Category: #ReadIt

 

 

   Going to the beach for spring break? Well, here is a great book to read while chilling in the sand. When at the beach, you should read Any Day With You by Mae Respicio. This book is about a girl named Kaia, who lives near the beach with her family. Her family is from the Philippines so she is Filipino. Kaia is proud to be Filipino, but she especially loves the monsters and myths in her culture. In her family, she has an older sister named Lainey, who is going to college. Kaia feels that Lainey is perfect at everything and is the favorite of the family. Right now, Lainey is in the Philippines learning about their family history there. Kaia’s favorite hobby is special effects with make-up, which she happens to be good at. During the summer, she and her friends enroll in a summer film contest. Kaia comes up with a plot for their movie using Filipino monsters. Kaia is in charge of make-up for the monsters. She hopes that they will be able to make it to the showing of movies, which means making an amazing movie.  When spending time with her great-grandpa, Kaia finds out that her great-grandpa Tatang might be moving back to the Philippines where he grew up. When she finds this out she comes up with a plan to stop Tatang from moving back. Will Kaia be able to stop Tatang from moving back to the Philippines? Will Kaia and her friends win the summer film contest and make it to the showing? To find out, read Any Day With You by Mae Respicio. 

   If you like books where the main character struggles to fit in and make friends, then you should read The Best It by Maulik Panchloy. This book is about Rahul who is Indian, and many people make fun of him for being weak and not strong. Rahul’s grandpa Bhai, tells him a story about his wife (Rahul’s grandma) and this makes Rahul want to be the best at something. Rahul and his best friend Chelsea try many things to see what Rahul is the best at. He goes and auditions for a commercial. The people running the commercial don’t let him because he is black. This hurts him and his family because they think that this is not how he should be treated.  Rahul also tries to be the best at football. He didn’t make the team because he sprained his ankle when trying to catch the ball. He was mad he didn’t make the team because he practiced really hard. When none of those work Chelsea tries to convince him to join the mathletes because math comes easy for him. Rahul thinks that he is going to get made fun of because everyone is now going to think that he is a geek. When he makes the team he realizes that this is what he is good at. The mathlete’s teacher hopes to make it to states and possibly advance into the next round. When Jenny asks him to the dance they feel awkward, and Jenny thinks Rahul would rather be with Chelsea. Chelsea notices that Rahul looks nervous. After the fight Chelsea and Rahul don’t talk for a while, and their parents get suspicious. Will Rahul advance into the next round, and make it to state? Will Rahul make sure that his friendship with Chelsea is better? To find out, read The Best At It by Maulik Pancholy. 

  If you like The Best At It you might also enjoy reading The Miscalculations of Lighting Girl, by Stacy McAnulty. These two books connect because the main characters in both books struggle to find friends and fit in. Lucy struggles to fit in because she was always homeschooled, and is not used to being at school with other people.The main character Lucy was struck by lightning when she was younger and is now really smart especially in math. When Lucy is nervous, the digits of Pi flood her brain. Lucy meets a girl named Windy, and they become friends. In school they have to do something for the community/economy, but there has to be three people and they only have two. Lucy and Windy decide to ask Levi to join them and their project is to make a website for a dog shelter. Lucy finds a dog and names it Pi, and falls in love with it. Lucy finds out that Pi has brain cancer and the shelter can’t put him up for adoption unless the owners really want the dog. Will Lucy survive one year of middle school? Will she be able to find a home for Pi? In order to find out, read The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty, but first read The Best At It by Maulik Pancholy.

