The Ranger's Apprentice

The Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan is a fabulous series, 10 books in total. I can almost compare the excitement of this series to Harry Potter. Even though this isn't a new series, it has been out since 2006, it is a fabulous fantasy series for grades 4-8th. The stories have both captivating story lines and suspenseful adventures. This book is for boys and girls and can be even used in the classroom to encourage historical research projects during the times of knights and kings. The Ranger's Apprentice is about battles and about honor.

From School Library Journal for Book 1 - The Ruins of Gorlan
Will hopes to become a knight; instead, he winds up as a Ranger's apprentice, joining the secretive corps that uses stealth, woodcraft, and courage to protect the kingdom. His aptitude and bravery gradually earn the respect of his gruff but good-hearted master. When the kingdom is attacked by evil magic forces, Will helps track down and defeat a couple of particularly nasty beasts. This closing episode sets the stage for a good-versus-evil war that will likely be at the heart of future volumes. In this opener, though, most of the story focuses on the learning process that Will goes through as an apprentice. Descriptions of Ranger craft are fascinating. Exciting confrontations with bullies and wild boars help to establish the boy's emerging character. Side stories involving a rival Battleschool apprentice and the identity of Will's father are woven in smoothly. The author occasionally spells things out more than is needed when actions demonstrate them clearly enough. However, the well-paced plot moves effortlessly toward the climax, letting readers get to know the world and the characters gradually as excitement builds. The public adoration Will gains at the end seems slightly overdone given the established distrust people feel for Rangers, but it's still a pleasing finish and should leave readers eager to share the future adventures of the Ranger's apprentice.–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR

Book 1 - The Ruins of Gorlan
Book 2 - The Burning Bridge
Book 3 - The Icebound Land
Book 4 - The Battle for Skandia
Book 5 - The Sorcerer of the North
Book 6 - The Siege of Macindaw
Book 7 - Erak's Ransom
Book 8 - The Kings of Clonmel
Book 9 - Halt's Peril
Book 10 - The Emperor of Nihon-Ja

Foodies: Books with recipes

Let's just say that cooking and being in the kitchen is not one of my favorite things to do. Before my kids I enjoyed spending some of my time browsing the cooking magazines and trying out new recipes for my husband. Granted they had to be on the easy side. But once I had my kids, spending endless hours in the kitchen was not how I wanted to spend my time. Honestly I would rather be outside hiking, or biking or doing something else. Don't get me wrong, I like food. I enjoy eating delicious food, but cooking, I'm not so great at. I do love to bake. So that will be another post for another time. Here are a few wonderful stories about young girls who enjoy to cook and their adventures in and out of the kitchen.

I just recently finished reading Eggs over Evie  by Alison Jackson. This is a lovely story about a young girl, Evie who is 13 years old and loves to cook. She comes by it honestly as her father is a famous chef. But her world has been turned upside down since her parents divorce. Her dad has moved across town with the family dog to start a new family with his young new wife who by the way is pregnant with twins. This is an appealing story for anyone going through some family upheaval as well as having a love to be in the kitchen.  Each chapter is headed by a quote from a celebrity chef that foreshadows the events to come and concludes with a recipe for whatever Evie is preparing.
(for grades 4-6)

My Chocolate Year by Charlotte Herman
Another great little read with some yummy sweet recipes included. This story takes place after World War II in New York City. Dorrie Meyers is starting fifth grade, the year of the Sweet Semester baking and essay contest at school. Dorrie is determined to win, but her cakes fall flat, her cookies look like pancakes, and she learns the hard way that chocolate-covered gum is NOT a good idea. Then Dorrie meets her cousin Victor for the first time. Victor is an immigrant from Europe, and he is about to teach Dorrie that a loving family and a safe homeland are the sweetest things of all. With some top-secret tips from Victor's family's bakery and a big slice of confidence, Dorrie Meyers might just have the yummiest year of her life. This is a sweet story with 12 wonderful recipes that gives the reader a little taste of life as an immigrant during some hard times. (for grades 4-6).

Last but not least one of my favorite stories, Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath.
Primrose, 11, waits patiently for her lost-at-sea parents to return to their charming town of Coal Harbor, British Columbia. In the meantime, a cast of delightfully eccentric characters weaves in and out of her world. Her charismatic Uncle Jack agrees to take care of his niece while trying to get rich on the town's tourist-industry possibilities. A misguided school counselor ineffectively tries to convince Primrose that her parents are gone forever, while at the same time setting her sights on Uncle Jack. An aging neighbor, a restaurant owner, and a charming pair of foster parents are among the other adults who try to help Primrose. Though temporarily parentless and decidedly accident prone (she loses two digits and sets fire to a guinea pig, among other mishaps), Primrose has a subtle, but profound effect on the grown-ups who come to her aid. In a variety of ways, she asks each of them whether they've ever placed hope and faith above mere logic, and the answers are always revealing. At the same time, the girl grows by observing and listening to those she encounters. Her first-person narration is just right, conveying her matter-of-fact optimism in the face of some pretty bizarre (and funny) events. Each chapter ends with a recipe that Primrose collects from various people, including the restaurant owner who serves each dish on her menu atop a waffle. The story is full of subtle humor and wisdom, presented through the eyes of a uniquely appealing young protagonist.- Reviewed for School Library Journal by Steven Engelfried, Deschutes County Library, Bend (Grades 4-7).

