Archive for Humor

Three Humorous Graphic Novels for Kids

March 21, 2013 · Filed under Graphic Novel, Humor, Intermediate (3-5), Middle School (6-8), Primary (K-2) · Tagged , , , , , , ,

I mostly read realistic teen fiction, and often these books deal with young people in difficult situations. Frankly, sometimes I need a bit of a break from the heavy stuff. Maybe you do too.  Here are some humorous graphic novels that have crossed my desk recently that just might be the break you need.

benjaminbearBenjamin Bear in Bright Ideas by Philippe Coudray. March 2013. 9781935179221. Gr. PS-1.

Benjamin Bear has lots of ideas. Unfortunately, they are not always good ideas.  Kids will laugh at the antics, but they may also glean some good ideas about cause and effect or creative problem solving in the one-page comics in this book.  French artist Phillippe Coudray has created another winner for emerging readers (or anyone with a silly sense of humor) in this series with Bright Ideas.

Aariolriol: Just a Donkey Like You and Me by Emmanuel Gilbert. February 2013. 9781597073998. Gr. 3-6.

Don’t let the all animal cast in this graphic novel fool you.  It is indeed realistic fiction.  Ariol and his friends have comical mishaps in chapters that feel like short stories.  It is easy to read and highly relatable.  It’s a great choice for the in-between kids who are young enough to enjoy Ariol’s wild imagination and old enough to sympathize when Ariol embarrasses himself in front of his crush.

chickenhareChickenhare by Chris Grine. February 2013. 9780545485081. Gr 6-8.

Looking for something kind of unusual? Meet Chickenhare. He has just been captured by a trapper who intends to sell his unusual captive to an exotic animal collector.  You might be wondering what a  chickenhare actually is.  Well, it’s half chicken, half rabbit, of course.  And he is in quite a situation because this exotic animal collector is actually a twisted taxidermist determined to turn him into home décor.  Chickenhare and a few odd friends are determined to escape and that’s where the adventure begins.  There is plenty of action along with a mix of horror and humor that will have plenty of appeal to readers who like offbeat adventure/comedies.

MindyBlogger: Mindy R.

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Book Review: Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover

March 7, 2013 · Filed under Easy Readers, Fiction, Humor, Primary (K-2), Reviews · Tagged , , ,

rabbitandrobotRabbit & Robot: The Sleepover by Cece Bell.  September 2012. 9780763654757. Gr. 1-3

Rabbit is a planner.  His friend Robot is visiting for a sleepover, and Rabbit has their evening carefully planned out.  He is very excited for everything to go perfectly.

First on his list is making pizza, but it turns out that Robot likes nuts and bolts on his pizza rather than carrots and lettuce.  No problem!  Robot just takes apart Rabbit’s table to get what he needs for his pizza. But then where will they eat?!  Robot has an answer for that, too.  He spreads a blanket on the floor for a picnic.  Lovely.

As the two friends try to follow Rabbit’s list, something always goes wrong.  They can’t find the remote when it’s time to watch TV.  Robot wants to play Old Maid rather than Go Fish.   Then Robot’s batteries run out, and Rabbit has to figure out a solution.  The story is full of humor, and it has an old-fashioned charm.

This is a good choice for early chapter book readers looking for a funny story about mismatched friends, but the mom in me loved  that the book modeled problem solving and positivity for my 5-year-old.  I recently read Paul Tough’s book How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character, and I couldn’t help but notice the connection between Rabbit and Robot’s interactions and the skills that Tough talks about in his book.  Maybe you’ll see this book as a story about resilience and optimism (as I saw it) or maybe you’ll see it as about two friends dealing with silly situations (as my daughter saw it); either way, it’s a great choice for new chapter book readers.

If you’re interested in character ed, there are a few more suggestions in this post.

MindyBlogger: Mindy R.

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Book Review: Freaks

February 25, 2013 · Filed under Fiction, Historical, Humor, Middle School (6-8), Mystery, Novels, Reviews · Tagged , , ,

Freaks by Kieran Larwood. March 2013. 9780545474245. Gr. 6-8.

There are a lot of great new books out there.  I am always amazed at the variety and diversity of books for kids; it seems that there is something for everyone.    However, I sometimes get jaded with media, as it seems like everything is too derivative of something else.  I like things that are unique, that haven’t been overdone.

