Mrs. Haggard's Summer Reading Log
I am looking forward to summer so that I have more time to read! Pictured above is a stack of books I found at the public library recently. I made a picture as the beginning of my plan for what I want to read this summer.
In the stack are a couple of adult titles, a quilting book, several books that I just missed this last year, and some books from the VSBA list for Tennessee that I haven't yet read. I'll post my progress and comments here all summer long.
(Newest post at the top; scroll down for older posts.)
July 18: I've been unplugged and haven't even opened my computer for a few weeks! However, I have still been reading. Here are the books I've finished since the last update:
Books 3 (Omega Rising by Patrick Carmen) and 4 (Infinity Riders) in the Voyagers series. My only disappointment is that my public library doesn't have the next ones!
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo goes back to the same world as her earlier books with a great new story.
Stay Where You Are and Then Leave by John Boyne. This author is well known for Boy in the Striped Pajamas. This story is set in World War I and follows a boy and his mother trying to survive and keeping secrets while the dad is in France.
Mike Lupica's Fast Break was a good read. It's part survival story and all basketball. The team the main character plays for is the Bobcats!
Soar by Joan Bauer has been one of my favorites of the summer. The main character LOVES baseball, but health issues prevent him from playing. Even so, he finds his own way to participate in his favorite sport. The plucky, spirited character reminded me a little bit of Wonder, though this is a totally different kind of book. I'd love to hear if anyone else liked it as much as I did.
Renee Ahdieh's The Rose and the Dagger is a sequel to her book, The Wrath and the Dawn. Both are a version of the story of Scheherazade and the 1001 Nights. Although I liked both stories, I haven't yet decided whether to put them in our library.
The final installment in the Selection series, The Crown, by Kiera Cass, tied things up neatly, if a little unexpectedly. I'm glad I read Happily Ever After earlier this summer because it helped to set the stage for this final volume.
I listened to Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan, and I wonder if reading it would be as rich an experience. The book features a unique harmonica in 4 stories that are each left hanging and not tied together until the last section. Music was a major theme in all the stories, and the recorded version added music to the story that made it even better.
Earlier this summer, I read an adult book by Liz Curtis Higgs, based on the Biblical story of Jacob and his wives. I finished two sequels: Fair is the Rose and Whence Came a Prince, both equally satisfying. One more story to go in this series, but not enough time left to read it this summer.
Jackaby by William Ritter was a satisfying new read. The blurb describes it as "Sherlock meets Dr. Who." I liked it a lot and can't wait to read the next installment. I think Brandon Mull fans would like it. Readers who like this one would probably also like one of several Sherlock Holmes stories. I need to make a list of those!
Eastern Tennessee is the setting for The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd. Emma Pearl learns that the women in her family do extraordinary things after they have a destiny dream. Her dream, when it finally comes, is mostly confusing. She's also trying to find a treasure that may save her grandmother's cafe from being gobbled up by a developer. Full of quirky characters and a little bit of magic, this is a great story that would be enjoyed by readers of the Savvy series by Law.
I have liked all the Theodore Boone books by John Grisham. The latest one, The Scandal, has Theo taking the 8th grade standardized state tests, which will decide his placement in high school classes. When a struggling school across town makes remarkably improved scores, there is suspicion of cheating, and Theo is on the case with his friend April.
June 22: Finished Mangus Chase: The Sword of Summer, audio book. Loved the tone of the book--humorous and sarcastic. There was even a scene where Mangus made fun of a sword that could become a pen that referenced Percy Jackson. I like the author's sense of humor. Where else would you find a dwarf who wants to be a fashion designer and an elf who has to use sign language to communicate? I also liked that Annabeth was related to Mangus and may show up again. Of course, the ending is a setup for a sequel.
Stayed up till 2 AM finishing Thorn in my Heart by Liz Curtis Higgs. It's a retelling of the story of Jacob from the Bible set in Scotland in the 1780's. This was mainly Leanna's (Leah's) story. Can't wait to read the next installment about Rose (Rachel).
