“The River Between Us,” by Richard Peck

“The River Between Us,” by Richard Peck is a historical novel set during the Civil War. It focuses on the relationship between a young teenage girl, her family, and two remarkable strangers who visit their small town.

Fifteen-year-old Tilly Pruitt fears the approaching Civil War because her brother is determined to sign up and join the army. The Pruitt family lives in a small town on the Mississippi River. Their town is between the North and South, so half the boys in town are preparing to join the Confederacy, while the other half are eager to join the Union Army. In fact, there is a good chance that the boys will end up fighting each other if war reaches their small town. Read the rest »

“Emmy and the Home for Troubled Girls,” by Lynne Jonell

“Emmy and the Home for Troubled Girls,” by Lynne Jonell is a delightful book about a young girl named Emmy and her adventures with a group of intelligent rats that have mysterious powers. This book is the second in a series that began with “Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat.”

When Emmy first met Raston, he was a sulky and obnoxious classroom pet that liked to bite. But the first time Emmy was bitten by Raston she discovered an amazing thing about Raston: people who are bit by the rat can understand Rat speech.

Emmy helped Raston to escape, and later the strange powers of Raston and other unusual rats helped Emmy to free her household from the sneaky influence of Miss Barmy, an evil nanny who had been poisoning Emmy’s parents so that she could get the family fortune and send Emmy off to the Home for Troubled Girls. Read the rest »

“The Beloved Dearly,” by Doug Cooney

“The Beloved Dearly,” by Doug Cooney is a heart-warming novel about a young boy who learns the true value of friends while trying to run a pet burial service.

Ernie may be only twelve years old, but he has plenty ideas about how to make money. When he gets in trouble for selling his own cheeseburgers in the cafeteria at school its the last straw, though. Ernie’s father tells him that if he finds out that Ernie is trying to make money off people again he will ground him.

But then Ernie finds an abandoned lot, and the perfect business: pet burials. Read the rest »

“Seekers – The Quest Begins,” by Erin Hunter

“Seekers – The Quest Begins,” by Erin Hunter is the story of three bears who must embark on a long quest to find the solution to global climate change.

Kallik is a young polar bear from North Canada. Times are beginning to get difficult for polar bears, because the ice is melting earlier and earlier every year, forcing the bears to get off the ice, where they can hunt, and onto the land before they are ready. When Kallik’s mother is eaten by orcas while swimming between two ice sheets Kallik must continue the journey to land alone. Read the rest »

“Lawn Boy,” by Gary Paulson

“Lawn Boy,” by Gary Paulson is the story of how a young boy’s lawn business gets a little bit out of hand.

The story is told from the point of view of a young twelve-year-old boy. When his grandma gives him a riding lawn mower its the beginning of a business venture that will have surprising results. As the boy cuts lawns around the neighborhood he soon has more business than he can handle. That’s when he meets Arnold, a stockbroker with grand intentions. Soon the boy has fifteen employees and the company assets include, among other things, stock in a coffin company, and an investment in a prize fighter. Read the rest »