THE JACKET for 48 Hour Book Challenge

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

THE JACKET by Andrew Clementsjacket-rplzfj

READING TIME: 45 minutes

WORDS: 9,533       PUBLISHED: 2002    READING LEVEL: 4.1

BOOK JACKET DESCRIPTION: Phil is on a mission. His absentminded little brother forgot his lunch money. All kinds of thoughts are running through Phil’s mind as he searches for Jimmy in the throngs of fourth and fifth graders crowding the school hallway… Then Phil spots Jimmy’s one-of-a-kind jacket and rushes to the corner of the hallway. Except the person wearing it isn’t his brother; it’s some black kid Phils never seen before –wearing Jimmy’s jacket! Phil makes an accusation, tempers flare, and both kids wind up in the principal’s office.

How will Phil react when he finds out how Daniel came to be the owner of the unique jacket? Will Daniel be able to forgive Phil for an accusation that was based on racial prejudice? What will each boy learn about the other, and more important, about himself?

FAVORITE LINES OF DIVERSITY: And he thought, This morning, what if Daniel had been a white kid? Would I have grabbed him like that? If he looked like he belonged in that jacket, would I said he stole it?

MY THOUGHTS: This is a quick read that packs a punch. The actions and reactions of these two boys is very believable. Despite being written twelve years ago, the lessons learned are still appropriate today. Highly recommended!

NEXT UP: THE LAST BEST DAYS OF SUMMER by Valerie Hobbs

MY MOTIVATION LEVEL: I think I may have dozed off writing this sentence. I’m losing steam but a little caffeine break and completing book #5 tonight looks possible. I’ll be up early trying to squeeze in a short title before it’s back to football camp. I’ll be taking with me two of my longer titles.

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THE MAN WITH THE RED BAG for 48 Hour Book Challenge

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

THE MAN WITH THE RED BAG by Eve Bunting 9780061957376_p0_v1_s260x420

READING TIME: 2 Hours, 40 minutes

WORDS: 38,709       PUBLISHED: 2007    READING LEVEL: 4.0

BOOK JACKET DESCRIPTION: Nine months after 9/11, everyone wanted life to return to normal. But when Charles Stavros boards the State Tours bus, twelve-year-old Kevin Saunders is sure this exotic-looking stranger is up to no good. He sits alone. He has a bushy black mustache and sinister eyebrows. He carries a red bag with him wherever he goes – and even talks to it.

Kevin confides his suspicions to Geneva, a girl he meets on the tour bus. Together they watch the man’s every move. Kevin is convinced Stavros isn’t a typical tourist, interested in the Great Salt Lake, the Grand Tetons, or even Yellowstone National Park. Kevin knows Stavros, red bag in hand, has something much bigger in mind, and it’s up to Kevin to save the day and maybe even the world

LINES OF DIVERSITY THAT CAUSE REFLECTION: This guy looked like he might be Saudi Arabian or even Iraqian, if there such a word. He was dark skinned, with bushy black eyebrows and a bushier mustache. So maybe it was natural for me to be on the alert.

MY THOUGHTS: A mystery centered around people’s perception that appearance (profiling as it is often called) is a worrisome path to take. Told from Kevin’s viewpoint, his young eyes and his desire to be a mystery writer causes the images he sees in his mind to be very believable. The man with the red bag, maybe not so much. The story is fast paced and although I thought I had the ending figured out, it was a bit surprising. Fun trip through some of our nation’s most spectacular sights. Boys and girls would equally enjoy.

NEXT UP: THE JACKET by ANDREW CLEMENTS

MY MOTIVATION LEVEL: Camp is over and a driving break has helped clear my mind for the next push forward. I’ll repeat the drill for the second day of the camp tomorrow. So far I’m  on schedule to complete five books today.

