Skink No Surrender by Carl Hiaasen

When Richard's cousin, Malley, fails to meet him on the beach one night, he knows something is wrong. He can't reach her by phone or text and when he checks her house, it is obvious that she is not there. When he finally gets a text from her, saying that she was grounded, he knows it is a lie.

Richard and Malley meet regularly at the beach to search for turtle nests and contact the state wildlife office so the nest can be marked and protected. The person Richard did meet at the beach when Malley didn't show, is Skink, former Florida governor, Clinton Tyree. Several years ago, while still governor, Skink was so disgusted by the greed and corruption that he snapped and disappeared. He now lives off off the grid, crusading against environmental crimes and sabotaging development projects that he considers harmful. He was on the beach that night to catch turtle egg poachers and he dispatches one in ambulance shortly after that. Skink is a character in several of Carl Hiaasen's adult novels.

Malley's parents are not concerned about her disappearance because they think she is in New Hampshire at the boarding school they wanted her to attend, to keep her out of trouble. Richard manages to piece together various clues to figure out that Malley has run away with a guy she met online, Talbo Chock. When he discovers that Talbo Chock is an alias and that the real Talbo Chock was killed in Afghanistan, he knows he has to let Malley's parents know and they contact the police.

Richard isn't really satisfied with the police efforts and teams up with Skink to find and rescue his cousin, using the cryptic clues that Malley gives him in her few phone calls. Their escapades include encounters with alligators and wild boars, an odoriferous gar fisherman and his brother, and the slightly deranged kidnapper.

Carl Hiaasen's novels are well known in adult and children's literature. This is his first young adult novel. Hiaasen's love of the environment and horror at the destruction of it by overdevelopment is central to the book, as it is in his others. He also manages to convey the dangers of online encounters, without going into gory detail or becoming preachy. The relationship between Richard, the very likable protagonist, and Skink is well developed. Malley is a spunky and confident, despite being the cause of all the problems. A really fun read as long as the reader is willing to suspend disbelief at times. 2014

R. Rauch

30 Days of No Gossip

Maddie is the gossip queen of Troy Middle School. She was shy and unpopular in elementary school, but she found herself to be the center of attention when she became the source of information, rumors and gossip. She even publishes the Troy Tattler, the school's unofficial gossip newsletter.

Maddie's best friend, Vi, is quiet, brainy and extremely interested in design. She doesn't participate when Maddie and their other friends gossip, preferring to withdraw and sketch.

When Maddie reveals Vi's crush on a boy to the boy himself, with only the best of intentions, Vi is furious and challenges Maddie to stop gossiping for thirty days or their friendship is over. Since Maddie values Vi's friendship, she accepts the challenge, but the task is daunting. As anyone who ever attended middle school knows, gossip and rumors are it's life's blood.

Maddie struggles with what gossip is and whether it has made her as popular as she thinks it has. When does passing on information cross the line into gossip? Is it okay to spread negative or judgmental information? Is talking behind people's backs hurtful, even if they don't find out? What if they do? What kind of person is she being when she engages in gossip? Are people interested in her or are they only interested in the information she has to share?

When Maddie finds out about a really big secret, that a TV makeover show is planning a big decorating project at Troy Middle School, she is challenged to keep the knowledge a secret. It is practically impossible to keep such a secret in that environment, but she doesn't want to jeopardize the project and she especially wants Vi to have a chance to participate and show off her design talents. Maddie watches helplessly as the little bit of information she does divulge,  grows and takes on a life of its own.

This is an easy read with believable characters and dialogue. The redecorating project seems a little contrived, but I think most upper elementary students would buy into it. This book may plant some seeds for thought as to what we say about other people and whether we are hurting anyone by doing it. It also gives some insight into rumors and their amazing ability to spread, becoming something much larger than their origin.      2014       

R.Rauch                                                                                     

Rump: the True Story of Rumplestiltskin by Lisa Shurtliff

This is an expanded retelling of the old Rumplestiltskin story, in which the author takes an unlikable character and turns him into an unlikely but likeable hero.

Rump, who lives with his beloved grandmother, in a poor village on the side of a mountain. Their subsistence depends on the meager amounts of gold that they are able to mine for the king which they trade for rations. Rump endures endless teasing and bullying because of his name, which he is convinced is incomplete. His mother died before managing to get his whole name out.