A few things about Freaks piqued my interest and assured me that it would be unique. First, there is the eye-catching cover, depicting three of the “freaks”.  Second is the tagline, “Weirdest. Crime Fighters. Ever.”  Finally, the publisher’s note on the inside that describes it as the X-men meet Oliver Twist assured me that this title would be nothing if not unique!

Freaks is set in Victorian London, a time when sideshow freaks work in less-than-optimal conditions, and “street urchins” beg for money or work long hours at terrible jobs.  Both of these play central roles in Freaks.  The main character is Sheba, a wolf-girl who works as a sideshow attraction in Grunchgirdle’s World of Curiosities, alongside a two-headed sheep named Flossy.  Grunchgirdle is a despicable man that Larwood describes as, “…a rheumy, skinny old man with the aroma of a long-dead trout.” Soon, Sheba is sold to an equally unsavory man named Plumpscuttle.  It is here that she joins a group of other Freaks, including a giant named Gigantus, a ninja-like girl named Sister Moon, a rat-wrangler called Mama Rat, and Monkeyboy, who has a penchant for all things disgusting.

When a girl that Sheba befriends at the sideshow goes missing under mysterious circumstances, the sideshow performers team up to find out what is going on in the city.  Why are poor kids who work near the river disappearing? What is the monstrous, crab-like thing that has been sighted there? Who could be behind all of this?  Sheba convinces the other Freaks that they have to act and try to answer these questions, which takes them on an adventure throughout the city, culminating at the Crystal Palace of London’s Great Exhibition of 1851.

Freaks won the prestigious Chicken House/London Times Children’s Fiction contest.  Kieran Larwood is a Kindergarten teacher in Britain, and one can see this in his writing.  He obviously knows what children find funny, as Monkeyboy provides lots of one-liners and bathroom humor.  Larwood concludes the book with some teaching, in this case about real Victorian London.  He provides a nice history lesson about the impoverished state of the city, the history of freak shows, and the Great Exhibition.

In the book, a sign at the entrance of the freakshow reads, “A Collection of the Hideous, Horrid, and Humongous. Terror and Amazement Await You.  You Are Advised to Bring a Change of Trousers.”  While I won’t go that extent in encouraging you to read this book, I will say that it is a fun and unique story that I thoroughly enjoyed.  Freaks will be released in March.

Ryan

Blogger: Ryan H.

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Kate DiCamillo Contest

November 2, 2012 · Filed under Contest, Easy Readers, Fiction, Humor, Intermediate (3-5), Novels, Primary (K-2), Realistic · Tagged , , , ,

  We here at Mackin are big fans of Kate DiCamillo and her body of work.  Whenever a new book comes out, we fight over who gets to read the ARC first!  We love her so much, we interviewed her for our latest Compendium!  Check out the interview here.  So we are so excited that Candlewick has provided some wonderful prizes for us to share with our readers!  What are these wonderful prizes?  We thought you’d never ask!

The grand prize winner will receive a complete set of DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson series along with two adorable Mercy Watson plush toys, and a tote bag.

The second prize winner will receive an autographed special edition of Because of Winn-Dixie along with a Winn-Dixie plush toy.

The third prize winner will receive also receive an autographed special edition of Because of Winn-Dixie and a fabulous Bink & Gollie T-shirt.

That’s right folks…THREE prizes!  Three chances to win!  All you have to do is leave a comment about your favorite Kate DiCamillo book, or if you haven’t had the pleasure of reading her work yet, which book you’ll like to start with.

We’ll announce the lucky winners next Friday!  Good Luck!

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Beach Reads for Winter

October 25, 2012 · Filed under Fiction, High School, Humor, Middle School (6-8), Novels, Realistic, Romance, Uncategorized · Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

Just because the temperature has dropped, and you wouldn’t be caught dead outside in a swimsuit doesn’t mean you can’t still  enjoy some nice, fluffy, chick-litty reads!  So if you’ve just finished re-reading some Austen or Dickens by the fireplace, take a break and try one of these titles.

A Girl Named Digit by Annabel Monaghan.  June, 2012.  9780547668529.  Gr. 7-12.

Seventeen-year-old Farrah is a math genius, a trait that earned her the humiliating nickname Digit in middle school and a fact that she hides now that she’s in high school. When Farrah uncovers a terrorist plot encoded in a popular TV show, she can no longer hide who she really is. On the run from terrorists trying to kill her, Digit embraces her gift in order to help the FBI uncover the truth. And the fact that her FBI handler John is young and attractive? That’s just a bonus. Girls will love this thin, fast-paced novel, and will root for Digit throughout.

