Number One Sam by: Greg Pizzoli

Like most of us, Sam loves winning.   In Greg Pizzoli's book Number One Sam, he is the fastest and best race car driver there is!  However, one day he loses a race and he isn't sure his life will ever be the same. On the day of the next race, he is very nervous.  He wonders whether he can win and be number one once again.  He is so nervous he misses the starting flag and starts in last place!  Sam, with his great racing talent, soon finds himself in the lead.  That is, until he spots trouble ahead.  What will he do now?

You will love the ending of this story and your children will win when they learn how important it is to be kind and support their friends.  They will also learn it is not necessarily to win every race.

After reading this book, play a few games with family and friends.  See if you will insist on winning, or whether having fun is more important.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Genius Files from Texas with Love by: Dan Gutman

This is my friend Dylan.  He is today's Friday Friend...

In this book, the fourth book of the Genius Files series, Genius Files From Texas With Love by Dan Gutman, Coke and Pepsi McDonald are still being chased and someone continues to try to kill them.  They are returning from their aunt's wedding in a corvette because their RV exploded from fireworks and caught everything they had on fire.  They are being chased by a Dr. Warsaw robot (Doominator).  Coke was almost run over by a motorcycle, put into a drier, a cow was dropped almost landing on his head.  Coke and Pepsi were kidnapped and put in a boat where they were swarmed by bats.  Sleeping powder was put in their bowling shoes which knocked them out when bowling balls began being thrown at them!  They were left in the heat of a vapor cabinet and thrown into a Snickers machine.  It is one thing after another for these twins.  At the end, something came to take Coke and Pepsi, I think it could be a UFO.  We will have to wait for book #5 to find out.  I really enjoyed this book and I am sure you will too.

Thank you, Dylan, for your review.  I'm glad you enjoyed this book.  I have read book #1 in the series and thought it was great.  With twins named Coke and Pepsi McDonald anything can (and does) happen.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Paperboy by: Vince Vawter

This story is based on author Vince Vawter's own life.  It is the summer of 1959 and he becomes the neighborhood Paperboy when his best friend, Rat, leaves for a month.  He is excited to deliver the papers.  He is the star pitcher on his baseball team.  He knows he can throw each paper right onto each porch.  However, he has a stuttering problem.  It takes him awhile to be able to communicate to people, especially those he doesn't know very well.  So he is concerned whether he will be paid (he only gets paid from what he collects from customers.

Throughout the month he is able to get to know a few of his customers.  He learns that some of his customers are struggling financially, and he would love to help but he doesn't know how to help them.  He also receives help from one of the neighbors with his stuttering.

This is a great story and I believe there are characters that readers can relate to.  I am sure you won't forget this book for a very long time.  It won a 2014 Newbery Honor Award and it deserves the award.

After reading this book go and read the newspaper, we don't do that much anymore!

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

My Pet Book by: Bob Staake

Do you have a desire to have a pet?  Do you want a pet that is easy to take care of?  This may be just the right book for you, a pet book!

Author and illustrator Bob Staake has created a wonderful read aloud book with his My Pet Book.  A young boy in Smartytown wants a pet that is easy to take care of as he doesn't like puppies and he sneezes at cats.  His parents tell him that a pet book would be perfect, so they head to the bookstore to find him one.  He finds a red hardcover book that makes the perfect pet book for him.  He loves that the book doesn't need to eat and he enjoys taking the book for walks.  The best part is the stories inside the book.   He imagines himself being inside the stories.   One day his book is missing!  Who ever heard of a book that runs away?  Will he ever find his beloved pet book again?

This is a great story that the entire family will enjoy.  After reading this story take your own pet for a walk, or go and buy yourself your own pet book!

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

The Lions of Little Rock by: Kristin Levine

Author Kristin Levine in her book The Lions of Little Rock takes the reader back to 1958 in the city of Little Rock, Arkansas.  It is the beginning of another school year, but it happens to be the school year after the students named "the Little Rock nine" made history by standing firm against segregation.  But all is not calm in Little Rock.  Many parents, both black and white decided to send their high school-age children to other schools, some in other parts of Arkansas, some far away in other states.  Not one high school in Little Rock is open due to lack of students.

