"The Puppet's Payback and Other Chilling Tales" by Mary Downing Hahn

The Puppet's Payback and Other Chilling Tales by Mary Downing Hahn is a collection of short stories for middle school kids.  I enjoyed these stories myself.  Some are ghost stories.  (Gerard's review, 5 stars)

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"Dread Locks" by Neal Shusterman is Dreadful

Dread Locks by Neal Shusterman was a dreadful for me.  I enjoyed many of his other books, but this one was too stupid.  The beginning was intriguing but that didn't last for long.  It's about Tara, a lonely teenage girl who turns people to stone and gives Parker her "gift."  I did not care for any of the main characters and really disliked Parker.  The best thing about this book is that it is short so didn't waste too much of my time.  Teens may enjoy it much more than I did though, as that is his primary audience.  Still, I would suggest you read other books by Shusterman instead of this one.  (Karen's review, 2 stars)      

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"Alone" by Megan E. Freeman

In Alone by Megan E. Freeman, Maddie is having a secret sleepover that turns into a disaster when she awakes and finds that she is all alone.  I mean really alone, no people anywhere!  Now what?  I liked this book a lot for the following reasons:

1. It is told in verse so goes fast!
2. The story moved along and does not go back and forth in time.
3. Always looked forward to getting back to it to find out what would happen next.
4. Maddie is a great character!
5. I loved George, her dog!
6. It has a good ending!

(Gerard's review, 5++ stars)

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"The Walk On" by John Feinstein

The Walk On by John Feinstein is the first of The Triple Threat series about a high school freshman quarterback, Alex Myers.  There are two QBs ahead of him in the depth chart, the starter being the coach's son!  Alex is a very good passer though and the coach's son is not.

I thought this book was good and enjoyed the dynamics on the football team as well as the insight in play calling during games.  I liked Alex and his girlfriend who was a reporter for the school newspaper.  I thought the story line was good, although predictable.  The only thing I did not like was ending.  I would have liked to have seen how the Championship game played out!  (Karen's review, 4 stars) 

Gerard's review of 5/16/21:

In The Walk On by John Feinstein, Alex Myers is a very good Freshman quarterback.  He is starting at a new school and wants to play for the varsity football team.  The problem is that the quarterback they have is not only good, but also the coach's son!  I thought this book was good for a children's book.  It goes fast but is predictable.  It is light reading which is a break from normal.  (4 stars)

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"A Girl, a Raccoon, and the Midnight Moon" by Karen Romano Young and Jessixa Bagley

Every so often, I like to read a children's book for a change of pace, so I picked A Girl, a Raccoon, and the Midnight Moon by Karen Romano Young and Jessixa Bagley.  It is about two young girls who try to save a library from being shut down.  It's a pretty crazy book with good flow and not too kiddish.  I liked the raccoons!  (Gerard's review, 4 stars) 

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"The One and Only Bob" by Katherine Applegate

The One and Only Bob is the follow-up children's book to The One and Only Ivan by Katherin Applegate.  In this book the main character is a dog named Bob.  I thought this book started out a bit slow, but once Ruby and Ivan came into it, it picked up and stayed good the rest of the way.  I enjoyed the interaction between the animals and the story had a good pace to it.  I liked getting back to this world of talking animals.  More please!  I thought Bob was a good character and it was good to hear from Ivan again.  The ending was very good and I liked the funny moments.  (Gerard's review, 4.5 stars)

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"Brave Like That" by Lindsey Stoddard

Brave Like That by Lindsey Stoddard is about Cyrus, a sixth grader who finds himself telling lies and faking things in order to keep his secrets. I think this is a good book for kids because it's about accepting yourself and not trying to be something you aren't.  It's about being brave enough to do the right thing and not worry about what others think.  I enjoyed it because of the boy's relationship with Parker, the dog and his grandmother who had a stroke.  It's a happy little story with a good message.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Gerard's review 7/28/20:
In Brave Like That by Lindsey Stoddard, Cyrus is a young teen boy whose life changes when a stray dog comes into it.  Cyrus goes against his father's wishes by keeping the dog a secret, but for how long?  When the secret is exposed, will Cyrus be brave enough to stand up for what he wants?  I thought this book was pretty good even though it is geared to children.  If you enjoyed the movie and book Wonder, you will enjoy this one.  It is a quick read.
(4 stars)



Teaser from page 6:  Tears burn behind my eyes because it doesn't feel right to just leave him here.  It's now where he belongs.