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THE FAMILY UNDER THE BRIDGE for 48 Hour Book Challenge

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

THE FAMLY UNDER THE BRIDGE by Natalie Savage Carlsonfamily-under-the-bridge

READING TIME: 80 minutes

WORDS: 17,375       PUBLISHED: 1958    READING LEVEL: 4.7

BOOK JACKET DESCRIPTION: This is a delightfully warm and enjoyable story of an old Parisian named Armand, who relished his solitary life. Children, he said, were like starlings, and one was better off without them. But the children who lived under the bridge recognized a true friend when they met one, even if the friend seemed a trifle unwilling at the start. And it did not take Armand very long to realize that he had gotten himself a ready-made family; one that he loved with all his heart, and one for whom he would have to find a better home than the bridge.

FAVORITE LINE OF DIVERSITY UNDERSTANDING: Redheads they were, all of them, and their clothes had the mismatched, ill-fitting look of poverty.

MY THOUGHTS: The triad of characters – the hobo, three homeless children, and their mother – all look at each other in different ways. Perhaps it’s fitting that the children don’t have any preconceived notions about reacting any different to those not like them. A charming story with several marvelous full page illustrations that bring the tale to life. This would make a great read-aloud that gives a snapshot of Paris and a chance for rich discussion of those less fortunate and the choices they make.

NEXT UP: THE MAN WITH THE RED BAG by Eve Bunting

MY MOTIVATION FACTOR: I’m on my third bottle of water and second energy bar. Reapplied sunscreen and I’m good to go. Will try and get this next one done before the football camp ends at 2:30.

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FREEDOM CROSSING for 48 Hour Book Challenge

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

FREEDOM CROSSING by Margaret Goff Clarkfreedom-crossing

READING TIME: 2 hours

WORDS: 30,868        PUBLISHED: 1980    READING LEVEL: 4.6

BOOK JACKET DESCRIPTION: COULD HE TRUST HER WITH HIS LIFE? Laura is furious when she overhears her brother, Bert, and an old friend talking about her as if she were a stranger. When her mother died, Laura went to live with an aunt and uncle in Virginia. Now she is back home and she discovers that her brother and father are helping runaway slaves escape into Canada. Her house is a stopover on the Underground Railroad. Laura believes that anyone helping a fugitive slave is breaking the law. Then she meets Martin Paige, a 12-year-old runaway slave who would rather die than be sent back to the South.

FAVORITE LINE OF DIVERSITY ACCEPTANCE: A person should have the rights of a human being, no matter what color he is.

MY THOUGHTS: An exciting historical tale. Laura is faced with choices that conflict with her beliefs. The changes she makes are believable and heartwarming. Great, well told story for boys and girls.

NEXT UP: THE FAMILY UNDER THE BRIDGE by Natalie Savage Carlson

MY MOTIVATION FACTOR: Still high. The temperature outside is 70 degrees as I sit in the stands at a football camp. About 300 kids participating. I’m not the only adult with a book in their hand, but I have a goal. The rest of these dedicated folks are just killing time.

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48 Hour Book Challenge- Ready, Set, GO!

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

I’m starting out my day as the designated driver for a few teens attending a football camp  at a local high school’s stadium. By the time I get them checked in I’ll have 5 straight hours of free time to properly start my participation in the 48 Hour Book Challenge. Here are the details:

  1. I’ll open my first book at 9 a.m. (11:00 a.m. Eastern) My backpack is filled with five titles to get me through the day – all of them having something to do with diversity. Some came off my bookshelf , two from the bookstore, and others from my favorite library.
  2. A mini-review of each title will be posted here. I’ll have to dash across the street to the McDonalds or Starbucks for wireless, but should have the first one up by noon..
  3. The plan, and I say that loosely, is to keep going until 9 a.m. Sunday morning.
  4. Click the logo below to connect with all the other bloggers participating. That’s it and good luck to myself! First title on the pile: FREEDOM CROSSING.

