A.R. Book Level: 3.9
A.R. Points: 9.0
Pages: 312
I knew that this book had some great reviews, but before I read it, I was thinking, "honestly, how good can a murder mystery REALLY be?". Well, it's fantastic, and not just in a suspenseful, find-the-clues kind of way. In fact, the murder takes a back seat to the hilarious and colorful characters. In Tupelo Landing, a small town in North Carolina (population 148), Mo LoBeau and her best friend, Dale Earnhardt Johnson, III, live among a community of strange and interesting people, from Mo's adoptive parents (theatrical Miss Lana and the mysterious, amnesia-stricken Colonel) to miserable Mr. Jesse, whose boat Dale "borrows" (steals). When something terrible happens to Mr. Jesse and detectives start crawling all over Tupelo Landing, it's up to Mo and Dale (the self-named Desperado Detectives) to clear Dale's name and protect their town. I was definitely laughing out loud when I read this, and I couldn't put it down. It's funny and suspenseful and heartwarming and all-around fantastic. If this book doesn't win the Newbery, I'll be very sad.
Reviews and Recommendations of Books from Gill Hall & McClellan School Libraries
Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mystery. Show all posts
ICEFALL by Matthew Kirby
A.R. Book Level: 4.3
A.R. Points: 10.0
Pages: 325
This book was long but enjoyable. It was also rather grim and gritty and sometimes morbid, but for students who like a long, complicated, epic tale with lots of suspense, this is a good choice. Solveig is a princess from a viking-style nation who is sent away to a frozen fortress with her older sister and her younger brother, the heir to her father's kingdom, to stay safe while her father is at war. While she is learning to be a skald--a storyteller (there was no such thing as Nintendo DS for entertainment back then)--Solveig is also haunted by disturbing dreams that predict the death and destruction of everyone at the fortress. As parts of her dream are starting to come true, it also becomes obvious that one person at the fortress is a traitor who is trying to kill off the warriors and friends sent to protect the royal siblings. Part mystery, part adventure, this story, though long, is really compelling.
A.R. Points: 10.0
Pages: 325
This book was long but enjoyable. It was also rather grim and gritty and sometimes morbid, but for students who like a long, complicated, epic tale with lots of suspense, this is a good choice. Solveig is a princess from a viking-style nation who is sent away to a frozen fortress with her older sister and her younger brother, the heir to her father's kingdom, to stay safe while her father is at war. While she is learning to be a skald--a storyteller (there was no such thing as Nintendo DS for entertainment back then)--Solveig is also haunted by disturbing dreams that predict the death and destruction of everyone at the fortress. As parts of her dream are starting to come true, it also becomes obvious that one person at the fortress is a traitor who is trying to kill off the warriors and friends sent to protect the royal siblings. Part mystery, part adventure, this story, though long, is really compelling.
THE BAD APPLE by T.R. Burns
A.R. Book Level: 4.5
A.R. Points: 9.0
Pages: 337
The Bad Apple is the first book in the "Merits of Mischief" series by T.R. Burns. Like Coraline, it has a twisted and creepy premise, and like The Lightning Thief, it has kids teaming up for quests and adventures in a totally off-the-wall training camp--so it should have been a home run for me as a reader. I just didn't care for it, I guess. I didn't like the characters, and too many of the mysteries were left unsolved for me. However, that doesn't mean that none of my students will like it. This book does have plenty of adventure, suspense, and really cool gadgets.
Seamus Hinkle is a mostly good kid who does a VERY bad thing. He finds himself in a reform school for the worst juvenile delinquents, but the academy isn't what it seems: Kilter Academy is a training school for Troublemakers where they perfect their natural-born mischief-making abilities. For a "good" kid, Seamus is surprisingly good at being BAD. Readers who like stories where kids go to special camps or schools (Hogwarts, anyone?) could enjoy this, just don't expect to find any characters as memorable as Percy or Harry.
A.R. Points: 9.0
Pages: 337
The Bad Apple is the first book in the "Merits of Mischief" series by T.R. Burns. Like Coraline, it has a twisted and creepy premise, and like The Lightning Thief, it has kids teaming up for quests and adventures in a totally off-the-wall training camp--so it should have been a home run for me as a reader. I just didn't care for it, I guess. I didn't like the characters, and too many of the mysteries were left unsolved for me. However, that doesn't mean that none of my students will like it. This book does have plenty of adventure, suspense, and really cool gadgets.
Seamus Hinkle is a mostly good kid who does a VERY bad thing. He finds himself in a reform school for the worst juvenile delinquents, but the academy isn't what it seems: Kilter Academy is a training school for Troublemakers where they perfect their natural-born mischief-making abilities. For a "good" kid, Seamus is surprisingly good at being BAD. Readers who like stories where kids go to special camps or schools (Hogwarts, anyone?) could enjoy this, just don't expect to find any characters as memorable as Percy or Harry.
