On her sixteenth birthday, in 1936, on the fictional island of Montmaray, Sophia FitzOsborne begins keeping a diary. She writes about living on their island kingdom with her mad uncle, the king, her sister, Henry, her cousin, Veronica, and their very loyal housekeeper, Rebecca. Their castle is crumbling, the drawbridge is rotting, and they've sold most of their possessions. Sophie dreams of going to England to wear beautiful dresses and live like other people. The tensions on the mainland with the Nazis in Germany seem very far away until two German soldiers arrive. Their visit triggers tragedy, adventure and the revelation of dark family secrets. The story takes awhile to get going, but the ending is a blockbuster.

Reviewed by: hap

Date read: 2/5/2010

ISBN-10: 0375958649

ISBN-13: 9780375958649

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Tug hasn't said a word since the day, six years before, that he watched his grandfather do something horrible. His brother, Bro, is the only person who understands him, even though he doesn't speak. Bro stands up for him, telling people that Tug is a smart kid, and that he will speak when he is ready. Unfortunately, some of the things Bro does to help his brother are not strictly legal, and he ends up at a prison camp. The book opens when Tug and his parents are in a car which is smashed by a freight train. His parents are killed, but Tug comes away without a scratch. The local authorities send him to live with his grandfather, the one who committed the terrible act. Luckily, there are some good, helpful people in Tug's life, including the local police chief, and his great-aunt. The police chief tries to arrange the release of Bro, but Bro escapes before he finds out. Will there be a happy ending for Tug and Bro?

Similar books: Holes by Louis Sachar

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/29/2009

ISBN-10: 0060529741

ISBN-13: 9780060529741

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Commenter: Matthew, grade 3

In 1800's Canada, thirteen-year-old Pierre La Page decides to take his injured father's place on a 2400-mile long canoe trip from Montreal to trade furs. Along the way, he faces many physical dangers, as well as difficult relations with his fellow shipmates. Will he survive the hardships of the three-month journey to Lake Superior?

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 4/13/2009

ISBN-10: 0385322240

ISBN-13: 9780385322249

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Emma is five years old when her mother is murdered in the Rwandan genocide of 1994. She manages to escape and is taken in by an old woman, who shelters and cares for her. Ten years later, Emma continues to have nightmares about this terrible time that resulted in nearly a million deaths in Rwanda. Can she find peace and healing? Will she ever be able to forget the things that she's seen? Read this sobering book to find out what life in Rwanda would have been like for a child survivor. The author based her story on accounts of young Rwandan genocide survivors.

Reviewed by: msp

Date read: 1/21/2010

ISBN-10: 0888998929

ISBN-13: 9780888998927

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When little Mabel blows a bubble, and her baby brother floats away in it, the whole town chases after him attempting to save him. Told delightfully in bouncy rhyme and very fun to read aloud, this tale not only rhymes, but carries the reader through a text that plays with rhythm and sound. This is a great title for supporting early literacy skills, since the fun supports print motivation, the play with sounds in words supports phonological awareness, and the text exposes the reader to a wide range of vocabulary. Older elementary children may also enjoy this title for the challenge of reading it aloud.

Reviewed by: emc

Date read: 5/28/2010

ISBN-10: 0547074212

ISBN-13: 9780547074214

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