The Secret of Grandmother’s Grandfather Clock by Max Elliot Anderson

The Accidental Adventures of Kurt Benson and His Friends, Riley and Jordan Series

Genre: Adventure, Mystery

Source:  I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This author knows how to write stories that kids, especially boys, will love. They are just as popular with my girls.   I was familiar with his Sam Cooper series, but not this one.  The author graciously sent me books three through 6. Kurt Benson is the main character.  When his family receives a call one day telling them that Kurts grandfather has died.  Kurt soon learns that something may have caused his death. His grandfather had been a pilot and Kurt belongs to a flying club. The way he uses clues to help solve the mystery of what is going on in his grandfather’s town and what truly happened to his grandfather will keep you reading.

Hunt For the Horseman - Gita V. Reddy

Genre: Middle Grade, Adventure, Mystery

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

For readers who have always loved the idea of exploring a house with hidden areas, this is the book for you. The children in this book are searching their ancestral home in India for a toy supposedly hidden by a cousin.  Family members for years have searched for this toy. Even more important they must try to find a very important paper. They are trying to save their ancestral home which is at risk of being taken from them. They need the paper to show they are the rightful owners of it.    Along the way the characters learn about their heritage. This was something I believe many of my students will be able to identify with.  Our school has a large Indian population.  I see the differences when some of them are born here in the United States and are clueless to their Indian Heritage. I also see how many of the students who were born in India and then moved to the United States handle the cultural differences.  I think a large part of the message found in this book is about family and embracing the differences within your cultural heritage. The adventure and mystery is something that kept me reading. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Keegan's Point by H.D. Smith

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

How bad can one day in your life be? For Charlie Parker the answer would be, pretty bad. His day starts with the knowledge he has to give an oral report during his fourth period class. It’s not that he’s not prepared. He is overly prepared. His report is on Keegan’s Point.  Charlie has had a fascination with Markus Keegan, a billionaire who owned his own island. Keegan was found dead in his mansion with several passports that had his picture and a lot of different names. His body and the passports were removed and everything else was left as it was. Charlie would love nothing more than the opportunity to   visit the island and explore its mysteries. He probably knows more than anyone else in his town about the reclusive billionaire. As prepared as he is to give his report, his fear of public speaking causes him to pass out in class. This in turn prompts his teacher to change the order in which people give their reports.  This would be good for Charlie, except it puts him in the cross hairs of the school bully.

Charlie’s bad day isn’t over. After being the punching bag for the bully his friends ask him about their camping trip. His mom wants a second adult to go along. This means Charlie will have to lie to his mom.

When he meets his mom at her diner he tells her that he won’t have to give his report for several days because his teacher changed the order. He doesn’t want to tell her anything more than he has to.

While in the diner, three visitors overhear Charlie talking about Keegan.  Charlie is kidnapped by them and taken to the island. This would make his bad day complete except a part of him is thrilled that he is going to finally see the inside of the mansion. Will he be able to help his kidnappers? What happens when one of the bad guys turns out to be a good, bad guy?  Will the mystery of Keegan’s Island ever be solved? 

This is a fantastic book.  I will say that it is a great book for the reluctant reader no matter what their gender. It is also a great book for anyone who loves mysteries and a quick read. The action keeps coming and there are plenty of twists and turns. A book I was very pleased to put on my shelves.

A New Kind of Battle by Elizabeth A. Patterson

Genre: Mystery, Fantasy, Middle Grade
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

From Goodreads:

Come on, Henry said, stepping up onto the window ledge. Estelle is right. We can't let anything happen to Sersha. Henry s bravery encouraged her and she nodded her head as he jumped. She watched his wings become visible, spreading wide as he sailed through the air. Climbing onto the ledge Haley jumped after him. It has been a while since teenage twins Henry and Haley Miles moved to the Bonner homestead in Idaho, stumbled onto a map and key, and discovered a portal into another world filled with fairies, magic, and danger that eventually led them to uncover the mystery behind a long-held legend. Now fairy Princess Sersha is trapped on the wrong side of the portal and her brother, Prince Valian, is injured and unable to leave the city of Roan. After the twins are visited by Estelle, a witch, who tells them they must protect Princess Sersha at all costs, the four return to Roan through her postern. As soon as they arrive at Hilda s brick cottage, the twins learn that Prince Valian is healing, but that the land of Wisen has been overrun by strange occurrences. Its creatures are going berserk and fights are abundant. As they begin to investigate, Haley discovers she is competing with Prince Valian s callous nurse for his attention, even while she is being pursued by a dark, handsome sorcerer. Worse yet, now Queen Lilia has disappeared. As the famous foursome split up in search of the missing queen, they are forced to embark on a journey into unknown territory as love, jealously, rage, and humor leave their mark upon the fairies. "

