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Monday, January 16, 2017

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?


It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a community of bloggers who link up to share what they are reading.  For more information and to find out what other bloggers are reading check out the host blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers.

What I Read This Week...

Beetle Boy by M.G. Leonard

Darkus Cuttle's father mysteriously disappears from the National Museum of History where he works. Since Darkus's mother has previously died he goes to live with his uncle. Darkus finds a very unusual rhinoceros beetle who can understand him. Darkus, along some new-found friends, one of which is his beetle, is on a mission to find his father and save a mountain of rare beetles living next door. Many of the characters in this book are a bit eccentric. The plot is quirky and silly, but there is mystery, action, and humor that make it quite interesting. This is a great start to what will be a trilogy.

Full of Beans by Jennifer Holm

I received a copy of this book last summer, but it ended up getting pushed to the bottom of my stack of unread books. Now that I've read it, I can't believe I did not have this book at the top of the pile. It is July 1934, during the Great Depression, and Bean, who lives in Key West, wants to make some money for himself. He takes a job even though it involves some criminal activity. Bean soon learns that his actions have great consequences on others. Although a serious plot, this story was filled with humor. I also learned information about Key West that I found interesting. I have not yet read Holm's previous title, Turtle in Paradise, about the same time period, but I am putting it on my to-be-read list.

The House of Months and Years by Emma Trevayne

Amelia and her parents move in with her cousins when they become orphaned. Amelia is miserable living in a new place, leaving her best friend, and sharing her parents with three cousins. Amelia begins to think the new house is haunted and then discovers secrets about the house and its magical qualities that allow her to travel through space and time. This book has magic and fantasy, as well as a little mystery and spookiness. There are also lessons to be learned as Amelia learns to cope with the changes in her life. I think I would recommend this book to those readers who enjoy stories about the supernatural or are looking for something a little scary.

The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters: The Jolly Regina by Kara LaReau

I picked this book up at a local bookstore where the author, Kara LaReau, was signing books this past Saturday. The story is about the Bland Sisters, Jaundice and Kale, who rarely leave their house since their parents went on an errand and never returned. The sisters miss their parents, but are quite content eating cheese, darning socks, and watching grass grow. When the sisters are kidnapped by a pirate and find themselves aboard an all-female pirate ship, The Jolly Regina, they have an adventure in which they find themselves searching for their parents. The sisters are sweet, amusing, and quick-thinking. This is a quick, interesting read and the puns, which may go over children's heads, give it some humor. The sisters often refer to their dictionary which Kale carries with her everywhere and each chapter begins with the definition of a word that is used within the chapter. This is a charming read and I look forward to the Bland sisters next adventure.

11 comments:

  1. I loved Full of Beans, and the others sound like great middle-grade books for readers. Love your description of this final one. What fun! Thanks, Lisa!

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  2. I loved Full of Beans way more than I thought I would. Now I have to put Holm's other books on my tbr list.

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  3. Full of Beans has been on my To Read list for a while now. I really need to get to it, as I've read great reviews for it. Have a wonderful week!

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    1. I just saw that it won the Scott O'Dell Award for historical fiction. You'll enjoy it.

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  4. Full of Beans is such a sweet yet powerful book. I appreciated learning about Roosevelt's new deal and what a change it made in people's lives.

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    1. I love when I can learn something new from a children's book!

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  5. I've just started the Bland Sisters! I like what I've read so far!
    Full of Beans is a 2016 favorite. Love Beans :) I hope you enjoy Turtle in Paradise. You may see some connections!

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    1. Looking forward to hearing what you think when you're finished with the Bland Sisters.

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  6. All of these are now on my to-read list! Turtle in Paradise is a classroom favorite, so I know any new Jen Holm book is a must read, and this one sounds wonderful.

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    1. It's good to know that students enjoy Turtle in Paradise. I definitely have to read more of Holm's books.

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  7. Oooh! These all look like fun middle grade novels! :) - Myra from GatheringBooks.

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