48hbc_new

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JACK STRONG TAKES A STAND for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

Last year I enjoyed Tommy Greenwald’s Charlie Joe Jackson series. After hearing the premise of his newest, JACK STRONG TAKES A STAND, cover-takes-standI had to make sure it quickly arrived at the top of my TBR list. I’m glad it did. The story is told with charm through the eyes of seventh grader Jack Strong. You’ll recognize this kid as I’m sure there are a few like him in your neighborhood or school. He’s had it with all the extracurricular activities and finally does something to hopefully bring change.

Take a look at the 60 second video trailer and you’ll get a feel for the story…

PUBLICATION DATE:2013   READING LEVEL: 4.5    WORD COUNT: 32,156

FULL PLOT (From Amazon): Jack Strong just wants to be a regular kid. But his parents have overscheduled his week with every extracurricular activity under the sun: tennis, baseball, cello, karate, tutoring, and Chinese language lessons—all on top of regular homework. His parents want him to be “well-rounded” and prepared for those crucial college applications. Jack’s just about had enough.

And so, in Jack Strong Takes a Stand by Tommy Greenwald, he stages a sit-in on his couch and refuses to get up until his parents let him quit some of the extracurriculars. As Jack’s protest gains momentum, he attracts a local television host who is interested in doing a segment about him. Tensions rise as counter-protesters camp out across the street from Jack and his couch. Jack’s enjoying this newfound attention, but he’s worried that this sit-in may have gone too far.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT JACK STRONG TAKES A STAND

  1. The emotional change Jack goes through as he at first is thrilled with his new life, but then begins to question whether he’s gone too far.
  2. The mind of a middle grade boy is captured beautifully. Jack has a way with words that had me laughing numerous times.
  3. The cartoon style pictures do not overwhelm the text. They fall in place when needed and are well done.
  4. The very different relationship Jack has with the three adults in his life. There’s grandma who is on his side. Dad who is totally against the strike. Meanwhile, Mom is left trying to keep the peace. This will sound familiar to many readers.
  5. The ending, and there are many endings I don’t like, but this one had me cheering all the way.

FAVORITE LINES:

“This whole strike thing. You trying to get a girl or something?”

“I’m in middle school,” I said. “I’m always trying to get a girl.”

********************************************************************

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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June Happenings

Posted on May 30, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

Where has almost half the year gone? The days seem to pass by without stopping. Hopefully it will slow down long enough for you to check out two great events coming up…

48hbc_newI’ll be participating from 9 a.m., Friday June 6th to 9 a.m. Sunday, June 8th. Even if you don’t have time to read, there will be a wealth of recommendations on the theme of diversity. Click the image above for all the exciting details.

And for the entire month of June:

Just Dog Blog Banner

This one kicks off on Monday, June 2nd. The tour stops at my doorstep on June 9th. Don’t miss this month long celebration of this great new MG title. Here are all the tour links:

Week One
2-  Randomly Reading
3-  R-Cubed’s Reads and Reviews
4-  Book Dreaming
5-  Ordinary Girlz Book Reviews
6-  The Write Game
7-  Indigo Quill

Week Two
9-  Always In The Middle 
10-I Am A Reader
11-Beach Bound Books
12- Mommies Point Of View
13- Susan Kaye Quinn

Week Three
16- Rockin’ Book Reviews
The Write Path
17- The Owl’s Skull
18- Literary Rambles
19- Social Cafe Magazine
20- This Kid Reviews Books

Week Four
23- That’s Another Story
24- Pretty Opinionated
25- The Reader’s Perch
26- That’s Another Story
27- Reads 4 Tweens
Week Five
30- Tales Between The Pages
July 1st- Buried In Books

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SOPHIE HARTLEY AND THE FACTS OF LIFE for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

Sophie Hartley is not the type of MG book I would normally review.  I’d never even heard of Sophie and there are three that preceded this one (QUEEN SOPHIE HARTLEY; SOPHIE HARTLEY ON STRIKE: and HAPPY BIRTHDAY SOPHIE HARTLEY). Okay, I can explain…