My Thoughts:

Haley and Henry are twins who find themselves going back through a portal to Roan. They are going back to check on Prince Valian who was injured. Hayley had feelings for the prince and was sure he had feelings for her. However, his nurse seems to be getting in the way. Things are changing quickly for the fairies. If you are looking for a quick paced book to read that is full of adventure then this is definitely the book for you. It picks up where the previous one left off. Definitely a great book to start off your new year of reads

Two Books by Carolyn Gold

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

No one wants to move away from their friends, but that is the dilemma that Rusty Larsen faces. On the night of his biggest game he breaks his leg and ankle. That doesn't stop his parents from moving him halfway across the country to Connecticut. When they pull up in front of the most dilapidated house Rusty has ever seen, he's sure from the looks of it that it comes with a resident ghost, and he is right. This ghost isn't malevolent. He just wants them out of his house. The question is, can Rusty makes friends with the ghost? What about school? The book is full of quiet adventure, a little bit of history and some very funny antics. Mix that together with a kid who just wants to make friends in his new school and you have a book everyone will love.

I had not heard of this author before but I really love her work.



Dragonfly Secret
Genre: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

When the author asked me to review her book Ghosts Don't Do Homework I was all in. I love ghost stories. It doesn't matter if they are scary or funny. I've always loved them.  When I opened the package she had sent me another of her books as a gift. I am so glad she did. Dragonfly Secret is the story of a family who has their grandfather living with them.  Nathan and Jessie love having their grandfather live with them. On a visit to their aunt's house it becomes clear that their aunt believes their grandfather needs to be sent to a nursing home to live.  There are several things I need to say here about the characters. The author did a wonderful job of fleshing them out. The aunt and her daughter are snooty, have money and are not very likable. Nathan, Jessie, their grandfather and their mother are more down to earth type people.  The grandfather helps out so that his daughter can work and raise her two kids.  The grandfather owns an old farm.  Their aunt thinks it should be sold.  I immediately thought that she was in it for the money. I won't tell you if that is true or not.

On the way home from their aunts house, they stop at the old farm and look around. When they get home they see a lady talking to the neighbor, whose cat is in their flower bed. The lady is a social worker that the aunt had contacted to come out and determine if their grandfather should be sent away. He is angry and when he goes to wash the car he sees a dragonfly. Upon closer inspection they realize it isn't a dragonfly, but a tiny fairy.  Now they have a problem. They must try to save this fairy and at the same time they must keep this knowledge from the social worker. If she thinks their grandfather believes in fairies then she might send him away.

The story is full of real life problems.  I love this author's work and would gladly read other books written by her.

Author Bio from Amazon:
Born in New Mexico, Carolyn Gold grew up everywhere. Moving nearly every other year as her father followed a career in the Air Force, her life was filled with a wide variety of people and places, from Turkey to Labrador, Wisconsin to California. Her books reflect compassion, tolerance and curiosity, sadness and joy, and a deep love of nature. Her first book, Dragonfly Secret, was published by Atheneum in 1997 and nominated for the Sunshine State Young Readers' Award Program. She now lives in Idaho

Student Saturday: Four Great Reviews today

Four great stories just in time for Halloween

Please remember these are sixth grade students, not professional bloggers. All of their reviews are their own opinions. Please feel free to comment, but be kind.