The greedy miller of the original story runs the village, collecting the gold and distributing the rations as he sees fit. Most of Rump's bullying is at the hands of the miller's sons, who are the ones that discover Rump's magical ability to spin straw into gold and report it to the miller. Unfortunately for Rump, under the rules of magic, he is compelled to trade the gold for whatever is offered and his ability to produce more gold than he could mine does nothing to improve what he receives from the unscrupulous miller.

When the king comes to the village to find out the source of the increased gold production, the miller boasts that it was his daughter, who is beautiful but definitely not the sharpest tool in the drawer, who can spin straw into gold. The king takes her to the castle to spin gold or die, with the eventual promise of marriage if she succeeds for three nights.

Rump sets out a quest to find his true full name, which he believes will lead to his true destiny. While on his quest, he hears of the miller's daughter plight and feels responsible. In this version, it is the maiden's own lack of acuity that leads to her promise of her firstborn child, which under the rules of magic Rump must accept.

This is an enjoyable fantasy book, with good characterizations, an interesting plot and a lot of humor, starting with the title character's name.  It is a good choice for anyone assigned a fantasy book report, especially those who don't like fantasy books. The elements of fantasy are easy to understand and don't require acquiring a new vocabulary.                  2013

R.Rauch

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes

The Year of Billy Miller, which is a 2014 Newbery Honor Book, is the story of Billy Miller, his family and his year in second grade. It is a very mellow story, with each section focusing on a different member of his family and one focusing on his teacher.

Billy suffered a concussion during the summer before second grade and he is worried because of his injury that he isn't smart enough for second grade. To encourage him on his first day of school, his dad reminds him that it may be The Year of the Rabbit, but he believes it will be The Year of Billy Miller.

The book charts Billy's experiences over the course of the year, as he faces different challenges. By the end of second grade, Billy has gained a lot of confidence and maturity and he, too, believes it is The Year of Billy Miller.

This is a very sweet family story and Billy is an engaging character. The vocabulary and story are easy to follow. The font is fairly large and there is plenty of white space on the pages, however the book is long, 226 pages. I am not sure who the intended audience is. It would be a good book for second and third graders who are very good readers. Older children may find the plot slow and may be turned off by a book whose protagonist is a second grader.         2014
R. Rauch
                                                                                                             

Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures

Flora is an unusual girl, who doesn't seem to have friends. She loves comics and the Illuminated Adventures of the Amazing Incandesto, in particular. Incandesto is a modest, unassuming janitor, with only his faithful parrot, Dolores, as a companion. Flora claims to be a natural born cynic and she always expects the worst, so she  memorizes all the advice for surviving disastrous situations given in the back of the Incandesto comics. Some of this advice does prove helpful in the unbelievable situations that develop in this book.

Flora's divorced mother, Phyllis Buckman, writes romance novels, for which Flora has little regard. Her mother hates Flora's comics and her cynicism. She discourages Flora from reading comics. Flora believes her mother loves her lamp, the little Shepherdess, more than she does her.

Flora's father, George Buckman, is a sort of mousy, sad accountant. He is often flustered and he is easily intimidated by his ex-wife. He seems to love Flora but doesn't know how to express it or relate to her.

When Flora's next door neighbor, Donald Tickham,  buys his wife, Tootie, a super-powerful vacuum, a Ulysses Super-Suction, Multi-Terrain 2000X, it is so powerful that it vacuums his pants right off. Next Tootie accidentally vacuums up a squirrel and an unsuspecting superhero is born, able to lift the very vacuum that sucked him up over his head.  As he and Flora soon discover, he can also fly and type poetry. She names him Ulysses, after the vacuum that inadvertently created his superpowers.

Tootie's great-nephew, William Spiver,  is staying with the Tickhams and he is suffering from temporary, hysterical blindness, due to a traumatic incident that he doesn't like to discuss.  He is inexplicably drawn to Flora, who finds him annoying at first, but becomes very fond of him in a short time.

Flora's mother, who couldn't stand the superhero comics, is really pushed over the edge by a superhero squirrel and plots to get rid of him, first enlisting Flora's father. That fails because Flora's father actually likes Ulysses and Ulysses saves him from his landlord's ferocious cat. Then Flora's mother takes matters into her own hands and tries to do away with Ulysses herself.

