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FLORA & ULYSSES by Kate DiCamillo
I’ve had this book on my to-read list since it came out and I am glad I finally had the opportunity to read it, as I usually enjoy DiCamillo’s work immensely. Flora & Ulysses is no exception!...
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CHEETAH CAN’T LOSE by Bob Shea
Cheetah Can’t Lose is another winner from author Bob Shea. When Cheetah’s friends celebrate the coming of Big Race Day Cheetah’s response is: Which big race? The one I always win because I am big and...
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SYLVIA & AKI by Winifred Conkling…LOVELACE NOMINEE 2014-15
Sylvia & Aki has a subtitle on the cover that reads: “Friendship know no barriers.” The story, however, is not really about the friendship between the two girls. It is told in alternating...
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THE MEANING OF MAGGIE by Megan Jean Sovern
Maggie is funny and smart and LOVES candy–well, all food really, but especially candy. She fully intends to become President of the United States. She believes she has a plan for her life and does...
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KATE THE GREAT Except When She’s Not by Suzy Becker
I was reluctant to read Kate the Great because I was afraid it would be a bad imitation of Lincoln Peirce’s successful Big Nate series. I was relieved to discover Kate is a unique and quirky 5th...
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THE RELUCTANT ASSASSIN by Eoin Colfer (WARP #1)
I was beyond excited to read The Reluctant Assassin when it came out earlier in 2014 because I adore Eoin Colfer. The Artemis Fowl series is brilliant (and although I have many people violently...
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CURIOSITY by Gary Blackwood
I was ecstatic to see a new novel from Gary Blackwood! And (for the most part) I was not disappointed. Curiosity is the story of Rufus, a twelve-year-old born with a curvature of the spine and an...
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THE NIGHT GARDENER by Jonathan Auxier
The Night Gardener is one of the most skillfully creepy novels I have ever read. When the story opens we are in 19th-century Victorian England and we meet young Molly and her brother Kip. Kip is lame...
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THE LAST APPRENTICE #1 The Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney
Spooky. Creepy. The Last Apprentice: The Revenge of the Witch is classic terror at its best. Its tone is quiet and understated, which makes the way its horror sneaks up on you (from behind) all the...
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SAVING LUCAS BIGGS by Marisa de los Santos & David Teague
Margaret’s father has been wrongly convicted of arson and murder, found guilty by Judge Lucas Biggs. Knowing her father is innocent, Margaret is devastated. Encouraged by her good friend Charlie and...
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THE RED PENCIL by Andrea Davis Pinkney
The Red Pencil is Amira’s story. Amira lives in the Sudan in northeastern Africa. The story takes place between 2000 and 2004 during the Sudanese uprising. Many Sudanese like Amira and her family...
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THE CASE OF THE STOLEN SIXPENCE by Holly Webb
The Case of the Stolen Sixpence is the first in the Maisie Hitchins mysteries series by Holly Webb. Maisie is 12 years old and lives with her grandmother in the boarding house she owns and operates....
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SHE’S BACK!
After an unexpected hiatus, due to medical issues, Ms Tami is back and working to bring mstamireads back up-to-date with the new 2015-16 Maud Hart Lovelace nominees and more delightful new discoveries!
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RUMP by Liesl Shurtliff…LOVELACE Nominee Division I & II 2015-16
Rump is the “true” story of the character Rumplestiltskin (of fairytale fame). I often use this fairy tale when teaching theatre and am surprised that only about 60% of my students (elementary thru...
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SPACE CASE by Stuart Gibbs
Space Case is the first in a new series by one of my favorite authors– Stuart Gibbs. The main character is Dash, a middle-school-age boy whose voice and experience will resonate with elementary and...
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THE CURSE OF THE CURSED DODO by Jake G. Panda
The Case of the Cursed Dodo is an engaging read for 8-12 year-olds in particular. Jake the Panda is a detective. He is the classic detective of the American 1940’s-era black-and-white movies....
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ZOMBIE BASEBALL BEATDOWN by Paolo Bacigalupi…2015-16 LOVELACE Nominee...
Zombie Baseball Beatdown was not the book I expected it to be. The cover art indicates silly, slapstick-y zombie zaniness. There is definitely humor sprinkled throughout, provided primarily by the...
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COUNTING BY 7’S by…2015-16 LOVELACE Nominee Division II
Counting By 7s is the story of Willow Chance. She is 12 years old. She’s a genius. She’s different. She has already had to search and find one family. This is the story of losing and searching for...
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WISH GIRL by Nikki Loftin
Wish Girl–like Nikki Loftin’s work Nightingale’s Nest–has moments where the characters and language seem to transcend the pages of the book. Peter has been severely bullied at school. In an effort to...
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CALLI BE GOLD by Michele Weber Hurwitz…2015-16 LOVELACE Nominee Division I
Calli Be Gold is Lovelace nominee choice which will particularly appeal to young female readers because Calli is such a genuine and convincing character. The youngest of three siblings, Calli’s older...
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