The main character, named Marlee, is a white girl.  Marlee is beginning middle school and as a very shy girl.   She isn't sure she will enjoy this new phase of her life.  On the first day of middle school, she meets Liz and Marlee's life is changed forever.  Liz is a black girl who is smart and very outgoing.   An unlikely friendship is formed by these two girls.  When it is discovered that Liz is trying to pass as a white student, she is immediately expelled from school.  Marlee still wants to be friends and so does Liz.  Can they continue their friendship in the face of segregation?  Is it even safe for them to remain friends?  They find ways to see each other as much as possible.  But keeping their friendship a secret even from their own families is not easy.

I found this book to be very interesting.  Most of us have heard about "the Little Rock nine" but how many of us knew that all of the high schools in Little Rock were closed the following year because of them?  Kristin Levine writes a great story that not only teaches us some history about this period of time but she creates two characters who help the reader understand that it doesn't matter your color.  All that matters is that you are kind.

After reading this book go and make a new friend. Perhaps you will want to visit a zoo...you have to read the book!

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

The School is Alive by: Jack Chabert

Many of us are beginning another school year and this is just the book you may want to read as school begins.  The School is Alive is the first book in the new series Eerie Elementary written by Jack Chabert.  It is a fun story that I am sure all students who are just beginning to read chapter books will enjoy.  There are many illustrations which is just what those beginning readers want.

Sam is the new hall monitor and he isn't too excited about his new responsibilities.  Especially as he begins to see some strange things going on at school, beginning with the quicksand he steps into on the playground his first day on the job!  Mr. Nekobi, the school's custodian is there to rescue Sam from the quicksand and he will be there to teach Sam more about the responsibilities of being a hall monitor.  You see, the school is alive and it will be up to Sam to save not only his friends but all the students and their parents on the night of the school play.

After reading this book go and enjoy a play at your local school.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Rush Revere and the First Patriots by: Rush Limbaugh

Rush Limbaugh has created a fascinating history teacher that I wish that I had when learning American history.  Rush Revere and the First Patriots is the second in this series, where Rush Revere is a substitute history teacher who, along with his time-traveling horse, takes a few of his students back in time to view historical events in action.  In this way, the students can see for themselves how America became a country.  The students not only get to see historical events, they actually meet people like Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.  They are very careful to not change history.  However when one student bullies her way onto Liberty, Rush's horse, that may change.  She liked meeting King George III and didn't think his taxing the colonies was a bad thing.  She wants to see him again and maybe change history forever!  Will she succeed?

The benefits of being a free country is stated often in this book.  I really wish I had books like this to read when learning history.  I encourage you all to read this series you enjoy Rush Revere's teaching methods as much as I did.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

The 13-Story Treehouse by: Andy Griffiths

The 13-Story Treehouse written by Andy Girffiths is a book that I know many children will enjoy reading.  It is similar in style to that of Dork Diaries and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, there are a lot of drawings to go along with the text.  Book two is already available with book three coming soon.

In this story, two friends named Andy and Terry live in an amazing treehouse together.  It is here that they write books.  One day they cannot figure out what their next book should be about.  They have a deadline of tomorrow at 5pm and they start to write a story until they get sidetracked.  They encounter sea monkeys, a cat who becomes a canary, a gorilla, a super hero finger and a super hero dog.  How all these characters come together to create this story is one that will have the reader laughing out loud.

After reading this story, go and enjoy the great outdoors for awhile!

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Rufus Goes to School by: Kim T. Griswell

I picked up this read-aloud book from my public library and I loved the story of Rufus and his desire to attend school.  In my area of the country, school starts the beginning of August.  I am sure there are parents out there that would love to read this to their children before the next school year begins.

Author Kim T. Griswell has created a lovable character in a pig named Rufus.  In the book Rufus Goes to School he really wants to attend school so that he can learn to read.  He loves books and looks at them often, he just doesn't know what the words say.  He gets a backpack and heads off to school where the principal tells him that pigs are not allowed in school because pigs track in mud and start food fights.  Rufus is determined.  He returns the next day with his backpack and a lunchbox and again the principal sends him home. Rufus continues in his quest for knowledge and once the principal learns the real reason Rufus wants to attend school he is allowed into a classroom.  It is here that Rufus learns and he especially loves story time.

School might seem scary for some children and others cannot wait to begin school, just like Rufus.  Either way, take the time to share with your children your own school experiences as they begin a new school year.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna