Beach Party Surf Monkey by: Chris Grabenstein

The second book in the Welcome to Wonderland series is a great book to begin your summer reading adventure!  Beach Party Surf Monkey by:  Chris Grabenstein is humor, family, friends and loads of fun!

P.T. and his friend, Gloria, need a plan to help save their motel, Wonderland, (which is also their home), from being bought by a rich guy who owns the neighboring hotel (who wants to tear down  Wonderland in order to expand his own hotel).  P.T. and Gloria hatch their plan to save Wonderland when they hear about a movie being made in their town.  The movie people want to use a throw-back motel as the setting for their throw-back movie, "Beach Party Surf Monkey".  According to P.T.,  there is no better throw-back motel than Wonderland.  The kids find a way to make their pitch to the movie producers.  When Wonderland is chosen as the location, they are sure they have saved their home from the clutches of the greedy owner next door.

Things for P.T. don't always work out as planned.  The good news is that P.T. and a few friends get to be extras in the movie.  The bad news is that the neighboring hotel owner (and daughter) are big schemers and dreamers just like P.T. and Gloria.  The owner next door finds ways to make life difficult for P.T., Gloria, the movie people, and the co-stars of the movie.  One of the co-stars of the movie is a monkey.  When filming a movie with a monkey, anything can happen.  In fact, when the monkey goes missing from his trailer, the movie might not ever get made.  Can P.T. and Gloria's plan of making Wonderland famous from this movie really work??

This was a fast paced, fun book.  I know children will love this book, either as a read aloud or one they can read on their own.  Make sure to check out my review of book one in this series.  Search my blog for Welcome to Wonderland Motel Sweet Motel.

I suggest after reading this book, you go and spend some time at the beach.

Happy Daily Reading!
Deanna

Welcome to Wonderland Home Sweet Motel by: Chris Grabenstein

Author Chris Grabenstein has written another funny middle grade novel in his book Welcome To Wonderland Home Sweet Motel.  This is the first in a new series that I'm sure even the most reluctant reader will enjoy.  Chris Grabenstein is one of my favorite authors, after you read this book he will become one of your favorites as well.

P.T. Wilkie lives at a hotel with his mother and grandfather in Florida.  He loves living in a place with all you can eat ice cream machine near the pool, a frog slide and so much history  The Hotel is losing money so P.T. thinks of ways to help bring customers to the Hotel.  To bring the Hotel back to its former glory he enlists the help of Gloria, a new resident to the Hotel.  Gloria knows business and between he two of them they create some fun events to bring in the Spring Break crowd.  The activities that they plan will have you wanting to book a visit to the Hotel.

Two older men come to the Hotel and they are acting a bit strange.  Soon, P.T. and Gloria are on a search for missing jewels from a very old robbery.  Using clues and trying to go back to the time of the robbery the kids just may solve this crime and save the Hotel.

This is a great story.  So many laughs, adventure and some crazy characters.  You will love P.T. and his family.  The second book in this series comes out in May 2017 so read this book soon so that you will be ready for book 2.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics by: Chris Grabenstein

Author Chris Grabenstein has written a wonderful sequel with this book Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics (check out my review of his first book by searching my blog for Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library).

I was very excited to begin reading this book as I loved the first story so much.  Kyle and his friends have become famous for winning the competition at the Alexandriaville Ohio new library, Mr. Lemoncello's Library.  However, there are many other junior high students across the United States that feel they could have won the contest.  Since Mr. Lemoncello loves creating games he decides to hold another competition, a Library Olympics.  Teams from regions across the United States are formed and come to Alexandriaville for the games.

However, as the games progress there are those that want the library closed for good, or at least not run by Mr. Lemoncello.  Kyle and his friends find that the competition is tough and they also find that they must find out who is trying to stop the games and take over their library.  The only way they can find the people that are against them is to team up with all of their competitors which isn't really what Kyle wants to do.  Teamwork wins at the end and what a fabulous ending it is.

A quote from the book is one of my new favorites.  In the book it is at the base of the statue of Mr. Lemoncello in the library it states:  Knowledge Not Shared Remains Unknown.  I've shared what I can of this story and I hope you will read it and love it as much as I do.

After reading this book go and visit your public library.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein

Chris Grabenstien has written a fantastic book Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library.  It will be a favorite of mine forever!  I could not put it down.  Kyle is a 12 year old boy and has never been to a public library.  His city's library burned down 12 years ago and it was never rebuilt.  However, a new one is being built and the construction has been well guarded and covered, nobody knows what to expect.

Kyle and his family love to play games, and not just video games.  They enjoy board games and outside games too, all created by Kyle's hero, Mr. Lemoncello.  Kyle isn't excited about a library, what would he do with books?  When Kyle learns that Mr. Lemoncello is the anonymous donor for the new library he is excited to enter the essay contest where 12 children, all the age of 12, will get to be the first visitors to the library.  Kyle and 11 others are let into the library the night before the grand opening.  They are now locked in and have to solve riddles and play games in order to figure out how to get out of the library.  Will the children work together to escape?  Will friendships be made or broken?  It is an adventure reading about Kyle and the others as they learn what awaits them in the new city library.  It is a mystery as you try to solve the riddles and play the games along with Kyle and friends.  Such a great book!  The most important lesson learned is by Kyle, he learns that a library can be a fun place!

Here is a riddle for you...."Once you learn to do this you will be forever free?"

After reading this book go and explore your own public library.  It is a place full of adventure, mystery, fantasy and education!

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna

PS  Answer to the riddle:  READ

The Island of Dr. Libris by: Chris Grabenstein

Chris Grabenstein has written another story that will have you reading more books after finishing his.

Happy Daily Reading
Deanna