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Lucy by Randy Cecil - Book Review

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Lucy By Randy Cecil, Randy Cecil (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Randy Cecil, Randy Cecil (Illustrator)
$19.99
ISBN: 9780763668082
Availability: Special Order
Published: Candlewick - August 2nd, 2016

This chapter book for early primary readers is a perfect family read-aloud to stretch over several nights. A story in four acts, Lucy features a homeless dog, a kind-hearted girl, a dad with stage fright and a satisfying conclusion - with charming black and white illustrations by the author. ~ Reviewed by Jennifer Armstrong


Homer Price

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Homer Price (Puffin Modern Classics) By Robert McCloskey, Robert McCloskey (Illustrator) Cover Image
$7.99
ISBN: 9780142404157
Availability: Click Title for IN STORE Location
Published: Puffin Books - December 29th, 2005

One of my very favorite books when I was a kid! I have never forgotten the stand-alone stories that make up this charming novel. The giant ball of yarn, the rich lady who lost her diamond bracelet at the donut shop, the bank robbers - together they paint a delightful portrait of a boy in a small town in the Midwest. Funny and nostalgic - from the author of Make Way for Ducklings and Blueberries for Sal. ~ Reviewed by Jennifer Armstrong


I, Coriander

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I, Coriander By Sally Gardner Cover Image
$7.99
Email or call for price.
ISBN: 9780142407639
Published: Puffin Books - March 1st, 2007

An enchanting blend of excellent historical fiction and fairy-queen fantasy. Coriander lives in London at the time of the English Civil War, the daughter of a wealthy merchant who makes frequent long trips away from home. She discovers that there is a deep mystery surrounding her mother's disappearance and the arrival of a truly wicked stepmother. There are hints of Cinderella, but so much more: this is an exciting adventure full of authentic historical detail that brings 17th-Century London to life, but with an overlay of timeless magic. ~ Reviewed by Jennifer Armstrong


The Book of Aron

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The Book of Aron By Jim Shepard Cover Image
$21.00
ISBN: 9781101872741
Availability: IN WAREHOUSE - Usually Ships in 3-7 Business Days
Published: Vintage - May 3rd, 2016

The story unfolds through the eyes of a hard-knocks kid with little imagination and even less education. The result is a Holocaust novel with no introspection, simply an account of events as they happened. You know how it will end, but the author keeps the reader firmly in the moment every heartbreaking step of the way. ~ Reviewed by Jennifer Armstrong


Dear Hank Williams

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Dear Hank Williams By Kimberly Willis Holt Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9781250079787
Availability: IN WAREHOUSE - Usually Ships in 3-7 Business Days
Published: Square Fish - May 10th, 2016

Tate Ellerbee is the most appealing narrator I've run across in a long time. Prompted by her teacher to choose a pen pal, Tate decides she'll befriend up and coming country music star Hank Williams. She listens to him sing every week on the radio, and can just tell they'd be good friends if she just shares enough of her story, asks enough questions about his hopes and dreams, and gives him plenty of encouragement in his music career. The fact that their pen pal relationship is entirely one-sided (except for a few autographed photos - no personal inscription) can't dampen her sunny spirit. But you, dear reader, may start to hear a lonesome whistle blow as you read between the lines of Tate's cheerful letters. Life in 1948 Rippling Creek, Louisiana, is not as rosy as she makes it out to be, and as her letters reveal more and more about this little girl's heart, your own heart may make an audible twang, like a guitar string breaking. Funny, full of great historical and local detail, Dear Hank Williams is must-read middle grade. ~ Reviewed by Jennifer Armstrong


Lost in the Sun

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Lost in the Sun By Lisa Graff Cover Image
$9.99
ISBN: 9780147508584
Availability: Special Order
Published: Puffin Books - April 26th, 2016

Have you ever made a terrible mistake? Have you ever done something accidentally that could never be undone? Imagine how Trent feels after his regular, nothing out-of-the-ordinary shot during a hockey game hits a friend and kills him. As middle school begins, he does everything he can to sabotage himself, because he feels he must deserve the worst kind of punishment - the hatred of everyone he knows. He is well on his way to destroying his relationship with his family, his teachers, his friends, and his chance to go out for baseball in the spring. One friend sticks by him - Fallon, whose facial scar is the result of something she will never talk about. Is it evidence of an accident? Or somebody hurting her on purpose? This middle grade novel by award-winner Graff offers both boys and girls much to ponder about the nature of accidents, responsibility, and forgiveness. ~ Reviewed by Jennifer Armstrong


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