Surviving High School by M. Doty.  September, 2012.  9780316220156.  Gr. 7-12.

Freshman Emily Kessler has one goal; to live up to her sister’s legacy.  After a tragic accident takes the life of her sister, Emily feels the pressure to be everything Sara was:  perfect.  Perfect grades, and an Olympic-bound record-breaking swimmer.  There’s just one problem in the form of Ben Kale, Branches High’s heart throb and bad boy.  The closer Emily gets to Ben, the more she realizes that she wants more than perfect grades and a swim record.  But can she convince her father/coach to back down?  And what is the real story behind Sara’s accident?  Readers will root for Emily as she comes to understand what she truly wants.

The List by Siobhan Vivian.  April, 2012.  9780545169172.  Gr. 9-12.

Every year at Mount Washington High School, The List is posted a week before Homecoming, naming the prettiest and ugliest girl in each grade.  Vivian shows how it affects each of the eight girls named on the list.  For sophomore Sarah, being named the ugliest sends her into a protest, refusing to shower or change her clothes to prove just how ugly she can get.  Another girl struggles to balance her new-found popularity with homework, and being named the prettiest junior sends another girl back to her anorexic habits.  While bullying, mean girls and popularity aren’t new topics, Vivian manages to take a fresh look at them through her very realistically portrayed characters.

This will also be my last post for awhile as I am on maternity leave!  I’m taking care of my beautiful little Annabelle, but you may see me on here from time to time!

Lindsey L.

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Series Review: Floors

October 4, 2012 · Filed under Fiction, Humor, Intermediate (3-5), Magic, Middle School (6-8), Mystery, Novels, Reviews · Tagged ,

Floors by Patrick Carman. 2011. 9780545255196. Gr 4-7.

It can sometimes be overwhelming trying to pick books to highlight here on the Books in Bloom blog.  There are so many good titles out there that are just waiting to be showcased!  I have been on a bit of a middle-school fiction kick lately, and I decided to tap into my built-in “focus group” to help me decide which title to feature here.  My “focus group” is comprised of my two grade-school sons, and it is always fun to see what they are picking up off the shelves and listening to their reviews of books.

I remembered a few months back that my younger son, Lucas, was really into the book Floors by Patrick Carman.  I remember watching him sitting and reading on the couch, smiling and laughing out loud, totally engrossed.  Afterward, he gave it an enthusiastic five-star rating and periodically reminded me, “Dad, you should read that book!”

So, when I saw that the second book in the series was released recently, I figured I should see if the series lived up to the hype.

The protagonist of Floors is Leo Fillmore, son of the Whippet Hotel’s maintenance man.  As part of their employment, they live in the basement of the hotel, which may sound dull, but in reality it is a child’s dream.  The Whippet Hotel is no ordinary hotel.  Built by the eccentric Merganzer D. Whippet, it features rollercoasters, a life-sized pinball machine room, hidden passageways, robots, holograms, and so much more.  It is truly imaginative, inventive, and unique.  The problem is that it appears that greedy real estate developers want to acquire the property it is built on, and they are sabotaging the workings of the hotel in an effort to drive down the price and buy it.  Things are mysteriously breaking down, chaos reigns, and many of the guests of the hotel are getting upset.  On top of all of this, Mr. Whippet has mysteriously disappeared, leaving much of the responsibility of fixing things to Leo and his dad.  Leo finds a mysterious box left to him by Mr. Whippet that sends him and his bellboy friend, Remi, on a quest that leads them throughout the marvelous hotel.

There is a lot going on here: mystery and intrigue, villains and good guys, Willy Wonka-style contraptions and inventions, and loads of adventure.  While Leo is the main character, the Whippet Hotel is the star of the book.  Carman has succeeded in creating a world within the hotel that really stimulates the imagination.

3 Below by Patrick Carman. September 2012. 9780545255202. Gr. 4-7.

In the follow up to Floors, titled 3 Below, we find that there is even more to the Whippet Hotel than was revealed in the first book.  The bossy former manager, Mrs. Sparks, is back with revenge on her mind, and she knows that the preoccupied Mr. Whippet has not paid his taxes, and now owes $700,000.  She enlists the help of the detestable Mr. Carp and a hotel guest to again try and wrest the hotel away from Leo and Mr. Whippet.   Leo and Remi are sent on another quest to save the hotel, where they encounter a new cast of characters and plenty of surprises.