The Ghost on the Stairs by Chris Eboch
Genre: Mystery

From Goodreads:

Thirteen-year-old Jon and his eleven-year-old sister, Tania, are typical kids—except Tania can communicate with ghosts. Their parents also happen to be the producers of a ghost-hunter television show—and have no idea one of their own kids can see ghosts. In The Ghost on the Stairs, the brother-sister duo join forces to help reunite a newlywed couple from beyond the grave. In The Riverboat Phantom, Jon and Tania try to help the ghost of a steamboat worker find peace at last—and find more than they bargained for on the river!

Student Reviewer: Stefanie
The Ghost on the stairs was a great book. I recommend this book to my sister and anyone who likes to read mysteries that gives goosebumps, with some love at the same time. When I was reading this book I thought of my sister because she loves to read books that give her goosebumps. The story's main characters are Jon, a thirteen - year-old boy, Taina an eleven-year-old girl, their mom and Bruce the TV show guy. Most of the story takes place in a haunted house. In the story Taina went to the haunted house and she could see the ghosts and her brother Jon thinks she is in danger. At the same time Bruce is trying to catch the ghost on camera. She and her brother try to free the ghost. Will they be able to do it?  This is a must read book.

Scary Tales: Home Sweet Horror by James Preller
Genre: Horror

From Goodreads:
Welcome. Have a seat. Let us tell you a story. But be warned. Home Sweet Horror isn’t just any tale. This is a Scary Tale.
Meet Liam Finn, who’s just moved into a new home with his father and sister. But this old house that seems empty, isn’t . . . Bloody Mary is here. Called back from the dead by a game, she’s just dying to talk.

Student Reviewer: Alma
I read a book about a family without a mom who moved to a new house. Their son Liam Fin knew there was something going on with the house, his sister didn't believe a word Liam was saying. Then they both worked together to figure out the mystery of the house. It was a really amazing, interesting, good book. I would recommend this book to people who really love scary and mysterious books.

The Ghost of Crutchfield Hall by Mary Downing Hahn
Genre: Mystery/Horror

From Goodreads:

When twelve-year-old Florence boards the crowded horse-drawn coach in London, she looks forward to a new life with her great uncle and aunt at Crutchfield Hall, an old manor house in the English countryside. Anything will be better, she thinks, than the grim London orphanage where she has lived since her parents' death.
          But Florence doesn't expect the ghost of her cousin Sophia, who haunts the cavernous rooms and dimly lit hallways of Crutchfield and concocts a plan to use Florence to help her achieve her murderous goals. Will Florence be able to convince the others in the household of the imminent danger and stop Sophia before it's too late?

Student Reviewer: Mayra

This book started with an eleven-year-old girl  named Florence that lived in an orphanage with a lot of girls and a lot of ladies that take care of them. Florence gets to  go live with her uncle in a big house that is out of town. She goes and finds out her cousin Sophia had died and her cousin James has been sick ever since Sophia died. It has been almost a year. Florence feels like something is following her and she is trying to find out what or who it is. I recommend this for people who like mystery books. I had a connection to this book, because sometimes I feel like something is looking and me and there is nothing there.

Shadow of Darkness by Rashad Freeman

Genre: Horror

From Goodreads:

Anthony Dimair isn't your average teenager. Anthony Dimair doesn't have your average teenage problems. Unfortunately, Anthony Dimair doesn't know that yet.

By most accounts Anthony's been a pretty normal kid his whole life. When he starts what should be a normal year of high school, he suddenly begins to change. There's something dark buried deep inside him, but it wants to get out.

As people start disappearing and unknown assailants start following him, Anthony turns to his Uncle for answers. With only the help of his friends he sets off on a quest to discover the truth. But discovering the truth may very well get him killed.

Follow Anthony on an epic adventure as he races against time and the darkness inside him. Will he survive to find out the truth? Or will he get himself and his friends killed in the process?

Student Reviewer: Darietne

The main character in this story is Anthony. There’s a mystery in his life he doesn’t know about. They were at Dr. Heizwick’s and Dr. Vorcick’s lab when Dr. Vorcick did something wrong. Anthony was just going to start school when he started hearing things. This book made me feel curious about what was going to happen next. This book is great for anyone who likes horror stories. I though of all the things that happened and why they happened. It reminded me of a movie called “The Evil Dead”.