Demon Dentist

Demon Dentist
by David Walliams
illustrated by Tony Ross

Something strange is happening in Alfie's town!  Children are putting their teeth under their pillows only to wake up to find toenails, spiders, and other horrible surprises the next morning.  Alfie, who has a fear of the dentist after a tooth-pulling fiasco, suspects that the new dentist, Ms. Root, is the cause.  Can he prove that this new dentist is evil?

Demon Dentist reminded me a lot of books by Roald Dahl.  It's both humorous as well as creepy, with many unique, entertaining characters!  It is also full of many fun illustrations that add to the humor of this exciting story.  I enjoyed this book and recommend it for fans of Roald Dahl.

Author's website: https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/

Mighty Jack

Mighty Jack
by Ben Hatke

When Jack trades his mother's car for a box of mysterious seeds, he's in for a huge surprise!  In this modern, graphic novel version of Jack and the Beanstalk, our main character lives with his single mother and younger sister.  After trading his mom's car for seeds at a flea market, he soon realizes that these are no ordinary seeds when his garden starts to come to life.  

I love traditional tales (and frequently do a Jack and the Beanstalk unit with my classes) so I was very excited to see this retelling of one of my favorite stories!   This exciting, graphic novel version was full of thrilling twists and engaging illustrations.    I'm looking forward to reading the sequel, Mighty Jack and the Goblin King.  Fans of adventurous graphic novels will want to read this fantastic story!

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

Beetle Boy

Beetle Boy
by M.G. Leonard

How does someone vanish from a locked room?  That's what Darkus Cutting is trying to figure out. When his father disappears without a trace from a locked room at the science museum, no one has any clue about what could have happened to him.  Many have given up hope on finding him, but Darkus is convinced his father is still alive.

Shortly after moving in with his Uncle Max, Darkus encounters an unusual creature: a very friendly rhinoceros beetle!  He soon suspects that his new pet, as well as the outbreak of rare beetles at a neighboring home, may be connected to his father's disappearance.   With the help of two new friends from school, Darkus takes on the dangerous task of investigating the connection between the extraordinary beetles and his missing father.

Beetle Boy is a great combination of mystery and adventure with an exciting science fiction twist!   It also has many quirky characters and some humorous moments.  I knew little about beetles before starting the book and, as I read it, I wanted to learn more about the unusual beetles mentioned.  This is the first book in a trilogy (the second book is already available) and I can't wait to read more of the adventures of Darkus and his friends.

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

Video of author M.G. Leonard talking about Beetle Boy:

The Eureka Key

Secrets of the Seven: The Eureka Key
by Sarah L. Thomson  

When Sam wins a puzzle contest, he is awarded with the trip of a lifetime! However, it soon turns out to be very different than he expected. The trip is off to a rough start when he and Martina, another prize winner, are forced to land the small plane they're on after the pilots and everyone else on board mysteriously pass out. Then, when on a hike in the desert, they are taken hostage and forced to help solve a puzzle. That’s when they learn that this was no ordinary contest they won, it’s a contest to help find seven missing keys before they fall into the wrong hands.

The Eureka Key, the first book in the Secrets of the Seven, is an exciting story full of adventure, suspense and mystery.    I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this great new series!

Author's website: www.sarahlthomson.com

Isabel Feeney: Star Reporter

Isabel Feeney: Star Reporter
by Beth Fantaskey

Isabel Feeney wants to be a reporter, bur for now she has to settle for selling newspapers. When she becomes a witness in a murder investigation, she decides to conduct her own investigation.   Even though the evidence is pointing at Miss Giddings as the culprit, Isabel knows that she is innocent. Can the outspoken, aspiring reporter prove it?

Set in 1920’s Chicago, this is an exciting mystery!  Isabel is a fun, determined character.    This book is a good choice for fans of mysteries.  I hope that author Beth Fantaskey writes more stories about this young, aspiring reporter soon!

Author's website: https://bethfantaskeyauthor.com/

Once Was a Time

Once Was a Time
by Leila Sales

Charlotte’s father is about to make a great scientific discovery that could change World War II! Unfortunately, a dangerous group of people have found out about it and want it for their own use. When Charlotte and her best friend Kitty are kidnapped, Charlotte makes a choice to save herself and finds herself transported through time from 1940 England to 2013 Wisconsin. Will she be able to adjust to her new life in an unfamiliar place and time? And will she ever find out what happened to her family and friends?