Also listened to the audio book of Catch You Later, Traitor by Avi. The setting is the 1950's in New York. Pete is a big fan of detective stories and he is in the middle of his own mystery to solve. His teacher has accused Pete's dad of being a communist and everyone in his class has shunned him. In imitation of his favorite detective, Sam Spade, Pete gathers clues to find out his father's secrets while trying to avoid the FBI and find out who their informant has been. There's a lot of suspense--even though it has a historical setting, I'd classify this as a mystery. Even though I thought I had it figured out, the action was nonstop till the end. A great read!
June 14: I've been away for a few days but driving with an audio book really helped. I finished Project Alpha and Game of Flames, the first two books in the Voyagers series. Great adventure stories--I'm looking forward to the next installments. I read Happily Ever After, part of the Selection series by Kiera Cass. I have the last book in that series on hold at the public library. I finished a wonderful adult book, The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman. I had it with me when I went to the dentist, which sparked a wonderful discussion with her about books and resulted in several more titles for my list. And last night I read Booked, the wonderful new novel-in-verse by Kwame Alexander, which I LOVED!
Today, I've been working on a presentation for librarians that I'm giving on Thursday. I decided to include Chatterpix, so I tried it. My first 2 Chatterpix book commercials are at the bottom of this page. You can download Chatterpix to your device and create your own video. Please share with me if you use it to do a book commercial.
June 5: Finished Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier (audio book) while I started on a new quilt. It was a delightful story, though very different from his Night Gardener. I think readers of The Land of Stories would like this one as well. And I just discovered that his newest book, Sophie Quire ad the Last Storyguard, is a Peter Nimble adventure. Another book to add to my list. :)
I also finished Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald, another VSBA selection. It's a mystery in which Theodora Tenpenny's grandfather Jack tells her with his dying breath to look for a "treasure under the egg." Theo could certainly use a treasure to support herself and her fragile mother. When she finds a painting in Jack's studio, she hopes it might be a priceless masterpiece and fears that it might be stolen. With the help of a new friend, she tries to find out more about both the painting and her grandfather, a little afraid about what she may discover. I really liked this story, which reminded me of other "art mysteries" like From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Chasing Vermeer.
June 4: Space Case by Stuart Gibbs. Wow! I've read Spy Camp by this author and expected it to be similar, but it's not. Dashiell Gibson and his parents and sister live on Moon Base Alpha, the first "colony" on the Moon. When MBA's beloved doctor dies as a result of walking on the Moon's surface (spacesuit malfunction), everyone thinks it's a terrible accident. But Dashiell suspects that someone has murdered Dr. Holtz, and despite threats from the Base Commander, he doggedly sets out to prove it. You have to admit that a murder mystery set on the Moon is a pretty intriguing concept! Another VSBA selection.
June 3: Forgot to add to this log last week, though I have been busy reading. Here are some titles I recently finished.
Raymie Nightingale by Kate Dicamillo: Sweet story of 3 girls who become unlikely friends. If you like Dicamillo's books, you'll love this new one.
See How They Run by Ally Carter. Book 2 in the Embassy Row series raised as many questions as it answered. I'll be eagerly awaiting the next installment!
Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff: Trent and his mom are both die-hard baseball fans, and the title comes from the expression where an outfielder can't see the ball because he is blinded by the sun. Trent, in addition to coping with his first year of middle school, is trying to recover from a very traumatic event that happened the previous February. Can't say more than that without giving away the plot, but I LOVED this story! Stayed up till 1 p.m. to finish it. (I'm so glad it's summer!) If you liked Wonder, I think this book would appeal to you. A VSBA selection for the coming year.
Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Mass. This series was recommended to me by one of our graduating 8th graders. This was the mostly satisfying conclusion. Fantasy lovers would like it. I'm trying to decide if it's too mature for our library. I do want to go back and read the prequel to find out how Celena became an assassin.
Currently listening to the audio book Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier. Another student recommendation after we both read and liked the author's Night Gardener. Great adventure/fantasy and I love the language in this one (example: "empty as a yawn".) I think I know where the story is going, but I still have about a quarter of it to go.
May 22: Finished Miss Julia Inherits a Mess by Ann B. Ross. This is from a favorite "cozy mystery" series. It was a quick fun read and just what I needed for a relaxing Saturday. I also glanced through the quilt book and returned it to the library. Of course, I've already thought of several other titles to add to my list. Hope I have time for everything I want to read!