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"I, Cosmo" by Carlie Sorosiak

I, Cosmo by Carlie Sorosiak is told well by Cosmo, a 13-yr.-old Golden Retriever. He describes his forever family and the special bond he has with Max, the boy in the family.  Although a children's book, this is a very good read with a happy ending.  It deals with a lot of family issues.  It made me laugh and I think you will enjoy how it all plays out as I did.
(Gerard's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 22:  The bathroom doors remain closed following that first instance, many years ago, when I discovered the joy of toilet paper, unrolling sheet after sheet in frenzied merriment.  Television is my saving grace.

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"The Tale of Ole Green Eyes" by Cathy Kennedy

The Tale of Ole Green Eyes by Cathy Kennedy is a short children's book about two sisters to get a scare in the woods because of the story their grandmother told them.  It has a bit of suspense.  It's a happy little story for small children.  Of course, I liked that a cat was in it!
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

Teaser from Loc. 113 on Kindle:  Brittany jumped.  She spun around and gasped, "What?"

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"touch blue" by Cynthia Lord

touch blue  by Cynthia Lord is a children's book about Aaron, a 13-yr.-old foster boy who gets placed in a home on an island off Maine with Tess (11) and her younger sister, Libby.  He is angry that he is not allowed to call or see his mother.  When Tess discovers he plans to run away to look for her, Tess comes up with a plan to get them together so they can talk.

I enjoyed this book because it showed how different life was on an island near Maine.  I also liked the silly superstitions Tess shared throughout the book and how Aaron's was able to make a contribution to the community and adjust to life on the island.
(Karen's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 41:  "Please?"  he asks.  It's been four years since I've heard from her.  If Natalie gets mad at her, my mom might not write to me again."

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"Katt vs. Dogg" by James Patterson (Children's fiction)

Sometimes I enjoy a change of pace from what I usually read.  Katt vs. Dogg by James Patterson is one of those!  A cat and a dog get lost and have to find some way to survive before the forest is filled with predators!  Can they really help each other?  I liked Oscar and Molly very much!  The adventures these two got into were fun to read.  The book moved along quite well!
(Gerard's review, 4.5 stars)  

Teaser from page 63:  "We cats are nocturnal.  Means we stay up all night.  And since there's nothing good on TV this late--not to mention no TV out here in the trees--I decided I'd just hang out up here and watch you being miserable.  It's highly entertaining."

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"Out of the Wild" by Sarah Beth Durst (Children's Fantasy)

Out of the Wild by Sarah Beth Durst is a children’s book about Fairy Tale characters escaping “the Wild” and living under cover in the real world. This has lots of adventure and is totally silly. It reminded me of a cartoon. However, Julie shows persistence in solving the world’s problem and manages to arrive at a sort of compromise leading to a happy ever after ending.

 I had to remind myself that this is a children’s book because the whole plot is so silly. It has some funny parts and emphasizes the importance of being yourself. I liked Julie’s father the best in this. This is extremely whimsical so didn’t really appeal to me, but young children may find it very amusing and entertaining. I almost quit on this one but figured I might as well finish it since it would go quickly because it is a kid's book.
(Karen’s review, 2 stars)

Teaser from page 29: “We’re going to Grandma’s motel,” Julie said. She wondered if this was going to be a problem. In their fairy tale, Dad and Grandma weren’t exactly friends. “You knew her as Dame Gothel, Rapunzel’s witch. But don’t worry—she’s not evil anymore.”


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"Orphan Island" by Laurel Snyder

Orphan Island by Laurel Snyder is a children’s fantasy book about nine kids who live on an island. Once a year, a boat comes with a new young child and the oldest on the island leaves in the boat so there are always only nine on the island. The island is safe, the children happy. Things change though when it is Jinny’s time to leave. Loo arrives but instead of Jinny leaving since she is the oldest, she decides to stay. Then things change!

I liked reading this okay, but didn’t like the ending because left me with lots of questions. It is a fable about growing up, but much didn’t make sense to me.
(Karen's review, 3 stars)

Teaser from page 2:  Deen had lifted the bell and rung it to summon the others.  Deen had been alone, briefly, with the knowledge that it was time again for a Changing.

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"The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise" by Dan Gemeinhart

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart is a heartwarming children’s story about a father and daughter on a road trip. They just bought a bus and drove all over together for five years after the wife and other two daughters were killed in a car accident when Coyote was 7. The father tries to forget by changing their names—he Rodeo Sunrise and the girl Coyote Sunrise. At 12 years old, Coyote gets talks on the phone to her grandmother and finds out the park is being torn down in a few days. Coyote is determined to get there to dig up the box her and her sisters and mom buried just before they died but needs to get her father to go somehow. As her and her dad travel from Florida back home to Washington State, they pick up some travel companions along the way: a cat she named Ivan, a boy and his mother, a musician, the boy’s aunt, a runaway girl, and a goat!