This series features a lot of pure, innocent fun.  I think they are great books to get in the hands of boys, as the robots, contraptions, and adventure should prove irresistible to them.  But I also think this is a fun read for anyone…who doesn’t like magical, mysterious, funny stories?  This book would be a great read-aloud book for a classroom or reading group as well.

It appears that my “focus group” was correct on this one!  I am sure you all take note of what the children in your lives are reading…I encourage you to leave a comment after this post with any books your own personal “focus groups” have been telling YOU to read!


Blogger:  Ryan H.

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Review: The Templeton Twins Have An Idea

September 20, 2012 · Filed under Fiction, Humor, Intermediate (3-5), Middle School (6-8), Mystery, Novels, Reviews · Tagged , , ,

The Templeton Twins Have An Idea by Ellis Weiner. August 2012. 9780811866798. Gr 5-7.

  • How would the Templeton twins’ lives have been different had they never been born?
  • What were the names of Abigail and John, the Templeton twins?

I begin this review with a sample of the “review questions” that appear at the end of each chapter in this comical book.  They are posed by the funny, sarcastic, full-of-himself narrator. Unlike most narrators that detachedly recount a story, this one talks directly to the reader, often in a humorous and entertaining tone.

The aforementioned Templeton twins are the smart and inventive children of Elton Templeton, a professor and inventor who has never quite moved on after the death of the children’s mother.  He is offered a position at a university that will allow him to further his research on one of his inventions, the Personal One-Man Helicopter, so the family packs up and moves.

During one of the professor’s lectures at his new post, a former student and current nemesis, Dean D. Dean, interrupts and claims that he was the mind behind the personal helicopter invention, and that the professor stole his idea.  After being rebuffed by the professor, Dean storms out, foreshadowing that he is not through harassing the Templeton family.

Dean, with the aid of his twin brother, Dan D. Dean, end up kidnapping the Templeton twins, requiring the twins to rely on their talents and smarts to escape and foil the Deans’ plan.  Beneath all of the silliness and escapades, a good message comes through…be resourceful, think on your feet, and work together.

The Templeton Twins Have An Idea reminds me a lot of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events.  There is a lot of goofiness within its pages (it is the best book that contains a meatloaf recipe that I have read all year!), and the excellent illustrations by Jeremy Holmes add a lot of depth.  Overall, this is a promising start to a fun, new series.

I highly recommend visiting The Templeton Twins’ Tumblr site where you can watch the book trailer, read about the next book in the series, and best of all, submit a question to the cheeky narrator.

Borrowing from the narrator’s end-of-chapter questions, I will end with a question for you:

Did you like this review? True or False. Circle one:

T          T

Blogger: Ryan H.

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Book Review: Liar & Spy

September 6, 2012 · Filed under Fiction, Humor, Intermediate (3-5), Middle School (6-8), Novels, Realistic · Tagged , , , ,

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead. August 2012. 9780385737432. Gr 4-7.

I love children’s literature authors who don’t feel the need to “dumb down” things for kids.  They are able to weave a sharp and intelligent narrative by writing on a level that is sophisticated, yet understandable and accessible.  This is exactly how I feel about Rebecca Stead, author of the Newbery Award-winning When You Reach Me, and her new book, Liar & Spy.

A few years ago, I was looking for a book to read aloud to my kids, and saw the description for When You Reach Me.  I immediately knew that this was a book that would appeal not only to my kids, but to me as well.  It is a mind-bending, time travel tale reminiscent of the classic A Wrinkle in Time.  (And, in fact, Stead features the classic throughout her novel).  The book sparked great discussion between myself and my boys, and was simply great fun to read together.

So, when Liar & Spy came out, I expected the same level of creativity and sophistication, and I wasn’t disappointed.

The protagonist, Georges, is a seventh-grader who is going through a rough time in his life.  His dad has just lost his job, resulting in the family needing to relocate.  His mom is compensating by working double shifts, and Georges is battling ruthless bullies at his school.  One positive result of all of this is that Georges meets Safer, a homeschooled boy in a neighboring apartment.  Safer is a quirky, coffee-swigging boy obsessed with spying on residents of the apartment building, especially the man he has dubbed Mr. X.  Safer enlists Georges in his spy operations, monitoring Mr. X’s comings and goings via the lobby’s security camera.  Hanging out with Safer and his family provides respite from his bleak school experience, but as the story moves along, Georges becomes more and more wary of teaming up in Safer’s spying.