In the stack are a couple of adult titles, a quilting book, several books that I just missed this last year, and some books from the VSBA list for Tennessee that I haven't yet read. I'll post my progress and comments here all summer long.
(Newest post at the top; scroll down for older posts.)
July 18: I've been unplugged and haven't even opened my computer for a few weeks! However, I have still been reading. Here are the books I've finished since the last update:
Books 3 (Omega Rising by Patrick Carmen) and 4 (Infinity Riders) in the Voyagers series. My only disappointment is that my public library doesn't have the next ones!
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo goes back to the same world as her earlier books with a great new story.
Stay Where You Are and Then Leave by John Boyne. This author is well known for Boy in the Striped Pajamas. This story is set in World War I and follows a boy and his mother trying to survive and keeping secrets while the dad is in France.
Mike Lupica's Fast Break was a good read. It's part survival story and all basketball. The team the main character plays for is the Bobcats!
Soar by Joan Bauer has been one of my favorites of the summer. The main character LOVES baseball, but health issues prevent him from playing. Even so, he finds his own way to participate in his favorite sport. The plucky, spirited character reminded me a little bit of Wonder, though this is a totally different kind of book. I'd love to hear if anyone else liked it as much as I did.
Renee Ahdieh's The Rose and the Dagger is a sequel to her book, The Wrath and the Dawn. Both are a version of the story of Scheherazade and the 1001 Nights. Although I liked both stories, I haven't yet decided whether to put them in our library.
The final installment in the Selection series, The Crown, by Kiera Cass, tied things up neatly, if a little unexpectedly. I'm glad I read Happily Ever After earlier this summer because it helped to set the stage for this final volume.
I listened to Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan, and I wonder if reading it would be as rich an experience. The book features a unique harmonica in 4 stories that are each left hanging and not tied together until the last section. Music was a major theme in all the stories, and the recorded version added music to the story that made it even better.
Earlier this summer, I read an adult book by Liz Curtis Higgs, based on the Biblical story of Jacob and his wives. I finished two sequels: Fair is the Rose and Whence Came a Prince, both equally satisfying. One more story to go in this series, but not enough time left to read it this summer.
Jackaby by William Ritter was a satisfying new read. The blurb describes it as "Sherlock meets Dr. Who." I liked it a lot and can't wait to read the next installment. I think Brandon Mull fans would like it. Readers who like this one would probably also like one of several Sherlock Holmes stories. I need to make a list of those!
Eastern Tennessee is the setting for The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd. Emma Pearl learns that the women in her family do extraordinary things after they have a destiny dream. Her dream, when it finally comes, is mostly confusing. She's also trying to find a treasure that may save her grandmother's cafe from being gobbled up by a developer. Full of quirky characters and a little bit of magic, this is a great story that would be enjoyed by readers of the Savvy series by Law.
I have liked all the Theodore Boone books by John Grisham. The latest one, The Scandal, has Theo taking the 8th grade standardized state tests, which will decide his placement in high school classes. When a struggling school across town makes remarkably improved scores, there is suspicion of cheating, and Theo is on the case with his friend April.
June 22: Finished Mangus Chase: The Sword of Summer, audio book. Loved the tone of the book--humorous and sarcastic. There was even a scene where Mangus made fun of a sword that could become a pen that referenced Percy Jackson. I like the author's sense of humor. Where else would you find a dwarf who wants to be a fashion designer and an elf who has to use sign language to communicate? I also liked that Annabeth was related to Mangus and may show up again. Of course, the ending is a setup for a sequel.
Stayed up till 2 AM finishing Thorn in my Heart by Liz Curtis Higgs. It's a retelling of the story of Jacob from the Bible set in Scotland in the 1780's. This was mainly Leanna's (Leah's) story. Can't wait to read the next installment about Rose (Rachel).
Also listened to the audio book of Catch You Later, Traitor by Avi. The setting is the 1950's in New York. Pete is a big fan of detective stories and he is in the middle of his own mystery to solve. His teacher has accused Pete's dad of being a communist and everyone in his class has shunned him. In imitation of his favorite detective, Sam Spade, Pete gathers clues to find out his father's secrets while trying to avoid the FBI and find out who their informant has been. There's a lot of suspense--even though it has a historical setting, I'd classify this as a mystery. Even though I thought I had it figured out, the action was nonstop till the end. A great read!
