Timmy Failure-Mistakes Were Made

A great first book in the series of two from the best selling cartoonist, Stephan Pastis.  This could be a perfect book for boys in grades first thru third, or even beyond!  

Timmy Failure is a boy who is the self proclaimed CEO of a detective agency.  He spends his days attempting to solve  “crimes” with his rather lazy partner and very large polar bear, named Total.  Timmy and Total would rather solve crimes than pay attention in school, listen to his mother, or finish homework.

This hilarious story is a great balance between comic book like pictures and journal type reading.  Timmy learns wonderful life lessons along his journey of solving crimes.  Parents will love the author’s message at the end of this book.

      A great "curl up and read book" on a hot summer day!

The Runaway King, by Jennifer A. Nielsen is the second novel in the Ascendence Trilogy. Fourth and Fifth graders will love this sequel, which is every bit as good as the first one. Those who have been in my classroom know that I rarely read all of the books in a series, but this one leaves me craving more.

Sage/Jaron, the main character is on a quest to save his newly claimed kingdom, Carthya. Similar, though very different, Sage sets out alone, believing this is the only way to save the kingdom. Though, realizing he is never alone, those closest to him continue to help him along the way. Sage encounters old and new nemesis as he hopes to avoid war with pirates and bordering kingdoms. And, as in the last book, you are never quite sure who you should trust.

Great read for 4th and 5th graders

Notes from a Hairy, Not Scary Werewolf

I started and finished this book over the weekend. I am not a huge fan of this "graphic novel" type genre, but know of plenty of boys that would eat this book up.

Luke Thorpe, a very smart boy form England has always been the rule following, smart student who has recently been bitten by a werewolf. All of a sudden, strange and obscure things begin happening to him: random hands turning into claws, growing a tail, and an increased insatiable appetite for raw meat start to invade his daily routines.

Unsure of how to handle all of these mysterious occurrences, Ryan, a fellow werewolf, offers to "tame and train" Luke and help him manage his new "condition." Trusting Ryan, Luke begins his training, but it is not the training he thought he was in for; Ryan is seeking to lead a war between the werewolves and the vampires, and Luke is a strategic part of his battle.

I was not a huge fan of this book, but I know plenty of boys and girls who will love it. It has some humorous bits to it, and many readers will enjoy the dilemmas that Luke ends up in as he decides whether fighting vampires is what he wants to do.

You should check out this Tim Collins series if you are a fan of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, Timmy Failure, or Big Nate.

Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the Worlds Most Dangerous Weapon

This non fiction book was quite eye opening. I have always been intrigued about the people who developed the atomic bomb. I have often wondered what remorse the physicists felt as they created this deadly weapon, yet understood the necessity of this weapon to end World War II. 

This highly researched non fiction text chronicles the world wide race to build the atomic bomb; the spying, the sabotage of the German factories  the containment of German physicists in England, and the feeding of the plans from one scientist working on the bomb to Russian KGB agents. The race to build the atomic bomb was a race to the end of the war, and the country that built it first would win the war. 

This is a great book, containing a topic that is very interesting, and should be read by all to truly understand the impact that building such dangerous weapon has on society and those who created it. 

Bomb, the Race to Build and Steal the Worlds Most Dangerous Weapon is a sophisticated book with a lot of information in it. It is for an advanced reader who is able to handle a lot of characters that need to be kept track of as you read.    

The Candy Bomber

I love nonfiction! I especially love reading stories about the World Wars, and I picked up this book, because it's something I'd never heard anything about. This is a fascinating story and shows how ONE person can make a huge difference in the lives of others. The Candy Bomber takes place after WW2 when the city of Berlin, Germany was divided into many different sections. I'll let you read the book to find out why! An American pilot began dropping candy and supplies to needy children and families within the city of Berlin. To keep the things he dropped from breaking/falling apart, he dropped them with tiny parachutes. His selfless acts caught the attention of the ENTIRE world and people from all over began sending him candy. Enormous amounts of it. Can you imagine thousands of tiny little parachutes with candy attached falling from the sky? The author, Michael Tunnell, fills the books with so many photographs so the reader can truly understand what life for families in Germany after World War 2. A definite must read!

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan

What a perfect book for 3rd-6th grade readers!  This story begins with an intense tragedy in a young girl's life.  Being different than most kids her age, this young girl is forced to struggle with being an outsider, dealing with the huge loss in her life and discovering the true meaning of what "family" really is.  
This book was the Amazon Best Book of the Year for 2013 and truly moved me.  I found myself wondering and worrying about the characters in this book even when I wasn't reading!  
A powerful read!  Get this book and read about the power of perseverance in a person to swim against the tide to make her life better.

The False Prince, by Jennifer A. Nielsen

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I loved reading The False Prince, by Jennifer A. Nielsen. It is on the 2015 Rebecca Caudill list, and it does not disappoint.

The main character, Sage, is not the most likable character, and is one that I had to grow to like. He is an orphan (classic protagonist material), who, along with three other boys, has been "purchased" by a regent named Conner for some unknown reason. As time goes on, the reason for their association with Conner becomes evident and the boys' training to be a prince begins.  Sage finds himself in a very precarious position that leaves the reader questioning motives of Conner, Sage, and the other boys. There are plenty of red herrings and plot twists in the story so that you are never quite sure who you should trust.

This truly was a captivating fairy tale that kept me interested throughout, and is enjoyable on both a child and adult level. One of my favorite parts was when you hit that point of no return, and you just have to keep reading to the end. I am thrilled that it is the first in a trilogy. I already have all of the books checked out from the library and they are in my stack, moved to the top of the heap.

Mrs. Corbett, this one moved to the top of my Caudill list favorites as well.

Henny by Elizabeth Rose Stanton

Henny is a very special chicken. Instead of wings, Henny has long, skinny human arms. Sometimes Henny likes her arms, like when she is climbing a tree or hugging her mom. At other times, like when the rest of the farm animals laugh at her, she doesn't like them very much at all. One day, Henny realizes that her arms can be really useful on a farm and begins to help the farmer. She stops caring about not fitting in, and starts to imagine all of the things she can do with these wonderful arms like using chopsticks to pick up her food, hailing a taxi, and maybe even becoming a pilot and flying a plane.

Henny teaches the importance of loving yourself not just in spite of your differences, but because of them!

Messenger

I just finished reading Messenger by Lois Lowry yesterday. It is book three after The Giver and Gathering Blue. The setting is really important in the story. The author uses it in an extremely creative way. As always, Lowry's characters are very human and likeable. Let me know what you think of the book.

One For the Murphys

I have to write about my favorite Caudill book that I've read so far.....One for the Murphys! The author does a great job using detailed writing to evoke emotion and develop a connection between me and the characters. I love Carley and all of the Murphys. Carley faces a dilemma....does she trust this new family or will she be hurt by them? Carley is a strong soul, and she does triumph over her fears and all of the various disappointments in her life! It's a great lesson for us all!