below the surface, watching, and waiting. Davey’s terrified he will become the sharks’ next meal. Then no one will find out what happened to him.

Northrop writes with the perfect balance of suspense and action. The short chapters allow the reader to see Davey’s struggle, the sharks’ thoughts, and the action that is taking place back on the island. As the people on the island search for answers about where Davey could have disappeared to, the reader knows that Davey is about to become shark food. Switching between perspectives keeps the reader in suspense to the very end.

Every character in Surrounded by Sharks comes alive and their unique personalities add to the story’s atmosphere. Although the story revolves around Davey’s predicament, there are also several other teens that make the story relatable. While Davey’s two-parent family is not shown to be perfect, they clearly love each other. Surrounded by Sharks is an easy-to-read, suspenseful story that will keep even the most reluctant reader turning the pages until the very end.

Sexual Content

  • Davey is distracted by a girl because “her T-shirt was so light that he could see her bathing suit right through it. Or, wait . . . was that her bra?”

Violence

  • A shark tries to bite Davey. When it attacks, “the black eyes rolled back in its head, and its permanent frown widened for the bite, revealing two rows of sharp, serrated teeth. BONK! It hit the water cooler bottle.” Davey has the air knocked out of his lungs but is otherwise uninjured.
  • A shark attacks Davey. As Davey is being pulled into a boat, “the smaller shark surged forward below the surface and clamped onto Davey’s leg, harder this time. It swung its head to the side with surprising power and pulled Davey out of Drew’s grasp and clean off the side of the boat. Davey’s head dipped under the water, and a mouthful of seawater slipped into his lungs.” Davey is saved.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Davey sits by a bar stand on the beach and worries about getting drunk off the fumes because then he’d get in trouble if he was “stumbling back into the hotel room completely blitzed on alcohol vapors.”
  • One of the characters, Zeke, had “been out at the local bars the night before. It was what they called ‘a late night’ in most places. . .” Later Zeke is described as having a “faint smell of booze.”
  • A man at the bar stand tells someone, “Come back at eleven. Mimosas and Bloody Marys. Full bar at noon.”
  • A character goes into a liquor store, but his wife doesn’t approve.

Language

  • “Frickin’” is used several times.
  • “Oh my god” and “god” are used as exclamations several times. For example, after being pulled into the ocean by a riptide, Davey thinks, “Oh my god, I’m an idiot!”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • While out in the ocean, Davey believes thata he sees land and thinks “Thank God.”

Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig

Eugenia Lincoln wants to add a little color to the yard by planting pansies. When Mercy’s nose leads her to find the delicious pansy petals, Eugenia’s perfect spring day is ruined. Eugenia calls Animal Control, and Animal Control Officer Francine Poulet arrives on the scene. Francine goes on a hunt for Mercy. Can Francine think like a pig and capture Mercy?

Mercy’s appetite leads her into hilarious trouble. A diverse cast of interesting characters reappears in each book. Younger readers will enjoy reading about the antics of the many loveable characters. The characters are portrayed like real people, with a variety of physical attributes. This installment of the series focuses on Control Officer Francine Poulet as she tries to capture Mercy by thinking like a pig, which results in some outrageously funny behavior.

Brightly colored illustrations appear on almost every page. The silly illustrations will cause giggles, and the exaggerated facial expressions will help readers interpret the characters’ emotions. Mercy Watson Thinks Like a Pig will help beginning readers turn into confident readers. The illustrations help break up the words on the page and most paragraphs are only one sentence. A few words may be difficult for younger readers to pronounce, and there are several plays on words that readers may miss. The Mercy Watson series would be a fun book to read alone or with a parent.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When Control Officer Francine Poulet tries to find Mercy, she climbs a tree and then falls. “A woman fell from the sky and landed head first on the tea table.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None
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