Juniper Berry

Juniper Berry  
by M.P.  Kozlowsky

To most of the world, eleven-year-old Juniper Berry has it all: famous parents, a beautiful mansion, and a private tutor so that she doesn't have to go to school.   However, all is not happy inside the Berry home.  Juniper's once loving, cheery parents have suddenly become cold and distant.   When she comes across a boy, Giles, in the woods one day, she learns that his parents have also gone through a similar change.   After following her parents into the woods, Juniper discovers that a mysterious tree leads to the underground home of Skeksyl, a man who promises his visitors anything they want, but for a price.  Will Juniper and Giles be able to save their parents, or will they too fall into Skeksyl's trap?

This exciting and creepy modern fairy tale is a great choice for readers who enjoy fantasy!   I had a difficult time putting this book down. 

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

Juniper Berry book trailer:  

Kate & Pippin: An Unlikely Love Story

Kate & Pippin: An Unlikely Love Story
by Martin Springett
photographs by Isobel Springett

When an abandoned fawn named Pippin is taken in by a family, she finds an surprising best friend in Kate, their Great Dane!  Large, adorable photographs show the close bond between the growing fawn and her canine companion as they snuggle and play. This is a cute, heartwarming tale that most animal lovers will probably enjoy! Be sure to visit the author's website for additional pictures as well as videos about this unlikely pair.   

Author's website:  http://kateandpippin.com/index.html

Sidekicks

Sidekicks
by Dan Santat

Superhero Captain Amazing is looking for a new sidekick!   Many want the job, including his three pets: Fluffy the hamster, Roscoe the dog, and his newest pet, Shifty the chameleon.  Fluffy and Shifty seek out the help of Manny, the former feline sidekick of Captain Amazing, to help practice their crime fighting skills.  Roscoe, not to be outdone by his companions, shows off his own strengths as a potential sidekick.  While the three pets battle to be the sidekick to their beloved owner, the evil Dr. Havoc emerges from prison with a devious plan to defeat all superheroes.  Will Manny, Roscoe, Fluffy, and Shifty be able to come together to help Captain Amazing save the world from Dr. Havoc?

This is a fun graphic novel with great pictures and a lot of action!   I think this is a good choice for readers who like graphic novels or anyone who likes superhero stories!  

 Sidekicks book trailer:

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/

Small as an Elephant

Small as an Elephant
by Jennifer Jacobson

Jack's camping trip in Maine with his mother takes a scary turn when he wakes up to find that his mother, their car, and almost everything they brought have all disappeared overnight.  He tries to remain hopeful for her return but he soon decides that he must find his way back to her.   Small as an Elephant follows Jack as he struggles to make the long journey from a campground in Acadia National Park to his home in Boston.   As he travels through Maine with little money or resources, he must find ways to eat and places to sleep.   Will he make it to Boston and be reunited with his mother?  Read this exciting book to find out!

I really loved this book!    What I especially liked about it was reading about the different places that Jack traveled through on his journey across Maine.   Many readers will probably recognize the names of the some of places that Jack sees during his trip!

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

Is it Night or Day?

Is it Night or Day?
by Fran Schumer Chapman

 Twelve-year-old Edith faces an uncertain future as she is forced to leave behind her family to escape to the United States.   In 1938, her family is the last remaining Jewish family in their small German village, and threats of violence make it necessary for her to travel to live with an uncle in Chicago.   She faces great challenges as she arrives in Chicago and realizes that her uncle's wife and daughter do not want her their.  Her difficulty in adjusting to life in a new country only get worse as war breaks out, making her a target once again as well as bringing fears about the safety of the family she left behind in Germany.  

I think this book will be a good choice for readers who enjoy historical fiction, especially those who are interested in stories that take place during World War II.  

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

Amelia Lost

Amelia Lost:  The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart
by Candace Fleming

The life of famed aviator Amelia Earhart, as well as her tragic disappearance during her final flight, is told in this excellent biography.   What is especially unique about this biography is how the author, Candace Fleming, alternates the chapters in a way so that the story goes back and forth between Amelia's life growing up and her adulthood.    Adding to the mystery and questions surrounding her disappearance are the stories of ordinary people who believed they heard Amelia's cries for help over their home radios.  Candace Fleming does a great job of sharing the story of one of the greatest mysteries in aviation history.  

What a great book!  This exciting biography is a great choice for anyone interested in learning more about women in history.

Author's Website:  www.candacefleming.com

Junonia

Junonia
by Kevin Henkes

As Alice and her parents begin their annual Florida vacation, she is hopeful that this year will be as wonderful as every other year they have spent in the same cottage. This year is extra special: Alice will be turning ten, and for as long as she can remember she has celebrated her birthdays with the guests in the other cottages. Unfortunately, almost immediately upon their arrival, Alice learns that this vacation will be different. Her disappointment soon grows as she learns of more changes as well as the unexpected arrival of Mallory, a temperamental six-year-old. Will Alice be able to enjoy her vacation and birthday despite the changes?

I really enjoyed this book. It is a good choice for someone who likes realistic fiction. I think the main character, Alice, is someone that many girls of the same age will relate well to.

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

Candy Bomber: The Story of the Berlin Airlift's "Chocolate Pilot"

Candy Bomber: The Story of the Berlin Airlift's "Chocolate Pilot"
by Michael O. Tunnell

It all started with two sticks of gum. When U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Gail Halvorsen shared the only candy he had, two sticks of gum, with a group of children living in post World War II Berlin, it motivated him to do more for them by dropping candy from his airplane for the children of Berlin. Soon Lt. Halvorsen's efforts became famous, leading to numerous generous donations from many.

This was a wonderful book that shows how one person's generous idea grew to make a big difference in the lives of so many children!