The Aviary

The Aviary
by Kathleen O'Dell

In the Glendoveer mansion, a once grand but now falling apart home, is a large aviary where five birds hold the answers to a fifty-year-old mystery.  Eleven-year-old Clara’s mother is the housekeeper to Mrs. Glendoveer, the widow of a once famous magician, and Clara and her mother have lived in the mansion for as long as she can remember.  Clara loves everything about the house, except for the terrifying, loud birds in the aviary.   When one of the birds suddenly starts repeating the name “Elliot” to Clara, she comes to learn that the Glendoveer mansion holds many dark secrets, including an unsolved kidnapping.   With the help of a new friend and the five birds, Clara races to solve the crime that destroyed the lives of the Glendoveer family many years before.  

I had a difficult time putting this book down! There are a lot of great, unexpected twists in this story.   This is a good choice for readers who like books about haunted houses and unsolved mysteries. 

Author's website: http://www.kathleenodell.com/

Aviary book trailer: 

Saving Zasha

Saving Zasha
by Randi Barrow

In Russia, shortly after the end of World War II, thirteen-year-old Mikhail makes a shocking discovery: a gravely injured man with a German Shepherd named Zasha.    By the next morning the stranger has died and Mikhail and his family face a difficult decision.   While they love Zasha, many in their country would consider them traitors for keeping a German Shepherd.   Despite the danger of the situation, the family decides to secretly keep the beautiful dog.    While they struggle to keep Zasha hidden and safe from nosy neighbors as well as dangerous dog thieves, the family also holds onto hope that their father, who left several years earlier to fight in the war, will still be alive despite not having heard from him in years.  Will Mikhail and his family be able to protect Zasha?   Read this exciting book to find out!

What a wonderful book!   As someone who loves dogs, I enjoyed this story about a family coming together to protect a dog in danger.   I recommend Saving Zasha to readers who like books about dogs as well as those who like war-related historical fiction.   

Author's Website: http://randibarrow.com/