And So We Begin Again...

[Jenny]

Yvette wrote: "Jenny wrote: "I tried listening to the first Calpurnia book on audiobook and, I'm sorry to say, I abandoned it after about 100 pages. I found it to be somewhat boring and lacking in much of a story..."

I usually do try to stick it out, but I couldn't with this one. I have a hard time imagining young readers willing to hang in for that long!

[Debbie]

I just read Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman as an ARC on Netgalley and it's my new favorite. It's about a girl who's family is trying to live in all 50 states (and blogging about it). She used to think this was cool but not so much anymore. They move to San Francisco, which she thinks is great because the inventor of her favorite game, Book Scavenger, is from there. Book Scavenger (in this book) is an online game where you hide a book and post clues about where to find it. People try to be the first ones to find the book and post it online and earn points for doing so. I was very disappointed this isn't a real game, but the story is awesome! It has a lot of ciphers in it as well as great themes of friendship and San Francisco history. I liked it a lot!

[Carol]

I'm reading it now myself, Debbie. So far, so good. Makes me want to have some book scavenger hunts around my school.

[Czechgirl]

Debbie, great review! Putting it on my TBR list!

[Kim]

"Book Scavenger" is lots of fun and the kids will eat it up this summer. Another fun title is "The Island of Dr. Libris" by Chris Grabenstein. It takes a boring summer spent on an island cut off from electronics and sends the kids trying to get away from storybook characters on an eccentric man's island. The author usually has a great website for his books as well.

[Carol]

Finished Book Scavenger. Wonderful! You can access my review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... Kim, we must be on the same wavelength because I've started The Island of Dr. Libris, too.

[Josephine]

The Honest Truth by gemeinhart was a book with a hook and I couldn't put it down until I came to the end. Probably not a newbery but a great group read or read aloud. Lots of good thought provoking discussion ideas. A, what would I do book.

[Carol]

This is one of my favorite books suggested by this group. It does raise many questions. One thing I liked about this book is that it seems very real and not contrived.

Jo wrote: "The Honest Truth by gemeinhart was a book with a hook and I couldn't put it down until I came to the end. Probably not a newbery but a great group read or read aloud. Lots of good thought provoking..."

[Monica]

I highly recommend Kelly Jones's Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer (My blog review here:https://medinger.wordpress.com/2015/0...)

[Laura]

Monica wrote: "I highly recommend Kelly Jones's Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer (My blog review here:https://medinger.wordpress.com/2015/0...-..."

I've heard really great reviews for this title. I am looking forward to reading it.

[Jenny]

Laura wrote: "Monica wrote: "I highly recommend Kelly Jones's Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer (My blog review here:https://medinger.wordpress.com/2015/0......"

So cute! I loved the story and the illustrations. Can't wait to get a physical copy for my classroom library!

[Carol]

I like this too. A good mix it seems of Matched and The Selection. I like that it shares more of the boy's point of view.
Martha wrote: "I really like 5 to 1 by Holly Bodger. Still letting it settle. Futuristic, but not really."

[Carol]

I don't know who mentioned net galley first but thank you! I signed up for it last month and already have had a chance to read the new Sara Dessen book (as good as any of hers) 5 to 1 by Bodger (The Selection meets Matched meets Hunger Games) and now I am reading Chasing Secrets by Choldenko.
I love getting a chance to preview books before they get to the library.

[Jen]

Carol wrote: "I don't know who mentioned net galley first but thank you! I signed up for it last month and already have had a chance to read the new Sara Dessen book (as good as any of hers) 5 to 1 by Bodger (Th..."

I love Net Galley as well. My recent favorites are The Seventh Most Important Thing and Chasing Secrets. I've had a problem lately after loading books and then not being able to turn the pages of the book. I thought it was just an issue with one book, but in my last batch of new titles I had 3 that I couldn't read. Maybe it's a Nook issue? Has any one else had this issue?

[Maggi]

I'm halfway through Goodbye Stranger and wow, it's just as impressive as all of Stead's other books. I'm looking forward to reading Echo this week and weighing my options.

[Lisa]

I just finished The Seventh Most Important Thing, and thought it was fantastic, one of my favorites so far. Also read Goodbye Stranger, but even though I liked it, did not love it.

[Laura]

Kristen wrote: "2016 is well underway with some excellent titles. It's time to start reading the best of the best in current children's literature. If you come across a 2016 Newbery contender let us know. So......"

I am currently reading Island Treasures: Growing Up in Cuba by Alma Flor Ada. It is pretty amazing.

[Mari Anne]

Just finished Castle Hangnail and adored it!! I thought it was cuter and wittier then Exceptional Poultry ... (which I also liked). While it probably doesn't have the gravitas for a Newberry, I think Vernon is a genius!

[Mari Anne]

That should have read Unusual Chickens...LOL! I also finished Book Scavenger which I enjoyed more then Island of Dr. Live is (but not as much as Mr. Lemoncello). I think Book Scavenger will appeal to kids, especially those into things like geocaching.

[Martha]

Cara wrote: "I'm looking for suggestions to put on 3-5 Summer reading lists. I'd love to add some fresh, new, relevant material so I thought I'd ask for suggestions here!"

"My" mock Newbery kids are liking Old Wolf by Avi.

[Mary HD]

Carol wrote: "This is one of my favorite books suggested by this group. It does raise many questions. One thing I liked about this book is that it seems very real and not contrived.

Jo wrote: "The Honest Truth..."

This is a great read that I am sure many kids will enjoy - I can see it landing on a number of state children's choice award lists - but the unrelenting melodrama can wear out an adult reader (just how many times does the author expect the reader to weep, anyway?)

[Julie]

Mary HD wrote: ". . . but the unrelenting melodrama can wear out an adult reader (just how many times does the author expect the reader to weep, anyway?)

As an adult reader I found the main character to be whiny and selfish - running away from the people who love him and have stood by him; basically intending to murder his dog (He really expected the dog to survive?!) The only time I wept was when he didn't die in the river. He should have. And that's the honest truth.

My experience reading this was similar to reading Wringer. I really wanted those main characters to fail and I was disappointed when instead, the pigeon/dog/boy lives. Blech.

[Annette]

Julie wrote: basically intending to murder his dog

This is exactly why I hated this book. I could not get over the fact that he took his dog with him just expecting the dog to survive the trip back down the mountain and know how to get home. I could not get over that selfishness. It pulled me right out of the story.

[Cara]

Loved Crenshaw. Think it will be on a bunch of mock lists.

[Lisa]

Agree that Crenshaw is fantastic. A poignant story that will raise some good discussion on the issue of hunger in the US and make the topic accessible to young readers. Another hit from Katherine Applegate!

[Helen]

Kristen wrote: "2016 is well underway with some excellent titles. It's time to start reading the best of the best in current children's literature. If you come across a 2016 Newbery contender let us know. So...

W..."

Is it possible to see you conversations about books published in 2015? Thanks!