The Return BOOK ONE: Disney Lands by: Ridley Pearson

If you are a fan of the Kingdom Keepers series you will want to pick up The Return BOOK ONE: Disney Lands at your local library or bookstore very soon.  I didn't realize that Ridley Pearson had written the first of a new series with the Kingdom Keeper characters until I attended the 2016 LA Times Book Festival.  It was a highlight to meet Mr. Pearson, take a photo and get my book signed.

The five Kingdom Keepers (Finn, Philby, Charlene, Maybeck and Willa) have graduated from High School and will be headed off to different colleges soon.  Finn is convinced that their friend, Wayne, has one more assignment for them.  Finn crosses over and figures out a couple of clues left by Wayne, Finn is taken back in time to Disneyland's early years.  It takes awhile for Finn to convince the others that they need to find Walt Disney's fountain pen and put it where they can find it to save the Disney parks.  The others know they have already saved Disney parks and were able to get rid of the villains.  Finn knows they have done this but in all the photos of Walt's office the fountain pen isn't there and he believes they need to place it on his desk so that it is there when they need it in the future.  Soon all five are crossing over and headed back in time to opening day of Disneyland.  The park in 1955 is very different than the park they know today.

Friends of the Keepers, Jess and Amanda, are attending Disney's School of Imagineering and are soon helping them again.  They are trying to be careful about what they are doing so that they can stay in the school but they are learning some interesting secrets about Disneyland.

Fun and adventure fills this book.  I had to go and buy book two of the series the day after finishing book one.  Keep looking here for my review of book 2.

Happy Daily Reading!
Deanna

Ridley Pearson and me at the 2016 LA Times Book Festival

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by: Leslie Connor

Perry T. Cook and his mom Jessica are two heroes in my opinion.  After you read Leslie Connor's book All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook I think you will agree with me.

Perry was born and raised (for the past 11 years) in the Blue River Co-ed Correctional Facility in Surprise, Nebraska.  This is a correctional facility for those that have not intentionally committed violent crimes.  Perry has attended local schools and considers his life to be very blessed.  He has one friend, Zoey, as they begin Jr. High.  This is when a new District Attorney (Tom VanLeer)  is assigned to the area that covers Blue River Facility and he hears about Perry's living situation he gets Perry moved out ASAP!  Perry is now living with the VanLeer family which happens to be Zoey's family.  Perry just wants to get back to living with his mom.  Jessica Cook is up for parole soon and Perry wants to make sure the parole happens so they can begin life outside the facility.  Jessica has worked hard to get her life back together, earning a degree while in the facility and having a plan for her and Perry once she is paroled.

Perry can now only see his mom once a week and that isn't enough for him or his mom.  When Perry and Zoey get the chance to volunteer at the community library and help deliver books to Blue River he is happy to see his mom, the other residents and to show Zoey his home.  While many are happy with this extra visit it is important to not let Mr. VanLeer find out.

When Perry is assigned a school project to write about how he came to live in Surprise, Nebraska he decides to write the stories of the residents in the facility.  Not all of them want to talk but some do and he finally learns the truth about how his mom ended up at Blue River.  Perry finds out that the parole hearing has been delayed and that Mr. VanLeer isn't doing what he promised to Perry.  It is up to Perry, Zoey and a very unlikely friend to help Jessica Cook get the parole she deserves.

I enjoyed hearing all the stories of the Blue River community.  The people who are involved with Perry are family to him and they truly are like any of our own families.  I learned that our past doesn't define our future we can work and change what our life situation is and make things better for ourselves and our families.  I highly recommend this book for all readers, grades 5 and higher.

Happy Daily Reading!
Deanna

The Boy Who Cried Ninja by: Alex Latimer

You are going to be fooled by the title of Alex Latimer's book The Boy Who Cried Ninja.  This book isn't the story you think it might be.

Tim is a boy that nobody believed.  A giant squid eating not just his homework but his entire book bag.  A sunburned crocodile breaks the TV antenna.  One is true and one is false Tim gets into trouble for telling the truth and for telling lies?!  Can he find a way to no longer get into trouble?  He decides to invite an unusual group of guests to a party and hopefully this party will get him out of trouble once and for all.