It began with an email from a fourth grader’s mom. She said her daughter was getting overly anxious about the Growing and 9780547976525_lresChanging unit coming up next school year. Anxious in “I’m not interested.” Her Mom knowing I knew about books for this age asked me for a fiction recommendation to ease her daughter’s worries over the summer. My mind went blank. Other than Judy Blume, I had nothing. I told her I’d get back to her in a few days. Within an hour I found Sophie and the next day visited the library. Sure enough Sophie was on the shelf waiting for her next reader. I never recommend something I haven’t read myself so my next stop was the check-out desk. I gave the lady my best this isn’t for me look and for the next few days I got to know Sophie. I was pleasantly surprised. Author Stephanie Greene has created an enduring character. This book and I’m sure the others are a great introduction for a new middle grade reader.

PUBLICATION DATE:2013    READING LEVEL: 4.3          WORD COUNT: 23,423

FULL PLOT (From Amazon): Sophie Hartley, age ten, does not want to be a teenager. She vows she’ll never be like her older sister, Nora, who has tantrums about her hair and almost everything else. Her older brother Thad is preoccupied with his girlfriend of the moment and doesn’t seem to like the family anymore. No, Sophie likes being who she is right now, helping out at home, doing art projects, and hanging out with her two best friends.
And another thing. Next year Sophie’s class will see the movie about body changes, and her classmates are already buzzing about it. Sophie doesn’t want to know about that embarrassing stuff yet. Does that mean she’s immature? How can she prove otherwise?
As usual, Sophie faces challenges and challengers with determination and resourcefulness. With the same down-to-earth, realistic, humorous take on friendships and family relationships praised in the three previous Sophie Hartley books, this new story brings the indomitable Sophie a step closer to growing up without compromising her sense of herself.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT SOPHIE HARTLEY AND THE FACTS OF LIFE

  1. The five children in the Hartley range from toddler to 16 years old. What a great mix of personalities and they demonstrate how difficult it can be growing up in a large family with a lot of opinions.
  2. How the mom and dad understood each other more after trading places. Mom takes off on the road for a conference and dad stays home to take care of family duties.
  3. Older brother Thad’s explanation of how hormones and glands are like a car. Never heard of this comparison but it works. The unlikely analogy helps Sophie get an initial understanding of the facts of life.
  4. It was great to see Sophie grow up just a little towards her teenage years even though she didn’t want to at first.
  5. Humorous and heartwarming. It’s a quick read, perfect for a fourth or early fifth grade girl.

FAVORITE LINES:

“If you ask me, it should be P-U-berty.” Sophie pinched her nose shut. “I’m sick of the whole thing.”

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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SORRY YOU’RE LOST for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on May 19, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

The tale of Denny “Donuts” Murphy and his disruptive nature in the halls of Blueberry Hills Middle would get old real 9780374380656_p0_v1_s260x420quick for many readers. I’d have stopped reading myself if the motive had not been introduced in the first pages– Denny sits at his mother’s funeral with his dad. He’s a kid who is lost without his best friend, the person who stood by and cheered for him to succeed. Now she’s gone.

This is a funny, sad, and enlightening story. One I’ll remember for a long time. Matt Blackstone summed up his reasons for writing the book on the Acknowledgements page: The book was written for those lost. I hope it provides directions, comfort, a laugh, a smirk, hope, company, a distraction, a conversation starter, and/or a pillow.

I’m not lost, but SORRY YOU’RE LOST did all of that and more for me. I now have a book to recommend for boys and girls who may have experienced a loss of their own.

Matt’s first novel, A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE (published in 2011), is also an upper MG title.

PUBLICATION DATE: 2014   PAGES: 312

FULL PLOT (From Amazon): When Denny “Donuts” Murphy’s mother dies, he becomes the world’s biggest class clown. But deep down, Donuts just wants a normal life—one where his mom is still alive and where his dad doesn’t sit in front of the TV all day. And so Donuts tries to get back into the groove by helping his best friend with their plan to get dates for the end-of-the-year school dance. When their scheme backfires, he learns that laughter is not the best medicine for all of his problems. Sometimes it’s just as important to be true to yourself.

