Books to Keep Kids Reading Over the Summer

Friday is here again and for Flashback Friday I have a book that I just loved when I first read it.  It was one of those stories that my son begged me to read because he couldn't stop talking about it and frankly I felt the same way after I finished.  Despite being written in the 1980's, it has stayed amazingly current and relevant for today.  To top it off the action is nonstop, making it a can't put down read.

Now for my summer reading tip.  Books on Tape!  There I said it.  When you have road trips coming up, why not download something for the car ride?  My kids and I recently went to Disneyland and I downloaded Frindle by Andrew Clements on my phone.  They were actually visibly disappointed when it was over and had to go back to their video games!  Another favorite of my husband and myself from previous trips is The Twits by Roald Dahl.  I think we got just as caught up in the story as the kids.  Just make sure you get the full versions and not the abridged.

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Title: Ender’s Game

Author: Orson Scott Card

Target: Grades 6 and up

Series: Yes

What this book is about:

Earth has defeated an attack from an alien species.  In an attempt to stop future attacks, they have sent ships across the galaxy to try and neutralize the threat.  However, they need to groom a great leader to defeat these aliens.  Ender Wiggins is the earth’s great hope.  He is strategic, brilliant, ruthless when he needs to be - and only six years old.  He is taken from his family and sent to battle school to be molded into the hero Earth desperately needs.  But will battle school train him or break him?

Why I love this book:

This is a great book.  Ok .... did you hear me?  Just in case you missed it, this is a great book!  I have no idea why it took me so long to read it, despite the pleas of my son.  I knew I needed to get it under my belt, but now I am just mad it took me so long!  

The development of Ender as a leader is fascinating.  The battle games they play in zero gravity at battle school had me on the edge of my seat.  The reaction to Ender’s brilliance and the threats to his well being had me off balance throughout the story.  This is a can’t put down book in the best possible way.

Who this book is for:

Kids who like dystopian books, especially series such as Maze Runner will love this story.  I do have to warn parents that there is some bad language, although it isn’t rampant.  There are also some mature references, and some violence, so be warned if you have younger kids.  Grade six is the earliest I would recommend it based on these things.

Final thoughts:

Ender’s Game combines powerful messages about war and forgiveness with an incredibly engaging story.  Despite the fact that this book was first published in 1985, it remains current and relevant.

To purchase this book: 

Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: Ender's Game. A portion of each purchase goes to support this blog at no cost to you.   Thank you for your support.

A Book For Kids About Making Assumptions

Summer continues and more good books are available to keep your kids reading.  The book I am profiling today is an insightful look at fitting in and more importantly about making assumptions about people.  If you have a child who will be going to a new school in the Fall, this might be the perfect book to hand them this summer.

Of course I want to share another summer reading tip with you.  Food!  Yes, that one word can make a difference.  I have a basket of "book worms" aka gummy worms.  When the kids read they are free to grab a bag to snack on, but only when reading.  Once again, it makes reading feel more like a treat than a punishment.  Behold the power of the snacks!

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Title: Save Me a Seat

Authors: Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan

Target: Grades 3-6

Series: No

What this book is about: 

Told in alternating perspectives, this book focuses on Joe, a 5th grader with an auditory processing disorder and Ravi, a new student who has just move to Joe's school from India.  Both become the target of Dillon, the class bully.  Joe has to work on not letting Dillon define him and Ravi must confront the fact that first impressions are not always correct.  As Ravi adjusts to a new culture he also comes to realize that he acted just like Dillon in India and perhaps with this fresh start he can define himself differently.

Why I love this book:

• I got totally caught up in the plight of Joe and Ravi.  Joe is the kid who just warms your heart and you feel for him on so many levels.  Ravi kind of annoyed me at first with his arrogance, but I came to appreciate his desire to fit in and his realization that his past behavior was less than admirable.  That self realization made me like him quite a bit by the end.

• I love the technique of alternating view points.  It gives the reader so much more insight into the characters and I appreciate seeing the same scene from different points of view.  It also breaks up the text making it a much more mageable read, especially for reluctant readers

• The one problem I had with the book was how mean Dillon was to the boys.  I have a hard time believing someone could get away with all that name calling in Fifth grade.  I also felt that bullies are usually quite a bit smoother around adults.  However, I was completely caught up in the story, so a quibble.