1 – Nessie Quest by Melissa Savage

2 – Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation – Stuart Gibbs

3 – Charlie Thorne and the Lost City – Stuart Gibbs

4 – The Shape of Thunder – Jasmine Warga

5 – Sugar – Jewell Parker Rhodes

6 – Wonderland – Barbara O’ Connor

7 – Out of the Dust – Karen Hesse

8 – Ra the Mighty Cat Detective – A. B. Greenfield

9 – The Ambrose Deception – Emily Ecton

10 – Rhino in Right Field – Stacy DeKeyser

11 – Resistance – Jennifer A. Nielsen

12- Snicker of Magic – Natalie Lloyd

13 – Kid in the Red Jacket – Barbara Park

14- Rain Reign – Ann M. Martin

15 – Rescue – Jennifer A. Nielsen

16 – Squirm – Carl Hiaasen

17- Counting by 7s – Holly Goldberg Sloan

18 – Spy School Revolution – Stuart Gibbs

19 – Spy School British Invasion – Stuart Gibbs

20 – The Strangers – Margaret Peterson Haddix

21 – The Deceivers – Margaret Peterson Haddix

22 – The Perfect Secret – Rob Buyea

23 – Words on Fire – Jennifer A. Nielsen

24 – A Soft Place to Land – Janae Marks

25 – Searching for Lottie – Susan L. Ross

26 – Code of Silence – Tim Shoemaker

27 – Back Before Dark – Tim Shoemaker

28 – Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls – Beth McMullen

29 – Tuck Everlasting – Natalie Babbitt

30 – The Truth About Martians – Melissa Savage

31 – Eddie Red Undercover – Marcia Wells

32 – Eddie Red Undercover – Marcia Wells

33 –  Eddie Red Undercover – Marcia Wells

34 – Bob – Rebecca Stead, Wendy Mass

 

 

   Have you ever been concerned about going somewhere, but it turns out that it was the right choice for you?  Well then you should read Nessie Quest by Melissa Savage. In this novel the main character is Adelaide Ru, who was not happy when she found out that her family was going to spend the whole summer in Scotland. The other characters are Hammy Bean and Dax. Hammy Bean has gone through a lot and does not have very many friends. Hammy Bean also loves the Loch-ness monster and even runs a tour boat with his grandma. Dax is from America, but always goes to Scotland for summer. These three kids are able to start a business called the Nessie Juggernaut. They are able to start a podcast where they give their thoughts about the Loch-ness monster or Nessie. Adelaide Ru is able to interview people about their beliefs on Nessie and also write a paper to share what they are finding out about the Nessie. The three friends are able to share their story, and they hope to make it so that everyone will believe in Nessie. When the three friends have a fight about their business, some hurtful words were said. Adelaide Ru is struggling with not being able to see her friends. Hammy Bean is struggling to tell the truth about his parents because he doesn’t want it to be true. The three friends have to work together and see if they can uncover if Nessie really exists. Will Adelaide Ru, Hammy Bean, and Dax be able to find out the truth about Nessie? Will the friends be able to work together to accomplish their goal? To find out, read Nessie Quest by Melissa Savage. 

  In this novel, I think that it has helped me understand that your feelings change how other people think of you, not just your words and actions. Adelaide Ru is struggling with not being able to see her friends, but also thinks that her friends won’t want to be her friends. Eventually, Adelaide Ru is able to see that her feelings can also help her gain different friends, but also that they also control who she is and what choices she makes. In the text it states, “And feelings are everything. They control who we are and how we live and every single choice we make” (pg. 1). This quote has helped me realize that feelings are a really important part of us that has to be controlled. Your feelings are important because if you don’t control it and say the wrong things then you will look bad. You won’t just look bad, people will not want to be your friend and this can change your life. If you are able to control your feelings then you will stand out as a leader. I have learned that it is very helpful to have a leader to follow. In my life there are many people that I would like to follow that help me be a better person. For example, some leaders are my parents, family, friends, and my teacher Mrs. Hornick. They are able to help me improve what needs to be done and also learn what skills are needed to be successful.

 Have you ever wanted to get away from a struggle or problem that you are having, well then you should read A Soft Place to Land by Janae Marks. A girl named Joy is struggling with a couple of things. One thing she struggles with is moving from her home to an apartment because her family is having money problems. Another problem is that Joy is struggling to stay happy when her parents are constantly arguing. Joy feels like she has to be the strong one so that her sister Malia who’s six is fine and doesn’t get upset. One day Joy meets a friend named Nora. Nora introduces Joy to some of the kids that also live in her apartment. The kids’ names are Oliver, Elena, and Miles. Joy tells Nora all about her family problems. One day Nora tells her that there is a place that you can go to get away from her family. This place is called the Hideout, and only the kids in the building know about it. Joy gets very excited when she finds out that no parents know about it so she can have time to herself. Another struggle that Joy has is that she wants to be able to earn money when her parents stopped letting Joy take piano. This makes Joy disappointed because she loves music. Joy and Nora agree to start a dog walking business. They are able to start walking four different  dogs. Joy and Nora have a fight when Nora decides to not help find out who is writing to her and this makes Joy upset. When Joy and Nora have a fight will they be able to solve their problems? Will Joy find out who wrote to them and be able to help them with their problems? Are Joy and Nora going to become friends again? Will Joy be able to stay strong even when her family is struggling? To find out, read A Soft Place to Land by Janae Marks. 

