The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity

By: Mac Barnett

Steve loves to read detective stories.  His favorite series is "The Bailey Brothers".  Steve has

memorized all of their detecting strategies and believes that one he will be a great detective as well.  Unfortunately, at school, Steve draws the topic of "quilting" while his best friend gets the topic of "detectives".  Steve heads to the library, checks out the only book on quilting, and suddenly is captured by a SWAT team of librarians!  They believe that Steve is working for Mr. E. and trying to steal top secret government secrets.


Mrs. Senechal says:
This was a fun book to read.  If you like mysteries with a good sense of humor, you will enjoy this book.  If you happen to like "The Hardy Boys" series, you'll also see hints of those books throughout this story.  I liked that Steve was a realistic kid who learned that not everything you read in a book will turn out the same way in real life.

Sweet Home Alaska

By: Carole Estby Dagg

Terpsichore's family is struggling to make ends meet in their small town in Wisconsin.

 When her father learns of an opportunity to receive land and supplies to move to Alaska, Terpsichore looks forward to a grand adventure.  Her mother, on the other hand, does not want to leave the civilized things, like her nice dishes and piano.  The family agrees to try Alaska and stay through the first harvest, and then they will decide if they will stay permanently. 


Mrs. Senechal says:
This story is based on actual government program from the 1930's.  The plan moved about 200 families to start a new community in Alaska.  The author does an excellent job describing the difficult conditions and unexpected challenges that these settlers faced.  I have not read many historical fiction stories from this time period, so I found it fascinating!  If you like the Little House on the Prairie series, you will love this book, too!

The Island of Dr. Libris

By: Chris Grabenstein

Billy is NOT excited about spending the summer at a cabin with his mother.  During the first day, he breaks his iPhone and has a run-in with bullies.  In desperation, Billy explores the

library - quite an amazing place compared to the rest of the cabin.  As he begins to read the books, he thinks his imagination is running wild - he can hear the characters and feel the ground shake!  Billy looks outside at an island in the middle of the lake, and is shocked that he can even see the characters from the books.  Billy rows to the island to investigate and then the adventure really begins.

Mrs. Senechal says:
If you like to read, you will love this book!  If you don't like to read, this book might convince you that books are more exciting than you realize.  The author weaves famous literary characters into an exciting and modern story.  I think it would be awesome to be in the worlds and meet characters from my favorite books.  I highly recommend this book!

The Missing: Books 1-3

By: Margaret Peterson Haddix

Jonah has always known he was adopted.  His parents love he and his sister very much!  One summer, he receives a strange message in the mail: You are one of the missing.  Jonah, his

sister, Katherine, and new neighbor, Chip, laugh it off as a silly junior high prank.  But the Chip also receives the same message.  This causes an argument with his parents through which he finds out he is also adopted.  Within days, the FBI, vanishing janitors, lists of witnesses and survivors make them realize something very strange is going on.  The friends agree to figure this mystery out together, but they have no idea what they will uncover next!

Mrs. Senechal says:
Wow!  This series starts with a bang - I actually read Book 1 in one day!  While this is a science fiction series, there is also a lot of historical fiction mixed in.  The imaginative futuristic technology is exciting and thinking about how one tiny thing could cause a huge change in history will keep you reading.  So far, there are four more books in this series, and I fully intend to read them all!

The School for Good and Evil: A World without Princes (Book #2)

By: Soman Chainani

Agatha and Sophie returned home, leave The School for Good and Evil behind them.  But,

Agatha finds herself wishing that her "happily ever after" included Tedros, the prince who could have been hers.  Little does she know that this secret wish could reopen her fairy tale and instantly change everyone's lives.  Now Agatha and Sophie must decide if they should trust each other, their friends, their professors, the new Dean, or the boys!

Mrs. Senechal says:
This was a great sequel - I was surprised by so many things!  The author makes it difficult to figure out who is good and who is evil.  Just when you think you have a character figured out they do something unexpected and the plot twists in a new way.  Once again, the ending left me waiting for book #3 (due out in July of 2015)!

Schooled

By: Gordon Korman

Capricorn "Cap" Anderson has lived with his grandmother, Rain, on a community farm.

 But, when Rain falls, breaking her hip, Cap is forced to live with a foster family during her recovery.  This also requires him to attend the public middle school - up until this point, Cap had been homeschooled.  It is not the academics that cause him trouble, it's the students.  Cap doesn't know anything about football, dances, or popularity.  His fellow 8th grade classmates think Cap will make the perfect, ridiculous class president, and they are completely surprised how it turns out.

Mrs. Senechal says:

I have attended private and public schools and was even homeschooled for one year.  All forms of education have their advantages, but the transition between them can be challenging.  I loved seeing Cap's innocence in so many areas - it makes me wish that no student would have to worry about popularity or bullies.  I also appreciate how Cap sticks to his beliefs and shows how honesty, patience, and kindness can change the culture around you!