Who this book is for: 

Great for reluctant readers because of the alternating viewpoints and larger print.  Good book for kids who like realistic fiction and are fans of books like Wonder.

Final thoughts: 

I really enjoy learning more about the immigrant experience, especially immigration from India.  I am several generations away from my Norwegian/German ancestors who came to America so I haven’t heard about their assimilation.  However, we have a plethora of new Indian families in my area and it did shed light on their efforts to fit in while maintaining their heritage.

To purchase this book: 

Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: Save Me a Seat.  A portion of each purchase will go to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.

Summer Reading for Kids

Summer fun continues this week with a book that explores the immigrant experience.  But don't worry, I haven't gotten too serious on your kid's beach vibe.  While this book will prove extremely enlightening for your children, it is also full of humor and laugh out moments.  This author has been able to combine heart with levity making this a refreshing and thought provoking book.

Ok, now for my summer reading tip.  Make trips to the library fun!  Kids who aren't book lovers can feel lost at the library. I am giving you a link to a blog that has delightful library challenges: Growing Book by Book.  While they apply mostly to picture books they can be adapted to middle school readers as well.  Why not check out the Newbery winners from the year you were born?  What about checking out the first and last books in the fiction stacks?  Some will be hits, some won't, but they will certainly give you a place to start.

Don't forget to Follow One Great Book on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and by email so that you don't miss books that can be entertaining and informative during the summer.  The best of both worlds.

Title: It Ain’t So Awful, Falafel

Author: Firoozeh Dumas

Target: Grades 5-8

Series: No

What this book is about: 

In this semi autobiographical story,  Zomorod has moved from Iran to California.  Newport Beach is their latest stop.  It is the late 1970’s and she is about to start middle school.  First off, she is so tired of people asking her about the camels in Iran that she decides to go by Cindy, I mean it works on the Brady Bunch.  She is also dealing with the typical embarrassment any middle schooler feels towards her parents, compounded by the fact they haven’t quite mastered the language or the culture.  As she navigates between these two worlds she is also confronted by the hostility towards Iran in the wake of the Hostage Crisis.  This is a lot for one kid to handle.  Thankfully she has supportive friends and healthy sense of humor to manage through it.  Oh, and by the way, the only place she has ever seen a camel is the zoo!

Why I love this book:

• Ok, full disclosure.  I grew up in California and am the same age as the author, so I could really relate to this story.  I wanted a puka shell necklace and a canopy bed just as much as Cindy!  I also had an unusual Norwegian name that I would have done anything to change.  However, I did not have the immigrant experience which plays so prominently into this story.  It is the humor and honesty with which the author tackles this narrative that charmed the socks off me.

• Did I mentioned I laughed throughout?  Any girl will relate to Cindy being mortified by her family at times, but throw in some of the Persian customs and I had a hard time not laughing out loud.  Let me just say Sexy Grandma T-Shirts with sequins and It’s a Boy wrapping paper figured prominently in my vocal outbursts.

• Despite the giggles, what I loved about this book was that it humanizes the immigrant experience for kids, and gives them a wonderful peak into our history with Iran.  I learned something and I even lived throughout the experience!  I also think it figures nicely into how we talk to kids about immigrants in the US, especially during this politically charged time.  A story about a real family and their challenges is quite powerful.

Who this book is for: 

I can’t wait to give this to my tween.  Wonderful for kids entering middle school who like realistic fiction.

Final thoughts: 
A really lovely book that combines honesty, humor and history to deliver a story that will stay with me.

To purchase this book:
Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: It Ain't So Awful, Falafel.  A portion of each purchase will go back to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.

A Sweet Read for Kids

When I found out that one of my favorite books was about to have a sequel published, well that made the book I was going to highlight for Flashback Friday an easy pick!  Make sure you get The Candymakers into the hands of your kids.  It is full of fun, mystery, action and candy!  I really can't give you a better pick.  And with the sequel The Candymakers and the Great Chocolate Chase on the horizon there is even more to love.

Of course I also have to leave you with a summer reading tip!  Don't think reading means a novel!  For kids reading can be a joke book, a handbook or even a magazine.  My son loves Sports Illustrated Kids and my daughter can't wait for American Girl or Teen Vogue.  Don't get me started on the amount of knock knock jokes that have been read to me over the years!  Just remember that reading is reading, no matter what form it takes.

