The Marvels

     The Marvels by Brian Selznick, a beautiful story centering around the acting family 'The Marvels', takes place in London at a strange home in Spitalfields. As is typical in Mr. Selznick's stories, the story is split between two different times. In the present time, Joseph has fled his boarding school and seeks to find shelter in London with his mysterious uncle Albert Nightengale. Instead of the family reunion that Joseph anticipates, he finds his uncle to be strange and standoffish. While exploring his eccentric home, Joseph stumbles upon many things that just don't add up! Will he be able to understand his family's past and their connection to the Marvels? How will the past and the present come together to change Joseph's future? 

     I am already a huge Brian Selznick fan, so when I saw he was releasing a new book I almost squealed in delight. Not only is he an incredible story teller, but almost half of the book is told through incredible images that hold so much detail it is hard to take them all in. I also love that you never fully understand the mysteries of his stories until the end. It keeps you reading and engaged the entire way through. I thought I had the mystery, the connection between the two time periods figured out until another twist appeared. This is a story filled with great, relatable characters and has a way for you to truly enter the world of the story when you find out the Uncle Albert's house is an actual place in London you can visit! It is a must read, you won't regret it. 

Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer

     Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan introduces the world to Norse mythology through the journey of mortal Magnus Chase. Magnus has not lead an exceptional life. He has lost his mother, he never knew his father, and he has been living on the streets for the past two years. In one day, when Magnus turns 16, his life is completely turned upside down. He finds himself on a bridge battling a fire giant named Surt and unearthing a sword no one has seen in decades. This leads Magnus to the Norse afterlife of Valhalla where he learns of his unclear fate and must go on quest to stop the world from falling into 'Ragnarok' too soon. Will Magnus complete this quest and finally find his place in the world after all? 

     If you are a fan of Rick Riordan then this story is again a must read. I absolutely love that we have left the familiar world of Greek and Roman mythology and headed into the world of Norse mythology. I learned so much through the course of the book and realized how much more I want to learn. With a whole new cast of crazy characters, like Blitz and Hearth, and witty, humor-filled chapter titles, it is hard to put the book down. I must say though that this book does hit a slow patch towards the middle. I think it is easy to get lost in all of the characters and the new mythology, but it definitely picks back up the last 150 pages. I say this so you stick with it, I promise you won't regret it. I cannot wait for Magnus' next adventure in his search for Thor's hammer. 

Who Is Malala Yousafzai?

     Who Is Malala Yousafzai by Dimah Brown is the story of a young girl from Pakistan who stood up to the Taliban when they tried to take away her right to go to school. Malala grew up in a peaceful village where her father helped build schools for girls and boys. Malala loved learning from an early age and decided she would do anything to go to school, and so she did. But when war tears her country apart, and strict Taliban beliefs ban all women from going to school or even leaving their homes without a male relative, Malala must stand up for what she believes in. Through writing and speeches, Malala shares with the world how education should be the right of every child no matter their race or gender. She will inspire you and remind you how lucky we are to have the rights that we do.

     This book is a must-read for every child. I believe this because it shows that age means nothing when it comes to changing the world and standing up for what you know is right. My goal is to have all of my students, girls especially, read this book before the end of the year. It is hard not to be inspired by this young girl who stood up to Taliban and almost lost her life for it. Malala shows us all what it means to be brave. I think what will stick with me most from her story is the reminder of how lucky we are in the United States to have rights for women/girls. School and an education should be given to everyone across the world, but it isn't. Malala reminds me to appreciate what I have - the right to go to school - every day because you never know when things can change.

Knucklehead

     Knucklehead by Jon Scieszka is a memoir that contains hilarious short stories about children's author Jon Scieszka's childhood. Jon grew up as one of six siblings and all of them liked to find trouble. They like to play jokes on the nuns at their school, they sold each other their own shirts, and they even broke one of their brother's collar bones multiple times. Through these stories, we learn how Jon found such a great sense of humor. Without growing up in this crazy family he might not be the creative, funny writer that he is today. 

What I liked most about this book...
What I didn't like about this book...
I think Jon is....because...
This is the first time I read a memoir. I would read one again because/I wouldn't read one again because...

The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle

    The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle, the second book in the series by Christopher Healy, is about how the League of Princes must come back together for another daring adventure. Prince Liam is forced to marry the horrible princess Briar Rose. What Liam soon learns, is that there is more to his marriage than uniting two kingdoms, Briar Rose has bigger plans for him and for herself. Liam must call upon his scattered friends to help him in his quest to stop Briar's scheme and save all of the kingdoms from destruction. Will they be able to put together another plan, or will their history and self-doubt open them up to failure? 

     Christopher Healy's gift as a writer is being able to twist classic fairy tales into new adventures we can't help but love. For example, Briar Rose (aka Sleeping Beauty) was one of my favorite princesses, but in this story you love to hate her. She turns out to be a villian, which is the complete opposite of the stories I grew up with. I also love that he writes books about strong girl characters who are sometimes braver than the boys. Princes like Fredrick and Duncan, who in the old stories are handsome, daring, and strong, turn out to be scaredy-cats and dim-wits in this book. So much humor comes from how they don't act "princely" most of the time. If you love the classic tales and are looking for a humor-filled twist on what you know, this is the series for you. 

Switch

     Switch, the third in a series of companion novels by Ingrid Law, continues to tell the story of the Beaumont family and their incredible Savvy powers. This time, the story focuses on Gypsy, the younger sister of Mibs, and how she develops her Savvy during a difficult time for her family. What is most shocking, is not that Gypsy develops a special power, but how her special power, and the other Savvys in her family, get switched around for a reason they can't yet understand. Will Gypsy's "switch" allow her to stop a horrible vision from taking place, or will even her amazing powers not be enough to change fate? 

     As I said above, this is the third book in the "Savvy" series. I was so excited when I learned this book would be hitting shelves because Ingrid Law has an amazing way of weaving the fantastical with the real. By this I mean that she has a great balance of fantasy, like 13 year olds developing special powers, and real life situations, like dealing with crushes, bullying, and sibling rivalry. Gypsy is a fantastic main character because she is learning how to appreciate herself throughout the story. She seems shy and unsure of herself, but as the story progresses, she learns what she is truly capable of and truly comes out of her shell. It is always fun to watch a character change in this way, and because Ingrid creates characters you love, you are invested in seeing what happens to them. This is a must read if you enjoyed Savvy, the books just get better every time. 

     

Pluto

      Pluto: A Wonder Story by R.J. Palacio is another incredible story about those people who have been impacted by knowing Auggie Pullman. The main character of this story is Auggie's childhood friend Christopher. The short story details not only how Auggie and Christopher became best friends, but how their friendship was tested throughout the years. Their friendship looks very different now that both of them are finally in school and Christopher and his family have moved away. What Christopher must learn is what it means to be a true friend, and while he is figuring this out, will his friendship with Auggie survive?

     What I love so much about all of R.J. Palacio's stories is the heart she puts into them. No character is perfect, all of them have flaws, but in the end all of them rely on their hearts to make the best decision. Christopher is no different, he is a normal boy dealing with balancing friendship, being accepted, and school work. I may not have agreed with everything Christopher did throughout the story, but I understood his choices because as humans we all make mistakes. At the end of the story, Christopher finds a way to step up to the plate and show his true colors and that is all I can every ask of anyone in my life. It isn't about being perfect, it is about learning from our experiences.