This book was extremely well reviewed by the conventional review sources and won this year's Newbery Medal, however,  I have also read many negative reviews. I love many of Kate DiCamillo's books- Because of Winn Dixie, The Tale of Desperaux and all the Mercy Watsons, but I don't love this one. The book requires a tremendous suspension of disbelief and I can do that with a book that I really love. I didn't connect with these characters. I felt sorry for Flora but I didn't relate to her, or find her charming or endearing. The adults were sort of bizarre, Roald Dahl type adults, either mean or too mousy to be effective. It is nice that Flora  finds hope and discovers her mother's true feelings for her, but I involved enought in the story to really care. William Spiver's problems get resolved a little too quickly and without sufficient explanation.          2013                                                

R.Rauch                                                                                                                   

Africa Is My Home: A Child of the Amistad by Monica Edinger

Africa Is My Home

When Sarah Magru Kinnson was nine years old, her father pawned her to work as a servant for another man in their village, because he had debts he couldn't pay. It was only supposed to be until the harvest came in and her father could pay off his debt, but slave traders saw her and offered more money than her father could ever hope to pay. So, Magulu, or Sarah as she became known later, ended up as one of the three captured children on a slave ship bound for Cuba. There they were sold and ended up on the infamous ship, Amistad, bound for the United States.

The captured Africans didn't know what was going to happen to them and the sailors indicated that they intended to eat them. The adult males on the ship staged a successful revolt and ended up in charge of the ship. They tried to force the surviving crew to sail them back to Africa, but the captain sailed the ship back to towards the U.S. every night, in hopes of being rescued. Eventually, that happened and the ship was brought to Connecticut and the Africans were held at the New Haven jail until a trial could be held and their fate decided.

This process took several years, as the trial progressed from the court in New Haven all the way to the Supreme Court. During this time, Sarah and her companions, Kagne and Teme, were educated and dressed like Americans. Sarah also converted to Christianity while she was in New England.

When the Supreme Court upheld the lower court decisions that the seizure of the Africans was unlawful and that they were to be returned to Africa, there was no money for ship to return them. As they waited for funds to be raised, the three children continued their education.

The author of this historical fiction book performed extensive research and relied heavily on the Sarah's letters, which have been preserved by the Tulane University Amistad Research Center. Her interest was piqued when she first visited an Amistad exhibit and discovered that there were children aboard the infamous ship. She was also intrigued because the captives were from Sierra Leone, where she had been a Peace Corps volunteer.

Like the author, I didn't know that there were children aboard the Amistad. I found this fictionalized version of Sarah's life fascinating as I contemplated all she endured and striking contrast between the life she left, the life that was forced upon her and the life she chose, once she was an adult. The book is short, 64 pages, and there are numerous beautiful, colorful illustrations. This would be a good choice for anyone interested in the subject of the Amistad or the history of the slave trade. It would also be a good choice for a reluctant reader who has an historical fiction assignment.      2013

Renee Rauch

Amber Brown Is Tickled Pink by Bruce Coville and Elzabeth Levy

Amber Brown is experiencing some big changes in her life, as she continues to cope with her parents' divorce and spending time with each of them separately. Her mom and her boyfriend, Max, are planning their wedding and the three of them will be moving to a new house after the wedding, leaving the house where Amber has grown up.

Although Amber didn't like Max in the beginning,  he has grown on her. He laughs at her jokes, coaches her bowling team and is an all-around nice guy. She is also looking forward to the wedding, which she realizes is supposed to be a big party. She has invited her closest friends from school and her best friend, Justin, who moved away in one of the earlier books, will be coming with his family. But Amber's mother wants a small wedding at city hall to save money and Amber's big plans are looking doubtful.

Amber comes up with a creative solution that is also economical and saves the wedding. It involves an unpopular classmate of Amber's, who to her surprise, turns out to be much nicer than she ever thought.

Amber feels badly when she has fun with Mom and Max and her father is not part of her happiness. She feels badly when she has fun with her dad and her mother is not part of the good time. She also resents it when either of her parents saying anything negative about the other.