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Title:            The Candymakers

Author:        Wendy Mass

Target:         Grades 4-7

I really had a hard time putting this book down.  I was surprised how well written it was.  It started off very much like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Four kids are selected to participate in a candy making competition and are allowed into a chocolate factory that was closed to visitors long ago.  However, this is where the similarity ends.

The fun of this book is that the story is told in five parts, the first four are from the perspective of each of the participants.  You see the story from the first child’s perspective, and then low and behold, when you get to the next child, your perception of the events are thrown on their head.  I loved it each time my son got to a new revelation, he looked up at me just as amazed as I had been.  The story gets richer and more interesting with each child’s version. 

I will say that some of the scenarios are bit far fetched, but it is a children’s book, set in a candy factory for goodness sake, so I will certainly allow the author the whimsy that the books subject conjures up.  Once I was into this story, I found it difficult to stop reading (kind of like a bag of M&Ms, you can't take just one handful), which I think is the best kind of recommendation!

To purchase this book:

Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: The Candymakers.  A portion of each purchase will go back to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.

Great Summer Reads for Kids

The fun continues with more summer reads that will get your kids excited about books over the break!  Today I have one that teaches us about Wonder Woman when she was just a teen, trying to manage friends and please her mom.  Perhaps she was a little more typical than anyone would have first imagined?

Of course I have another summer reading tip for you.  Try to put out a variety of books for your kids to choose from.  The library is a great place to go to get a stack at no cost to you!  Sometimes when parents only purchase or bring home that one book they think will work for their kids, they put too much pressure on their child to like that particular story.  If it isn't a hit, the child feels guilty and thinks they have disappointed their parent.  So let variety be their guide and don't worry if one book isn't a fit.  A month from now it may be the perfect read!

Don't forget to Follow One Great Book on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or by email so that you don't miss any of the summer books that will make kids realize that reading really is a fun summer activity.

Title: Wonder Woman at Super Hero High

Author: Lisa Yee

Target: Grades 3-7

Series: Yes

What this book is about: 

In this story, Wonder Woman is just a teen who wants to hone her skills and be the best Super Hero she can be.  While she loves her mom, she has never left her home on Paradise Island, and she wants to see the world and make new friends.  She convinces her mom that she should attend Super Hero High which is far from her island.  As she navigates new friends, social media and learning valuable life skills, all she wants to do is to make her mom proud. But someone doesn’t want Wonder Woman at Super Hero High and she needs to find who and why!

Why I love this book:

• Ok true confession time.  I was very skeptical of a book that has a full on marketing blitz of action figures and lower grade readers tied to it.  What you can end up with is a book that is meant to sell toys and not a book that is well written.  I am happy to say that this one surprised me in the best possible way.  While not highbrow literature, it is funny, full of suspense and thoroughly engaging.  What a delight.

• I love the focus on female comic heroes.  I never had a real interest in the comic books with male dominated action heroes, but I was all in to learning about the ladies.  It makes these comics much more accessible and interesting to girls.

• Lisa Yee has created a story that gives us the history and power of Wonder Woman, but also deals with everyday issues that girls are navigating through in school.  There is social awkwardness, finding friends and managing difficult social situations  Girls will be able to relate to these stories minus the bullet deflecting cuffs of course.

Who this book is for: 

Girls who have liked books series like Ever After High will enjoy this one.  But girls who also like books where the women are strong and problem solvers will also gravitate to this series.

Final thoughts: 

Loved learning about Wonder Woman and can’t wait for the next installment, Super Girl.

To purchase this book:

Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: Wonder Woman at Super Hero High.  A portion of each purchase will go to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.

Fun Summer Book for Kids

You can never get on the summer brain drain early enough!  Get those kids reading right off the bat and you can literally watch their brains grow over the break.  The book I am profiling today is the perfect story to start their summer off right!

In our house we designate 30 minutes of reading time Monday through Friday.  Everyone stops and picks up a book ... yes even mom.  Now the kids can of course read any other time they want to, but by reading together it creates feeling of community.  No one thinks reading is a punishment.  Instead it's something we do together.  Everyone has their favorite spot in our side yard with pillows and a place to prop up their feet.  Mom has even been known to provide snacks!