This is a fun story and one you will want to share over and over again.  In fact, invite a few friends over for a book reading party and enjoy this book with them.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Raymie Nightingale by: Kate DiCamillo

Kate DiCamillo has written another book that you won't soon forget.  In fact, I'm sure you will become a friend to Raymie Nightingale.

Life at Raymie's home has been turned upside-down her dad has run away with a dental hygienist.  Raymie thinks of a plan that will bring her dad back home.  Her plan is to enter the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition when she wins her father will see her picture in the newspaper and he will come home.  She begins taking baton twirling lessons for the talent portion of the competition.  At the lessons she meets Louisiana Elefante and Beverly Tapinski.  Louisiana is also wanting to win the title of Little Miss Central Florida Tire and Beverly wants to make sure the competition doesn't happen.  Their baton instructor doesn't teach the girls much of anything during their lesson time but the girls do become friends.

Raymie learns that she needs to do a good deed for the application for the competition so she visits a local home for the elderly to read to the residents for her good deed.  When she isn't able to read to anyone and her book gets left behind it takes all three of the girls to get her book back.  It isn't as easy as one may think, but their friendship continues to get stronger.  Each girl is searching for something that she has lost and when Raymie saves Louisiana from drowning each girl finds what they really needed isn't what was lost it was what they have found in each other.

This is a great book about the summer adventures of three girls.  Each of these girls has personalities and life circumstances that we can all relate to in one way or another.  I highly recommend this book for all readers who want a few new friends.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Ballet Cat Dance! Dance! Underpants! by: Bob Shea

Bob Shea has written and illustrated a variety of picture books for children.  I just finished reading his second book starting Ballet Cat Dance! Dance! Underpants and it made me giggle.  I'm sure that you and your child will giggle with delight reading this book staring Ballet Cat and her friend Butter Bear.  This is a perfect first reader for the dancer in your family.

Ballet Cat just cannot understand why Butter Bear will not do any super-high ballet leaps.  Butter Bear comes up with many things to do instead of the super-high leaps which frustrates Ballet Cat.  Will Butter Bear ever let Ballet Cat know the real reason for no high leaps?  Read this book to find out and leave a comment letting me know if you and your listeners giggled just like I did!

After reading this book dance with one of your friends.

Happy Daily Reading!
Deanna

the Misadventures of Max Crumbly Locker Hero by: Rachel Renee Russell

From the wonderfully creative author, Rachel Renee Russell we have the first book in her new series The Misadventures of Max Crumbly Locker hero.  Readers who enjoy Dork Diaries or Diary of a Wimpy Kid will love Max Crumbly!

Max is headed off to middle school after being home schooled by his grandmother for all of his life.  Life at the middle school isn't what he expected and even though he tries to be a super hero just like those he reads about in comic books he really isn't any kind of super hero.

The school bully keeps locking Max inside Max's school locker!  He is saved by Erin, the best looking girl in the school, early in the day but when he finds himself locked inside his locker after school nobody is there to save him.  It is a three day weekend and he begins to panic!

Amazingly he is able to break out of his locker finding himself in an old boiler room with no way out.  He finds the cover for the ventilation system and he is soon crawling all over the school through the vents.  He overhears three men who plan on stealing the school's new computers.  He is sure he can stop them, but soon they are chasing him!  As Max tries to get away from these not-so-smart thieves he finds himself in some crazy situations.  Can Max save the school computers?  Will he ever get out of the school?  Will he remain the superhero of the ventilation system?  You will be surprised how he finds a way to move about quickly in the vents.

I found myself giggling at Max and cheering for him all at the same time.  I know that kids of all ages will love Max Crumbly, Rachel Renee Russell is an author that seems to really get middle schoolers.

After reading this book make a commitment to never bully anyone!

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

President Squid by: Aaron Reynolds

If you have not decided who will get your vote this election year this book may help you decide.  President Squid by Aaron Reynolds is a perfect book for an election year or even for anyone who might think of becoming President.

Squid is sure he has all the qualifications to be President.  He wears a tie, has a big house, is famous, etc....  He is sure he is perfect for the job.  When he finds out that it just might be too much work for him will he change is mind?

This is a fun story that I'm sure your child will want to hear over and over again.

Happy Daily Reading!
Deanna