I was a big fan of the Amber Brown books and I think that Coville and Levy have done an excellent job of capturing her voice. Their portrayal of a child dealing with her family dynamics, her classmates and the stress any family experiences when planning a wedding are very realistic.   2012

R. Rauch                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

Georges (named after Georges Seurat) and his family have moved out of their house and into an apartment, in the same neighborhood, leaving behind many treasures and memories. Georges' dad lost his job and is trying to start his own business. Georges' mom is a nurse and is working a lot of double shifts to help with the financial difficulties. Georges misses his house, especially his bedroom, and he misses seeing his mother.

Georges is still at the same school, which isn't necessarily a good thing. He is the victim of bullies and his friend since kindergarten has abandoned him to be friends with the cool kids. There is a big taste test coming up in science and school lore maintains that is determines who is a loser and who's not. Georges is dreading it because he is sure it will cement his position as an outcast and a victim.

Friendship possibilities improve for Georges when he meets Safer, a quirky homeschooler who lives in his building and has a warm, inviting, but equally quirky family. Safer soon draws Georges into his spy games, convincing him of one tenant's nefarious deeds and shady character.

There are several layers to this story, as there were in Newbery winner Stead's When I Reach You. Besides the mystery involving the enigmatic neighbor, there is the mystery of why Safer rarely leaves the building. Georges' dad spends a lot of time at the hospital with Georges' mom, who is supposedly working and Georges never want to go along.

Georges handling and the eventual outcome of the feared taste test at school is both clever and potentially believable. While all of his problems don't go away, the resolution of the story is both hopeful and satisfying. Rebecca Stead has written another good story full of characters with whom kids can relate.   

R.Rauch                                                                                                                           2012

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

The One and Only Ivan

This year's Newbery winner is a first person narration in the voice of  Ivan, a silverback gorilla, who resides at the Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. A large billboard outside the mall, which features prominently in the story's resolution, proclaims the presence of the One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback.

Ivan's has two best friends. The first is Stella, an old elephant, and another featured animal of the mall. The other is  Bob, a homeless dog who lives off scraps left by the mall patrons and who sleeps in Ivan's "domain," as he calls his glass walled cage.

Ivan was born in the wild and captured with his twin sister, Tag, who died during the trip to the U.S. He first lived with his trainer, Mack, in his house, but was transferred to the mall when he became too big and unmanageable to live with people. He has had no contact with other gorillas in the twenty-seven years since his capture and spends his life being stared at and imitated by the many people who pay to see him and the other animals.

While Ivan is generally disdainful of humans (slimy chimps), he does like Julia, the mall custodian's daughter. Julia is quiet and patient, unlike the noisy humans that Ivan sees all day. Julia is the one who first introduced Ivan to the world of art. When she noticed him watching her draw while she was waiting for her father, she pushed a crayon and some paper into his cage and he began drawing the things he saw. Mack, seeing the opportunity to further capitalize on the animals, began selling Ivan's drawings in the mall gift shop.

As Stella becomes older and sicker, Mack brings in a new, baby elephant, Ruby. He hopes to train Ruby to perform with Stella and bring in more business for his ailing circus. When Stella is dying, she extracts a promise from Ivan to provide a better life for Ruby than this mall existence.

This poignant tale is much more than an animal rights treatise. The author conveys a thoughtfulness and intelligence in the animals, especially character of Ivan, that lends depth to the story. Although obviously fictional, the book is based on a real gorilla that lives at the Atlanta Zoo. Despite the size of the book, it is a quick read. It has very short chapters, lots of white space on the pages and several illustrations. The personification of the animals will make this book appealing to a wide audience, not just animal lovers. 2012

R.Rauch

White Fur Flying

This is a sweet, gentle tale about loss and healing. Zoe's dad is a vet and her mother fosters Great Pyrenees  dogs that have been rescued, until they can be placed in permanent homes.Great Pyrenees are large and can weigh over 100 pounds. Their weather resistant, double coat of white hair consists of a thick, straight outer layer over a dense, wooly undercoat and it requires a lot of brushing. This results in massive amounts of white fur flying around their house at all times. Their own Great Pyrenees, Kodi, befriends each rescue dog and then mourns the loss of his friend when the rescue dog leaves to go to a permanent home.