Stead peppers the story with interesting asides that are as fun as they are informative.  Once again, this is not “dumbed down” stuff.  The adult reader may learn something along the way, too, such as what “umami” is, facts on the artistic style “pointillism”, how Ben Franklin tried to change the alphabet, and best of all, the “Interrupting Cow” knock-knock joke (my all-time favorite!)

Liar & Spy is a slim volume, clocking in at only 180 pages, but there is a lot packed into it.  Stead manages to weave in themes of bullying, anxiety, individuality, family, friendship, and more.  There are a couple of great twists and turns in the story, and Stead writes characters with a great deal of depth.  Liar & Spy is great for middle-graders on up, and anyone who is dying to know the punchline to the “Interrupting Cow” joke!

Blogger: Ryan H.

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Book Review: The Last Dragonslayer

August 23, 2012 · Filed under Fantasy, Fiction, High School, Humor, Magic, Middle School (6-8), Novels, Reviews · Tagged , ,

The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde. October 2012. 9780547738475. Gr 7-12.

It is difficult to describe a Jasper Fforde book.  As I sat down to write this review, I felt it was going to be hard to encompass the “vibe” of a Fforde novel.  On his website, he recognizes this, and provides a (somewhat) helpful answer about describing his books, as part of the site’s Frequently Asked Questions (which in and of themselves are a fun read):

Q: What sort of books are they?

A: Good question. An odd mix of Fantasy, Crime and Sci-fi. There’s romance, too, and literary stuff, and satire, and .. well, you name it.

I am happy to know that even Fforde himself has trouble defining what a Fforde novel is like!

I was first exposed to the hard-to-pigeonhole writing of Fforde with his Thursday Next series, which features a wry blend of British humor, literary references, and mystery.  In his first novel written for young adults, The Last Dragonslayer, Fforde’s sparkling wit is again front and center, but retooled a bit to cater to a younger audience.  Imagine the silliness of Monty Python blended with the magic of Harry Potter.

Taking place in an alternate-reality England (dubbed the Ununited Kingdom by Fforde), The Last Dragonslayer features a wonderfully intelligent and spunky heroine named Jennifer Strange.  She is an orphan who was raised in a convent, and with the mysterious disappearance of the Great Zambini, she is now in charge of Kazam Mystical Arts Management.  She manages a stable of magicians, which sounds pretty glamorous, but in reality is not what it seems.  The power of magic has dwindled over the years, and magicians are now employed to perform such mundane tasks as cleaning out drains or rewiring a house.  Jennifer is an indentured servant biding her time pushing paperwork for the agency and dealing with the egos and personalities of magicians who used to be powerful, but are not the respected wizards they once were.

When the kingdom’s psychics all foresee the death of Maltcassion, the kingdom’s last dragon, circumstances dictate that Jennifer will play a huge role in the event.  It appears that it is her destiny to be reluctantly entwined in the death of Maltcassion. But in the Ununited Kingdom, things aren’t always what they seem.  Jennifer must navigate a confusing path, using her own judgment, deciding who to trust and who has their own agenda, to make the right decision that will impact the future of the entire kingdom.

Fforde includes so much wit and cleverness it can sometimes be overwhelming, including memorable side-characters such as eccentric magicians, Transient Moose (a spell that started as a practical joke causes a moose to appear and reappear at random intervals and locations), and a unique animal called a Quarkbeast, who is described as “one tenth Labrador, six tenths velociraptor and three tenths kitchen food blender”.

This is a silly, fun read for middle-schoolers and up, and is the first title in a trilogy.  There are underlying themes of destiny, ethics, loyalty, and more in this tale, but at its heart, it is an entertaining read about a reluctant heroine. The Last Dragonslayer hits the shelves in the U.S. on October 2nd.

Blogger: Ryan H.

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My Biblio-Biography

June 14, 2012 · Filed under Fiction, Graphic Novel, High School, Horror, Humor, Math, Middle School (6-8), Mystery, Nonfiction, Sports · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As the “new kid on the blog”, I would just like to say I’m excited to contribute and highlight some of the great titles that are out there.   You can check out my bio here, but I thought I would make my first post as an official Books in Bloom blogger  a mashup; titles that correspond to some of my interests.  So, here is my biblio-biography, so to speak!