This book is a fun read with lots of touching moments and some wild, fun times. I liked both the dad and his daughter and her best friend, Salvador. As soon as Coyote got a kitten, I was hooked! This book has a good lesson: don’t judge people by how they look and most people want to help others if they can. Although this is a children’s book, it kept my interest all the way. It is a quick read I enjoyed! (Karen's review, 5 stars)

Teaser from page 26:  Ivan, superstar kitten that he was, managed to keep his grip on Rodeo's neck through all the screeching and the leaping.  Once Rodeo had shot to an upright position, Ivan decided he'd rather not be attached to a screaming, vertical hippie.


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"The Wonky Donkey" by Craig Smith

The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith with illustrations by Katz Cowley if a cute, funny early childhood book that has been on the best seller list.  That is why Gerard wanted to read it.  I saw this video on Facebook one day so I decided to read it too.  It is very repetitive and could be used to help little children exercise their memory skills.  I thought it was very cute and not just for children as you can see by this video, the grandma was enjoying it as much if not more than the little boy.  It's a quick read for sure--this grandma read the entire book in just over 4 minutes.
(Karen & Gerard, 5 star for children)


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"The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls" by Claire Legrand is creepy and far out

The Cavendish Home for Boys and Girls by Claire Legrand is a very creepy children’s book mystery. Victoria, a 12-yr-old girl who is very smart and conceited investigates why kids are turning up missing, including her one and only friend, Lawrence. Victoria likes everything to make sense and to be in order so I doubt if she would actually like this book. It makes no sense! It has a house that appears to be alive, lots of bugs that are everywhere, and a mean lady who lived long ago that runs the children’s home.

This book started out slow and progressed to stupid and unbelievable, but kids might find it a fun read. One thing I really did like about this book is the cover and the pictures of the tiny bugs on pages throughout the book and on the inside covers.
(Karen's review, 2 stars)

Teaser from pg. 31: Unacceptable. That wouldn’t happen. It couldn’t. She would find a way to win.


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"Serafina and the Black Cloak" by Robert Beatty (#1 in series)

In Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty, Serafina and her pa live in the basement of the Biltmore Estate.  Her pa works for the owners and Serafina is told to stay hidden and never go in the nearby forest.  But when strange events begin to happen, Serafina takes it upon herself to find out why and who are causing these events!

I thought this children's book was pretty good!  There is good action throughout and I liked Serafina and Gidean, the dog.  I will read book 2 of this series soon.
(Gerard's review, 4 stars)

Teaser from pg. 19:  Serafina suddenly realized that she'd made a dreadful mistake.  This was far more than she could handle.

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"Hot Hand" by Mike Lupica's (Kid's Basketball)

Hot Hand by Mike Lupica is a very short story about brothers Billy and Ben whose parents are separated. Billy’s dad is his basketball coach and they butt heads in this book when his dad wants him to pass the ball and he wants to shoot it. Since his dad moved out, he feels like he is the man of the house and feels added pressure to look after his younger brother, Ben. This book was okay but liked others by this author much better. I think the best thing about this book is that it is short.
(Karen’s review, 3 stars)

Teaser from page 19:  "I guess I just need to know something," Billy said.  "Are you my coach today or my dad?"

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"Last Man Out" by Mike Lupica

Last Man Out by Mike Lupica is about a brother and sister whose father was a Boston fireman who died rescuing a family from their burning house. Tommy played football and his dad would always sit in the top corner of the bleachers to watch his games. His sister, Em, was the star on her soccer team and her dad also attended all her games. This story is how the father’s death affected Tommy and Em and how they were able to help each other.

This book is sad, but with a good ending—well sort of. It does show how important it is to enjoy every chance you get to play and how things can change very quickly. Both Tommy and Em felt angry at losing their dad and dealt with the pain differently. I liked this book and would recommend it.
(Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Teaser from page 23:  Tommy wished this was all a dream and he could wake himself up.  A nightmare that would end as soon as his eyes opened.

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"Shoot Out" by Mike Lupica

Shoot Out by Mike Lupica is about Jake, a very good soccer player who was on the best team, but moved and now finds himself on the worst team without even a chance of making it to the playoffs. Once he gets done feeling sorry for himself, he discovers a new role—that of team leadership and helping his teammates get better. His biggest challenge is Kevin, who is a loner and seems not to care about soccer at all since his mom died. He wanted to quit, but his dad would not let him. Jake decides to try being his friend and in the process, sees how much talent Kevin really has.

I think this story is one that could help a good player who finds himself on a very bad team make the best of it. It is a very quick children’s read, but I enjoyed it.
(Karen’s review, 4 stars)

Teaser from pg. 11: No, it wasn’t Belmont that Jake disliked. It was their so-bad-it-actually-hurt twelve-year-old travel soccer team.


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