TUESDAYS AT THE CASTLE by Jessica Day George
A.R. Book Level: 5.8
A.R. Points: 8.0
Pages: 228
I like a good princess story where the princess is smart and brave and fights her own battles. ("Oh no, I am trapped in a tower; guess I should just grow my hair"? No thanks.) In this great story, Princess Celie and her older brother and sister are left on their own in their family's castle when their parents disappear and are presumed dead. The kids are in danger when someone tries to take over their kingdom, but they have a not-so-secret weapon: a living castle that can change its shape and floor plan depending on its moods. While the castle tries to protect them, they must also try to protect their beloved castle AND learn the truth about their parents.
Readers who appreciate a down-to-earth princess--like Miri in Shannon Hale's Princess Academy--or who liked the political intrigue and scheming in Jennifer Nielsen's The False Prince will really enjoy this book. I couldn't put it down.
A.R. Points: 8.0
Pages: 228
I like a good princess story where the princess is smart and brave and fights her own battles. ("Oh no, I am trapped in a tower; guess I should just grow my hair"? No thanks.) In this great story, Princess Celie and her older brother and sister are left on their own in their family's castle when their parents disappear and are presumed dead. The kids are in danger when someone tries to take over their kingdom, but they have a not-so-secret weapon: a living castle that can change its shape and floor plan depending on its moods. While the castle tries to protect them, they must also try to protect their beloved castle AND learn the truth about their parents.
Readers who appreciate a down-to-earth princess--like Miri in Shannon Hale's Princess Academy--or who liked the political intrigue and scheming in Jennifer Nielsen's The False Prince will really enjoy this book. I couldn't put it down.
CITY OF ORPHANS by Avi
A.R. Book Level: 3.5
A.R. Points: 8.0
Pages: 350
There's always something that irritates me in Avi's books, and in the case of CITY OF ORPHANS, it's the narrator. The story is set in New York City in 1893, and I'm not sure what kind of slang people used back then, but I really wanted to roll my eyes every time the narrator referred to somebody as a "mug." Once I got past the wording, though, I REALLY enjoyed the story. Maks is a newsie, a boy who earns 8 cents a day selling newspapers, and when he is chased by a nasty gang of older boys, he meets Willa, a girl who lives alone in an alley. After facing the gang, Maks and Willa take on a bigger challenge: solving the mystery of who framed Maks's sister for theft. She is sitting in jail awaiting her trial, and Maks seems to be the only one in his family of immigrants who understands America enough to get the job done. Readers who love mysteries, historical fiction, and old-fashioned back-alley brawls will like this gritty story.
A.R. Points: 8.0
Pages: 350
There's always something that irritates me in Avi's books, and in the case of CITY OF ORPHANS, it's the narrator. The story is set in New York City in 1893, and I'm not sure what kind of slang people used back then, but I really wanted to roll my eyes every time the narrator referred to somebody as a "mug." Once I got past the wording, though, I REALLY enjoyed the story. Maks is a newsie, a boy who earns 8 cents a day selling newspapers, and when he is chased by a nasty gang of older boys, he meets Willa, a girl who lives alone in an alley. After facing the gang, Maks and Willa take on a bigger challenge: solving the mystery of who framed Maks's sister for theft. She is sitting in jail awaiting her trial, and Maks seems to be the only one in his family of immigrants who understands America enough to get the job done. Readers who love mysteries, historical fiction, and old-fashioned back-alley brawls will like this gritty story.
THE TILTING HOUSE by Tom Llewellyn
A.R. Book Level: 4.5
A.R. Points: 5.0
Pages: 150
In this story, brothers Josh and Aaron move with their parents and grandfather into the Tilting House—a big, creepy old house where all the floors are literally tilted 3 degrees and where it looks like a madman scratched insane scientific formulas all over the walls. Their creepy adventures involve meeting a talking rat (who is also hungry for revenge), thwarting the plans of evil funeral directors, and digging for a body in their crawlspace as they solve some of the mysteries of this weird house. This book was more episodic in nature, meaning that it told the characters’ adventures almost separately, whereas in most kids’ books the characters are working towards some goal or quest or personal growth. These kids are more or less just having adventures… but they’re entertaining adventures! It’s a quick, fun read that will appeal to fans of Lynne Jonell’s Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat, Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, and Adam Gidwitz’s A Tale Dark and Grimm.
A.R. Points: 5.0
Pages: 150
In this story, brothers Josh and Aaron move with their parents and grandfather into the Tilting House—a big, creepy old house where all the floors are literally tilted 3 degrees and where it looks like a madman scratched insane scientific formulas all over the walls. Their creepy adventures involve meeting a talking rat (who is also hungry for revenge), thwarting the plans of evil funeral directors, and digging for a body in their crawlspace as they solve some of the mysteries of this weird house. This book was more episodic in nature, meaning that it told the characters’ adventures almost separately, whereas in most kids’ books the characters are working towards some goal or quest or personal growth. These kids are more or less just having adventures… but they’re entertaining adventures! It’s a quick, fun read that will appeal to fans of Lynne Jonell’s Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat, Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, and Adam Gidwitz’s A Tale Dark and Grimm.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)