Confession:  I am an unabashed Word Nerd.  I am the guy that not only gets excited for the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals, but tunes in to the preliminary rounds with the same fervor.  I do the New York Times Sunday Crossword…in pen!  I try not to be too insufferable, but occasionally like to work words like “perspicacity” into conversation.  Below are a couple of titles that budding logophiliacs will enjoy.

The Puzzler’s Mansion by Eric Berlin. 9780399256974. 2012. Gr 4-7.

This is the third installment of The Puzzling World of Winston Breen series, which features cleverly-written mysteries with puzzles and brainteasers interspersed throughout the story.  In this installment, Winston, along with his friends, is invited to a famous pianist’s mansion for a weekend of puzzling.  However, there is a thief in their midst, and Winston has to use all of his puzzle-solving skills to solve the mystery.

Word Nerd  by Susin Nielsen. 9780887768750. 2008. Gr 5-8.

Ambrose is your stereotypical nerd.  He wears odd, mismatched clothes, is socially inept, and is a whiz at Scrabble. None of this endears him to the school bullies, but his character is very endearing in this book about understanding, second chances, and acceptance.  It is a word nerd’s paradise, with its beginning-of-chapter anagrams and Scrabble commentary.

I counterbalance my nerdiness with a healthy passion for sports.  I am a big fan of college athletics, and follow, down to the minutiae, the athletics of my alma mater, Iowa State University.  You may see future posts from me about various sports, but for the purposes of this post I will highlight a sport that is in full swing (pun intended)…baseball!  As Yogi Berra once so wisely said, “Baseball is ninety percent mental, and the other half is physical.”  Here are some baseball titles I have recently enjoyed:

Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick. 9780545320696. 2012. Gr 7-10.

This book’s baseball-themed title is somewhat misleading.  The book actually features equal parts baseball, photography, and aging.  Sonnenblick weaves these into a nice story about friendship and family, gracefully broaching subjects such as early love and Alzheimer’s disease.  Sonnenblick obviously did his research, as the storyline on photography is pitch-perfect.  I was impressed at how he describes photography techniques and sensitively, but lightly, handles some heavy topics.

Ballparking: Practical Math for Impractical Sports Questions by Aaron Santos. 9780762443451. 2012. Gr 10-Adult.

This great nonfiction title has a wonderful premise; it attempts to answer some interesting and burning sports questions with mathematics.  It covers all major sports, but some of the baseball questions are:

  • How hard would you have to hit a baseball to hit the Goodyear Blimp?
  • How many (Major League Baseball) games would a kid have to go to before catching a home run?
  • How much farther would a baseball travel in a space stadium than in an Earth stadium?

Questions are answered with a combination of math, physics, and logic, and while most of the math was above my head, I still enjoyed reading the conclusions to these funny and imaginative questions. This book is the perfect confluence of math and sports.

Finally, the interest that takes up the bulk of my time is family.  My two boys are always in the forefront of my mind, and I enjoy seeing what they are reading and recommending great new titles to them.  Connor likes to read challenging material and currently likes anything dystopic/post-apocalyptic.  Lucas has a great sense of humor and likes books that make him laugh.  They have each picked a recent favorite book for me to highlight here:

Rot and Ruin by Jonathan Maberry. 9781442402324. 2010. Gr 8-12.

This is one of Connor’s all-time favorites.  Set in a post-apocalyptic world where zombies run rampant and 15-year olds need to choose a job or have their rations reduced by half, Benny Imura becomes a zombie killer.  Connor writes, “Rot and Ruin was totally awesome, no other way to explain it!  The best part is when Benny goes out with Tom for his first zombie job.  Benny thought the job to be boring, but he learned a lot by accepting the job. “Zoms” aren’t the meanest thing out there…people are.”

Stickman Odyssey by Christopher Ford. 9780399254260. 2011. Gr 6-9.

Lucas enjoys books with comic-style illustrations, such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and My Life as a Book.  He also recently loved Mary Pope Osborn’s adaptation of The Odyssey.  So, a logical choice for him was Christopher Ford’s Stickman Odyssey, which tells a Greek mythological tale in graphic novel form.  It provided Lucas many laughs, and he has re-read it multiple times.

So, there you have it!  I’m thrilled at the opportunity to share great books with you, and I hope you enjoy reading about the titles I have selected.

Ryan H.

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