New neighbors, the Crofts, move in next door to the only house in sight of Zoe's house. Mrs. Croft is a nervous woman who seems to like order and be afraid of her own shadow. Her nephew, Philip, is staying with her and her husband while his own parents "solve a problem." Philip won't speak but is instantly drawn to the dogs, especially Kodi and the newest rescue dog, Jack.

In the big climax to the story, Philip disappears during a storm and it is Jack, the dog, who leads him to shelter. This all leads to a happy ending for both the dogs and Philip, who experiences a breakthrough. This well-written book is a great story for those new to chapter books, reluctant readers and animal lovers.   2013

Renee Rauch  

Tales for Very Picky Eaters by Josh Schneider

Tales for Very Picky Eaters

In this very funny beginning reader, James is a very picky eater.When he won't eat broccoli, his father has some really disgusting and hilarious alternatives like dirt, already been chewed gum and a sock soaked in sweat. When James won't eat mushroom lasagna, his father threatens to fire the troll that lives in their basement and  cooks for them.  The troll will have to go back to the rat circus, where he worked before moving in to work for them.

The saga continues with repulsive milk, lumpy oatmeal and slimy eggs. James's dad offers creative solutions and alternatives in every case. This is a funny book, written in short chapters that can stand alone as separate stories or read together as one. It would be a fun book for new readers to share with their parents, although if they are picky eaters, they may not appreciate the creative insights their parents may gain from James's dad.    2011

R. Rauch

The Great Unexpected by Sharon Creech

The Great Unexpected

Sharon Creech (Walk Two Moons, Newbery Award 1995) has created two interesting and outspoken heroines, Naomi Deane and Lizzie Scatterding. Naomi has a knack for being around when trouble happens, starting with the incident when she was three and a dog attacked her. Her father died trying to save her. Lizzie could "talk the ears off a cornfield" and signs the girls up to be "companions" to some of the needier local senior citizens.

Naomi and Lizzie are both orphans and live in an obscure little Southern town called Blackbird Tree, which has a full cast of unusual characters, including Witch Wiggins, one-armed Mr. Farley, the Dimmens clan up on the mountain, Crazy Cora and Mr. Canner. One day a boy named Finn literally drops into their lives and so begins a chain of events that change both their lives.

In the meantime, a separate plot line involves an old lady on a grand estate in Ireland who is hatching a plan and sending a spy to gather information on the people in Blackbird Tree. Her heart being broken many years ago and an estrangement with her sister were both caused by another boy named Finn.

This book is well written and creates an air of mystery as the two storylines unfold, eventually joining up to create a satisfying, if slightly too good to be true, ending.     2012

R. Rauch

Kindred Souls by Patricia MacLachlan

Kindred Souls

Jake and his family live with his grandfather, Billy, on the family farm that his grandfather's family started  over eighty years ago. Billy was born on the farm, in the sod house that his family lived in when they first settled there. Remnants of the house are still on the property.

Jake and Billy are kindred souls, according to Jake's mom. Jake loves Billy's stories and his way with animals. Every day when Jake finishes his chores, he and Billy walk the farm visiting the animals and their favorite spots, ending at the site of the old sod house.

Billy is extremely nostalgic about the old sod house and would like to see it rebuilt, something he is not physically capable of doing at this point in his life. He asks Jake to do it, but Jake, who loves his grandfather tremendously and is usually on his wavelength, doesn't really want to do it. It is physically taxing work and would take big chunk out of his summer. He doesn't see the need for it, nor understand his grandfather's desire to see it rebuilt.

When Billy is taken ill, however, rebuilding the sod house becomes a labor of love and soon the rest of the family join in, all hoping that Billy will survive to see it.

This is a very sweet, inter-generational family story. It would be a good choice for any child dealing with the potential loss of a grandparent.       2012

R. Rauch                                                                              

Theodore Boone, The Abduction by John Grisham

Theodore Boone, The Abduction

In this second book in the Theodore Boone series, Theo's best friend, April, has disappeared in the middle of the night. It turns out that Theo was the last person to speak to her, at 9:30 on the night of her disappearance, and the police wish to speak to him the next morning.

Theo, the only child of two lawyers, is very familiar with the law profession and spends a great deal of time at his parents' office, in their law library. He also spends a lot of time at the local courthouse, where he observes as many trials as he can.