Happy Cooking and Reading!!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid and other such related books

One of the popular trends these days is to write children books in the form of a journal. What are the advantages of this format and why are they so popular? I think there are several reasons that create a love for these type of books. This is a great way to help connect with the reader. Experiences and emotions are shared more intimately and felt stronger. It is an easier read for a reluctant reader because the pages aren't so dense with words. And lastly it helps with the showing of time that passes during a story. There is one challenge of writing in a journal or diary format is the showing vs. telling dilemma. It’s easy to describe an event you are writing to “tell” it to someone and possibly more challenging to “show” actions that allow the reader opportunities to construct their own interpretation. However, trying out a different form of writing could bring a new energy to your story.

When I first read Diary of a Wimpy Kid, I wasn't a huge fan. Why is this so popular with the kids? Why çan't I keep any of these books on the library shelf? But then I read on and realized that what the author Jeff Kinney is really trying to relay is life. Real life. Real experiences. Real problems in a funny humorous way written from the point of view of a young boy. Brilliant, one might say. So my son powered through this whole series in about two weeks period of time and just loved them. Kinney really does a masterful job of making the mundane life of boys on the brink of adolescence hilarious. While this book is really for boys grades 4-7th, some of my younger students are enjoying them too.

Now there is a market for these type of comic style books written in journal form. Dork Diaries by Renee Russell is another series but for girls. While I'm not a big fan of this series it might work for a reluctant reader. Most recently I just finished reading Justin Case: School, Drool, and other Daily Disasters by Rachel Vail. This is about a young boy Justin Krzeszewski, a third grader, who has many worries, still plays with his stuffed animals, and is a sensitive introverted kid. The opposite from Greg Heffley. Justin is a full blown worrywart but wants to do the right thing and be a good student. He also wants to make friends. What makes this story different from the others is that it shows the feelings of a young boy who is a bit more sensitive than others and how he navigates through the roller coaster of family and school life. Once again all these books are really just about growing up, making the right choices and becoming braver.

Comic Style Books:

Babymouse by Jennifer Holm
Lunch Lady by Jarrett Krosoczka
Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey
Big Nate by Lincoln Pierce
Dork Diaries by Rachel Russell
Diary of Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
Justin Case by Rachel Vail
Alvin Ho by Lenore Look

The lunch lady!

Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarrett Krosoczka is a great little summer read for kids in grades 2-4th. It reads in the form of a comic strip but is really a graphic novel series. This particular title in the series is great for those kids going away to sleep away camp. There are many other titles in this great little series. This is especially good for reluctant readers.

Lunch Lady is looking forward to a relaxing summer vacation with no funny business. After all what type of evilness could happen at camp? But there is a legendary story about a swamp monster that haunts the kids at night, but is it just a legend?

Cleaning out the Closet

So yesterday it rained, now for many of you that doesn't sound like a big deal, but for those of us who live in Northern California we never get rain usually from the months of late May until November. But it rained and thus we were indoors, so what better thing to do was to clean out the toy closet. Being that I now have a high schooler and middle schooler, we really don't need a "toy" closet but rather a game closet. So we cleaned it out, packed some stuff away and then called up neighbors with young children to come and grab some of the great toys my children once played with. Looking at the games and toys that my kids so often played with left me with some bittersweet memories. Now they are getting so old, or shall I say I'm getting so old. As I was cleaning I was thinking about one of my favorite books, that can also be read as a read-aloud. I know I read it to my son when he was younger and it has a hint of toy story in it as well. Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins. There is also a sequel now which is just as good called Toy Dance Party.  

Both are fabulous reads for children in grades K-3. And if you are a fan of Toy Story, which we are in our household, than you will even love this book more.

Thank goodness today it is not raining. We made many new weather records this year, and yesterday was another one.

Beast Quest!

What is Beast Quest?

If you have a 2^nd, 3^rd grade or even a 4^th grade boy than you probably have heard of Beast Quest. The mantra is: Fight the beasts, Fear the magic. Adam Blade, the author, is the man behind these famous beasts from London. His obsession with historic battles, swords and shields led him to imagine and create this popular series about a young boy, Tom, the bravest warrior of them all. Check out the Beast Quest site at: http://www.beastquest.co.uk/default.aspx

So I decided after dealing with the obsession my 2-4^th grade boys had with Beast Quest in my school I decided to take one home this summer and read it. I took book 1, Ferno the Fire Dragon. What a pleasant surprise. This begins the beastly adventure of a sorcerer who has placed a spell on all the beasts in the valley by placing a collar around their neck and forcing them to do evil things. Tom, our valiant boy, learns that he has a quest to search for all the beasts in the land of Avantia and set them free, a great destiny for a young 12 year-old boy. With the help of a young girl, Elenna, the two work together to unlock each of the collars on these beasts and set them free.

Each book in the series is a story about a certain beast that Tom needs to locate and unleash. I was worried that this series would have a lot of violence in it, but I was happy to find that in each story, Tom has to unlock the beasts collars with a key so that they can become friendly again rather than fight them to their death. There is no death, no violent killing, but rather a great fantasy series for children who love magical adventures.

What is a Savvy?

What is a savvy you may ask, it is a magical power that is bestowed upon a Beaumont family member when they turn 13. It isn't a known power it just shows up, whether it is liked or not. It is the allure of becoming a teenager. Some family members have the powers to change the weather, some have the power of doing everything perfectly. Mibs is the main character in this story who is awaiting her magical power but it isn't what she expects as she begins an adventure to try and save her father. Sounds interesting, then read Savvy by Ingrid Law.

Scumble by Ingrid Law, is the companion novel to Savvy. It is nine years later, and Mib's cousin, Ledger is about to turn 13 and receive his power. Ledger wants his savvy to be the ability to run the fastest but instead he receives a savvy that wrecks havoc on everything and everyone that gets in his way. A great read that will keep you hooked throughout the story.