Book Review- Chapter Book

Sorry I've been out of town for awhile, but I'm back.

Chapter Book for fourth to seventh graders. "The Scarlet Slipper Mystery," by Carolyn Keene. This is only one Nancy Drew book from a large selection that's available. For the most part, girls like this mystery series best. Carolyn Keene is the factitious name given for the many writers who have penned the series. Mildred Benson wrote 23 of the books. The beloved series has lasted over seventy five years. This book is an innocent clean mystery. No cussing, teenage age pregnancy or kids on drugs. Sometimes it's nice to just pick up a book for a good read and not have to worry about it being a platform for the author's opinions. Maybe that's why this series has lasted so long. I just finished The Scarlet Slipper Mystery and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was an easy read with lots of adventure. The main character is a teenage amateur detective named Nancy Drew. Her father is Carson Drew, a lawyer. With the aid of her neighbor and boyfriend Ned, Nancy and two friends help a ballet dancer and her artist brother who are being threatened. While trying to help them Nancy gets pushed down stairs, kidnapped, and escapes a burning building. Nancy seems to have nerves of steel. But can Nancy find out what the numbers mean from a piece of paper she finds in a cracked vase? This case involves stolen gems and ballet painting. I like the unusual way the writer hides the gems.

Book Review: Chapter book

"The Hopscotch Tree," by Leda Siskind. Excellent book. Edith Gold is new in town. A bully picks on her because Edith is the only Jewish girl in her fifth grade class. Edith likes to lay in her bed at night visualizing a special tree at school. She believes this Hopscotch Tree (kids play hopscotch near the tree using its pods as markers) is magical and can bring you luck. The rumor about the special tree gets around school. Soon students from different grades want to know about its special powers. The tree might be special but can it help Edith find out why the bully, Zandra, treats her unkindly?

I have a Jewish friend who said when she was little she lived in a predominantly Christian town. Her family was one of only two Jewish families on her long block. In school her class always said a morning prayer, and every winter there was a Christmas pageant with baby Jesus. My friend said she knew she was different. During one Chanukah week someone threw a rock though the other Jewish family's window. It was aimed at, and hit, their Menorah. This family and my friend's family were unnerved by this violent act. Some Christian neighbors felt bad and purposely put Menorahs in their windows in defiance to this display of intolerance. She said she'll never forget this act of friendship.

Book Review: Chapter book- A Classic

Chapter book for ten to twelve-year-olds. "Tom Sawyer," by Mark Twain. A classic. However, some kids find this book a little outdated and prefer more modern ones. Basically the book is about the adventures of two friends, Tom and Huck. Huckleberry is an irresistible wild child. Tom is rather lively himself. Story takes place in the 1800's, in the slave territory. Tom lives with his Aunt Polly and his half-brother Sid. Tom's adventures begin when he and his pipe smoking friend Huck sneak out at night to visit a graveyard. There they witness Injun Joe kill a doctor. Scared, they run. Some kids might find it a tad slow compared to books nowadays. But it's still a good book.

Book Review- Chapter book

Chapter book for third to fifth graders, depending on their reading level. "James and the Giant Peach," by Roald Dahl. My brother loved this book as a kid. It's an A 1 book. The author has a very vivid imagination. He's also a great story teller. In this book Dahl's character James lives with his two mean aunts. They are horrible to the little boy. A little old man who knows James is miserable gives him a bag of magic crystals. James is to put the crystals in water and drink it down. An excited James runs to the house. He slips on the way there. The bag of crystals falls on the ground near a peach tree. All the crystals dissolve into its soil. Soon the peach tree starts growing bigger and bigger. It gets so big James is able to climb inside a hole in its side. And this where his adventures begins.

Book Review- Chapter book

Chapter book for third to fifth graders, depending on their reading level. "The Incredible Journey," by Sheila Burnford. A lovely book. Kids who love dogs and cats will like this book. It takes place in Canada. A man with three pets, an old bulldog, a Labrador and a cat goes on a vacation. He leaves his animals in the care of the couple who look after his home. His animals follow his trail over one hundred miles to find him. Through hunger, pain and adventures they continue their quest undaunted. The animals truly do have one amazing trek in the wilderness to be united with their owner.

Book Review- Award Winner

Chapter book for nine to thirteen-year-olds, depending on their reading level. "A Year Down Yonder," by Richard Peck. An amusing fast read, and a New Newbery Medal winner. The book is about a teen named Mary Alice who spends a year living with her Grandma. But her Grandma is definitely no shrinking violet. Some of things she says are down right funny. The book is quite entertaining. I recommend it for summer reading.