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Title: Slacker

Author: Gordon Korman

Target: Grade 3-7

Series: No

What this book is a bout: 

Cameron is all about playing video games in his basement.  He has made a life of flying under the radar so that he can perfect his performance in his favorite computer game Rule the World.  But one day he is so caught up in the game that his house literally almost burns down around him.  His parents demand he gets an activity outside of gaming.  In his infinite wisdom he decides to make up a club, the Positive Action Group (PAG) and become the president.  The problem is that students start joining the club and promoting good deeds, which goes squarely against Cameron’s desire to lay low.  Will he actually have to get involved (gasp) or will he find a way to remain the ultimate slacker?

Why I love this book:

• Cameron is every kid who sits on the couch and just wants to be left alone while they play.  Sound familiar?  Kids will relate to Cameron and his game playing addiction.

• This story is told in multiple perspectives and short chapters which makes it an engaging read.  Korman is a skilled author and so there are plenty of laugh inducing moments.  This book reads quickly and it’s funny, making it a winner from the start.

• I have been liking Korman’s recent books.  I was totally caught up in this story and wanted to see how long Cameron could hold out and remain a slacker.  Of course the less Cameron does, the more people in the school revere him for being their fearless leader of PAG.  Oh the irony!

Who this book is for: 

Great book for reluctant readers.  Also good for kids who like Dave Barry, Stuart Gibbs or Korman’s other series Master Minds.

Final thoughts: 

I don’t know how the twist at the end caught me by surprise.  I guess I am getting slow in my old age.  Can’t say more, you must read the book!

To purchase this book:

Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: Slacker.  A portion of each purchase will go to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.

A Book for Kids About Fitting In

This is about the time when book folks start talking about which titles will pop up around awards season.  I have a feeling that the book I am profiling today will be included in those talks.

I have to confess that the idea of a robot stranded on a deserted island didn't quite make my "must read" list, but I was curious enough to finally pick it up and I am so glad that I did.  It really captivated me.  I am always impressed when a book that initially held no appeal for me ends up being a can't put down read.  That takes some real skill.  Well done Peter Brown!

Don't forget to Follow One Great Book on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or by email so that you don't miss a single book that may be the talk of the town come awards season.

Title: The Wild Robot

Author: Peter Brown

Target: Grades 3-6

Series: No

What this book is about: 

Roz, a robot, is being transported across the ocean when her container ship sinks and she is jettied onto a deserted island.  She is the only robot that isn’t destroyed in the crash and some curious otters flip her switch to the “On” position by accident.  Suddenly Roz awakens to the only world she has ever know.  As she discovers her surroundings and learns what it means to survive she must make friends with the inhospitable animals who think she is a monster.  However, when new robots descend upon the island to bring Roz back to the factory where she was produced, it is the animals she has finally befriended who fight to keep her there.

Why I love this book:

• I was absolutely captivated by this story.  Animals adhere to a routine to survive and the robot must adapt her routine to survive as well.  By understanding how and why the animals successfully exist, Roz is able to make friends and live a full life.  But beyond robots and furry creatures, this is a story about fitting in and finding your purpose in the world.  

• I loved the short chapters and the illustrations scattered throughout the story.  This book was easy to read and visually enjoyable, which only enhanced the whole experience.  The ending is a bit ambiguous in terms of being happy or sad so I will call it hopeful.  I think kids will appreciate an ending that feels true.

• I have loved Peter Brown’s picture books so I was very anxious to try his foray into middle grade fiction.  A brilliant debut.

Who this book is for:  

The type is large and the chapters are short making this a wonderful book for kids on the younger side or reluctant readers.  I will say that the big action sequence doesn’t take place until the very end, so kids have to be willing to invest in an emotional and clever story before they get a satisfying battle on which to end the narrative.  

Kids who enjoyed The Iron Giant would also like this book and this book would make a wonderful read aloud.

My daughter has been reluctant to pick this one up despite the fact that the story is right up her alley.  I think the first few chapters and the cover art appeal more to boys in general.

Final thoughts: 

I know we will see this one again come awards season!

To purchase this book:

Click on the following link to connect to Amazon: The Wild Robot.  A portion of each purchase will go back to support this blog at no cost to you.  Thank you for your support.