Once Was a Time is an amazing blend of historical fiction, science fiction, and realistic fiction. While World War II and time travel are essential parts of this magical tale, what I loved most about this book was Charlotte's adjustment to life in 2013, dealing with school, family, and friendship situations, while she persisted in trying to find out happened to the family and friends she left behind in 1940. This is a great choice for readers looking for a story about friends and family with a unique twist!

Author's website: http://leilasales.com/

Garvey's Choice

Garvey's Choice
by Nikki Grimes

Told in verse, this wonderful book is the story of Garvey, a young man more interested in science than athletics, much to the disappointment of his father. At school he faces frequent bullying due to his weight. Things take an interesting turn, however, when Garvey becomes a soloist for the chorus. Will Garvey’s father approve of his new love of singing?

I flew through this book! I always tell my students that, if I open a book don’t budge from the couch until I’m done, then I know it’s a great choice for me. Garvey is a likable character and, the more I got to know him, the more I wanted things to go his way. Many readers will be able to relate to the situations that Garvey goes through in this story. I love how the story was told in verse, each page was like its own little poem. An author’s note at the end shares that the story is told using an ancient form of poetry called Tanka, and she also gives a breakdown of how it is written.

I had the opportunity to hear Garvey's Choice author Nikki Grimes speak at the recent American Library Association annual conference in Chicago earlier this summer.  What an outstanding person - I had not read any of her books until I read Garvey's Choice, but I will be sure to read more of her work soon!

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

Little Cat's Luck
by Marion Dane Bauer

Patches is an indoor cat who, while looking for a quiet place to rest, becomes distracted by a floating leaf outside the window. In her attempt to catch the leaf, she tumbles through the screen. Fixated on the leaf, the cat seems undaunted by the unfamiliar outdoors. In her journey she meets Gus, also known as the meanest dog in town. Unlike everyone else, Patches shows no fear towards the loud barking dog before continuing to search for the perfect place to rest.  Eventually, Patches finds the spot she has been looking for, but it is inside Gus' doghouse!  How will Gus react when he finds Patches inside his house?

As with Little Dog, Lost, Marion Bauer has created a sweet, emotional story! Patches is an innocent, yet feisty when necessary, character that readers will fall in love with. Gus, labeled by other characters as a loud, mean dog, soon emerges as a misunderstood dog who, when given the opportunity, shows a great deal of love. This is an excellent companion book to Little Dog, Lost and one that I know many readers who enjoy stories about pets will love!

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

Book trailer:

The Losers Club

The Losers Club
by Andrew Clements

What's an avid reader to do when he is told he can't read at school? Start an after school reading club! When Alec's deep love of books yet again gets in the way of his schoolwork, his principal puts a restriction on his reading time in school. Alec finds a way around the principal's strict order by starting The Losers Club during the Extended Day Program at school, which will give him three extra hours of reading everyday. Alec's plan of reading in solitude are hampered, however, when more kids than he planned join the club, including his biggest bully.  Will Alec's club grow to be more than he ever expected it to be?

I'm a big Andrew Clements fan and this story made me wish for a Losers Club when I was in sixth-grade!  One of my favorite parts about this story is that many excellent books (Hatchet, The Lightning Thief, Cat in the Hat, and many others) are mentioned and my hope is that my students, after reading The Losers Club, will then want to read some of the stories the different characters
read.

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

Save Me a Seat

Save Me a Seat
by Sarah Weeks


Ravi is a new student from India trying to get through his first week at his new school in the United States. He is confident at first, but soon realizes fitting in will be a lot harder than he thought.Joe is not new but, like Ravi, he doesn't fit in, especially now that his only friends have moved away.  Joe and Ravi may have little in common but they do share at least one thing: a bully who is determined to make their lives miserable.

Save Me a Seat is a wonderful, emotional story of two boys who are struggling to fit in and and overcome challenges at school.   I found the story and the characters realistic and relatable.  Another great book from the new MSBA reading list!

Author's website: http://sarahweeks.com/