April's disappearance, naturally, throws their small town of Strattenburg into a panic, as everyone hopes for April's safe return and worries that the other children in town may be in danger. April's family situation, of which Theo was aware but sworn to secrecy, comes to light. Her father, an aging and not very successful rocker, is on the road with his band. Her mother, who raises goats and peddles cheese from a old hearse that is painted yellow, stays out until all hours of the morning, partying. That is why she doesn't discover that April is missing until 3:30 AM. When both parents are home, they fight constantly and pay little attention to April.

The police discover correspondence between April and a convict, who has recently escaped, named Jack Leeper. Sightings of him in the area, prior to April's disappearance, are reported and the police pursue the lead, finally picking Leeper up. He proves to be quite a slippery character. Next, a body is recovered from the river, lending more suspense to the tale.

Theo and his friend, Chase, pursue leads on their own, when they think the police are going in the wrong direction. They turn to Theo's uncle, Ike, when they need adult help to finish the case.

The first book in this series and this one was got mixed reviews, but this is a good mystery. It is a page turner, but without the gruesome violence that some mysteries have. Unlike some of the snarky protagonists that populate many of the books for this age group, Theo has a healthy respect for adults and turns to them for help when he needs it. 2011

R. Rauch

My Rotten Life by David Lubar

My Rotten Life

Nathan Abercrombie, 10, was having a really bad day. He was not invited to Shawna's Halloween party and she made a point of telling him in front of the whole fifth grade at lunch. He was picked last for a team in gym. The coach singled him out for his lack of athletic ability and told him he had seen babies crawl faster than he could run. To top it off, he completely bombed on a video game, earning him the nickname "vidiot."

When Abigail, a very nerdy, quiet girl from his class, offers Nathan a way out of his pain, he jumps at the opportunity. She tells him that her scientist uncle has developed an experimental formula that makes anyone who takes it impervious to pain, physical or emotional.

After Nathan takes the formula, he feels better and even notices that his asthma seems to be improving. But then his ability to withstand pain becomes frightening, as he is stabbed with a fork in the face during a food fight and doesn't even feel it. He has no appetite and his asthma is improving because he doesn't seem to need to eat or breathe. The formula has turned him into a zombie.

Abigail's uncle has disappeared and the government is pursuit of him. Can Nathan, Abigail and Nathan's best friend, Mookie, find the missing uncle or come up with an antidote on their own, in time to prevent Nathan from becoming a zombie permanently?

In the process of their search, Nathan comes to some realizations about people, popularity and the social order in middle school that will ring true with many middle schoolers. It may even open the eyes of others.

This is fun, quick read that will appeal particularly to boys of this age, but can be enjoyable for either gender. It is the first in a series, Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie, and the title pretty much answers the question as to whether or not Nathan remains a zombie permanently. It does turn out to be a matter of choice,however, rather than a failure to find a cure in time.  2009

R. Rauch

The Trouble with Chickens: A J.J. Tully Mystery, by Kevin Cornell Doreen Cronin. Illustrated by

The Trouble with Chickens: A J.J. Tully Mystery

J.J. Tully is a retired search and rescue dog, trying to relax and enjoy his new life on a farm. His peace and quiet is disturbed when a hen, Millicent, and her two chicks, Dirt and Sugar, try to enlist his services to rescue her other chicks, who have been kidnapped.

The alternating narrator is Vince, the farm dog,who lives in the farm house and resents another dog invading his territory. The kidnapping is really ruse to set J.J. up to receive the medical procedure for which Vince is scheduled. He also plans to bump off Millicent and all her chicks, laying the blame on J.J.

Can J.J. figure out who is responsible for the kidnapping and lay waste to Vince's plans? Will Millicent, whom J.J. call Moosh for no apparent reason, and her chicks be a help or a hindrance?

This book is a quick read with plenty of the humor that we have seen in Doreen Cronin's picture books. While any mystery reader can enjoy it, it is a good choice for those patrons who approach mysteries with trepidation or are assigned a mystery book report and don't like them because they are scary. 2011.