  Throughout the novel A Soft Place to Land the main character Joy struggles with moving to a new apartment and also that her parents were always fighting, especially about their money problems. Later in the story, Joy finds a friend and she is able to talk to and tell her all about the problems that she is having. At one point in this book Joy states “I don’t know, I guess I want to know who this other person is, because it helps me to know I’m not alone in going through something” (pg. 117). This quote made me realize that I would want someone to talk to and also  know that someone else is also struggling with something similar to me. For example, I would want someone that is able to support me and also be able to talk to me. It also helps when I can get everything that I am feeling out by talking. This makes me realize that I should be better at understanding if someone is struggling and be able to help them out.

     If you love books where the character has to fight and never give up to become safer, then you should read Rescue by Jennifer A. Nielsen. A girl named Meg, her mom, and grandma are trying to successfully stay safe in France after the Nazis invaded.  Meg is trying to find her dad, who left about two years ago to help fight in the war and has still not come back. Meg met a guy named Captain Stewart and she realized that he could help her. Meg’s mom realized that it was not safe to stay where they were. Meg’s mom made her go with the Durand’s family to try to get out of France and into London so that Meg could be safer. Meg had to pretend to be part of the Durand family. There was one boy, and two adults in the Durand family. The boy was about Meg’s age, and his name was Jakob. The dad’s name was Albert Durand, and the mom’s name was Liesel. During their trip the family had a lot of problems. One of the challenges that the Durand family went through was having to get past the Nazi’s several times and not getting caught. The family had a lot of differences, and it did not help when they had to try to pretend to have Meg as a family member. The family had to get past their differences and successfully make it to London. Will the family get past their difficulties and differences to make it to London? Will Meg be able to save her father? To find out, read Rescue by Jennifer A. Nielsen.

     If you liked Rescue by Jennifer A. Nielsen you should also read A Night Divided, which is also by Jennifer A. Nielsen. This book is by the same author, and it also has a strong connection because both of the books have a girl that has to find a way to escape their hometown and successfully stay safe. In this book, a young girl in Germany is trying to help her family put their life back together after WWII when the Berlin Wall goes up. When the wall goes up overnight her dad and brother are stuck on the other side of the wall. Will she be able to successfully escape Germany? Will she be reunited with her dad and brother? To find out, read A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen, but first read Rescue.

     Secrets, lies, danger, and most of all silence, all are in the book Code of Silence by Tim Shoemaker. Three kids, Cooper, Gordy, and Hiro are trying to keep secrets and stay silent when they witness a crime. They don’t know if it is better to stay silent or tell somebody about the robbery. If they tell somebody then they might get hurt, but if they stay silent, could the wrong person be found guilty? Friendship might be broken if they don’t do the right thing. Even though they were struggling to figure out what to do, they finally made their choice. The three kids are stuck with a mystery to solve before it’s too late. They have to figure out who committed the robbery, and why they committed it. When the police start to watch the kids’ school, will they successfully stay safe? Will the kids be able to tell the truth or will they stay silent? To find out, read Code of Silence by Tim Shoemaker. 

     If you like Code of Silence you might also enjoy reading Back Before Dark also by Tim Shoemaker. This book is by the same author and is in the same series. Even though they are in the same series they are also connected by having to go through something that is hard. For example, they witness their friend getting kidnapped, and also witness a robbery. It starts off with one of the three kids getting kidnapped. The other 2 kids are trying to figure out what happened, but not get kidnapped themselves. They realize there is only one way to save him. Will they be able to save him without getting caught? If you think you’ll like this book make sure to check out Back Before Dark, but first read Code of Silence.