The best part of holiday break is unlimited time for reading! Over the past few weeks I've been pulling books off the shelves that grab my eye. Here's what I've read so far...
Quite an eclectic mix I admit, especially for me.
"Nancy Clancy Super Sleuth" is a good starting chapter book for young girls, especially fans of Fancy Nancy. I'm a huge fan of mysteries, and this was a little slow for me. It felt like it took 1/2 the book before you even knew the mystery to solve. But, that being said, it is the first book in the series and the author spent time setting up all the characters and setting. Maybe future books will move a little quicker. The true test will be if the students like it.
"Abby Wambach" is a relatively brief biography about one my favorite soccer players. It provides all if the basic information and is well organized with strong text features to help find information. What it lacks is the personal stories that draw a fiction reader like myself into the book. The wiring is straightforward and not entertaining. Good info though.
"The Unwanteds"- this was a pleasant surprise as I recognized this story from an ARC I read several years ago. The cover is new - much more appealing. This adventure should really appeal to middle grade readers who love their stories to have strong interesting characters, magical creatures, and a dystopian twist to things. Kirkuk Reviews nails it with the descriptor "The Hunger Games Meets Harry Potter". I highly recommend this one!
Finally, I just finished "One Crazy Summer". I read this one with no preconceived notions, other than the awards list on the front cover. I fell in love with Delphine, Vonetta and Fern as they spent the summer in Oakland California during the rise of the Black Panther movement. The characters are real an believable, even the mother that you want to hate. I'd like to recommend this to those readers who enjoyed "Countdown".
What I'm reading now..."George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt" by Lucy and Stephen Hawking. A great sci-fi adventure for those who love science and learning (my son). The science concepts are heavy duty and explained by experts in their field. The character George is fun, although his adventures are a little unbelievable so far. It's a good read so far though.