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT SORRY YOU’RE LOST

  1. The title of the book. Just sitting on the cover it looks harmless, but it’s the centerpiece of understanding for young Donuts.
  2. Manny, his partner and sort of friend. He’s a forty-year-old trapped in a teenage body. Full of quips and hilarious sayings. He’ll leave you flabbergasted.
  3. Donuts reaching out to the lunch lady for advice and friendship. Every kid needs an adult like this in their lives when their own parents can’t be there.
  4. How sad the way Denny’s father handles his grief. I’ve been witness to real life fathers dealing with a loss the same way. Tragic but helpful that there’s hope.
  5. I wanted to read what’s next in Denny’s life – a sign of great character building by the author.

FAVORITE LINES:

My heart is pounding like a battering ram being rammed against a chest made from a door, and my breath is like a dog’s that just ran out the gate and took off down the block. I can’t find it – my breath, I mean. It ran away.

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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FURIOUS JONES AND THE ASSASSIN’S SECRET for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Greg Pattridge

18048998Before I get to the good stuff, let me tell you that Furious Jones has been miscast and misplaced.  Tim Kehoe has written a nice thriller but whoever stamped this for children ages 8-12 must have blacked out. When the book opens Furious Jones’s mother has already been murdered. By the time we reach page 70, three more murders have been added to the body count. Not the stuff you want a 3rd, 4th, or even a 5th grader absorbing. What bothered me the most is the MC was 12-years-old. He travels alone across the country, checks into a B&B, fights adults and big burly football players like this is normal. Yes, he is six foot four (They do come in that size every so often), but I just couldn’t get past the age issue. One final point – although Furious has traveled the world, he talks more like an older teen or adult (I’ve never heard a preteen use the word subtlety). Make Furious 15 or 16 and I’d have enjoyed the ride more. This is an upper middle grade book at best, and probably is more suited for a YA audience.

PUBLICATION DATE:2014    NUMBER OF PAGES: 327

FULL PLOT (From Amazon): When his dad’s book turns out to contain deadly secrets, twelve-year-old Furious Jones is thrust into a web of mystery and danger in this gripping page-turner.

Furious Jones, the twelve-year-old son of a famous thriller writer, lives with his grandfather after his mother was mysteriously gunned down right in front of him a year ago. Curious to know more about his estranged dad, he goes to see him speak about his upcoming novel to a packed audience—and to his shock and horror, he witnesses his father get shot as well.

When Furious discovers that his dad’s upcoming novel contains dangerous and fiercely protected secrets, he sets out to discover who killed his father, and what exactly they were trying to cover up.

Ideal for fans of Alex Rider and Theodore Boone, the action-packed exploits of Furious Jones are as thrilling as they are intriguing. Can Furious unravel this literary mystery before the death toll rises?

FIVE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT FURIOUS JONES AND THE ASSASSIN’S SECRET

  1. There are 66 short chapters, making the ever changing plot fly by. I’d sit down intending to read a chapter and twenty minutes later I’d read four or five.
  2. The various ways people are dying in the town of Galena, Illinois are rather sickening but at the same time very inventive. The killer makes each death look like an accident.
  3. Teens receive a good introduction to the thriller formula, which may interest them later in life to pursue adult thrillers. Chapters of his dad’s book are featured, too.
  4. Furious Jones has sequel written all over it, prodded by the most unlikely ending involving the CIA. Make the next book after Furious turns 16 and I’ll return for more.
  5. Shy kids will receive a few lessons how to talk (and not talk) to adults and girls. Furious is at ease talking with anyone. To the High School bully, “Let go or they’ll be picking pieces out of the pool filter for the next month.” or after just meeting two tenth grade girls, “Well, Susan and Baily, what are we going to cook for Thursday?”

FAVORITE LINE:

What do you say when you discover your entire life was a lie – a lie that, apparently everyone else was in on except you?

Check the links to other Middle Grade novels over at Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.

MMGM2

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