Saturday, October 29, 2011

No Passengers Beyond this Point


by Gennifer Choldenko
Lexile: 620
Genre: Science Fiction

India, Finn, and Mouse are moving to Denver. They are on their way to meet Uncle Red and start a new life without their mom, their friends, and their dog. None of them are happy about it, but their mom tells them it's their best option. But once they land at the airport, strange things begin to happen and it looks like moving to Denver is not going to be quite what they thought it would be.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Sarah's Key


by Tatiana de Rosnay
Lexile: 610
Genre: Historical Fiction

Sarah is just 10 years old the night her life changes forever. She and her parents are arrested by the French police in July of 1942. Sarah is able to hide her brother before they are taken away. She promises to come back to him as soon as she can. What she doesn't realize is that she and all the other Jewish families in Paris are being taken far away and they won't ever be coming back.

Darth Paper Strikes Back


by Tom Angleberger
Lexile: ???
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Origami Yoda is back. But this time his owner, Dwight, is in big trouble. It seems that the principal thinks that Dwight should be placed at an alternative school because of all the trouble he's gotten into with his origami yoda finger puppet. Dwight's friends refuse to sit by and watch him get expelled. They compile a case file to present to the school board about all the good things Origami Yoda has done with the help of Dwight. But still the mystery remains...is Origami Yoda real?

Monday, October 17, 2011

The Mostly True Story of Jack


by Kelly Barnhill
Lexile: ???
Genre: Fantasy

What would it be like to be invisible? Jack knows..he has no friends, his family never notices him, he feels totally alone. Until one day when he is returned to his aunt and uncle in Iowa. Strange things begin to happen at their house. Strange things that cannot be explained unless you believe in magic. Is Jack really ready to find out who he is?

Saturday, October 8, 2011

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda


by Tom Angleberger
Lexile: 760
Genre: Realistic Fiction

It doesn't get any stranger than an origami Yoda finger puppet who can dispense advice on a variety of topics. The question is, how does he know what he knows and is he real? Origami Yoda's owner and creator, Dwight, is one of the weirdest kids in the 6th grade, but when he brings his Origami Yoda to school things change. As Yoda begins to dispense advice, the whole 6th grade is suddenly paying attention to him. Is Origami Yoda real or just another of Dwight's strange creations?

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Emmy and the Rats in the Belfry


by Lynne Jonell
Lexile: 740
Genre: Fantasy

Emmy and the rats are back. Emmy's trying to resume her normal life, but problems in the rodent world keep dragging her back to the rats. Emmy's parents think she needs to learn how to be responsible so they've shipped her off to spend some time with her elderly aunts. But the rats go along and the adventure begins when Miss Barmy returns. She's not done with Emily either.

Monday, October 3, 2011

The Forbidden Sea


by Sheila A. Nelson
Lexile: 820
Genre: Fantasy

Adrianne Keynnman has become the hunted. After rescuing her sister from nearly drowning, she is marked on the wrist by the elusive and haunting Mermaid of Windwaithe Island who is known for dragging young girls out to sea. Adrianne wonders how she will be able to protect her family and herself from the mermaid as well as the townspeople who are quickly turning against her.