R. Rauch

Dial M for Mongoose by Bruce Hale

Dial M for Mongoose

Chet Gecko and his detective partner, mockingbird Natalie Attired, are back for their fifteenth case. Serious shenanigans--a stink bomb, a fire and several thefts--are wreaking havoc at Emerson Hickey Elemetary and Chet's pal and supporter, Maureen DeBree, the head custodian, is taking all the heat. Principal Zero really has it in for her.

When Maureen gets fired and then the problems continue and escalate with a classroom collapse and the mysterious disappearance of several students, Chet and Natalie are determined to find out who is responsible and clear Maureen's name.

This is a fun read and a very light mystery. It is a good choice for anyone who wants a mystery but doesn't want to be too scared. Chet's 1940's style private-eye wisecracks are probably lost on kids, but can be amusing for any adults reading the book with or to children. 2009

R. Rauch

Liar, Liar by Gary Paulsen

Liar, Liar

Kevin is a gifted liar. He doesn't lie to hurt people, he just lies to make life go more smoothly or to spare people's feelings. His intentions really aren't bad and he always has a justification. He lies to his social studies partner so that she has to do all the work, but he reasons that she likes being in control and likes doing all the work anyway.

When Kevin's attention is drawn to his classmate, Tina, he spins a web of lies designed to allow him to spend time where Tina will be and to become friends with her friends, so that he can get to know her better and so that she will notice him. He lies to his friends, her friends, his teachers and even his family.

Gradually, Kevin's lies spin out of control and Tina still hasn't even noticed him. Kevin is very surprised that people are not instantly willing to forgive him when he admits his mistakes and offers his sincerest apologies. Maybe honesty is the best policy?

Gary Paulsen has created a very funny and likeable character, who creates a situation that becomes more outlandish as each lie builds on the last. This book will appeal to reluctant readers because of the short chapters, but is great for anyone looking for a laugh, especially Gary Paulsen fans. 2011

R. Rauch

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall

When Florence finds out that she is to leave Miss Medleycoate's Home for Orphan Girls to live on her great-uncle's estate in the English countryside, she is both excited and apprehensive. She is sorry to leave her friends at the orphanage but happy to get away from the meager existence and cruel grownups. She is sorry to learn that a cousin, Sophia, who was close to her age, died in an accident the year before. Sophia's younger brother still lives at Crutchfield Manor, so at least Florence won't be the only child living there.

Florence arrives at Crutchfield Hall and discovers that her uncle's sister, Great-Aunt Eugenie, loved Sophia almost obsessively and isn't happy that her brother has invited Florence to live with them. Furthermore,Florence's cousin, James, is a sickly boy and she is not allowed to visit or play with him, so she is very lonely in the big house that sits so far out in the countryside.

It doesn't take long for Florence to discover that Sophia's ghost roams the estate and that she blames her brother, James, for her death. She has plans to return to the world of the living and send one of those living at Crutchfield to their death in return. Can Sophia involve Florence as a pawn in her scheme?

Mary Downing Hahn's ghost stories never fail to create eerie suspense and this one doesn't disappoint. 2010

Renee Rauch

Gooney Bird Greene, by Lois Lowry

When Gooney Bird Greene opens the door of Mrs. Pidgeon's second grade classroom, wearing pajamas and cowboy boots, and announces that she is a new student, things are never quite the same for the Watertower Elementary School second graders. Gooney Bird's outlandish outfits, unusual lunches, wild red hair and her extraordinary stories (which by the way are all "absolutely true") combine to make Gooney Bird a remarkable character. Over the course of the next seven chapters, Gooney Bird shares her unbelieveable stories, which include "How Gooney Bird Came from China on a Flying Carpet," "Why Gooney Bird Was Late for School Because She Was Directing a Symphony Orchestra" and "Beloved Catman Is Consumed by a Cow," and it turns out they all have plausible explanations.

As Gooney Bird relates her stories, she also slips in lessons on the elements that make up a good story: a clear beginning, middle and ending, a strong main character, suspense and plot twists. She also convinces her teacher and her classmates, from the shyest to the most outspoken, that they all have stories to tell from the events of their own lives.

Gooney Bird is a fun read and a good book for readers who enjoyed Junie B. Jones and Clementine. Sequels include: Gooney Bird and the Room Mother and Gooney Bird Is So Absurd. 2002

R. Rauch