​The Endling #1 – The Last
Written by Katherine Applegate
Age Level: 9 - 11
Grade Level: 3 - 7

If you love fantasy, you’ll love this novel! When I read it, only Book 1 existed, and I remember wanting more. I’m glad it’s now part of a series of three novels.
 
Book 1 is a classic quest with three hooks to reel you into the story. The first, a dog-like species who have been hunted to death and might go extinct. Byx thinks she’s the last of the Dairnes so she goes on a quest to see if it’s true. That’s the second hook. She’s heard a rumor some are hidden away. And the final hook, the friends, allies, and enemies Byx meets as she searches through a war-torn kingdom for another Dairne. Another creature who looks like her.

​The Door by the Staircase
Written by Katherine Marsh
Illustrated by Kelly Murphy
Age Level: 7 – 12
Grade Level: 3 - 7

If you like folk tales, check out this story. Baba Yaga is a famous Russian witch who decides to come to America. She’s changed her mode of operation, a little. She now adopts orphans, leaves them in the woods to scare them, and then eats them for dinner. That changes when she meets Mary Hayes, an orphan, who’s more than a match for Baba Yaga. This story is full of Russian flavors, including the food!

​Why Longfellow Lied: The Truth About Paul Revere’s Ride
Written by Jeff Lantos
Age Level: 8 -12
Grade Level: 3 – 7

​This is an interesting read…except I’d change the title…How Longfellow Decided to Retell Paul Revere’s Story. The first one is catchier; that’s why Jeff Lantos used it. That’s what Longfellow did when he shared Paul’s story. He kept the story moving, with great page turns. He didn’t worry about accuracy. He cared more for the words.
 
Jeff cared for all of the above, and he took an interesting approach to his version of Revere’s story. The prologue grounds you in dates like April 1775 when Revere took his ride, and April 1860 when Longfellow started writing. In the rest of the book, Jeff breaks the poem apart section by section. Then he tells you what’s true, what’s not, and why Longfellow made the choices he did. Personally I found Jeff’s factual retelling more compelling than Longfellow’s. If you want to learn more about Lexington, Concord, and the men who took part in those battles, check out this book!

My Brother Sam is Dead
Written by James Lincoln Collier
                                    & Christopher Collier
Age Level: 10 – 12

If you want to travel back in time to the American Revolution, check out this book. It comes at the war from a different angle – the home front. When Sam, the oldest son comes home from college, he’s wearing an American uniform. His father is a staunch loyalist. After a heated argument, Sam runs off to war, taking the family gun with him. His little brother Tim and their mother are stuck between them.
 
The story follows their effort to survive the year following Lexington and Concord, the Declaration of Independence, and the British invasion of New York. A cattle drive to Verplancks Point on the Hudson River turns into a nightmare. His father is kidnapped. Sam has to make it home alone with the wagon and oxen. He and his mother must run the family tavern together. As for Sam, he’ll meet his end in a tragic way. No one escapes war – not those on either side. Or the ones stuck in the middle. If you want to picture what their life was like during those fateful days, this is the book for you. Check out the back matter to discover the research that went into its pages.

​The Red Umbrella
Written by Christina Diaz Gonzalez
Age Level: 10 - 13
Grade Level: 5 - 7

When I saw the red umbrella, I thought Mary Poppins, but this story is so different, yet so relevant for kids today. Lucia and her little brother live in Cuba. Their story begins as Fidel Castro and the Communists come to power. The changes Castro made were not positive, especially for children. I was horrified by them. They were so terrible that Cuban parents sent their children out of the country, alone, without a chaperone. I can’t imagine as a parent of three, and now a grandparent, how hard that choice must have been. The program’s name, Operation Pedro Pan.

This story starts in Cuba, but as conditions worsen, Lucia’s parents find a way to send them to America. Most of the story takes place here, in Florida where the kids go first. Then in Nebraska, where they’re ‘adopted,’ until their parents can finally get out of Cuba. I won’t tell you how it ends, but I can tell you there’s a happy ending, my favorite kind!

​The Joneses & The Princess’s Seneb
Written by Malayna Evans
Age Level: 8 - 14
Grade Level: 4 - 7

I’ve been waiting for this book since 2020 and I found it by accident this summer. It was worth the wait! If you liked the author’s two  earlier books with Jagger Jones and then Aria, you’ll like this one too!
 
When Paramessu, AKA P-Soup from Book 2, notices kids are disappearing, he knows it’s the Aten, the sun god at work. No one believes him, except for the God Horus who sends him a clue, “There is a third. The third will open the gate for the three. In three.

I had no idea about any of those 3s, and neither did P-Soup. But he summoned Jagger, Aria, and Tatia from the southside of Chicago. Can they rescue the missing children or their friend Babi? Defeat the Aten? Read the final book about the Joneses' series and find out!

​The Official Harry Potter Baking Book
Written by Joanna Farrow
Age Level: 10 and up
Grade Level: 5 and up

​This book is as beautiful as the cover, and I hope it tastes as good too. I’m not a baker, but I was tempted. Especially by Wand Breadsticks, Sorting Hat Cupcakes, and Salazar Slytherin’s Sourdough Snake. If you’re a big Harry Potter fan AND a baker, this is the perfect book for you and your family.

​Guts & Glory: The American Revolution
Written by Ben Thompson
Age Level: 10 - 12
Grade Level: 3 - 7

​Imagine reading a book that takes you from the sparks that started the Revolution to the end at Yorktown. Best of all, it’s not boring! I felt like I was on a time travel tour with a great guide who knows how to tell a story. When he talked about taxes on stamps and tea, he compared them to sales tax on video games and burgers. Then he said Sam Adams was pretty righteously mad about them. Would you believe I found those two examples on the same page?!
 
The book also breaks down big concepts like patriots and loyalists. It did a show and tell about American and  British soldiers in a way kids, especially boys would love. At the end of each chapter, there was a quick bio. My favorite part – the bonus fact. Did you know John Hancock’s dad was a minister, or that his parents died when he was seven? John was adopted and raised by his aunt and uncle.

​Pizza and Taco: Super-Awesome Comic
Written & Illustrated by Stephen Shaskan
Age Level: 5 – 8
Grade Level: K – 3

I loved this story! It’s #3 in a series of thirteen easy chapter books that are also graphic novels. The characters are a great combo -  pizza and taco. Who DOESN’T love them? They’re great as foods, but even better in their starring roles.
 
The problem,and the fun, it all begins when they decide to write a story together. Somehow they can’t agree on the plot or on their superhero features. How can they ever find their way back to a super-awesome comic book? You’ll have to read to find out!

The ​Puppy Place: Snowball #2
Written by Ellen Miles
Illustrated by Rich Davis
Age Level: 7 – 10
Grade Level: 2 - 5

I don’t usually read older books, but I found myself reading this one. Mostly because I was curious about the series. When I taught second grade, Puppy Place was always one of the choices in the Scholastic flier. I can see why. This is #2 in the series. It came out in November of 2011. Puppy Place is still publishing new chapter books. The latest, #69 came out this month, in February of 2024.
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And the plot, it’s short and simple, but these are great chapter book reads for kids who want to leave picture books behind. A kid wants a dog so he fosters one, a Westie. He decides the dog is better off with his grand-buddy so he gives it to her as a Christmas gift. He checks with the fostering place first, of course. This is an easy read, and it’s a perfect fit for its audience. Kids love dogs, and doggie books are best sellers at Scholastic.