June 14: I've been away for a few days but driving with an audio book really helped. I finished Project Alpha and Game of Flames, the first two books in the Voyagers series. Great adventure stories--I'm looking forward to the next installments. I read Happily Ever After, part of the Selection series by Kiera Cass. I have the last book in that series on hold at the public library. I finished a wonderful adult book, The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman. I had it with me when I went to the dentist, which sparked a wonderful discussion with her about books and resulted in several more titles for my list. And last night I read Booked, the wonderful new novel-in-verse by Kwame Alexander, which I LOVED!
Today, I've been working on a presentation for librarians that I'm giving on Thursday. I decided to include Chatterpix, so I tried it. My first 2 Chatterpix book commercials are at the bottom of this page. You can download Chatterpix to your device and create your own video. Please share with me if you use it to do a book commercial.
June 5: Finished Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier (audio book) while I started on a new quilt. It was a delightful story, though very different from his Night Gardener. I think readers of The Land of Stories would like this one as well. And I just discovered that his newest book, Sophie Quire ad the Last Storyguard, is a Peter Nimble adventure. Another book to add to my list. :)
I also finished Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald, another VSBA selection. It's a mystery in which Theodora Tenpenny's grandfather Jack tells her with his dying breath to look for a "treasure under the egg." Theo could certainly use a treasure to support herself and her fragile mother. When she finds a painting in Jack's studio, she hopes it might be a priceless masterpiece and fears that it might be stolen. With the help of a new friend, she tries to find out more about both the painting and her grandfather, a little afraid about what she may discover. I really liked this story, which reminded me of other "art mysteries" like From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Chasing Vermeer.
June 4: Space Case by Stuart Gibbs. Wow! I've read Spy Camp by this author and expected it to be similar, but it's not. Dashiell Gibson and his parents and sister live on Moon Base Alpha, the first "colony" on the Moon. When MBA's beloved doctor dies as a result of walking on the Moon's surface (spacesuit malfunction), everyone thinks it's a terrible accident. But Dashiell suspects that someone has murdered Dr. Holtz, and despite threats from the Base Commander, he doggedly sets out to prove it. You have to admit that a murder mystery set on the Moon is a pretty intriguing concept! Another VSBA selection.
June 3: Forgot to add to this log last week, though I have been busy reading. Here are some titles I recently finished.
Raymie Nightingale by Kate Dicamillo: Sweet story of 3 girls who become unlikely friends. If you like Dicamillo's books, you'll love this new one.
See How They Run by Ally Carter. Book 2 in the Embassy Row series raised as many questions as it answered. I'll be eagerly awaiting the next installment!
Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff: Trent and his mom are both die-hard baseball fans, and the title comes from the expression where an outfielder can't see the ball because he is blinded by the sun. Trent, in addition to coping with his first year of middle school, is trying to recover from a very traumatic event that happened the previous February. Can't say more than that without giving away the plot, but I LOVED this story! Stayed up till 1 p.m. to finish it. (I'm so glad it's summer!) If you liked Wonder, I think this book would appeal to you. A VSBA selection for the coming year.
Queen of Shadows by Sarah J Mass. This series was recommended to me by one of our graduating 8th graders. This was the mostly satisfying conclusion. Fantasy lovers would like it. I'm trying to decide if it's too mature for our library. I do want to go back and read the prequel to find out how Celena became an assassin.
Currently listening to the audio book Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier. Another student recommendation after we both read and liked the author's Night Gardener. Great adventure/fantasy and I love the language in this one (example: "empty as a yawn".) I think I know where the story is going, but I still have about a quarter of it to go.
May 22: Finished Miss Julia Inherits a Mess by Ann B. Ross. This is from a favorite "cozy mystery" series. It was a quick fun read and just what I needed for a relaxing Saturday. I also glanced through the quilt book and returned it to the library. Of course, I've already thought of several other titles to add to my list. Hope I have time for everything I want to read!