THE THING ABOUT LUCK by Cynthia Kadohata

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Winner of the National Book Award and 6 starred reviews last year!

Will this book win this year’s Sakura Medal?

Summer knows that kouun means “good luck” in Japanese, and this year her family has none of it.  Just when twelve-year-old Summer thinks nothing else can possibly go wrong in a year of bad luck, an emergency takes her parents to Japan, leaving Summer to care for her little brother while helping her grandmother cook and do laundry for the wheat harvest workers.

 

THE CATS OF TANGLEWOOD FOREST by Charles deLint

Genre: Fantasy

An illustrated, modern folktale set on a prairie farm sometime in the 20th century. Lillian, a kind-hearted girl is bitten by a snake and reborn as a kitten.  Brace yourself for an unexpected story arc and the Possum Witch who enters the story partway through.

 

THE TRUE BLUE SCOUTS OF SUGAR MAN SWAMP by Kathy Appelt

Genre:  Fantasy (with lots of humor mixed in)

The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp  is extremely entertaining and well written. This book’s serious message will make you stop and think about corporate greed and the natural environment.  The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp has it all…humor, adventure, animals that talk, a female alligator wrestler, feral pigs, adorable raccoons, the mythical Sugar Man, a bet, and a twelve-year-old boy named Chap Brayburn who loves the swamp, and he’ll do just about anything to help protect it.

 

 

 

ESCAPE FROM MR. LEMONCELLO’S LIBRARY by Chris Grabenstein

Genre:  Mystery

This book reminded me of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl, only the setting is in a new library built by billionaire video game developer, Mr. Lemoncello. Essay contest winners find themselves locked in the new library and whoever can escape first will become “the face” of the Lemoncello brand. This book is a combination of adventure, humor, and a hodgepodge of fun facts.

Kirkus reviews said, “Full of puzzles to think about, puns to groan at and references to children’s book titles, this solid, tightly plotted read is a winner for readers and game-players alike.”

 

FELIX AND THE RATS by James Norlciffe

Genre:  Mixed Genre (realistic fiction/fantasy)

This parallel story is part realistic fiction, fantasy and adventure.  When David’s great uncle comes to visit, a strange series of bizarre events begins to unfold, and it is only the beginning when the pet rats turn bright red.  David can’t help but begin to think that the story he is reading and the red pet rats are somehow connected.  If you love riddles, and solving conundrums, you’re going to love this book.  Reader’s beware: Each chapter from David’s narrative is followed by a chapter from Felix’s book.

 

 

 

OPHELIA AND THE MARVELOUS BOY by Karen Foxlee

Genre:  Fantasy

A story within a story, this a modern day fairytale about the power of friendship, courage and love, and never ever giving up.  On her very first day in the museum Ophelia discovers a boy locked away in a long forgotten room.  He is a prisoner of Her Majesty, the Snow Queen.  Ophelia begins a journey to rescue the boy, and everything that she believes is tested. I highly recommend this book to readers who love Anne Ursu’s books Breadcrumbs and The Real Boy.

 

 

Shelf Discovery: Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee. (Click here for an audio review by Kristin Dreyer Kramer)

 

WHAT WE FOUND IN THE SOFA & HOW IT SAVED THE WORLD by Henry Clark

Genre:  Sci-Fi Adventure

Read this book to find out how River, Freak, and Fiona find themselves in the middle of an evil plot to conquer the world.  Will the kids discover Edward Disin’s only weakness before it’s too late or will  an intergalactic portal open and transport an army of invaders to Earth?  Can a crayon save the world?  You may just laugh until you cry when you read this goofy adventure that includes a sofa and a domino as main characters!

Source:  Follett Summaries