No Surprises Here (but in a GOOD way!)

Losers was another middle-grade classic from Andrew Clements.  Guys and gals and those in between will love this book, as it is class Clements with great insight.  The thing about reading is, yes it is wonderful.  But yes, it really can be an escape or a crutch.  And I think it is bold and honest for this issue to be addressed here.  But the book isn't about that primarily.  Its about friendship and crushes and balance and life!  Great stuff

Fans of Dory

And while I know one person who isn't a fan of Dory, I think she secretly is and just tells me she isn't to get me stirred up, because I just can't see how anyone couldn't love Dory Fantasmagory.  Dory Dory Black Sheep is the third in this series by Abby Hanlon and I LOVED it!  I read it again last night with another FOD who texted me just now with "I 3> Goblin" and when you read this book, you will, too!
Keeping a series funny and fresh must be hard work, I am sure, but Hanlon really knows how to do it!  Long live Dory!  Rascal!

Real

This is a very powerful middle-grade fiction story.  I liked it so much because the main character was likable and not likable, he was real.  Lost in the Sun is told from the POV of Trent, who has just entered middle school.  Entering middle school is bad enough, but Trent also is bringing with him a lot of baggage.  The winter before he shot a puck during a hockey game that hit a kid in the chest and the kid died.  It wasn't the fault of the puck, or Trent, the kid had a heart problem, but Trent blames himself.  He is full of so much rage against himself that he takes it out on the world.  This is also a story of friendship, as Trent becomes friends with a girl who has a scar on her face and is often the butt of jokes at school.  It is also the story of family, as Trent's dad has a new wife and she is having a baby.  Trent's dad comes across as a super-jerk, in my opinion.  He was super-easy to dislike has he is a seriously dualistic thinker and tells Trent that you only get one chance in life at most things, and of course, Trent, having had his part in the freak accident that resulted in the death of a friend, well, this man is just not a nice or smart man.  Also Trent can't read.  It is a book packed with things to discuss and it is also just a very compelling tween read.

Put up 11 fingers

I do this preschool math class, right?  And we do the numbers 0-10 and once as a joke I asked them to put up eleven fingers.

A very smart four year old held up her two pointer fingers, each to look like a one and held them side by side, so she did put 11 in the air.

It was awesome!

And very smart!

Eleven is by Patricia Reilly Giff who has written some super-popular first reader series like The Kids of Polk Street School and Polka Dot Private Eye.

This a mystery book about a boy, age eleven, who discovers something that makes him question his past.  It is a really good little mystery and moves very quickly.