Fiction Fridays (sort of)

        This week my brother-in-law and his family have been in from Japan (he's in the Air Force) and my hubby has been off all week so that we can spend time with them so . . . I didn't get to finish either of the new SSYRA books that I started this week, I know that's kind of sad.  However, because I LOVE Fiction Fridays I wanted to share some books I read last year because they were great reads and you may not be familiar with them.  Here goes:

        First up Captain Nobody (I know that Amanda over at the Teaching Thief read this one this week too, but that is just how awesome the book is!!!
 

        Have you ever felt invisible?  If you have, Captain Nobody by Dean Pitchford is the book for you.   This book is about a boy named Newton (yes, just like the fig cookie) who accidentally discovers the super hero within himself one Halloween night.  This book is filled with fun and adventure from cover to cover.  I absolutely loved this SSYRA book.  In fact, Captain Nobody may be my favorite of all of the books so far!  I think if you read this book you will enjoy it too : )

 

        Next The Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonell and 43 Old Cemetery Road, Dying to Meet You by Kate Klise. 
         The Secret of Zoom was an intriguing book about a girl name Christina and her scientific family.  She finds more than she bargained for (both good and bad) after an innocent visit to her attic.  This book was a little slow to start (for me) by my refusal to abandon it surely paid off! 

         Dying to Meet You was very different from the other SSYRA books I read last summer.  This book is mostly written through correspondences between the characters.  It is filled with letters and newspaper articles, which makes it a quick read.  My favorite part of this book is the play on words that Kate Klise has used for the names of the characters of the town of Ghastly.  Some examples include, a real estate agent named Anita Sale ("I need a sale") and town citizens named Sammy Tarry ("cemetery"), Kay Daver ("cadaver") and Fay Tality ("fatality") just to name a few. Don't let the characters' names trick you this is a light and fun read.  *****Now a series!

 
        Then Out of my Mind by Sharon M. Draper.  The story is centered on the main character Melody Brooks and the every day trials that she faces as an eleven-year-old girl with spastic bilateral quadriplegia, also known as cerebral palsy.  Through each page we can see how Melody's disability limits only her body and not her mind.  This story was incredibly moving and I found myself cheering Melody on as she faced each and every obstacle in the book.  **FYI this was the 2011-2012 winner for the SSYRA books!

         Now:  Do you love to read stories that are filled with action, adventure, crazy gadgets, and spying?  If you do, NERDS:  National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael Buckley is a book that you will not want to miss!  This book is about a boy named Jackson whose life is drastically changed the day he gets braces.  He goes from Mr. Popularity to the school pariah.  After Jackson's exile from the "cool kids" he finds out that there is much more to school, especially his, than playing sports and being popular when he spots several interesting coincidences by a group of nerds. After following the nerds into their secret headquarters he accidentally becomes one of them.  But can this group of kids ever learn to get over the terrible things that Jackson did to them when he was popular and accept him?  You will be on the edge of your seat as you read to find out if a group of nerds at Nathan Hale Elementary can save the world from an evil mad scientist. 
        ***A fun feature of this book is that at various intervals you (the reader) will actually have to pass certain tests to earn the security clearance necessary to continue reading-they will be grueling, but well worth the effort!   *****Now a series!

        Finally:    A few examples of things that people are afraid of include heights, snakes, and speaking in front of large crowds, etc . . . But Alvin Ho, the main character of Alvin Ho:  Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things is afraid of so much more!!!  This book tells the story of a boy (just about to begin 2nd grade) and how his fears control his whole life.  He is afraid of everything, including but not limited to elevators, trains, bridges, substitute teachers, shots, school, etc . . . Throughout this book you will see how Alvin tries to use his PDK (Personal Disaster Kit) to help him deal with all of the scary situations he encounters, which according to Alvin is almost everything in his whole entire life.  This is a really fun book and will make anyone feel much braver, at least in comparison to Alvin!  *****Now a series!

        I hope that you will at least consider checking these books out, I am sure your students and maybe even you will enjoy them!  For more great suggestions head over to The Teaching Thief for her Fiction Fridays!!!